From the book Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer.

Trust God Completely

by Joyce Meyer

In You, O Lord, do I put my trust.  
—Psalm 31:1

I remember when God told me to quit my full-time job where I was making very good money. He began to deal with me, saying, “You’re going to have to put that down and stay home and prepare for ministry.”

I didn’t obey quickly because I was afraid to leave my job. After all, how did I even know for sure that I was hearing from God? He continued dealing with me so I finally tried to make a deal with Him, saying, “I won’t work full-time, but I’ll work part-time.”

So I went to work part-time because I was afraid to trust God completely. Dave and I didn’t have as much income as we had before, but I found we could survive on less money than we had previously. We had to cut down on expenses, but we were able to pay our bills. I also had more time to prepare for ministry. This seemed like a good plan, but it was not God’s plan.

I learned that God doesn’t want to make “deals” and I ended up getting fired from my part-time job. I was a good worker and had never been fired from a job before. Even though I didn’t like my circumstances, I was finally where God wanted me to be all along—totally dependent on Him.

Without a job, I had to learn to trust God for every little thing I needed. For six years, we needed divine intervention each month just to be able to pay our bills, but during that time I learned a lot about God’s faithfulness. He always provided and what we learned through our experience enabled us to trust Him for the resources we now need to run an international ministry. I encourage you to obey God completely and don’t try to make deals with Him because they never work.

God's word for you today: When we negotiate with God, we never win.

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This weeks prayer for a New Year 1/4/2016

Father thank You for this brand new day in You.  Thank You for allowing us to worship You and to praise You.  Thank You Father for watching over us, for keeping us, for shielding us, for healing us, and for providing for us.    Thank You Father for strengthening and empowering us to do all that You have called us to do.   

Father show us Your way.   Show us the way that You would have us to go.   Lead us, guide us, and direct our footsteps.    Father, help us in the areas where we are weak.    Father, we know, see, and recognize our need for You.   

Father thank You for opening up doors in our lives like never before.   Thank You for giving us favor with You and with man.   Father thank You for Your divine deliverance in Jesus name … amen.   

"SCRIPTURE MEDITATION"

Psalm 31:3

For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name's sake You will lead me and guide me.

Happy New Year!

I'm back and ready for 2016!!!

Received some encouragement to start blogging again. Thanks Ashley D.!

Hope your new year has started out on the right foot. If not, kick with your left foot, so you start out on the right foot! Thank KLF!

You're welcome! Thanks Guy B.!

To my hubby: Let's do this to glorify Him!

Welcome 2016!

Today's Devo 6/12...Who God Says You Are

Who God Says You Are James MacDonald - Senior Pastor - Harvest Bible Chapel But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” —Isaiah 43:1 Isaiah 43:1 tells us God is personal. I love that word formed (v.1) because it’s so intimate. God may have spoken the universe into existence, but He formed you and me. Formed is the same word used in Jeremiah 18 to describe God as the potter with His hands on the clay, personally shaping you. He did not just make your life and bring you into existence, He is forming the kind of person you are becoming day by day. God is making you into who He wants you to be. So when it comes to your identity, the critical issue is not what you think about yourself—because you can’t be trusted! As Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Ultimately, the only thing that matters is what God thinks about you. Tune in to the biblical message of who God says you are, and allow His thoughts about you to shape your identity. You will discover a remarkably different thought pattern developing: “I’m not who my parents or my spouse say I am. I’m not who my boss says I am. I'm not what my performance says I am. I'm not what my appearance says I am. None of these! I am who God says I am!” If you begin to let your mind be renewed with His Word, God’s truth—He formed you!—will download into your identity and your attitude. You won’t even have to worry about your actions. They will begin to naturally flow out of who you know yourself to be in the Lord. The process involves accepting truths about God which affect your identity—and result in an attitude that naturally leads to God-honoring actions. The truth that He is personal, is just one of them. Isaiah 43:1 also tells us God not only formed us personally, He has “redeemed you and calls you His own.” God paid the redemption price of His Son’s life, so He could have a relationship with those who turn from their sin and trust in Christ alone for forgiveness. Does that describe you? Have you done that?  If you have, God not only knows you by name, He says, “you are mine.” That is who God says you are—and what He says is the only thing that will ultimately matter! Let His truth form your identity, for His glory, today.

Do Good...Today's Devo 5/30/2013

Do Good

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38, ASV)

The first thing Jesus did before healing, before ministering, before delivering is that He was good to people. Think about that for a moment. We all have an assignment. You could say that we all have a ministry. It may not be up in front of people. It may not be to go overseas and be a missionary. Our ministry starts by being good to people.

When goodness flows out of our hearts, it catches people’s attention. It causes them to want to know more about what we have. We can say all day long, “I love you,” but true love is seen in what we do. If I really love you, I’ll be good to you. I’ll prefer you. God said to Abraham, “I will bless you and you will be a blessing.” One key to being blessed is: are you willing to be a blessing? Are you willing to do good?

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I ask that You empower me to do good. Help me to love others. Use me to be a blessing and be a testimony of Your goodness so that others may come to know You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today's Devo 5/22

The Place of Blessing

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.’ ”

(1 Kings 17:2–4, NIV)

In scripture, God had a place of provision for Elijah. He gave specific instructions, and as long as Elijah obeyed, he would walk right in to His place of blessing.

Just as God directed Elijah to his place of blessing, God is directing you, too. He’s aligning the right opportunities for you and causing the right people to come along your path to help you get ahead. He’s constantly working behind the scenes on your behalf. But you have to do your part to keep your heart in the right place by following His Word. That means living in peace and unity. The Bible says that when we live in unity with other believers, there He has commanded the blessing. And when your heart is in the place of blessing, the rest of your life will be in the place of blessing, too!

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I come to You with a grateful heart. Thank You for leading me and directing my steps. Help me to see others the way You see them so I can honor You and live in unity all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today's Devo 5/21/2013

He Opens and Closes Doors

 TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”

(Revelation 3:8, ESV)

God opens doors of opportunity before us that no one is able to shut. But we have to realize, sometimes He also closes doors because He has something better in store. We may see a logical opportunity, but just because it’s the logical way doesn’t mean that it’s God’s way. Just because it happened that way before doesn’t mean it’s going to happen that way next time. That’s why you have to stay open and keep trusting in God. If you’re narrow-minded and only look at the door that’s been closed, you may miss the door He has opened behind you!

Friend, when you are able to let go of your own agenda and trust God, He’ll make sure you see those open doors. Scripture says His Word is what lights our path. Our attitude should always be, “God, I surrender all to You. Have Your way in my life. I trust Your timing. God, I trust You to do it Your way.” Then, step back and see the open door He has prepared for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for ordering and directing my steps. I choose to trust You even when doors close before me. I believe that You have my best interest at heart. I am ready and available. I stand looking for the open door You have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.