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.

By Joyce Meyer -

Many people want change, but they don't want to go through the waiting process.  But the truth is, waiting is a given, we 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 actually enjoy the wait.

It takes practice, but as we let God help us in each situation, we develop patience, which s one of the most important Christian virtues.  Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.  It's developed only under trial, so me must not run from difficult situations.

As we develop patience, the Bible says we finally feel completely satisfied, lacking nothing.  Even our relationship with God involves progressive changes.  We learn to trust Him in a deeper way by going through many experiences that require us to wait longer than we'd like.

Trust me, the waiting may be hard, but it will make you stronger.  The benefits that patience brings are certainly worth any uncomfortable wait!

Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness

Prayer Starter:  God, I want to change and grow deper in my relationship with You.  I understand that this means developing pateince, but I know that I will grow stronger as You develop patience in me.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NIV)

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;

1 Thessalonians 5 (NIV)

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil. 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

1 Peter 2:15-17 (NIV)

15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

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

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.

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.