By Joyce Meyer -

It's important to renew our minds, but it's also important to realize that this process of reprogramming or renewing our minds will take place little by little.  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.  We struggle and fall down, but God is always there to pick us up.  Rather than get frustrated, you should, as the Bible says, "triumph" in your hardship, because the very fact that you're struggling means that you're fighting the good fight.

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!

Romans 5:3 - Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance

Prayer Starter:  Lord, thank You for picking me up when I fall down.  I know that my struggles mean that You are helping me overcome my negative mindsets and bringing me more and more in line with Your way of thinking.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  James 1:5-6

A must watch by Pastor Jack Hibbs.  He lays down an incredible discussion on current happenings in the Middle East and how Christians need to be informed as to what is going on.  Please watch this and share with any of your friends and family members!

By Joyce Meyer -

As Christians, we like the though of sharing in Christ's glory, but what about sharing in His suffering?  Jesus took care of the death penalty once and fora ll 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?  According to Romans 8:18 it certainly is!

We tend to believe that we suffer because of our circumstances and if they would only 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 all suffering.  But sometimes God's planis for us to exercise a higher level of faith that will carry us through life's challenges.

Too often we marvel at the delivering power of God and overlook His keeping, strengtheing and enabling power.  Jesus promised in John 16:33 that He will give us His peace during the trials of life and the power we need  to overcome them.  I encourage you today, if you are going through a time of suffering, take heart because in Christ, you will come through it and share in His glory which shall be revealed!

Romans 8:18 - I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Prayer Starter:  Lord, Paul said that present sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that comes from walking with You.  I want to have that same attitude.  I receive your enabling power to walk through any suffering that comes my way.

By Joyce Meyer -

Are you waiting for the desires of your heart to begin to manifest?  Are you praying for bondages to fall off of you so you can see your dreams come to pass?  Are you waiting and praying for the salvation of friends and family? Are you trusting God for prosperity, favor, promotion, honor, and all the blessings found in His Word?

Are you tired of waiting for harvest time 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.

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.

Habakkuk 2:3 - For the revelation awaits an appointed time;  it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

Prayer Starter:  God, I know that Your timing is perfect, even when I grow tired of waiting.   Help me to trust in You and rest in Your plan for me.

ROMANS 5
Peace with God Through Faith
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Death in Adam, Life in Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

By Joyce Meyer -

There are usually two sides to everything.  The cross has two:  a crucifixion side and a resurrection side.  Jesus had to endure one side to get to the other. But if e he hadn't endured, then we'd all still be left without a Savior and no forgiveness of our sins.

Hebrew 12:2 says that Jesus, for the joy of obtaining the prize on the other side of the cross, the resurrection, endured 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.

Whether we're hit by an unexpected circumstance, suffering for doing something wrong or for resisting temptation and sin by doing what's 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 prize, the good result.

Today, be encouraged by the way Jesus handled trials.  He knew the joy that wass before Him and persevered until the end.  He's given you the power to do the same.

Hebrews 12:2 - Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Prayer Starter:  God, I want to endure like Jesus.  Help me to get a vision for the joy of obtaining the prize that awaits me so that I can endure whatever trial comes my way.

Here at Jesus Persevered, we want Jesus Christ to literally and spiritually have living water flow from us.  

As we help bring clean drinking water to these people in need across the world, sharing the story of Jesus will enable us to do exactly as this verse says!