Promises for Your Everyday Life

[Aeliana]

"They" Is You and Me

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.
Psalms 89:14

God is just. It's His character, who He is, and it's something He wants us to pursue. Justice seeks to make wrong things right. It is us working throughout our lives to fix injustices in the world around us. Every time we see something that's wrong, our first response should be to pray about it. Our second response should be to ask ourselves, "What can I do about it?"

However, it doesn't even occur to most of us. It's like we look at things and think that it's someone else's problem, and we wish "they" would fix it! We wish "they" would do this and that. Have you ever stopped to ask, "Who is they?" I think "they" is us, you and me! You may not be able to fix everything, but you can do something.

Don't look at injustice and do nothing. You must do something because God did not create you for inactivity and passivity. He created you for enthusiasm, zeal and passion. He put gifts in you to be used for His glory and to help other people. Live a life of justice today.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, don't allow me to sit around wishing "they" would do something about the injustice in the world when I can do something. Fill me with boldness, and show me how to right the wrongs in the world around me.


Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

Be the One God Is Searching For

For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this; therefore, from now on you will have wars.”
2 Chronicles 16:9

God is looking for people who are passionate about the things He is passionate about. He is looking for people who will wholeheartedly pursue Him. He is looking for people who will love people on their jobs, in their neighborhoods and homes; those who are committed to loving the lost, the poor and the needy.

He's looking for those who are willing to start doing what the Bible tells us to do. Second Chronicles 16:9 says that God is always searching to "show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him." Are you one of those people? If not, I want to encourage you and let you know that you can be that person who God seeks.

Whether you have known the Lord for many years or are just beginning your new life in Him, you can be that person who will passionately seek God and listen to the Holy Spirit. You can be that person who can actively make a difference in the lives of hurting people. Today, rise up, and be the person God is looking for.

Prayer Starter: God, more than anything, I want to be the kind of person that You are searching the world for. Lead me and guide me in the way You want me to go, and shape me into a person who loves others, obeys Your Word, and truly knows You.

Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

You Can't Add One Inch to Your Height!

And who of you by worrying can add one hour to [the length of]his life?
Matthew 6:27

Worrying does us absolutely no good. It doesn't change one thing, and we waste time by being upset over stuff we can't do anything about, things only God can change. The Bible says we can't even add one inch to our height by worrying. Yet, we worry, worry, worry, which gets us nowhere. Every time we get really upset, it takes a lot of emotional energy, tires us out, messes with our health, steals our joy, and still doesn't change one thing.

We need to stop trying to fix things that only God can fix because the only one who's clapping is the devil, saying, "Ha, ha, ha! Got 'em again!" Jesus tells us to "calm down" in John 14:27 and"cheer up" in John 16:33. I think it's a one-two knockout punch to the devil when we do. When you realize you can't fix everything, that calms you down, and when You know that God can, it cheers you up! So don't worry. Instead, calm down, cheer up, and send the devil running!

Prayer Starter: Lord, my worrying really doesn't accomplish anything, so I leave it behind. I'm so thankful that You can fix what I can't. You calm me down and cheer me up!

Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

Face the Truth About Yourself

And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.
Hebrews 4:13

Someone once asked how I live free from my oppressive past. My answer is very simple: God has given me the grace and the willingness to face the truth about myself. I grew up in a war zone. Because of my quick temper, I was upset most of the time.

Because of being upset, I grew up depressed, disappointed and discouraged. I wished I could have a better life, but my wishing didn't solve anything. It wasted my time as I kept blaming my problems on my bad family background.

Finally, God helped me realize that I had to stop wishing and start taking responsibility, to quit blaming other people and my circumstances, and quit making excuses for myself. You might be in a similar situation. Facing the truth about yourself is scary, but you don't have to do it alone.

All your flaws are exposed to God, and if you ask Him for His perspective, He will help you pick yourself up, take responsibility, and live a peaceful life. Today, don't be scared to face the truth about yourself, but let God guide you into a new tomorrow.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, I need Your help to face the truth about myself. It's time to stop blaming my problems on my past and on other people, and to meet them head-on with the power of Your Word. Empower me to take responsibility and to change for the better.

Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

Make God Your "One Thing"

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10

Life isn't supposed to be complicated. Jesus didn't die so we could live complicated, frustrated, miserable lives. He died for us so we could enjoy life. The minute everything gets complicated, it steals joy. We need to learn how to stop stressing and stop living an excessively busy lifestyle.

The opposite lifestyle is one of simplicity. Simplicity means "single, consisting of one thing, unmingled." God has dealt with me about living a simpler life. He has shown me that the only way to do this is to just be about "one thing." God just wants us to be about Him. He tells us in His Word that we won't inherit His kingdom if we don't come to Him very simply as a little child and say, "I believe."

That almost sounds too easy, and you might want to complicate it...but don't! God's plan for you is simple. It may not make sense to your mind, but there's nothing complicated about God, and He doesn't want you to be complicated. Come to Him today, saying, "I believe."

Make Him your "One Thing." Prayer Starter: God, I believe in You. I don't want to live burdened by complications, so today, I seek a life of simplicity by making You the "One Thing" that my life consists of. Lead me in Your simple plan for me.


Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

Simplify Your Prayers

Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) is able to accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].
James 5:16

I've learned that simple, heartfelt, full-of-faith prayers always get God's attention. Unfortunately, we often overlook this and turn our prayers into a big show. We have to beware of talking to impress ourselves when we're praying. Sometimes I think we just want to sound eloquent. We want to impress God with our phrases and sound holy.

But God just wants to have a little chat with us. He wants us to talk to Him like we would a friend, not with a different tone of voice. If we don't speak Elizabethan English during the day, we don't need to use it when we pray. We also don't have to pray for hours on end. It's good to schedule prayer time, but we should just pray until we're finished and then go about our business until the next time we feel the need to pray some more.

The only way prayer will ever be satisfying is if you simply use it as an opportunity to get God's help and involve Him in everything you do. He's not here to be impressed...He's here to live life with you. Don't perform. Just invite Him in.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, don't let me turn prayer into a performance! I don't want to overdo it and try and pray too long just to impress You. I want to invite You, as my closest friend, into every aspect of my life.

Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

Draw Close to Him

Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose that the [human] spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy?
James 4:5

Do you want to be closer to God? He wants to be closer to us. The proof is that He lives inside of us. How much closer can you be? We can always draw closer in our relationship with God. In fact, we are the ones who determine just how close our relationship with Him will be. Even though He lives in us, the Holy Spirit won't force a relationship with us.

He wants us to make Him welcome in our lives. God created us for fellowship and He greatly desires relationship with us. He longs to talk to us, to listen to us, to teach us and guide us, simply to be a part of our lives. And we are the better for it! We are renewed when we fellowship with God.

The benefits of spending time with the Father are endless. My friend, I encourage you to be relentless in making time for fellowship with the Father. He is waiting. He is saying, "Come to Me..." So go ahead...and see what's in store!

Prayer Starter: God, it amazes me how You desire fellowship with me. I want to be closer to You, too. Thank You for loving me and drawing near to me as I draw near to You.


Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

The Reason Jesus Came

Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people].
James 4:8

I want you to notice something about the verse above. Notice that we are told to draw near to God before we're told to stop sinning. There are so many people who have it backwards. They think they can never come to God, can never have a relationship with Him, and can never be a Christian because they have issues in their life that they are trying to overcome first.

They are trying to get themselves all straightened out so they can be good enough to have a relationship with Him. But that's wrong. The reason Jesus came is because we can never be good enough without Him. We have to have Jesus in our life. His death, His shed blood, paid for our sins, paid the debt that we owed.

There's no way we can be cleansed of sin until we draw near to God through the name of Jesus. God longs for you to come close to Him today. Don't stay away, believing the lie that you must clean yourself of sin first. Instead, go to God, already cleansed by the sacrifice Jesus made for you.

Prayer Starter: God, I refuse to believe the lie that says that I have to be sinless before I can come to You. Coming to You through the blood of Your Son cleanses me of my sin. I refuse to live in shame and know that I can draw near to You now, receiving Your love and forgiveness.


Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

We Are Called to Enjoy God

yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
1 Corinthians 8:6

We need to get comfortable with God. I don't mean we should be disrespectful, but that we don't have to be afraid of Him. In fact, I believe that the high call of every believer's life is to enjoy God. We are called to enjoy the Father because He is life and all life comes from Him, so we can't truly enjoy life if we don't enjoy God. Sometimes we don't enjoy God's presence because we get all wrapped up in serving Him, discovering what gifts we have, and spending all our time working at our ministry.

This happened to me. About five years into my ministry, God had to make me hit the brakes because I had become so proud of the work I was doing for Him that I was no longer enjoying Him. We have to be careful when we start getting proud of ourselves because of all the things we're doing. That's not what God's after. As our Father, God wants us to know and enjoy Him. So let me ask you, are you proud of your works today? Or are you truly enjoying God?

Prayer Starter: Father God, I want to enjoy You. Fellow shipping with You and being in Your presence is so wonderful. I lay aside my pride and humble myself before you so that I can find my purpose and joy in You alone.

Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

Living Free from Debt

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8

It's important for us to understand that the battle for our finances is really a spiritual battle. The enemy tempts us to spend more than we are able to pay off so he can keep us under pressure and distracted from our walk with God. But we need to have a goal to enjoy the life that Jesus died to give us, a life of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

We can't do that if we are under pressure and frustrated by financial debt. It's possible to live debt free by using biblical principles for managing money. My husband, Dave, says that if we learn to live within our income, or our borders, then God will bless us, our borders will be stretched, and we'll have more.

Luke 19:17 tells us that God is pleased when we are faithful and trustworthy in little things. When we are, it says He will give us authority over bigger things. So don't fall into the trap of trying to live "bigger" than what God's entrusted you with. Stay out of debt by living within your boundaries...then watch God expand them.

Prayer Starter: God, I want to win the spiritual battle over my finances, and I'm starting by refusing to live in debt. I will not give in to temptation to spend what I don't have. Instead, I will be faithful with the boundaries that You have given me.


Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

He Holds It All Together

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Colossians 1:17

Colossians 1:17 is a pretty awesome scripture. It tells us Jesus is holding EVERYTHING together. Wow! Even people who don't realize this are held together by Him. Think about it. We can't have a good marriage if Jesus isn't holding it together. If Jesus isn't leading and guiding our personal relationships, then we aren't going to have good ones. Our finances would be a mess without Jesus. Our minds and emotions would be a wreck without Him. Everything would be a mess without Jesus. If Jesus is not the most important thing in our life, then we need to rearrange our priorities.

Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek God and His kingdom first because if we don't have first things first, then everything else will also be out of order and cause us problems. God's way of being, doing and seeking His kingdom, is to find out how He wants things done- how to treat people, how to act in situations, how to spend money, what kind of attitude to have, and what kind of entertainment He approves of. Start today by giving Him first place in your life. He's holding you together...He created You to follow Him. Put Him first in your life.

Prayer Starter: God, I am nothing without You. You hold me together...in fact, You hold everything together. You are the most important thing in my life and I put You first.

Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

You Can Win the Battle Today

Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever];
Romans 8:6

Right now, you and I are in the middle of a war. As long as we live in this world, we are going to have to resist becoming like it. It's a daily battle, and sadly, the church today is full of worldly, carnal, fleshly believers. But if we want to live in a way that can change our world, then we have to stop living in the flesh and start living in the Spirit.

Every one of us needs to continually make adjustments to put our fleshly desires under the Holy Spirit's control and not let our emotions or mind rule us. Scripture explains that the spirit wars against the flesh and the flesh wars against the spirit, so they are continually antagonistic toward each other. It's a war!

The devil hates us, and he is constantly working overtime trying to make sure that we give in to the flesh. Ultimately, you decide who wins in your life. You don't have to be subject to your flesh. You can live in the Spirit, bringing your flesh in line with His Will. You can win the battle today.

Prayer Starter: God, I want to win the battle today. My flesh will lead to death, but living in Your Spirit leads to life. I choose Your Spirit today. Help me bring my flesh in line with Your will.



Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

You Can't Out-Give God

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Luke 6:38

Some put money or the world's system of commerce before God. But the Bible states in Revelation 18 that if we put our trust in money, it's going to fail. I've found that the way to deal with money, instead of struggling with it, is to try and out-give God...because we can't. The more we give away, the more we'll receive.

The more we obey Him with our finances, the more He blesses us. The more we do for other people, the more God has other people do for us. Society tells us to invest everything in the world's system and work all the time to make more money. But if we do, we'll really never have anything that matters, especially joy.

And we won't be able to enjoy the money we have because we won't be using it God's way. It may not make sense according to the world's system, but God doesn't want you to simply make money and hoard it away. God says that by giving it away, you will have more in the end. I challenge you to increase your generosity today. Trust me, you can't out-give God.

Prayer Starter: God, Your plan for my finances isn't like the world's, but I know that when I give the way You tell me to, You will take care of me. My money is Yours and I will use it as You see fit.


Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

Follow the Ark

And they commanded the people, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from where you are and follow it.
Joshua 3:3

Are you facing any new opportunities right now? Whatever those opportunities may be, it's always important to "follow the ark." What do I mean by that? Well...sometimes we can hang on to old, stale situations in life, simply because they are familiar to us, and we're really just afraid of getting into uncharted territory.

And then there are times we can sense something new ahead of us and we just want to step right into it, before it's God's time for us to do it. In Joshua 3:3, God talks to Israel about following the ark of the covenant. The ark represents the anointing of God...the presence of God...the will of God.

It's very important for us to learn to follow the will of God and not our own will or the will of others. God has a plan for you and me, and the only way to see that plan unfold is to follow the ark, or the will of God, and not our flesh or other people or our emotions. Remember today that whatever God's will is for your life, He will provide the way for you to accomplish it.

Prayer Starter: God, like the Israelites, I know that I need to "follow the ark." My timing for the new opportunities doesn't matter...only Your will matters. As I follow You, I know that You will make a way to bring Your plan for me to pass.

Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

What Are You Hoping for?

Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
Zechariah 9:12

I have a question for you: What are you hoping for? What are you expecting in life? Are you looking for something good to happen or are you expecting to be disappointed? So many people are feeling hopeless these days. However, Jesus did not die for us to be hopeless. He died so that we could be full of hope. The devil wants to steal your hope and he will lie to you. He'll tell you that nothing good can happen in your life or that the things you care about won't last.

If you're struggling with a difficult situation, he'll tell you it will never end. But you have to stay full of hope and remember that the devil is a liar. God can change everything! Our Father is good, and He has good plans for your life. If you will maintain your hope, especially in the midst of troubled and uncertain times, He has promised you "double for your trouble". So refuse to give up hope. Start expecting God to do something, something good!

Prayer Starter: Lord, my hope is in You. Satan is a liar and I will not listen to him and lose hope. I expect You to do good things in my life.


Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional

 

[Aeliana]

The Key to Possessing Your Promised Land

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10

God wants to lead you into your promised land...after all, you have been recreated in Christ, born anew, that you might live the good life that God prearranged for you. But to follow God into that life, He will have to prepare you first, and that means some things will need to change. Now, don't be afraid of the word change; it just means that you stop doing some things you've been doing and start doing some things you haven't been doing.

For example, stop thinking negative thoughts and start thinking positively, stop settling in your comfort zone and step out of the boat, stop procrastinating and start taking the opportunities that arise. It's not enough to just read about and talk about the Promised Land. Decide that you are going to possess your promised land. God is good; He will lead you there. Just be willing to follow and accept the positive changes that God wants to bring to your life as He prepares you to be a blessing to others.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, show me the changes I need to make in order to possess my promised land. Thank You for preparing me to be a blessing to others and fulfill the destiny You have for me.

Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional