Decide Ahead of Time (— Joel & Victoria Osteen)

tqp];tt];w}.TL:Agn]tac];

eKL:kYam];lik]:tL,miBw]:n}.'

!tac],ekY;sU;sw]:nG];kU:Sa}ca}cw];la};tc];SQc]tL.'pUiw]:wL:n}.pQn]kac]sG]TL,wrL.JPL;sw]:mI;tL,SU'nG];sw]:ey,SuKrit]:eAL:"@
(1Tit]:SL,elL;nik]:'5;18'NIV)

eKL:kGam];tL,miBw]:n}.lbk].tI:kYOw];El:witBw];riySBc],pn]mL;'

sgc],SUtgn].yam]:lat]:hc];tUw]sw]:kw],wL:'!kw]etekYL,yU,'epL;wL:...@nn].n}huiw]?"yUw]eK;SUwUn].K}:sG]wL:'!kw]etekYL,yU,'epL;wL:em;kw]hQt];etL,kw]lIlUiw]nn]."@!kw]etekYL,yU,'epL;wL:epL:lQc].kw]Ka}.kGL,yU,nUiw]kYOw],tac],luk]:nn]."@!kw]etekYL,yU,'epL;wL:kw]Am],lUw],l}:kGL,ehL:nG];Ek:kL;St].tQm]tac];w}.sUic].kU:wn];kU:wn];nn]."@wL:sUic].nc],n}yU,huiw]"epL;wL:SUtuik].wUn].K}:sG]tac];wUn].Sgn],sUiw];nn].yU,n}suic]'epL;nn]ekL:mn];pQn]An]SUpg},pn]hG]:'mQw];An]SUAm],sac]:kum];kgn];l}:nn].'mL;Aw]SUnL:SUm];tut],Aut],w}.yU,tc];sUw]:tac];sat]:nn].yw]."SUlUw],pin],lqk]:la}:la};SUKw]:hLnn].AUiw]:"

tL,pgt];tgn]:ma}nuic]:nG];wn];nuic]:'kgn],Agn]mUiw]:SUp},luk].Agk],PL:mL;nn].n}.'tqp];tt];wL:'pqk].Sm].mn];l}:pQn]Sc]mL;tI:nG];tac];kGL,SUnn].ekL:yL,'SUetAm],sG]sL.eKL;KUm];sgm];Sc]'n}El:"pqk].Sm].kUn];eSekL.ekL.n}.wL:Sc]SG],SUmL;ekL:yL,'SUetAm],Kam],pn]etL;SPUt].'n}tL."pqk].Sm].mn];mI;mL;An]Kw]:tt];Ek:mn];'Am],nn]'An]sUic].TUic];mQw];lG]ekL:yL,'SUetAm],pn]nL:SUm]:tut],Aut],w}.sUic].nn]'n}tL."nQn]kak],eSL;mn];n}.sm].'pQn]An]lUw],l}:tqp];tt];w}.TL:Agn]tac];nn].yw]."hQt];nn]eS'mUiw]:wL:mI;lgc]:pQn]mL;kL:nG];ASak]:Pwn}.El:Sc]'mUiw]:lgc]:kGL,mL;p}kL;St].tQm]tac];ha}.sL.nL,lUiw]eSpuc],man],nn].El:Sc]'mUiw]:luk]:lac];SUluim];An]pQn]kan]luim].Kw]lUw],hQt];nn].w}.pqt]:tI:hUc];hQn];Kw]El:Sc]'Am]nn]ekL:'mUiw]:An]wac];Pqn]SUmI;tc];nm]n}.Am],Agk],pQn]kan]mL;eSAn]nn].El:Sc]'sUiw];n}.mn];etAm],mL;pQn]kan]Kuik].lUc]tL,SUSc]yw]."SUepL;l}:tqp];tt];w}.wL:'!wn];n}.pQn]wn];An]sw]:hw];hQt];w}.pn]'@n}nn].yw].yw]:"

t};ekL.'yL,eppG].TL:han].etL,Tuic]mUiw]:SUepL;l}:kGL,mI;nG];tac];lUit],m}:pac]Suik];w}.yw].sUic].nn],El:"tqp];tt];tc]:sG]SUw}.wL:'pqk].Sm].mn];pQn]huiw]pQn]Sc]mL;ekL:etsUm];SUiw];w}.yU,n}tL."tqp];tt];w}.TL:Agn]tac];'pun]:tL,etygc]:eyL;mn];sw]:kGL,nG];kU:lgc]:kU:An]tc];mUt];nn].tL.'epL;nn]suic]SUetsac]:kaw].Kuin]:nL:kGL,nG];tac];SUiw];ekYL,El:cm];yQn]'An]mn];sw]:hac]:hqn];Kp];Kiuc]w}.pn]tL,SUnn].AUiw]:"

eKL:SB;tgc];tL,miBw]:n}.'

sw]:AB:hw];tI:KL:'wn];mUiw]:n}.'KL:lUik]:tac];tL,etsUm];SUiw];tI:nG];sw]:hw];w}.yU,yw]."nG];kU:lgc]:kU:An]tc];SQc]:'Aik],mUiw]:kU:Kaw];kU:yam];'nG];Sa}ca}cw];la};kU:An]An]nn].'kw]KL:etygc]:eyL;sw]:hw];eAL:"kw]KL:pg},PL:mQw];An]KL:Am],kum];kgn];l}:nn].pqt]:w}.yw]."KL:Aw]tUw]sG]sw]:kw],kw]KL:yuin]:kap]:Aap]:w}.tI:sw]:hw];eS'tac],ekY;sU;sw]:hw];'pun]:An]sw]:pn]mI;lgc]:Agc],ep.kU:nL:tI:kU:lgk];kU:tgn]:nG];ASak]:Pwkw]KL:n}.nn].eAL:"sUm];tac],ekY;sU;SU;tgc];lUv]:nG];suiw]:sw]:ey,SueAL:"ALmin]:"

Decide Ahead of Time

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Have you ever said to yourself, “I’d be happy if...”? Maybe you’re thinking, “I’d be happy if my spouse treated me better.” “I’d be happy if my boss moved to another planet.” “I’d be happy if I didn’t have to sit in traffic every day.” If you are thinking those thoughts, then you are allowing what you can’t control to sour your life. You have to change your approach. At the first part of the day, before you get out of bed, make the decision that no matter what comes your way, you are not going to get upset. No matter what somebody says, you’re not going to be offended. No matter what interruption or delay, you’re not going to be sour. The key is to decide ahead of time. Then when life happens, when traffic is worse than normal, when your children forget their homework at school, or when your plans don’t work out, it’s no big deal. You’ve already decided that “this is the day the Lord has made.” Friend, don’t wait until you’re in the heat of the battle. Make up your mind to rejoice no matter what happens. Decide ahead of time to give Him praise in all things so you can move forward in the joy and peace that He has prepared for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I choose to rejoice in You. In all things, at all times, in every circumstance I will praise You. I release what I cannot control. I submit myself to You and thank You for the victory in every area of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen