Bad Alliances

Isaiah 30:1-2 - "Woe to the obstinate children," declares the Lord, "to those who carry out plans that are not Mine, forming an alliance, but not by My Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting Me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge."

Have you ever entered a business relationship with someone you knew you were not supposed to? Throughout the history of Israel, the people were called to come out of an old way of life. Egypt represented that old way; when things got tough, the Israelites reverted to what was comfortable. They always knew they could take a trip to Egypt and find what they lacked. Perhaps this was their reasoning: "If we can't get it accomplished under the new way, why not go back to the way we used to do it? At least we know we can get it there."

When God calls us into a walk of faith, we can expect to be tested in this walk. If we enter into alliances that God has not ordained, it will only bring heartache. Such was the case for Israel. "But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame, Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace" (Is. 30:3).

Beware what you perceive as an alliance that may advance your business. It may actually bring you great distress if God has not directed you to align it. Ask yourself what the motive is behind this possible alliance. Make sure that it is not based on fear or a quick fix. Get confirmation that God is leading you to make such an alliance. Then you will not end up in the way of Israel, experiencing shame and disgrace.

Press on in Patience

Gloria Copeland

"...be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."
(Hebrews 6:12)

You've been walking by faith. You've been believing God to meet your need. But what do you do when the results seem slow in coming and you are tempted to give up?

Be patient!

There is not much said about patience these days. But, when it comes to receiving from God, it is just as important as faith.

It will make the difference between success and failure for you.

Patience undergirds and sustains faith until the result is manifested. After you have meditated on the promises of God and have them in your spirit, patience will encourage you to hold steady. Patience is power. It has the courage to refuse the lie of Satan that says the Word is not working for you. It knows that God's Word has never failed. Patience will not draw back in fear but will press forward in faith until you have the answer.

When the results of your faith seem slow in coming, don't give up! Continue to put the Word first, with patience, and you will surely receive the promise of God!

---

Scripture Study: Hebrew 10:32-39

Presumption Versus Faith

1 Chronicles 13:10 - The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

A life of faith often requires us to leave God's work alone. Responding to a need out of a desire to help move a vision along can be the greatest challenge for a Christian entrepreneur. There is a fine line between presumption and faith.

Uzzah learned that presumption can cost him his life. He was part of the crew that was to move the ark with the help of a team of oxen. When the way became rough, Uzzah responded in a natural way. He grabbed the ark to steady it. When he did, he was immediately struck down. God said it was forbidden to touch the ark. King David mourned the death of his servant and argued with God about this loss.

Walking with God in the marketplace requires sensitivity to balancing our God-given talents and operating in the power of the Holy Spirit in and through our business life. A mentor once told me, "You almost have to hold back your natural gifting to ensure that God is the one who is guiding you. If not, you will not know if it is through your skill versus His hand that you are accomplishing the work." I find this the most challenging aspect of a walk with God in the marketplace.

You can only grow in your understanding of this balance by being accountable to others in the process. By having other committed Christians walking close to you, they become the safety net to keep you from presumption and the deceit of the heart. God also gives godly spouses to help many in this area.

James 4:7

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Oppose the Devil

Gloria Copeland

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." - (James 4:7)

If you've been crying and asking God to run the devil out of your life, STOP! The Bible says you're the one who's supposed to overcome the devil.

How? By resisting him. By rebelling against him when he tells you to do something and doing what God says instead! When Satan tells you some lie, contradict him with the Word of God. Oppose him. This verse says when you do that, he'll flee from you. He'll "run as in terror."

That means everywhere you go, as you walk in faith and oppose the devil, darkness is pushed back.

So start pushing back that darkness. You can do it! The life of God is within you. Jesus Himself is living inside you. Everywhere you go, He goes. Every problem that rises up against you, every evil spirit that tries to influence your life, is coming up against GOD when he comes up against you.

All you need to do is become conscious of that. Begin now living your life moment by moment, knowing that the light of God is in you. The Word of God is in you. The Spirit of God is in you.

Live knowing that Jesus, the Son of God, is in you. Then watch the devil run!

---

Scripture Study: Ephesians 6:10-18

He Really Does Care for You

Kenneth Copeland

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7)
Do you know what it's like to face a problem so big it seems downright irresponsible not to worry about it? There may not be a thing you can do about it, but you feel like you need to at least be concerned. After all, somebody needs to! And no one else seems to be volunteering for the job.

I remember one time in particular I felt exactly that way. I was holding a series of meetings in Ruston, Louisiana. I had just discovered our budget was $800 short--and in those days, $800 might as well have been 9 million! The devil was attacking my mind, telling me that no one cared about me or my ministry, telling me that I was facing this problem alone.

But instead of giving in to those thoughts, I got my Bible and turned to every scripture in the Word of God that guaranteed me my needs were met. Then I rolled the care of those expenses over on God. I promised God that with the Holy Spirit as my Helper, I would not touch that problem with my thought life again.

That wasn't an easy promise to keep. I wanted to worry so badly! I went into the courtyard of the Motel where I was staying and walked around the swimming pool. Every time I thought about the problem, I would say out loud, "No, I have rolled the care of that over on the Lord. I will not think about it. The budget is met."

After a while, a man drove up in the driveway and began to honk his horn. I tried to ignore him because I don't like to be interrupted when I'm praying, but he stuck his head out of the window and shouted, "Come here!" He said it with such authority that I obeyed.

He said to me, "Brother Copeland, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'm committed to another obligation and will be late for the meeting tonight. I was afraid I would miss the offering." Then he handed me a check. When I went back to my room and looked at that check, I found it was for $500. Coupled with the offering in the service that night, it totaled the exact amount I needed to meet that budget.

Would you like to have people chasing you down to meet your needs? Then next time you're facing a problem, give it to God. Let Him be the one who's concerned about it. He's volunteered for the job and you can trust Him to do it well. After all, He really does care for you.

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Scripture Study: Psalm 37:1-11

Experiencing God in Your Business

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

The CEO walked into the president's office after reviewing his new marketing plan for the next year. It was a well-prepared, thoughtful plan.

"This will not do!" exclaimed the CEO. "This plan describes how you will achieve these objectives through your own planning. I am certain you can achieve these objectives through normal business operations; however, you have allowed no room for faith in your plan. Now you must determine what God wants us to trust Him to accomplish through this business. You must go beyond what you can naturally achieve."

What was this CEO saying? If you and I want to experience God in business at the practical level, we must be willing to trust Him for more than what our natural abilities can accomplish. God likes to show Himself in the midst of unlikely circumstances. This is the place that God receives the glory. God always forced Israel to trust Him for the supernatural. This is how glory was brought to the Father. It is no different in our lives.

The world is looking for real faith. Perhaps you are the instrument that He wants to use to demonstrate real faith to the unbelieving business world. It will require courage, faith, and action; also, it will require risk. You may risk finances, reputation, and being misunderstood. This was the risk of all leaders in the Bible. It was a risk worth taking. Are you willing to see God move in your business life? Ask Him what this might mean for you.

Second Chances

Jonah 4:2 - ..."I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger aand abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity."

Have you ever gone through a time of disobedience with God? Jonah was a prophet of God who decided he didn't want to prophesy for the Lord. God wanted him to deliver a message to Nineveh to warn them against impending destruction if they didn't turn from their ways. Jonah had developed a hardened heart toward the people of Nineveh. He didn't really care if they repented or not; so rather than travel to Nineveh and deliver the message, he hopped a boat in the opposite direction. You probably know the rest of the story. He was eaten by a fish and spent a few days thinking about his decision.

There is a place where we all will obey. What circumstances must take place for us to become obedient? For some of us, it requires a good shakeup. For Jonah, it required a big shakeup because he was God's man to save 120,000 people. He was chosen by God to be used by God, and God didn't give up on him.

God understands our disobedient heart. He sees what we really are, yet He gives second chances. God gave Jonah a second chance. He gave the people of Nineveh a second chance. It is a lesson of love from a heavenly Father who specializes in second chances. Have you blown it? Have you disappointed someone close to you? God is the God of second chances. All we have to do is acknowledge our waywardness. He will restore. He will give grace. Ask Him.

Philippians 4:4-9

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Psalm 34:19

¹⁹ A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all

Joel 3:10

¹⁰...let the weak say, I am strong.

Romans 4:17

¹⁷...calls things that are not as though they were.

Acts 27:22

²²And now I exhort you to be of good cheer

Be of Good Cheer

Kenneth Copeland

"And now I exhort you to be of good cheer." (Acts 27:22)

What do you do when you're in a really perilous situation?

If you're like I used to be, you cry out to God in desperation. One afternoon when I was squalling to God about something, He interrupted me and said, "Kenneth, did you know I don't hear the cry of My children when they cry out in desperation?"

"What?" I said. "I thought you did."

He said, "No, I hear the desperation cry of a sinner because that's all he can cry about. But once you get born again, son, you ought to be crying out of faith. I hear the faith cry."

What is a faith cry? It's calling things that be not as though they were (Rom. 4:17). It's what the Bible means when it says, "Let the weak say, I am strong" (Joel 3:10).

The Apostle Paul knew how to use the faith cry. That's why in Acts 27 he exhorted the men on that battered, sinking ship to "be of good cheer." He was telling them to start acting by faith. Can't you imagine what those sailors thought when he said that? "Listen to that stupid preacher. We're sinking and he says be of good cheer. We've thrown everything we have overboard and he says be of good cheer."

You may feel just like those sailors did, right now. You may feel like your ship's going down. You may feel like crying out in desperation. But don't do it. Instead, do what Paul said and be of good cheer!

Cry out to God in faith and say, "Lord, I'm not going to panic. I'm not going to despair. I'm going to be of good cheer because Your Word says You'll deliver me from this situation" (Ps. 34:19).

Then start being cheerful. It may take more determination than anything you've ever done before, but God will give you the strength to do it. He'll give you the power to be cheerful in the middle of the most ungodly darkness the devil can bring up.

Instead of crying out in desperation, take a faith stand. Sing and rejoice and praise God for your deliverance. Be of good cheer and you can be sure God will bring you through the storm just fine!

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Scripture Study: Philippians 4:4-9

Beware of the Thief

Luke 12:39 - But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

What are the times when you and I are most vulnerable to being caught off guard by the enemy of our souls? One of those times is just after you've had a great victory. Consider Jesus when He was baptized and was about to begin His public ministry. He was taken away into the desert to be tempted by satan.

Leisure time is another place in which satan seeks to take us off our normal routine of personal quiet times. In the normal routine of life, our senses are tuned to the need to draw upon God's Spirit to see us through the activities of each day. However, when we get away from our routine and go on vacation, we can often drop these routines. We wrongfully think that we do not need to spend time with the Lord during leisure times. This is a grave mistake. The vacation becomes a test of character. During vacations we turn freely to what we love most. It reveals to us what is at the core of our existence.

A teacher in a large school reportedly said, "The greatest difficulty we encounter is the summer vacation. Just when we have brought a student to a certain discipline and place in their study habits, we lose him; when he comes back we have to begin all over again." It is the same in our spiritual lives. It only takes a small crack in the door of our heart to lose our spiritual focus.

This summer, be on guard when times of retreat are made available to you. Use these times for spiritual refreshment, not just physical refreshment, and you will keep the thief from entering your house.

How To Handle Guilt, Anger And Fear

Joyce Meyer

Part I
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Part II
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Part III
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Part IV

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Expectations

Philippians 1:20 - I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Have you ever had expectations that did not get fulfilled? Perhaps a coworker let you down. Perhaps you were trusting God for something in your life that never materialized. Perhaps you became devastated by an unmet expectation that you felt you were entitled to. Expectations can be a difficult trap for each of us if we are not fully committed to God's purposes in our lives.

Paul wrote this verse from prison to the people of Philippi. He had an expectation that his life would bring glory to God, whether through his continued ministry or his death. His joy in living was not based on his expectations getting fulfilled, but on remaining true to the purpose for which God made him.

When we react to circumstances with bitterness and resentment as a result of unmet expectations, we are saying that we know better than God, and that God has made a mistake in not meeting our expectations. The process of resolving unmet expectations may require full disclosure to the individual who was the source of the unmet expectation, and of how the unmet expectation made you feel. This is not to make the person feel obligated to meet the expectation, but simply to share your feelings about it. If God was the source, then it is important to share this with the Lord. However, once we have done this we must let go of the situation and allow God to work in our hearts the grace that is needed to walk in freedom from the pain of the unmet expectation. If we do not do this, we will allow the seed of bitterness and resentment to enter in. This seed of bitterness will create leanness in our soul and eventually will spread to others.

Ask yourself today if you have any unmet expectations. How have you responded to them? Have you processed this with the Lord and others who may be involved? These are the steps to freedom from unmet expectations.

Life bit

from FreshOutlook magazine

We stumble over pebbles…

not mountains.
Song of Solomon 2:15

Think on These...

from FreshOutlook magazine

Character is not made in a crisis, it is only exhibited.

The fingers of your thoughts are molding
your face ceaselessly.

Take heed of little sins.

A fault, once denied, is twice committed.

Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable,
and receives the impossible.

Knowing Our Limits

Proverbs 28:19 - He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

Webster's defines entrepreneur: "one who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk in a business venture." [Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth ed. (Springfield, Massachusetts, 1993), "entrepreneur."] Entrepreneurs can smell an opportunity a mile away. However, what is often their greatest asset can become their greatest downfall. The road is littered with entrepreneurs who have been successful in one venture only to fail in countless others. Is this the natural way for an entrepreneur, or is there a better way?

King David was an entrepreneur. He grew up as a shepherd boy and later became Israel's greatest warrior. He responded to opportunities, like the time when no one would fight Goliath. He saw this as an opportunity. He ultimately became king of Israel and faced many opportunities placed before him. David learned an important lesson somewhere along the way that each of us as businesspeople should learn.

As an entrepreneur the greatest danger is engaging ourselves in activities in which God never intended us to be involved. This is poor stewardship of what God has entrusted to us. When the Philistines attacked David, he always inquired of God as to if and when he was to counterattack. When he was attacked a second time on one occasion, David inquired of God as to whether he was to attack yet. This time God said yes, but with a condition, "Wait until you hear the sound of marching in the balsam trees" (see 2 Sam. 5:24). This story tells us that David had learned an important lesson about staying vertical in his relationship with God at all times. David had learned the important principle of staying focused on what God wanted for him, not what seemed logical. He was an opportunist, but only through the filter of the Holy Spirit in his life.

How do you approach opportunities? Do you consider the merits of the opportunity only? Or do you inquire of God as to whether He desires you to pursue? It may be a wonderful opportunity, but it may not be God's will for you to be involved. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you as you seek to use the skills He has given you.

Proverbs 28:19

"He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty."

2 Samuel 5:24

"When you hear the sound of shuffling in the trees, get ready to move out. It's a signal that God is going ahead of you to..."

No Offense

Kenneth Copeland

"He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him."
(1 John 2:10)

Whenever you find yourself stumbling into failure or sin, check your love life. Sit down with the Lord and ask Him to show you if you're in strife with anyone or if you've taken offense. If you have, the devil can come in and trip you up.

As a preacher, I've seen that happen countless times. I'll be preaching about something and some believer will get upset with me about it. He'll decide I'm wrong and go off in a huff--and first thing you know, he's in trouble.

Mark 4:17 tells us the devil uses those kinds of offenses to steal the Word from our hearts. He causes us to get crosswise with each other. Then he's able to pull the plug right out of us and drain the Word like water from a bucket.

Don't ever let that happen to you. If you hear a preacher or another believer saying something that rubs you the wrong way and you catch yourself getting offended say, "Oh no you don't. You're not stealing the Word out of me, you lying devil." Then get right down on your knees and repent before God.

Search the Word and listen to the Spirit within you and find out what you should do. If you still feel what that person said to you was wrong, pray for him.

Remember, taking offense never comes from God. He says we're to be rooted and grounded in love. So reject those feelings of offense. Give yourself to that person in love and in prayer. You'll be able to walk right on through that situation without ever stumbling at all.

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Scripture Study: 1 John 2:1-11

Proverbs 13

¹ A wise son heeds his father's instruction,
but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

² From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things,
but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.

³ He who guards his lips guards his life,
but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

⁴ The sluggard craves and gets nothing,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

⁵ The righteous hate what is false,
but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

⁶ Righteousness guards the man of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

⁷ One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

⁸ A man's riches may ransom his life,
but a poor man hears no threat.

⁹ The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

¹⁰ Pride only breeds quarrels,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

¹¹ Dishonest money dwindles away,
but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

¹³ He who scorns instruction will pay for it,
but he who respects a command is rewarded.

¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning a man from the snares of death.

¹⁵ Good understanding wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful is hard. ^[a]

¹⁶ Every prudent man acts out of knowledge,
but a fool exposes his folly.

¹⁷ A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

¹⁸ He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame,
but whoever heeds correction is honored.

¹⁹ A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but fools detest turning from evil.

²⁰ He who walks with the wise grows wise,
but a companion of fools suffers harm.

²¹ Misfortune pursues the sinner,
but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

²² A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children,
but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.

²³ A poor man's field may produce abundant food,
but injustice sweeps it away.

²⁴ He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

²⁵ The righteous eat to their hearts' content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry

1 Corinthians 13:5

⁵ [Love] is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Leaving the Pain Behind

Kenneth Copeland

"Love...is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it pays no attention to a suffered wrong." (1 Corinthians 13:5, Amp)

Have you ever tried to forgive someone and found you simply couldn't do it? You've cried about it and prayed about it and asked God to help you, but those old feelings of resentment just failed to go away.

Put an end to those kinds of failures in the future by basing your forgiveness on faith rather than feelings. True forgiveness doesn't have anything at all to do with how you feel. It's an act of the will. It is based on obedience to God and on faith in Him.

That means once you've forgiven a person, you need to consider him permanently forgiven! When old feelings rise up within you and Satan tries to convince you that you haven't really forgiven, resist him. Say, "No, I've already forgiven that person by faith. I refuse to dwell on those old feelings."

Then, according to 1 John 1:9, believe that you receive forgiveness and cleansing from the sin of unforgiveness and from all unrighteousness associated with it including any remembrance of having been wronged!

Have you ever heard anyone say, "I may forgive, but I'll never forget!" That's a second-rate kind of forgiveness that you, as a believer, are never supposed to settle for. You're to forgive supernaturally "even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Eph. 4:32).

You're to forgive as God forgives. To release that person from guilt permanently and unconditionally and to operate as if nothing bad ever happened between you. You're to purposely forget as well as forgive.

As you do that, something supernatural will happen within you. The pain once caused by that incident will disappear. The power of God will wash away the effects of it and you'll be able to leave it behind you once and for all.

Don't become an emotional bookkeeper, keeping careful accounts of the wrongs you have suffered. Learn to forgive and forget. It will open a whole new world of blessing for you.

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Scripture Study: Luke 6:27-37

Philippians 4:6-7

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:6-7 (Message Bible)

Feed on the Word!

Kenneth Copeland

"Attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes."
(Proverbs 4:20-21)

Once you've made the Word of God final authority in your life, your first step to victory over the attacks of the enemy is to go to the Word and lay hold of God's promises concerning your situation.

Notice I said, "Go to the Word." It's good to have the Word committed to memory. But don't let that substitute for getting the Word before your eyes on a daily basis.

Think about it this way. It never did a hungry person any good to think about what a potato tastes like. Not even if he can remember it perfectly. The same thing is true with the Word of God. It's important to keep it in memory, but it's also necessary to go directly to it and feed your spirit with it. There is power in keeping the Word in front of your eyes and going into your ears. That's how it gets in your heart, so you can live by it.

So don't just think about the Word today, read it. Go to the promises that cover your situation. Feed on those promises and grow strong!

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Scripture Study: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Overlooking Offenses

Proverbs 19:11 - A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

I have a friend who tells a story of a lesson the Lord taught him through his wife. It seems that every time he and his wife would get in the car to travel somewhere, his wife had a strong need to direct his driving. She would tell him where to turn and when to turn, even in their own subdivision. It was such a horrible habit that it drove my friend crazy and became the source of many an argument. Finally, one day my friend concluded that the Lord was trying to teach him something through this experience. He decided he would let go of his need to be free from this correction. He began to affirm his wife and even thank her for her input. It was excruciatingly painful to do this from where he sat.

A few months passed. He let go of the entire situation and actually got to a place where it just didn't matter to him anymore. An interesting thing happened a few months later. One day his wife looked at him and said, "John, I just realized that I have been directing your driving all these years and now realize why I do that. It goes back to my childhood when I had to direct my younger brothers and sisters. I am so sorry I have been doing that." My friend nearly fell out of his seat!

Whenever we work close to another person, whether in an office or home, small offenses can become the source of great conflict. Resentment and irritability soon follow. God brings these "offenses" into our lives to develop character qualities in us. He uses individuals in our lives to accomplish his goal of making us more Christlike. So the next time you complain or resist a habit or action from someone close to you, ask God if it has been placed there to develop some quality in you.

Pride is the root source of the need to change another person. A man's wisdom gives him patience-to let go of little offenses. This is where spiritual maturity is seen in the day-to-day activity of life. Is there someone close to you who has some habit you really want to change? Give up that desire to the Lord. Who knows, He may even change it after you let go of the need to change it.

Life bit

Life can’t go according to plan…

if you have no plan.
Jeremiah 29:11

Think on These...

Live close enough to God that all else seems
small in comparison.

Only when you are completely pliable can you
become completely strong.

The greatest reward for your labor is not what you
get from it but what you become through it.

Whatever God’s desire for you may be, it certainly
can not come unless you cooperate.

Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor to walk upon.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

by Kenneth Copeland

Almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus warned us that in this world we would have trouble. Sure enough, He was right. Trouble is here...and more is on the way.

Everyone knows it, saints and sinners alike. All you have to do is look around, read a paper, or turn on the television and you can see that natural answers are just not enough for the problems we are facing. The world is looking to politicians, scientists, doctors and psychologists for a remedy. But the fact is, we've exhausted man-made solutions.

We are entering the day when even those who once scoffed at the gospel will soon realize that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only source of light in this dark world. We are entering the day when the Spirit of God is saying to His people:

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising (Isaiah 60:1-3).

The problem is, many believers aren't hearing His voice. They aren't seeing His Glory in their lives. Instead of arising in the power of God, their hearts are burdened down and troubled by the pressures of the world. They're wringing their hands and crying, "Oh my God, what are we going to do?"

I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll do exactly what Jesus said we should do in times like these. We will let not our hearts be troubled!

"Well, Brother Copeland, I just don't see how that is possible. After all, these are dark days. Wickedness is just running rampant. Good people are suffering."

Those are exactly the kinds of things happening when Jesus gave that instruction. He was about to be crucified by wicked men. His disciples were about to see everything they had believed in and hoped for appear to crumble before their very eyes. They had invested their whole lives in the ministry of Jesus and they were about to see Him killed like a common thief. Naturally speaking, their entire world was about to come to an end.

You want to talk about pressure and trouble? There has never been a darker time than that.

If you refuse to fear, you can go through trouble without that trouble getting inside you. You can go through it in peace and come out on the other side in victory.

Yet Jesus looked those men straight in the eyes and said, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me" (John 14:1). He wasn't just giving them an emotional pat on the head when He said it, either. He was giving them a command, a command so important He repeated it just a few minutes later saying, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

When I was a kid, I knew how serious my Dad was about something by how many times he told me to do it. If he just told me once to take out the trash, I might be able to get away without doing it. But if he said a second time, "Now boy, don't you forget to take out that trash like I said. Do you hear me?" I knew he meant it and I'd better follow through.

I believe that's what Jesus was doing when He repeated Himself in John 14. He was saying, "Listen to me, now. I said, don't let your heart be troubled and I mean it. I'm telling you again so you can get it straight. I don't care how bad things look, don't be afraid!"

Dominating the Storms of Life

If you understand the way fear works, you can see why Jesus warned us so sternly against it.

Fear is perverted faith. Just as faith is confidence in God's ability to protect you, fear is confidence in Satan's ability to hurt you. And in the same way faith opens the door for God to bring blessings into your life, fear opens the door for the devil to bring destruction.

If you refuse to fear, you can go through trouble without that trouble getting inside you. You can go through it in peace and come out on the other side in victory.

But understand this: When Jesus said don't let your heart be troubled, He wasn't telling you to stick your head in the sand and pretend like the trouble isn't there. He wasn't telling you to ignore the events around you. No, look again at what He said: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."

The secret to maintaining an untroubled heart in the midst of troubled times is to believe Jesus! It is to put more faith in what He said than in what the devil says.

Exactly what did Jesus say?

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (Luke 4:18).

Jesus is the Christ. The Greek word Christ means the Anointed One. And since Isaiah 10:27 tells us that the yoke of the devil is destroyed by the anointing, we don't have to run scared when the devil comes against us, our loved ones or our nation. We can put him to flight with the blood of the Lamb, the Word of our testimony and the yoke-destroying anointing of Jesus Christ Himself!

That's what Jesus expects us to do. He has already taken care of every kind of trouble that could ever come to the human family when He was put on the Cross, raised from the dead, and glorified at the right hand of the Father. He spoiled the principalities and powers of darkness. He triumphed over them and made an open show of them (see Colossians 2:15). He stripped the devil of every last vestige of power.

"But if that's the case," you ask, "why is He letting the devil wreak so much havoc on the earth today?"

He isn't. We are!

Jesus has done His part. He has taken back the devil's authority over the earth and He has given it to us. Just before He ascended to heaven He said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore..." (Matthew 28:18-19). He delegated His power and authority to us - His Church - then "after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, [he] sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool" (Hebrews 10:12-13).

Jesus doesn't expect us to cower and whimper under the attacks of the devil. He expects us to take authority over the devil and overcome him. He expects us to stand up in the midst of the storms of life and dominate those storms with faith-filled words. He expects us to look sickness and lack and terror in the face and say, "You get under my feet, in the Name of Jesus!"

I realize you may not feel like you can do that. But, regardless of how you feel, if you're a born-again child of God, you can because the Bible says, "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).

No One Said It Would Be Easy

I'm not saying it's easy to exercise that kind of overcoming faith in times like these. It's not. The devil will bring all kinds of pressure against you. He'll do everything he can to discourage you and wear you out because he knows that if you succeed he'll lose control not only of you, but also of those in your sphere of influence.

Some people have the idea that if you live by faith, you can float through life with no problems at all. Forget about that. It will never happen this side of the rapture.

Just look at Jesus. If anyone should have been able to float through life, it was Him. He had perfect faith. But He never had an easy day of ministry. He had the toughest time of any man who ever walked on earth. He was persecuted, criticized and plotted against. What's more, He was tempted with every sin mankind has ever known. Yet He resisted it all.

If you think that's easy, think again. There's nothing tougher than feeling the pressure of sin, sickness, lack or grief, and yet refusing to let it dominate you. There's nothing tougher than standing up at those times and saying, "No! I'll not receive this sickness on my body. I'll not yield to this circumstance! I've been set free from the curse by the blood of Jesus, and I will live free by faith in Him!"

If you want to see just how much pressure such a stand of faith can bring, look at Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane before He went to the cross. The pressure of the temptation He faced there put such a strain on His physical body that drops of blood poured through His skin like perspiration. But even then, sin could not conquer Him.

None of us will ever face that much trouble. We'll never have to stand against that much pressure. Yet, we have available to us the same power and peace that took Him not just through the pressure at Gethsemane, but through the whipping, the mocking and the Crucifixion. We have the peace that took Him all the way through to the Resurrection!

"Peace I leave with you," He said. "My peace I give unto you.... Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

But, praise God, He didn't stop there. He told us how to gain access to that peace. He told us how to stand in faith when frightening things were happening all around us.

"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7).

Think for a moment. If you knew beyond any doubt that God would do anything you asked Him to in any situation, then would you ever be afraid? Would your heart ever be troubled? Of course not!

You know God has the power to make everything right. He has the power to prosper you in the midst of famine. He has the power to rescue you and your family from danger. He has the power to save your children - spirit, soul and body. In fact, the Bible says:

His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:3-4).

Make the Word Your Home

What's the key to having God's promises fulfilled in our lives? What's the key to receiving whatever we ask? Abiding in Jesus and letting His words abide in us!

Abiding in the Word is more than just knowing it. It's more than just mentally agreeing with it. Abiding in the Word means making the Word your number one priority.

When you abide somewhere, you make it your permanent place of residence. You make it your home. You wake up there in the morning and you go to sleep there at night. When trouble hits, the first thing you want to do is go home, because that's where your heart is.

The same thing is true with the Word. When you abide in the Word, it's the first thing you think of when the storms of life come - not the second thing or the third thing. It's the first! When you abide in the Word, your heart is so full of it that when the devil puts pressure on you, the Word is what comes out your mouth. You don't have to run and get your Bible. You don't even have to think about it. You're so full of the Word, it just spills out.

Abiding in the Word is not some passive state you slide into accidentally. The book of Hebrews says we labor to enter into that rest of faith (Hebrews 4:11). We don't labor to fight the problems and trouble surrounding us. We labor to enter into our rest with God.

What does that labor include? Sometimes it includes getting up out of your chair, turning off the TV and saying, "I'm not watching the world's news anymore. I'm tired of seeing this conflict through their eyes." It includes spending more time reading and meditating on the Word of God, building your faith until you can boldly say, "It doesn't matter how bad this situation looks, I believe God's Word. And I declare that my family, my church, my community and my nation will come through this in victory!"

Some people are afraid if they turned off the TV and buried their nose in the Bible, they'd be caught off guard by world events and be unequipped to handle them. But the truth is, they'd be more equipped to handle them than ever because the primary battles aren't taking place here on earth where you can see them and hear them. They're taking place in the heavenlies.

They're spiritual battles and you can't fight spiritual battles from a natural perspective. You have to see God's perspective. You have to put aside your natural human thoughts and start thinking His thoughts. You have to stop handling things your way and start handling them His way. As the prophet Isaiah says:

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isaiah 55:6-11).

Do you see the cycle there? We take God's Word - His thoughts and ways - and put it in our hearts. It causes faith to spring forth within us. Then we return that Word to God by speaking it out our mouths.

When that happens, the devil has to run for cover because there is nothing he can do to stop that Word from coming to pass. He can only stand by wringing his hands and crying, "Oh my, what am I going to do?"

This is no time for us to let our faith in God slip. This is no time to start fastening our eyes on the conditions around us. This is no time to open our hearts to fear.

On the contrary, now more than ever, we must immerse ourselves in the Word of God. We must fill our hearts so full of it, that there's simply no room there for trouble. We must make it our first thought when we wake up every morning and our last thought before we go to sleep at night. It must be the most precious thing in our lives.

We can do it. We must do it. Not only for ourselves and our families, but for this desperately troubled world.

We have in our mouths and in our hearts and in our lives the only hope: the burden- removing, yoke-destroying power of Jesus, the Anointed One. Let's hold Him high.

Scriptures for Today

John 14:1:

¹"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God^[a]; trust also in me.

John 14:27:
²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Isaiah 10:27:

²⁷ In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders,
their yoke from your neck;
the yoke will be broken...

Hebrews 4:11:
¹¹Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Isaiah 55:6-11:

⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

⁸ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

⁹ "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

God's Word on Peace

Psalm 4:8:

⁸ I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 29:11:

¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Psalm 37:4:

⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:11:

¹¹ But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

Proverbs 3:24:

²⁴ when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Proverbs 17:1:

¹ Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, ^[a] with strife.

Proverbs 17:14:

¹⁴ Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

Proverbs 20:3:

³ It is to a man's honor to avoid strife,
but every fool is quick to quarrel.

Ecclesiastes 4:6:

⁶ Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.

Isaiah 9:6:

⁶ For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, ^[a] Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 26:3:

³ You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 26:12:

¹² LORD, you establish peace for us;
all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

Isaiah 32:17-18:

¹⁷ The fruit of righteousness will be peace;
the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

¹⁸ My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
in secure homes,
in undisturbed places of rest.

Matthew 5:9:

⁹Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.

John 14:27:

²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33:

³³"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Romans 14:19:

¹⁹Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

1 Corinthians 14:33:

³³For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Galatians 5:22:

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Philippians 4:7

⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:15:

¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

1 Thessalonians 5:13:

¹³Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

James 3:17-18:

¹⁷But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Living as if You Were Dead

Romans 6:11 -In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

What are the things that arouse the strongest emotions in you? Perhaps it is a rude motorist who cuts you off in traffic. Perhaps it is the anger you feel when you are wrongfully accused. Perhaps it is frustration that results from not having enough money to meet perceived needs. When do emotions turn into sin?

Whenever our peace is upset over events and circumstances in life, we have moved past emotions into sin. Sin says that circumstances of life now dictate anxiety, worry, fear, or anger. Consider the attributes of a dead man. He does not get angry when slandered. He does not worry about the future. He does not fear what can be done to him. Why? Because he is dead. Nothing can harm a dead man.

Christ said we are to live as if we are dead -- dead to the temptation of responding to stimuli in our life that are designed to stir up the sinful nature that resides in each of us. We do not have to respond to that nature; we can consider it dead. Christ said He is enough. When He is our all in all, nothing can move us. If we are moved, then Christ is not our all in all.

Making God's Priority Your Priority

Bayless Conley

It has been said that it is a wise man or woman who lives life by “majoring on the majors” instead of “majoring on the minors.” But to do that, you and I must be able to figure out what things in life are major, what things are truly important, and what things are trivial or nonessential.

One way to discover what is “major” is to find out what is important to God, to determine what it is that He attaches special significance to. And in Scripture, He does give us a clue.

There is a phrase that comes up over and over again in the Bible, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, that lets us know when God is saying, “Hey, what’s coming up is especially important.”

It is the phrase take heed.

Whenever we find this phrase, we’ve come upon something that God considers especially vital. For example, in Hebrews 2:1 it says:

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”

The word heed in the verse above is the same Greek word translated “take heed” elsewhere in the Bible. What the writer of Hebrews is telling us is that you and I need to give our undivided attention to the things that we have heard “lest we drift away.”

And what are the “things we have heard”? God’s Word! God wants you and I to realize how incredibly important it is for us to stay focused on what we have learned from the Scriptures!

But the verse above is actually stronger than that. The word earnest literally means “superabundant, excessive, and frequent.” You and I need to give superabundant, excessive, and frequent heed to the Word of God which we have heard. Why? Lest we drift away!

There are many good men and women who have run their lives aground on the rocks of sin by not giving attention to God’s Word. And it wasn’t because they overtly turned away from God, but because they began to drift.

That’s why the writer of Hebrews emphasizes how vital it is for you and me to pay attention to what God says in His Word. He says to give superabundant, excessive, and frequent heed “to the things we have heard.”

The obvious question you need to ask yourself is this: Am I taking God’s Word for granted, or am I taking it seriously and giving heed to it?

Many of God’s people don’t realize the treasure they have in God’s powerful Word. They get washed in the blood of the Lamb, they know they’re going to heaven, but they begin to allow dust to collect on the cover of their Bible.

And then they wonder why their life isn’t what it should be and why their Christian walk is empty. My friend, the Bible tells you who you are in Christ, it tells you what you have in Christ, it tells you what you can do, and it tells you what God has done for you.

The Word of God is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among those who are sanctified. It is bread for your spirit and water for your soul! So it’s my prayer that you will make God’s Word the priority God desires for it to be in your life???starting today!

Answers with Bayless Conley broadcasts practical teachings of the Bible to its viewers in a non-religious way. For years, Bayless Conley struggled with drugs and alcohol while searching for answers. It was not until he was more than 20 years of age that a 12-year-old boy showed him the powerful reality of a relationship with Christ. Since 1979, the Lord has opened the television airwaves to the Answers program, which currently airs each week in more than 100 nations around the world.

God's Word on Obedience

Joshua 22:5:

⁵ But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."

Joshua 24:14:

¹⁴ "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness."

Joshua 24:15:

¹⁵ ...But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Proverbs 1:33:

³³ but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Proverbs 5:13-14:

¹³ I would not obey my teachers
or listen to my instructors.

¹⁴ I have come to the brink of utter ruin
in the midst of the whole assembly."

Proverbs 10:8:

⁸ The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Proverbs 10:17:

¹⁷ He who heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

Proverbs 19:16:

¹⁶ He who obeys instructions guards his life,
but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.

Proverbs 20:11:

¹¹ Even a child is known by his actions,
by whether his conduct is pure and right.

Proverbs 21:16:

¹⁶ A man who strays from the path of understanding
comes to rest in the company of the dead.

Proverbs 25:12:

¹² Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear.

Proverbs 25:28:

²⁸ Like a city whose walls are broken down
is a man who lacks self-control.

Proverbs 28:7:

⁷ He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

Proverbs 28:13:

¹³ He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Proverbs 29:18:

¹⁸ Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
but blessed is he who keeps the law.

Ecclesiastes 12:13:

¹³ Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.

Luke 6:46-49:

The Wise and Foolish Builders

⁴⁶"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? ⁴⁷I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. ⁴⁸He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

Romans 6:4

⁴We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

The Consequence of Faith

Os Hillman

Romans 6:4 - We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If you commit yourself to live for Christ in and through your business life, there will be a consequence of faith. You could avoid much hardship and take a much easier road in life if you do not choose to live an obedient life of faith in Christ. This is a spiritual law. None of us is excluded from identification with the cross.

When we commit ourselves to fully follow Christ, He begins a "circumcision" process in each of us designed to rid all that is of the world system from our lives. This circumcision is required of every believer. Moses had much preparation from God for His calling to free the people of Israel from Egypt. He spent years in training as a young boy in the family of Pharaoh. He tried to free the people through the flesh by killing an Egyptian. That cost him 40 years in the desert of loneliness and toil before God said he was prepared to free the people from their suffering. God invested much in Moses; however, that preparation was not enough. Experience and preparation had to be mixed with obedience. God required his family to be circumcised. Moses failed to circumcise his son before returning to Egypt. This was so important to God that He was going to kill Moses if he did not uphold his commandment. "At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him" (Ex. 4:24).

Are there any areas in your life that have not come under the lordship of Christ? Is there any lack of obedience that will prevent you from being used fully by the Lord? Ask Him to show you this today so that you might be fully used of God.

Proverbs 3

Further Benefits of Wisdom

¹ My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,

² for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

³ Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. ^[a]

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

⁸ This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;

¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,

¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father ^[b] the son he delights in.

¹³ Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gains understanding,

¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.

¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.

¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.

¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.

¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
those who lay hold of her will be blessed.

¹⁹ By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;

²⁰ by his knowledge the deeps were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.

²¹ My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight;

²² they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.

²³ Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble;

²⁴ when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵ Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

²⁶ for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
when it is in your power to act.

²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor,
"Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"—
when you now have it with you.

²⁹ Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.

³⁰ Do not accuse a man for no reason—
when he has done you no harm.

³¹ Do not envy a violent man
or choose any of his ways,

³² for the LORD detests a perverse man
but takes the upright into his confidence.

³³ The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.

³⁴ He mocks proud mockers
but gives grace to the humble.

³⁵ The wise inherit honor,
but fools he holds up to shame.

Receiving Emotional Healing - Part II

Joyce Meyer

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Our Work Versus Our Value

Os Hillman

Genesis 2:15 - The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Dignity
Authority
Blessing and provision
Security
Purpose and meaning
Freedom and boundary
Intimate love and companionship

Man was created to have seven basic needs. Each of us has a need for dignity, authority, blessing and provision, security, purpose and meaning, freedom and boundary, intimate love and companionship. When we go outside God's provision to meet these needs, we get into trouble.

Every man has a need to work and gain satisfaction in caring and seeing something come from his efforts. Many of our basic needs are derived from our work; it was one of the first acts God did for man in the Garden of Eden. He gave him responsibility to care for and work the Garden. God knew man needed to be productive. He needed to gain satisfaction from his work.

The danger of this is when we allow our work to be our complete source of purpose and meaning in life. This leads to a performance-based life. A performance-based life says, "As long as I perform in my work, I am acceptable to myself and others." This is a subtle trap for all of us. It can lead us to become workaholics if we are seeking acceptance through what we do. Sometimes this can be on a subconscious basis.

Our value must be centered in Christ, not in what we do. If we lose our job or our business, this should not devastate us if we are centered in Him. It will certainly create difficulties, but God is the orchestrator of all the events in our lives for His purposes. Even difficult times have purposes.

Today, ask the Lord if you have a proper balance in your work life. Is Christ the central focus? If you work long hours, ask yourself why. You might discover that God may not be the central focus.

Receiving Emotional Healing - Part I

Joyce Meyer

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Ephesians 2:6-7

⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

What a Future!

Kenneth Copeland

"God hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ
Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6-7)

All my life people told me the reason God saved us was so that when we got to Glory, we could spend the rest of eternity loving Him and worshiping Him. But, you know, that's just not so.

It sounds pretty good, but it's just something somebody made up. God isn't selfish. He's just the opposite. He's the ultimate giver. The ultimate lover. He doesn't do anything just so He can get something in
return.

Why then did He save us? The Word of God tells us He did it so that in the ages to come, He could show us the exceeding riches of His grace.

Think about that! God is going to spend eternity showing the riches of His grace to you and me.

That's why He sent Jesus into the world. He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. God gave Jesus so that He wouldn't be His only son. He sent Jesus so He could have more sons to love and give
to--and He plans to spend the eons of time doing just that.

As a believer, you have the most glorious future ahead of you that anyone could ever ask. But don't wait until you get to Glory to enjoy it. You can start right now. You've already been seated in heavenly
places!

Scripture Study: Ephesians 2:1-8

Let Your Life Shout

Kenneth Copeland

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." -(Psalm 14:1)

Most of us would never dream this verse could apply to us. After all, we're believers! We'd never say that there is no God.

But maybe we should think again. It's true that with our mouths we would never say something like that...but what about with our actions?

Do we say it by sinning just a little here and there and thinking it won't matter? Do we go to an immoral movie or have a gossip session about the pastor, ignoring God's command to the contrary?

With our actions are we saying, "There is no God?"

Psalm 14:1 connects that kind of thing to corruption. Whether he realizes it or not, the more a person acts that way, the more corrupt he's going to become.

Don't make the foolish mistake of publicly proclaiming Jesus as your Lord, and then privately denying Him with one little action at a time. Use wisdom in everything you do so that both your heart and your life shout loudly, "My God reigns!"