Trusting God Day by Day

[Aeliana]

August 17

Be Ready to Be Interrupted

I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep.
JOHN 10:11

The more I study the men and women in the Bible whom we consider to be “great,” the more I see that they all made huge sacrifices and there was nothing convenient about what God asked them to do.
Abraham had to leave his country, his relatives, and his home and go to a place God would not even tell him about until he went there. Joseph saved a nation from starvation, but not before he was violently removed from his comfortable home and put in an inconvenient place for many years. Esther saved the Jews from destruction, but God certainly interrupted her plan in order for her to do so.

The list of individuals who entered into sacrificial obedience could go on and on. The Bible calls them people “of whom the world was not worthy” (see Heb. 11:38). These people we read about were inconvenienced so that someone else’s life could be easier. Jesus died so we could have life and have it abundantly. Soldiers die so that civilians can remain safe at home. Fathers go to work so their families can have nice lives, and mothers go through the pain of childbirth to bring another life into the world. It seems quite obvious that someone usually has to experience pain or inconvenience for anyone to gain anything.

If you make the decision that you don’t mind inconvenience or interruption, then God can use you. You can make a difference in the world. But if you remain addicted to your own comfort, God will have to pass you by for someone who is more willing to endure the hard things in life in order to do God’s will.

Trust in Him Think about a situation in which God is asking you to do some things you would rather not do—stay in a situation, leave a situation, spend time with someone you don’t get along with… Are you willing to trust the “interruption” from God in order to do His will?


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 18

You’re a Channel, Not a Reservoir

Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, overabundance of food, prosperous ease, and idleness were hers and her daughters’; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and the needy.
EZEKIEL 16:49

You have probably heard of Sodom and Gomorrah and the terrible wickedness in those cities. But what did they actually do that was so displeasing to God?
We often have the idea that their sexual perversion finally put God over the edge and caused Him to destroy them, but it was actually quite a different situation that caused Him to act against them. I was shocked when I saw the truth behind their destruction. I discovered it while searching Scriptures about the need to feed the poor.

The problem with Sodom and Gomorrah was that they had too much and were not sharing it with those in need. They were idle and lived excessively convenient lifestyles, which led them to commit abominable acts. We see clearly from this that idleness and too much convenience is not good for us and leads us into more and more trouble. Failing to share what we do have with those who have less than we do is not good for us, and is actually dangerous, because this selfish type of lifestyle opens the door for evil to progress.

Not only are these things not good for us, but they are offensive to God. He expects us to be channels for Him to flow through, not reservoirs that hold everything we have for ourselves.

We appreciate all the conveniences that are available to us today, but in some ways I think Satan is using them to destroy any willingness to be inconvenienced in order to obey God or help others in need. We have become addicted to ease, and we need to be very careful. Like most people, I like nice, comfortable things, but I have made an effort not to complain when I don’t have things the way I want them. I also realize that inconvenience is almost always part of helping others, and I know I am called by God to help people and do so with a good attitude.

Trust in Him Are you willing to be inconvenienced for God? God wants you to be a channel of His love to the world. Ask Him to help you find balance in all things, trust Him with the resources He has given you, and keep a good attitude.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 19

Real Relationships Are Worth It

For I have given you this as an example, so that you should do [in your turn] what I have done to you.
JOHN 13:15

Jesus did not waste His time, so we can assume that everything He did was very meaningful and contains a great lesson to be learned. Let’s think about the time He decided to wash His disciples’ feet (see John 13:1–17). What was that all about?

Jesus was and is the Son of God. Actually, He is God manifested in the second person of the Trinity. So it suffices to say that He is really important and certainly would not have to wash anyone’s feet, especially not guys who were His students. But He did so because He wanted to teach them that they could be in authority and still be servants at the same time.

Peter, the most vocal disciple, vehemently refused to let Jesus wash his feet, but Jesus said if He did not wash Peter’s feet, the two of them could not be real friends. In other words, they had to be doing things for one another in order for their relationship to be healthy and strong.

I decided a few years ago that I was not willing to have any more one-sided relationships—relationships in which I do all the giving and the other person does all the taking. That kind of interaction is not real friendship, and it always eventually causes resentment and bitterness. Not only should we do things for each other, we actually need to do things for one another. This is part of maintaining good relationships.

Giving does not always have to be a response to a desperate need. We may be led to do something for people who don’t seem to need what we can do for them at all. If there is no need, then why do it? Simply because giving of any kind prevents us from becoming greedy, and it encourages people and makes them feel loved—and we all need to feel loved, no matter how many “things” we have. Trust in Him Trust God enough to be willing to make sacrifices in order to serve and bless others, and He will always take care of you!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 20

Little Things Mean a Lot

So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [morally] to all people…
GALATIANS 6:10

We took the band Delirious? to India with us on a mission trip, and Stu, their drummer at the time, was given a little strip of leather from a poor girl who wore it as a bracelet. The small gesture of love from one who had so little was life-changing. Stu has said publicly that as long as he lives, he will never forget the lesson it taught him. If someone with so little was willing to give, what could he be doing? Yes, little things can have a huge impact.

What little thing could you do? Below is a partial list of some things the Bible says we can and should do for one another:
• Watch over one another
• Pray for one another
• Be friendly and hospitable
• Be patient with one another
• Bear with others’ faults and weaknesses
• Forgive one another
• Comfort one another
• Build up one another—encourage and love them through their weakness
• Be happy for people when they are blessed
• Believe the best of one another
• Meet people’s needs

This is a partial list. Love has many faces or many ways it can be seen. The ideas listed here are relatively simple things we all can do if we are willing. We don’t have to make special plans for most of them, but we can do them throughout the day as we encounter opportunities.

Trust in Him What little things will you do today to be a blessing to someone? God wants you to be a blessing to others, and even little things mean a lot. Begin looking for people to be a blessing to and trust God to use these blessings to further His Kingdom.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 21

Love Must Do Something

But if anyone has this world’s goods (resources for sustaining life) and sees his brother and fellow believer in need, yet closes his heart of compassion against him, how can the love of God live and remain in him?
1 JOHN 3:17

We often think of love as a thing or a feeling, but the word love is also a verb. Love must do something in order to remain what it is. Part of the nature of love is that it requires expression. The Bible asks, if we see a need and close our heart of compassion, how can the love of God live and remain in us? Love becomes weaker and weaker if it cannot be demonstrated; in fact, it may become totally inactive. If we keep it active on purpose as we do things for others, we can keep from being selfish, idle, and unfruitful.

The quintessential act of love is that Jesus laid down His own life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. That sounds extreme, doesn’t it? Fortunately, the great majority of us will never be called upon to give up our physical life for someone else. But we have opportunities every day to “lay down” our life for others. Every time you put aside your own desire or need and replace it with an act of love for someone else, you are laying down your life for a moment, or an hour, or a day.

If we are full of the love of God—and we are because the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with love at the new birth—then we must let love flow out of us. If it becomes stagnant through inactivity, it is good for nothing. God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (see John 3:16). Do you get it? God’s love provoked Him to give!

Trust in Him Put a huge sign in your house, perhaps in several places, that asks, “What have I done to help someone today?” Don’t go through the day without increasing someone else’s joy. Trust Christ’s example of laying down His life for you as a model for how to live!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

Set Sail and Be Free

And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba (Father)! Father!
GALATIANS 4:6

I once read that we believers are like ships that God wants to turn out to sea to sail wherever the wind and waves carry us. That sea represents the freedom we have in God, and the wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. But as new believers, we are tied to the dock because that is the only place we can avoid becoming shipwrecked until we learn how to follow Him. When we learn to follow those inner promptings of the Holy Spirit, we can be untied from the dock and sail the seas of life under His leadership without the fear of becoming lost.

God’s leading doesn’t contradict the laws that He ordained. When we are new believers, we learn to follow God’s laws that He defined in the Word. And as we mature, we develop the ability to be led by the Spirit of the living God. When the Spirit of God is in you, the law of God is written in your heart. You no longer have to memorize the law, because you can follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, Who will lead you in the right direction.

Some people feel much safer following the law than being led by the Spirit. They think they are okay as long as they follow a prescribed plan that everyone else is following. But following the Spirit may lead people to do something a little differently from what everyone else is doing. They will need faith to leave the security of the crowd because God doesn’t lead everybody to serve Him in exactly the same place or at the same capacity.

We cannot follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit by simply obeying laws, rules, and regulations. God’s law is our tutor, but it is not to be our master. To live at ease and be full of joy, we must learn to prayerfully follow the Holy Spirit.
Trust in Him God wants you to set sail and be free from captivity. To do so, you must trust the leadership of the Holy Spirit when He speaks to your heart and leads you in the right direction.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 23

Simply Believe

Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
MATTHEW 18:4

I used to be a very complicated person. My way of seeing and doing things was so complicated that it kept me from enjoying anything. We say that we live in a complicated society, but I believe we are the complicated ones, and that we complicate life. Serving God should not be complicated, and yet it can become very complicated and complex. Worry, fear, anxiety, jealousy, resentment, and bitterness are all very complicated. Little children have none of these.

Think about the simple, uncomplicated approach a child has to life. Here are some things children seem to have in common: They are going to enjoy themselves if at all possible. They are carefree and completely without concern. And they believe what they are told. It is their nature to trust unless they have had an experience that taught them otherwise.

Remember, He told us in John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (NKJV, emphasis added). All He wants to hear us say is, “I believe!”

Believing simplifies life. It releases joy and leaves us free to enjoy our lives while God takes care of our circumstances. When God says something to you in your heart, or when you read something in the Bible, you should say, “I believe it. If God says that He wants to bless us, then we should believe it.

If He says that we will reap what we sow, we should believe it. If He says to forgive our enemies, even though it doesn’t make any sense to us, we should believe it—instead of being resentful. Let us diligently do what God says. If He says to pray for our enemies, let us believe it and follow through with obedience. If He says to call ‘things which do not exist as though they did’ (Rom. 4:17 NKJV), then we should respond as a child and simply do what He says.”

Even though life can get complicated, we can simplify it by approaching it as a child would. Put all your trust in God and be obedient.

Trust in Him God has a plan for your breakthrough—and your part is to trust Him. Say several times throughout each day, “Father, I trust You!”


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 24

You Can Handle Whatever Life Hands You


Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.
ROMANS 8:37

For years, I have pondered what being “more than a conqueror” means. I’m sure other people have other perspectives, but I have come to the conclusion that being more than a conqueror means having such confidence that no matter what comes up in your life, you know that through Christ you can handle it. You know before you are ever faced with a problem that you’re going to have victory over it.

So therefore, you don’t dread things, you don’t fear the unknown, you don’t live in anxiety about what’s going to happen in uncertain situations. It doesn’t really matter what the specifics of the situation are, you know you can handle it through Christ. For you, defeat isn’t an option!

Begin to think every day, I can handle whatever life hands me. I can do whatever I need to do in life. I am more than a conqueror. I am equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me. Even before you get out of bed in the mornings, let these thoughts roll over and over in your mind, and your confidence will skyrocket and you will find that indeed, you can do whatever you need to do in life.

Right thinking is the first step toward a better life. Wishing won’t work. Being jealous of someone who has what you desire does no good. Self-pity is a waste of time and energy. Discovering God’s will through an accurate knowledge of His Word and beginning to think as He thinks is the beginning of a new life for anyone who desires one.

Trust in Him In what specific situation do you need to believe you are more than a conqueror? Trust that through Christ, you are equal to anything.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 25

Remember: God Loves You Unconditionally

Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.
EPHESIANS 1:4

We frequently compare ourselves with other people, and if we are not what they are, or cannot do what they do, then we assume something is wrong with us. There is, however, an antidote for this type of thinking poisonous. It is frequently thinking, God loves me unconditionally!

Knowing God loves us unconditionally is an absolute necessity in order to make progress in our walk with Him. Jesus didn’t die so we could be religious; Jesus died so we could have deep, intimate, personal relationships with God through Him. Religion offers us rules and regulations to follow in order to be close to God. But relationship lets us know we can be close to Him because He has chosen us.

We will not draw near to God if we are afraid He is displeased with us. It is vital that you learn how to separate how important you are to God from the right or wrong things you do. How can we hope to have an intimate relationship with God, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit if we are not confident that we are loved unconditionally?

Good relationships must be based on love and acceptance, not on fear. All too often we are deceived into thinking that our acceptance is based on our performance.

We are loved and accepted by God, and made right with Him because we place our faith in Jesus Christ and the work He accomplished for us on the cross. He paid for our sins and misdeeds. He absolved us from guilt and reconciled us to God. Now, when we stand before God, we have “rightness,” not “wrongness.” And we have it because He gave it as a gift, not because we have earned it. Blessed is the man who knows he has right standing with God apart from the works he does.


Trust in Him Trust God and believe that He loves you unconditionally, and that He is not mad at you!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 26

The Source of Your Confidence

For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].
2 CORINTHIANS 5:21

Knowing we are loved and accepted even in our imperfection is such a relief! Serving God from desire rather than obligation is incredibly liberating and brings great peace and joy to our lives. The Bible says that we love Him because He first loved us (see 1 John 4:19). Being assured of God’s unconditional love gives us confidence and boldness.

Our confidence should not be in anything or anyone but Jesus—not in education, outward privilege, positions we hold, people we know, how we look, or our gifts and talents. Everything in this world is shaky at best, and we should not place our confidence in it. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (see Heb. 13:8). We can count on Him to always be faithful and do what He says He will do—and He says He will always love us. He says we are righteous in His sight, and we need to make a decision to simply believe it.

We become what we believe we are; therefore, as we become convinced that we are right with God, our behavior will improve. We will do more things right and with less effort. As we focus on our relationship with God rather than our performance, we relax, and what God has done in our spirits when we were born again is gradually worked out in our souls and finally seen through our daily lives.

No matter what other people may have told you that you are not, God delights in telling you in His Word who you are in Him—loved, valuable, precious, talented, gifted, capable, powerful, wise, and redeemed. I encourage you to take a moment and repeat those nine things out loud. Say, “I am loved, valuable, precious, talented, gifted, capable, powerful, wise, and redeemed.” He has a good plan for you! Get excited about your life. You are created in God’s image and you are amazing!

Trust in Him Do you trust God’s Word, which says you are loved unconditionally?


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 27

Your Account Is “In Balance”

But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].
2 CORINTHIANS 5:18

What does it mean to be reconciled to God? It means “your account is in balance.” You don’t owe anything!
I once saw a bumper sticker that said, “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.” I immediately realized that was the mentality I lived with for years. I felt that I owed God something for all the wrong I had done, and I tried every day to do good works to make up for my mistakes. I wanted to be blessed by Him, but felt I needed to earn His blessings. I finally learned that we cannot pay for His gifts; otherwise, they are not gifts at all.

God sees the heart of man, and how He deals with us is based on the kind of heart we have. I don’t do everything right, but I do love God very much. I am very sorry for my sins, and it grieves me when I know that I have disappointed Him. I want His will in my life. Perhaps like me, you have been tormented for years by feelings of guilt and fear, but knowing that God loves you unconditionally releases you from those negative emotions and allows you to enjoy yourself while you are changing.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, Paul emphasizes again the reconciliation and favor God extends to us and encourages us to believe these things: “So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.” Paul is actually begging the believers of his day to take hold of what God is offering, and I urge you to do the same. Don’t wait another moment to believe that God accepts you, views you as being in right standing with Him, and loves you unconditionally.

Trust in Him Do you really believe you are reconciled to God? Trust that He is completely satisfied and pleased with who you are; you don’t owe Him a thing except your love.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 28

Catch It Early

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
1 PETER 5:8–9

In the United States, there is an over-the-counter medication advertised as the medicine to take at the first indication of a cold, to keep it from getting worse and becoming full-blown. I take a lot of vitamin C if I have a scratchy throat or a runny nose because it often keeps me from getting worse. Catching something before it goes too far is wisdom.

I recommend that anytime you even begin to feel fearful about anything that you immediately begin to pray and confess, “I will not live in fear.” You will see amazing results. When we pray, God hears and answers. When we confess His Word, we renew our own minds and come into agreement with His plans for us. No matter what God wants to do for us, we must agree with Him in order to receive and enjoy it (see Amos 3:3). We must learn to think like God thinks and talk like He talks—and none of His thoughts or words are fearful.

This thought—I will not live in fear—will help you become courageous rather than fearful. Call it to mind the instant you begin to feel fear, and meditate on it even during the times when you are not afraid. By doing this you will be even more prepared to stand against fear when it does come.

Remember that it will take time; be committed to stick with it until you see change. I still say, “I will not live in fear.” Say it as soon as you feel fearful about anything, and you will be able to keep fear from controlling you. You may still feel fear, but you can move beyond it by realizing that it is merely the devil’s attempt to prevent you from enjoying life or making any kind of progress. Do what you believe you are supposed to do even if you have to “do it afraid.”

Trust in Him What can you do to “catch it early” and not let fear control you? Trust that God does not want you to live a life of fear.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 29

Don’t Fear—Keep Going

If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]
ROMANS 8:31

We must learn how to deal with fear before it goes too far because it will never completely go away. Feeling fear is part of being alive. We may feel fear when we are doing something we have never done before, or when the obstacles seem insurmountable, or when we don’t have the natural help we feel we need. None of this means we are cowards; it means we are human. We can only be cowardly when we allow our fears to dictate our actions or decisions, instead of following our hearts and doing what we know is right for us.

We must accept the fact that fear will never go away completely, but also know we can live boldly and courageously because God has told us that He is always with us. Because of that knowledge we can choose to ignore the fear we feel. It’s okay to feel fear; it’s not okay to act on those feelings. You see, the word fear means “to take flight” or “to run away from,” and it causes us to want to flee from what God wants us to confront.

The only acceptable attitude for a Christian to have toward fear is “I will not fear.” Do not shrink back from anything in fear. You may be going forward with something you feel God has spoken to you to do. Then something happens to make it appear that it’s not working out or that people are not in favor of it. You realize that if you do what God wants you to do, you may risk losing some friends, some resources, or your reputation.

When you feel that fear, the first impulse is to shrink back, isn’t it? God knows that, and that is why He says, “Do not fear.” When He tells us not to fear, what He means is, no matter how you feel, keep putting one foot in front of the other and doing what you believe He has told you to do because that’s the only way to defeat fear and make progress.

Trust in Him Trust the Word of God more than you trust the lies of the devil, and keep making progress!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 30

The Main Thing

Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good…
PSALM 37:3

The Lord led me to study the above Scripture, and I was startled to realize that I had only half of what I needed to know to connect properly with God. I had the faith (trust) part, but not the “do good” part. I wanted good things to happen to me, but I was not overly concerned about being good to others, particularly when I was hurting or going through a time of personal trial.
Not only was I lacking in this area, but I realized that most of the other Christians I knew were probably in the same condition.

We were all occupied “believing” God for the things we wanted. We prayed together and released our faith through the prayer of agreement, but we did not meet together and discuss what we could do for others while we were waiting for our needs to be met. We had faith, but it was not being energized by love!

I don’t want to sound as though I was totally self-absorbed, because that wasn’t the case. I was working in ministry and wanted to help people, but mixed in with my desire to help were a lot of impure motives. Being in ministry gave me a sense of self-worth and importance. It gave me position and a certain amount of influence, but God wanted me to do everything I did with a pure motive, and I still had a great deal to learn.

There were times I did acts of kindness to help people, but helping others was not my number one motivator. I needed to be much more aggressive and purposeful about loving others; it needed to be the main thing in my life, not a sideline. God helped me change in this area, and I am much happier because of it.
Ask yourself what motivates you more than anything else, and answer honestly. Is it love? If it isn’t, are you willing to change your focus to what is important to God?

Trust in Him Trusting God is only half of what He wants from you. Don’t forget that He also wants you to do good for others as you wait on Him to solve your problem.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

August 31

You Are a Witness

Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the Gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God in the day of inspection [when God shall look upon you wanderers as a pastor or shepherd looks over his flock].
1 PETER 2:12

I believe the world is watching Christians, and what people see Christians do is very important. In the Scripture above, Peter encouraged believers to conduct themselves properly and honorably among Gentiles, the unbelievers of the day. He said even if the unbelievers were inclined to slander the believers, the unbelievers would eventually come to glorify God if they saw the believers’ good works and loving deeds.

If your neighbors know you go to church every Sunday, I can assure you that they also watch your behavior. When I was growing up, our neighbors dutifully went to church. Actually, they went several times a week, but they also did lots of things they should not have done. I recall my father often saying, “They are no better than I am; they get drunk, use bad language, tell dirty jokes, and have bad tempers, so they are just a bunch of hypocrites.” My dad was looking for an excuse to not serve God anyway, and their behavior just added fuel to the fire.

I certainly realize that as Christians, we don’t behave perfectly, and that people who want an excuse to not believe in Jesus or practice Christianity will always watch us and criticize us. But we should do the best we can to not give them a reason to judge us.

Trust in Him Are you conducting yourself properly so that when the world looks at you it sees God’s character? Ask God to help you be a good witness at all times.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

September 1

The Right Reward

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
LUKE 6:38 KJV

Giving and living selflessly do produce harvests in our lives. There is nothing wrong with desiring and expecting a harvest. Our motivation for helping others should not be to get something for ourselves, but God does tell us we will reap what we sow, and we can look forward to that benefit.

God promises to reward those who diligently seek Him (see Heb. 11:6). The word reward in the original Greek text of the New Testament means, “wages received in this life” or “recompense.” In the Hebrew language, in which the Old Testament is written, the word reward means, “fruit, earnings, product, price, or result.” The word reward is used sixty-eight times in the Amplified Bible version. God wants us to look forward to rewards of our obedience and good choices.

If we care about those who are poor and oppressed, God promises that we will not want, but if we hide our eyes from their need we shall have “many a curse” in our lives (Prov. 28:27). The writer of Proverbs even says that when we give to the poor we are lending to God (see Prov. 19:17). I cannot imagine that God does not pay great interest on what is loaned to Him. I urge you to work to bring justice to the oppressed. That simply means that when you see something that you know is not right, you work to make it right.

Trust in Him Are you lending to God by taking care of the poor? Focus on giving to others and righting the injustice in the world, and you can trust God to bring a harvest of blessings into your life.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

September 2

The Key to Being Satisfied

Then shall your light break forth like the morning…
ISAIAH 58:8

We all probably want more light in our lives. That would mean more clarity, better understanding, and less confusion. The prophet Isaiah declared that if we would divide our bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into our homes, cover the naked and stop hiding ourselves from the needs around us, our light would break forth (see Isa. 58:7–8). He also said our healing and restoration and the power of a new life would spring forth quickly. That sounds good to me, and I am sure it does to you also.
Isaiah also wrote of justice, and he said it would go before us and conduct us to peace and prosperity, and that the glory of the Lord would be our rear guard. If we are actively helping the oppressed, God goes before us and He also has our backs! I like that feeling of safety and certainty.

Isaiah further said if we would pour out that with which we sustain our own lives for the hungry, and satisfy the need of the afflicted, our light would rise in darkness and any gloom we experienced would be comparable to the sun at noon (see Isa. 58:10). The sun is very bright at noon, so it sounds to me like helping people is the way to live in the light.

The Lord will guide us continually, and even in dry times He will satisfy us. He will make our bones strong and our lives will be like a watered garden (see Isa. 58:11). All of this happens as a result of living to bring justice to the oppressed.

I hope you are seeing what I am seeing through these promises. I think most of us waste a lot of our lives trying to get what God will gladly give if we simply do what He is asking us to do: care about the poor, the hungry, the destitute, orphans, widows, the oppressed, and needy. Live your life to help others, and God will satisfy you in every way possible.

Trust in Him When you care about God’s children you can trust Him to release more light into your life. If you follow His instructions, as written in His Word, for how to live a godly life—living your life to help others—He will gladly give you all He has promised.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions

 

[Aeliana]

September 3

All People Are Worthy of Respect

And Peter opened his mouth and said: Most certainly and thoroughly I now perceive and understand that God shows no partiality and is no respecter of persons.
ACTS 10:34

The Bible says in several places that God is not a respecter of persons (see Acts 10:34, Rom. 2:11, Eph. 6:9). He does not treat some people better than others because of the way they dress, their levels of income, the positions they hold, or who they know. He not only treats everyone the same, it seems He goes out of His way to treat those who are hurting especially well.
The apostle Peter said this:

Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith) [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ’s body]. And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him). (1 Pet. 4:9)

Before you rush past this part, take an inventory of how friendly you are with people you don’t know and especially those who are entirely different from you. Some people are just naturally friendly and outgoing in temperament, but those of us who don’t seem to have the “friendly gene” need to make a decision to be friendly because the Bible says to do it.

The apostle James admonished the church not to pay special attention to people who wore splendid clothes to the synagogue or to give them preferable seats when they came in. He said if people acted in these ways and wanted special treatment, they had wrong motives (see James 2:1–4). In other words, we are to treat all people as being worthy of respect.

Jesus put an end to distinction between people and said we are all one in Him (see Gal. 3:28). We simply need to see valuable people—not rich or poor, highly educated or uneducated, not the labels in their clothes, hairstyles, the cars they drive, their professions or titles—just people for whom Jesus died.

Trust in Him God knew what He was doing when He sent His Son Jesus to die for all of us. If He was willing to do that, you can trust that He wants you to treat each person for whom He died with equal respect.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions