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How Do You See Yourself?

Do you like yourself? After years of trying to help people emotionally, mentally, spiritually and socially, it
was a major breakthrough when I discovered that most people really dont like themselves. Some of them
know it, while others dont even have a clue that this is probably the root of so many other problems in their
lives.

God wants us to have great relationships, but self-rejection and even self-hatred are the roots of many
relationship problems. In fact, Ive found the Bible to be a book about relationships, providing valuable advice
about my relationship with God, other people and even myself.

How are the relationships with other people in your life? What about your relationship with Godand even
with yourself?

Did it ever occur to you that you have a relationship with yourself? While Ive never given it much thought, I
spend more time with myself than with anyone, and its vital to get along well with me. Remember, you are
the one person you never get away from.

We all know how agonizing it is to work day after day with someone we dont get along with, but at least that
person doesnt come home with us at night. We cant get away from ourselves, not even for one second, so
its of the utmost importance that we have peace with ourselves.

Many of us fall prey to self-rejection because we feel that nobody really loves us or accepts us. We figure that
if nobody else loves us, then why should we love ourselves? Because we think others dont love us, we feel
that we must not be worth loving. But thats a LIE weve believed for way too long!

We should love ourselvesnot in a selfish, self-centered way that produces a lifestyle of self-indulgence, but
in a balanced, godly way that affirms Gods creation as essentially good and right. We may be flawed by
unfortunate experiences weve gone through, but that doesnt mean were worthless and good-for-nothing.

We must have the kind of love for ourselves that says, I know God loves me, so I can love what God chooses
to love. I dont love everything I do, but I accept myself because God accepts me. We must develop the kind
of mature love that says, I know I need to change, and I want to change. In fact, I believe God is changing me
daily, but during this process, I will not reject what God accepts. Ill accept myself as I am right now,
knowing that I will not always remain this way.

Many times people who reject themselves do so because they cant see themselves as good, proper, or right.
They fail to see themselves the way God sees themas precious children He dearly loves.

As you begin to see yourself through Gods eyessomeone whos loved and cherishedyour view of
yourself will begin to change. Youll begin to see yourself not as rejected, but as loved and acceptedunique
and beautiful in His sight.

Your True Value
February 20

Now therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own peculiar
possession and treasure from among and above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine.
Exodus 19:5

In Exodus 19:5, the Lord tells His people that they are His own "peculiar possession and treasure." That word
applies to us today as much as it did to the children of Israel. In John 3:18, Jesus told Nicodemus that no one
who believes in Him will ever be condemned (rejected). You may not feel treasured, or even acceptable, but
you are. In Ephesians 1:6 (KJV), Paul says that all of us who believe in Christ have been "accepted in the
beloved." That should give us a sense of personal value and worth.

I remember standing in a prayer line where I overheard a woman next to me telling the pastor who was
ministering to her how much she hated and despised herself. The pastor became very firm with her and in a
strong manner rebuked her, saying, "Who do you think you are? You have no right to hate yourself. God paid
a high price for you and your freedom. He loved you so much that He sent His only Son to die for you, to
suffer in your place. You have no right to hate or reject yourself. Your part is to receive what Jesus died to
give you!"

The woman was shocked. I was shocked too, just listening. Yet sometimes it takes a strong word to get us to
realize the trap that Satan has set for us. Do you lack appreciation for your own value and worth? Surely, you
are valuable; otherwise your heavenly Father would not have paid such a heavy price for your redemption.

Is Stress About to Get You Down?
Stressthe dictionary describes it as "mental, emotional or physical tension; strain, distress." Id add to that:
"feeling pressured or upset." Its a condition that most of us are all too familiar with. Its a normal part of
everyday life, and none of us can get through a day without experiencing it in one way or another.

We live in a fast-paced world that places more demands on us with each passing year. People are hurrying
everywhere, and theyre often rude and short-tempered. Many people are experiencing financial stress, marital
stress and the stress of raising children. Theres mental stress on the job and often physical stress caused from
overwork. Many times this stressful lifestyle causes health problems, only adding to the stress.

Our bodies were created by God to withstand a certain amount of stress, but when we push ourselves beyond
that limit, we begin to experience problems. Are you pushing yourself too hard? Many people today are living
in a perpetual state of overloadliterally on the verge of collapse. But they continue stretching themselves to
the limit until, like a rubber band, one day they snap.

Even the atmosphere seems to be charged with stress and pressure. But the good news is that, as Christians,
although we may be in the world, according to John 17:14, 16, we are not of the world. We don't have to
operate by the world's system, reacting like the world. Our attitude and approach should be entirely different.
The world responds to difficulties by being upset, but Jesus said in John 14:27 that we should stop allowing
ourselves to be agitated, disturbed or upset.

This verse indicates that we need a change of attitude. Ive noticed that the right attitude and approach can
completely turn a situation around. If I approach something in dread, Im setting myself up for misery before I
even begin because dread creates stress. But if I refuse to dread or have a negative outlook, I open the door for
God to work supernaturally and help me. The choice is mine.

Jesus didn't promise that wed never have to deal with stressful situations. In John 16:33, He said, ...In the
world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be
confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and
have conquered it for you.] This verse teaches us that we don't have to react to stress the way the world does.
Because Jesus has deprived the world of its power to harm us, we should be able to approach the challenges
we face in life in a calm and confident manner.

Luke 10:19 says, Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and
[physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in
any way harm you. Here Jesus is telling us that He has equipped us to overcome the world's ways. Even
though well be faced with challenging and stressful situations that wont always be easy to handle, He
assures us that nothing can defeat us if we handle things the right wayHis way!

An important factor in enjoying a peaceful, stress-free life is learning to be obedient to the Lord. Following
the leading of the Holy Spirit will always lead you into peace. He will never lead you into stress, because He
is the Prince of Peace. Common sense tells us that Gods not going to stress us out and lead us to do more than
we can do; however, we often do this ourselves.

Its so important not to overcommit ourselves. Do you have too much to do? This seems to be the number one
complaint I hear today. "Theres just too much to do and not enough time to do it all." This is often the result
of not saying no often enough. Sometimes we say yes and commit ourselves to doing something that we really
don't want or need to be doing. We take it on just to keep other people happy. We really need to be careful in
this area and make sure that our mouth is not saying yes when our heart is saying no.

We also need to be sure that we're not overextending ourselves by trying to do too many things we want to do,
whether it's part of God's plan for us or not. If were doing something He hasnt approved, Hes under no
obligation to give us energy to do it. I believe one of the major reasons why many people are stressed and
burned out is because theyre going their own way instead of following God's plan. We need to follow the
leading of the Spirit as to what were to be involved in and where were to expend our energy. We must learn
to say yes when He says yes and no when He says no. When were obedient to His leading, well be able to
accomplish what He gives us to do and walk in peace.

Honestly, we arent really that capable of running our own lives. Thats why Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to lead,
guide and direct us. Romans 7:6 says we are to be led by the "prompting" of the Spirit. I can remember
numerous times when I was tired and the Holy Spirit prompted me to rest, but I continued to push myself to
go out or to have company. Then Id end up exhausted, instead of just being tired. As you know, exhausted
people usually get grouchy and impatient. This often caused strife in our home, leading to even more stress. If
I had been obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the entire problem could have been avoided.
Obedience is exalting Jesus above our own natural, selfish desires. Are you exhausted ...or is Jesus exalted? I
really believe obedience is the key to victorious, healthy, happy and peaceful living.

Another important lesson I've learned is to "bend so I will not break." The Bible says, ...readilyadjust yourself
to [people, things] and if possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:16,
18). Before I made the Word of God a priority in my life and decided to live an obedient life, I had to have my
own way. I wasnt adaptable. I wanted everyone else to adapt to me. Of course, that resulted in more strife and
stress. Ive now learned to bend. Its not always easy on the flesh to give in and do things differently than I
had planned, but its easier than being upset and miserable.

A prompting is a "knowing" down inside of you that lets you know what you should do. The prophet Elijah
referred to it as a "still, small voice" (see 1 Kings 19:12). While you may not hear an audible voice, I believe
you can sense God's wisdom giving you direction in certain situations.

I remember one time when Id been shopping for several hours and was getting very tired. I had only
purchased about half of the items I intended to buy, so I kept pressing on. The prompting of the Spirit within
me was telling me to stop and go home, but because I hadn't accomplished my goal, I didn't. Although the
other things I intended to get werent immediate needs, I didn't want to leave until I accomplished the goal I
had set for myself. As I pushed myself beyond the point of being tired, it became difficult for me to think
clearly. I then began to become impatient with other people. Even after I finally went home, I was out of sorts,
and it affected my time with my family.

If I had obeyed the prompting of the Spirit and gone home to rest and relieve the stress, I would have felt so
much better, and the situation at home wouldve been much more pleasant. We can avoid many stressful
situations simply by obeying the Holy Spirit's prompting.

Burnout comes from physical and emotional exhaustion, especially as a result of long-term stress. When stress
depletes our bodies, our immune systems become weak and sickness (even depression) can set in. Signs of
burnout include extreme fatigue, headaches, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems and tensions. Other
manifestations may also be your nerves tied in knots or an inability to relaxbut the doctor can't find
anything wrong. Emotional exhaustion (crying easily), anger, negativity, irritability, depression, cynicism and
bitterness about the blessings of others can still be considered burnout syndrome.

Burnout causes you to be "out of control" and no longer producing good fruit. Ignoring God's laws causes
burnout. You cant overwork your mind, emotions or body and not eventually pay the price.

Whose pace are you moving at? Are you keeping the pace God has set for you or someone else's? Are you
stressed out from trying to keep up with everyone else? Living under the stress of competition and
comparison? A perfectionist with unrealistic goals?

I believe we can live stress free in a stressful world, but itll require some decisionspossibly radical ones.
Allow God's Spirit to lead you out of a stressful lifestyle and into one of peace and joy. Respect your body.
Treat good health and feeling good as a valuable gift. Dont waste the energy God has given you on stress.
Save it for living and enjoying life.

Here are some wise instructions from God's Word to make the practice of peace a part of your everyday life.
First of all, be still! Hush. Stop all the rushing around. Psalm 46:10 says, Be still, and know that I am
God(KJV). The Creator of the universe wants a word with you, but how can He really talk to you if you're
always on the go? Chill and listen!

Second, prepare your heart to receive from Himto hear His voice on a regular basis. Oh, that they had such
a [mind and] heart in them always [reverently] to fear Me and keep all My commandments, that it might go
well with them and with their children forever! (Deuteronomy 5:29). Can you hear the earnestness in God's
voice as He makes that statement?

Finally, acknowledge Him in everything you do. Make it a lifestyle to be identified with Jesus Christ and
faithfully be a doer of the Word. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7 KJV).

How To Be Content
The Bible clearly teaches us to "be content" no matter what our circumstances are. In Philippians 4:11 Paul
said, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am in therewith to be content". The Amplified Bible describes
being content as "satisfied to the point where you are not disturbed or disquieted". It doesn't say satisfied to
the point where you don't want change, but satisfied for now until God brings the change. Philippians 4:6-7
sheds more light in this area by saying, "Have no anxiety about anything, but in all things by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, continue to let God know what you want", and verse 7 "the peace that passes
understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus". Allow me to paraphrase these scriptures in
my language for you. Don't be upset about anything, no matter what is happening. Pray about it, and tell God
your need. While you are waiting for God to move, be a very thankful and grateful person for all that God has
done for you already. (Note: Let me say here that if God never did one thing for us except write our names in
the Lamb's Book of Life, that alone is more than enough.) Being thankful from the heart is necessary for the
receiving of God's continued favors in our lives. Then verse 7 says after this:
1. Have no anxiety or care,
2. Tell God your need, and
3. Be thankful.
Then you will have tremendous peace and contentment no matter what state you are in while you are waiting
for God to work out His will in your life.

Let us not forget Romans 8:28 that says, "All things work together and are fitting into a plan for good to those
who love God and are called according to His purpose." Even the hard times can work into God's perfect plan
for your life. Cast your care, and be a thankful person. Take inventory each day of what you have instead of
counting up all the things that you have not. Meditate on what God has done in your life instead of what you
are still waiting on Him to do. Your flesh wants you to concentrate on what you don't have. Your spirit wants
you to ask God for what you don't have, yet concentrate on what you do have.

John 14:27 (Amplified) says, "Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; do not permit
yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled." Jesus left us a legacy of peace, and He
wants us to use it. I have discovered through years of experience, many of these years spent in frustration and
discontentment, that the secret of being content is to ask God for what I want, and know that "if it is right" He
will bring it to pass "at the right time," and if it isn't right, God will do something much better than what I
asked for anyway. We must learn to trust God completely if we ever intend to enjoy peaceful living. It is good
to trust God for something, but God is calling His people not only to trust Him "for something," but to trust
Him "in everything."

In Genesis 50:20, Joseph, speaking to his brothers who had severely mistreated him, said "As for you, you
thought evil against me; but God meant it for good." The very things we think are awful right now, very often
can turn out to be a great blessing. The greatest trial can develop in you the greatest faith. God spoke this to
my heart a while ago: "Joyce, you see to the end of your nose (which isn't very far), and you assume that
anything that doesn't feel good isn't good. But I see from beginning to end because I am The Beginning and
The End, and I know many things you don't know." We know in part. God is "The All"

Exercise doesn't feel good, but it is good. When a rebellious child receives a spanking, it doesn't feel good,
but it is good. Hebrews 12 teaches us that no chastening for the present seems joyous but grievous,
nevertheless, later on it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Perhaps we need to learn to be more concerned with later on than with right now. Hebrews 12 also says that
for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame, but He is now seated at the right
hand of God. Let's be willing to endure for a season, if it will seat us at His right hand of authority and power.

In conclusion, let me say that the sum of the whole matter is this: TRUST GOD! Hide yourself in the secret
place (in Him). God loves you. He is a good God who only does good things. Be content knowing that His
way is perfect, and He brings with Him a great recompense of reward for those who trust in Him.

Got Problems? Make a Trade with God
Did you know that God wants to make a trade with you? He has a standing offer every minute of every day,
and it's amazing how few of us actually take Him up on it. He wants you to give Him all your cares, problems
and failures. In return, He'll give you His peace and joy. On top of that, He promises to protect and take care
of you.

Let Go of Your Worry...
God really does want to take care of us, but in order to let Him, we've got to stop trying to take care of
ourselves and worrying about every little thing we can't control. Many people would like for God to take care
of them, but they insist on worrying or trying to figure out an answer on their own instead of waiting for His
direction. They wallow around in puddles of their own worry, wondering why God doesnt give them peace.
God will give us peace, but we must first give Him our worries.

We give God our worries by trusting that He can and will take care of us. By trusting God, we're able to rest
in Him, knowing that He has the situation well under control. Worry, on the other hand, is the opposite of
trust. Worry steals our peace, wears us out physically, and can even make us sick. If we're worrying, we're not
fully trusting God, and we'll never be able to experience His peace.

...and Pick Up Gods Peace!
What a great trade! We give God our worry, and He gives us His peace. We give Him all our cares and
concerns, and He gives us His protection, stability and joy. That's the privilege of being cared for by Him.

Because He cares for us, He wants us to live in peace and not be all tied up in knots of worry. He has ways of
guiding us toward peace if we're alert enough to sense His direction.

Read the Signs
Imagine that you're driving down a road. Along the way, there are signs that provide direction or give
warning. If you pay attention to the signs and follow their instructions, you will safely reach your destination.

In the same way, on the road of life there are spiritual signs along the way. In order to stay under God's
protection, you must obey these signs that tell you to trust Him and not worry. Don't be afraid; have courage.
If you'll pay attention to these signs, you'll find it's easy to stay on course. You'll experience the protection,
peace and joy that only God can provide.

However, if you fail to heed the signs, you may notice that the road seems a little bumpier than usual, and you
aren't as confident in your ability as you once were. You may become anxious about the unknown things
waiting around the corner, and even veer off the road.

Focus on Today
Anxiety is like putting on a heavy coat on a hot summer day. It weighs you down. Its difficult to move and
stifling to wear. According to Webster's Dictionary, anxiety is "a state of being uneasy, apprehensive or
worried..." Sometimes this uneasiness is really vaguesomething we just can't put our finger on. All we
know is that we're uneasy.

You and I don't need to be anxious about tomorrow when we have all we can handle today. Even if we
manage to solve all our problems today, we'll just have more to deal with tomorrow...and more the next day.

Why waste time worrying when it's not going to solve anything? Why be anxious about yesterday, which is
gone, or tomorrow, which hasn't arrived yet? Trade in your worries today for God's peace.

Alone Doesn't Have to Mean Lonely
A major problem facing many people today is loneliness. As I travel the world, I see an increasing number of
people requesting help and guidance on handling loneliness in their lives.

In the Bible God tells us we are not alone. He wants to deliver, comfort and heal us. But when people
encounter painful losses in their lives, sadly, many never get over them. Sometimes when sudden tragedy
occurs, the hurt seems unbearable. Without help, a sense of loneliness can actually settle on a person or family
like a cloud, and it doesn't seem to go away.

There are many causes of loneliness, but many people don't realize that they don't have to live with it. They
can confront it and deal with it. Loneliness often manifests as an inner ache, a vacuum, or a craving for
affection. Its side effects include feelings of emptiness, uselessness or purposelessness.

Are you alone (independent, solitary, on your own)? Or, are you lonely (desolate, deserted, dejected due to a
lack of companionship)? There is a very real difference. Its important to realize that just because you are
alone, it doesn't mean you must be lonely or lonesome. While it may not always be possible to avoid being
alone, there are always answers to loneliness. Many times loneliness results from a trauma or crisis due to the
death of a loved one, a divorce, or separation. When something happens that makes us realize that things are
never going to be the way they once were, it often creates crisis or trauma in our lives, which can lead to a
sense of loneliness and despair.

Like a healing wound, the pain may be felt for a long time, but complete recovery requires daily improvement.
When a physical wound refuses to heal, it indicates theres an infection that must be dealt with. I believe the
same is true of emotional wounds: the emotional part of us should heal just like the physical part of us. God
gave us emotions just as He gave us physical bodies. He has provided for our emotional restoration in Him
just as He has provided for it physically. While it is true that you may always miss the person or the thing that
was lost, it doesnt mean that you must suffer permanent loneliness.

I believe there are two things anyone wishing to overcome loneliness must do:

1. Know that God is with you all the time. In the Bible God reminds us that He is always with us and He'll
never forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5). Loneliness often leads us to ask ourselves all sorts of questions that can't
be answered, such as: What if I am alone for the rest of my life? What if this pain I am feeling never goes
away? What if a problem arises that I don't know how to handle on my own? What if...what if...what if...? The
questions could go on and on endlessly. Chances are, you'll never be able to answer the "what ifs" in life. But
as long as you know that the Lord is with you, you can be assured that He has all the answers you need.

2. Press aggressively into a new life. Not everything in your life is over; just one part of it has ended. One
season has passed and another can now beginif you are willing to take action. Don't just passively sit and
wait for something to happen or someone to come along. Go make new friends. Find someone else who is
lonely and be a friend to that person. You will reap what you sow, and God will return that friendship many
times over.

Let the loneliness you feel turn into compassion for other lonely people, and then decide to do something
about it!

When God When
We all want good things to happen in our lives, but too often we want it now...not later. When it doesn't
happen that way, we are tempted to ask, "When, God, when?" Most of us need to grow in the area of trusting
God instead of focusing on the when question. If you're missing joy and peace, you're not trusting God. If
your mind feels worn out all the time, you're not trusting God. The tendency to want to know about everything
that's going on can be detrimental to your Christian walk. Sometimes knowing everything can be
uncomfortable and can even hurt you. I spent a large part of my life being impatient, frustrated and
disappointed because there were things I didn't know. God had to teach me to leave things alone and quit
feeling that I needed to know everything. I finally learned to trust the One who knows all things and accept
that some questions may never be answered. We prove that we trust God when we refuse to worry.

God wants us to live by discernmentrevelation knowledge, not head knowledge. It's difficult to exercise
discernment if you're always trying to figure out everything. But when you're willing to say, "God, I can't
figure this out, so I'm going to trust You to give me revelation that will set me free," then you can be
comfortable in spite of not knowing. 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. Why? Because He uses times of waiting to stretch our faith in Him and to bring
about change and growth in our lives.

WAIT WITH PATIENCE

We spend a lot of time in our lives waiting because change is a process. Many people want change, but they
don't want to go through the waiting process. But the truth is, waiting is a givenwe are going to wait. The
question is, are we going to wait the wrong or right way? If we wait the wrong way, we'll be miserable; but if
we decide to wait God's way, we can become patient and enjoy the wait. It takes practice, but as we let God
help us in each situation, we develop patience, which is one of the most important Christian virtues. Patience
is a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22). Its developed only under trial, so we must not run from difficult
situations. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that
you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing (James 1:4). As we
develop patience, the Bible says we finally feel completely satisfiedlacking nothing. Even our relationship
with God involves progressive changes. My relationship with God is so much different now than it was in the
early days of my Christian experience. It is not nearly as emotionally exciting...and yet it is better. Every
change I've gone through has made me more mature, solid and well-grounded. We learn to trust God by going
through many experiences that require trust. By seeing God's faithfulness over and over, we let go of trusting
ourselves, and gradually we place our trust in Him. Looking at it like this, 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. Timing and trust work side by side.

ACCEPT GODS TIMING

God gives us hopes and dreams for certain things to happen in our lives, but He doesn't always allow us to see
the exact timing of His plan. Although frustrating, not knowing the exact timing is often what keeps us in the
program. There are times when we might give up if we knew how long it was going to take, but when we
accept God's timing, we can learn to live in hope and enjoy our lives while God is working on our problems.
We know that God's plan for our lives is good, and when we entrust ourselves to Him, we can experience total
peace and happiness. The book of Genesis tells the story of Joseph, who waited many years for the fulfillment
of the dream God had given him. He was falsely accused and imprisoned before the time came for him to do
what God had shown him he was to do. Exodus 13:17,18 tells us that God led the Israelites the longer, harder
way on their journey to the Promised Land because He knew they were not yet ready to go in. There had to be
time for their training, and they had to go through some very trying situations. They wasted a lot of time
wondering about God's timing, but God never failed to take care of them and show them what He wanted
them to do. The same is true in our lives. It was many years after I received my call from God in February of
1976 before I finally began to see major fulfillment of what God had called me to do. God's training period
simply requires us to do what He tells us to do when He tells us to do it...without questioning or trying to
figure everything out.

LEARN TO RELY ON GOD

Proverbs 16:9 says, A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure. Proverbs
20:24 says, Man's steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way? When God directs
our paths, He sometimes leads us in ways that don't make sense to us so we're not always going to understand
everything. If we try to reason out everything, we will experience struggle, confusion and miserybut there is
a better way. Proverbs 3:5,6 says, Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind
and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge
Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. This sounds so simple, yet too many people
make the mistake of trying to figure everything out themselves. Most of us have spent our lives trying to take
care of ourselves, but when we accept Christ as our Savior, we must learn to trust our lives to His care. When
we do, we can say with the psalmist, ...I trusted in, relied on, and was confident in You, O Lord; I said, You
are my God. My times are in Your hands...(Psalm 31:14,15). First Peter 5:5 tells us that ...God sets Himself
against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)[and He
opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble. Anyone who thinks
they're a self-made man or woman has a rude awakening coming because Jesus said, ...apartfrom Me [cut off
from vital union with Me] you can do nothing (John 15:5). Humility is a covering that draws the help of God
into our lives to protect us. When we humble ourselves by saying, "God, I don't know what to do, but I'm
trusting You," God gets in gear to help us. God won't allow us to succeed at anything unless we're leaning and
relying on Him. But when we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, in due time, He will exalt us
(see 1 Peter 5:6). "Due time" is God's time, when God knows we're ready, not when we think we're ready. The
sooner we understand and accept that, the sooner God can work His plan in our lives.

FROM SEEDTIME TO HARVEST

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us: To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under
heaven. This lets us know that we all don't live in the same season at the same time. You should never be
jealous of someone who is enjoying harvest while you're still in the planting season. Remember, they had to
go through a season of planting just as you are. Seeing the results they are enjoying should be an
encouragement to you. Understand and trust that God is doing the very best for you in your present season.
Seedtime represents learning the will of God. Each time I choose God's will instead of my own, I'm planting a
good seed that will eventually bring a harvest in my life. If you want to be victorious, you cannot afford to get
pulled into the world's system, doing what you feel like doing. James 1:21 tells us what we should do: ...get
rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit
receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your
souls.

Your soul is your mind, your will and your emotions. When the Word gets rooted in there and begins to
change your mind, it begins to heal your emotions and turn your will away from self-will and onto doing the
will of God. Living out of one's own soul is equivalent to staying in the wilderness. When my flesh is finally
crucified and I get out of my soul and into doing the will of God, that's when I enter the promised land. The
promised land is knowing who you are in Christ, knowing how to fellowship with Him, enjoying His
presence, and having peace, contentment and joy. Between seedtime and harvest comes a time of waiting.
After a seed is planted, the heat, moisture and pressure of the ground finally cause the outer hull to crack open.
Then roots shoot down, digging their way through the ground. It takes time for this to happen, and it takes
place underground. Above the ground, you can't tell anything is happening. That's the way our lives are. After
we plant seeds of obedience, we feel like nothing is happening, but all kinds of things are happening inside
where we can't see. And like the seed that finally bursts through the ground with a beautiful green shoot, our
seeds of obedience finally break forth into a beautiful manifestation of God in our lives.

When harvesttime comes, the desires of your heart begin to manifestbondages fall off of you and you see
your dreams come to pass. You see your kids changing and your family getting saved. Prosperity, favor,
promotion, honor, and all kinds of good things come out in the open where they can be seen. In harvesttime,
more than ever before, you hear from God, you enjoy His presence, and you're led by the Spirit. Blessings
begin to chase you down the street, and joy and calm delight become your normal mood. Are you tired of
waiting for harvesttime in your life? Are you frustrated, crying out, "When, God, when?" Then you need to
understand that God's timing is often a mystery. He doesn't do things on our timetable. Yet His Word
promises that He will not be late, not one single day. 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). God causes things to happen at exactly the right time! Your job is not to figure out when, but to make
up your mind that you won't give up until you cross the finish line and are living in the radical, outrageous
blessings of God! The more you trust Jesus and keep your eyes focused on Him, the more life you'll have.
Trusting God brings life. Believing brings rest. So stop trying to figure everything out, and let God be God in
your life.

Keep On Keeping On!
Various thoughts run through our minds every daysome good, some bad. Our natural temptation is to focus
on the bad, so accepting them doesnt take any effort. The effort comes in being determined to cast down the
negative thoughts and take a firm grasp of the positive ones.

Positive minds full of faith and hope produce positive lives. The opposite is also truenegative minds full of
fear and doubt produce negative lives, which can ultimately destroy your life. Some people have been hurt so
many times that they dont think they can face the pain of another letdown. Therefore, they refuse to hope so
they won't be disappointed.

Battles are fought in our minds every day. When we begin to feel the battle is just too difficult and want to
give up, we must choose to resist negative thoughts and be determined to rise above our problems. We must
decide that were not going to quit. When were bombarded with doubts and fears, we must take a stand and
say: "Ill never give up! Gods on my side. He loves me, and Hes helping me! Im going to make it!"

No matter how bad the battle rages in your mind, don't give up! Step out and regain the territory thats been
stolen from you. Even if its only an inch at a time, make sure youre leaning on God's grace and not on your
own ability. In Galatians 6:9 the apostle Paul simply encourages us to keep on keeping on! Don't be a quitter!
Don't have that old "give up" spirit. Gods looking for people who will find the courage to rise above all the
negative and pursue the positive.

Whatever you may be facing or experiencing in your life right now, I want to encourage you to stay positive
and refuse to give up! God is with you, and Hell help you make spiritual progressstrengthening and
encouraging you to keep on keeping on during rough times. It's easy to quit, but it takes faith to press on to
victory.

When the battle seems endless and you think you'll never make it, remember that youre reprogramming a
"worldly" mind to think as God thinks. In the same way that computers are programmed, our minds are
programmed. From the time were born, our minds are like computers that have had a lifetime of garbage
programmed into them. But God, whos the best "computer programmer" around, is working on us every day
to reprogram our minds as we cooperate with Him (see Romans 12:2).

This process of reprogramming or renewing our minds will take place little by little, so don't be discouraged if
progress seems slow. Don't get down when you have setbacks or bad days. Just get back up, dust yourself off
and start again. When a baby is learning to walk, he falls many, many times before he develops the ability to
walk without falling; however, the baby is persistent. He may cry for a while after he falls down, but he
always gets right back up and tries again.

Learning to change our thinking works the same way. There will be days when we don't do everything right
days when our thinking is negative. But never stop trying. God is gradually bringing us around to His way of
thinking. Just don't give up!

Overcoming Grief and Loneliness
Im told that the number one problem facing people today is grief and loneliness. People encounter major
losses in their lives, and sadly, many never get over them. When tragedy occurs and the hurt seems
unbearable, Satan sees an opportunity to try to bring a family or an individual into permanent bondage. The
death of a loved one, divorce or the severing of a close relationship can cause grief, and most people go
through a grieving process. The key to victory is understanding the difference between a normal, balanced
grieving process and a spirit of grief that will try to attach itself to the hurting person. One helps the grieving
person get better with the passing of time; the other causes him to get worse and sink deeper and deeper into
the pit of despair.

I believe that one of the reasons why people, especially Christians, get into bondage during these trying times
is a lack of understanding about the grieving process. This process is a succession of events that may occur in
a person's life when something or someone that means a lot to them is suddenly no longer there. Obviously
everyone doesnt experience the same thing to the same degree, but we do have emotions that can be wounded
and bruised and must be healed. Healing is a process that God walks His children through step-by-step, unless
He performs a miracle.

Shock and denial are two of the first things a person may encounter when tragedy occurs. Actually, God uses
them to protect us from devastation. To illustrate, consider an automobile's shock absorbers. Theyre designed
to cushion the vehicle from unexpected bumps in the road. Without them, the car would fall apart from the
violent blows encountered during its travels. People are often the same way. Were traveling on the road of
life, and most of the time were not expecting bumps or potholes. So when they suddenly show up, were not
ready for them. The Holy Spiritour God-given "shock absorber"cushions the blow until we can readjust
and adapt our thinking to accommodate the sudden change in the ride. Shock and denial are normal if theyre
temporary; however, they become a major problem if people permanently refuse to face reality and learn how
to deal with them.

The next thing people often feel is angerat themselves. They begin to think of things they wish they would
or would not have done that might have made the situation better or even prevented it altogether. Satan wants
us to live with regret. There is no one alive who wouldnt say, "I wish I hadn't done that!" or "I wish I had
done this." Satan seeks to place blame, intending to throw us into a lifetime of guilt, condemnation and self-
hatred.

The apostle Paul stated in Philippians 3:13, ...one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies
behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. The word straining in the Amplified translation tells us
that whenever we have to "press on" there will be opposition from the enemy.

Endings always bring new beginnings. Satan strives to keep us out of the new place that God has prepared. He
wants to trap us in the past and cause us to live in permanent misery, which is what self-anger and self-blame
will do.

People may also experience anger at the person who left themeven if they died. My aunt told me that after
my uncle died, shed beat his pillow at night and yell, "Why did you leave me?" Obviously, her intellect knew
he didnt purposely leave her, but her emotions were speaking. Emotions have a voice; when theyre
wounded, they may react like a wounded animal. Wounded animals can be quite dangerous, and so can
wounded emotions if theyre followed.

Grieving people need to know about the grieving process and some of the things they may experience such as
not to be led by painful feelings. When a major loss occurs, this isnt the time for a person to make serious
decisions or deal with other issues that may produce anxiety or be emotionally upsetting.

Being angry with God is quite common. People frequently ask, "If God is good, all-powerful, and full of love
for us, why didn't He stop the thing that caused the pain?" This is where Satan seeks to build a wall between
God and the hurting person. He seizes the opportunity to say, "God isnt good, and He cant be trusted."
However, we know according to the Word of God, the truth is not in Satanhe is a liar and the father of lies.

James 1:12,13 says, Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under
temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which
God has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God
is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one. Verse 17 goes on to say, Every
good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that
gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His
turning [as in an eclipse].

In other words, God is good, and He cannot be anything else. Furthermore, He isnt one way one time and
another way another time. He doesnt change. He is good, and thats the way He is. But what about the
original question? Since God is good and all-powerful, why didn't He stop this thing before it brought all the
hurt and pain? To be very honest, these are questions we dont have completely sufficient answers for. First
Corinthians 13:12 says, ...Now I know in part (imperfectly).... Trust will always require us to accept
unanswered questions! We want answers to everything, but we must come to the place where were satisfied
to know the One who knows and place our trust in Him. Being mad at God is foolish because Hes the only
One who can bring the needed help and comfort to the grieving or bereaved person.

People also get angry with the devil. This is normal and even good if the anger is properly expressed. The
only way to repay the devil for hurt and devastation in our personal lives is to aggressively and vehemently do
the works of Jesus. Romans 12:21 says, ...overcome (master) evil with good.

People experiencing tragedy often go through stages of emotional expressions of sobbing and hysteria. These
may come and go when least expected. Even people who are normally quite unemotional may experience a
great deal of emotion during times of loss. In general, people are afraid of emotions, and an uncontrolled
display of these emotions is even more fearful. I encourage you to fear not because it will pass. Good
understanding and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit will bring you victory through this kind of situation.

Confusion, disorientation and fear are also common. Depression and waves of overwhelming feelings are
experienced by many, as well as physical symptoms caused by the emotional stress. I believe the key word in
these situations is balance.

The Bible talks of how King David was feeling depressed, but he resisted it. He didnt sink into it or get into
the pit of despair. He described how he felt, but he made a decision not to live by his feelings (see Psalm 42:5-
11 and Psalm 143). People have often confided in me how discouraging it is when others make them feel like
their faith isnt good enough during these times. I believe it takes more faith to go through something
victoriously than to be delivered from it. There are some who experience complete deliverance from grief after
a huge loss, but that doesnt happen to everybody. There are others, and I might even say most of us, who go
through very emotionally difficult times when tragic loss occurs. Those who are walking in faith come out of
it, and they come out of it better than when they went in.

In closing, let me say, "Do not lose your hope!" If you are hurting right now due to a loss in your life, I want
to tell you that a new beginning is in front of you. You may go through some things that youll never
understand, but trust God to work them out for your good. What Satan intends for your harm, God can turn
around for your good!

Victory Over Depression
Does your happiness depend on everything in your life being just right? If you think you can't be happy until
all your circumstances are right, you will never be happy. We all experience times in life when we feel down
for various reasons, but we can't allow our circumstances to control our emotions. Satan seeks to fill our
minds with negative thoughts and emotions that cause us to feel down. He is a discourager, and he pulls us
down emotionally, spiritually, financially, and in every way he can. But Jesus is our Encourager, and He came
to lift us up. He came to give us righteousness, peace and joy, and all these things cause us to feel up!

Everyone experiences times of frustration and distress over unfulfilled hopes and dreams. When things don't
go according to our plans, it is normal to feel disappointment. But we must be careful how we deal with that
feeling, because disappointment is the beginning stage of depression. If we remain in a state of
disappointment for too long, it can turn into discouragement, despair, and finally depression. Psalm 30:5 tells
us that ...Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Things may make us feel sad
temporarily, but we must not stay sad. Just as we cannot afford to stay mad very long, neither can we stay sad
very long. If we do, Satan takes advantage of the open door and pushes his way further into our lives, bringing
more serious problems with him.

DON'T TRUST YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS

Our number one enemy is emotions. We tend to be led by how we feel, but we must realize that feelings are
fickle; they change from day to day! We should be careful not to follow every thought that comes to our mind
because our thoughts and feelings don't dictate truth to us. For many years of my life, I experienced regular
depression. I would awaken many mornings with a little voice in my head saying, "I feel depressed." I
believed this was my own thought, not realizing that it was Satan making suggestions to me through my mind.
Later, when God drew me into a closer walk with Him and I began seriously studying His Word, I learned that
I didn't have to follow every feeling and thought that I had. I began to speak aloud and say, "I will not be
depressed." I learned to put on the garment of praise spoken of in Isaiah 61:3. We may not always feel like
praising, but a victorious person does not have the luxury of living by feelings.

I've learned that staying disappointed can cause me to start feeling discouraged, which is a deeper problem
than disappointment. But I've also learned that you can't be hopeful and discouraged at the same time. So as
soon as the devil attacks us with disappointment and we start feeling discouraged, we need to turn to the Holy
Spirit and allow Him to fill us with hope. A brief period of discouragement may not have a devastating effect,
but long-term discouragement can lead to depressiona very serious problem.

RESIST THE DEVIL AND REJOICE IN THE LORD!

Depression is defined in part as "a hollow; being in a low state; a state of sadness; dejection." The real cause
of depression is not where we are, but our attitude about where we find ourselves. It is possible to learn to live
on the other side of your feelings. We will always have feelings; they will never go away, but we can make
our feelings line up with our decisions. That's why God gives us the fruit of self-control. James 4:7 tells us to
resist the devil, and we must also resist depression, and anything that resembles it, because it is of the devil.
Philippians 4:4 says, Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! If
we stay filled with the right thing, the wrong thing has no place.

If you don't let the devil impress you with what he does, then he can't oppress you; and if he can't oppress
you, then he can't depress you. So choose to be led by the Holy Spirit and you can have victory over
depression. We can choose to keep a hopeful attitude by renewing our minds with the promises found in God's
Word. We can claim the promises as our own and stand in faith, believing God to help us overcome our
feelings and move forward into better things. We can't control all of our circumstances, but we don't have to
let what happens today ruin tomorrow. We can actually turn things around by making a decision to let go of
the situations that caused the disappointment and discouragement, and move toward the good things God has
planned for our future.

Many people are depressed because they can't face truth, but the Holy Spirit came to reveal truth to us. We
can't get past depression until we quit making excuses and blaming everyone else. We must face the truth and
take responsibility for our actions. When we do that and ask God to help us, the spirit of heaviness leaves us
and we feel light and free. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:30, ...My burden is light and easy to be borne. Being
depressed about circumstances does not change them, and it is a total waste of time and a thief of joy. So we
must stop letting our feelings, mind, body, and past experiences rule us and allow God to give us a fresh plan,
a new idea, a new goal! You can experience victory over your emotions by being led, guided, controlled, and
ruled by the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sent to us as our Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate,
Strengthener and Standby to remain with us forever (see John 14:16). Thank God, we don't have to be
disappointed, discouraged, despondent, depressed, or in despair. Jesus is not only the Way, but He is also the
way out! Jesus is our healer, our glory, and the lifter of our heads.


Fear of tomorrow, today, will produce TOMORROW what
you fear today.
Sunday 2/20/2011The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever leans on, trusts in, and puts his confidence in
the Lord is safe and set on high. Proverbs 29:25

WHENEVER YOU STEP up to do the will of God as the Jews who were rebuilding the temple after
returning from the Babylonian Captivity were doing, you can expect opposition. "Then [the Samaritans] the
people of the land [continually] weakened the hands of the people of Judah and troubled and terrified them in
building" (Ezra 4:4).Why is it so easy for an evil person or a bad report to hinder the work of good men?
Fear comes in when you believe you can do nothing and neither can God. It is only as you see God that you
can proceed with His work. If you take your eyes off Him, the fear of man will always take over and become a
trap. Courage is rooted in having the eye of faith to see through the danger or the accusation or the criticism
and know God's approval is all you need. Draw from the undefeatable confidence rooted in a conscience that
knows the will of God and is determined to stay with it.

Two Are Better than One
The three-strand cord is a picture of the power that takes place when two people agree for something in line
with God's will for them. As two people become one in agreement with each other, there is a tremendous
amount of power.

You can have such fun in your marriage when you begin to agree with each other. Do you know that God did
not put you together to be miserable? He didn't put you together to fight, pick on each other or try and change
each other. The Bible says that a woman is to enjoy her husband. (See 1 Peter 3:2.) Think about that. I rarely
hear a woman say, "You know what? I really enjoy my husband." And God wants us to enjoy each other. He
wants us to have fun together. You need to laugh and have fun together.

So how do two people with very different personalitieswho don't think alike, who don't feel the same about
a lot of different things, who don't even like the same kind of foodbecome one? We know that it doesn't just
happen when you both say, "I do." Becoming one is a process that just takes time.

Many times the longest part of the process of becoming one is in the mind. Couples are sometimes slow to
agree in the way they think about things. How does this process of mental agreement take place? Most marital
problems include strife from communication problems, sexual misunderstandings, money issues, different
goals, and disagreements about parenting. All of these things get worked out between us within the souls
realm of our unionour minds, wills and emotions. They don't have as much to do with the spirit or the body
as they do with what we think about those areas. We can know spiritually what the right thing to do is, but that
doesn't mean we will end up doing it.

The Bible says we are supposed to be in agreement. My husband, Dave, and I have personalities that are about
as opposite as we could get. Yet, God has brought us more and more together so that we are starting to think
more alike and want more of the same things every day. We still have two different personalities, and now we
can see that God brought our differences together on purpose. It was not an accident. God knew each of our
strengths and weaknesses would complete the other when we became one. The idea of saying, "Why aren't
you like me?" is no longer a question in our hearts. We realize that we need each other to be exactly who God
created us to be. We no longer pick on each other's weaknesses. Instead, we partake of our strengths and enjoy
one another.

There are no two people who need to get in agreement more than a married couple. God has done so much for
Dave and me since we have gotten out of strife and learned to humble ourselves to the point that we don't
have to be right all the time. Many wars are started in our homes over unimportant issues that dont matter,
such as whether to turn left or right out of the neighborhood when both streets go to the same store. If you
want to have power in your marriage and in your prayer life, then you have to get along. You can learn how to
"disagree agreeably" without causing strife.

The big question is: How do people who are not of one mind learn to agree? Agreement comes when the
people involved stop being selfish. A lot of adults still deal with selfishness. All that selfishness amounts to is,
"I want what I want when I want it, and I don't really care what you want because I want what I want."
Selfishness is an immature inward focus. If each one of us will learn to voice our wants, but choose what best
serves everybody in the family, then we will find peace. The key is to care about what the other person needs,
be willing to humble ourselves, and do what we can to meet those needs.

The Power of Hope
I define hope as "the happy anticipation of good things." Are you aggressively hoping for something good to
happen to you? Do you wake up in the morning excited and expectant about life? You can do that by learning
how to celebrate and enjoy this journey called life.

Everything in life is a process in motion. Without movement, advancement and progression, there is no life.
Once a thing has ceased to progress, it is dead. In other words, as long as we live, you and I are always going
to be heading somewhere, and we should be enjoying ourselves on the way. God created us to be goal-
oriented visionaries. Without a vision, we become bored and hopeless. Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
according to Proverbs 13:12, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

There's something about hope that makes people lighthearted and happy. You're not going to be happy if you
don't have hope. The more hope you have in God, the happier you become. Biblical hope is a close relative to
faith. I don't see how you can have faith without hope because hope is the foundation on which faith stands.
Hope believes everything is going to turn out all righthope is positive! To enjoy life you must maintain a
good, positive attitude. God is positive, and He wants positive things to happen to each of us, but that isn't
likely to happen if we're not filled with hope and faith.

Some people are afraid to hope because they have experienced so much hurt and disappointment that they
don't think they can face any more pain. They refuse to hope so they won't be disappointed. Disappointment is
painful! Rather than being hurt again, they simply refuse to hope that anything good will ever happen to them.
This type of behavior sets up a negative lifestyle. Everything becomes negative because their thoughts are
negative. Proverbs 23:7 says, For as he [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he....

Your Future Has No Room For Your Past!

Many years ago I was extremely negative because of the devastating abuse that had taken place in my past.
The result was that I expected people to hurt me, and they did. I expected people to be dishonest, and they
were. I was afraid to believe that anything good might happen. I thought I was protecting myself from being
hurt by not expecting anything good to happen. When I really began to study the Word and trust God to
restore me, I began to realize that all of my negativism had to go. In Matthew 8:13, Jesus says that it will be
done for us as we have believed. I believed everything was negative, so naturally many negative things
happened to me.

I needed to let go of the past and move into the future with hope, faith and trust in God. I had to get rid of the
heaviness of despair, depression and discouragement. And I did, once I dug into the truth of God's Word! I
found out that God is ...a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head (Psalm 3:3). I began to turn my
negative thoughts and words into positive ones! Now, I am not saying that you and I can get whatever we
want by just thinking about it. God has a perfect plan for each of us, and we can't control Him with our
thoughts and words. But we can think and speak in agreement with His will and plan for us. We can practice
being positive in every situation that arises. Even if what is taking place in your life at the moment seems
negative, expect God to bring good out of it as He has promised in His Word. You must understand that
before your life can change, your attitude must change.

Hope is a powerful, spiritual force that is activated through our positive attitude. We are assured and know
that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and
for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose (Romans 8:28). What Satan
means for harm, God intends for good. All things work together for good for those who love God. Satan wants
to hurt you and have you spend your life distrusting everyone because somebody hurt you when you were a
child, while you were in school, in your marriage, on your job, etc. The list of who, what, where and how you
can be hurt is endless. You have to say, "No! That is subject to change! I am a child of the living God!
Something good is going to happen to me!"

[After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is
righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit (Romans 14:17). What this means is that after all the painful things that have happened in your past
have come and gone, God still wants you to enjoy every single day of your life. This won't happen, however,
until you make up your mind to take hold of the abundant life that Jesus' death and resurrection purchased for
you. Until then, the devil will always try to take it away. Jesus said, The thief comes only in order to steal and
kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it
overflows) (John 10:10).

You are a new creation. You don't have to allow the old things that happened to you continue to affect your
new life in Christ. As a new creature in Christ Jesus, you can have your mind renewed according to the Word
of God: And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude],
and put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and
holiness (Ephesians 4:23,24). Things will change for the better when you keep your thoughts filled with hope.

Rejoice In Hope

The Bible is full of hope-filled promises for you and me. Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance,
introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us
rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God (Romans 5:2). Good things begin
to happen to you when you rejoice in the hope of experiencing God's favor on a regular basis. Luke 2:52 tells
us that ...Jesus increased in...favor with God and man. You and I are introduced to the favor of God by faith.
All of God's promises are activated by faith. We shortchange ourselves when we believe in Jesus but don't
believe in His blessings. Believe that you walk in holiness and righteousness (see Ephesians 4:24), believe
that you are anointed (see 2 Corinthians 1:21), and believe that you are blessed with every spiritual blessing as
promised in Ephesians 1:3. Believe Romans 8:37 when it says you are more than a conqueror!

Everything that is promised in the Bible is for us to rejoice in now. Be glad! Raise your expectancy level.
Rejoice in the hope of experiencing God's glory right now. My husband and I believe for many things, but
beyond them all, we believe in SomeoneJesus. We don't always know what is going to happen. We just
know that it will always work out for our good! The more positive and hopeful we are, the more we will be in
the flow of God. In Ephesians 1:17,18, the apostle Paul prayed, [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into
mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, by having the eyes of your heart flooded
with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His
glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones).

This glorious inheritance is for you and me! Second Peter 1:3 says, For His divine power has bestowed upon
us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of
Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).

The Hope Of Seeing Change

If there is anything in this world that you can be sure of, it is change. Something is always changing. Why is
it, then, that we find ourselves thinking, "Nothing will ever change... I'm always going to be like this... My
situation will never change... He'll never change... She'll never change... I'm never going to be as good as so-
and-so"? The only thing that will never change is God. For I am the Lord, I do not change... (Malachi 3:6).
Everything else can change. If you have no hope of seeing change in your situation, change probably isn't
going to come. We endure so many things emotionally that we really wouldn't have to suffer if we put our
hope in God and stopped looking at all of the circumstances we can't control. We will never enjoy life unless
we decide to! In order to live as God intends for us to live, we must truly believe that it is God's will for us to
experience continual joy. Then we must decide to enter into that joy, which is essential to our physical,
mental, emotional and spiritual health.

Proverbs 17:22 says, A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit
dries up the bones. Hope makes joy available, just as a lack of hope produces misery. We can choose to enjoy
righteousness and peace or stay in the midst of condemnation and turmoil. There are blessings or curses
available, and that is why Deuteronomy 30:19 tells us to choose life and blessings. What do you do while you
wait for change? You pray, believe and expect to receive. Maintain a positive attitude, knowing that God is
working on bringing your change and that you will see it. Throughout your waiting time, the devil will
scream, "It's not going to change; it's going to get worse!" Don't listen to this and become discouraged.
Instead, wake up in the morning and say out loud, "This is the day that the Lord has made, and I will rejoice
and be glad! Something good is going to happen to me today! Everything in my life that is not right is subject
to change! The One who never changes is changing my situation. And while He's doing it, I'm going to enjoy
my life!" Put your confidence in God and stop wearing yourself out trying to make things happen. The
decision to have a good attitude while your change is coming can change you! Now is the time to decide to
enter into the full and abundant life that God wants you to have.

God Is Working Right Now!

Most of us have a hard time believing that God is working on our behalf until we see something happening
with our natural eyes. This usually isn't the way God works. He works behind the scenes much of the time.
Right now He is changing hearts and drawing sinners unto Him. Right now He is working in our government.
Right now God has a plan for your promotion. He may be speaking to your boss about giving you a raise. God
is busy working in your life as long as you believe. Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is the assurance (the
confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the
conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

This scripture begins with the word now. Although the Greek word from which it is translated actually means
but, and, etc., rather than at this point in time, I still believe the term can be used to describe faith and
hope. Faith and hope operate right now! Without them, life isn't enjoyable. Every time I lay aside faith and
hope, I stop believing and I lose my peace. And as soon as I lose my peace, my joy goes with it. Make a
decision to be a now person. God has a good plan for your life right now. Trust Him today. Believing God
brings you into His rest and puts an end to the torment caused by impatience and anxiety while you're waiting.
No matter how hopeless your situation seems to be or how long it has been that way, I know you can change
because I did. It took time and heaping helpings of the Holy Spirit, but it was worth it. It will be worth it for
you, too. Whatever happens, trust in the Lord and trust in the power of hope! My hope is in God who never
changes. Nothing is impossible with Him. He is a big God, and I'm believing Him for big things. How about
you?

The Poison of Prejudice
Since time began weve had to live with the poisonous practice of prejudice. Most wars in history have been
started because of prejudice and hatred. The Holocaust came from this same poison, and so did slavery. In
Genesis, Cain hated Abel, and down through the ages, hatred has never stopped. Hating people is hard work,
and it kills everything good in life. Even various religious sects that have long been committed to loving their
fellow man have lashed out in hatred because of allowing pride to fill their hearts.

You and I may not agree with everything another person believes or does, but we have no right to hate them
because of it, and we certainly shouldnt mistreat them. God never told us we have to approve of everyones
beliefs, choices and actions, but we are commanded to love everyone. God hates sin, but He loves every
sinner. He hates stubbornness and rebellion; He loves the person whos stubborn and rebellious.

Its hard to believe how many denominations and independent churches there are today, yet theres only one
Bible, one message. Its evident that God has one thing to say to all peoplea single plan for our conduct and
relationship with Him. But over the years, because of our pride and narrow-mindedness, weve felt the need to
develop a myriad of churches and church groupseven different versions of the Bibleto suit our own strict
interpretations of what we believe the Bible says.

Ive come to realize that none of us are 100 percent correct. Most of the things we fight over are petty. In
Matthew 23:24, Jesus told the Pharisees that they strained out a gnat but swallowed a camel. They had gotten
so picky about the little things, it prevented them from dealing with the things that were truly important. As
long as we allow prejudice, hatred and disharmony to continue to have a place in our lives, well be powerless
to stop it. Only agreement and unity will bring the power to defeat prejudice. We must not allow the evil in
this world to win the war. We can defeat hatred by allowing love to overcome our divisive attitudes toward
others.

As a woman, I could look back and decide to hate all men because my female ancestors were treated unfairly.
In the same way, Jews could spend their lives hating Germans because of Adolf Hitler. Americans could hate
the Japanese because of their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. African-Americans could spend their lives
hating white people because of slavery. The list could be endless if we went back to the beginning of time.
The problems we have in our society today are not new; theyre just compounded because theyve been
around so long.

None of us can go back and undo the past. No matter how much wed like to, its impossible to correct the
great wrongs of history. Only God can redeem the past. Only God can bring the healing and restoration we
need.

In my own life, I had to stop taking inventory of all I had lost and start counting up what I had left. In the
beginning it didnt seem like very much, but I made the choice to give it to God. I was amazed at what God
could do with a few fragments. He redeemed the hurt and pain in my past and gave me a wonderful life thats
bearing good fruit. How sad it wouldve been if I had spent my life holding on to all that bitterness and
unforgiveness. To continue to hate all men because some had abused me or hate all my family members
because some had rejected me or hate all church people because some had betrayed me would rob me of
living a happy and satisfying life today. Life is too short to spend it hating other people.

Examine yourself in this areaand be honest. Are you prejudiced? Are there areas in your life where youve
allowed hatred to rule? Pray sincerely and ask God to remove those feelings. We all need to realize that were
no better than anyone elsewere all equal in Gods eyes. Every person is created by God, and He said that
everything He made was good.

Remember, our enemy isnt other people. The enemies we face are hatred, prejudice and the evil that causes
them. We cant waste our time and energy hating and fighting each other. We need to be determined to walk
in love, waging war against hatred. Love is always the best way to fight back.

The Mouth Has a Mind of Its Own!
What if I told you that the source of most of your problems could be found within youfrom the neck up?
Youll find it in the thoughts that come from your mind and the words that come out of your mouth.

We must realize and understand the power carried by our thoughts and words. Theyre so powerful that they
can bring either blessings or curses into our lives, depending on their nature. Our thoughts and words are like
the rudder of a shipthey may seem small, but they affect the very direction of our lives.

Many years ago my life was in a state of chaos because of years of wrong thinking and speaking. I had
encountered so many disappointments because of all the devastating things that had happened to me. I was
afraid to believe that anything good might happen. In fact, my philosophy of life was, If you keep your
expectations low, youll never be disappointed.

Over the years I became very cynical and negative. I often said that if I had two positive thoughts in a row, my
mind wouldve gotten a cramp. My thoughts were negative, which caused my words to be negativewhich
all reflected poorly on my life. Finally, I decided to change my ways and stop talking so negatively. After a
while I realized that I needed to do more than just not talk negatively. Cutting out the negative wasnt enough;
I had to begin to think and talk positively!

For example, a person sneezes and says, Oh, Im probably getting the flu. Or someone hears a rumor that
the company he works for is going to lay off some employees, so he thinks, Thats the story of my life. Every
time things start to go well, something always happens. Then he says, Ill probably lose my job. These types
of negative statements seem to come so naturally to all of us. We need to discipline ourselves to be more
positiveits not so easy!

When we react negatively, we allow fear to take over our thinking. We begin to dwell on things that havent
even happened and may not happen. Our negative thoughts cause us to speak the words thatll shape our
future.

Were constantly tempted to think wrong thoughts, but we dont have to accept them! We have a choice! We
need to purposely choose right thinking and speaking. In the Bible, Proverbs 18:21 says, Death and life are in
the power of the tongue. We must choose life generating thoughts. When we do, positive, powerful, life-
giving words will naturally follow. I think some people try to control their mouths but do nothing about their
thoughts. Thats like pulling off the top of a weedunless the root is dug up, the weed always comes back.
Youll never control your mouth unless you first learn to control your mind.

Believing is the first important step to switching our thinking from being negative to positive. Remember,
whats in our hearts and minds will come out of our mouths. If our soul (mind, will and emotions) is full of
negative things, well find those things coming our way. On the other hand, when we hear, read, think and talk
about God, the Truth and more positive things, well find that those good things will come our way. The
choice is ours!

The Cause and Cure for Worry
Worry, feeling uneasy or troubled, seems to plague multitudes of people in our world today. Its human nature
to be concerned about the bad situations in our world and in our personal lives, but if we're not careful, the
devil will cause us to worry beyond whats reasonable. Worry is like a rocking chairits always in motion
but it never gets you anywhere. So why do we struggle with it? And what good does it do? Worry is the
opposite of faith, and it steals our peace, physically wears us out, and can even make us sick. When we worry,
we torment ourselveswe're doing the devil's job for him! Worry is caused by not trusting God to take care
of the various situations in our lives. Too often we trust our own abilities, believing that we can figure out
how to take care of our own problems. Yet sometimes, after all our worry and effort to go it alone, we come
up short, unable to bring about suitable solutions.

At a young age, I discovered firsthand that people hurt people, so I didn't trust others. I tried to take care of
myself, deciding not to depend on anyone who would hurt or disappoint me. Too often our experiences in the
world teach us this, and even after we become Christians, it takes a long time to overcome it. Its difficult to
learn how to trust God, but we eventually must learn that trying to take care of everything ourselves is too big
a task.

CAST YOUR CARES ON THE ONE WHO CARES FOR YOU

First Peter 5:6,7 says, Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under
the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties,
all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares
about you watchfully. Since Jesus invites us to cast all of our care and worry on Him, why do so many of us
refuse to let go? Apparently, were not yet fed up with being miserable.

The only way to have victory in our lives is to play by God's rules, and He says we must quit worrying if we
want to have peace. So when things come our way that cause us to be concerned, we need God's help. How do
we get it? First Peter 5:6,7 lists two important steps: 1) humble yourselves, and 2) cast your care on Him. That
seems pretty clear and simple, yet some continue struggling because theyre too bullheaded to ask for help.
But the humble get the help. So if your way isn't working, why not try God's way? All of us would be better
off if wed learn to lean on God and ask for His help. But as long as we try to do everything ourselves, God
will let us. He wont take care of our problems and worriesour caresuntil we turn loose of them and give
them to Him. Either were going to do it or God's going to do it, but both of us arent going to. Now, casting
your care doesn't mean you can be irresponsible. God wont do for you what you can do yourself. You must
do what you can do, and then trust God to do what you cant. When we humble ourselves and ask for His
help, then Hes able to release His power in our situations. Its only then that we can really enjoy life. So the
cure for worry is humbling ourselves before God, casting our cares on Him, and trusting Him. Instead of
making ourselves miserable trying to figure everything out on our own, God wants us to place our trust in
Him and enter into His rest, totally abandoning ourselves to His care. I know that when we are able to believe
and say, "God, I trust You," it will literally change our lives. Psalm 37:3 says, Trustin the Lord and do
good.... God didn't create us to worry about helping ourselves all the time. He wants us to sow good seed by
reaching out to help others. When we simply trust God and get busy doing the good things we know to do,
then Hell bring a harvest of blessings into our lives and meet our needs.

DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF FAITH AND PRAYER

Ive learned that my attitude has a lot to do with living a worry-free life. There will always be situations that
cause us concern, but with God's help, we can live above all of it and enjoy life. Cast your care on the Lord
and say, "God, I trust You, and I'm going to enjoy the life You have given me." When you give your problems
to God, you must also decide to be satisfied with His answers. Trusting God to do what's best for us involves
dying to self. Paul said, ...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 (Galatians 2:20). You can trust God to do what's best for you, so you
don't have to worry about it. When you have a positive attitude and keep your faith in God, you cant be
defeated.

We must stop trying to make things happen the way we want and get to the place where we desire to please
God more than ourselves. The Christ in us has to supercede what we want. Faith and the Word of God will
help you overcome worry. Worrying involves negative thoughts, but speaking positive things out of your
mouth will interrupt those negative thought patterns. When we are full of the Word of God, we can speak it
out of our mouths in faith. Faith is stronger than doubt, negativism and unbelief. Faith has a positive attitude
that can overcome our past and lead us into a great future. Faith is a powerful force that cannot be conquered.
Another powerful force is prayer. When you're under pressure, its always best to pray about it instead of talk
about it. Prayer is the blueprint for a successful life. During His time on earth, Jesus prayed. He entrusted
everything to Godeven His reputation and life. We can do the same. We don't have to explain all the
problems to Him; we can just give them to Him and ask Him to take care of everything. Don't complicate
prayer. Just have confidence in simple, believing prayer.

Look at Paul's instructions in Philippians 4:6,7: Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every
circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to
make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its
salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever
sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus. If you're a Christian who goes around burdened or weighed down all the time,
something is wrong. You may have had faith in Christ for salvation, but you haven't moved into walking in
faith daily for the life that God has given you. The Bible tells us that God is faithfulthat's one of His major
characteristics. He can be counted on to come through for us, so we should trust Him totally and completely.
When we do, well be ready for anything that may come our way.


ALLOW GOD TO GIVE YOU PEACE AND REST

In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said, 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.] Jesus wants to ease our burdens and
give us rest. The Message Bible says it this way: Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to
me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and
work with mewatch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-
fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly (Matthew 11:28-30). That
sounds good, doesn't it? I've had enough heavy stuff in my life, and I want to be free. It's nice to know that we
don't have to figure everything out. We need to get comfortable with saying, "I don't have a clue, but I'm not
going to worry about it because Gods in control. I'm going to live free and light!" When were overloaded
with the cares of this lifestruggling, laboring and worryingwe need some help. Our minds need to rest
from worrying about how to take care of problems, our emotions need to rest from being upset all the time,
and our wills need a rest from stubbornness and rebellion. So we need to be humble enough to call out to God
and say, "I need help!" Your beginning doesn't have to dictate your ending. Get God involved in every area of
your life and allow Him to lead you into rest.

WORRY OR WORSHIP?

Worry and worship are exact opposites, and wed all be much happier if we learned to become worshippers
instead of worriers. Worry opens the door for the devil, but worship is reverence and adoration for God that
leads us into His presence. God created us to worship Him, and I don't believe we can walk in victory if we
don't become worshippers. Sometimes when we don't have what we need or want, the enemy tries to
discourage us and keep us from worshipping God. But when we know that God has our best interests at heart,
we can worship Him regardless of our circumstances. Remember, God is good even when our circumstances
are not! God doesn't always give us our heart's desire right away. He wants us to develop a deep, personal
relationship with Him and an outrageous love for Him so much so that we can't live without it. This kind of
relationship and love brings the worshipful attitude that God wants us to have.

To worship means to reverence, or to defer to. We are to have reverential fear and awe of God. We are to
respect and honor Him, and defer to Him by submitting to and obeying Him, and adapt ourselves to His will.
We must realize that Christ, living in us, has come to lead and guide us into a special lifestyle of worship and
victorious living. When Satan throws worry on you, I challenge you to stop what you're doing, get down on
your knees before God, and begin praising Him. Worship is a spiritual weapon, a warhead or bomb you can
use against the enemy. Your prayers and worship will get you heavenly help, and you won't have to fight your
own battles. God's grace and power can make things happen with ease that you can't bring about no matter
how much you struggle.

So stop worrying about everything, give it to God, and live in grace. Grace isnt just divine favorits power!
Don't waste another day of your life worrying. Determine what your responsibility is and what it is not. Don't
try to take on God's responsibility. When we do what we can do, God steps in and does what we can't. So give
yourself and your worries to God and begin enjoying the abundant life He has planned for you.

Stressed Out? Listen Up!
Ive learned something in my own pursuit of a stress-free life: If I want peace rather than the pressure of stress
in my life, I must choose to seek direction from God in every situation. Our God is a God of peace. Hell
always lead us toward peace and joy, not anxiety and frustration. Therefore, we have to be listening for His
voice. By following His voice, we can find peace and overcome the stress that so many are dealing with
today.

To find peace in our lives, we simply need to obey the promptings God gives us each day. A prompting is a
knowing deep down on the inside, telling us what to do. First Kings 19:11,12 refers to this knowing as a
still, small voice. A prompting isnt a whack on the head with a hammer! In 1 Kings, the Lord didnt use the
great and strong wind, the earthquake or fire to prompt Elijah. His voice came to Elijah as a sound of gentle
stillness and a still, small voice. A prompting doesnt even have to be a voice at all. In fact, God often gives
direction by speaking to your heart rather than to your ears.

Since a prompting is very gentle, some might question whether or not its from God. When youre unsure
about a prompting, its often easy to ignore it. One time after I had been shopping at the mall for three or four
hours, I sensed that God was saying, You need to go home now. I had only purchased half of the eight items
on my shopping list, so I ignored the prompting and kept on shopping.

The remaining items on my list werent immediate needs. But, like many determined, goal-oriented people, I
wasnt about to leave that mall until I purchased every item on my list. I had come for eight items, and I was
going to leave with eight items! I didnt care if I had to be dragged out of that mall; I wasnt leaving until
every item was crossed off my list! And I wasnt going to listen to any voice that said otherwise.

I remember reaching the point of being so tired and upset that I wasnt able to think clearly. All I wanted to do
was finish shopping and get out of there. It was almost more than I could do to remain civil to the other
shoppers and clerks in the store. I was stressed out!

Looking back, I cant remember how many times Ive done thatstress out because Ive pushed beyond the
prompting of the Lord. I can always tell Ive gone too far when Im not able to practice even the most basic
mannerspoliteness, kindness and self-control. If I simply had obeyed the prompting of the Lord when I
heard that still, small voice telling me to go home, I wouldve easily relieved the stress from the situation.
Instead, I pushed my way through in my own determination to achieve my goal, and I ended up bringing
stress on myself and everyone around me.

If well simply learn to listen to God and do what He says, well discover that things will go well for us. No
matter what the situation, we need to listen to God and obey His voice. Proverbs 3:6 states: In all your ways
know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. You may
not understand the reasons that God is asking you to do certain things, but as you listen to His voice and obey
His direction, you can experience a peaceful calmness as your stress level begins to decrease. So listen
upand de-stress!

Untangle the Knots...One Day at a Time
Picture your life as a jumble of shoestrings all tied up in knots, each shoestring a different color. The different
shoestrings represent the different elements of your life, such as your family, your job, etc. This jumble of
knots could represent many of our liveswith everything all knotted up. Each knot represents a problem, and
the process of untangling those knots and straightening out those problems is going to take a bit of time and
effort. It took a long time to tie all those knots, and it will take some time to straighten them all out.

I realize from my own experience that it often seems no progress is being made. You may feel you have so
many problems that you are getting absolutely nowhere. However, you must keep in mind that even though
you have a long way to go, you have also come a long way. The solution is to thank God for the progress you
have made thus far, and trust Him to lead you to eventual healingone day at a time.

One of our problems is that in our modern, instantaneous society we tend to jump from one thing to another.
We have come to expect everything to be quick and easy. Its difficult for us to have the patience to stick with
a problem until we see a breakthrough, and thats why we need Gods help. You see, God never gets in a
hurry. He never quits or runs out of patience. He will deal with us about one particular thing, and then He will
let us rest for a whilebut not too long. Soon He will come back and begin to work on something else. He
will continue until, one by one, our knots are all untied.

If it sometimes seems that youre not making any progress, its because the Lord is untying your knots one at
a time. It may be hard, and it may take time, but if you will commit yourself to the process of getting well,
sooner or later you will see victory in your life and experience the freedom you have wanted for so long. In
some things I experienced freedom in a few months or a year, but there was one area in my life that took
fourteen long years to overcome. The important thing to remember is, no matter how long it takes, never give
up, and never quitkeep at it.

Maybe youre standing in the way of your own healing. Have you ever asked yourself, Do I really want to
get well? Did you know there are people who really dont want to get well? It takes some people years to
overcome their problemsand some never do. They dont really want to move past their problems. It seems
theyve become accustomed to having those problems around, and theyre just content to live with them.

Sometimes people actually get addicted to having problems. It becomes their identitytheir life. It defines
everything they think, say and do. Their life seems to revolve around their problems. If you have a deep-
seated and lingering disorder, you may be tempted to make that the focal point of your life. But I encourage
you not to give in to that temptation. If you do, it will try to control your thinking and dominate every
conversation you have. Dont let your life be taken over by your problems.

If you really want to get well, youll have to stop using your problem as a means of getting attention,
sympathy or pity. When I used to complain to my husband, he would tell me, Joyce, Im not going to feel
sorry for you.

Im not trying to get you to feel sorry for me, I would protest.

Yes, you are, he would say. And Im not going to do it, because if I do, you will never get over your
problems.

That used to make me so mad I could have beaten him to a pulp. We get angry with those who tell us the
truth. And the truth is that before we can get well, we must really want to be wellbody, soul and spirit. We
must want to get well badly enough that we are willing to hear and accept the truth about our situation.

Make a vow right now that from this moment on you are not going to waste any more of your valuable time
feeling sorry for yourself and wallowing in self-pity over things you cannot change. Promise yourself that
youll stop using your problem as a crutch in your life. Instead, pledge that you will untangle the knots a little
at a time, while living each day to the fullest, looking forward to what God has in store for you as you follow
Himone day at a time.

Who's the Boss, You or Your Emotions?
The daily ups and downs of our emotions are one of the major struggles we have with our relationships.
Instead of riding the emotional roller coaster, we need to become stable, solid, steadfast, persevering and
determined people. If we continue to let our emotions rule over us, theres no way well ever be the person we
were meant to be. Of course, none of us will ever be totally rid of emotions, but we must learn to manage and
control themnot let them control us.

Life is no fun when we are controlled by feelings. Feelings change from day to day, hour to hour, even
moment to moment. Not only do they change, they lie. For example, you may be in a crowd of people and feel
that everybody is talking about you, but that doesnt mean they are. You may feel that nobody understands
you, but that doesnt mean they dont. You may feel you are misunderstood, unappreciated or even mistreated,
but that doesnt mean it is true. If we want to be mature, disciplined people, we must be determined not to
walk according to what we feel.

People often ask me, How can I know for sure whether Im walking in the truth or walking according to my
feelings and emotions? I believe the answer is found in patience. Emotions urge us toward haste, telling us
that we must do something and do it right now! But godly wisdom tells us to wait until we have a clear picture
of what it is we are to do and when we are to do it. We need to be able to back off and view our situation from
Gods perspective. We need to make decisions based on what we know rather than on what we feel.

Let me give you an example from my own life. One time I had saved up money to buy a good watch. I wanted
to buy a nice watch so the band wouldnt change colors and turn my wrist green. One day my husband, Dave,
and I were in the mall and happened to stop at a jewelry store where I saw a watch that was very pretty. As we
looked at the watch, we discovered that it was gold-plated and knew that it would probably eventually
discolor, but it seemed to be just what I was looking for and fit my wrist perfectly. Not only that, but the clerk
offered to mark it down. So my emotions said, Yes! Thats exactly what I want!
But Dave said, Well, you know its gold-plated, and it will eventually discolor.
I said, I know but I really like this watch. What should I do?
Its your money, he answered.
Ill tell you what Im going to do, I told the clerk. Id like for you to hold the watch for me while I walk
around the mall for a bit. If I want the watch, Ill come back for it within the hour.
So Dave and I walked around the mall for a while. As we did, we passed a dress shop. Because I needed a
couple of new outfits, I went in and found a really nice suit. I tried it on, and it fit perfectly. I loved it.
Thats a nice suit, Dave said. You ought to get it.
I looked at the price tag and thought, It costs so muchno wonder it looks so good on me! But I really wanted
the suit! Actually there were three things I wanted right then. I wanted the watch, I wanted the suit, and I
wanted not to be broke. What did I decide to do? I applied wisdom and decided to wait. The watchwhich
really wasnt the quality I wantedwould have taken all of my savings. The suit was beautiful, but it also
would have taken most of my savings. So I decided that the best thing was to keep my money and wait until I
was sure of what I wanted most. Usually the wisest course is, when in doubt, dont!

When faced with any difficult decision, wait until you have a clear answer before taking a step that you may
regret. Emotions are wonderful, but they must not be allowed to take precedence over wisdom and knowledge.
Remembercontrol your emotions instead of letting them control you.

How to Be Happier Than You've Ever Been
Loving and being loved are what make our lives worth living. Many people experience times in their lives
when they feel unloved. During these times its easy to dwell on those negative thoughts, but allowing it to
continue leads to unhappiness and depression.

Love is the energy of life. It is what motivates people to get up each day and keep going. Love gives life
purpose and meaning. Everywhere you look you see people searching for lovebut theyre looking in the
wrong places. God is love, and they will never find what theyre looking for until they find Him.

People look for fulfillment in life in different ways. These ways may seem good at first, but eventually the
unsuccessful search will leave them feeling frustrated, disappointed and empty. The only way they can find
the true fulfillment they are so desperately seeking is to choose to walk in loveto actually put love into
action by reaching out and loving others.

As soon as I made a commitment to God, I began to hear people talk about the importance of loving others.
Since I wanted to live my life according to the Bible, I wanted to walk in love, but I just couldnt. I had the
urgebut no power to follow through. I always made elaborate plans but couldnt carry them out.

Unfulfilled desire is often frustrating. I felt very frustrated and wondered what was wrong with me. I was
impatient with people. I was legalistic, harsh, judgmental, rude, selfish and unforgivingand that is only the
beginning of the list. The harder I tried to walk in love, the worse I became.

I began to understand that I could not love others because I had never received Gods love for me. I knew in
my head that the Bible said God loved me, but I didnt feel His love in my heart. I wondered how God could
love us as imperfect as we are.

God loves us because He wants toit pleases Him. God loves us because its His nature to love, and He will
always love us. He doesnt always love everything we do, but He does love us. Gods love is unconditional. In
fact, theres nothing we can do to ever escape His love. Gods love is the power that forgives our sins, heals
our emotional wounds, and mends our broken hearts.

Over time I came to realize that I am deeply loved by God simply for who I am, not because of any work I
could do for Him. I could finally quit trying to earn His love by doing things I thought would make me more
worthy of His love.

Once I began receiving Gods awesome, unconditional love, I was able to start loving Him in return and reach
out to others more freely in love. Because Gods never-ending love was in me, I could give it to others
without fear of ever running out.

Everyone in the world wants to be loved and accepted. And the love of Godthat wonderful gift He freely
gives ussatisfies that need. His love flows to us, and then it should flow through us to other people.

Now I see myself as a container full of blessings. I want to be the type of person who can pour out Gods love
into the lives of the people around me. Ive found that Im always happier when I choose to make others
happy.

In the Bible, God calls Christians the salt of the earth (see Matthew 5:13). He expects us to season the lives
of those around us. All of life is tasteless without love. Love is the salt, the energy of life, and the reason to get
up every morning.

Every day can be exciting if we see ourselves as Gods secret agents, waiting to sprinkle a little salt on all the
lives we encounter. And we know that because we are deeply loved by God, we can never run out of loveno
matter how much we give away.

Overcoming Grief and Loneliness
Im told that the number one problem facing people today is grief and loneliness. People encounter major
losses in their lives, and sadly, many never get over them. When tragedy occurs and the hurt seems
unbearable, Satan sees an opportunity to try to bring a family or an individual into permanent bondage. The
death of a loved one, divorce or the severing of a close relationship can cause grief, and most people go
through a grieving process. The key to victory is understanding the difference between a normal, balanced
grieving process and a spirit of grief that will try to attach itself to the hurting person. One helps the grieving
person get better with the passing of time; the other causes him to get worse and sink deeper and deeper into
the pit of despair.

I believe that one of the reasons why people, especially Christians, get into bondage during these trying times
is a lack of understanding about the grieving process. This process is a succession of events that may occur in
a person's life when something or someone that means a lot to them is suddenly no longer there. Obviously
everyone doesnt experience the same thing to the same degree, but we do have emotions that can be wounded
and bruised and must be healed. Healing is a process that God walks His children through step-by-step, unless
He performs a miracle.

Shock and denial are two of the first things a person may encounter when tragedy occurs. Actually, God uses
them to protect us from devastation. To illustrate, consider an automobile's shock absorbers. Theyre designed
to cushion the vehicle from unexpected bumps in the road. Without them, the car would fall apart from the
violent blows encountered during its travels. People are often the same way. Were traveling on the road of
life, and most of the time were not expecting bumps or potholes. So when they suddenly show up, were not
ready for them. The Holy Spiritour God-given "shock absorber"cushions the blow until we can readjust
and adapt our thinking to accommodate the sudden change in the ride. Shock and denial are normal if theyre
temporary; however, they become a major problem if people permanently refuse to face reality and learn how
to deal with them.

The next thing people often feel is angerat themselves. They begin to think of things they wish they would
or would not have done that might have made the situation better or even prevented it altogether. Satan wants
us to live with regret. There is no one alive who wouldnt say, "I wish I hadn't done that!" or "I wish I had
done this." Satan seeks to place blame, intending to throw us into a lifetime of guilt, condemnation and self-
hatred.

The apostle Paul stated in Philippians 3:13, ...one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies
behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. The word straining in the Amplified translation tells us
that whenever we have to "press on" there will be opposition from the enemy.

Endings always bring new beginnings. Satan strives to keep us out of the new place that God has prepared. He
wants to trap us in the past and cause us to live in permanent misery, which is what self-anger and self-blame
will do.

People may also experience anger at the person who left themeven if they died. My aunt told me that after
my uncle died, shed beat his pillow at night and yell, "Why did you leave me?" Obviously, her intellect knew
he didnt purposely leave her, but her emotions were speaking. Emotions have a voice; when theyre
wounded, they may react like a wounded animal. Wounded animals can be quite dangerous, and so can
wounded emotions if theyre followed.

Grieving people need to know about the grieving process and some of the things they may experience such as
not to be led by painful feelings. When a major loss occurs, this isnt the time for a person to make serious
decisions or deal with other issues that may produce anxiety or be emotionally upsetting.

Being angry with God is quite common. People frequently ask, "If God is good, all-powerful, and full of love
for us, why didn't He stop the thing that caused the pain?" This is where Satan seeks to build a wall between
God and the hurting person. He seizes the opportunity to say, "God isnt good, and He cant be trusted."
However, we know according to the Word of God, the truth is not in Satanhe is a liar and the father of lies.

James 1:12,13 says, Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under
temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which
God has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God
is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one. Verse 17 goes on to say, Every
good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that
gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His
turning [as in an eclipse].

In other words, God is good, and He cannot be anything else. Furthermore, He isnt one way one time and
another way another time. He doesnt change. He is good, and thats the way He is. But what about the
original question? Since God is good and all-powerful, why didn't He stop this thing before it brought all the
hurt and pain? To be very honest, these are questions we dont have completely sufficient answers for. First
Corinthians 13:12 says, ...Now I know in part (imperfectly).... Trust will always require us to accept
unanswered questions! We want answers to everything, but we must come to the place where were satisfied
to know the One who knows and place our trust in Him. Being mad at God is foolish because Hes the only
One who can bring the needed help and comfort to the grieving or bereaved person.

People also get angry with the devil. This is normal and even good if the anger is properly expressed. The
only way to repay the devil for hurt and devastation in our personal lives is to aggressively and vehemently do
the works of Jesus. Romans 12:21 says, ...overcome (master) evil with good.

People experiencing tragedy often go through stages of emotional expressions of sobbing and hysteria. These
may come and go when least expected. Even people who are normally quite unemotional may experience a
great deal of emotion during times of loss. In general, people are afraid of emotions, and an uncontrolled
display of these emotions is even more fearful. I encourage you to fear not because it will pass. Good
understanding and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit will bring you victory through this kind of situation.

Confusion, disorientation and fear are also common. Depression and waves of overwhelming feelings are
experienced by many, as well as physical symptoms caused by the emotional stress. I believe the key word in
these situations is balance.

The Bible talks of how King David was feeling depressed, but he resisted it. He didnt sink into it or get into
the pit of despair. He described how he felt, but he made a decision not to live by his feelings (see Psalm 42:5-
11 and Psalm 143). People have often confided in me how discouraging it is when others make them feel like
their faith isnt good enough during these times. I believe it takes more faith to go through something
victoriously than to be delivered from it. There are some who experience complete deliverance from grief after
a huge loss, but that doesnt happen to everybody. There are others, and I might even say most of us, who go
through very emotionally difficult times when tragic loss occurs. Those who are walking in faith come out of
it, and they come out of it better than when they went in.

In closing, let me say, "Do not lose your hope!" If you are hurting right now due to a loss in your life, I want
to tell you that a new beginning is in front of you. You may go through some things that youll never
understand, but trust God to work them out for your good. What Satan intends for your harm, God can turn
around for your good!

Overcoming Fear
First, let me remind you that fear is not from God but from Satan. Second Timothy 1:7 says,For God has not
given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (NKJV). Every time you feel fear in
your life, its a manifestation of the kingdom of darkness. I often say in my teachings that fear is the "master
spirit." Its the spirit Satan uses to try to rule God's people and keep them from coming under the leadership
of the true Master, Jesus Christ.

Multitudes of people never fulfill the call of God on their lives simply because every time they try to go
forward, the devil uses fear to stop them. Is he using fear to stop you? Satan uses fear to keep people from
enjoying life. Fear brings torment, according to 1 John 4:18, and you surely can't enjoy life and be tormented
at the same time.

I want to encourage you to take an inventory in the fear department. What are you afraid of? Are there any
areas in your life that are being stifled because of fear? Satan is always going to bring fear against us at
various times. Its one of his major weaponsnot a cap gun, but a cannon. The thing we all must learn is
how not to fear the fear. The devil brings fear, but you can choose not to bow your knee to it. David said,
"What time I am afraid, I willtrustin You" (Psalm 56:3). I believe we can say that when God leads you
to step out in an area to do something new, or leads you to make a bigger commitment, you may (or
probably will) feel fear. However, if youre sure God told you to do it, put your trust in Him and go forward.



I have to apply this same principle to my life all the time. Years ago, we realized that we really needed more
office space. At the same time, we needed more employees, which would require more desks, computers,
phones, etc. We had a choice. We had prayed for growth so we could help more people. And everything did
increaseresource orders, speaking engagements, incoming phone calls, mail, etc. It was God's timing, and
He was moving. We had to make a decision to either stand still in fear or move with God. If we had not been
willing to rent more space and hire more people, we couldnt have kept up with the growth. I can tell you for
sure that fear tried to stop me. I heard things like, "Joyce, you're getting in over your head." "That's too much
money to spend." "What if the increase doesn't continue?" I'm sure you know the recording; you've probably
heard it also.

We certainly don't want to move in the flesh or out of God's timing, but when God is moving, you cant be
afraid to move with Him. In the situation I described to you, I had a choice to be led by my head or follow
the leading of my spirit. Satan brings fear to your mind and emotions. You may even physically shake, but
let the Holy Spirit lead you. Don't fear the fear, and what time youre afraid, trust in Him.

Some common fears are fear of lack, death, loneliness, people, authority, commitment, heights, germs,
closed-in spaces, airplanes, dogs, cats, failure, rejection, being laughed at, and even fear of being attractive.
We went to the library and got a typed list of known phobiasit was four pages long. It even included
phobaphobia, which is the fear of being afraid. It seems that the list is endless.

It convinced me even more of how extensive Satan's work is in this area. Isaiah 41:10 says, Fear not, for I
am with you(NKJV). I believe God works gently with us to bring us out of bondage and into liberty. If
youve been afraid of something and desire to be free, the time will eventually come when youll have to
face your fear and not run away from it. Just take Jesus' hand, acknowledge that He is with you, and do it. If
youre afraid of people with authority, the time will come when youll have to confront an authority figure
and not cower in fear. God will have arranged the time. Hell be there, but you'll have to choose whether to
go through or run away.

If youre at one of these crossroads in your life, let me encourage you to go forward. Don't stand still in
terror, but take His hand and go forward. Remember, fear torments and God wants to deliver you from all of
your fears.


Change Your Thinking...Change Your Life
The longer I live the more I realize how strong a connection exists between our thoughts and our words. I
honestly believe that this connection is one of the most important things we can learn in our lives.

So many peoples problems are rooted in their way of thinking, which can actually produce a lot of the
problems they experience.

How does that happen?

Well, a negative mind produces negative words and, consequently, a negative life. Our words can actually
become traps that cause us to continue our cycle of negative thoughts and actions.

Yes, were all tempted to speak negatively, but we dont have to give in to that temptation.

To turn our words around, we need to start thinking about what were thinking about, and then make some
real changes.

Let me show you how.

The Trap of Negative Thinking
Because I allowed many years of negative thinking and speaking in my life, I became an extremely negative,
sour person. My philosophy became if you dont expect anything good to happen, then you wont be
disappointed when it doesnt.

Have you ever felt that way?

Because I had encountered so many disappointments, I was afraid to believe that anything good could happen
to me. I had developed a terribly negative outlook on everything.

If I had continued to believe those lies about never getting over my past, I never wouldve gotten over my
past.

New Thoughts, New Possibilities
With Gods help I am continually reminded that my past doesnt have to control my future. I dont need
Gods help in my life to give up; I need His help to keep going!

I now know how important it is for me to understand the fact that my life would not have gotten straightened
out until my mouth did

And since the two are linked, my mouth wasnt going to get straightened out until my mind did.

Changing your words and thoughts is definitely not an easy thing to do, but with Gods help all things are
possible.

Be Patient with Yourself
We have to choose to think and speak positively. It doesnt come naturallyand it doesnt happen overnight.
In fact, it takes a lot of practice.

There will be days when you have setbacks, but just get back up, dust yourself off, and start again.

When a baby is learning to walk, he falls many, many times before he gains the confidence to walk. Failing
from time to timewhich you will dodoesnt mean youre a failure. It simply means that you dont do
everything right all the time.

Well, neither does anyone else.

If youve been consumed with negative thinking and speaking, the pathway to your freedom begins when you
face the problem without making excuses for it.

Be patient with yourself. As you change your thinking, your words will change and so will your life!

Managing Your Emotions
We all have emotions, and theyre here to stay. I believe one of the main goals of every believer should be
emotional stability. We should seek God to learn how to manage our emotions and not allow them to
manage us. An excerpt from the definition I found in the dictionary states that emotions are "to excite and to
move out." Think about this: You're out shopping for a specific item you're in need of. You've made a
commitment to the Lord to get out of debt. You've promised Him to tithe and give offerings as He directs.
You've agreed to really watch your spending and not purchase things you don't need. But while shopping,
you discover that the stores are having a big sale of 50 percent off the already marked down merchandise.
What do you do? You get excited. The more you look around, the more excited you get. Emotions are rising
higher and higher. They begin to move out, and part of the devil's plan is for you to follow your emotions.



God wants you to use wisdom. Wisdom says wait a little while until the emotions settle down, then check to
see if you really believe it's the right thing to do. The Bible says in Colossians 3:15 to be led by peace in
making decisions. Don't let your emotions make your decisions. A good statement to remember is this:
"Wisdom says wait; emotions say hurry."

An emotional person is defined as: "One easily affected with or stirred by emotion; one who displays
emotion; one with a tendency to rely on or place too much value on emotion; one whose conduct is ruled by
emotion rather than reason." Be honest with yourself in this area. If you believe that youre not managing
your emotions, begin to pray and seek God for emotional maturity.

In the past I experienced a lot of ups and downs, or what we call mood swings. This kind of behavior was
hard on me, as well as everyone around me. I felt bad about myself. People who are out of control always
feel unhappy with themselves. God created us to operate with a free will. We choose what we will do and
what we won't do. There is a God-given desire inside the believer to do the right thing. When we allow our
flesh to rule, we know were out of control; however, were created to operate with the fruit of self-control.

Self-control is a freedom, not a bondage. Youre free to use wisdom, free to obey God, and free to follow the
leading of the Spirit. Youre free not to be pushed around by your feelings. You don't have to do what you
feel like doing. Youre free to do what you know is wise.

Self-control will help you feel better about yourself. When I was experiencing so many ups and downs, it
also made me physically tired. It takes a lot of energy to go through all kinds of emotional changes. I noticed
that as God helped me learn to manage my emotions, I also had more energy. Maybe you should stop and
ask the Lord if that's why you've been so tired lately. Do you let your emotions manage you?

My moods were hard on my family too. After I was well on my way to emotional stability, my husband,
Dave, revealed a secret. He told me that during the years I was emotionally unstable, while he would be
driving down the highway after work at night, he would ponder the thought, I wonder what she will be like
tonight?Its really very sad to imagine a person in that kind of situation. My husband has always been very
stable, and its very comforting to live with someone you can depend on to be steady and in control all the
time. He was very happy for me, and himself also, when I began getting victory in this area. Children also
need a stable atmosphere to grow up in. Stability is really an important issue for all of us.

Jesus is referred to as "The Rock." You can depend on Him to be stablethe same Jesus all the time, always
faithful, loyal, true to His Word and mature. Hes not one way one time and another way the next time.

Jeremiah 17:8 and Psalm 1:3 both instruct us to be like trees firmly planted. First Peter 5:8,9 teaches us to be
well-balanced and temperate (self-controlled) to keep Satan from devouring us. To withstand him, it says to
be rooted, established, strong, immovable and determined. Philippians 1:28 tells us to be constantly fearless
when Satan comes against us. Psalm 94:13 says God wants to give us power to stay calm in adversity. All of
these scriptures are referring to being stable.

I'm going to close with these statements for your consideration:

1. He who lives by emotions lives without principle.

2. We cannot be spiritual (walk in the spirit) and be led by emotions.

3. Emotions won't go away, but you can learn to manage them.

4. You can have emotions, but you can't always rely on them.

Make emotional maturity a primary goal in your life!

Smiling is Serious Business!
There are people all over the world dealing with depressionor at least trying to deal with it. There are many
underlying causes for depression and a variety of available treatments. Some are effective, but many aren't.
Some help temporarily, but they can never permanently remove the torment of depression.

No one is immune from depression or its crippling effects. People from all walks of lifedoctors, lawyers,
teachers, housewives, teenagers, small children, the elderly, singles, widows and widowers, and even
ministerssuffer from depression. I believe the reason so many people suffer from depression is because they
havent learned to deal with the disappointments that are a natural part of everyday life. Everyone on the face
of the earth has to deal with disappointment, which can easily lead to depression, despondency, and even
despair if it is allowed to persist.

A depressed person may feel sad and not want to talk to anyone or go anywhere, preferring to be left alone
with the ever-present negative thoughts and sour attitude.

The despondent person, on the other hand, has similar symptoms of a depressed person, but the symptoms are
much deeper, with dejection of the mind and a failing spirit. The despondent lose all courage, and a feeling of
hopelessness quickly leads to despair.

Despair is different from depression or despondency. People in despair have given up, and they no longer
want to do anything to help themselves. They simply don't care anymore. People in despair are prone to
developing an underlying rage, which could even result in violent action.

Recognizing the destructive effects of the process, we must understand the importance of dealing successfully
with disappointment and depression in the early stages. The good news is that God can help us deal with it
and even overcome it if we just ask for His help.

Once, as I was preparing to speak on depression, I saw very clearly that God has given us His joy to fight
depression. As a child, I believe I was robbed of joy. For as long as I can remember, I lived as if I was an adult
because everything in my life was so serious. I was brought up in a bad situation, surrounded by negative
circumstances. I thought if I stayed serious, maybe I could stay alive. Obviously, with this type of attitude, I
didn't develop a bubbly, giggly kind of personality. I developed a serious attitude, and because of it, people
sometimes misunderstood me.

Once I told one of my assistants that I needed to talk to her before she left work. My plan was to ask for her
help in making preparations for an upcoming meeting, but because I had approached her so seriously, she
thought I was going to reprimand her for something. She thought she was in big trouble!

That incident helped me realize that I had a problem. I knew my serious demeanor was alienating me from
people instead of making me more approachable, so I began asking the Lord how He wanted me to deal with
this "seriousness" issue. I really felt that the answer from God was simply to allow the joy that He had put in
my heart to show more on my face. God wanted me to smile more!

Everyone knows how to smile. It's one of the greatest gifts God has given us. A smile makes people feel good,
and people look so beautiful when they smile. When the joy in your life is obvious, it rubs off on others. But
when you keep God's joy locked inside you and don't allow it to show on your face, you're depriving those
around you of a pleasant and refreshing experience.

Most people really don't understand how expressing joy will change their circumstances and, perhaps, the
lives of others. Living your life with the joy of the Lord will chase off negative, depressing circumstances. I
never would have thought that smiling was such a serious matter, but God spent several months trying to get
this point across to me. Expressing joy through the calm delight of smiling brings good things into your own
life and shares the joy and light of the Lord with others.

Practical Tips On Reducing Stress
Stress is on the rise in today's world. The good news is that although Christians may be in the world,
according to the words of Jesus recorded in John 17:16, we are not of the world! We dont have to operate in
the world's systemthinking, talking, or acting like the worldand we shouldn't! In fact, our attitude and
approach toward situations should be entirely different from the world's.

The source of our stress isnt really difficulties, circumstances and situations. Its our attitude and approach
toward them. The world (unbelievers) responds to difficulties with upset, but Jesus said in John 14:27 to
stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed. He never promised that we wouldn't have to deal
with anything disturbing or disappointing.

In John 16:33, Jesus said, ...In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of
good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have
deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] Jesus said difficulties would come our way,
but they dont have to upset us. We don't have to accept the stress being offered. We have the privilege of
approaching the challenge in a calm, peaceful manner.

Recently, Ive noticed in a greater way than ever before how my own situations can be turned around by the
right attitude and approach. If I approach something in dread, I have already set myself up for misery before I
begin. If I believe that something is going to be hard, I get what I believe! On the other hand, if I refuse to
dread or have a negative outlook, I open the door for God to work and help me. Im learning to push my "reset
button" when Satan gets me upset!

Were created by God to handle a certain amount of stress. Its impossible to be alive and never experience
stress at all. It comes in the form of mental, emotional or physical tension and strain. However, if we do not
manage it and take measures to avoid more stress than we can properly handle, were asking for trouble.
Sickness is definitely a result of long-term stress. Even mental illness can result from a lifetime of stress. As I
mentioned earlier, stress is a result of a wrong attitude and approach, not the result of circumstances.

We can look at several examples:

1. With the proper attitude, I don't have to get upset if I get caught in a traffic jam. I can decide to enjoy
myself right where I am, even though Id rather not be there, or I can become upset trying to do something
that I cant do anything about. Its my decision!

2. If I have a plan and it becomes evident that my plan isn't working, I can get upset, angry, confused, and
even try to make it work (even though I see clearly that its not going to). I can also choose to adapt and go
with the flow, determining not to lose my peace over something that I can't change anyway. Its my decision!

3. When people don't act or respond the way I think they should or would like them to, I can try to change
them, resent them, hate them, be angry at them or be offended. I also have the option to choose to forgive,
realizing that I, too, have weaknesses and can respond the way Jesus would. Its my decision!

Just as I was working on this article today, Ive had to deal with about four disappointing situations. Its been
one of those testing days. Early this morning as I began to see the way things were going, I declared out of my
mouth, "Im not glad this happened, but Im not going to lose my joy. I can be happy with or without it!" I
believe when we respond in this way, were setting borders for the enemy. Were saying, "You may have
touched my outer life, but you cant get to my inner life."

The kingdom of God is within us. Kingdom living is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans
14:17). Dont allow Satan to keep you upset and stressed out all the time. Change your attitude and approach,
and God will change your circumstance in due time.

Here are several things we can do to reduce stress:

Stop Thinking and Talking About Your Problems
The state of upset or arousal sets off an alarm in the body to defend itself from threatening, hostile events.
Even thinking of an upsetting event or imagining danger can also trigger the alarm. A chain of responses are
set into motion inside us to fight or run from the circumstance.

Don't Be Overcommitted
Do you have too much to do? This seems to be the number one complaint I hear today. When I ask people
how they are, about 50 percent respond, "I'm busy." Common sense tells us that God isnt going to stress us
out and lead us to do more than we can. Therefore, if were being led by God's Spirit, saying yes when He
says yes and no when He says no, we should be able to accomplish what He gives us to do and walk in peace.
Do you need to say no more often? We should be sure when our heart says no that our mouth isnt saying yes.
Sometimes trying to keep other people happy can make us very unhappy. A person must be really careful in
this area, especially if he has a tendency toward being a people pleaser.

Receive God's Grace
Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit to live without stress. God, however, wont give us the grace to be
disobedient. If Hes telling us not to do something that we decide to do anyway, well experience the painful
loss of His anointing. Grace equals ability. God gives us grace to match our call. When we do our own thing,
we do it on our own. When we follow His leading, He always supplies the energy. Remember, God will feed
Isaac, but we will have to feed Ishmael!

Remember when God promised Abraham and Sarah a child? They got ahead of God and worked out a plan to
have Ishmael. Finally, Isaac came according to God's promise. Ishmael's name means "man of war." Isaac's
name means "laughter." Ishmael represents works of the flesh, which always produce struggle and stress.
Isaac, however, represents waiting for God's promise, which requires faith and always brings rest.

God wants us to burn on, not burn out! Burnout comes from physical and emotional exhaustion, especially as
a result of long-term stress. Stress depletes our bodies; our immune systems become weak, and sickness
even depressioncan set in. Are you suffering from burnout? Manifestations include extreme fatigue,
headaches, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems, tension, nerves tied in knots, inability to relax, and no medical
explanation for the symptoms. Other symptoms may be emotional exhaustion (crying easily), anger,
negativity, irritability, cynicism, and bitterness about the blessings of others.

Burnout causes you to be "out of control" and no longer producing good fruit. Ignoring God's laws causes
burnout. You cant overwork your mind, emotions or your body and not eventually pay the price for excess.
Whose pace are you moving at? Is it the pace God has set for you or someone else's pace? Are you stressed-
out from trying to keep up with everyone else? Are you living under the stress of competition and
comparison? Are you a perfectionist with unrealistic goals?

I believe we can live stress free in a stressful world, but it will require some decisionspossibly some radical
decisions. Allow God's Spirit to lead you out of a stressful lifestyle and into one of peace and joy.

Is Your Rubber Band Breaking?
Today we live in a fast-paced society that seems to be placing more and more demands on us with each
passing year. People are hurrying everywhere, and theyre often rude and short-tempered. Many people are
experiencing financial stress, marital stress and the stress of raising children. Theres often mental and
physical stress on the job caused by overwork. Many times this type of lifestyle causes health problems
adding even more stress.

The word stress was originally an engineering term that referred to the amount of force a beam or other
physical support could bear without collapsing. Today the dictionarys definition of stress includes mental,
emotional, or physical tension; strain, distress. This is a condition most of us are all too familiar with.
Almost everyone is under some kind of stressits a normal part of everyday life.

God created our bodies to withstand a certain amount of daily pressure, so when we push ourselves beyond
our limitations, we begin to experience problems. Are you pushing yourself too hard? Many people live in a
perpetual state of overloadalways on the verge of collapse. They keep stretching themselves to the limit
like a rubber banduntil one day they snap.

A rubber band has an amazing ability to be stretched to its maximum length and then return to its precise
original form, but how many times can it do that without weakening or breaking?

Lets say youre working around the house and break a rubber band while trying to stretch it around
something. You cant find another rubber band, so you try to fix the broken one by tying the ends together.
Sometimes in our daily lives, we stretch ourselves beyond our capacity, and we snap like the rubber band.
We think weve fixed the problem by simply tying the ends back together. But soon we fall into the same
behavior that caused us to break down in the first place.

When a rubber band youve tied breaks again, it usually breaks in a different spot. So you tie the ends
together in another knot. In our daily lives, when we keep stretching, breaking and tying the ends back
together, we begin to feel as though were tied up in knotsinside and out!

The solution seems simpleget rid of those things that cause stress. That may work for awhile, but its not
the final solution. Its impossible to totally eliminate all the stress from our lives. Our only answer is to
adjust our perspective and change the way we respond to the inevitable stresses of everyday life. Over time
with repeated exposure to stress, our lives begin to resemble that worn-out rubber band. Exhaustionboth
physical and emotionalbegins to take its toll. When stress depletes our bodies, our immune system
weakens, and sickness (even depression) can set in.

Ignoring Gods laws and His ordained limits for our lives will ultimately cause burnout. You simply cant
continue to overwork your mind, emotions and body without eventually paying the price. Who sets the pace
in your life? Do you let the pressures and stresses of everyday life drive you toward burnout? Are you
stressed from trying to keep up with everyone else? Are you living under the stress of competition and


comparison? Are you a perfectionist with unrealistic goals?

I believe we can live stress free even though we live in a stress-filled world, but it might require some
radical decision making. If your life has become a rubber band all tied up in knots, its obvious that a change
needs to take place. Begin to adjust your perspective to match Gods. Seek His peace and His pace for your
life. Respect your body. Treat good health as a priceless gift. Dont waste the energy God has given you on
stress. Save it for living and enjoying life!


Is Your Mind in the Desert?
The people of Israel wandered around in the desert for forty years, making what should have only been an
eleven-day journey. Why? Was it because of their enemies, their circumstances, or the trials along the way?
Or was it something entirely different that prevented them from arriving at their destination?

As I pondered this situation, God gave me a powerful revelation that helped me, personally, and thousands of
others. The Lord revealed to me that the Israelites spent all that time in the desert because they had
"wilderness mentalities."

We really shouldn't look at the Israelites with such astonishment, because most of us do the exact same thing.
We go around and around the same mountain instead of making progress. It takes us years to experience
victory over something that could, and should, have been dealt with quickly and put behind us. God showed
me that wilderness mentalities are wrong mindsets.

We can have right mindsets that will benefit us or wrong mindsets that will hurt us and hinder our progress.
Colossians 3:2 teaches us to set our minds and keep them set. We need our minds set in the right direction.
Wrong mindsets not only affect our circumstances, but they also affect our inner life.

There was a time when my circumstances werent bad, but I couldnt enjoy anything in my life because my
mind was "in the desert." Dave and I had a nice home, four lovely children, good jobs, and enough money to
live comfortably. However, I couldnt enjoy our blessings because I had several wilderness mentalities that
had me trapped.

Some people see things negatively because theyve experienced unhappy circumstances all their lives and
can't imagine anything getting any better. Then there are those who see everything as bad and negative simply
because thats the way they feel on the inside. Whatever the cause, a negative outlook leaves a person
miserable and unable to make any progress toward the promised land.

God called the children of Israel out of Egypt (bondage) and in to the land He promised to give them as a
perpetual inheritanceland that flowed with milk and honey and every good thing they could imagine. It was
a land where thered be no shortage of anything they neededland of prosperity in every realm of their
existence. Most of the generation that the Lord called out of Egypt never entered the Promised Land; instead,
they died in the desert. To me, this is one of the saddest things that can happen to someoneto have so much
available but not be able to enjoy it.

I was one of those people for many years of my life. I was on my way to the Promised Land (heaven), but I
wasnt enjoying the trip. My mind was in the desert, and I was dying in the wilderness. My wilderness
mentalities, or wrong ways of thinking, were keeping me from dealing with those areas of life that God
wanted to touch and redeem. I was stuck...going around and around the same mountain; but thank God for His
mercy. He helped me identify and change those wrong mindsets. Today, my mind is renewed. I have a new
way of thinking, and I've been rescued from the desert.

What God did for me, He can certainly do for you. Ask Him to show you your wilderness mentalities and help
you make the necessary changes. He can deliver your mind from the desert and help you enjoy the journey to
the promised land!

Is That Your Dripping Towel?
For years I had low self-esteem and I did not like myself. I hated my personality and I hated the way my voice
sounded. Somewhere along the line, through the abuse I had endured growing up, I internalized the shame. I
was no longer ashamed of what was happening to meI became ashamed of me. I was hurting and,
consequently, was hurting other people.

Did you know that if you don't like yourself, you are never going to like anybody else, and you won't be able
to help your spouse like himself or herself? You will spend all your time trying to prove your own value.
Healing first comes by accepting yourself, knowing that where you are today is not where you will end up,
and knowing that God is continually perfecting you, too. We all need to accept the unconditional love of God
and acknowledge the fact that God doesn't love us because of what we do - but because of who we are.

One morning, as I sat in my pajamas praying, the Lord said to me, "Joyce, I really can't do anything else in
your life until you do what I have told you to do concerning your husband."

The Lord had been dealing with me because I was having problems being submissive. I had such a strong will
and was still caught in my defensive attitude from being abused as a child. I was missing out on the blessings
God was eager for me to enjoy.

After praying, I got up and went to take a shower in the new bathroom my husband Dave had just installed off
our bedroom. Since he had not yet put up a towel rack, I laid my towel on the toilet seat and started to step
into the shower.

Dave saw what I was doing and asked me, "Why did you put your towel there?"

Right away I could feel my emotions getting stirred up.

"What's wrong with putting it there?" I asked in a sarcastic tone.

As an engineer, Dave answered with typical mathematical logic. "Well, since we don't have a floor mat yet, if
you put your towel in front of the shower door, when you get out you won't drip water on the carpet while
reaching for it."

"Well, what difference would it make if I did get a little water on the carpet?" I asked in a huff.

Sensing the mood I was in, Dave just gave up, shrugged his shoulders, and went on his way.

As it turned out, I did what Dave had suggested, but I did it by angrily slamming the towel onto the floor. I did
the right thing, but I did it with the wrong attitude.

As I stepped into the shower after throwing my towel on the floor, I was filled with rage. "For crying out
loud," I ranted to myself. "I can't even take a shower in peace! Why can't I do anything without somebody
trying to tell me what to do?" In my frustration, I went on and on.

Although I was a Christian and had been in ministry teaching others for some time, I myself lacked control
over my own mind, will, and emotions. It was three full days before I calmed down enough to get over that
bath towel incident.

For those three days, I was the noisy gong and clanging cymbal described in 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is the highest form of maturity. It often requires a sacrificial gift. If love doesn't require some sort of
sacrifice on our part, we probably don't love the other person at all. If there is no sacrifice in our actions, we
are most likely reacting to something nice they did for us, or simply pretending to be kind to gain some
control over them. Love is almost always undeserved by the person who receives it.

Our decisions should always have our spouse's interests in mind. Even a mediocre marriage requires sacrifice.
It is important to understand that true love gives of itself.

Sacrifice means you are not going to have your way all the time. This means both the husband and wife are
called to love each other with unconditional love. There has to be sacrifice of selfish desires if a couple is
going to enjoy a triumphant marriage. As for me, every day when I get up, I choose to have a good marriage.
I'm not leaving that one for chance to decide!

I've Got My Mind Made Up!
What condition is your mind in? Have you noticed its condition changes? One time you may be calm,
peaceful and certain of yourself. Another time you're anxious, worried and insecure. Thereve been times in
my own life when Ive experienced these things. Sometimes I was able to easily make a decision and stick
with it. Other times I couldn't seem to arrive at a decision at all. Doubt, fear and uncertainty haunted me
mercilessly. I second-guessed myself and couldnt make up my mind.

I didnt know that I could do anything about my thought life. I thought I was destined to be indecisive. I
believed in Godand had for many yearsbut I had no teaching at all about my thought life or the proper
condition of a believer's mind. Years ago when I began to get a lot more serious about my relationship with
the Lord, I learned that many of my problems with indecision were rooted in wrong thinking patterns. My
mind was undisciplined. It was a mess! I doubt that it was ever in the condition it shouldve been, and if it
was, it didnt last long. I felt overwhelmed when I began to see how indecisive and insecure I was. I tried hard
to correct the problem by rejecting the wrong thoughts that came into my mind, but they were persistent.

Many people struggle with this because they have spent years allowing their minds to wander. They've never
applied the principles of discipline to their thought lives. People who can't seem to concentrate long enough to
make a decision think there is something wrong with their mind. However, the inability to concentrate and
make a decision can be the result of years of simply letting the mind do whatever it wants to do.

I struggled with this lack of ability to concentrate for years. When a strong decision was called for in my life, I
found that I wasn't confident or disciplined enough to step out and make that choice. My mind was
undisciplined and wandered from the subject at hand. I had to train my mind through discipline. It wasnt
easy, and sometimes I still have relapses. While trying to complete a project, Ill suddenly realize that my
mind has just wandered onto something else that has absolutely nothing to do with the issue at hand. I have
not yet arrived at a place of perfect concentration, but at least I understand how important it is not to allow my
mind to go wherever it wishes, whenever it desires.

Many times your mind can wander, even during conversation. There are times when my husband, Dave, is
talking to me and I listen for a while; then all of a sudden, I realize that I havent heard a thing he's been
saying. Why? Because I allowed my mind to wander onto something else. My body was standing there
appearing to listen, but in my mind I didn't hear a thing. For many years, when this sort of thing happened, I
pretended that I knew exactly what Dave was saying. Now I simply stop and say, "Can you back up and repeat
that? I let my mind wander, and I didn't hear a thing you said." In this way, Im dealing with the problem. Im
disciplining my mind to stay on track. Confronting these issues is the only way to get on the victorious side of
them.

Remember, the mind is the battlefield for these daily battles. Indecision and uncertainty are just results of
losing these battles, and they can cause you to think theres something wrong with your mind. But the truth is,
your mind just needs to be disciplined. Ask God to help you, and then refuse to allow your mind to think
about whatever it pleases. Begin today to control your thoughts and keep your mind on what you're doing.
You'll need to practice for a while; breaking old habits and forming new ones always takes time. Discipline is
never easy, but it's always worth it in the end. When you win the battle for your mind, you'll be much more
certain of yourself, and you'll be able to make up your mind with confidence.


I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up
Weve all fallen down at one time or anothernot just physically but emotionally. And picking yourself back
up again is, unfortunately, easier said than done. It doesn't take any special talent to give up or lie down on the
roadside of life and say, "I quit!" In fact, the road to chronic discouragement, hopelessness and despair often
begins with an ordinary day that ends up piled high with simple disappointments. According to Webster,
disappoint means "to fail to satisfy the hope, desire, or expectation of." In other words, when we set ourselves
up to hope for something and that hope isnt met, we get disappointed. We feel let down or betrayed.

Let's face it: None of us are ever going to get to the place in life where we have no more disappointments. We
can't expect to be sheltered from every little thing. Disappointment is a fact of lifeone that must be dealt
with. If not, discouragement and devastation are never far away. Too often people end up devastated and don't
understand why. They seemed to be going along just fine, and now they've fallen by the roadside without
knowing how or why. Many people don't realize that the problem could have started a long time ago with a
simple disappointment that they failed to work through.

Deep hurt doesn't just come from huge disappointments, like when we fail to get the job or promotion we
really wanted. Deep emotional hurt can come from a series of minor annoyances and frustrations. That's why
we must know how to handle the small, daily disappointments and keep them in perspective. Otherwise, they
can get out of hand and be blown out of proportion. For example, imagine starting your day behind
scheduleyoure already frustrated. On your way to the office, unexpected traffic delays cause you to be
even later. Then, when you finally get to work, you find out that someone on the job has been gossiping about
you. You get some coffee to help you calm down but spill it all over yourself, making matters worse since you
have an important meeting with the boss and no time to change clothes!

Facing each of those little things separately is just annoying, but when they pile up it becomes almost
unbearable. Then, just about that time, you get a report from the doctor that wasnt what you were hoping and
praying for. And to top it all off, your fianc calls and threatens to break off your engagement even though the
wedding invitations have already been mailed! How will you respond? Will you be full of faith, or will you
find yourself full of fear and on that road to disappointment and discouragement? All of those minor
frustrations and disappointments with the traffic, the office gossip and the spilled coffee have set you up for a
major calamity. And when you have to face some really serious problems like sickness or a failed relationship,
you find that you arent prepared to deal with them. So you fall, plunging headfirst into hopelessness and
despair.

What do you do when disappointment comes? When it weighs on you like a rock, you can either let it press
you down until you become discouraged, even devastated, or you can use it as a stepping-stone to better
things. Learn to adapt and adjust. You can do it! Face disappointment at its onset and be quick to make any
adjustments required to remedy the situation. God has better things for you, and He will help you. He says in
Hebrews 13:5, "...I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support...[I will] not in
any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down....

Instead of concentrating on your problems and getting discouraged, focus on God and meditate on His
promises for you. You may have fallen down, but you don't have to stay down. God is ready, willing and able
to pick you up.

I'm OK and I'm On My Way!
The expression nobodys perfect is used or heard almost every day, but its trueIm not perfect, youre
not perfect, nobodys perfect. Hopefully, though, were all getting better and are on our way to perfection. The
important thing to remember is that even though were not yet perfect, were still OK. Just because we havent
arrived yet doesnt mean that were not on our way.

Its true that we all still have a long way to go. I used to get discouraged about how far I had to go, and it
seemed like I was reminded of it every day, sometimes every hour. I carried a constant sense of failurea
feeling that I just wasnt who I needed to be, I wasnt doing good enough, and I needed to try harder. Yet
when I did try harder, I only failed again.

Ive now adopted a new attitude: Im not where I need to be, but thank God Im not where I used to be. Im
OK, and Im on my way! I now know with all my heart that God isnt angry with me just because I havent
arrived yet. Hes pleased that Im pressing on and staying on the path. If you and I will just keep on keeping
on, God will be pleased with our progress.

Keep walking the walk one step at a time. This is an important thing to remember. Its true that we have to
keep pressing on, but thank God we dont have to hate or reject ourselves while were trying to get to our
destination.

If I invited you to take a walk, youd think I was crazy if I became angry after the first few steps because we
hadnt yet arrived at our destination. We can understand ordinary things like this, yet we have a difficult time
understanding that God expects it to take some time for us to grow spiritually.

We dont think theres something wrong with one-year-old children because they cant walk perfectly. They
fall down frequently, but we pick them up, love them, bandage them if necessary, and keep working with
them. Surely our heavenly Father can do even more for us than we do for our children.

The process is always difficult. Growing and learning is never easy, but the changes make us better people.
We begin to think differently, then to talk differently, and finally, to act differently. This process develops in
stages, and we must always remember that while its taking place, we can have the attitude, Im OK, and Im
on my way!

Enjoy yourself while youre changing. Enjoy where you are on the way to where youre going. Enjoy the
journey! Dont waste all of your now time trying to rush into the future. Remember, tomorrow will have
troubles of its own (Matthew 6:34).

Today you may be wrestling with a bad temper, thinking if you could just get freedom in this area, everything
would be all right. But the thing is, God will then reveal something else that needs to be dealt with, and youll
be back in that same frame of mind again, thinking, If only I didnt have this problem, I could be happy. We
must learn to look at these things in a new way.

We can be free to believe that we are, indeed, OK and on our waynot perfected yet, but pressing on. We can
be free to enjoy life, enjoy God and enjoy ourselves.

How To Succeed at Being Yourself
Its tough to enjoy life when you dont like yourself. People who havent learned to accept and get along with
themselves tend to have more difficulty accepting and getting along with others. Yet, the Bible repeatedly tells
us to love your neighbor as yourself. I personally spent years having a hard time getting along with people,
until I finally realized through the Word of God how my difficulty with other people was actually rooted in
my difficulties with myself.

The Bible says a good tree will bear good fruit, and a rotten tree will bear rotten fruit. Likewise, the fruit of
our lives comes from the root within us. If you're rooted in shame, guilt, inferiority, rejection, lack of love
and acceptance, etc., the fruit of your relationships will suffer. However, once you have a revelation of Gods
unconditional love for you and begin to accept yourself and others, eventually these new roots will produce
good fruit, and your relationships will thrive.

Here are a few tips I believe will help you succeed at being yourself.

1. Never say or think negative things about yourself, such as, "I never do anything right." I'll never
change. I'm ugly. I look terrible. I'm dumb. Who could ever love me? Matthew 12:37 says, ...by
your words you will be justified..., and by your words you will be condemned. Proverbs 23:7 says, as [a
man] thinketh in his heart, so is he.(KJV). In other words, the way we talk and think about ourselves reveals
how we feel about ourselves.

2. Speak good things about yourself (as private confessions) in line with what the Word says about you. For
example: "I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I am made acceptable in the Beloved. God created me
and formed me with His own hands, and God doesn't make mistakes." I like starting the day making good
confessions. Perhaps you can do this while you're driving to work or cleaning house. I also encourage you to
look in the mirror and say out loud, "God loves and accepts you, and so do I." You may even try hugging
yourself. This is beneficial to people who have lacked love and acceptance in their lives.

3. Never compare yourself with other people. God must love variety or He wouldn't have created us all
differentlyeven down to our fingerprints. You'll never succeed at being yourself if you're trying to be like
someone else. Other people can be a good example to you, but duplicating even their good traits will manifest
differently through your individual personality.

4. Focus on your potential instead of your limitations. Actress Helen Hayes was told early in her career that
if she were four inches taller shed be the greatest actress of her time. Her coaches tried various methods of
stretching her, but nothing increased her height. She refused to concentrate on the supposed limitation of
being five feet tall and decided to concentrate on her potential. As a result, she was eventually cast as Mary,
Queen of Scotlandone of the tallest queens who ever lived.

5. Find something you like to do that you do well, and do it over and over. If you spend your time doing
things you're not good at, itll frustrate you and cause you to feel defeated and unsuccessful.

6. Have the courage to be different and deal with criticism. Be a God-pleaser, not a man-pleaser (see
Galatians 1:10). If you dare to be different, youll have to expect some criticism. Going along with the
crowdwhen you know in your heart Gods leading you a different wayis one reason people don't succeed
at being themselves. You won't like yourself very much if you go against your own convictions.

7. Don't let the way another person treats you determine your worth.

8. Keep your flaws in perspective. People with a high level of confidence have just as many weaknesses as
people without confidence, but they concentrate on their strengthsnot their flaws or weaknesses.

In conclusion, let me remind you of my opening statement: Its tough to enjoy life when you dont like
yourself. When you learn to succeed at being yourself, youll be well on your way to enjoying life more fully.


Learning to Like Yourself
Did you know that you and I have to learn to deal with our do separately from our who? The fact is, I dont do
everything right all the time, but that doesnt affect who I am. I know Im loved and that Im still a good
person. Ive made mistakes in my lifeand Im sure Ill make mistakes in the futurebut I still like myself.

If you like yourselfeven though others may notyoull make it. When you start to like yourself, other
people begin to like you too. Liking yourself doesnt mean youre full of pride; it simply means you accept
yourself as the person God created you to be. We all need changes in our behavior, but accepting ourselves as
Gods creation is vital to our progress in becoming an emotionally healthy person. If we can master this one
thingliking ourselvesit will work wonders in helping us to overcome a shame-based nature. Let me
explain what I mean.

Many people live under what I call the curse of failure. They can never do anything they set out to do. Theyre
always failing, always messing up, always getting disappointed, discouraged and depressed. They dont like
who they are because theyve adopted a shame-based nature.

For a long time I didnt like my personality, and since my personality is who I am, I didnt like me. I didnt
want to be as bold and straightforward as I am. I didnt want to be so direct and blunt. I wanted to be like one
of my friends. She had a gift of being sweet, kind and gentle. What I didnt realize is that she was just born
that wayand I wasnt. Because I didnt like my personality and who I was, I tried to change myself. I
wanted to be more like my friend. I tried to be the perfect woman, the ideal wife and mother who grew her
own tomatoes and canned them, made jelly, sewed her familys clothes, and on and on.

It didnt work. It was the old story of trying to fit the round peg into the square hole. I was just trying to be
something I wasnt. Finally, I had to learn to accept myself the way I was and let go of the idea of being like
someone else. I began to realize that, although I did need to change some areas of my life, who I am will never
change.

When a person has a shame-based nature, as I did, it becomes the source or root of many complex inner
problems like depression, loneliness, isolation and alienation. All kinds of compulsive disorders are rooted in
shame: drug, alcohol and other chemical addictions; eating disorders like bulimia, anorexia, and obesity;
money addictions like stinginess and gambling; sexual perversions of all kindsthe list is endless.

For example, workaholism is a very destructive disorder in our society today. There are people who are such
workaholics that they can never enjoy life. Unless theyre working day and night, they feel irresponsible. In
fact, some people are like I wasif theyre enjoying themselves, they feel guilty about it.

Another example of a destructive disorder is perfectionism. Some people are tormented by perfectionism
because of abuse or some other negative situation in their past. They keep trying to be perfect in order to win
the attention and affection they feel they were denied. People who live with workaholism and perfectionism
set themselves up for failure. They set unreasonably high standards for themselves, and when they ultimately
fail, they feel badly about themselves. They make impossible schedules and then make themselvesand
everyone else around themmiserable because theyre constantly rushing around.

Workaholics and perfectionists are just two examples of the types of people who really havent learned to
simply like who they are. Shame, because of something they may have done in their past, has caused them to
dislike themselves. Remember, you must separate your do from your who. Youre a unique and special
individual, with God-given talents and skills. And even though you may have made mistakes in the past, its
time to move on and learn to like yourself!

Love Means Sacrifice, Not Selfishness
No matter how long you may live, youll never stop learning. Every minute of every day brings new
opportunities to learn something weve never known before. As long as were open to receive, God will
continue to teach us every day.

Im still learning, and I know I always will be. What God teaches me every day about love continues to
change my life. Ive come to the place where I can honestly say, Lord, eliminate everything in my life thats
holding me back. Please take away anything thats keeping me from walking in love and finding true
fulfillment in my life. In other words, Lord, reduce me to lovebring me to a state or condition of walking
in love completely!

One of the most important facets Ive learned about love is unselfishness, which is characterized in the Bible
as a willingness to sacrifice ones own wishes for those of others. Ive learned that true love will always adapt
and adjust to the needs and desires of other people.

Its impossible for people whove truly been reduced to love to be selfish. God has taught them how to be
totally adaptable and adjustable to others. Selfish people, on the other hand, have hard hearts. Its very
difficult for them to learn anythingespecially if it involves self-sacrifice. They expect everyone else to
adjust to them and their needs. They simply dont know how to adjust to others without becoming angry or
upset.

Learning to adapt and adjust to the needs and desires of others was very difficult for me. To be honest, I
wanted my way, and I got upset when I didnt get it. I was selfish! I wanted what I wanted, when I wanted it! I
couldnt stand having to wait on someone else or bending my own wishes to accommodate someone elses
timetable.

But God began to soften my heart, and gradually I learned to see the needs of others. Then God gave me
compassionthe heartfelt desire to meet the needs of others first before my own.

Slowly, I became committed to walking in love. I learned to adapt my own needs and desires in order to help
meet the needs of others. I learned how to show love in different ways to different people. Not all people need
the same thing from us. One of our children, for example, may need more of our personal time than the others.
One of our friends may need more encouragement on a regular basis than another.

For example, all of my family members need me, my employees need me, my friends need meand they all
need me in different ways.

Do I ever feel too needed? Of course! We all feel overwhelmed from time to time. But I remind myself that
God gives me grace for whatever He places in my life, and Im fortunate to be loved and needed by so many.

If I ever get weary of always trying to be available to meet the needs of others, I remind myself of all the years
I lived in selfishness and how unhappy I was. Now Im just making up for lost time! When I think on this, it
doesnt take long for me to adjust my attitude. After all, just telling people I love you is not enough. We
need to go beyond the words and actually do something to help meet their needs.

My husband, Dave, loves to play golf, so I try to make sure our schedule gives him opportunities to play. But
there was a time when it angered me for him to play golf. I was miserable because I hadnt learned to adjust to
his needs or desires. I wanted him to make all the adjustments.

I never acknowledged the many ways in which Dave adjusted to my needs. I never saw what he did doonly
what he didntand it was ruining our relationship. Im glad that Ive learned to adapt and adjust. It was a
little hard on me for a while, but it saved our marriage.

Once youve been reduced to love, youll have no trouble establishing and maintaining good, healthy
relationships with others. Your primary goal in life will be to put the wishes of others before your own. Youll
learn that true love is all about sacrifice and selfishness will be a thing of the past.

How Do You See Yourself?
Do you like yourself? After years of trying to help people emotionally, mentally, spiritually and socially, it
was a major breakthrough when I discovered that most people really dont like themselves. Some of them
know it, while others dont even have a clue that this is probably the root of so many other problems in their
lives.

God wants us to have great relationships, but self-rejection and even self-hatred are the roots of many
relationship problems. In fact, Ive found the Bible to be a book about relationships, providing valuable advice
about my relationship with God, other people and even myself.

How are the relationships with other people in your life? What about your relationship with Godand even
with yourself?

Did it ever occur to you that you have a relationship with yourself? While Ive never given it much thought, I
spend more time with myself than with anyone, and its vital to get along well with me. Remember, you are
the one person you never get away from.

We all know how agonizing it is to work day after day with someone we dont get along with, but at least that
person doesnt come home with us at night. We cant get away from ourselves, not even for one second, so
its of the utmost importance that we have peace with ourselves.

Many of us fall prey to self-rejection because we feel that nobody really loves us or accepts us. We figure that
if nobody else loves us, then why should we love ourselves? Because we think others dont love us, we feel
that we must not be worth loving. But thats a LIE weve believed for way too long!

We should love ourselvesnot in a selfish, self-centered way that produces a lifestyle of self-indulgence, but
in a balanced, godly way that affirms Gods creation as essentially good and right. We may be flawed by
unfortunate experiences weve gone through, but that doesnt mean were worthless and good-for-nothing.

We must have the kind of love for ourselves that says, I know God loves me, so I can love what God chooses
to love. I dont love everything I do, but I accept myself because God accepts me. We must develop the kind
of mature love that says, I know I need to change, and I want to change. In fact, I believe God is changing me
daily, but during this process, I will not reject what God accepts. Ill accept myself as I am right now,
knowing that I will not always remain this way.

Many times people who reject themselves do so because they cant see themselves as good, proper, or right.
They fail to see themselves the way God sees themas precious children He dearly loves.

As you begin to see yourself through Gods eyessomeone whos loved and cherishedyour view of
yourself will begin to change. Youll begin to see yourself not as rejected, but as loved and acceptedunique
and beautiful in His sight.

Good Morning, Lord! or Good Lord, It's Morning!
Which of these phrases do you utter to yourself most mornings? Do you greet each day with an expectant,
positive attitude about what the day holds, or do you feel like pulling the blankets over your head, dreading
what awaits you outside your front door?

We must combat the dread that tempts us to stay in bed by keeping a positive attitude and mindset. Our
attitude is so important to how we feel each day. The kind of day we have is, to a great degree, determined by
our thoughts and actions. If we dwell on negative thoughts, expecting the worst, our actions will reflect those
thoughts.

Its impossible to reach your God-given destiny if you allow negative thoughts to fill your mind. Dread is a
close relative of fear, and allowing it to remain in your mind, sets you up for misery and robs you of joy.

Once, I experienced a feeling of dread as we were planning our trip to speak in India. I was excited about the
wonderful opportunity there, but all I could focus on was the long flight and poor conditions that exist in that
country. Im grateful that I knew how to dispel those negative feelings with positive thoughts about what
could be accomplished during our time there. If I had allowed myself to dwell on the negative aspects of the
trip, it wouldve taken away the joy and excitement God wanted me to experience. Dread is a trap, and you
must be determined not to fall into it. If not being sure of the future or facing new things causes you to feel
dread or fear, remember Philippians 4:13 says, ...I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him
Who infuses inner strength into me....

Therell always be roadblocks to keep us from enjoying the wonderful life God has provided for us. With all
the stress and pressures of everyday life, we must make a decision that were going to enjoy life regardless of
our circumstances.

Every single day is filled with all kinds of situations that could upset youlike losing your car keys or getting
caught in a traffic jam. But when you know what's going on, you can choose to be in control.

You must take responsibility for your happiness. Youre the one person you're never going to get away from,
so youd better learn to like yourself. Its impossible to enjoy life if you don't enjoy yourself. We have a well
of wonderful things on the inside of us, and no matter what's going on around us, we can drink from that well
within. We can find strength right there inside of us to do what we need to do.

Ive learned that life is so much better when we don't have unrealistic expectationsfor ourselves or other
people. There was a time when I got upset and felt sorry for myself for days when my husband, Dave, wanted
to play golf. But God helped me to see that each of us has different ways of relaxing and unwinding. For
Dave, it's golf. For me, it's shopping or watching a good old classic movie. As long as we keep things in
balance, we can enjoy the freedom of doing what we like best. Understanding this has brought about a
wonderful freedom that allows both Dave and me to do the things we enjoy.

You can enjoy this same freedom in your own life. Living in freedomand allowing others to do the same
is a healthy and positive approach to life that pleases God.

We must also learn that we can be extraordinarily happy while living an ordinary, everyday life. Expecting
life to be one long series of exciting events is setting yourself up for disappointmentand thatll steal your
joy! So learn to be content with life as it is.

With God's help and your determination, you can learn to be happy and enjoy every single day of your God-
given life. Start your days by saying, "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Good
morning, Lord!"

God's Prescription for a Sound Mind
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind! (2 Timothy 1:7)

Prepare for Battle
As you begin to reclaim your mind and thought life from the enemy, know that he wont easily give up the
place that hes had. You will have to do battle against his lies and confusion. You must declare out loud that
you will not allow any outside force to do your thinkingman or spirit. There are spiritual laws that demons
must obey. They cant stay when youve commanded them to leave. Your power and authority come from the
name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, and the Word of God. Ask God to give you discernment about the lies of
the devil.

Think About What Youre Thinking About
As you recognize a thought that is a lie, always defend yourself out loud. This means speaking to Satan and
the evil forces out loud, binding them in the name of Jesus, and forbidding them to lie to you and use your
mind as their playground. As you continue to use this prescription regularly, youll regain your peace, your
memory, restful nights, and the ability to concentrate and comprehend.

Stand FirmYoure Not Alone
You are in a battle that all of Gods children fight (see Ephesians 6:12). Make up your mind not to give up!
According to Colossians 3:2, set your mind on things above and keep it set! As you begin this battle, things
may seem to get worse before they get better. This is because the demonic powers are fighting to keep their
place. Call upon Gods grace in the name of Jesus, and He will give you the power of the Holy Spirit to
completely overcome every evil tendency.

Dont Give Up!
Remember, regaining your mind is a process. We all fail at one time or another. God knows our weaknesses;
thats why He gave us 1 John 1:9. Just ask for forgiveness and envision the blood of Jesus washing away your
sin. Continue claiming that your mind belongs to you, and with Jesus help you will be victorious.

When you hear a lie going through your mind, say out loud:

Satan, you are a liar. I will not receive (or believe) your lie in the name of Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 10:5). I
remind you that it is written, He who lives in [me] is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world. I
command you to bow your knee to the name of Jesus and leave me (see 1 John 4:4).

You have now pulled the lie outjust as you pull a weed out of the ground. But an empty hole remains where
the weed once was. You must fill that space with Scripture. Begin to meditate on Gods Word or sing a praise
song to God. Whatever it is you choose to do, make a conscious effort to fill your mind with good, pure,
wholesome and lovely thoughts (see Philippians 4:8).

Face the Truth!
Today, people everywhere are struggling through life with damaged emotions. Theyve endured a lot of
negative things, causing untold damage that needs to be dealt with. But all too often, these hurts are simply
swept under the rug in an attempt to make them go away.

Through my own life experiences and from many years of helping others through this process, Ive discovered
that although God wants to help those who really want emotional healing, there are some very important steps
these individuals must take for themselves. If you want to receive emotional healing, one of the first steps you
must take is to face the truth. You cant be set free while living in denial. You cant pretend that certain
negative things didnt happen to you.

Ive come to realize that were experts at building walls and stuffing things into dark corners, pretending they
never happened.

I spent the first eighteen years of my life in an abusive environment, but as soon as I got away from that
situation, I acted as though nothing was wrong. I never told anyone what had gone on in my private life.

Why dont we want to bring things like that into the open? Were afraid of what people will think. Were
afraid of being rejected, misunderstood, or unloved by those we care about or that they might have a different
opinion of us if they really knew all about us.

The next step toward emotional healing is confessing your faults. I think theres a place for eventually sharing
with someone else the things that have occurred in our lives. Theres something about verbalizing it to another
person that does wonders for usbut use wisdom. Choose someone you know you can trust. Be sure that by
sharing your story with someone else, you dont simply put your burden on that individuals shoulders. Also,
dont go on a digging expedition, trying to dig up old hurts and offenses that have been buried and forgotten.

When I finally worked up the courage to share with someone what had happened early in my life, I actually
began shaking violently in fear. It was an emotional reaction to the things Id kept buried within me for so
long. Now when I talk about my past, its as though Im talking about somebody elses problems. Because
Ive been healed and restored, my past doesnt bother me anymore.

Finally, you must assume some personal responsibility. Some people are trapped in denial, afraid of what
might happen if others find out the truth. But as long as they deny the past, theyre never going to be free from
it.

Nobody can be set free from a problem until theyre willing to admit they have one. An alcoholic, drug addict
or anyone whos lost control of their life is doomed to suffer until theyre able to say, Ive got a problem, and
I need help with it.

Even though our problems may have been brought upon us because of something done against our will, we
have no excuse for allowing the problem to persist, grow and even take control over our entire life. Our past
experiences may have made us the way we are, but we dont have to stay that way. We can take the initiative
by taking positive steps to change thingsand we can ask for Gods help. Whatever your problem may be,
face it, consider confessing it to a trusted friend, and then admit it to yourself.

Face the truthit can be the beginning of a happier life!

Eight Specific Reasons Why Christians Suffer
And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing
His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory (Romans 8:17). As
Christians, we like the thought of sharing in Christ's glory, but what about sharing in His suffering? Jesus took
care of the death penalty once and for all so we don't ever have to worry about that again. But the Bible
teaches that we must suffer times of trial if we are to share in the glory. Is it worth it? Listen to the words of
Paul in Romans 8:18: ...For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth
being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!

Too often we think we suffer because of our circumstances. We believe that if our circumstances would
change, we'd be able to act right. But God wants us to become so mature and stable that we act right even
when none of our circumstances are good. There are different levels of faith, and most of the time we want to
use our faith to get rid of a problem. But sometimes God's plan is for us to exercise a higher level of faith that
will carry us through life's challenges. This requires even greater faith than being delivered from a situation.
Too often we marvel at the delivering power of God and overlook His keeping, strengthening and enabling
power. Although there are many reasons why Christians suffer, I would like to address what I believe are
eight of the most common reasons why there is suffering in our lives.

1.A Lack of Word Knowledge

Many Christians suffer because they're too busy seeking carnal knowledge instead of the Word of God. The
Lord Himself said, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... (Hosea 4:6). Paul was an educated man,
with a wealth of carnal knowledge. When he realized the importance of spiritual knowledge, he said, ...I
resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and
to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified (1 Corinthians
2:2). Like Paul, we need to realize the importance of learning spiritual things, for Galatians 6:8 says, ...he who
sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but
he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

2. Disobedience

Once we know the Word of God, we have a responsibility to be obedient to it. Too many of us intend to be
obedient, but put it off. Even procrastination is disobedience, and it can cause us to suffer. James 4:7 gives us
good advice: Submit yourselves therefore to God... (KJV). When God tells me to do something, I find it
helpful to write it down. This serves as a reminder that I must be obedient if I want God's blessings. If you are
willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19).

3. To Purify and Test Your Faith

Sometimes people seem surprised that they must go through a time of trial or suffering. Perhaps theyve been
faithful to learn and obey the Word, and the trials still come. Sometimes trials come simply to test and purify
our faith. [You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be
distressed by trials and suffer temptations, so that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith]
which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of
your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the
Anointed One) is revealed (1 Peter 1:6,7).

4. A Need for Brokenness

The word brokenness may strike fear in some people, but it's really not a bad word. God doesnt desire to
break our spirits, but He wants to break that outer shell, the flesh that prevents Him from being all He wants to
be in and through us. He wants to break off things like pride, rebellion, selfishness and independence. God
wants us to be totally dependent on Him, and suffering seems to bring us to that point. However, having to
depend on God shouldn't cause us to feel sorry for ourselves. I once said, Oh, God, I'm so lonely, and I don't
have anybody but You. And the Holy Spirit said, "Poor Joyce, you're just stuck with God." I've discovered
that having only God is a good position to be in.

5. To Build Compassion

Compassion is born out of experiencing similar problems. The Bible says, ...we do not have a High Priest
Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities
and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet
without sinning (Hebrews 4:15). It comforts me to know that Jesus understands me and has compassion.
Going through trials and experiencing God's deliverance better equips us to minister to others. Our pain is
never wasted; it brings about compassion that reaches out to other hurting people by saying, "I've been there,
and God brought me through it, and He'll do the same for you."

6. To Encourage Others

The apostle Paul said there were many things that God allowed him to go through simply as object lessons for
other people. ...I want you to know and continue to rest assured, brethren, that what [has happened] to me
[this imprisonment] has actually only served to advance and give a renewed impetus to the [spreading of the]
good news (the Gospel).... most of the brethren have derived fresh confidence in the Lord because of my
chains and are much more bold to speak and publish fearlessly the Word of God... (Philippians 1:12,14). Even
in Paul's imprisonment, his stability and ability to be used of God was evident. If were to minister to others,
we too must face some adverse circumstances. But if we stand in faith and confidence, God will bring us
through to victory, and we'll be a great encouragement to others in the process.

7. Because of the Word

Sometimes we suffer attacks from the enemy simply because of our involvement with the Word of God. Mark
4:17 speaks of those who hear the Word and endure it for a while, ...then when trouble or persecution arises
on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they
stumble and fall away. When someone receives the Word of God, Satan delights in coming immediately to try
to steal whats been sown in their heart. He knows the Word will strengthen us and help us live a victorious
Christian life, and he wants to stop it if he can. So its imperative to guard the Word in your heart and resist
the devil from stealing it away from you.

8. Because of Living in the World

Many times Christians face trials and suffering simply because we live in a world full of sin. But Jesus said,
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you
have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident,
certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have
conquered it for you] (John 16:33). What a promise! Understanding the reason for our suffering and having
the assurance of the final glory we'll share should make it a little easier to enjoy our lives...even during the
times of sharing in suffering.

What Arguing Over a Hamburger Can Teach You About Forgiveness
by Joyce Meyer
Years ago, I made the mistake of asking my husband, Dave, for the last bite of his hamburger. For most of us,
giving someone that last bite is more of a sacrifice than the first bitebecause you still have so much left! But
that last bite... I didn't realize before how much of a test it could be, especially for Dave.

Our exchange began as usual, with his offer, "I'm going to stop here and get a hamburger. Do you want one?"

"No, no, no. I don't want anything."

"Are you sure you don't want anything? Let me get you one."

I firmly said, "Dave, I don't want a hamburger."

He said, "I'll eat what's left."

I said, "I do not want a hamburger."

"Ok."

He bought a hamburger, and it smelled so good. I waited and waited, trying my best not to ask for a bite of
that hamburger. But he got down to the last bite, and I couldn't stand it.

I asked, "Do you suppose I could have that last bite?"

Dave got upset with me and huffed, "Why didn't you let me get you a hamburger?! Ill buy you all the
hamburgers you want. Why do you only want to eat mine?"

"It's only one bite!" I defended. "You don't have to be so selfish!"

He said, "All right! Here it is."

I said, "Nope, I don't want it! I wouldn't eat that hamburger now! You couldn't pay me to eat that bite of
hamburger!"

He said, "You eat this!"

I said, "I'm not eating it!"

He said, "You eat it!"

I said, "I will not!"

"Well, I'm not eating it, Dave replied, so you might as well." So I took it, shoved it in my mouth and
chewed it up.

Needless to say, I was upset. But not just because Dave had hurt my feelings, but also because Id compared
the way he treated me to the way I saw other men treat their wives. I said, "Well, other men give their wives
bites of their food. I just ask you for one stinkin' bite of your hamburger and you throw a fit!" I was mad for
about an hour after that argument.

What God Said About My Pity Party
It takes a little while for the Lord to get through to us when were enjoying our vengeance and self-pity, just
as I was. But finally, I started feeling the Lord deep within me saying, "Joyce, you are acting ridiculous. The
man told you he would buy you a whole sack of hamburgers if you wanted them."

Dave had offered to buy me a hamburger even if I wanted just one bite of it. Hed clearly asked me in advance
not to ask for his. It doesn't matter what other men do. Sharing that last bite of hamburger bothered Dave. The
person to whom you are comparing your spouse probably has some faults your spouse doesn't have that would
drive you crazy and be just as difficult to accept. What's the sense in pushing something on your spouse if it
bothers them? Just don't do it.

Loving Means Trusting
Any relationship isnt as healthy as it could be when people hold on to little things that have hurt or offended
them. Its difficult to completely open yourself up after being hurt because youre afraid youll be hurt again.
Nobody can promise that loving someone won't hurt. In fact, you can't love without being willing to be hurt.
It's not possible.

You can't have real love unless youre willing to forgive. Love keeps giving the other person another chance.
Love keeps trusting them over and over again, expecting them to do the right thing the next time. I realize
there are big hurts as well as little things we deal with daily, but love covers it all.

Choosing to Let Go of the Past
Sometimes we may not even know what is agitating us, but we need to decide to let go of its irritating hold on
us. Ask the Lord to reveal what it was that caused you to feel bitterness or resentment. You may be surprised
at what He brings up, but when you see the truth, decide to let go of that grief. Decide to forgive the person
who didn't respond to you in the right way.

It took me several days to completely get over the hamburger incident. That's the truth! My feelings had been
hurt because Dave didn't want me to have that bite of his hamburger. But I had to get over it and move on.

Don't trade your happiness for a bite of hamburger! Forget what lies behind and press on to what lies ahead.

How To Be Content
The Bible clearly teaches us to "be content" no matter what our circumstances are. In Philippians 4:11 Paul
said, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am in therewith to be content". The Amplified Bible describes
being content as "satisfied to the point where you are not disturbed or disquieted". It doesn't say satisfied to
the point where you don't want change, but satisfied for now until God brings the change. Philippians 4:6-7
sheds more light in this area by saying, "Have no anxiety about anything, but in all things by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, continue to let God know what you want", and verse 7 "the peace that passes
understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus". Allow me to paraphrase these scriptures in
my language for you. Don't be upset about anything, no matter what is happening. Pray about it, and tell God
your need. While you are waiting for God to move, be a very thankful and grateful person for all that God has
done for you already. (Note: Let me say here that if God never did one thing for us except write our names in
the Lamb's Book of Life, that alone is more than enough.) Being thankful from the heart is necessary for the
receiving of God's continued favors in our lives. Then verse 7 says after this:
1. Have no anxiety or care,
2. Tell God your need, and
3. Be thankful.
Then you will have tremendous peace and contentment no matter what state you are in while you are waiting
for God to work out His will in your life.

Let us not forget Romans 8:28 that says, "All things work together and are fitting into a plan for good to those
who love God and are called according to His purpose." Even the hard times can work into God's perfect plan
for your life. Cast your care, and be a thankful person. Take inventory each day of what you have instead of
counting up all the things that you have not. Meditate on what God has done in your life instead of what you
are still waiting on Him to do. Your flesh wants you to concentrate on what you don't have. Your spirit wants
you to ask God for what you don't have, yet concentrate on what you do have.

John 14:27 (Amplified) says, "Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; do not permit
yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled." Jesus left us a legacy of peace, and He
wants us to use it. I have discovered through years of experience, many of these years spent in frustration and
discontentment, that the secret of being content is to ask God for what I want, and know that "if it is right" He
will bring it to pass "at the right time," and if it isn't right, God will do something much better than what I
asked for anyway. We must learn to trust God completely if we ever intend to enjoy peaceful living. It is good
to trust God for something, but God is calling His people not only to trust Him "for something," but to trust
Him "in everything."

In Genesis 50:20, Joseph, speaking to his brothers who had severely mistreated him, said "As for you, you
thought evil against me; but God meant it for good." The very things we think are awful right now, very often
can turn out to be a great blessing. The greatest trial can develop in you the greatest faith. God spoke this to
my heart a while ago: "Joyce, you see to the end of your nose (which isn't very far), and you assume that
anything that doesn't feel good isn't good. But I see from beginning to end because I am The Beginning and
The End, and I know many things you don't know." We know in part. God is "The All"

Exercise doesn't feel good, but it is good. When a rebellious child receives a spanking, it doesn't feel good,
but it is good. Hebrews 12 teaches us that no chastening for the present seems joyous but grievous,
nevertheless, later on it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Perhaps we need to learn to be more concerned with later on than with right now. Hebrews 12 also says that
for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame, but He is now seated at the right
hand of God. Let's be willing to endure for a season, if it will seat us at His right hand of authority and power.

In conclusion, let me say that the sum of the whole matter is this: TRUST GOD! Hide yourself in the secret
place (in Him). God loves you. He is a good God who only does good things. Be content knowing that His
way is perfect, and He brings with Him a great recompense of reward for those who trust in Him.

How To Enjoy Everyday Life
All of us have a large amount of time that we need to devote to common life or everyday business. You
know what I meanlaundry, grocery store trips, doctor visits, washing the dishes, going to work, etc. We
tend to see these chores as being quite different from and even far below our "spiritual life" or the things we
do that we consider to be holy. Most of us who really love and are devoted to God prefer the holy times to the
common. Holy times include praying, spiritual reading and meditation, sharing conversation about the Lord
with friends, going to church or other spiritual meetings, etc. Seeing these two sides of our life as two entirely
different categories usually causes quite a problem within the believer.

Often we feel divided within ourselves, struggling to get finished with common life and everyday business so
we can return to holy things because we feel that we are holier, or more right with God, when we are doing
what we believe to be holy things. I believe this is one of the greatest deceptions of Satan. It keeps most
people in a state of turmoil, dreading, and even despising, the tasks of common life and everyday business. All
of us must do them; its part of life. They cant be avoided. So we must have understanding about how, in
reality, theres no difference between common and holy, except in our minds. If well read the Bible properly
and not be so religious in our thinking, well move into an area of freedom that will shake the gates of hell.
Satan does not want you to enjoy your life. Naturally, if he can keep you thinking that God is only pleased
with you when youre engaged in some sort of so-called "spiritual activity," he can keep you unhappy a large
part of the time. This misconception is one of his greatest tools to keep people from enjoying life. Often this
comes as a vague feeling that makes believers miserable, and we don't even understand whats wrong. All we
know is that something is amiss.

Everything we do is to be offered to the Lord; and if done so with a pure heart of love, it becomes holy. You
can do common tasks, like go to the grocery store, and itll be just as holy as prayer, as long as you do it all to
the glory and honor of God. In the realm of importance, prayer is certainly more important than a trip to the
grocery store but not any holier. What I mean by prayer being more important is that it has eternal value,
whereas a trip to the store or mopping the floor doesn't.

Romans 14 is an excellent chapter in the Bible to bring liberty in this area. Verses 5 and 6 say: One man
esteems one day as better than another [holier], while another man esteems all days alike [holy]. Let
everyone be fully convinced (satisfied) in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the
Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains,
abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

My personal translation of Romans 14:5,6 is that one man sees prayer and Bible study as better (holier) than
ordinary tasks, while a person whos really free in the Lord sees them all alike (all holy), because whatever he
does, he does in honor of the Lord.

This is true libertyto be able to live an undivided life where we categorize some things as common and
some as holy. As a result, we never enjoythe common things because were desperately trying to either avoid
them completely or at least rush through them so we can get to those things that are holy.

I just learned this lesson while traveling on an airplane to a speaking engagement. I was pondering the thought
of how glad I would be when I got to my destination so I could pray and study. I was feeling very restless.
The Lord began to minister to me that I needed to thoroughly enjoy the airplane ride, and it would be just as
holy to Him if I would offer it to Him. He is holy, and He lives in you so that makes you holy. Therefore,
wherever you go and whatever you do becomes holy. Now, I realize were growing in manifesting holiness,
but I'm sharing that its His presence that makes things holy.

Another thing that had quite an effect on me in this area was a plaque I saw in a pastor's office. It said, "My
work is worship." As long as I remember that, I find myself enjoying everything in common life and everyday
business, as well as prayer, Bible study and other things we define as spiritual.

Join me in this liberated lifestyle and begin to enjoy everyday life.

How to Handle Temptation
Temptation, or giving in to temptation, has been a serious problem since the beginning of time and is still a
very real part of our lives today. Like it or not, we all have to deal with it. Most people may not really
understand temptation and its purpose. In Luke 17:1, Jesus said, ...Temptations (snares, traps set to entice to
sin) are sure to come.... Why do we have to deal with temptation? It strengthens our faith, our spiritual
muscles. If we didnt have to stand against temptation, wed never know our own spiritual strength. Facing
temptations will either bring out the best or worst in us. Sometimes God allows us to be tested because He's
preparing us for promotion. Facing temptations increases our confidence in our ability to recognize and resist
the lies of the enemy.

Temptation comes in many forms. Too often we think of being tempted as being enticed to do big things like
stealing, murdering or committing adultery. But most often were tempted to be impatient, stingy, jealous,
greedy or any number of other things that we consider lesser sins. Satan strikes at our points of weakness. To
develop spiritual strength, we must pass all kinds of tests of temptations both large and small. In Luke 4, we
find that Satan also tempted Jesus, hoping to find an area of weakness to invade. But Jesus stood strong and
defeated the enemy. I believe God knew ahead of time that Jesus would pass the test, and I believe He has
confidence in us that well pass many of our tests too.

STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE DEVIL

I believe that understanding temptation and aggressively resisting it is the only way to stay one step ahead of
the devil. James 1:12 says, Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive
the crown of life...(KJV). To endure temptation means to go through trials without giving up...to outlast the
devil. Enduring also means going through a time of temptation without letting it change your attitude or
commitment. Jesus never treated people differently when He was being tempted, and when we have Christian
maturity, we can follow His example. Jesus understands exactly what we're facing in temptation. For we do
not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our
weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every
respect as we are, yet without sinning (Hebrews 4:15). Sometimes Jesus allows us to face temptations so He
can bring attention to areas of weakness in our lives and help us overcome them. He knows how important it
is for us to know the truth about ourselves. Even though it may be painful to acknowledge that we have
tendencies to be jealous, greedy or prideful, if well deal with it and overcome it, that truth will set us free.
The only way you can have all that Jesus wants you to have is to be what He wants you to be. And that
maturity comes in stages. So be determined to resist the enemy and take authority over him. Trust and obey
God, and rejoice in the promises found in Psalm 94:12,13: Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man
whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him power to keep
himself calm in the days of adversity, until the [inevitable] pit of corruption is dug for the wicked. Through
Christ you can remain steady in the storms of temptation.

DON'T IGNORE THE WARNINGS

For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think
of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate
his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him (Romans
12:3). God has chosen many anointed preachers to give us warnings and instructions about how to handle
certain situations we may face. We usually don't like it when someone tells us that we're headed for trouble
unless we change our direction. We mistakenly believe that when we attend church or do good things, the
preacher should encourage us, and certainly this is true. However, our spiritual leader is also responsible for
exhorting or warning us about impending dangers. One thing that draws us into temptation is thinking too
highly of ourselves and trusting ourselves too much. This is an attitude planted by the enemy, but 1
Corinthians 10:12 warns, Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast
mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin]. We need to realize that Satan tempts us to do evil,
but God tempts us to do good. God says, ...I have set before you life and death...therefore choose
life...(Deuteronomy 30:19). And in John 10:10 we're told, The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and
destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).
Psalm 1:1 states, Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in
the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and
inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the
mockers] gather. The Bible warns us about thinking we can hang out with ungodly people and not be affected.
Pride causes people to ignore warnings; they think they won't be the ones to get caught. But this prideful
attitude has damaged many lives. We must choose to separate ourselves from people who could poison our
temple. God is trying to save our lives. He wants to strengthen us so that no matter what happens in these last
days, we'll be preserved and protected under His covering.

RESIST TEMPTATION AND WIN THE BATTLE

We tend to get too much of our information from the world instead of listening to the inside information from
the Holy Spirit thats available to us. There's a war going on between God and the devil for the use of your
soul. ...the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to
the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in
conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do
(Galatians 5:17). Temptation is not a once in a while thing; we deal with it day in and day out. But God has
provided us with tools to fight: (...the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God...(2 Corinthians 10:4,5 KJV). These verses indicate that we need to keep increasing our
knowledge of the things of God if were to stay ahead of the devil and win the war. Sometimes we try to make
Christianity too complicatedwe think we have to follow certain formulas to stay out of trouble. Psalm 37:3
says, Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and
feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed. This verse makes it pretty simple: Trust God and do
good. That's it!

So often God prompts (tempts) us to do something good, and immediately Satan attacks our mind, causing us
to reason it out. When we fall for that, Satan steals from us the opportunity to do good and be blessed. It
seems that we're better at resisting the temptation to do right than we are at resisting the temptation to do
wrong. Its time to give in to God's temptations. He will never guide you wrong. James 4:7 says, ...be subject
to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you. It's a twofold thing. You cant
resist the devil without submitting to God. And you can't submit to God without resisting the devil. Ephesians
5:18 tells us to ...ever be filled...with the [Holy] Spirit. When youre full of the Spirit, you can drive the spirit
of depression out of your house before it attaches itself to you. But never forget that you're in a war, and you
must use the tools God has given you to fight and resist the devil. Get a grip and face realitythe devil is
alive and well. He wants to steal everything you have, but through the Spirit of God, you can resist the devil
and win the battle! But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you
have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life (Romans 6:22). When we serve God, we
receive the reward of holiness. That doesn't mean well do everything right. I still have my share of mess-
ups, but I am so happy and peaceful. I love my husband, and although he still does some of the things that
used to drive me crazy, they don't bother me at all anymore. Im enjoying the benefits of a holy life, and I'm
peaceful and fulfilled.

THE HIGH COST OF LOW LIVING

Satan tempts us to live a low life, but God tempts us to come up higher. One of the worst mistakes we can
make is to get complacent, thinking that what we have right now is okay. A mindset of low expectations holds
us back because God can only do through us what we believe for. Be careful that you don't get in an okay
place spiritually. I don't want to be average because I don't serve an average God. God is a God of
excellence, and I want to follow His example. Matthew 16:25,26 says, For whoever is bent on saving his
[temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his
comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting]. For what will it profit a man if he gains
the whole world and forfeits his life [his blessed life in the kingdom of God]? Or what would a man give as an
exchange for his [blessed] life [in the kingdom of God]? Low living has a high cost. Nothing is worth giving
up the wonderful, peaceful, joyful, righteous, holy life here on earth and the promise of eternity in heaven. If
your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, yet you spend your life resisting the will of God and living
according to your mind, will and emotions instead of operating in the mind of Christ, you are living the low
life. God wants you to be blessed, but He doesn't want you trying to provide it for yourself. He doesn't want
you to seek things or put things ahead of Him. He tells us in Matthew 6:33, ...seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (KJV). So know yourself and know your
problems. Recognize your strengths and ask God to take care of your weaknesses. Blessed (happy, to be
envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test
and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him
(James 1:12).

Do You Feel Rejected?
The Lord gave this Word to me as I was preparing for one of my conferences, and I believe He wants me to
share it with you. He said:
So many are in prison because they won't accept themselves. So many are so gifted and talented, but they
won't express themselves because they fear rejection. They fear man. They fear what people will think. I want
to love My people, but they hold Me at arms length and won't let Me really love them because they have been
hurt by others. They fear I will reject them because of their weaknesseslike people havebut I will never
reject them. Tell them I love them. Ask them to stop trying so hard to be acceptable to Me and to realize I
accept them where they are. Tell them I don't want perfect performance from them. I want them to love Me
and to let Me love them."

The Lords been having me minister to the body of believers concerning how He looks for a perfect heart and
not perfect performance. We wont impress God with our works unless our heart is pure. A lot of people think
God won't use them until every area of their life is perfected. That type of thinking keeps people from
allowing God to use them. He uses us in spite of us, not because of us. This doesn't mean that we should have
a loose attitude and not desire to live a holy life. A person whose heart is perfect toward God is always going
to earnestly and zealously desire to please God in all things. But we must also remember that Hebrews 4:15
teaches us that we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a
shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who
has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. Verse 16 encourages us, in light of verse 15,
to draw near to God's throne and receive mercy for our failures and to go ahead and get grace to help us in our
time of need. This is one of God's ways of saying He won't reject you because of your weaknesses or
mistakes.

Most of us have grown up on a "merry-go-round" of trying to please people so they won't reject us. We all
have an inbred need to be loved. People usually love you based on your performance. If you do what they
want you to do, they accept you; but if you don't, they reject you. This is the operation of human love, and
none of us know how to do anything else until we taste God's agape love thats not based on man's
performance but is based only on God. He loves you and accepts you because He decided to, not because of
what you do or dont do. Once again let me say, this doesn't mean you shouldn't desire holiness; but you'll
never arrive at new levels of holiness if you think God rejects you and withholds His love every time you fail.
Remember Hebrews 4:15,16. He knows you're weak, so admit that you are and let Him help you anyway.

2 Chronicles 16:9 says, ...the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to [show] himself
strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him(KJV).

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 says that God purposely chooses the weak and foolish things of the world to confound
the wise.

I would, in my natural thinking, think that He would look for a perfect specimensomeone who has it all
together, a strong person whod never fail Him or let Him down. But instead He looks for a person whose
heart is perfect toward Him.

God desires to heal His people from past hurts caused by rejection. He wants you to know He will never reject
you. He says in Matthew 11:28, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest" (NKJV). This is referring to those who are laboring at trying to be perfect and then beating themselves
with guilty feelings when they fail.

Jesus was talking to the people who were trying to live under the laws of the Pharisees. It takes a lot to please
a Pharisee, and theyre still around today. I'm sure you know onesomeone who conveys to you the message,
"I'll accept you if you perform perfectly and please me. I'll reject you and withhold my love if you don't."

Jesus isnt a Pharisee. He says in John 3:18 that he who believes in Him will never be rejected. Believe in
Him, love Him and desire His will. You'll be off to a good start. Hell bring you across the finish line. And
remember, you may not be performing perfectly, but if you have a perfect heart toward Him, He counts you as
perfect while youre making the trip. Oh yes, one main thing I need to say: Be sure you are not a Pharisee.
God has placed people all around you who need love and acceptance. Give it to them, and you'll help them
become the best person they can be.

Do It Afraid!
Fear! Has it ever been a problem for you, holding you back from moving into areas that could enrich your
own life and the lives of others? There is a solution.

One of the many benefits available to Christians is freedom from fear. When we avoid making changes or
confronting issues in our lives because of fear or dread, we need to remember that God has promised to go
before us and bring us through victoriously as we obey Him.

When were facing a job interview, for example, instead of being afraid that well make a bad impression and
fail to get the position, we need to ask God to prepare the heart and mind of the interviewer and help us
present ourselves in the very best light. When God "prepares the way," we can trust that whatever happens
will turn out for our good according to His perfect plan for us.

The Bible tells of a man named Abram who trusted God in spite of his own personal fear. Now...the Lord said
to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your
father's house, to the land that I will show you (Genesis 12:1).

How would you feel if God told you to leave your home, your family and everything that is familiar and
comfortable and head out to an unknown destination? Full of fear? Thats precisely the challenge Abram
facedand it frightened him. But God's words to him were, "Fear not." Its the same message He gave to
Joshua when He called him to lead the children of Israel to take the land He had promised to give them as
their inheritance (see Joshua 1:6-9). And to all who set out to follow God's plan today, He says, "Fear not."

Elisabeth Elliot, whose husband was killed along with four other missionaries in Ecuador, says that her life
was completely controlled by fear. Every time she started to step out to minister, fear stopped her. Then a
friend told her something that set her free. Her friend said, "Why don't you do it afraid?" Elisabeth listened
and took that advice. Together with Rachel Saint, the sister of one of the murdered missionaries, they went on
to evangelize the Indian tribes of Ecuador, including the very people who had killed their loved ones.

Many times we think we should wait to do something until we are no longer afraid, but if we did that, wed
probably accomplish very little for God, for others, or even for ourselves. Both Abram and Joshua had to step
out in faith and obedience to God and do what He had commanded them to doeven though they were afraid.

I believe the words fear not simply mean don't run. So the solution to fear is simple: Rather than bowing our
knee and giving in to it, we must stand firm against it, knowing that God has gone before us and prepared the
way.

This is precisely what God wants us to do. Even if our mouth is dry and our knees are shaking, we need to
keep asking God to strengthen us. We need to determine that our lives are not going to be ruled by fear but by
the Word of God.

As we saw before in Genesis, God gave Abram a tall order. He said, "Pack up and leave everyone you know
and everything youre comfortable with and go to a place I will show you." If Abram had bowed his knee to
fear, he never wouldve fulfilled his destiny to become all God created him to bethe father of many nations.

In the same way, if Joshua hadnt overcome his fear and been obedient to God's command to lead His people
into the Promised Land, they never wouldve enjoyed all that God had prepared for them.

Giving in to fear alters God's best plan for your life. So use the power of God's Word to do what He wants you
to do...even if you have to do it afraid! The rewards are great.

Dealing with Anger...God's Way
Everybody has to deal with anger from time to time. But whats the best way to handle it? To answer that
question, we must first understand what anger really is. Anger is an emotion often characterized by feelings of
great displeasure, indignation, hostility, wrath and vengeance. Many times, reacting in anger is how we
express our dissatisfaction with life. Its defined in the Greek language as the strongest of all passions. Anger
begins with a feeling thats often expressed in words or actions. We feel something and it causes a reaction.

GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM

Anger is the fruit of rotten roots. One of the primary roots of anger stems from the family. Angry people come
from angry families because they learn from their role models and carry on the same behavior in their own
lives, eventually passing it on to their children.

OTHER ROOTS OF ANGER INCLUDE:

Injusticewhen people mistreat us but theres nothing we can do about it, we get angry because we feel it
isn't fair. As much as wed like to change the situation or the person whos treating us badly, we can't. People
can't change people; only God can change people. So it's best to put our energy into praying for the offender.

Strifewhich is hidden, repressed anger, begins with judgment, gossip, backbiting and thinking too highly of
yourself. Strife is often exhibited in arguing, bickering, heated disagreements and angry undercurrents.

Impatienceoften produces anger when we can't get what we want when we want it. When our progress is
hindered or slowed down because of others, its easy to become impatient. Most of us struggle with
impatience on a daily basis simply because of today's fast-paced world.

Abuse of any kindsexual, physical, verbal, emotional or mental abuse almost always leads to anger.
Theyre all injustices, which eventually leave the abused feeling helpless and angry. Abuse of any kind cant
be ignored. We must deal with it and process it before we can get free of it.

Unmet needscan also produce anger. We all have needs that can and should be met by those closest to us;
however, they dont know and understand our needs unless we communicate with them. But even then they
may sometimes fail to meet our needs. Therefore, the answer is to go to God with our needs and not to other
people.

Jealousyanger caused by jealousy was one of the first negative emotions mentioned in the Bible. Genesis 4
tells us that Cain killed his brother Abel because he was jealous to the point of being angry. Although this is
one of the more extreme results of jealousy, it reminds us of how dangerous jealousy can be.

In todays society many people feel their status is dependent on their job or position in the church. Because of
this mindset, theyre afraid someone else may get promoted ahead of them. Jealousy causes them to try to be
important in the eyes of man. If you have this problem, understand that God has you where you are for a
reason. He knows whats in your future, and He may have you in training for it right now. Theres a big
difference between being able and being ready to do a specific thing. So don't despise the days of small
beginnings. Remember, we must answer to God. Our rewards come from obeying the specific callings Hes
placed on our lives, not from the great things we accomplish as far as the world is concerned.

Other roots that lead to anger include fear of confrontation, insecurity, and feeling controlled by a job or other
people and their problems. I used to get mad at people who controlled me until God told me one day, "Youre
just as guilty as they are because you're letting them do it." We shouldnt put excessive pressure on ourselves
by making too many commitments just because we don't want to say no to someone.

MASKS OF ANGER

Sometimes we use masks to cover up the things we don't want anybody to see. If were harboring anger, we
think masking it keeps others from knowing the real us. So we hide behind a variety of masks in an attempt to
trick people into thinking we're something or someone we're not. Ive discovered that people respect you more
if you share your real self with them rather than trying to hide everything. After all, people can tell when
something isnt right. You may think you're hiding your anger, but itll eventually find a way to come out
either in voice tone, body language or attitudes. Some people use the cold-shoulder mask. When someone
makes them angry, they may say theyve forgiven them, but they become cold, showing no warmth or
emotion in dealing with that individual. These people live a lonely existence. Because theyre so afraid of
being hurt, they avoid close, meaningful relationships. This is a classic example of "choosing your pain."
Theyll choose the pain of living an isolated, lonely life instead of working through the problem, determined
to develop good friendships. Other people like to use the silent-treatment mask. They say they're not angry
with you, yet they refuse to talk to you, or they only communicate when its absolutely necessary, usually
with a grunt or nod. When people avoid being with, touching, or doing things for the person they're angry
with, they're hiding behind a mask, which isnt the answer.

FACE THE TRUTH...AND CHOOSE YOUR PAIN

If you want the great and mighty things God has for you, you must get to the root of anger and deal with it.
Get rid of the masks and face the things that happened in your life that made you the way you are today.
Admit that you can't change by yourself. Until the root is removed, itll continue to produce one bad fruit after
another. Too often we spend our lives dealing with the bad fruit of our behavior, but we never dig deep
enough to get to the root of the problem. Actually, when we're faced with anger, we must choose our pain.
Digging deep to take care of the bad root is painful, but its the only lasting way to take care of the problem.
We can either suffer positively, doing whats right or we can go with the devil's plan. But remember, the same
devil who tempts you to follow your human feelings will later condemn you for doing it. You must decide if
you want the pain that will take you into a new realm of glory or to keep your same old pain and try to hide it
while it's rotting inside you.

Peter tells us to be well-balanced and temperate, withstanding the devil at his onset (see 1 Peter 5:8,9). When
you begin to feel anger, it's the perfect time to exercise the fruit of self-control. You may have a good reason
to be angry, but dont use it as an excuse to stay that way. Instead of denying or justifying it, ask God to help
you deal with it in a positive way. Romans 12:21 gives good advice: Do not let yourself be overcome by evil,
but overcome (master) evil with good. When Satan attacks you, instead of getting mad, go bless someone.
Responding in a positive way is the direct opposite of what the enemy wants you to do, defeating his plan to
keep you upset. It doesn't come naturally, and it isn't always easy, but when we do what we can do, God will
do what we can't do. Do not be quick in spirit to be angry or vexed, for anger and vexation lodge in the bosom
of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:9). If we hang on to anger, we're just being foolish. We must turn the anger and the
people who caused it over to God and let Him take care of it. ...Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says
the Lord (Romans 12:19). Trust God and He will take care of you and protect you. You can't change your
past, but when you give it to God, Hell use it to bring you a better future.

IS ANGER SIN?

Is all anger sin? No, but some of it is. Even God Himself has righteous anger against sin, injustice, rebellion
and pettiness. Anger sometimes serves a useful purpose, so it isn't necessarily always a sin. Obviously, were
going to have adverse feelings, or God wouldnt have needed to provide the fruit of self-control. Just being
tempted to do something is not sin. It's when you don't resist the temptation, but do it anyway, that it becomes
sin. God sometimes allows us to feel anger so well recognize when were being mistreated. But even when
we experience true injustices in our lives, we must not vent our anger in an improper way. We must guard
against allowing anger to drag us into sin. Ephesians 4:26,27 tells us, When angry, do not sin; do not ever let
your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.Leave no [such] room
or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]. Refuse to give the devil any opportunity to get a
foothold in your life through anger.

All anger, regardless of its cause, has the same effect on our lives. It upsets us, causing us to feel pressure.
Keeping anger locked inside and pretending it doesn't exist can even be dangerous to our health. Most of the
time were only hurting ourselves, and the person who angered us isnt even aware of it. So we must take
responsibility for our anger and learn to deal with it. Process it and bring closure to it, and that will relieve the
pressure. I have been through some rough times in my life, and for many years those experiences caused me to
feel miserable. I was so mad about the abuse in my childhood that it was making me bitter and hateful. I was
angry with everybody, but one day God confronted me and said, "Joyce, are you going to let that make you
bitter or better?" That got my attention, and I eventually had to find a positive way to process my anger. That
was a place of new beginnings for me. When you face your anger and decide to deal with it God's way, you
can overcome it. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to be stable and walk in the fruit of the Spirit. We have
the power to forgive those who do injustices in our lives and to love the unlovely.

TAKE STEPS TOWARD FREEDOM

People are born to be free; its a gift from God. Were not to be free from responsibility, but free to be led by
the Holy Spirit. Any time our freedom is taken away or given away, we experience anger. Are you willing to
go through whatever it takes to be free, or do you want to stay in the mess you're in for the rest of your life? If
you want to be free, just start doing what God wants you to do, one step at a time, and youll eventually walk
out of your messes. When we are battling anger, we must realize that ...we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12 KJV). When Satan makes you angry, remember that he's trying to
keep you from accomplishing the will of God in your life.

In 2 Timothy 4:5, Paul told Timothy to be calm, cool and collected and to keep performing the duties of his
ministry. Thats good advice for all of us. When we get angry, we should calm down and start doing what God
has called us to do. You can be bitter or betterit's up to you! If you're mad about something, instead of
letting it ruin your life, turn it into something good. Overcome evil and anger by praying for those who hurt
and abuse you. Forgive them and be a blessing to them. It may not be easy at first, but when you make the
decision and stick with it, God will take care of the rest.

Dare to Be Different!
Are you tired of playing games, wearing masks or trying to be someone other than yourself? Wouldn't you
like the freedom to just be accepted for who you are, without the pressure to be someone you really don't
know how to be? Would you like to learn how to embrace your uniqueness and resist the pull to be like
everyone else?

God knew what He was doing when He made you. You are a unique individualGod created you the way
you are! It's time that we dare to accept ourselves as different and stop being insecure about who we are.

Be Courageous
If youre going to overcome insecurities and be the person Gods called you to be, you must have the courage
to be different. Unhappiness and frustration happen when we reject our uniqueness and try to be like each
other. If youre going to be successful at being completely you, then youre going to have to take a chance on
not being like everyone else. You must ask yourself, Am I a people pleaser or a God pleaser?

Who Decides Your Worth?
Becoming a people pleaser is one of the easiest things we can do...but it can ultimately make us very unhappy.
When we begin pleasing others, we begin to hear comments that make us feel good about ourselves. Thats
okay as long as we don't derive our sense of worth from it. People are too fickle for us to place our sense of
worth in their opinions. Were worth something because God says we're worth somethingnot because of
what people think or say about us.

People pleasers allow others to control their lives in order to gain acceptance and approval. But God doesn't
want us to be easily manipulated or controlled by others. We shouldn't let other people's opinions of us control
our actions.

Walking in Love
At the same time, we must walk in love. We can't just do anything we want, whenever we want, with total
disregard for the feelings of others. We can't say, "I'm going to do this, and if you don't like it, that's tough
that's your problem!" The Bible commands us to love others, and love doesn't behave that way. However, we
must not allow people to manipulate and control us to the point that were never free to be who we are. If we
do, well always try to become the person we think others expect us to be.

Break Out of the Mold
The world (those we know and deal with on a daily basis who may be family, friends, people in the
neighborhood or even in the church) is continually trying to conform us to its image. The word conform
means "to be similar in form or character; to behave in accordance with prevailing modes or customs.
Romans 12:2 says, Do not be conformed to this world (this age),but be transformed (changed) by the
[entire] renewal of your mindIts then that we find the good and acceptable will of God for our lives.

People will always try to fit us into their mold, partly due to their own insecurity. It makes them feel better
about what they are doing if they can get someone else to do it too. Very few people have the ability to be
who they are and let everybody else be who they are. Can you imagine how nice the world would be if we
would all do that? Each person would be secure in who he is and let others be who they are. We would not
have to try to be imitations of each other.

Unique for a Purpose
God wants to take us, with all our weaknesses and inabilities, and transform us, by working from the inside
out, to do something powerful in this earth. If were going to overcome insecurities and succeed at being
ourselves, we can't continue to be afraid of what everybody else may think. We can't continue to allow others
to fit us into their mold. We are different! We are unique! God created us this way to accomplish His purposes
here on earth.

Daily Battles of the Mind
Did you know that we are in a war every day? We see the casualties everywherepeople falling from disease,
divorce and tragedy. Looking around at all the suffering, we may think the battles in hospitals and divorce
courts are being lost. But in reality, were losing the advanced and more important conflictthe battle in our
minds.

Each day our minds are bombarded with a constant stream of nagging thoughts, suspicions, doubts and fears.
While any one of these can cause defeat and devastation, we are often plagued by more than onefilling our
daily lives with mental combat against an array of aggressors.

Since we fail to identify the battlefield, we also fail to correctly identify our foe. We tend to believe people,
money, religion or the system are our problems. In an attempt to defend ourselves, we build strongholds in
our mind. Strongholds are areas of thinking not based on truth but lies. Instead of protecting us, they actually
imprison us. Unless we renew our mind, we risk continuing to believe those lies and making important
decisions based on deception.

Let me give you an example of how strongholds of wrong thinking can destroy a marriage. Mary and her
husband, John, are not enjoying a happy marriage. There is strife between them all the time. They are angry,
bitter and resentful. Now their two children are starting to show signs of being affected by all the dissension at
home. One of the kids is even developing stomach problems brought on by stress from the conflict.

Mary's problem is that she doesn't know how to let John be the head of their family. She is bossyshe wants
to make all the decisions, handle the finances, and discipline the children. She wants to work so she will have
her "own" money. Shes independent, loud and demanding. Mary knows her attitude is wrong and wants to
change. She's been in counseling and is constantly asking people to pray for God to help her. But she hasn't
seen any improvement. Why? Mary has trouble controlling her actions because she has trouble controlling her
thoughts. She has a hard time knowing what thoughts to control because of the strongholds in her mind
strongholds that were built very early in her life.

As a child, Mary had an extremely domineering father. For years she suffered helplessly as her father
mistreated her and her mother. He was disrespectful in all his ways except toward Mary's brother who could
do no wrong. It seemed as if he was favored just because he was a boy. By the time she was sixteen, the
strongholds in Mary's mind were firmly established. The stronghold of lies went like this: "Men really think
they're something. They are all alike, and you can't trust any of them. They will hurt you and take advantage
of you." As a result, Mary's mind was made up: "When I get away from home, nobody is ever going to push
me around again!"

Before Mary can ever have victory in her life and peace in her marriage, she will have to tear down the
strongholds that are ruling her thinking. Do you see yourself in Mary's life? Many of us have given in to
deception at one time or another. How can these strongholds be torn down? We must be willing to receive the
light of Truth in our minds. Our search for Truth begins in God's Word, which says that the Truth will set us
free (see John 8:32). This means we can be free from bondage, sin and strongholds in our minds. But just
searching for Truth won't set us free. We must be courageous enough to also believe the Truth.

Even when the Truth illuminates whats inside of us, it's sometimes hard to accept. Its a painful process to
face our deceptions and deal with them. It's so easy to allow our past and how we were raised to negatively
affect us for the rest of our lives. Our past may explain why we're suffering, but we must not use it as an
excuse to stay in bondage. You may have some major strongholds in your life that need to be torn down. Let
me encourage you by saying, God is on your side. There is a war going on, and your mind is the battlefield.
But the good news is that God is fighting on your side!

Doing Your Best with What You Have
Do you have joy in your life every single day? This is God's will for you, and He has provided the keys that
will bring happiness, contentment and joy regardless of your circumstances.

Are you convinced that your particular circumstances make happiness and enjoyment impossible for you?
Well, its not true! The keys that God offers you are designed to open doors that you may have thought were
locked forever.

Learning to be happy with yourself is a very important key to enjoying your life. If you know that God wants
you to enjoy life, why does it sometimes seem impossible? Could it be that youre unhappy with yourself
because you're not perfect? God doesn't require us to be perfectHe made us, and He knows were human
and will make mistakes. Our job is to get up every day and do our best to use the keys He has provided for us.
And when we fail, we must get right with God, receive His forgiveness and go on. We need to quit being so
hard on ourselves and enjoy our lives right where we are.

Many people feel that God can't use them because theyre not perfectthis is a lie. God (the Potter) uses
cracked pots (that's us) to do His work. As Christians, we are containers that God wants to fill with His
goodness and light. Then were to carry that goodness and light to a dark world, sharing it with people
everywhere we go. Don't be afraid of your flaws; acknowledge them and allow God to use you anyway. Quit
worrying about what you're not and give God what you are.

I once read a story that beautifully illustrates the value of cracked pots:

A water bearer in India had two large pots hanging at the ends of a pole that he carried across his neck. One
of the pots was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream
to the master's house. The other pot had a crack in it, and by the time it reached its destination, it was only
half full. Every day for two years the water bearer delivered only one and one-half pots of water to the
master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishmentsperfect to the end for which it
was made. The poor little cracked pot was ashamed of its imperfections and miserable that it could
accomplish only half of what it had been designed to do. After two years of what the imperfect pot perceived
to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer and said, "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize
to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer, "What are you ashamed of?"

"Well, for these past two years, I have been able to deliver only half a load of water each day because this
crack in my side allows water to leak out all the way back to the master's house. Because of my flaws, you
have to do all this work without getting the full value of your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the
master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the
old cracked pot noticed the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path. But at the end of the trail, it still felt
bad because half of its load had leaked out once again.

Then the bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path and not
on the other pot's side? That's because I've always known about your flaw and took advantage of it by
planting flower seeds on your side of the path. Every day as we walked back from the stream, you watered
those seeds, and for two years I have picked these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without
you being just what you are, he would not have had this beauty to grace his house."

Like that cracked pot, you too can accomplish wonderful things. You can make somebody happy. You can
encourage, edify and exhort those around you. You can use your gifts and talents to serve Godand as a
bonus, youll learn to have joy in every area of your life.

What to Do When Youre Waiting on God
Have you been praying about a situation in your life and found yourself waiting for a breakthrough? Are you
wondering why the answer hasn't come yet? Do you feel as though victory is passing you by?

Sometimes when we pray long and hard about a situation in our life without receiving any answers, we just
learn to live with it. We go on about our business, wondering if or when God will send the answer. But God
does hear those prayers, and Hes working out the answers even though we may not know all the details. Our
situation can change suddenlyquickly without warning!

But one thing is certain: Before God moves suddenly, we will wait. Waiting for answers is a fact of life
nobody gets out of it. So the question is not if we'll wait, but rather how well wait. And I believe how will
determine how long.

Two Ways to Wait
All of us will wait passively, or we'll wait expectantly. A passive person hopes something good will happen
and is willing to sit around waiting to see if it does. After a short time, he gives up, saying, "Thats it! I've
waited and waited and nothing's happened." The passive person has a lot of wishbone but not much backbone!

The expectant person, on the other hand, is hopeful, believing the answer is just around the corner, due to
arrive any minute. His belief is not a passive thing. His heart is full of hope, expecting his problem to be
solved at any moment. He wakes up every morning expecting to find his answer. He may wait and wait, but
suddenly what hes been waiting for happens.

Expect It to Happen
Its just like when a woman is pregnant; it's said that she is expecting a baby. She carries inside her the
promise of a baby, and even though she cant see it, she knows it's there. The moment she learns of her
pregnancy, she begins to plan for her baby's arrival. She starts collecting items she'll need and busily gets the
nursery ready. She actively prepares for the arrival of the baby because she knows the promise will be
fulfilledit's just a matter of time. She is expectant and she'll wait as long as it takes.

We know the word wait means "to expect" or "to look for." But remember, it also means "to serve" just
like a waiter waits on your table at a restaurant. Our act of waiting isnt supposed to be spent sitting around
passively hoping that something will happen sometime soon.

Be Eager with Faith
Once we've asked God to answer a question or solve a problem, we need to be eagerly awaiting His answer.
We need to be serving actively, aggressively and expectantly. When our hearts are eager to hear from God, He
loves to rush in suddenly with His solution. In many cases this waiting period actually serves as a time of
preparation for the answer. If God answered right away, many of us would be ill-prepared to handle His
solution.

Sometimes we find ourselves in such horrible messes that it's hard to imagine waiting one more second. But
we need to keep waiting on God and trusting Him with a sweet and simple faith. Then, in a way we never
could've figured outGod moves suddenly!

Then All of a Sudden...
In the Bible Paul and Silas knew about waiting, and they waited well. Acts 16 tells the story of how they were
attacked by a crowd, beaten and thrown in jail. Verse 24 says the jailer...put them into the inner prison (the
dungeon) and fastened their feet in the stocks. He was making sure they couldn't escape. But about midnight,
God showed up. Now it would have been nice if He'd come a little earlier, but Paul and Silas didnt seem to
mindthey just decided to start singing and began to worship the Lord. They began to wait on God.

Verses 25 & 26 say, But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God,
and the [other] prisoners were listening to them, suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very
foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once all the doors were opened and everyone's shackles were
unfastened. God answered them suddenly!

When people patiently and expectantly wait on God in the midst of horrible circumstances, suddenly God
breaks through.

So don't give up! Dont stop believing! Stay full of hope and expectation. God's power is limitless, and He'll
break through for you.

Be a Servant, Not a Martyr!
We all know what a martyr is. Weve all heard heartrending stories of heroic men and women who, down
through the ages, have paid the ultimate price and been killed for what they believe. But there's another kind
of martyr without courage and nobility. Im sure we all know onea great and constant sufferer whos always
willing to share their pain with anyone who will listen. This martyr wants everyone around to know the
sacrifices theyre making in their life.

I once knew a woman like this. She felt like a slave to her family, and she definitely had the attitude of a
martyr. I got so tired of hearing her continually talk about how much she did for everyone and how little
anyone appreciated her. I could tell she kept a running account of the work she was doing versus the reward
she was receiving for it. Eventually, she ruined her marriage and most of her relationships with her children.
What a tragedy!

The "martyr trap" is such an easy one to fall into. We start out serving our families and friends and loving it.
But after a while, our hearts begin to change and we begin to expect something in return. After all, we're
working so hard and sacrificing so much. Eventually, we no longer have the heart of a servant. We become
discouraged because our expectations aren't being met. Our attitude sours, and we soon find out we've become
mired in self-pity. Weve become a martyr.

One morning as I got up and went downstairs to make coffee, the Lord encouraged me to make a fruit salad
for my husband. Dave loves fruit salad in the morning, and I knew it would be a nice gesture for me to do this
for him. He wasn't up yet, so I had time to prepare it and then surprise him with it when he came downstairs.

The problem was I didn't want to make him a fruit salad. I wouldve taken him a banana or an apple, but I
didn't want to take the time to cut up all the fruit, put it in a bowl, and then serve it to him. I wanted to go pray
and read my Bible instead! I thought, Why do I always have to do this stuff for him? Why doesn't he do things
for me? After all, I have to study the Bible and pray. It's my ministry!

It's funny how we sometimes make the mistake of thinking that spiritual activity somehow takes the place of
obedience and makes us more holybecause it doesnt. The Lord patiently reminded me that serving my
husband in this way was actually serving Him. So I obediently made the fruit salad and surprised Dave with it
when he came downstairs.

I wonder how many marriages could have been saved from divorce if husbands and wives had been willing to
show love by serving one another. It seems that everyone today wants to be free, and Jesus has indeed set us
free. But He never intended for us to use that freedom selfishly. He wants us to serve others.

I definitely love my husband, and sometimes that love is best expressed through service. Words are
wonderful, but when you walk in love, your commitment must contain much more than just words. How can I
truly love my husband if I never want to do anything for him?

I don't recall getting any particular reward that morning for making Dave's fruit salad. He did thank me, but
nothing spectacular happened. However, I'm sure there were rewards of peace and joy in my life that I didn't
even realizebenefits of obedience that I didn't even see.

I'm sure we lose a lot of blessings we never even know about simply because we fail to do for others what we
would like to have done for us. We always want to be blessed in return by the people we bless, but it doesn't
always work that way.

If your marriage or family isn't what you would like it to be, you could literally turn it around by adopting this
one principle right now. You may have been waiting for your spouse to do something for you. Maybe you
have even been stubbornly refusing to be the first to make a move. Swallow your pride and save your
marriage. Stop talking about all the sacrifices you make and start serving your spouse. Make them the focus,
not youand be a servant, not a martyr!

Alone Doesn't Have to Mean Lonely
A major problem facing many people today is loneliness. As I travel the world, I see an increasing number of
people requesting help and guidance on handling loneliness in their lives.

In the Bible God tells us we are not alone. He wants to deliver, comfort and heal us. But when people
encounter painful losses in their lives, sadly, many never get over them. Sometimes when sudden tragedy
occurs, the hurt seems unbearable. Without help, a sense of loneliness can actually settle on a person or family
like a cloud, and it doesn't seem to go away.

There are many causes of loneliness, but many people don't realize that they don't have to live with it. They
can confront it and deal with it. Loneliness often manifests as an inner ache, a vacuum, or a craving for
affection. Its side effects include feelings of emptiness, uselessness or purposelessness.

Are you alone (independent, solitary, on your own)? Or, are you lonely (desolate, deserted, dejected due to a
lack of companionship)? There is a very real difference. Its important to realize that just because you are
alone, it doesn't mean you must be lonely or lonesome. While it may not always be possible to avoid being
alone, there are always answers to loneliness. Many times loneliness results from a trauma or crisis due to the
death of a loved one, a divorce, or separation. When something happens that makes us realize that things are
never going to be the way they once were, it often creates crisis or trauma in our lives, which can lead to a
sense of loneliness and despair.

Like a healing wound, the pain may be felt for a long time, but complete recovery requires daily improvement.
When a physical wound refuses to heal, it indicates theres an infection that must be dealt with. I believe the
same is true of emotional wounds: the emotional part of us should heal just like the physical part of us. God
gave us emotions just as He gave us physical bodies. He has provided for our emotional restoration in Him
just as He has provided for it physically. While it is true that you may always miss the person or the thing that
was lost, it doesnt mean that you must suffer permanent loneliness.

I believe there are two things anyone wishing to overcome loneliness must do:

1. Know that God is with you all the time. In the Bible God reminds us that He is always with us and He'll
never forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5). Loneliness often leads us to ask ourselves all sorts of questions that can't
be answered, such as: What if I am alone for the rest of my life? What if this pain I am feeling never goes
away? What if a problem arises that I don't know how to handle on my own? What if...what if...what if...? The
questions could go on and on endlessly. Chances are, you'll never be able to answer the "what ifs" in life. But
as long as you know that the Lord is with you, you can be assured that He has all the answers you need.

2. Press aggressively into a new life. Not everything in your life is over; just one part of it has ended. One
season has passed and another can now beginif you are willing to take action. Don't just passively sit and
wait for something to happen or someone to come along. Go make new friends. Find someone else who is
lonely and be a friend to that person. You will reap what you sow, and God will return that friendship many
times over.

Let the loneliness you feel turn into compassion for other lonely people, and then decide to do something
about it!


Abuse and the Miracle of Recovery
During my childhood I was abused sexually, emotionally, verbally and physically. Many of you have also
been abused, or you deal with someone in your life who comes from an abusive, dysfunctional background.

What does abuse mean? It means to misuse, to use improperly, to use up or to injure by maltreatment. The
effects of abuse can be devastating and long-lasting. Many people never recover from it. Let me give you a
brief definition of the four types of abuse.

Sexual abuse: considered to be the most degrading and offensive; consists of rape, molestation, incest,
exhibitionism, voyeurism and obscene phone calls.
Emotional abuse: consists of withholding attention, loving touches and words of acceptance. Love is only
given based on acceptable performance. Abandonment is a type of emotional abuse and can occur when one
or both parents leave the child physically or mentally. Adults can also experience abandonment if important
people in their lives leave suddenly or violently.
Verbal abuse: can be overt or covert. Overt: aggressive, angry words that say youre flawed or unacceptable.
Covert: loving words of acceptance that help you develop properly are withheld.
Physical abuse: consists of beatings, unfair discipline, being locked in closets or dark rooms and withholding
food.

Although I appeared to function normally in society, I had multiple inward problems and complicated
personality disorders. There were several things going on in me at the time that prevented me from receiving
and experiencing the righteousness, peace and joy of Gods kingdom (see Romans 14:17). But Jesus came so
that we could have and enjoy kingdom living.

I was bitter about my past and had a chip on my shoulder, which caused me to have the attitude that everyone
owed me preferential treatment. I was full of self-pity, especially if things didnt go my way. I was
controlling, manipulative, fearful, insecure and harsh. I was just plain hard to get along with and often
downright obnoxious. I was judgmental, suspicious and very negative. I experienced a lot of guilt and
condemnation. I had a shame-based nature; therefore, everything I attempted was poisoned. Since I didnt like
who I was, I spent many years trying to be like someone else. Im sure you get the pictureI was quite a
mess!

Now, what Im getting ready to say is important. I was born again and actively involved in church life. We
attended church regularly and did church work. Our lives revolved around the church, but I was not getting
victory over my problems. In fact, the really sad part was that I didnt even understand that I had a problem. I
thought everyone else had a problem and that if they would change, I would be happy.

In 1976 I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 speaks of receiving Gods power to be His
witnesses. Notice it does not say to do witnessing but to be witnesses. The Bible says we are to be living
epistles and read by all men (see 2 Corinthians 3:2), light in a dark world, and the salt of the earth (see
Matthew 5:13,14). Doing is a different thing than being. I had my outside polished up, but my inner life was a
wreck. Quite often the inner turmoil exploded, and then everybody could see I wasnt quite what I appeared to
be.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in my life gave me a real love for God's Word and an ability to understand it
like never before. Second Corinthians 3:18 says looking into the Word of God is like looking into a mirror
which transforms us into His image from glory to glory. I have been changing ever since. I have changed and
changed and changed. And Im still changing! Most of those problems are completely gone, and the rest only
flare up occasionally. I even look differentyounger, happier, more peaceful.

Second Corinthians 5:17 says that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away;
and all things are made new. But that really doesnt mean everything from the past just vanishes. The
Amplified Bible brings it out this way: Behold, the fresh and new has come! In other words, without Jesus
there is no hope for newness of life. The past always affects the future without the power of God to overcome
it. But even with Jesus, we are not automatically free from the past. When the fresh and new comes, there is
opportunity to be free. But we must give the Word of God an exalted place in our lives. We must face the
truth as it is revealed to us in His Word, and then the truth will set us free as it is acted upon.

I want to encourage you to keep pressing on! Philippians 1:6 says that He who has begun a good work in you
is able to bring it to completion. You will keep changing if you stay in Gods Word and keep looking to Jesus,
who is the author and the finisher of your faith (see Hebrews 12:2). Now I am enjoying the kingdom living of
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. And no matter what youve experienced in your past or how
many problems you have, God will do a miracle for you! He will change you into the image of Jesus Christ
and give you a new life worth living!

Make Changes in Your Life That Last
How serious are you about wanting change in your life? A lot of us want our lives to changebut were not
willing to do our part.

If you really want things to change in your lifeand experience the fullness of the life Jesus died to give
youhere are some things that you need to do.

Spend Time with God
First, examine your priorities and see what needs to change. You cant think spending 45 minutes or an hour
in church on Sunday mornings is all you need to live in victory. Since the devil is alive and well every day,
then you need a daily walk with God.

The wonderful thing is, theres no formula. You can just be with Him. Pray, laugh, cry, talk or sit still and not
open your mouth. Its that easy.

Stand Up on the Inside
Next, you need to get serious about changing your life. Every one of us has an outer life and an inner life.
Many of us want our outside circumstance to change while we stay depressed on the inside. But before you
can get up on the outside, you have to get up on the inside.

You may have a circumstance in your life right now where you feel like you have no choice but to sit down. If
thats the case, tell yourself youre going to stay enthusiastic, passionate, stirred up, excited, positive, and full
of hope and faith on the inside. Make up your mind that youre never going to quit.

Get Up and Clean Up!
In John 5 theres a story about a man who I believe represents a lot of people who refuse to change.

During a Jewish feast in Jerusalem, Jesus visited the Bethesda pool where sick people gathered, hoping to get
healed. One of the people waiting to get healed was a man who had been crippled for 38 years. When Jesus
saw him, He asked if he wanted to be healed.

To me, the mans answer tells us why he hadnt been healed in 38 years. He said, I have no one to help me
into the pool when the water is stirred. Bottom line, the man had avoided responsibility.

His second problem was that he blamed others. The man said, While I am trying to get in, someone else goes
down ahead of me.

How did Jesus respond? Jesus didnt feel sorry for him. Instead, Jesus said, rather sternly, Get up! Pick up
your mat and walk. In other words, stop being lazy and get on with your life.

For change to occur in your life, its not only important that you stop being a prisoner of your circumstances.
You also have to choose to become a prisoner of hope. This means being a person who cannot get away from
hope. If youll do this, youll receive double of anything thats taken away from you. Thats a promise from
God.

Never Give Up!
It was a special day in my life when I realized I didnt have to give up; I could have hope in the worst
circumstances. Regardless of what the situation looks like, I believe that God can give me a breakthrough.

We all want instantaneous breakthrough, but its going to take time. And you may go through long periods,
even years, feeling like you havent made any progress at all, but you have.

Most of the time change occurs daily in little increments that you dont even notice. But if youll just look
back after a year or two, youll realize that things in your life have changed.

No matter what your circumstance or situation is, you can choose to change. You can choose to hope. You can
choose to never give up. You can choose to experience the life Jesus died to give you. Now get up and go!

How to Follow Forgiveness Instead of Our Emotions
How do you respond when someone hurts your feelings? Do you let it rob you of joy? Or maybe your
emotions run wild?

Luke 6:27,28 NIV tells us what we should do when people hurt us:
But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.

Can you believe that? Were to pray something like, Oh, Lord, I pray that Youd just make them so happy!

I still dont get that, but Im willing to do it in obedience and say, Lord, I dont know that I really want them
to be happy, but Ill pray that in faith anyway, because Youre telling me to bless them with Your presence.

Luke 6:35 NIV goes further. It says:

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your
reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

A Tip for Following Forgiveness
Now, lets get practical about how to do this. If we have a coworker who gets the promotion that weve been
believing God for, the minute we start to feel jealousy and envy, we need to go buy them a gift.

Yes, you heard me right: buy them a gift. It works. When we do it, it breaks the power of the devil because
Romans 12:21 says that we overcome evil with good. Its absolutely true too. I have learned this principle and
it has been life-changing for me.

What I Did When Someone Hurt Me
For example, a few years ago someone told me about a person who was doing business with our ministry and
making a good deal of money because of their relationship with us. My friend happened to be at the same
restaurant, seated in the next booth and overheard their conversation, which just happened to be about me
and they werent saying good things either.

At first I got mad and just wanted to tell him that he was never getting our business again.

But in bed that night, the Holy Spirit said to me, Youre not going to do any of those things. He said, No,
youre going to do what you teach. Youre going to go buy him a present, and youre going to tell him how
much you appreciate the services that hes given you all these years.

Needless to say, I resisted at first. But eventually I relented and bought him a gift.

What You Must Do When Someone Hurts You
What I remember most about the situation is that as soon as I started taking action to do something good for
them, it just got so funny to me. I was laughing out loud in my house, all by myself.

Listen: When we can look at people whove hurt us with compassion and pray what Jesus prayed Father,
forgive them for they know not what they do, theres a party that goes on inside of us.

I think most of the time people dont even realize what they are doing. That man in the restaurant who was
talking about me had no idea what he was doing and the position that he was putting himself in.

Why You Must Follow Forgiveness
Thats why we need to pray for them and say, God forgive them. In fact, what does God say will happen to
us when we obey His Word?

Luke 6:35 states and then your recompense (your reward) will be great (rich, strong, intense, and
abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High. God tells us that well receive a reward. We will get
double for our trouble if we will do things His way.

The Bible says that love covers a multitude of sins. Do you know what that means? It means that love will
even have you making excuses for your enemies. Someone might come up to us and say, Well, I heard what
so-and-so did to you.

When we really decide to forgive someone and pray the prayer that blesses our enemies, making the decision
that we will not talk bad about them, but instead, cover their fault and their mess, we still might not feel any
different.

Now, I believe choosing forgiveness is one of the most difficult things God asks us to do, especially if we
believe that whoever hurt us is in the wrong and doesnt deserve to be forgiven.

But God instructs us to practice forgiveness. And when we choose to follow the path of forgiveness, we will
experience the peace and joy that come through obeying Gods Word.

How to Calm Down and Cheer Up
Today it seems as if everyone is under stress. Its become a normal part of our everyday lives. As long as we
keep that stress at a reasonable limit, there's no problem. But when we allow it to exceed that limit, trouble
begins.

For example, a chair is built to sit on. Its designed and constructed to bear a certain amount of weight. If used
properly, it should last a very long time. But if overloaded beyond its capacity, it begins to wear out
prematurely and eventually break down completely under the strain.

In the same way, you and I were designed and created to bear a certain amount of physical, mental and
emotional strain day after day. However, problems arise when we allow ourselves to come under more weight
than were capable of supporting.

A word we don't hear much about today is prudence. It means "careful management: economy." In the Bible,
prudence or prudent means "being good stewards or managers of the gifts God has given us to use." Those
gifts include time, energy, strength and healtheven material possessions. They include our bodies, as well as
our minds and spirits.

Just as each one of us has been given a different set of gifts, each of us has been given different levels of
ability to manage those gifts. Some of us are better able to manage our gifts than others.

Each of us needs to know our limitswe need to know how much we can handle. We need to be able to
recognize when were reaching "full capacity" or "overload." Instead of pushing ourselves into overload to
please others or satisfy our own desires of reaching personal goals, we need to listen to and obey what Gods
telling us to do. We must follow His wisdom if we really want to enjoy blessed lives.

Did you know that anything can cause stress? Stressors can be big or little things. In addition, what causes you
stress may not bother someone else. And what bothers you today may not bother you tomorrow. For example,
going to the grocery store and becoming upset by high prices may be a stressor for you. Then the process of
paying for your groceries (especially if money is tight) may become a stressor. The checker in your lane runs
out of change and has to shut down temporarily. You switch to a new lane and learn five of your items don't
have a price on them. The checker has to call for a price check on each one while you wait, and the line
behind you grows. These small, seemingly innocent circumstances pile up until you feel youre going to
explode from the pressure.

Nobody can remove all the big and little things that cause stress in our lives. Thats why we must be prudent
in identifying the stressors that affect us most and learn how to respond to them correctly. We must recognize
our limits and learn to say no to ourselves and others.

Stressors not managed properly can mount up one by one, bringing us to our breaking point. We may not be
able to eliminate or reduce many of the stressors in our lives, yet we must concentrate on reducing their
effects on us. We can't control all of our circumstances, so we must adapt our attitude and not let them
pressure us.

It seems the very atmosphere of the world today is charged with stress and pressure. But the good news is, we
don't have to operate in the world's systemreacting like people in the world who have no hope for peace in
their lives. The world responds to difficulties by becoming upset and stressed, but our attitude and approach
should be entirely different.

We need to have a change of attitude. The right attitude and approach can completely turn a situation around.
Instead of stressing out and tensing up, calm down, take a deep breath and try to get some perspective on the
situation.

When we approach a circumstance already stressed out, were setting ourselves up for misery before we
begin. Instead, refuse to allow your circumstances to dictate how youre going to feel. You may not be able to
control the situation, but you can control how you respond to it. Take an offensive approach and decide
beforehand what your attitude will be. Then the door will be opened for God to supernaturally help you
through your choice to calm down and cheer up.

A Life of Hope, Vision and Passion
Do you know that God has high hopes and expectations for you? He does. The fact that He invested the life of
His only Son to see you set free shows how precious you are to Him. God believes in you more than you do
yourself!

I used to think that God was disappointed in me when I made mistakes. But God knows every decision were
ever going to make, He loves us anyway, and He knows that He can change us if well stay in His Word.

Perseverance Pays
In the early years when we were building our ministry, Dave and I went through a lot of difficult tests. I
needed to work on my attitude. We needed to work on our marriage and how we handled money.

For six years I bought my socks and underwear at garage sales. We were totally brokeand I was teaching
prosperity!

Not only that, it just wasnt popular for women to preach back then. We lost friends and had family members
who didnt want anything to do with us.

It was just hard and sometimes I wanted to quit. But today I am so glad that I stuck with God because there
are people all over the world who have been helped because of our ministry.

Scripture tells us in Matthew 19:29 that anyone and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or
father or mother or children or lands for My names sake will receive many [even a hundred] times more and
will inherit eternal life.

I know its true because thats what Im experiencing in my own life right now. If we decide to trust Gods
Word and never give up, we will have victory.

Attitude Is Essential
Our attitude has a lot to do with how God works in our life.

God doesnt reward a negative attitude or self-pity or an everybody owes me attitude. Nor does He work
through laziness or passivity. God works through faith, but we need to have faith before we can even have
hope.

Hope is really a positive attitude. Its expecting that something good is going to happen in your life. God
wants us to be prisoners of hope. In other words, He wants you to believe He can change whatever needs to be
changed and that you can do whatever needs to be done.

Pursuing Gods Passion
The Bible teaches over and over again that were to help hurting people. I believe thats Gods passion. He
wants us to enjoy our lives and He wants us to have nice things, but He also wants us to remember the poor,
the lost and the needy.

Sometimes we dont realize that one person can really make a difference. We can inspire the people around us
just by making right choices. And we can change the world through our prayers, our giving, and by reaching
out with the love of God to those who are in desperate need.

You and I can fulfill Gods vision for our lives by living with expectant hope and being passionate for the
things that He is passionate about in life.

What You Need to Know About Being Bold and Fearless
Bold:to be brave, daring, courageous, intrepid, valiant.

God is calling us to be bold. If you have the tendency to not take chances in life because youre afraid of
making mistakes, God wants you to know Hes pleased with you when you try. It doesnt matter if you dont
do everything exactly right. What matters is that you step out in faith, believing God will help you!

Second Timothy 1:7 says that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of powerand He wants us to use it! It
doesnt take courage to do what we already know we can do. True courage is displayed when youre afraid to
do something but you go ahead and do it anyway. The truth is, we dont ever have to fear because we can ask
God for His help anytime we need it.

Taking the Focus Off of Performance
There are so many people who are so afraid of making a mistake that they dont do anything. Instead, they sit
around saying, What if Im wrong? Well, were human. Were going to make mistakes and look silly from
time to time.

We can be so afraid of being judged or criticized or getting laughed at. But the only thing fear does in our
lives is stop our progress.

What matters to God is relationshipnot performance. God knows we arent perfect, and Hes totally okay
with it. The problem is, the devil knows it too, and he does his best to tell us every step of the way!

We can be going along, serving God, doing good, stepping out in faith and then all of a sudden, without there
being any justification for it, well have a day or week when we have an attack on our mind about fear. Thats
when we need to say what Gods Word tells us:

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to
demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge
of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:4,5 NIV

Honesty Outweighs Perfection
We can care too much about what people think of us to the point where it totally immobilizes us and we are
petrified about looking wrong. But do you know what? I think if we are more truthful, we will actually get
more respect than we do by trying to hide everything, pretending were perfect.

I believe one of the main reasons people like to listen to me is that I tell all my junk. It helps them to relax, to
relate to me, and offers them hope that if I can do some of the things Ive done and make it, so can they.

We need to stop living in fear of making mistakes, because we will make mistakesperiod. God is not asking
us to not make any mistakes. Hes calling us to be boldfearless in approaching Him, in stepping out in faith,
and in trusting Him to lead us.

The Beauty of a Real Relationship with God
When you think of religion, what comes to your minda set of rules, regulations and obligations or a deep,
intimate relationship with God?

I like to consider myself someone who has a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I believe He
died so we could have a living, vital relationship with God, not just a bunch of rules and regulations were
forced to follow.

Yes, there are certain guidelines God wants us to follow, but His purpose in giving them is to protect us from
the consequences of sin.

When we have a real relationship with God through Christ, life gets exciting because He stirs up a passion
inside us to love peopleand we dont have to struggle to do the things He calls us to do. It just happens
naturally.

God Is Not Mad at You
If theres one thing people need to hear over and over again, its this: God loves you. Thats all there is to it.
He may not like everything you do, but Hes never going to stop loving you.

God is not impressed with your works at all. What He cares about is your heart.

I believe the greatest thing God wants to hear from us is, I love You, Lord. Thank You for everything Youve
done in my life. I want to do whats right. Keep teaching me.


Many of us dont pray and ask God for what we need because we dont think we have a right to ask. But the
Bible says God wants us to learn how to receive His mercy.

Hebrews 4:15 says we have a High Priest, a perfect Savior, who understands our weaknesses. Hes been
tempted just like we are, yet He never sinned.

Verse 16 says we can come fearlessly and confidently before God in prayer to receive His mercy and be
forgiven.

New Creature, New Features
Legally you become a Christian when you make the decision to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. And
after you receive Him, God begins to change you into a brand-new creation.

We shouldnt be making up religious rules to live by, like having to read our Bible every single day; nor
should we do whatever we want to because we know were going to heaven when we die.

Christianity is about living a vibrant, exciting life in Christ, and it goes hand in hand with developing a
personal relationship with Him. Jesus wants us to be in love with Him.

Know What Really Matters
I was thinking one day about how judgmental I used to be about the way some people dressed. Not long ago, I
might have thought that I couldnt wear jeans and teach, but my son said to me, Do you really think that God
anoints polyester more than denim?

It took some things like that to shock me into the realization that I was just holding on to a religious attitude,
when God wanted us to freshen up our look in order to reach more people.

Sure, its good to dress nicely when we go to church. But the bottom line is, we shouldnt be so focused on
our outward appearance that we lose sight of our main goal: developing a close, personal relationship with
God.

Living Your Life with God
God wants to be involved in everything we do. He wants us to fellowship with Him, which means
communicating with Him throughout our day just like we do with someone whos our close friend or family
member.

Knowing God loves us, loving Him, spending time with Him, and being grateful for what Hes done and is
doing in our lives can help us have a real relationship with Him.

Bitterness, Resentment and Unforgiveness
Many people ruin their health and their lives by taking the poison of bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness.
Matthew 18:23-35 tells us that if we do not forgive people, we get turned over to the torturers. If you have a
problem in this area or have ever had one, Im sure you bear witness with what Im saying. Its torture to have
hateful thoughts toward another person rolling around inside your head.

Helping Yourself and Others

Who are you helping most when you forgive the person who hurt you? Actually, youre helping yourself more
than the other person. I always looked at forgiving people who hurt me as being really hard. I thought it
seemed so unfair for them to receive forgiveness when I had gotten hurt. I got pain, and they got freedom
without having to pay for the pain they caused. Now I realize that Im helping myself when I choose to
forgive.

Im also helping the other person by releasing them so God can do what only He can do. If Im in the way
trying to get revenge or take care of the situation myself instead of trusting and obeying GodHe has no
obligation to deal with that person. However, God will deal with those who hurt us if well put them in His
hands through forgiveness. The act of forgiving is our seed of obedience to His Word. Once weve sown our
seed, He is faithful to bring a harvest of blessing to us one way or another.

Another way that forgiveness helps me is that it releases God to do His work in me. Im happier and feel
better physically when Im not filled with the poison of unforgiveness. Serious diseases can develop as a
result of the stress and pressure that bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness put on a person. Mark 11:22-26
clearly teaches us that unforgiveness hinders our faith from working. The Father cant forgive our sins if we
dont forgive other people. We reap what we sow. Sow mercy, and youll reap mercy; sow judgment, and
youll reap judgment. So do yourself a favorand forgive.

There are still more benefits of forgiveness. Your fellowship with God flows freely when youre willing to
forgive, but it gets blocked by unforgiveness. Forgiveness also keeps Satan from getting an advantage over us
(see 2 Corinthians 2:10,11). Ephesians 4:26,27 tells us not to let the sun go down on our anger or give the
devil any such foothold or opportunity. Remember that the devil must have a foothold before he can get a
stronghold. Do not help Satan torture you. Be quick to forgive.

I also think its hard to hate one person but love another. Its hard to treat anybody right when our heart isnt
right. Even people you want to love may be suffering from your bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness.

How to Forgive

Would you like to become more successful at forgiving others? There are practical steps that must be taken.
One time I asked the Lord why so many people want to forgive but arent successful doing it. And He said,
"Because they arent obeying what I tell them to do in My Word." As I searched the Word, I found the
following instructions:

1. Decide You will never forgive if you wait until you feel like it. Choose to obey God and steadfastly resist
the devil in his attempts to poison you with bitter thoughts. Make a quality decision to forgive, and God will
heal your wounded emotions in due time (see Matthew 6:12,14).

2. Depend You cannot forgive without the power of the Holy Spirit. Its too hard to do on your own. If you
are truly willing, God will enable you, but you must humble yourself and cry out to Him for help. In John
20:22,23 Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, Receive the Holy Spirit! His next instruction was about
forgiving people. Ask God to breathe the Holy Spirit on you so you can forgive those whove hurt you.

3. Obey The Word tells us several things were to do concerning forgiving our enemies:

a. Pray for your enemies and those who abuse and misuse you. Pray for their happiness and welfare (see Luke
6:27,28). As you pray, God can give them revelation that will bring them out of deception. They may not even
be aware they hurt you, or maybe theyre aware but are so self-centered that they dont care. Either way, they
need revelation.

b. Bless and do not curse them (Romans 12:14). In the Greek to bless means "to speak well of" and tocurse
means "to speak evil of." You cant walk in forgiveness and be a gossip. You must stop repeating the offense.
You cant get over it if you continue to talk about it. Proverbs 17:9 says that he who covers an offense seeks
love.

Who Should Forgive?

Forgive the person who badly hurt you long ago and also the stranger who stepped on your toe in the grocery
store. Take those two extremes and forgive them in addition to everyone in between. Forgive quickly. The
quicker you do it, the easier it is. Forgive freely. Matthew 10:8 says, Freely you have received, freely give
(NKJV). Forgive means to excuse a fault, absolve from payment, pardon, send away, cancel, and bestow
favor unconditionally.

When you forgive, you must cancel the debt. Do not spend your life paying and collecting debts. Hebrews
10:30 says that vengeance belongs to the Lord; Hell repay and settle the cases of His people. Let God pay
you for past injustices. Do not try to collect from the people who hurt you, because the people who hurt you
cant pay you.

Also, forgive yourself for past sins and hurts you have caused others. You cant pay people back, so ask God
to.

Forgive God if you are angry with Him because your life didnt turn out the way you thought it should. God is
always just. There may be things you dont understand, but God loves you, and people make a serious mistake
when they dont receive help from the only One who can truly help them.

You may even need to forgive a situation or an objectthe post office, bank, a certain store that may have
cheated you, a car that always gave you trouble, etc. Get rid of all poison that comes from bitterness,
resentment and unforgiveness. And remember Proverbs 4:23: Keep and guard your heart with all
vigilance...for out of it flow the springs of life.

Unforgiveness is spiritual filthiness, so get washed in the water of Gods Word to forgive and stay clean.

What You Need to Know If Your Life Has Become Dry
Are you tired of your life being dry, confused and without direction? Are you weary of having to strive for
everything in life? It may be because the river of life inside of you is stopped up.

Gods Gift of Life
Deep inside each of us, there is a river of life. This river is a wonderful gift given to each of us by God. It
flows with good health, a positive outlook on life, and a generous and forgiving attitude. Ideally, this river
flows freely through us. When we allow this flow and keep our "well" from getting plugged-up, there's a
peace or an easea current that takes us alongand everything seems easier. Good things come our way.
When wonderful opportunities are presented to us, we're ready for them.

It also refreshes, renews and revitalizes our lives. I'm sure all of us have known people from time to time who
defied all logic and stayed alive years longer than they should have. Or you may have known people who've
been able to keep a positive outlook on life even though terrible things happened to them. Their river ran
strong and didnt stop flowing.

When the Well Gets Clogged
On the other hand, there are those who always seem to be down, whether physically or emotionally. No matter
what they do, they can't seem to "snap out of it." Their river has been stopped-up, and only a little trickle
seems to pass through.

Many people, however, have allowed their well to become stopped-up. They are always discouraged, and no
matter what they do, they cant seem to snap out of it. Years of neglect have turned a once power flowing
river into a small stream. Everything's hardnothing comes easy. People with a stopped-up well have to
strive for things that come easily to others. It's as if they've become mired in a mud hole and every step is a
struggle. Do you know people like this? Does this sound like your life?

Discovering My Clogged-Up Well
I once had a stopped-up well in my life. I struggled to tap into the river that I knew was in me. I was
constantly digging dry wellsworking on projects and chasing ideas that were disappointing and unfulfilling.
I believed that if I could just make something work, I would be happythat I would find peace and
fulfillment. I would strive after these things every day, but never found the peace I was looking for. I found
that over the years I had allowed my well to become stopped-up with "stones" and "debris." The river no
longer flowed freely, and I was miserable.

Although I didn't realize it at the time, I really struggled with issues like unforgiveness, anger, selfishness,
offense and disobedience. These issues became like stones, dirt and debris that had caused my well to become
stopped-up. With God's help, these issues are being dealt with one by one in my life. It's been a long process,
but the stones are much smaller today than they used to be. The river in me flows much stronger now.

Unclogging Your Well
Just remember, until you're able to get your well cleared out and unclogged, everything will be difficult,
disappointing and unfulfilling. No matter what you try, you'll be unable to taste the water from that river. And
that water satisfies like nothing else.

Tap into that stream by clearing up what blocks its flow. God can help you forgive, see the needs of those
around you, and let go of past hurts or wrongs. He wants to help you deal with the "stones" and "debris" that
are stopping up your well.

Make a choice today to stop spending your life fighting, struggling and trudging through the mud with every
step. Stop taking inventory of what you've lost, and take a good look at what you've got left. Ask God to help
you clear out the debris. Then enjoy the satisfying flow of the river of life!

How to Get Comfortable with God
Do you know how much God loves you?

God proved His love for us through His Son, Jesus, who died for our sins. But, for some reason, its hard to
carry on a conversation with Him. We can be so distant.

I bet God really gets a kick out of how some of us talk to Him. We can be so serious and formal. Oh, Lord
Most Higheth! Howeth my heart doth longest for Thee!

We need to get comfortable with God. I dont mean disrespectful, but we should know that He loves us and
that we dont have to be afraid of Him.

The Importance of Spending Time with God
First Corinthians 8:6 says that God created us to live for Him Hes given us the gift of life and He wants us to
enjoy it!

You can have a joyful, fulfilling life by living in close, personal relationship with God. But in order to get
there, you have to spend time with Him. God doesnt want to just be the button we push when we have an
emergency.

Whether we know it or not, without God, we are always in an emergency. Without Him operating in our lives,
helping and protecting us, there isnt one of us who knows one iota about anything were doing!

Unlimited Time, Unlimited Blessings
You and I can spend as much time as we want with God. We have an open invitation to invite the Creator of
the universe into our life each day. We get to speak to Him personally and read the book of instruction that
holds the answers to everything in life.

The devil doesnt like that. Thats why he works so hard to tell us that God doesnt want to be around us if
were not perfect. Ive got a news flash: We arent ever going to be perfect. Thats why Jesus went to the cross
for us!

We can go to our heavenly Father as often as we like and He will never get tired of us coming. The Bible says
we can come boldly before God fellowship with Him, and have our needs met.

James 4:8 says, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (NASB) God the Father longs to fellowship
with you. The moment you accepted Christ into your heart, God made His home in you. So kick up your feet,
get cozy and enjoy the company.

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
Do you suffer from fear or insecurity? What about the fear of lack? Are you worried that God wont come
through for you?

I have been there too.

I have been literally worried sick about so many things, including my past, my future, my finances, what
people thought about me. And because I couldnt get my mind off of my problems, I found myself in a place
of utter torment.

But we do not have to fear that God doesnt love us or that He wont come through for us in our time of need.
We need to learn to accept the reality of His love for us, so that our fears do not control us.

First John 4:18 says that perfect love casts out fear. If youre afraid of facing a person or a situation in your
life, Gods love can help you put your fears to rest.

The Cure for Insecurity

Because I had been abused in my childhood and was fearful of being hurt or taken advantage of, I became
very insecure. And I spent many years trying to control everything and everyone in my life.

Instead of trying to control and manipulate people, I needed to learn to trust God, pray, and believe that He
would do what was best for me at the right time. Most of all, I needed to abide in His love.

First John 4:16 points out that we should be conscious of Gods love. It needs to be more than just a biblical
fact for uswe need to experience it daily.

Several years ago I was so desperate for a revelation of Gods love that I began to keep a journal of the things
He did in my life that I believed displayed His love. No matter how small they were, I recorded them.

When people gave me things, I recorded it. When I was shown favor in situations, I recorded it. When God
answered prayers and did things for me that I had requested, I recorded it

This process helped me become conscious of His love, and I began to heal. I found out that the love of God is
the cure for the insecure.

Overcoming the Fear of Lack

Another major fear people face is the fear of lack. The fear that your needs wont be metthat God wont
come through for you in time.

You may be in a situation that youve never been in before, facing all kinds of new responsibilities. You may
have needs that are beyond your resources and the spirit of fear is attacking you, telling you that you arent
going to make it. You may feel like nobody else cares. But God cares.

In fact, Hebrews 13:5,6 says you can trust God to come to your rescue.

Even when it seems that absolutely nothing is happening in your life, He is working. Beloved, God has a good
plan for you, and Hell manifest it right on time.

If you need financial support, Hell provide. If its physical support you need, Hell sustain you. If you need
emotional support, Hell comfort you. Hell nourish you and bring you back to a place of strength.

God is for you. He is not against you. Satan is against you, but the greater One lives in you!

Let Nothing Separate You from Gods Love

During hard times and moments of insecurity, Satan works overtime trying to convince us that God doesnt
love usthat if He did, either we wouldnt be in this situation, or He wouldve delivered us by now.

I confess with my own mouth the truth that God does love me during these attacks of fear. And I encourage
you to say several times a day with confidence, God loves me! Don't allow the devil to steal this truth from
you.

Romans 8:38,39, which I pray will comfort you right now, says:

For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor
things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in
all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As long as you refuse to let anything separate you from God's love, you will have the victory.

Getting Gods Help with Stress
Today it seems like everyones stressed.

Yes, its true that were built to withstand a certain amount of stress, and it can help us to become better
problem solvers. But we shouldnt be so stressed that we cant handle our day-to-day life.

Theres only so much we can take.

For example, a chair is designed to bear a certain amount of weight. And if its used properly, it should last a
very long time. But if it consistently bears more weight than it was designed to hold, it will wear out
prematurely and eventually break.

You and I were also designed to bear a certain amount of physical, mental and emotional strain. When we take
on more than we can handle, we eventually break down.

The Way to Set Limits
A word we dont hear much about today is prudence. It means careful management: economy.

In the Bible, prudence or prudent means being good stewards or managers of the gifts God has given us to
use. Those gifts include time, energy, strength and healtheven material possessions. They include our
bodies, as well as our minds and spirits.

Just as each one of us has been given a different set of gifts, each of us has been given different levels of
ability to manage those gifts.

We need to know our limits, and prevent ourselves from reaching full capacity or overload.

Instead of pushing ourselves too hard to please others or reach our own personal goals, we need to listen to
God and do what Hes telling us is wise.

We need to learn to put Gods wisdom into practice so we can enjoy our lives.

Your First Step to Beating Stress
Did you know that anything can cause stress? Stressors can be big or little things. In addition, what causes
youstress may not bother someone else. And what bothers you today may not bother you tomorrow.

For example, going to the grocery store may be a stressor for you, especially if money is tight. The checker in
your lane runs out of change and has to shut down temporarily. You switch to a new lane and learn five of
your items dont have a price on them. The checker has to call for a price check and the line behind you
grows.

Small, seemingly innocent circumstances have a way of piling up until you finally explode from the pressure.

Nobody can remove all the big and little things that cause stress in our lives. So we must learn to identify our
stressors, study how they affect us, and learn how to respond correctly.

Fine-Tuning Your Approach
The world responds to difficulties by becoming upset and stressed, but our attitude and approach should be
entirely different.

When we approach a circumstance already stressed out, were setting ourselves up for misery before we
begin.

The right approach can completely turn a situation around.

Instead of stressing out and tensing up, calm down, take a deep breath and try to get some perspective on the
situation. Refuse to allow your circumstances to dictate how youre going to feel.

You may not be able to control the situation, but you can control how you respond to it. Take a proactive
approach and decide beforehand what your attitude will be.

A right attitude opens the door for God to supernaturally help you.


Will God Show Up to Help Me?
Can you be in Gods will and be miserable?

Well, yes. But you can also be in tremendous peace.

For people who are saying, Im in a tough situation right now because I believe its where God wants me, but
Im miserable, frustrated and unhappy, theres good news.

When God asks us to stay in a difficult situation, He provides a special grace for us to get through it. Its the
kind of grace that leads others to look at us and think: Wow! I cant believe theyre dealing with this and still
have such peace! Thats faith.

When we say things like, I just dont think I can make it, were essentially giving up, when we could just as
easily trust God to help and sustain us.

Learning to trust God for His grace on a daily basis will help you keep your thoughts and words in line with
His Word.

What Trusting God Can Do for You
Ive heard grace defined as Gods riches at Christs expense, and thats a good definition. But to be honest,
its just a little bit too spiritual for me.

I like to define grace as Gods power to help us do whatever we need to do.

Grace is power. And it all comes to us through faith, which God also gives us. In fact, Romans 12:3 warns us
not to think too highly of ourselves, because God is the one who gives us our faith.

You need to ask yourself: What am I doing with my faith?

Are you trying to change things that you have no ability to change? Are you trying to get yourself promoted
instead of just doing your best to please God? If so, youre probably burning out because youre focusing on
works.

When we simply do what God asks us to do, His grace flows through.

Faith Isnt Just for the Finish Line
To learn how to trust God for His grace, I used to put up signs around my house that said things like, Works
of the flesh equal frustration.

Every time I became frustrated, the signs helped me to remember God was with me.

One thing I learned is that His grace isnt just for last minute miracles. God doesnt just throw you a Hail
Mary pass at the last minute when youre all worn out and ready to give up, and then say, Okay, now go
make the touchdown.

Gods grace is something on which you can constantly rely.

How to Have Peace in the Now
Because grace is available to you right now, theres no reason to struggle with your circumstances, trying to
figure them outor even fight your way out.

Galatians 5:16 tells us to walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spiritthen you will certainly not
gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh.

Notice how it doesnt say conquer the flesh so you can walk in the Spirit.

When we concentrate on the Spirit, we wont fulfill the lust of the flesh because we will be focused on our
relationship with God and His love for us.

The same way we receive Christ is the same way we are supposed to live each day of our lifein total,
complete dependence on Him.

Your circumstances dont have to control you, because you have the power of Gods grace in your life. And
its available to you in whatever amount you need, right now.


Peace, Where Did I Leave You?
I lived a lot of years searching for peace.

I was frustrated, confused, aggravated, upset and in turmoil.

Now I enjoy peace. But I might never have found it if Id stopped looking for it, because God wanted to teach
me to pursue it.

Sometimes we wish for things to change but are unwilling to do what it takes to make things better.

I was always upset about my circumstances. I wanted God to change them for me, and I wanted Him to
change the people around me too. I thought if those few things would change, I would be able to enjoy my
life.

Until I looked at my life to see what I could do to make things different, I was really just wishing.

Does Your Inside Match Your Outside?
Matthew 6:33 says, Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you
everything you need (NLT).

So what is Gods kingdom?

It may sound real deep and religious. But, really, its not that mysterious.

The Bible says the kingdom of God is in us.

If youve accepted Christ, that means Hes living in youand He wants to live in a peaceful house. Thats
why your inner life is so important to God.

We can be phony and act like everythings fine on the outside when were really unhappy on the inside. But
God wants us to have authentic peace, where our inner life matches our outer life.

Are You Seeking the Right Stuff?
Romans 14:17 defines the kingdom of God as a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

A lot of people spend their life seeking all kinds of other stuff. But when it comes to righteousness, peace and
joy, they dont have any because theyre chasing after things.

I used to think that if I had all kinds of worldly stuff, Id have no worries and my life would be peaceful. But
true peace comes from being one with God.

Its important for us to understand this because I think a large majority of Christians spend their whole life
searching for the wrong things, when our real treasure is in Jesus.

How I Went from Pathetic to Peaceful
For a while I was seeking a big ministry but living under guilt and condemnation. So every time someone
criticized me, I fell apart. I would be a basket case for days because I didnt know my identity in Christ and I
didnt like myself.

Outwardly, people probably couldnt tell I was falling apart, but inside I was worried, overly concerned, and a
people pleaser.

Many of us go through these things privately but never tell anyone because we want to act like everything is
okay. Well wear our church face, smile at everyone and say, Praise the Lord! when on the inside were
dealing with secret fears, worries and concerns.

The Bible says the truth sets us free. We need to be honest with others about whats going on inside us.

Honestly, a large majority of us never get still enough to even ask ourselves the question, What is going on in
me?

Here are two questions you can ask yourself to help you find peace.
Do I know who I am in Christ?
Am I walking in righteousness?

If you know who you are in Christ, it wont matter so much to you what other people think. Youll just get up
every day and do your best to love God.

Putting On the Gift of Gods Righteousness
The moment we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Bible says God takes away our sin and gives us His
righteousness. Its a gift, and we dont need to earn it. But we do need to put it on, and every time we do, we
receive His peace.

If you are ever feeling bad about yourself, feeling ashamed, guilty or condemned, I encourage you to ask
yourself, Do I know who I am in Christ? Am I walking in righteousness?

When you are pursuing Gods will for your life, He will give you peace.

Love: Join the Revolution
Im only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something, and because I cannot
do everything, I will not refuse to do that something I can do.
Helen Keller

The plain and simple truth is that each and every one of us only get one shot at this life. We arent guaranteed
a certain number of days, so we must decide today what we will give our lives to. So the question is, will we
choose to live a life of love in service to others or will we refuse to do our part because we feel we cant make
a big enough difference? One person has the ability to make a profound difference!

So what will you give your life to? It might be easy or feel like the religious thing to do to say were going to
give it to God, but Im asking that you take it into your everyday lives. What are you going to give your
everyday actions to?

Why Wont God Do Something?
We are an army, and its going to take everyone doing their part to change this world. And God is calling us to
put on love and get to work. One morning I was having my quiet time alone with God, and I said to the Lord,
not in a complaining way and not questioning His integrity, but just as a conversation, God, how can You
stand seeing all the painstarving children, human trafficking, genocide, injustice, degradation, unbelievable
pain, povertyin the world and not do something?

I dont even know that I was really expecting to get an answer, but I just asked Him. Immediately His answer
came back: I work through people. Im waiting for My people to arise and do something.

Do It on Purpose
In order to start helping others and reaching them with the love of God, we are going to have to get ourselves
off our minds, out of our prayers and out of our conversations. We have to start living life with purposeon
purpose!

Those two little words on purpose have become very important to me. Theyve actually been quite life-
changing for me in the last few years, because I have realized that you cannot wait to feel like it. You cannot
wait to think its a good idea. You cannot wait to even want to. You just have to do it on purpose! Now Im
not saying its bad to ask God for things for yourself, but if you want to receive true victoryif you want to
be happyyou are going to have to start thinking of others first.

More Than Your Money
In 2 Corinthians 8 , when Paul was talking to the Corinthian believers about their giving, he gave them the
example of the churches in Macedonia. He said in verse 5, Nor [was this gift of theirs merely the contribution]
that we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His agents] by the will of God
[entirely disregarding their personal interests, they gave as much as they possibly could, having put
themselves at our disposal to be directed by the will of God]. That just amazed me, because they didnt just
give their moneythey werent bucket plunkersbut they gave themselves.

I wonder how many of us are willing to write our name down and stick that in the offering plate. Romans 12:1
leaps to my heart. And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of
all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrificethe kind he will find acceptable. This is truly
the way to worship him (NLT).

Being part of The Love Revolution is going to cost us something, but it doesnt always mean our moneywe
have to be willing to give ourselves as a sacrifice. And that means loving people on the job, in the
neighborhood, in your home and loving the poor, lost, and needy enough to put your time and effort into it.
Were going to have to stop complaining because of all the petty inconveniences that come our way and start
really loving people.

More than Words
I once heard a story that many years ago in Russia, an evangelist came and was walking around telling people,
Jesus loves you. Jesus loves you. He was handing out Gospel tracts, and one lady said, You know what?
Your sermon and Gospel tract isnt going to fill my belly. How can they hear about God, when they cant
hear past their rumbling bellies? Sometimes we need to just show people love by meeting their needs and
meeting their needs and meeting their needsand then once the pain is gone we can share with them about
Christ.

Our Power
Can I tell you what the power of the Gospel is? Love. Nothing else! Love is the power of the Gospel. It is the
highest form of spiritual warfare that we can do. One persononetotally committed, dedicated and
submitted to God makes hell tremble. So just think what a bunch of ones can do.

God said to me once, Why dont you study the Bible to see how Jesus did spiritual warfare, instead of
screaming at demons all day? Jesus didnt have to go in and clean out the demons. When He came in, they
left. Romans 12:21 says, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (NIV).

One thing is for sure, Jesus went about doing good, and we should too. Thats walking in love!

Lets Go to War
Every single one of us needs to decide right now to declare war on selfishness. Lets declare war on
selfishness in our families, in our homes, at the workplace Lets get up every day and say, God, I give
myself to You. I dedicate myself to You.

Lets make an announcement to the kingdom of darkness: I will not live a little bitty life where theres only
room in it for me. I will not be a selfish, self-centered person. Ive got
the love of God in me and everywhere I go, it is going to ooze out. When we see a need, we are going to
meet it. We dont need a 12-hour prayer meeting; we are going to meet peoples needs, unless God tells us
otherwise.

We are going to saturate everyone around us with the love of Christ through simple acts of love, every single
dayon purpose.

How to Embrace Gods Forgiveness
Do you serve God or your feelings?

Now, that may sound like an odd question for a believer, but really, it isnt. Let me put it this way... When you
ask God to forgive you, do you accept His forgiveness right away or do you waste time feeling guilty?

So many Christians struggle with guilt and condemnation. Theyre trying to pay God back for what they did
wrong when Jesus already made it right.

Gods unconditional love is a very difficult concept for people to accept because, in the world, theres always
payment for everything we receive. Its just how things work here. But God is not like people!

Arent you glad about that?

We need to learn that whether or not we feel forgiven, were forgiven.

The Power of Confession
Feelings of guilt and condemnation are a huge problem in the Church, but I want you to understand thats
what they arefeelings.

If you really know Gods Word, no matter how you feel, you can speak scriptures over your life and pretty
soon your feelings have lost their authority.

For instance, 1 John 1:9 says that if we repent and confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us. You need to
take hold of that.

The next time you ask God to forgive you and then feel guilty afterward, open your mouth and say, God
forgave me. Quote 1 John 1:9 or use another scripture but say it out loud. There is power in the tongue!

Praying and declaring Scripture out loud not only helps to renew your mind, it helps you stand firm, and it
certainly puts the devil in his place.

The devil will try to make us feel guilty even when we didnt do anything wrong. So we need to confess our
sins until everything is out in the open and told, and then get dressed in our spiritual armor so we can firmly
stand our ground.

Love Conquers Condemnation
When it comes right down to it, we just want to be loved unconditionally and accepted for who we are. We
dont want to have to pretend or perform. We just want to be accepted and loved. And God offers that to every
single one of us.

None of us can earn Gods love. But in order to receive Gods love we need to first believe that He loves us.

If you have trouble believing God in this area, dont just put up with it and wish that you felt better. Study the
love of God. Read books about it. Listen to teachings on love. Start talking about it.

Say, If anybody can have Gods love, Im going to have it. If anybody can be free, Im going to be free. If
anybody can be happy, Im going to be happy. If anyone can have peace, its going to be me. If anybody can
be used by God, I can be used by God. If anyone can get over their broken past, I will.

Dont give in to your emotionsminister to them. Manage them. Remember that every day youre in Christ,
youre a new person.

Choosing A Season of Growth
Another area Christians struggle with is believing God has great plans for their life. Dont trust your feelings
on that either. Trust Gods Word.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans
for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

We can all have the future God has planned for us if we choose to go after itif we choose to grow and
develop a deep relationship with God.

Yes, its painful to grow. Its not easy to say no to yourself and yes to God. But every time you deny your
flesh, it gets a little weaker and you get the victory.

People who are really strong, serious Christians are going after the meat of the Word. They listen to teachings
on pride. They want to be humble, patient and victorious in Christ, and they train themselves to learn right
from wrong.

Im here to tell you that if you know who you are in Christ and you choose to grow, you will have a lot less
trouble fighting guilt and condemnation. As a matter of fact, you will love God and the people He uses to
correct you because theyre helping you change and grow.

I dont want you to wake up every day and just live your life based on how you feel. I want you to know that
God loves you no matter what and that you dont have to let feelings dictate the course of your life.

I believe you will see a transition if you pray and ask God, Do what you want to do in my life. Im Yours.

I dare you.

How Jesus Resurrection Can Help You Through Hard Times
Are you going through a hard time? Maybe you recently lost your job, or youre dealing with a death in your
family. Or maybe youre just not sure anything good in life can happen to you. Whatever youre dealing with,
I want you to know that youre not alone and something good can come from the tough spot youre in right
now. God promised.

Jesus experienced hard times toothe road to the cross was no small matter. But He had to decide to go
through it. He even asked God if it was really necessary. (But we know how this amazing love story ended.)

Just like Jesus had to make a choice, you and I also have to decide to go through hard times.

Is Good Friday Really Good?
As we celebrate His resurrection, I like to look at how we go through our own hard times. I think we also go
through our own private crucifixion and resurrection on a somewhat regular basis. Often I say Friday always
comes before Sunday.

Ever wonder why we refer to the day of Jesus death as Good Friday, since its a day that involved so much
pain, agony and heartache? Well, its because the result of this particular FridayChrists resurrection from
the dead on Sundaywas good.

In our daily lives, we need to believe that when we go through hard times, the result will be good. But when
we're hurting, probably one of the most challenging things for us to remember is that God is going to work it
out for our good.

The Only One You Can Trust
All things do work together for our good! My husband, Dave, says this is a key scripture for Christians when
we go through hard or disappointing times. When something doesnt happen the way we would like it to
happen, we can believe God will work things out for good. Its the place we can always come back to in every
kind of trial.

Now this doesnt mean the trials are necessarily good, but God can work them out for our good because He is
awesome. You have to be some kind of awesome God to be able to take bad things and turn them around for
good!

If we love God and really want His will for our life, I think its safe to say that we can trust Him to bring good
from itno matter what happens to us. Even if we have to take detours because of our own stupidity or if
were innocent but someone else gets involved and brings hurt and pain into our life, we can trust God to work
it out. I like to say, No person on earth and no devil in hell can keep me from God's will.

The Crucifixion: Growing in Hard Times
Its comforting to really believe things will work out okayeven on a day like Good Friday, with so much
suffering and pain. When nothing made sense and everything was hard, God worked it out for goodbringing
the greatest blessing mankind will ever receive!

We can believe Friday was good because of the result it brought, not because of what happened at the time.

I know after I have gone through a really hard time, Ive looked back and thought that I wouldnt even be half
the person I am now if that wouldnt have happened. Havent many of us experienced this? Dont we wish we
could just grow in good times?

But we only seem to really grow during hard times. I think its because its during those times that we really
press into God and go to a deeper level in our relationship with Him. Why? Because we have to. Its our only
choice if we want to make it through the difficulty. When we trust God, He gives us the comfort of knowing
that He can work bad things out for our good.

Two Sides of the Cross
There are usually two sides to everything. The cross has two: a crucifixion side and a resurrection side. And
Jesus had to endure one side to get to the other. But if He hadnt endured, then we'd all still be left without a
Savior and no forgiveness of our sins.

Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus, for the joy of obtaining the prize on the other side of the crossthe
resurrectionendured the pain. Like Jesus, we have to endure bad things. To endure means to outlast the
devil; to be steadfast long enough to let the trial do whatever it's going to do in our lives and get from one side
of the cross to the other.

The Grave: Waiting for a Good Ending
Now, we dont just go from Friday to Sunday. We have to learn to endure Saturday, which I think is
sometimes the hardest to do. We'll call it the middle. In everything, there's a beginning, an end, and a middle.
The beginning is sometimes a little bit exciting because it's a new thing. And the end is certainly exciting
because its where we experience the victory. But, ohthat middle! The Saturdays may be even harder than
the Fridays because on Saturday, we're in the grave and were not sure whats going to happen next.

Most of the time, we dont know how long the middle's going to last, and although God knowsHe's not
telling. (Isn't He great at keeping secrets?) So we need to remember that when were going through the middle
of something, we can be assured Sunday always comes after Friday. But we have to endure Saturdaywe
have to outlast the devil, remain steadfast and not give up or quit. When we do, we will enjoy the resurrection
benefits and blessings that come on Sunday.

The Resurrection: Making It Through
So, I want to remember that Jesus endured the cross because He knew what was waiting on the other side of it.
In our daily lives, we are going to have to endure some things, and were going to face some hard times. But
the only way to do it is to go through it.

Whether were hit by an unexpected circumstance, suffering for doing something wrong or for resisting
temptation and sin by doing whats right, we have to go through things. But waiting for you on the other side
of the hard times is the joy of obtaining the prizethe good result.

Answers for Debt-Free Living
How to Get Through a Financial Struggle God's Way
For many people, 2010 has been a financially difficult year. The housing market is down, some businesses
have closed, and gasoline and food prices are rising. Some are struggling to stay ahead. But, what does God
have to say about our finances and our future?

Dont Make Decisions Based on Fear
Gods financial system is not like the worlds system. No matter what happens around us, we dont have to be
fearful because God loves us. First John 4:18 tells us, There is no fear in love...

Even if situations seem out of our control, the love of God isnt ever going to crumble and remains our solid
foundation in life. We can have confidence that whatever is happening, God wants to help us and will go out
of His way to meet even our simple day-to-day needs.

Recognize Your Source
Second Corinthians 9:10 says, And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also
provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness...

God is the One who provides our finances; our jobs are not our sourceGod is. So when positions disappear,
we dont have to feel hopeless, because God is not limited. He can provide for us through other means, in
ways we may not have imagined or are able to figure out ahead of time.

Matthew 6:26 reassures us that if God takes care of the birds, we can believe He is going to provide for us,
too.

Maintain a Generous Spirit
Ive discovered the best way to deal with money is to give it away. This is a key factor in helping us to
maintain a biblical focus on our finances. And we need to keep on giving, especially during challenging
financial times.

If we obey God with our finances and give to help other people, the more God will have other people do for
us. Its just that simple. Proverbs 28:27 says, He who gives to the poor will not want...

Work with What Youve Got
Its possible to live debt-free with biblical principles, even in difficult times. Romans 13:8 tells us to Keep
out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another...

My husband, Dave, says that if we learn to live within our income, or our borders, then God will bless us, our
borders will be stretched and well have more.

Luke 19:17 tells us that God is pleased when we are faithful and trustworthy in very little things. When we
are, it says He will give us authority over bigger things.

Start Paying with Cash
Its so easy to use credit cards without realizing how much youre actually spending. If youre trying to
downsize your debt, start paying cash for everything. Youre more apt to stretch (even save) your money
when its literally in your hands.

Its okay to use credit cards for convenience as long as you pay them off at the end of the month. The point is:
You dont want to get into a situation where youre so distracted by debt that you cant focus on God.

The enemy wants you to be fearful of tomorrow. So your main goal needs to be to enjoy the life Jesus died to
give you today. Do what you can to live in righteousness, peace and joy, and trust Him to do the rest.


What Are You Thinking?
Did you know you can be free from negative thinking? The first step to your freedom is facing the truth and
saying, "I'm a negative person and I want to change." If you really want to, you can overcome it because
according to the Bible, you're a new person in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Your next step is to find out what may be blocking any positive progress.

Identify Your Obstacles
Have you ever thought that nothing good is going to happen to you? Maybe you've even said something like
"If I don't expect anything good to happen, I won't be disappointed if it doesn't." These thoughts are obstacles
in your mind, and simply recognizing them will pave the way to your freedom. As Christians, we need to
learn to fight for our thoughts, because our minds don't automatically come into agreement with God's plans.

I can look back at it and remember thinking, I'm probably never going to be in worldwide ministryI
probably just made that up because I wanted it to happen. It probably wasn't God's will at all. This was my
obstacle, and it was a lie all the time. I had encountered so many disappointments in my life that I was afraid
to believe anything good might happen. And when I really began to study the Word and to trust God to restore
me, I realized my negativism had to go.

Practice the Positive
Once you've identified any obstacles, the next step is to start practicing being positive in all kinds of
situations. If you're going through a difficult time in life, start believing that God will work things out for your
good.

Even positive thinkers deal with disappointing situations. The difference is that they have learned to let things
roll off their back and enjoy life no matter what happens.

Say What God's Word Says
Nearly everything God has brought me through has happened by believing and confessing His Word. I
recommend that you not only purposely think right thoughts, but that you go the extra mile and speak them
out loud as personal confessions of faith (see Mark 4:24).

Basically, God's telling us that the more time we spend meditating on His Word, the more we will see the
benefits in our everyday lives and even have a closer relationship with Him. He even promises we'll be
prosperous and successful! (See Joshua 1:8.)

I encourage you to spend time examining His Word and comparing it to your thought life. Give God time to
help you put your thoughts in line with His.

Make up your mind to work toward changing your way of thinking. I've found the best way to become a
positive thinker is to ask God for a lot of helpand to ask for it often.

Want to know more?
Take a deeper look at how to align your thoughts with God's Word and overcome negative thinking with
Joyce's book Power Thoughts.

The Most Precious Gift of All
It's the most outrageous, reasonable thing. The more I think about it, the more amazed I am. It gives blessings
that are undeserved and withholds punishment when it is deserved. It's absolutely the greatest gift you can
give someone.

This gift is called mercy.

See, Jesus came to give us freedom from our sins. And we need to learn how to release other people from their
sins.

By Christ's example, we're not only taught to love our enemies, we're taught to pray for them too. And if you
can possibly bring yourself to do something nice for themeven if it's just smiling at them to show you're not
holding a grudgeyou'll really give the devil a black eye.

The truth is, a lot of what people take from you, they have no ability to give back to you. My father took my
childhood innocence through sexual abuse, and there was no way he could have given that back. But God
promises us double for our former trouble.

We can give to people who will give us gifts in return. But we're more blessed when we choose to give to
those who cannot pay us backthat's giving mercy.

This Christmas, I encourage you to trust God a little bit more. Believe that whatever you do for "the least of
these"the poor, the hungry, the sick, people in prison and those who are neglected and alonewill be done
for you also.

Because the greatest gift you can give God this Christmas is to become more like His child. Then you'll be
free to give those around you the greatest gift they could ever receive from you: mercy.


Be Smart About It
Many people never accomplish their goals because they do not know how to set them. A popular and easy-to-
remember acronym that has been successful in helping countless people reach their goals is the word "smart":

Specic
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

Let me elaborate.

Specic: Make sure your goal is as specic and accurate as possible. For instance, dont simply say "I want to
lose weight"; say, "I want to lose 10 pounds in the next three months." Every time you hear yourself speaking
of your goals in vague terms, ask yourself, "What does that mean?" Youll soon nd yourself making
comments such as "I am going to stop watching television at 9:30 every night and be in bed by 10" instead of
"I need to watch less television and get more sleep."

Measurable: Goals that are hard to measure are goals that are hard to meet. Before you commit to a goal,
decide how you will monitor your progress. For goals involving debt reduction, you can measure your
progress with monthly statements. For goals that involve exercise, you can keep track of how many pounds
you can lift or how many miles you can run. Whatever your goals are, nd ways to measure them, whether
that includes a journal, a checklist, a chart, a graph, a spreadsheet or some other creative way to see how you
are doing.

Attainable: Make sure the goal itself is reachable. Don't have a goal of losing 30 pounds in one week or
paying off all your debt in one year when your debt is more than your annual salary. Choose goals that lie just
beyond your reachnot so easy that they don't challenge you, but not so difcult that they stretch you to the
breaking point.

Realistic: I believe in dreaming big dreams and aiming high, but don't set yourself up for disappointment by
trying to reach an unrealistic goal. Assess all the factors that will affect your ability to reach your goals and
work within those parameters. Make sure it is realistic, given your health and physical condition, nances,
schedule, personal capacity and other priorities.

Timely: People who set goals without target completion dates rarely accomplish their objectives. Give
yourself deadlines by which to accomplish your goals. If you are working toward a goal over a long period of
time, consider setting intermediate goals each week or month to keep you on track.

The #1 Way to Start Your Day
God wants us to have joy in the midst of our ordinary, everyday lifeeven on the worst days of our life.

It took me a lot of years to figure this out, but I now know that the very best way to start my day is by giving
thanks to God for what Hes done for me, and asking Him how I can be a blessing to other people.

There were times in my life when I dreaded facing each day. All I could think about was my circumstances
wondering how Dave and I were going to pay the bills or get everything done that we needed to do.
Sometimes I wanted to pull the covers over my head and just stay in bed.

I was so wrapped up in worry that I was missing the point: God had created a new day, and He wanted me to
enjoy it.

Achieving an A+ Attitude
Every single day is filled with all kinds of situations that could upset youthings like losing your car keys or
getting caught in a traffic jam. But you can choose to be at peace and in control.

God doesnt necessarily create difficult situations for us, but He will use them to develop our character.

When you and I take our minds off ourselves and our circumstances, and put our focus on God and loving
others, we are embracing an attitude that will bring honor to Him.

No matter what happens during our lifetime, we can be sure that God is working everything out for our good.

Setting Realistic Expectations
Another thing Ive learned is that you cannot count on someone else to make you happy. You must take
responsibility for your own happiness.

There was a time when I would feel sorry for myself if Dave went to play golf the day after one of our big
conferences. I wanted him to go shopping or watch a movie with me. But God showed me that we have
different ways of relaxing and unwinding.

By keeping our expectations of each other real, we can be free to do what we really enjoy.

Putting God and Others First
When you feel discouraged about yourself or your circumstances, remember that God made you and loves you
just the way you are. He is leading you to where youre supposed to be. And He is going to be with you every
step of the way.

I encourage you to spend time each morning focusing on the good things God has done in your life. Think
about the dangers and difficulties Hes brought you through, the ways Hes healed you and changed you, and
how good it is to know He cares for you and hears your prayers.

When you learn to set your mind on God each morning, Hell give you all the peace and joy you need to love
others every single day of your life.

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