Forgiveness: The Path to Real Peace and Joy
A few years ago someone told me about a person who was doing business with our ministry and making a good deal of money because of their relationship with us. My friend happened to be at the same restaurant, seated in the next booth, and overheard their conversation, which just happened to be about me - and they weren't saying good things either.
At first I got mad and just wanted to tell him that he was never getting our business again. But in bed that night, the Holy Spirit said to me, "You're not going to do any of those things." He said, "No, you're going to do what you teach. You're going to go buy him a present, and you're going to tell him how much you appreciate the services that he's given you all these years."
Needless to say, I resisted at first. But eventually, I relented and bought him a gift.
What I remember most about the situation is that as soon as I started taking action to do something good for them, it just got so funny to me. I was laughing out loud in my house, all by myself.
When we can look at people who've hurt us with compassion, there's a party that goes on inside of us.
So who can you forgive and do something nice for today? Practice forgiveness and follow the path it leads to real peace and joy!
Prayer Starter: God, I want to obey Your word, which tells me to be compassionate and good to those who have hurt me. I know that when I do, I will experience peace and joy on the inside.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Daily Devotion From Joyce Meyer
God Causes Things to Happen at the Right Time
Are you waiting for the desires of your heart to begin to manifest? Are you praying for bondages to fall off of you so you can see your dreams come to pass? Are you waiting and praying for the salvation of friends and family? Are you trusting God for prosperity, favor, promotion, honor, and all the blessings found in His Word?
Are you tired of waiting for harvest time in your life? Are you frustrated, crying out, "When, God, when?" Then you need to understand that God's timing is often a mystery. He doesn't do things on our timetable. Yet His Word promises that He will not be late, not one single day.
God causes things to happen at exactly the right time! Your job is not to figure out when, but to make up your mind that you won't give up until you cross the finish line and are living in the radical, outrageous blessings of God! The more you trust Jesus and keep your eyes focused on Him, the more life you'll have. Trusting God brings life. Believing brings rest. So stop trying to figure everything out, and let God be God in your life.
Prayer Starter: God, I know that Your timing is perfect, even when I grow tired of waiting. Help me to trust in You and rest in Your plan for me.
Are you waiting for the desires of your heart to begin to manifest? Are you praying for bondages to fall off of you so you can see your dreams come to pass? Are you waiting and praying for the salvation of friends and family? Are you trusting God for prosperity, favor, promotion, honor, and all the blessings found in His Word?
Are you tired of waiting for harvest time in your life? Are you frustrated, crying out, "When, God, when?" Then you need to understand that God's timing is often a mystery. He doesn't do things on our timetable. Yet His Word promises that He will not be late, not one single day.
God causes things to happen at exactly the right time! Your job is not to figure out when, but to make up your mind that you won't give up until you cross the finish line and are living in the radical, outrageous blessings of God! The more you trust Jesus and keep your eyes focused on Him, the more life you'll have. Trusting God brings life. Believing brings rest. So stop trying to figure everything out, and let God be God in your life.
Prayer Starter: God, I know that Your timing is perfect, even when I grow tired of waiting. Help me to trust in You and rest in Your plan for me.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Daily Devotion From Joyce Meyer
Pursuing the Right Kind of Knowledge
Many Christians suffer because they're too busy seeking carnal knowledge instead of the Word of God. The Lord Himself said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." (Hosea 4:6 AMP).
Paul was an educated man, with a wealth of carnal knowledge. He tought himself better than others and even sought to kill Christians. Thankfully, God had other plans for him and revealed Himself to Paul in a way that changed his life forever.
When Paul realized that seeking carnal knowledge didn't compare to the importance of spiritual knowledge, he decided to only pursue that instead.
Like Paul, we need to realize the importance of learning spiritual things. Instead of seeking worldly things and filling our heads with things that don't matter, we need to dig in and fill our minds with God's Word.
I can tell you from experience that knowing God's Word will change your life. It turned Paul into one of the greatest Christians who ever lived, and it can transform you and lead you into your amazing destiny in Christ.
I encourage you today to seek out the spiritual knowledge found in God's Word. Let it fill you up and take you over!
Prayer Starter: Lord, I don't want to waste my time with carnal knowledge that doesn't matter. Like Paul, help me to only pursue the spiritual knowledge found in knowing You and knowing Your Word.
Many Christians suffer because they're too busy seeking carnal knowledge instead of the Word of God. The Lord Himself said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." (Hosea 4:6 AMP).
Paul was an educated man, with a wealth of carnal knowledge. He tought himself better than others and even sought to kill Christians. Thankfully, God had other plans for him and revealed Himself to Paul in a way that changed his life forever.
When Paul realized that seeking carnal knowledge didn't compare to the importance of spiritual knowledge, he decided to only pursue that instead.
Like Paul, we need to realize the importance of learning spiritual things. Instead of seeking worldly things and filling our heads with things that don't matter, we need to dig in and fill our minds with God's Word.
I can tell you from experience that knowing God's Word will change your life. It turned Paul into one of the greatest Christians who ever lived, and it can transform you and lead you into your amazing destiny in Christ.
I encourage you today to seek out the spiritual knowledge found in God's Word. Let it fill you up and take you over!
Prayer Starter: Lord, I don't want to waste my time with carnal knowledge that doesn't matter. Like Paul, help me to only pursue the spiritual knowledge found in knowing You and knowing Your Word.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Daily Devotion From Joyce Meyer
Enduring Like Jesus
There are usually two sides to everything. The cross has two: a crucifixion side and a resurrection side. Jesus had to endure one side to get to the other. But if He hadn't endured, then we'd all still be left without a Savior and no forgiveness of our sins.
Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus, for the joy of obtaining the prize on the other side of the cross, the resurrection, endured the pain. Like Jesus, we have to endure bad things. To endure means to outlast the devil; to be steadfast long enough to let the trial do whatever it's going to do in our lives and get from one side of the cross to the other.
Whether we're hit by an unexpected circumstance, suffering for doing something wrong or for resisting temptation and sin by doing what's right, we have to go through things. But waiting for you on the other side of the hard times is the joy of obtaining the prize, the good result.
Today, be encouraged by the way Jesus handled trials. He knew the joy that was before Him and persevered until the end. He's given you the power to do the same.
Prayer Starter: God, I want to endure like Jesus. Help me to get a vision for the joy of obtaining the prize that awaits me so that I can endure whatever trial comes my way.
There are usually two sides to everything. The cross has two: a crucifixion side and a resurrection side. Jesus had to endure one side to get to the other. But if He hadn't endured, then we'd all still be left without a Savior and no forgiveness of our sins.
Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus, for the joy of obtaining the prize on the other side of the cross, the resurrection, endured the pain. Like Jesus, we have to endure bad things. To endure means to outlast the devil; to be steadfast long enough to let the trial do whatever it's going to do in our lives and get from one side of the cross to the other.
Whether we're hit by an unexpected circumstance, suffering for doing something wrong or for resisting temptation and sin by doing what's right, we have to go through things. But waiting for you on the other side of the hard times is the joy of obtaining the prize, the good result.
Today, be encouraged by the way Jesus handled trials. He knew the joy that was before Him and persevered until the end. He's given you the power to do the same.
Prayer Starter: God, I want to endure like Jesus. Help me to get a vision for the joy of obtaining the prize that awaits me so that I can endure whatever trial comes my way.
Monday, January 14, 2013
You Deserve
Ever had a day go by so smooth and one little thing can immediately change the mood from positive to negative? The devil is always busy and never likes to see us be joyful and happy with the way our life is going. Out of the millions of things to be upset, sad, frustrated, or burned out about; let's choose happiness and calmness over it all. Take back your happiness from bitterness, an change all of the negative thoughts into positives. I'm sure you will have a million reasons to smile ;)
Daily Devotion From Joyce Meyer
You Have a Relationship with Yourself
Did it ever occur to you that you have a relationship with yourself? You may have never given it much thought, but you spend more time with yourself than anyone else, and it's vital that you get along well with you because you are the one person you never get away from.
We should love ourselves, not in a selfish, self-centered way that produces a lifestyle of self-indulgence, but in a balanced, godly way that affirms God's creation as essentially good and right. We may be flawed by unfortunate experiences we've gone through, but that doesn't mean we're worthless and good-for-nothing.
We must have the kind of love for ourselves that says, "I know God loves me, so I can love what God chooses to love. I don't love everything I do, but I accept myself because God accepts me." We must develop the kind of mature love that says, "I believe God is changing me daily, but during this process, I will not reject what God accepts. I'll accept myself as I am right now, knowing that I will not always remain this way."
Prayer Starter: God, like Isaiah 43:25 says, You blot out my sins and accept me, which means that I don't have to reject myself. I am free to love myself in a healthy way because You love me!
Did it ever occur to you that you have a relationship with yourself? You may have never given it much thought, but you spend more time with yourself than anyone else, and it's vital that you get along well with you because you are the one person you never get away from.
We should love ourselves, not in a selfish, self-centered way that produces a lifestyle of self-indulgence, but in a balanced, godly way that affirms God's creation as essentially good and right. We may be flawed by unfortunate experiences we've gone through, but that doesn't mean we're worthless and good-for-nothing.
We must have the kind of love for ourselves that says, "I know God loves me, so I can love what God chooses to love. I don't love everything I do, but I accept myself because God accepts me." We must develop the kind of mature love that says, "I believe God is changing me daily, but during this process, I will not reject what God accepts. I'll accept myself as I am right now, knowing that I will not always remain this way."
Prayer Starter: God, like Isaiah 43:25 says, You blot out my sins and accept me, which means that I don't have to reject myself. I am free to love myself in a healthy way because You love me!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
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