Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!
(-John 7:37)
You are precious and valuable, and God has a plan to manifest His goodness and kindness through what He wants to do to you. It does not matter what you have done or what has been done to you-the past remains in the past. God has a great future for you. You can have a wonderful life, fut you have to receive it. You have to agree and say, "That is for me."
Jesus cried out to tell us that He has what we need: "Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice. If any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!" (John 7:37), What you cannot do for yourself, God has already done for you. He invites you now to come and receive it, to drink it, to take it into yourself. You do that by believing it is for you.
To drink is defined as "to take in or receive avidly"; "to receive into one's consciousness." Remember that Jesus said, "Now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete." (John 16:24) If you ask and receive, then your joy will be full.
How are we going to impress a depressed world if we believers are as depressed as those who are without Christ? God wants His people to show forth the glory of His kindness upon them. As we receive God's provision, our joy will be complete, which is the way the church is supposed to be.
Act as a receptacle for God's blessings. Take in what Jesus has paid for with His own life to provide for you. Study the Word so that you will be sure of His promises. Pray to Him, saying, "Here I am, Lord. Pour it on. I receive the fullness of whatever you Holy Spirit has for me."
Page 335
New Day New You
366 Devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life
By: Joyce Meyer
#1 New York Times Bestselling author
Please do not ever forget that God loves you.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
Wait on Him
Those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall left their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up close to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.
(-Isaiah 40:31)
Isaiah teaches us to wait for the Lord when we know our strength needs to be renewed. Waiting for God means spending time with Him in His Word and His presence. There are certain people we can draw strength from just by being around them. Their very presence, the way they talk and approach life, seems to make us feel better when we are discouraged of feeling down in any way. Likewise, there are others who can always make us feel worse. They have a way of putting a negative edge on everything.
When you and I need to be strengthened, we should spend time with God and with people filled with His Spirit. Spending time in God's presence is like sitting in a room filled with sweet-smelling perfume. If we sit there long enough, we take the fragrance with us when we leave. It will be in our clothing, in our hair, and even in our very skin.
Moses was a man of prayer. He spent a great deal of time fellowshiping with and talking to God. He knew that if God did not help him, he would fail miserably. Because of Moses' faithfulness to seek God, he was given an assuring message: "And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14)
Page 255
New Day New You
366 Devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life
By: Joyce Meyer
#1 New York Times Bestselling author
God loves you!
(-Isaiah 40:31)
Isaiah teaches us to wait for the Lord when we know our strength needs to be renewed. Waiting for God means spending time with Him in His Word and His presence. There are certain people we can draw strength from just by being around them. Their very presence, the way they talk and approach life, seems to make us feel better when we are discouraged of feeling down in any way. Likewise, there are others who can always make us feel worse. They have a way of putting a negative edge on everything.
When you and I need to be strengthened, we should spend time with God and with people filled with His Spirit. Spending time in God's presence is like sitting in a room filled with sweet-smelling perfume. If we sit there long enough, we take the fragrance with us when we leave. It will be in our clothing, in our hair, and even in our very skin.
Moses was a man of prayer. He spent a great deal of time fellowshiping with and talking to God. He knew that if God did not help him, he would fail miserably. Because of Moses' faithfulness to seek God, he was given an assuring message: "And the Lord said, My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14)
Page 255
New Day New You
366 Devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life
By: Joyce Meyer
#1 New York Times Bestselling author
God loves you!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
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)
We cannot give away what we don't have. Trying to love others is useless 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, not be in love with ourselves.
To love yourself, you simply need to believe in the love God has for you; know that it is everlasting, unchangeable, and unconditional. Let His love affirm you and make you feel secure, but don't begin to think of yourself more highly than you should (see Romans 12:3). Loving ourselves does not mean we love all of our behavior; it means that we love and accept the unique person God has created us to be.
I believe loving ourselves in a balance way is what prepares us to let love flow through us to others. Without receiving God's love for ourselves in a healthy, appropriate way, we may have feelings of affection or respect for others, a humanistic type of love; but we certainly cannot love people unconditionally unless god Himself inspires and provokes that love.
The Holy Spirit purifies our hearts so we can allow the sincere love of God to flow through us (see 1 Peter 1:22) to others. This is part of being filled with the Spirit.
God wants us to express love to others. When we think of others and how we can bless them, we keep ourselves filled with the Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit of Love.
GOD'S WORD FOR YOU TODAY: You have something wonderful to give to the world today-the love of God that is in you.
Page 299
hearing from God each morning
365 Daily Devotions
By: Joyce Meyer
And please all ways remember God loves you.
(1 John 4:12)
We cannot give away what we don't have. Trying to love others is useless 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, not be in love with ourselves.
To love yourself, you simply need to believe in the love God has for you; know that it is everlasting, unchangeable, and unconditional. Let His love affirm you and make you feel secure, but don't begin to think of yourself more highly than you should (see Romans 12:3). Loving ourselves does not mean we love all of our behavior; it means that we love and accept the unique person God has created us to be.
I believe loving ourselves in a balance way is what prepares us to let love flow through us to others. Without receiving God's love for ourselves in a healthy, appropriate way, we may have feelings of affection or respect for others, a humanistic type of love; but we certainly cannot love people unconditionally unless god Himself inspires and provokes that love.
The Holy Spirit purifies our hearts so we can allow the sincere love of God to flow through us (see 1 Peter 1:22) to others. This is part of being filled with the Spirit.
God wants us to express love to others. When we think of others and how we can bless them, we keep ourselves filled with the Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit of Love.
GOD'S WORD FOR YOU TODAY: You have something wonderful to give to the world today-the love of God that is in you.
Page 299
hearing from God each morning
365 Daily Devotions
By: Joyce Meyer
And please all ways remember God loves you.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Confusion Is Not from God
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.
(-1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV)
I was holding a meeting in Kansas City, and it came to my heart to ask the audience how many of them were confused. There were about 300 people at the meeting, and from what I could tell, 298 of them raised their hands. And m;y husband was one of the two who didn't raise a hand. I can tell you that Dave has never been confused in his life because he doesn't worry. He doesn't try to figure out anything. He is not interested in having all the answers to everything, because he trusts God.
When you trust God, you can relax and enjoy life. You don't have to go through life worrying and trying to figure out how to solve all you problems. Think about all the things you have worried about in your life and how they have all worked out. That ought to help you realize that worry and reasoning are a waste of time and energy. Stop worrying. Stop complicating your life by trying to figure out everything. Just admit that you don't know, that you are not able, that you need God. Then go on living, and enjoy life while God is giving you the answers.
Page 309
New Day New You
366 Devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life
By: Joyce Meyer
#1 New York Times Bestselling author
Please remember God loves you.
(-1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV)
I was holding a meeting in Kansas City, and it came to my heart to ask the audience how many of them were confused. There were about 300 people at the meeting, and from what I could tell, 298 of them raised their hands. And m;y husband was one of the two who didn't raise a hand. I can tell you that Dave has never been confused in his life because he doesn't worry. He doesn't try to figure out anything. He is not interested in having all the answers to everything, because he trusts God.
When you trust God, you can relax and enjoy life. You don't have to go through life worrying and trying to figure out how to solve all you problems. Think about all the things you have worried about in your life and how they have all worked out. That ought to help you realize that worry and reasoning are a waste of time and energy. Stop worrying. Stop complicating your life by trying to figure out everything. Just admit that you don't know, that you are not able, that you need God. Then go on living, and enjoy life while God is giving you the answers.
Page 309
New Day New You
366 Devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life
By: Joyce Meyer
#1 New York Times Bestselling author
Please remember God loves you.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Mind, Will, and Emotions
We have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.
(1 Corinthians 2:16)
When we invite Jess to come into our hearts, the Holy Spirit makes His home in us. From that position in our hearts, which are the very centers of our beings, the Holy Spirit begins a purifying work in our souls (our minds, wills, and emotions).
Our minds tell us what we think, not what god thinks. The Holy Spirit is working in us to change that. We have to learn how to think in agreement with God, how to be vessels for God to think through. Old thoughts must be purified from us, and new thoughts-thoughts from God-must become part of our thinking.
Our emotions tell us how we feel, not how God feels about situations, people, and the decisions we make. According to Psalm 7:9, God tests and tries our emotions. He works with us until we are not moved by human emotion alone, but by His Spirit.
Our wills tell us what we want, not what God wants. The will over rides emotions and even thoughts. We can use it to do the right thing even when we don't feel like doing it. We have a free will, and God will not force us to do anything. He leads us by His Spirit into what He knows will be good for us, but the final decisions are ours to make. God wants us to regularly make decisions that are in agreement with His will, not our wills.
As these three areas of our lives-mind, will, and emotions-come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we will become increasingly mature as believers.
GOD'S WORD FOR YOU TODAY: You can manage your emotions instead of letting them manage you.
Page 319
hearing from God each morning
365 Daily Devotions
By: Joyce Meyer
Please all ways remember that God loves you.
(1 Corinthians 2:16)
When we invite Jess to come into our hearts, the Holy Spirit makes His home in us. From that position in our hearts, which are the very centers of our beings, the Holy Spirit begins a purifying work in our souls (our minds, wills, and emotions).
Our minds tell us what we think, not what god thinks. The Holy Spirit is working in us to change that. We have to learn how to think in agreement with God, how to be vessels for God to think through. Old thoughts must be purified from us, and new thoughts-thoughts from God-must become part of our thinking.
Our emotions tell us how we feel, not how God feels about situations, people, and the decisions we make. According to Psalm 7:9, God tests and tries our emotions. He works with us until we are not moved by human emotion alone, but by His Spirit.
Our wills tell us what we want, not what God wants. The will over rides emotions and even thoughts. We can use it to do the right thing even when we don't feel like doing it. We have a free will, and God will not force us to do anything. He leads us by His Spirit into what He knows will be good for us, but the final decisions are ours to make. God wants us to regularly make decisions that are in agreement with His will, not our wills.
As these three areas of our lives-mind, will, and emotions-come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we will become increasingly mature as believers.
GOD'S WORD FOR YOU TODAY: You can manage your emotions instead of letting them manage you.
Page 319
hearing from God each morning
365 Daily Devotions
By: Joyce Meyer
Please all ways remember that God loves you.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
God's Ways Are Not Our Ways
My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.
(-Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)
I have discovered that God often seems unreasonable. What He chooses to do does not always make sense to us. It does not always fit into our balance of reason. We have a tendency to want things to make sense, but God wants us to learn to be led by our trust and not by our understanding. We should thank God that His ways are not our ways. My life would have turned out badly if God had given me my way in many situations. It is wise for us to pray, "Your will be done, Lord, not mine."
I often tell the Lord what I would like to have, but follow it up with, "However, if You know it is not right for me, please don't give it ti me." His thoughts are above our thoughts. He sees the end from the beginning. All His ways are right and sure. In the natural we can think something makes sense, but it may not be what god wants at all.
Page 318
New Day New You
366 Devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life
By: Joyce Meyer
#1 New York Times Bestselling author
Please remember God loves you.
(-Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)
I have discovered that God often seems unreasonable. What He chooses to do does not always make sense to us. It does not always fit into our balance of reason. We have a tendency to want things to make sense, but God wants us to learn to be led by our trust and not by our understanding. We should thank God that His ways are not our ways. My life would have turned out badly if God had given me my way in many situations. It is wise for us to pray, "Your will be done, Lord, not mine."
I often tell the Lord what I would like to have, but follow it up with, "However, if You know it is not right for me, please don't give it ti me." His thoughts are above our thoughts. He sees the end from the beginning. All His ways are right and sure. In the natural we can think something makes sense, but it may not be what god wants at all.
Page 318
New Day New You
366 Devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life
By: Joyce Meyer
#1 New York Times Bestselling author
Please remember God loves you.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Spiritual Nourishment
I tell you, do not be anxious and troubled [with cares] about your life, as to what you will [have to ] eat; or about your body, as to what you will [have to ] wear. For life is more than food, and the body [more] than clothes.
(-Luke 12:22-23)
If you have a rich spiritual life, you'll already be satisfied with the moment, the day, the year. We all have these moments at times. You wander through a summer field of fireflies and suddenly feel still and awed at the beauty of it all. You hold your new son or grandson on your lap and feel a great spiritual bond of love all around you. You're sitting in a pew Sunday morning and the light comes through the stained glass and fills your heart with joy. The moment is complete in itself. You don't think, My heart is full of joy, and boy, do I wish I had a slice of chocolate cake in my hand!
You can know the complete fulfillment of spiritual nourishment and know that if you can experience it regularly, you'll have no problem eating and drinking only what you need. In fact, we should all feel those transcendent moments more often than we do. I believe they are essential to physical, emotional, and spiritual health. And I think we spend too little time trying to achieve them and too much time meditation on our problems. Whether it's in therapy, at home, or with friends over coffee, if we stew in our own problems all the time, they are only going to be with us that much more.
Get your mind off the problems, and spend more time meditating on the one, true solution-God's love. Our problems in life-and there will be problems-should drive us to God, not away from Him. Jonah tried running from his duty to the Lord by sailing to a remote destination, and look what happened to him! Don't follow Jonah's path. Run to God! He won't just help you find the solutions to your spiritual hunger; He is the solution.
Page 317
New Day New You
366 devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life
By: Joyce Meyer
#1 New York Times Bestselling author
And please always remember God loves you.
(-Luke 12:22-23)
If you have a rich spiritual life, you'll already be satisfied with the moment, the day, the year. We all have these moments at times. You wander through a summer field of fireflies and suddenly feel still and awed at the beauty of it all. You hold your new son or grandson on your lap and feel a great spiritual bond of love all around you. You're sitting in a pew Sunday morning and the light comes through the stained glass and fills your heart with joy. The moment is complete in itself. You don't think, My heart is full of joy, and boy, do I wish I had a slice of chocolate cake in my hand!
You can know the complete fulfillment of spiritual nourishment and know that if you can experience it regularly, you'll have no problem eating and drinking only what you need. In fact, we should all feel those transcendent moments more often than we do. I believe they are essential to physical, emotional, and spiritual health. And I think we spend too little time trying to achieve them and too much time meditation on our problems. Whether it's in therapy, at home, or with friends over coffee, if we stew in our own problems all the time, they are only going to be with us that much more.
Get your mind off the problems, and spend more time meditating on the one, true solution-God's love. Our problems in life-and there will be problems-should drive us to God, not away from Him. Jonah tried running from his duty to the Lord by sailing to a remote destination, and look what happened to him! Don't follow Jonah's path. Run to God! He won't just help you find the solutions to your spiritual hunger; He is the solution.
Page 317
New Day New You
366 devotions for Enjoying Everyday Life
By: Joyce Meyer
#1 New York Times Bestselling author
And please always remember God loves you.
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