Displaying Christian Sermons by tag: daily devotion

Joyce Meyer (November-05-2022) Daily Devotion: The Son Has Set You Free. 

Are you "really and unquestionably free"? If you allow yourself to be controlled by other people, thoughts, feelings, and habits, you’re actually not free. On the other hand, people who are free are spontaneous and unconfined, not bound, fastened, or attached. They’re not limited by past mistakes because they’ve received the forgiveness Jesus died to give them, and they serve a God to whom nothing is impossible.

The psalmist made this bold statement in Psalm 119:45 (AMPC): "I will walk at liberty and at ease." By saying "I will," he indicates he has made a decision to be free and refuses to be held captive.

In the same way, this is what God wants each of us to do. He wants us to have enough holy boldness to declare that the Son has liberated us from all oppression, and that we’re determined to walk in the glorious freedom He’s provided for us.

Prayer Starter: Jesus, please help me develop and grow that holy sense of boldness and determination that I need to walk in the freedom You died to give me. Thank You for paying such a high price so I could live free in every area of my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

John Hagee (November-04-2022) Daily Devotion: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

When we live rejoicing and praying without ceasing, these life-changing practices shift the dynamic of our lives. The third powerful principle in God’s will for us lies in learning to give thanks in everything.

Rejoicing encompasses praising God, but giving thanks is attributing to God the credit He deserves. We show appreciation for Who He is and what He has accomplished in and through our lives.

Every piece of creation comprises the magnificent display of His glory. For every bird that sings, He wrote the song. For every rustling leaf, He breathed the breeze that causes it to flutter. The rising sun reminds us of His renewed mercies. He holds every towering mountain in His hand. He scooped out every valley in the earth.

He deserves the glory for everything that He has created and sustained by His mighty right hand. He deserves the glory for saving and redeeming us, for conquering powers and principalities, for every blessing that He has afforded us.

The use of the word “give” indicates intentionality and a determination to be thankful. We make up our minds to give God the glory that He is due. For every heartbeat, every breath, and in every moment, resolve to give thanks. God is great and greatly to be praised!

Today's Blessing: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. As you give continuous thanks to God in every circumstance, may He open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that you cannot contain!

Today's Bible Reading: 

• Old Testament - Ezekiel 10:1-11:25
• New Testament - Hebrews 6:1-20
• Psalms & Proverbs - Psalm 105:16-38, Proverbs 27:1-2

Joyce Meyer (November-04-2021) Daily Devotion: Believe and Receive from God. 

Again and again, the Bible speaks of receiving from God. He is always pouring out His favor and His blessing. In order to experience that favor and blessing—and in order to live in close fellowship with Him—it’s vital that we choose to freely receive all that He offers us.

One of our biggest challenges is that we don’t trust the word free. We quickly find out in the world’s system that things really are not free. Even when we’re told they are free, there’s usually a hidden cost somewhere, so the world says, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

But God’s kingdom says, “I’ll believe it before I receive it.” His kingdom is not like the world’s—His amazing, never-ending love is a gift He freely gives us. All we need to do is open our hearts, believe His Word, and receive it with thankfulness.

I want to challenge you with this: No matter what the situation around you looks like today, stand on the Word of God, trust that His goodness is being poured out over your life, and that His grace is sustaining you. Believe it and receive it today.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for giving me Your deep love and perfect grace for my life, day in and day out. Please remind me today to freely receive what You’ve freely given. In Jesus’ name, amen.

John Hagee (November-03-2022) Daily Devotion: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Rejoice always, pray without ceasing…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

A second practice in God’s will for us is to pray without ceasing. That sounds complicated, doesn’t it? How can we pray 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with all of the obligations and demands every day holds?
 
In his directive, Paul is not suggesting one long, never-ending prayer. He is encouraging us to make prayer such a consistent part of our lives that it becomes a habit we cannot live without. Habits become such a part of our daily routine that we often do not remember when they began and cannot imagine a day lacking them.
 
Too many believers regard prayer as heaven’s emergency hotline – only to be used in the event of crisis as a last resort. But that perception denies the very purpose and power of prayer.
 
God’s will for us to be in a constant prayerful state brings us into uninterrupted communication with Him. Prayer is living in an unbroken awareness of our Savior and His work around us. As we practice the discipline of praying without ceasing, it becomes as natural as breathing in and out.
 
Even in the middle of a business meeting or lunch with a friend, prayer can be the ever-flowing undercurrent – silent and undetected to the observer, but always heard and answered by our omnipresent Father.

Today's Blessing: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May you cultivate an open line of unceasing prayer in Jesus’ name so that His will is completed here on earth as it is in heaven.

Today's Bible Reading: 

• Old Testament - Ezekiel 7:1-9:11
• New Testament - Hebrews 5:1-14
• Psalms & Proverbs - Psalm 105:1-15, Proverbs 26:28

Joel Osteen (November-03-2020) Today's Word: What Do You Want?

Today’s Scripture: Matthew 20:31–32, NLT - "Be quiet!" the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, "What do you want me to do for you?"

Today’s Word: It seemed obvious what the blind men needed. Why did Jesus ask them? Because He wanted to see what they were believing. They could've said, "Jesus, we just need cash for some food." If they had asked from a limited mentality, it would have kept them in defeat. Instead they asked big. They said, "Lord, we want to see." They were saying, "We know You can do the impossible." When Jesus heard their request, He touched their eyes, and instantly, they could see.

God is asking us the same question: "What do you want Me to do for you?" Now, how you answer is going to have a great impact on what God does. Don't say, "God, help me endure my job. Help me get by." No, dare to ask big. "God, I want to see my whole family serve You." "God, I want to pay off my house loan." Ask for your dreams. Ask even for things that seem impossible.

Prayer for Today: "Father, thank You that just as You restored the sight of the blind men, You can do the impossible in my life. Thank You that I can bring You the desires of my heart. Help me be bold to ask You for the big things only You can make happen. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Joyce Meyer (November-03-2021) Daily Devotion: Be Led by the Spirit. 

One of the most dynamic ways to keep your joy is to allow the Holy Spirit to lead you (see Psalm 139:24). If you pray first, asking God for a plan, He will never push you into a work of the flesh (something that takes up all your energy without producing anything of value). Instead, His Holy Spirit prompts, guides, and gently leads you to a place of joy; He will never manipulate or control you. But if you’re too consumed with your own plan, too locked into the way you think things ought to be, you won’t even hear God speak to you or recognize the promptings from Him that will help you succeed. If you are too determined to follow your own ritualistic rules, you can miss the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit and lose the joy He wants you to have.

It’s not wrong to have a plan, but always offer your plan to God and tell Him that if He has something else in mind, you’re willing to submit to His plan. When you do this, you position yourself for Him to bless you and make your path straight (see Proverbs 3:5-6).

Prayer Starter: Lord, please lead and guide me into Your plan for my life, starting right now. Thank You for bringing me to a place of joy, freedom and fulfillment. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Joel Osteen (November-02-2020) Today's Word: Sing a New Song.

Today's Scripture: “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare…Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise from the end of the earth.” Isaiah 42:9–10, ESV

Today's Word: In today’s Scripture, God is saying that the things you’ve been struggling with are coming to an end—the disappointment, the hurt, the bad habits. He’s about to put a stop to it and do a new thing. But if you’re going to see the negative come to an end and God do a new thing, you have to sing a new song. You can’t go around with that same old song of who hurt me and how wrong it was. No more singing about what you can’t do and how it’s never going to work out. No, get rid of that song of defeat and self-pity and start singing a song of victory. “I know God’s turning it to my advantage. He’s turning my mourning into dancing. He’s armed me with strength for this battle. I will lose this weight. I will break this addiction.”

Is there something you need to get over today? Make this decision: no more excuses.

A Prayer for Today: “Father, thank You that You are worthy of my worship and new songs of praise. Thank You that I can put the old sad songs of defeat behind me and start singing songs of victory. I declare that this is a new day, and my dreams and vision are being renewed. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

John Hagee (November-02-2022) Daily Devotion: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Rejoice always…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

Rejoice always – this powerful principle possesses the ability to change our lives. The simple statement slips off the tongue so easily, but walking it out often trips us up!

In today’s verse, Paul shares the first of three principles that are God’s will for each of us. God understands something we may not grasp. God is all-complete; He does not rely on our praise. But when we are always joyfully praising Him – focusing on the beauty of His holiness – His overcoming power shows up in our circumstances. His joy becomes our strength.

David demonstrates this truth repeatedly in the Psalms. He often began his songs with pitiful pleas for God’s deliverance from sickness, enemies or sadness. However, as he turned his eyes from the overwhelming situation and began to focus on the faithfulness and goodness of God, a strange thing occurred. His weariness turned to wonder; his despondency turned to delight. He realized that praise was the purpose for which he was created.

The apostle Paul learned to be content in whatever state he found himself. Whether he was abounding or abased, hurting or hungry, needy or not – he knew that he could accomplish anything through the power he had in Christ (Philippians 4).

Paul understood how difficult it is to always choose joy, but he also experienced how Jesus can make the implausible possible! Like him, let us determine to live always rejoicing!

Today's Blessing: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you and give you His peace. May the joy of the Lord become your strength, song, and satisfaction.

Today's Bible Reading: 

• Old Testament - Ezekiel 3:16-6:14
• New Testament - Hebrews 4:1-16
• Psalms & Proverbs - Psalm 104:25-35, Proverbs 26:27

Joyce Meyer (November-02) Daily Devotion: Get Your Foundation Right. 

The definition of foundation is "the basis or groundwork; that on which anything stands, and by which it is supported".

Countless people have asked me through the years, “What has been the most difficult aspect or experience of your ministry?” I always respond, “Not giving up when we were laying the foundation.”

Though we have faced our share of situations that tempted us to want to give up, nothing has been as challenging as staying diligent during those early years. We wanted a fruitful ministry, but we knew we needed a strong foundation before we could build one.

Whatever you believe God wants to do in your life, be patient as He brings it to pass. Don’t long for too much too fast, but be thankful every day that God is establishing a foundation that will support the growth, expansion and new opportunities He will bring into your life at just the right time.

Prayer Starter: Father, I know You see how discouraging this time has been. I often feel like I’m stuck, and that things just aren’t going to change. Please give me the grace to trust You and to push through this foundation-building season so I’ll be prepared and see the good things that You have for me come to pass. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Joel Osteen (November-01-2021) Today's Word: Expect His Goodness. Today’s Scripture

Proverbs 13:12, NIV: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Today’s Word: If you don't have hope that a problem is going to turn around, hope that a dream is going to work out, or hope that the new house is in your future, then your heart, your spirit, is going to be sick. When you're not hopeful, positive, and expecting God's goodness, something is wrong on the inside. We all go through seasons in life when things aren't exciting. It's easy to have the blahs and lose our enthusiasm. That's part of the normal currents of life. Nobody lives on cloud nine with everything perfect and exciting every day. Part of the good fight of faith is to stay hopeful in the dry seasons. When it's taking a long time, keep a smile on your face and all through the day say, "Lord, thank You that You have good things in store." Go out each day expecting His goodness, believing that the days ahead are better than the days behind.

Prayer for Today: "Father, thank You for the expectancy rising in my heart that You have good things in store for me. My hope is in You alone. I know that You have all of my situations figured out, and You'll get me to where I'm supposed to be. I expect to see Your goodness today. In Jesus' Name, Amen."