Trusting God Day by Day

[Aeliana]

Don’t Leave God Out of the Loop

I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!
PSALM 91:2

When we are frustrated, it is often because we are trying to do something in our own strength, instead of putting our faith in God and receiving His grace and help. Let us learn to pray for what we would like to be changed, and then cast our care on God. If He leads you to take some kind of action, then do it; but if He doesn’t, then wait with peace.

I had to practice trusting God for a lot of things, but particularly finances. At one point in the beginning of my ministry, God asked me to trust Him to provide for my family financially without my working outside the home. I knew that I needed time to prepare for the ministry He had called me to. And working full-time in addition to being a wife and mother to three small children didn’t leave much time to prepare to be an international Bible teacher.

As an act of faith, and with my husband’s consent, I quit my job and began learning to trust God to provide for us. Dave had a good job, but his salary was forty dollars a month less than our bills. This meant we had to have a miracle from God every month.
I remember what a struggle it was to not go back to work—after all, I was a responsible woman and wanted to do my part. But I knew that God was asking me to keep preparing for the ministry He was calling me to and to trust Him for provision. Each month, He provided for our financial needs, and seeing His faithfulness was exciting, but I was accustomed to taking care of myself—all this “walking by faith” was crucifying my flesh big time.

Trusting God for the forty dollars a month we needed to pay our bills and for anything extra we needed was often difficult, but it helped us gain a strong foundation of faith that has helped us throughout our lives. I strongly encourage you to obey God and trust Him in every area of life. Each victory you have will increase your faith for the next challenge you face.

Trust in Him Little faith can become great faith when we see the faithfulness of God as He meets our needs. You can become a person who enjoys great peace by trusting God.


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

 

[Aeliana]

The Beauty of Submission

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ…
EPHESIANS 5:21

My husband, Dave, is anointed to be the head of our family, but if I have a negative and rebellious attitude toward Him, I will miss God’s best for my life. However, if I stay under Dave’s covering, pray for him, and respect his authority, God will be able to bless our entire family. God’s Word says that where there is unity, there is blessing (see Ps. 133).

Let’s learn to pray for those who have authority over us, rather than being angry and rebellious. James 5:16 says, “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]…” Just think of it—tremendous power is made available when we pray! Imagine the peace and content we would enjoy in our lives if we were to consistently pray for those in positions of leadership.

In the workplace, picture what could happen if we prayed for the boss instead of murmuring, faultfinding, and complaining about him or her, the way the company is run, or how underpaid we think we are! What if our prayers resulted in the boss being so blessed that he or she became a happier, more content person… and all that happiness and content filtered down to us. What glorious, joy-filled lives we could have if we were to live as Jesus instructed.

I believe there is beauty in godly submission. Even when we disagree with someone, we can learn to disagree, agreeably. We can show respect for them and their position of authority even when they do something that we think we would do differently. I believe a rebellious attitude is a very dangerous one, and I urge everyone to submit first to God and then to the authority He has placed you under.

Trust in Him Pray for the authority figures in your life—whether it be your parents, spouse, boss, or pastor—and trust God to bless you through them.


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

 

[Aeliana]

The Spirit of Grace

As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
2 CORINTHIANS 6:1

One of the spiritual laws of the kingdom of God is, “Use it or lose it.” God expects us to use what He gives us. When we use the grace offered to us, then more and more grace is available.

In Galatians 2:21 Paul stated, “I do not frustrate the grace of God…” (KJV). What did he mean by that? To find out, let’s look at what he said in the preceding verse in The Amplified Bible: “… It is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Then he followed with his statement about not frustrating the grace of God. You see, it would have frustrated the grace of God if Paul had tried to live his life on his own, but he had learned to live by the power of Christ residing in him, which we know is the Holy Spirit.

I am sure most of us know how frustrating it is to try to help someone who keeps pushing us away. Imagine a drowning person who frantically fights and resists the lifeguard who is trying to save him. The best thing that person can possibly do is totally relax and allow the lifeguard to bring him to safety; otherwise, he may drown. You and I are often like the drowning swimmer. The Holy Spirit is in us. As the Spirit of Grace, He tries to aid us in living our lives with much greater ease, but we frantically fight to save ourselves and keep our independence.

Let us be wise enough to take full advantage of all that is offered to us. Let us welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives daily. By doing so, we will be letting Him know that we need Him and that we are very, very glad He has chosen us as His home.

Trust in Him Don’t act like a drowning person, fighting the One trying to save you. Instead, trust God with your life and let Him bring you to safety.


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

 

[Aeliana]

The Spirit of Love

No man has at any time [yet] seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us!
1 JOHN 4:12

First John 4:12 is one of my favorite Scriptures. I love to read it and just take time to think about it: God’s love is brought to completion in us! This Scripture helps me understand why I felt as if I had been filled with liquid love at the time of my baptism in the Holy Spirit. At that time, an extra measure of God’s love was poured into my heart (see Rom. 5:5). I had to receive that love for myself, then I could begin returning it to God, and then, finally, I could start letting it flow out of me toward others.

We cannot give away what we don’t have. It is useless to try to love someone else if we have never received God’s love for ourselves. We should love ourselves in a balanced way, not a selfish, self-centered way. I teach that we should love ourselves but not be “in love” with ourselves. In other words, believe in the love that God has for you; know that it is everlasting and unconditional. Let His love affirm you and make you feel secure, but don’t begin to think more highly of yourself than you ought to (see Rom. 12:3 KJV). I believe loving ourselves in a balanced way is what prepares us to let love flow to others around us.

Walking in love is the ultimate goal of Christianity. That should be the primary thing we all strive for. Jesus gave the command for us to love one another as He loves us. When I think of what I can do for myself or how I can get others to bless me, I am filled with me. When I think of other people and how I can bless them, I find myself filled with the Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit of Love.

Trust in Him When the Holy Spirit comes to live in you, love comes to live in you. Trusting God’s love for you will enable you to love yourself in a healthy way and let love flow through you to others.


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

 

[Aeliana]

God Has Given You the Ability

As for you, be calm and cool and steady, accept and suffer unflinchingly every hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fully perform all the duties of your ministry.
2 TIMOTHY 4:5

I think a lot of people have ability because God has given them gifts, but they don’t have stability, and so God cannot use their gifts publicly in ministry or business. They would end up hurting the cause of Christ because of their unpredictable behavior. I believe stability releases ability.

We can’t be stable only when we’re getting our way. We have to also be stable when we’re having trouble and trials, when people are coming against us, or criticizing us. In the Scripture above, Paul knew a lack of stability would hurt Timothy’s witness and anointing. Instability would prevent Timothy from hearing from God, so Paul instructed him to be calm and steady. We don’t enjoy life unless we develop an ability to remain stable in the storm.

When we’re upset, we are usually not listening. People don’t hear because they don’t get quiet enough to hear what God is saying. God isn’t going to yell at you. He usually speaks in a still, small voice, and to hear Him, we must maintain an inner calmness. Actually, peace itself is a guideline for what God is approving and disapproving in your life. We must all learn to follow peace if we intend to follow God.

You have to choose purposely to stay calm, to put your confidence and trust in God, and to be a ready listener for His voice. Then you have to be willing to make whatever adjustments are necessary to have peace in your life.

Some people might say, “Well, it’s not fair for me to always be the one who’s changing and adjusting to keep harmony with everyone else.” It might not seem fair, but God will bring justice in your life if you do what He’s asking you to do, and your reward will be worth the effort you made.

Trust in Him Are you able to be stable through the storms of life? Choose to stay calm, keep your trust in God, and lead a peaceful and blessed life.


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

 

[Aeliana]

Trust God’s Perfect Timing

But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!
HABAKKUK 2:3 TLB

I’m sure that you are like most people—you want good things to happen in your life, but too often you want them now… not later. All of us tend to feel that way, but when the good things we desire don’t happen in what we consider to be a timely manner, we are tempted to ask, “When, God, when?”

Most of us need to grow in the area of trusting God and shrink our focus that is on the “when” question. If your mind feels worn out all the time from reasoning, you are not trusting Him.

I spent a large part of my life feeling impatient, frustrated, and disappointed because there were things I didn’t know. God had to teach me to leave things in His hands. I finally learned to trust the One Who knows all things, and I began to accept that some questions may never be answered. We prove our trust in God when we refuse to worry.

Trusting God often requires not knowing how God is going to accomplish what needs to be done and not knowing when He will do it. We often say, “God is never late,” but generally He isn’t early, either. He uses times of waiting to stretch our faith in Him, and to bring about change and growth in our lives. We learn to trust God by going through many experiences that require trust. By seeing God’s faithfulness over and over, we gradually let go of trusting ourselves and place our trust in Him.

Looking at it this way, it is easy to see how timing plays an important part in learning to trust God. If He did everything we asked for immediately, we would never grow and develop into the people He wants us to be. If you are waiting on something right now and you feel frustrated, learn to be happy “not knowing.”

Trust in Him If you want peace, you need to trust God with when and how He will move in your life.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs

Blessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him.

ROMANS 4:8
The Bible says, “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him” (Rom. 4:8 NIV). That does not mean that God does not see the sin. It means that because of love, He does not hold it against the sinner.

Love can acknowledge that a wrong has been done and erase it before it becomes lodged in the heart. Love does not register or record the wrong; this way resentment does not have a chance to grow. Why not get out all the past-due accounts you have ever kept on people and mark them, “Paid in full”?

Some of us worry about our memory, but to be truthful we probably need to get better at forgetting some things. I think we often forget what we should remember and remember what we should forget. Perhaps one of the most godlike things we can ever do in life is to forgive and forget.

Some people say, “I will forgive them, but I will never forget it.” The reality of that statement is that if we cling to the memory, we are not truly forgiving. You might ask how we can forget things that have hurt us. The answer is that we must choose not to think about them. When those things come to mind, we must cast down the thoughts and choose to think about things that will benefit us.

Clearing all your records will produce good results. It will relieve pressure and improve the quality of your life. Intimacy between you and God will be restored, and your joy and peace will increase. Your health may even improve, because a calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of the body (see Prov. 14:30).

Trust in Him If you are keeping records of others’ offenses against you, make the choice to mark them “Paid in full.” You can trust God not to charge you for your sins. If He is willing to forgive yours, you should be willing to forgive others.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

Love Is Patient

Love endures long and is patient and kind…
1 CORINTHIANS 13:4

The first quality of love listed in Paul’s discourse in 1 Corinthians 13 in the Bible is patience. Paul writes that love endures long and is patient. Love is long-suffering. It remains steady and consistent when things are not going the way you wish they would.
I have been practicing being patient with clerks who are slow, who can’t find prices for items, who run out of register tape, or who linger on the phone trying to calm down an irate customer when I am standing right there, waiting to be helped. I have had several store clerks actually thank me for being patient. I am sure they take a lot of abuse from frustrated, impatient, unloving customers, and I have decided I don’t want to add to the problem; I want to be part of the answer.

Sure, we are all in a hurry and want to get waited on right away, but since love is not self-seeking we must learn to put how the clerk feels ahead of how we feel. Recently a store clerk apologized for being so slow, and I told her that nothing I was doing was so important that I could not wait. I saw her visibly relax, and I realized that I had just shown her love.

We are encouraged in the Bible to be very patient with everybody, always keeping our tempers in check (see 1 Thess. 5:14). That is not only good for our witness to other people, but it’s also good for us. The more patient we are, the less stress we have! Peter said the Lord is extraordinarily patient with us because it is His desire that none of us perish (see 2 Pet. 3:9). That is the same reason we should be patient with one another—especially with those in the world who are looking for God.

I urge you to pray regularly that you will be able to endure whatever comes with a good temper and patience. Trust me, things will come that have the ability to upset you, but if you are prepared ahead of time, you will be able to remain calm as you face those things.
Trust in Him God is extraordinarily patient with us. Trust Him to help you be extraordinarily patient with others.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

Love with Your Possessions

Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one of them claimed that anything which he possessed was [exclusively] his own, but everything they had was in common and for the use of all.
ACTS 4:32

Everything we have came from God, and in reality it all belongs to Him. We are merely stewards of His property, not owners.

Too often we grasp onto things too tightly. We should hold them loosely, so if God needs them, they are not difficult for us to let go of.
Paul told the Corinthians that their gifts to the poor would go on and endure forever throughout eternity (see 2 Cor. 9:9). Let’s keep reminding ourselves that possessions have no eternal value. What lasts is what we do for others.

God wants us to enjoy our possessions, but He does not want our possessions to possess us. Perhaps a good question to ask ourselves regularly is: “Do I possess my possessions or do my possessions possess me?”

Sometimes I go on what I call a “giving rampage.” I have a desire to be a blessing and want to use my possessions as a tangible way to show love, so I go through my house, my drawers, my closet, and my jewelry chest to find things I can give away. I never fail to find things. But it amazes me how I am tempted to hang on to them even though I may not have used an item for two or three years. We just like to own stuff! But how much better is it to use our possessions to be a blessing for someone else and make them feel loved and valuable?

If you are having difficulty seeing what you have to give, ask God to help you, and you will quickly find that you have a wealth of things that can be used to show love to hurting people.

Trust in Him Are you able to use what you have to bless people, or do you find it difficult to let go of things… even things you are not using? Show yourself to be a good steward of God’s possessions and trust Him to bring into your life gifts for your own use and things you can share with others.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

The Key to Happiness

External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.
JAMES 1:27

I went to church for thirty years without ever hearing one sermon on my biblical responsibility to care for orphans, widows, the poor, and the oppressed. I was shocked when I finally realized how much of the Bible is about helping other people. I spent most of my Christian life thinking the Bible was about how God could help me. It’s no wonder I was unhappy.

The key to happiness isn’t only in being loved; it is also in having someone to love. If you really want to be happy, find somebody to love. If you want to put a smile on God’s face, then find a person who is hurting and help them.
Be determined to help someone. Be creative! Lead a revolt against living in a religious rut where you go to church and go home and go back to church, but you’re not really helping anybody. Don’t just sit in church pews and sing hymns. Get involved in helping people who are hurting.
Remember the words of Jesus:

“ ‘I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
“Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ” (Matt 25:42–45 NKJV)

Trust in Him Are you ministering to Jesus? Jesus said ministering to others ministers to Him. Trust His life on earth to be an example of how you should live your life—going about doing good for others in need.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

December 24

Recognize What Steals Your Peace

… Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
2 CORINTHIANS 13:11 NLT

To enjoy a life of peace, you will need to examine your own life to learn what is stealing your peace. Satan uses some of the same things on everyone, but we also have things that are specific to each one of us. We are all different, and we must learn to know ourselves.

I can endure things better when I am not tired, and the devil knows this, so he waits to attack until I am worn out. I learned by pursuing peace what Satan already knew about me, and now I try to not get overly tired, because I know I am opening a door for Satan when I do.
Keep a list of each time you get upset.

Ask yourself what caused the problem, and write it down. Be honest with yourself, or you will never break free. You may have things on your list like this:
• I didn’t get my way.
• I had to hurry.
• I became impatient and got angry.
• Financial pressure upset me.
• I was too tired to deal with anything.
• I had to deal with a certain person who always frustrates me.
• A friend embarrassed me.
• I had to wait on a very slow clerk.
• A friend disappointed me.

You will have a lot of different things on your list, but it will help you to realize what bothers you. Remember, we cannot do anything about things we don’t recognize.

Trust in Him I strongly encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to you about you, and it will be the beginning of enjoying a life of peace. Take responsibility for your reactions, trust God, and pursue peace!


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

January 14

God Will Give You All the Wisdom and Power You Need

Fear and trembling have come upon me; horror and fright have overwhelmed me. And I say, Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
PSALM 55:5–6

David prayed that he could fly away from trouble and be at rest, but running from trouble is not always the answer. There are times we must face the enemy and defeat him in God’s power just as David defeated Goliath. God has given us “going through” power. It is not God’s will for us to run or hide from challenges, but to confront them head-on, knowing we can fight a battle and remain at rest. After all, the battle is not ours, but God’s!

God won’t let you run away from your troubles and keep going forward in His purpose for your life. He won’t force you to face them, but eventually you’ll realize that these same problems will keep showing up if you don’t face them. The good news is God gives us power and wisdom to deal with our situations.

Elijah tried to run and hide, but God made him go back to the place he ran from and continue the work he had been called to do. After God allowed him to rest, He confronted him about his attitude. He asked why he was hiding and what he thought he was doing. Elijah answered out of a bitter attitude and distorted thinking. He said he alone was left to serve God and people were seeking to kill him. He told God that all the Israelites had forsaken His covenant, destroyed His altars, and killed His prophets, and once again Elijah sounded as if he was filled with self-pity as He told God that he was the only one left who was faithful to God. (see 1 Kings 19:9–14). God told Elijah that, in actuality, He had seven thousand prophets left who had not bowed their knees to Baal, and He also told Elijah to get back to work.

When we are not well rested, our thinking gets distorted and we lose proper perspective. We want to run away from responsibility, but as we can see with Elijah, God will not allow us to do that because escape is never the answer to life’s challenges.

Trust in Him If you are going through a difficult time right now, don’t be discouraged and run away. Trust God to be with you, and He will give you the grace and the wisdom to get through it.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

January 15

God’s Rest for You

For he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His own.
HEBREWS 4:10

Each day we have certain purposes we wish to accomplish, and at the end of the day it is proper to rest, not only physically, but our souls also need a rest. We need rest physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Faith allows us to rest spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Even our will gets a rest when we have trust in God. We don’t worry or reason, we are not upset or downcast, and we are not trying to make something happen that is not God’s will—we are at rest! Paul was singing in jail. Jesus was praying for others while being crucified. Joseph decided that if he was going to be a slave, he would be the best slave his owner ever had. And later Joseph decided that if he was going to be a prisoner (even though he did not commit a crime), he would be a prisoner with a good attitude.

We need to be honest about what the real cause of our stress is. Is it really our circumstances in life, or is it the way we respond to the circumstances? There is a rest available, and we must strive to enter it. Entering the rest of God should be our number one priority after receiving Jesus as our Savior. I ask you: Have you learned to sit and enter God’s rest? We may say that we are trusting God, but there is no evidence of trust unless we stay seated in Christ.

Trust in Him
Are you upset, worrying, or trying to make something happen? You don’t have to be! God has a place of peace and rest for you, and all you have to do to enter His rest is put your trust in Him.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

January 20

Let Joy into Your Life

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
PSALM 30:5

Part of disciplining ourselves to celebrate life is refusing to live in mourning. There is a time to mourn, but we dare not let it become a way of life. The Bible says that weeping (mourning) endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning. There are things that happen in life that rightfully need to be mourned over, but joy always returns to balance things out. We must let the joy back into our lives after times of sadness and not feel guilty about enjoying life after disappointment or even tragedy has struck. There is a time to mourn and a time to rejoice, but we must not live in the state of mourning.

Part of life is dealing properly with sadness and disappointment. We cannot avoid them—and we should not deny the emotions that go with loss of any kind—but we can recover! I was saddened when I learned that a trusted employee had been stealing from our ministry, but I rejoiced that God brought the wrongdoing to light and it was discovered. I have a time of mourning when people I love die, but I can also rejoice that they knew Jesus and are spending eternity with Him. I am sad when I realize I have let an area of my life get out of balance through lack of discipline, but I can rejoice that I now see the truth and am back on track. For all mourning there is an offsetting reason to celebrate. And although mourning is proper and is even part of our healing, it cannot last forever.

We cannot live in a state of mourning over things that have happened that we cannot change. In Christ there is always a place of new beginnings, and that is good news worth celebrating.

Trust in Him If you are in a time of mourning, allow yourself to feel those feelings. But don’t get stuck there. Trust that God has a plan for you and wants you to have joy in the morning.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

January 26

Faith Is Trusting God

For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast.
EPHESIANS 2:8–9

I like to define faith in a very basic, easy-to-understand way: living with a positive attitude that comes from a deep trust in God. Living by faith is looking at everything in a positive way and trusting in the power of God, Who loves us and wants the best for us. When we have faith, we can say with confidence in our hearts:
• “I don’t know what to do, but God does.”
• “I don’t understand what’s going on in my life, but God will make a way for me.”
• “I don’t know how I can pay my bills this month, but God will provide.”
• “This trial I have doesn’t feel good; I don’t like it, but I believe God works all things out for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” (see Rom. 8:28).
• “I don’t like the situation I’m going through, but what Satan means for my harm, God intends for my good” (see Gen. 50:20).

These statements and the attitudes they represent demonstrate faith. Having faith means always trusting in God’s love and looking beyond where you are to see the end result. Having faith means always being hopeful and refusing to accept defeat. People who live by faith can enjoy every day of their lives.

Trust in Him What are you currently facing that is uncomfortable or that you don’t understand? Choose to have a positive attitude about your situation and trust God to work it out for good.


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

 

[Aeliana]

January 30

God Will Meet You in the Fire


We believe God is going to deliver us, but even if He does not, we are not conforming to your image of what you think we ought to be. We are going to do what God is telling us to do. You can do what you want to with your furnace. But whatever happens to us, we will have peace.
DANIEL 3:17–18 (PARAPHRASED)


Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the golden idol that King Nebuchadnezzar constructed and as a result were thrown into the fiery furnace (see Dan. 3). These three young men had no idea what would happen to them, but they were willing to put their lives on the line instead of disobeying God. We need people today who will take a stand for righteousness, for what is right according to God’s Word. If this does not happen, our world will be in serious trouble.

Many times, people fail to stand up for righteousness because they are afraid of what will happen when they do. Will they lose their jobs? Will they lose their friends? Will God abandon them? In situations such as these, when we do not know what the outcome or result of a situation will be, we need to trust God and press forward to do what we believe is right. Even if we are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, God’s Word says we are blessed (see Matt. 5:10). Those three Hebrew boys would’ve never experienced their incredible miracle if they weren’t willing to trust God as they stood in that fire.

The world desperately needs men and women who will trust God even in the midst of the fires of persecution and outside pressure. God can put us in better places than people could ever put us if we trust in Him and if we are people of integrity and excellence. We need people who will put everything on the line and say, “Even if I lose what I want, I will not compromise and do what I know in my heart to be wrong.” We need to fear the Lord above all else, and to trust Him at all times, in every situation, every day of our lives.

Trust in Him Trust God to meet you in the fire. Don’t be afraid to stand up for righteousness because you know He’ll never leave you or forsake you.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

February 9

Pay Attention to Your Heart


Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them.
HOSEA 14:9 NLT

There’s more to life than meets the eye—especially the natural eye. Things are not always what they appear to be, so we must learn to be discerning. Simply defined, discernment is spiritual understanding, and developing it takes practice. As we grow in our understanding of God’s Word and in our relationships with Him, we also grow in our ability to discern.

To live by discernment, we have to pay attention to our hearts. We have to know when we do not feel right about something. For example, let’s say a businessman has been looking for a certain kind of business deal for quite some time and an opportunity for such a deal finally presents itself. As he reviews the paperwork, the deal appears to be sound. But when he begins to pray about entering into the deal, he senses he should not do it. Even though everything appears to be in order, he just does not have peace about the deal. The more he prays, the more he feels he should not do business with the people involved in the deal. This man is looking beyond the natural elements of the deal and using his discernment.

The best way for me to help you learn to live by discernment is to offer this simple advice: if you don’t feel right about something in your heart, do not do it. You may discover later why you didn’t feel good about it, but you may not. Either way, you can be at peace knowing you used your discernment instead of making decisions based on your mind, your emotions, or natural circumstances. Discernment is a precious gift from God that will help you avoid a lot of trouble in life if you pay attention to it.

Trust in Him When was the last time something didn’t feel right to you? Pray and ask God to develop and increase your discernment as you study His Word. When something doesn’t feel right in your heart, you can trust that it is God telling you it is not His will for your life.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

February 24

Live In Peace with One Another

And when they heard it, lifted their voices together with one united mind to God…
ACTS 4:24

The church in Acts had great spiritual power because they had the same vision, the same goal, and they were all pressing toward the same mark. They prayed in agreement (see Acts 4:24), lived in harmony (see Acts 2:44), cared for one another (see Acts 2:46), met each other’s needs (see Acts 4:34), and lived a life of faith (see Acts 4:31). The early church as described in Acts lived in unity and peace.

But when the church began to split into various factions with different opinions, the power of the church lessened. People who were unable to stay in agreement due to pride and other related problems caused the church to divide into many different groups.

The believers in the church of Corinth were people just like us, people in relationship with one another, arguing over trivial things that they should have left alone. We see in 1 Corinthians 1:12: “What I mean is this, that each one of you [either] says, I belong to Paul, or I belong to Apollos, or I belong to Cephas (Peter), or I belong to Christ.” It sounds to me as though only the names have changed in today’s arguments. Today we hear, “I’m Catholic,” “I’m Lutheran,” “I’m Baptist,” or “I’m Pentecostal or Charismatic.”

Read on to verse 13: “Is Christ (the Messiah) divided into parts? Was Paul crucified on behalf of you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?”

Paul was telling the Corinthians to keep their minds on Christ—not each other. If we are to live in peace with one another and unleash God’s power and blessing in our lives, we must do the same. Sometimes we get so worried and upset about what other believers are doing that we forget all about Jesus and that He has called us to live in unity with one another.

The Word of God instructs, encourages, and urges believers to live in harmony with each other because God wants us to have the blessed, powerful lives that come through His peace.

Trust in Him Do you have a problem with another believer, another church, or a different denomination? Either work it out with a humble attitude, or trust God and let go of your concerns. When you live in peace, you will have the blessed, powerful life God wants for you.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

February 25

How to Win the Battle

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
EPHESIANS 6:14–15 NIV

The Bible says that if we meet our battles with peace and respond to the upsets in life with peace, we will experience victory. It’s a paradox; it doesn’t make any sense. How can we win if we stop fighting?

My husband used to make me mad because he would not fight with me. I was upset and angry, and I wanted him to say just one thing so I could rail on and on. But when Dave saw that I was just looking for an argument, he would be quiet and tell me, “I am not going to fight with you.” Sometimes he would even get in the car and leave for a while, infuriating me even more, but I could not fight with someone who would not fight back.

Moses told the Israelites not to fight when they found the Red Sea facing them on one side and the Egyptian army chasing them on the other. They became frightened, and he told them, “Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians you have seen today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest” (Exod. 14:13–14).

Notice that Moses told the Israelites to “hold [their] peace and remain at rest.” Why? They were at war, and it was necessary for them to respond with peace in order to win the battle. God would fight for them if they would show their confidence in Him by being peaceful. If you hold on to your peace, He will do the same for you.

Trust in Him Are you fighting a battle when you should be holding your peace? Choose to stop fighting and trust God to fight for you. That is how to win a battle.


Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day

 

[Aeliana]

March 19

Relax! God Is Working

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
MATTHEW 11:28

Being relaxed feels wonderful. Being nervous, tense, and worried are not so wonderful. Why aren’t more people relaxed? Jesus said if we are weary and overburdened, we should go to Him and He will give us rest, relaxation, and ease (see Matt. 11:28–29). Jesus wants to teach us the right way to live, which is different from the way most of the world lives.

It would be putting it mildly to say that I was an uptight woman for the first half of my life. I simply did not know how to relax, and it was due to me not being willing to completely trust God. I trusted God for things, but not in things. I kept trying to be the one in control. Even though God was in the driver’s seat of my life, I kept one hand on the wheel just in case He took a wrong turn. Relaxation is impossible without trust!

If you know you can’t fix the problem you have, then why not relax while God is working on it? It sounds easy, but it took many years for me to be able to do this. I know from experience that the ability to relax and go with the flow in life is dependent upon our willingness to trust God completely. If things don’t go your way, instead of being upset, you can believe that getting your way was not what you needed. God knew that, so He gave you what was best for you, instead of what you wanted.

If you are waiting much longer than you had hoped to, you can get frustrated, angry, and upset, or you can say, “God’s timing is perfect; He is never late. And my steps are ordered by the Lord.” Now you can relax and simply go with the flow of what is happening in your life. When it comes to things that are out of our control, we can either ruin the day or relax and enjoy it while God is working on the situation. As long as we believe, God keeps working!

Trust in Him How relaxed are you? Your answer is directly related to how much you trust God. It may take you many years, like it did me, to fully trust Him, but each day will be better and better as you trust more and learn to relax.


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