When doubt comes against us, we have to lift up the shield of faith. We do this when we open our mouth and say what God's Word says, rather than grumbling and complaining about the problem.
Sometimes when you've had a long series of disappointing things happen, you can get into the very bad habit of just expecting more of what you've already had.
I don't think even ungodly people realize what a society would be like that had no godly influence at all.
I used to have a real problem with self-pity. Every time the devil would throw a pity party, I would attend.
I'm amazed sometimes by the Christians who don't really believe that God wants to help them and bless them.
When we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, something wonderful happens: God begins to change our desires, and we want to be more like Him.
Whatever is making you so angry, it's time for you to give it to God and get over it.
We want our marriage to be a triumph, not a tragedy.
To compromise simply means that you go a tiny bit below what you know is right.
So much of what we do every single day is the result of habits that we have formed over time.
If selfishness is the key to being miserable, then selflessness must be the key to being happy!
It's amazing to me the number of people who will volunteer to help at church but won't lift a finger to help at home!
A lot of times, people feel that if they forgive the person who hurt them, then they will continue to take advantage of them or not take responsibility for what they did wrong.
Until you pray, God cannot work.
Even though God loves us, we still have a problem: sin. It's important for us to learn how to confront sin and overcome it, because while God loves sinners, He hates sin. And He hates it because of what it does to us and how it keeps us from the abundant life Jesus died to give us.
The great quest of life has always been to discover truth.
We all have two lives: an inner life and an outer life. Your inner life is your soul life, which includes your mind, will and emotions. Your outer life is your physical life. And while God cares about every detail of your life, He is more concerned with your inner life than your outer life.
Nobody likes to have trouble. The moment we get a hint that it's coming, a common response is, 'Oh no! Not again!'
Because my dad abused me, I was determined to never let a man tell me what to do. God clearly showed me that I needed to be a submissive wife if I wanted to be effective in ministry. The truth is, if we don't learn to submit to authority, we won't ever learn to submit to God.
Everything God tells us to do is for our good. Whether it's direction you get in His Word or something He's specifically put in your heart for your situation in life, the absolute best thing you can ever do is obey Him promptly and completely.
Loving others always costs us something and requires effort. And you have to decide to do it on purpose. You can't wait for a feeling to motivate you.
As you pray for the Holy Spirit to make you aware of thoughts that come into your mind that don't line up with God's Word, you'll begin to realize when those thoughts come and you can renew your mind with the Word.
It's true my father abused me and didn't love and protect me the way he should have, and at times it seemed no one would ever help me and it would never end. But God always had a plan for my life, and He has redeemed me.
God is speaking to us. But are we listening to Him? When our conscience begins to nudge us for whatever reason, we might have this low-level misery or uneasiness about whatever it is we've done or we're about to do. At times like this, it's wise to prayerfully consider whether we're offending God with our actions.
There is no hope of anyone going to Heaven unless they believe this truth I am presenting. You cannot go to Heaven unless you believe with all your heart that Jesus took your place in Hell.
I believe many people feel like God is mad at them.
Humble people ask for help.
Giving is just one way of expressing that God has been good to you and will continue to do so through your being good to others.
Reproach is shame, blame, disgrace, disapproval and a disrespectful attitude toward yourself. When you're under reproach, your behavior shows it.
When it comes to our everyday habits, it's important to ask: 'Am I putting God first?'
Pride is the problem, humility is the answer.
I think there's more women that watch me than men, but I don't look at myself as just a minister to women. My ministry began that way, but I really feel like the Word of God is for everybody.
I've discovered that when we take time to renew our minds with God's Word, we learn how to think like God thinks, say what God says, and act like He wants us to act.
Feeling sorry for ourselves is the most useless waste of energy on the planet. It does absolutely no good. We can't let our circumstances or what others do or don't do control us. We can decide to be happy regardless.
Obedience to God is the pathway to the life you really want to live.
Motives reveal why we do what we do, which is actually more important to God than what we're doing.
Frustration is a sign I am acting independently. The more you try your own way, the tighter the doors will stay closed.
I used to let other people's struggles affect my happiness. If they weren't happy, there was no way I was going to be happy. The opposite was also true: If I wasn't happy, I didn't want anyone around me to be happy.
There are some hurts that we experience that can be forgiven but we won't forget them.
Sometimes I just sit still and enjoy God's presence.
Many people feel so pressured by the expectations of others that it causes them to be frustrated, miserable and confused about what they should do. But there is a way to live a simple, joy-filled, peaceful life, and the key is learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit, not the traditions or expectations of man.
It seems like a lot of people seek their peace in things. And most of us are not even satisfied with the things we have... we always want more.
Spiritual people don't float around all day on clouds of glory; they live in the real world and deal with real issues in real ways.
I like to talk to myself ahead of time so when temptation comes, I've already made up my mind that I have the victory.
People who don't know the true character of God - who don't believe He is merciful, gracious and slow to anger - can never have a close, personal, intimate relationship with Him.
There is absolutely no power in our human effort to live holy. It is only by His grace. And the result of receiving grace is we get better at living like Christ, which is something we all want, right?
Every day is a gift from God. Learn to focus on the Giver and enjoy the gift!
Courage is fear that has said its prayers and decided to go forward anyway.
I want to let you in on a little secret: I don't always feel like I'm a success. That's right. There are plenty of times when I feel like I've just totally messed up and failed to connect with the people I'm trying to communicate with.
