Getting the Most Out of Your Marriage by Joyce Meyer - posted June 27, 2017 Do to others as you would have them do to you. —Luke 6:31 NIV I wonder how many millions of people think, I just don’t feel the way I once did about my spouse. I wish I still felt excited about our marriage—that the romantic feelings would come back. This is when we need to remember: wishing does not do any good; only action changes things. If you don’t feel you are getting anything out of your marriage, perhaps you are not putting enough into it. We usually give our spouses the unfair and unrealistic responsibility of making us happy rather than being grateful for them and choosing to make them happy. In the process, selfishness causes both of you to be unhappy. But you can change that! If you want your marriage or any other relationship to improve, just start being grateful for that person and try to bless them every chance you get. Prayer of Thanks: Father, thank You for my spouse and for their unique

Identify Who You Are by Joyce Meyer - posted May 12, 2017 Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!] —1 Peter 3:11 Paul said, “I want to do what is right, but I can’t” (see Romans 7:15-25). He was a new person on the inside because he was born again, but he still had to resist the temptation to sin. Paul explained that “the sin [principle]” (v. 20) continues to dwell in us. We want to do right, but we don’t have the power to perform it, because evil is ever present to tempt us to do wrong. Only God can deliver us from this tendency to sin; that is why we must ask Him to deliver us from evil each day.

Don’t Wing It by Joyce Meyer - posted May 08, 2017 Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered and, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him. —Hebrews 5:8-9 Ever found yourself in a situation where you did not take time to prepare for something at work or at church and you’re expected to do something? Your heart starts hammering, the butterflies in your stomach start flittering, and you quietly think to yourself, I’ll just wing it. You’re not prepared, but you’re hoping you can pull it off anyway and nobody will ever know. Even if you do manage to deceive other people, you will know the truth and you won’t feel good about it. Down deep inside you will know that you did not do your best. You might feel relieved that you managed to get through it, but you did it in fear rather than confidence. Even Jesus was trained and prepared

God Gives the Victory by Joyce Meyer - posted April 27, 2017 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name.... —Psalm 91:13-14 God created each of us with a free will. This gives us the ability to make our own decisions apart from outside influence. Satan tries to force us to do things by placing outside pressure on us, but God attempts to lead us by His Holy Spirit. Jesus is not demanding or harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing. He is humble, gentle, meek, and lowly (see Matthew 11:29-30). We are indeed complex creatures. Our mind can think one thing, while our emotions want something else and our will certainly seems to have a mind of its own. Once a person's willpower is renewed by God's Word and she knows enough to choose good over evil, she becomes very dangerous to Satan and his kingdom o

The Written Word by Joyce Meyer - posted April 24, 2017 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. —Psalm 119:105 The Bible is written as a personal letter to you. God speaks to you, ministers to your needs, and directs you in the way you should go in His written Word. He tells you what you should do and how you should live. It is a mistake to think we can hear clearly from God without spending time in the Word. Knowing the written Word protects you from deception. Listening for God's voice without being dedicated to spending time in the Word on a regular basis opens you up to hearing voices that are not from God. There may be times when God speaks something to you that is outside a specific chapter and verse of the Bible, but it will always be in agreement with His Word. Tonight, spend time reading a portion of God's personal letter to you and allow Him to speak to your heart. God’s Word is one of the most precious gifts we have. Treasure it.

Decide to Believe by Joyce Meyer - posted April 21, 2017 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. —James 1:2-4 Too often people stare at me with a blank look when I urge them to decide to believe. It’s as if I’m asking them to do something they can’t do. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (see Romans 10:17), but it also involves a decision. We enter into a relationship with God through believing in Jesus Christ, but that’s only the beginning. Believing doesn’t end there. As I understand the realm of the Spirit, if we follow the Lord, we live with a growing faith. That means we learn

Go with the Flow by Joyce Meyer - posted April 20, 2017 But the meek [in the end] shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. —Psalm 37:11 We can learn to get along with people. It is especially important to learn to get along with our immediate family members and coworkers. There are many informative books about personality differences to help us understand why people feel and act the way they do. Understanding helps to smooth over strained relationships. People make decisions differently. Some give an immediate answer, while others want time to think about things first. Try to understand the people you will see today. Ask God to show you ways to get along with them. He will give you favor as you trust in Him.

Avoid Worldly Competition by Joyce Meyer - posted April 19, 2017 Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another. —Galatians 5:26 According to the world's system, the best place to be is ahead of everyone else. Popular thinking would say that we should try to get to the top no matter who we have to hurt on the way up. But the Bible teaches us that there is no such thing as real peace until we are delivered from the need to compete with others. Even in what is supposed to be considered "fun games," we often see competition get so out of balance that people end up arguing and hating one another rather than simply relaxing and having a good time together. Naturally, human beings don't play games to lose; everyone is going to do his best. But when a person cannot enjoy a game unless he is winning, he definitely has a problem—possibly a deep-rooted one

Our Best Help by Joyce Meyer - posted April 14, 2017 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. —Psalm 121:1-2 NKJV We should be maturing in our faith to the point that we don't run to someone else every time we need to know what to do. I am not implying that asking for a word of counsel from people we feel are wiser than we are is wrong, but I do believe asking for people's opinions excessively and relying on them too heavily is wrong and insulting to God. As you can tell from today's verse, David sought God first and knew God was his only help. The same is true for us, so we must be like David and always look to God first. We need to develop a habit of seeing God as our "first choice" for advice, not as our last resort. God may use a person of His choice to clarify things, offer additional insight, or confirm what He has already told us, so seek Him first and if He leads you to a p

Breathe Life into Your Dreams by Joyce Meyer For a dream comes with much business and painful effort . . . -Ecclesiastes 5:3 I’m sure this is why many people give up on their dreams somewhere along the way. When they find out it will take effort, be costly and uncomfortable to complete their preparation for the birth of that dream, they conclude it wasn't really God's will after all and go and do something else. I want to encourage you to go press through the hard part because if you give up, you will never be completely satisfied. Faith becomes stronger as we are required to use it. So how do we successfully make it through preparation and give birth to our God-given dreams? Here are three keys to help you get there: 1. Be Confident that God is working Whatever dream God has put in your heart, stand in faith, believing He can bring it to pass. Each day, as you pursue the promise He has given you, make it a habit to say, “God’s working!” You may not know all

You Can’t Drive a Parked Car by Joyce Meyer Establish my steps and direct them by [means of] Your word.… —Psalm 119:133 People often ask, " How do I know what God wants me to do with my life? " Some spend many years being totally immobile because they are waiting to hear a voice from heaven telling them what to do. My best advice to anyone in this position is to simply do something. Do what you think God might be calling you to do and if you make a mistake, He will help you correct it. Don't spend your life so afraid of making a mistake that you never try to obey what you believe God has spoken to you. I like to say, you can't drive a parked car. You need to be moving if you want God to show you which way to go. He has no need to say to you, "Turn left" if you are not going anywhere. But if you are moving, He can give you directions. Let me insert a word of wisdom here. There are certainly times when we need to be still, wait on God, pray, an

Join the Party by Joyce Meyer - posted March 31, 2017 A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken. — Proverbs 15:13 When Jesus invited people to become His disciples and follow Him, He asked them if they wanted to join His party. I realize He was talking about His group, but I like to think that traveling with Jesus was probably a lot of fun as well as a lot of hard work. Repeatedly throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus invite people to leave their lifestyles and side with His party, and He is still issuing that invitation today. Yes, there is work to do for the kingdom of God, but thankfully we can have fun while we do it. When we follow Jesus, we are not going to a solemn assembly or a funeral. We are joining His party that is full of life, peace, and never-ending joy! Prayer of Thanks: Father, help me to lay aside the burdens and cares of this world and receive Your joy today. I thank You that You want me to have fun and enjo

Ready Minds by Joyce Meyer   Now these [Jews] were better disposed and more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they were entirely ready and accepted and welcomed the message [concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] with inclination of mind and eagerness, searching and examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. —Acts 17:11 One of my much-published writer friends taught a series of classes at a writers’ conference on beginning writing. He wanted to reach people who felt God had called them to write and show them how to get their articles and books published. At the beginning, he asked the attendees how long they had been writing and if they had ever been published. Two women, who sat in the front row, said they had both been writing for almost twelve years, but had not yet published anything. At the end of the first lecture, my friend overheard one of the women say to the other, “Oh, we know all of

Enjoy the Pursuit by Joyce Meyer Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he who considers the weak and the poor; the Lord will deliver him in the time of evil and trouble. —Psalm 41:1 Do you ever feel that no matter where you go, somebody pursues you and hunts you down? Does someone seem to need something every time you start doing what you set out to do? Someone needs a ride to school, or somebody forgets their lunch, and before you know it, half your day is wasted. Jesus knows what it is like to be pursued, but He was never upset by it. As soon as He ministered to everyone in one place, He went to the next town to find more people who needed Him. He never said, "Leave Me alone." Ask God to show you the needs of people through the eyes of Jesus today, and your days will never be wasted. Joyce Meyer

 I Understand by Joyce Meyer - posted March 28, 2017 For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. —Hebrews 4:15 As human beings, we have a deep need to be understood. When we don't receive it, we feel lonely. In listening to people share their hurt and pain, I find that the words "I understand" have a very soothing effect. I have told my husband, "Even if you don't have a clue about what I am talking about, just tell me you understand, and it will make me feel a lot better." A man could not possibly understand PMS, but it is better for him if he appears to have understanding of his wife's plight. She needs to be understood. She does not want to feel alone in her pain and struggle. One day my husband came in from trying to

The Journey Toward Unselfishness by Joyce Meyer - posted March 27, 2017 . . . I die daily [I face death every day and die to self]. —1 Corinthians 15:31 Selfishness is not learned behavior; we are born with it. The Bible refers to it as "sin nature." Adam and Eve sinned against God by doing what He told them not to do, and the sin principle they established was forever passed to every person who would ever be born. God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins, and to deliver us from them. He came to undo what Adam did. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He comes to live in our spirit, and if we allow that renewed part of us to rule our decisions, we can overcome the sin nature in our flesh. It doesn't go away, but the greater One Who lives in us helps us overcome it daily (see Galatians 5:16). That does not mean that we never sin, but we can improve and make progress throughout our lives. I certainly cannot say I have overcome selfishness entirely—none

Give What You Have by Joyce Meyer - posted March 25, 2017 They said to Him, We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish. He said, Bring them here to Me. Then He ordered the crowds to recline on the grass; and He took the five loaves and the two fish, and, looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and blessed and broke the loaves and handed the pieces to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. — Matthew 14:17-19 One of the biggest mistakes we can make in life is to focus on what we don't have or have lost and fail to take an inventory of what we do have.  When Jesus desired to feed five thousand men—plus women and children—the disciples said all they had was a little boy's lunch, which consisted of five small loaves of bread and two fish. They assured Him it was not enough for a crowd the size they had. However, Jesus took the lunch and multiplied it. He fed thousands of men, women, and children and had twelve baskets of leftovers (see Matthew 14:1

Building Bridges, Not Walls by Joyce Meyer - posted March 22, 2017 For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us. - Ephesians 2:14 One day while I was praying, the Holy Spirit showed me that my life had become a bridge for others to pass over and find their place in God. For many years, I erected only walls in my life; but now where there were walls, there are bridges instead. All the difficult and unfair things that have happened to me have been turned into highways over which others can pass to find the same liberty that I have found. I have learned to build bridges instead of walls. In Hebrews 5:9 Jesus is referred to as "the Author and Source of eternal salvation." He pioneered a pathway to God for us. He became a highway for us to pass over. It is as though He faced a giant forest and went in ahead of us so that when we

Grateful and Aware of God’s Love by Joyce Meyer - posted March 21, 2017 March 21, 2017 Grateful and Aware of God’s Love by Joyce Meyer - posted March 21, 2017 Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! - Psalm 106:1 God is always good to us, always faithful to us, always working so diligently in our lives. He is always doing something for us and acting in our best interest, so we need to respond by letting Him know we appreciate His abundant goodness. For example, “Lord, thank You for a good night’s sleep,” or “God, I thank You that my visit to the dentist didn’t hurt as much as I thought it might,” or “Father, thank You for helping me make good decisions today,” or “Lord, thank You for keeping me encouraged.” We can thank God silently in our hearts, and we can also voice our thankfulness aloud because that helps us stay conscious and aware of God’s love, which He demonstrates through His

Life Is a Journey by Joyce Meyer - posted March 20, 2017 . . . But when the cloud was taken up, they journeyed; whether it was taken up by day or by night, they journeyed. —Numbers 9:21 Thankfully, our enjoyment in life is not based on always having enjoyable circumstances. It is an attitude of the heart, a decision to enjoy everything because all things—even little, seemingly insignificant things—have a part in the overall “big picture” of life. Life is a journey. Everything in it is a process. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. All aspects of life are always developing. Life is motion. Without movement, advancement, and progression, there is no life. In other words, as long as you and I are alive, we are always going to be going somewhere. If you have not been enjoying the journey of your life, it is time to start. If you have been enjoying your life, then thank God and look for ways to enjoy it even more. Prayer of Thanks: I thank You, Father, that my life is