05/11/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.
Proverbs 3:6, TLB

FIRST PLACE
In 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah asked a starving widow to do something that seemed selfish. He said, “Before you make your final meal from the last of your grain and oil, make me a loaf of bread.” But with it came God’s promise of overflowing provision if she would keep Him first place and do as Elijah asked.

God is saying, “Keep Me first place in your life, let Me direct your steps and decisions, and I’ll crown your efforts with success.” When you wake up in the morning, don’t meet with anyone until you first meet with God. Take time to thank Him for the day. Thank Him for who He is. Thank Him that He’s the giver of all good things, that He’s your protector, your provider, your healer, and your way maker. All through the day, under your breath, you can talk to God and say, “Lord, thank You for watching over my children. Lord, help me to be my best at work today. Lord, direct me in everything I do and say.”

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You invited me into a relationship with You. I want, in everything I do, to put You first and have You direct my life. Thank You for speaking to me through Your Word. I believe that You will crown my efforts with success. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Are you like many today who believe in a “religious” God? Do you believe that God is against you when you fall short, that He is angry with you when you fail, and that fellowship with Him is cut off when you make mistakes?

It’s no wonder then that instead of running to the one true solution, many sincere folks run in the opposite direction when they are hurting. So there is a great deception, a powerful, wrong belief about God that has trapped many in the vicious cycle of condemnation, guilt, fear, defeat, and addiction.

My friend, I want you to know today that God is a God of infinite grace. He is repugnant to the “religious,” but gracious and irresistible to those who are hurting.

No matter what you are going through today, whatever addictions may be binding you, right believing can and will set you free. Start with believing this powerful truth:

“God is a God of grace and forgiveness. He loves you very much, and He doesn’t hold your mistakes against you.”

Don’t let the mistakes you have made in the past hold you back from reaching out to God and receiving His forgiveness for all your failures. Begin to believe right about the Lord, believe right about His heart and love for you, and your entire life will be transformed. Right believing always leads to right living!

05/12/23

Doctors tell us that many of the sicknesses we suffer in our bodies are psychosomatic—they are a result of mental or emotional stress we have put ourselves under.

Perhaps you were abused or emotionally hurt by someone you trusted. Maybe you still feel angry and hurt when you think about it. Beloved, I want to encourage you to start involving Jesus. He is your answer.

See the Lord holding you, gently healing your wounds. See Him restoring you, putting courage into your heart and taking away every sense of shame and guilt.

At the cross, Jesus took on Himself the bitter sting of every one of your frustrations, hurts, and emotional pains when He wore the crown of thorns on your behalf. He did it so that you can be free from fears, depression, and stress, and enjoy His peace and rest in your heart, mind, and body.

03/12/23

When the Lord blesses you, He blesses you beyond what you expect. In the healing of the man with leprosy, Jesus reached out and touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately, the man was healed.

My friend, did you notice that Jesus touched the man first before He healed him? I love these little gestures of Jesus!

That simple touch restored a sense of humanity and dignity to the man who had not been touched for a long time. Because of his unclean and physically repulsive condition, no one wanted to be close to him, much less touch him.

Jesus knew that the man needed more than just physical healing, so He gave above and beyond what the man had hoped for. Beloved, that’s the love and over-supplying grace of your Savior!

What is your lack today? Know beyond any doubt that Jesus’ provision will exceed all your expectations!

My friend, did you notice that Jesus touched the man first before He healed him? I love these little gestures of Jesus!

That simple touch restored a sense of humanity and dignity to the man who had not been touched for a long time. Because of his unclean and physically repulsive condition, no one wanted to be close to him, much less touch him.

Jesus knew that the man needed more than just physical healing, so He gave above and beyond what the man had hoped for. Beloved, that’s the love and over-supplying grace of your Savior!

What is your lack today? Know beyond any doubt that Jesus’ provision will exceed all your expectations!

When the Lord blesses you, He blesses you beyond what you expect. In the healing of the man with leprosy, Jesus reached out and touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately, the man was healed.

My friend, did you notice that Jesus touched the man first before He healed him? I love these little gestures of Jesus!

That simple touch restored a sense of humanity and dignity to the man who had not been touched for a long time. Because of his unclean and physically repulsive condition, no one wanted to be close to him, much less touch him.

Jesus knew that the man needed more than just physical healing, so He gave above and beyond what the man had hoped for. Beloved, that’s the love and over-supplying grace of your Savior!

What is your lack today? Know beyond any doubt that Jesus’ provision will exceed all your expectations!

02/12/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to understand everything that happens along the way?
Proverbs 20:24, TLB

DO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND?
When you study the lives of the heroes of the faith, you see that twists and turns, delays, detours, and disappointments were the norm. So, are you frustrated because you don’t understand something that’s happened to you, upset over a bad break, worried because of a delay? How do you know it’s not the hand of God leading you to your throne? How do you know that you’re not a Joseph or a David? How do you know that you’re not right on course, right on schedule, to see what God promised you? It may not happen like you think. God uses difficulties to position us for destiny. What you’re upset about is a necessary step. That closed door or delay is instrumental in you reaching your purpose. Don’t try to understand everything that happens along the way. God works in mysterious ways. If you’re trying to figure everything out, you’re going to get confused. There are things you’re not supposed to understand. That’s what faith is all about.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You are the Most High God who is directing my steps. Thank You that You are in control and that I don’t have to understand every detail along the way. I believe You are using it to transport me to my purpose. In Jesus’ Name, Amen I love the story of how God turned bitter, poisonous waters into sweet, refreshing waters for His people when they came to a place called Marah (meaning “bitterness” in Hebrew). When the Israelites could not drink the water, Moses cried out to the Lord. The Lord showed him a tree, which Moses cast into the waters. When he did that, the Bible says that “the waters were made sweet.”

SECTION TWO

I love how God’s solution then is still God’s solution now: Throw in the tree—a picture of Jesus at the cross—to turn the bitter waters sweet.

Today, in the midst of the bitter waters of your pain or condition, I want to encourage you to bring in Jesus and see what He did for you at the cross. Relief and healing don’t come from dwelling on your pain. Bring in the tree—the cross of Jesus—and see your bitter waters become sweet!

01/12/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

Today’s Scripture
And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.
Nehemiah 2:8, NIV

THE GRACIOUS HAND OF GOD
Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the Persian king, Artaxerxes, when he prayed a bold prayer that the king be favorable to help him restore the broken-down walls of Jerusalem. Even though there was no reason why the king would help, when Nehemiah went to the king, the first thing the king said was, “How can I help you?” When God puts a big dream in your heart, He’s already lined up the right people to help you. Not only that, but the king agreed to provide the timbers, building supplies, and a military escort to keep him safe on the thousand-mile journey.

Nehemiah would tell you, “When you’re facing a big obstacle that looks impossible, thoughts will tell you that it will never work out. But the right people will be there to help you, the funds will show up, the good breaks will come. You have an advantage. The gracious hand of God is on your life.” There is favor on your life that will cause you to do what you could never do on your own.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for the dreams You put in my heart. Thank You that You have the right people and everything I need ready at the right time and place. I declare that Your gracious hand of favor is helping to take me to new levels. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Who do you think you are? Have you forgotten all the mistakes you’ve made?

Things will never get better. You should just accept your lot.

It’s not going to work—you are just going to fail again!

Nobody loves you. You are all alone.

Have you been at the receiving end of these words of discouragement, accusation, and dismissal?

I’ve seen these tactics of deception, loaded with condemning judgment, used too many times by the adversary. I’ve seen too many people, who have tried to move out from under the shadow of their past or break free from their addictions, end up succumbing to these lies about themselves, their identity, and their future and their destiny. As a result, they are unable to break free, and day after day, they simply live to perpetuate the pain, fears, and addictions to which they’re bound.

That’s the power of wrong believing.

Wrong believing puts people in a prison—a prison where its inmates behave as though they are incarcerated in a maximum-security penitentiary. They march inexorably to their dank cells of self-doubt and addictions. They allow themselves to be led into dungeons of destructive behaviors. They have convinced themselves never to dream of a better place, believing that they have no choice but to live in despair, frustration, and defeat.

If that describes you, it’s time for a prison break, my friend. It’s time to break free from the crippling grip of all that has held you back. How? Through right believing—the light that illuminates the path of freedom out of this prison.

Know and believe that God does not want you to live imprisoned by fears, guilt, and addictions. Open your heart to believe His plan for you is to live with joy overflowing, peace that surpasses understanding, and an unshakable confidence in what He has done for you. Through the cross, Jesus has paid for you to have His abundant life—a life marked by His liberty, His power, and His blessings.

It’s time to let go of the life of defeat and step into a life full of victory, security, and God’s abundant grace!

30/11/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“The father said, ‘Quick, bring me the best robe, my very own robe, and I will place it on his shoulders. Bring the ring, the seal of sonship, and I will put it on his finger. And bring out the best shoes you can find for my son.’”
Luke 15:22, TPT

FULLY RESTORED
If you’re familiar with the parable of the prodigal son, you know this young man had wasted all his father’s inheritance on partying and returned home dirty, broken, desperate, and feeling worthless. But when the father, who represents God, saw his son, he ran to him and embraced him. He immediately fully restored his son with the best robe, the family ring, and new shoes. Seeing him, no one would have believed he had made such poor decisions and ended up eating with hogs.

The parable shows that when God restores us, we come out fully restored, full of joy, with gifts coming out, healthy, blessed, and prosperous. Get rid of the lie that says, “You’ll always be at a disadvantage. Look at the mistakes you’ve made.” That’s the enemy trying to keep you feeling condemned and unworthy and from putting on the best robe. Don’t take that bait. Put on the Father’s robe of righteousness and favor. Put on the ring of authority that has your name on it. He’s bringing you into a place of destiny.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You forgive me, imperfect as I am, and that every mistake I’ve made has already been paid for by Jesus on the cross. Thank You for Your heart of compassion, love, and restoring mercy. I believe that You robe me in Your righteousness and favor. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

SECTION TWO

There is so much wrong believing today about who Jesus is. I am asking you to throw out every idea, concept, and picture that you may have of a “religious” Jesus.

Allow me to introduce the real Jesus to you, for this is where it all begins. I’m not talking about the religious Jesus you may have heard about growing up, but the real Jesus who walked along the dusty streets of Jerusalem and upon the raging waters of the Galilee.

He was the one whom the sick, the poor, the sinful, the down and out, and the outcast instinctively gravitated to and felt at ease with. He was God in the flesh and He manifested God’s tangible love.

In His presence, those who were imperfect didn’t feel fearful of Him, or sense judgment or condemnation from Him. To those who sought Him for healing, restoration, and supply—no matter what their past or background—He always extended a loving, compassionate heart and hand to them and oversupplied their need.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, you don’t have to be “religious” to have access to God and His help. In fact, the less “religious” you are, the better. The real Jesus didn’t come to bring a new religion. He didn’t come to be served and waited upon. No, He came to serve, and serve He did.

The real Jesus created the universe with one command and orchestrated the paths of each planet so that none would collide. He had every right to demand service from those He created, yet He supplied service.

He bowed down and with His own hands washed the grime and filth from His disciples’ feet. Those same hands would later be pierced with coarse nails at the cross, and He would with His own blood wash us of the grime and filth of all our sins by taking them upon His own body. What a far cry from the condemning, judgmental, and faultfinding God whom many have portrayed Him to be!

This is the true Jesus—totally unlike what many of us have been taught about God. He is willing and able to meet your need today and love you into wholeness.