Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.—Hebrews 10:35 (ESV)
Disappointments are part of life. When you don’t get what you want, hold tightly to your faith. Maintain confidence in yourself and in God, and recognize that often He has better things planned for you.
Heavenly Father, help me turn this disappointment around; give me a special answer to my prayers.
Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”—Mark 9:23 (NKJV)
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said, “Realize the power that is within you, and you will no longer be the victim of a depressed spirit. And what is this inner power? Simply the God-given ability to believe.” The more you believe the better you will be able to master life’s challenges.
Father God, I believe that all things are possible because of You.
“Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”—Isaiah 12:6 (NIV)
End your evenings with prayers of gratitude. Right before you go to bed, instead of rehashing the day or worrying about tomorrow, thank God for your blessings. List everything that makes you happy, from the comfort of your bed, to the loved ones that make your life special.
Loving Father, You are my joy! Thank You for the countless ways you bless me.
At some point in life, something will happen that is so distressing that it leads you to ask God, “Why did this terrible thing happen?” You might even question your faith or His goodness. In this verse the Apostle Paul reminds us that our pain won’t last forever. God is good.
Heavenly Father, I know that my pain is temporary. Your glory is eternal.
You will keep in perfect peace, those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.—Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
Lord, keep my mind focused on You.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.—John 1:5 (NIV)
Daylight Savings Time ends today in most areas of the United States. As you change the clocks back, take a moment and reflect on the past year. Remember the many blessings God has given you. Visualize sunlight shining on the glorious moments of your past and see it extending its brilliant rays of light ahead into the future.
Gracious God, Thank You for Your Light; it is filled with the hope of glorious beginnings.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.—1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
God gives us an escape plan from temptation. When you are tempted to do something that you know isn’t right, turn to Him for help. With the power of the Holy Spirit you will have the strength to stand firm.
Heavenly Father, give me the strength to walk away from temptations—and instead walk toward You.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
Not only does the peace of God pass all understanding, it defies all description. When it enters our hearts, old haunting fears give way to feelings of courage and confidence; the restlessness of life is quieted.
Heavenly Father, quiet my mind and calm my troubled heart. Fill me with Your peace.
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”—Matthew 25:21 (ESV)
The parable of the good and faithful servant stresses the value of little things. Sometimes we think in larger-than-life terms—what grand gesture can I do to show my faith? But this parable reminds you that it is the little things that “Enter into the joy of the Master.”
Dear Lord, guide me to the little things that I can do to please You.
Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.—Ephesians 3:20 (HCSB)
Often Jesus blesses us with more than we can even imagine. As humans, we limit our thinking to the rules of this world, but God’s ways are miraculously limitless. Open your mind and your prayers to His infinite command. Trust that His plan is best.
Heavenly Father, You go above and beyond all that I ask. You work in ways that I could never have imagined.
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.—John 15:3 (NIV)
If you have any guilt or heaviness in your heart Jesus Christ can help you. Ask Him to comfort you as you make a fresh start, clear out any resentment and guilt, let go of anger—and in any situations where you can’t forgive yourself—ask God to remove your sin.
Heavenly Father, fill my heart with Your healing love.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.—Matthew 10:28 (NIV)
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said, “If you worry, you are a worrier because your mind is saturated with worry thoughts. To counteract these, mark every passage in your Bible that speaks of faith, hope, and courage.” Instead of focusing your energy on your problems, focus on God and His Word.
God of Heaven, sometimes I need help focusing on You and not my fears. Keep my mind fixed on what is good and true—Your Word.
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly…—1 CORINTHIANS 9:26 (NIV)
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.—PROVERBS 12:25 (NIV
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God— this is your true and proper worship.—Romans 12:1 (NIV)
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.—Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.—Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.—Proverbs 19:11 (NIV)
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.—2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.—Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.—Proverbs 11:3 (NIV)
And he opened his mouth and taught them.—Matthew 5:2 (ESV)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.—Romans 15:13 (NIV)
But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.—Matthew 6:17–18 (NIV)
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.—Matthew 28:19 (NIV)
We love because he first loved us.—1 John 4:19 (NIV)
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.—Revelation 22:13 (NIV)
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.—Luke 2:14 (NIV)
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.—1 Samuel 18:1 (ESV)
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”—Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.—John 15:12 (ESV)
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.—2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
