UCB Word For Today

Jesus said, ‘If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.’ Roman soldiers were permitted to force a Jew to carry a burden a mile for them. They treated Jews as tools to be used. So, what do you do in that kind of situation? Jesus invites us to take the high road. A Roman soldier like these could probably be a young boy, a stranger there, probably poor himself. All he receives is local resentment. So, you finish the mile and say, ‘You look tired. Can I help you some more? Can I carry it for you another mile?’ That would blow the soldier’s mind. Nobody asked that! That’s what you’re called to do! When someone takes advantage of you, you want to think of them as unlikable rather than a real person with their own story. It’s said that a friend offered to introduce English essayist Charles Lamb to a man whom Lamb had disliked for a long time. ‘Don’t make me meet him,’ Lamb said. ‘“I want to go on hating him, and I can’t do that to a man I know.’ Understand this: you can give the gift of empathy. You can remember that the person you don’t like is also a human being. You can put yourself in his their place. You can take the time to imagine how they feel, what they have been through, and how life has treated them. When you do that, your problem becomes an opportunity to practise the Christ life. Isn’t that what you want? Isn’t that what you signed up for in the first place?

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

They say, ‘The devil is in the details.’ But for a redeemed child of God,Heis in the details! When you set your heart on something and it doesn’t happen, it’s only human to experience disappointment. At such moments, here is what you need to keep in mind: 1) At best, you’re always working with limited information. You may know the end result you desire, but God knows what’s best for you, and He plans accordingly. ‘IamGod…declaring the end from the beginning…saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure”’ (Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV). 2) Trying to work outside of God’s will is like attempting to dig your way through a solid wall with a fork. Instead of digging your way out of a prison, you dig your way into one when you demand to get what you want. Do you really want to carry out a plan God hasn’t ordained? Can you depend on Him to know what’s best for you? ‘The Lord, the God of battle, has spoken – who can change his plans? When his hand moves, who can stop him?’ (Isaiah 14:27 TLB). It’s better to be disappointed temporarily than end up with something you can’t handle. The story of Israel reads like this: ‘He…redeemed them from the hand of the enemy…Then they believed His words; they sang His praise. They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel…and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul’ (Psalm 106:10, 12-15 NKJV). Trust God, and He will give you what’s best. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

There are plenty of good leaders around – don’t be afraid to follow them. But what about the ‘blind guides’ that Jesus talks about? Here are some signs to help you identify and avoid them: 1)Inflexibility. True leaders have a teachable spirit and a servant’s heart. They rejoice in your growth and aren’t threatened by your development. They won’t try to ‘keep you in the nest’ when it’s clear that you’re ready to fly. 2)Elitism.Look out for the ‘we-alone-are-right’ attitude. When someone can’t acknowledge and fellowship with other members of God’s redeemed family, something’s wrong. The wordexclusiveis often another word for paranoid. 3)Money-grubbing.Here is God’s standard for leadership: ‘Not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve’ (1 Peter 5:2 NIV). The Bible also says good leaders are ‘worthy of double honour’ (1 Timothy 5:17 KJV), which means twice as much. But look out for those who teach that you must only sow your seed into their field, and nowhere else. 4)Accountability. Beware of the untouchable, ‘I-am-God’s-anointed’ types. No matter how gifted we are, we all have blind spots and need to be confronted and counselled from time to time. Solomon said, ‘Pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up’ (Ecclesiastes 4:10 NIV). Here is what Jesus said about the religious leaders of His day: ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit’ (Matthew 15:13-14 NIV). When choosing a leader, you don’t need a blind prima donna; you need one with a servant spirit.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

The Bible has a lot to say about the dangers of the tongue. James devotes an entire chapter to this subject: ‘If we could control our tongues, we…could also control ourselves in every other way.’ Nowthereis an aspect of self-control to consider! The Greek sage Publius said, ‘I have often regretted my speech, but never my silence.’ And novelist William Edward Norris wrote, ‘If you your lips would keep from slips, five things observe with care; to whom you speak, of whom you speak, and how, and when, and where.’ King David puts it this way: ‘I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle’ (Psalm 39:1 NASB 1995). That’s what it takes – a muzzle! David is talking about making a conscious commitment to watch what you say, and if you want to accomplish this, here are three principles you need to live by: 1)Think first.Before you speak, pause for ten seconds and mentally preview your words. Are they accurate or exaggerated? Kind or cutting? Needless or necessary? Grateful or complaining? What you don’t say today, you won’t have to explain tomorrow. 2)Talk less.Your chances of getting into trouble increase exponentially when you talk too much. That’s why compulsive talkers often find it hard to keep friends. Conserve your verbal energy. 3)Start today.Already you have read enough to help bring your tongue into submission. So put that muzzle on your mouth now – and watch how it enriches your life.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

When you read God’s Word, you discover how He feels about you. As a result, your memories begin to heal, your self-worth is restored, and you stop trading with a devalued self-image. When that happens, you no longer believe that ‘anybody’s company is preferable to my own’. In a survey of supposedly happy couples, over 50 per cent said they wouldn’t marry the same person again. Why? Because the answer to loneliness isn’t people; it’s purpose! The apostle John was a prisoner on the Isle of Patmos when God showed him the glories of heaven and he wrote the book of Revelation. Paul was alone in a Roman dungeon when he wrote half the New Testament. God did some of His best work when He was alone with no one to applaud Him, so he praised Himself, saying, ‘It [is] very good’ (Genesis 1:31 KJV). Canyoudo that? It’s nice when others speak well of you, but when you can speak well of yourself, it reflects your opinion of yourself – and that’s the one you live with every day. Three cheers for those whose departure taught us how to be alone and enjoy it! Somewhere beyond loneliness, there is a contentment born of necessity. When your options close in the natural realm, you find doors opening to you in the spiritual realm. So, work on deepening your relationship with God. As you do, you will find joy, and you will also develop qualities that make you attractive to the right people. It’s why Jesus said that when you ‘seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously…he will give youeverythingyou need’ – including self-worth.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

A respected Bible teacher says: ‘Because my family’s so large, we draw names to see who we’ll buy presents for. One Christmas when I opened my present, I was disappointed…then I looked at my twin brother who gottwonice gifts. Sensing my disappointment, my wife came over to me and said, “Don’t worry. When we get home, we’ll exchange it for something you like better.” The same thing happens in the Body of Christ. We open the gifts God has given us and immediately run to someone else to see what he or she received…When we look at our gift…we’re unhappy…and immediately think…“I know…I’ll swap it for something I like better.” That’s why there are so many people running around claiming to be an apostle or a prophet or a teacher…They’re gift-swapping.’ You don’t get to decide what gift God gives you. God ‘put all the parts…in the body as he wanted them’. Sometimes it takes years for you to recognise your gift and start operating in it. Instead of coveting another person’s gift, be thankful for your own and ask God to use it to bless as many people as possible. And if you have questions about it, search the Scriptures. Paul says, ‘God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable’ (Romans 11:29 NIV); ‘God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well’ (Romans 12:6 TLB); ‘Each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that’ (1 Corinthians 7:7 NIV); ‘The Spirit decides what to give each person’ (1 Corinthians 12:11 NCV). So, use the gift God gave you. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Self-help books and motivational speakers are like cheerleaders standing on the sidelines shouting, ‘You can do it!’ They can be helpful, but if the ‘you can do it’ philosophy always held true, we wouldn’t need God. Paul understood this. That’s why he wrote, ‘I can do all thingsthrough Christwho strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). Discovering the will of God requires faith for the impossible and a childlike dependence on Him. The Bible is full of men and women who discovered their destiny in the perfect will of God by doing things that would ordinarily have been impossible to do on their own. For example: 1)Noah and his impossible project.Noah was commissioned to build a ship the size of an aircraft carrier – by hand – and on land! 2)Abraham and his impossible promise.At ninety, after years of trying unsuccessfully to be a father, God told him his children would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sands of the sea. 3)Mary and her impossible pregnancy.Imagine telling your husband to be, ‘I’m pregnant, and the baby’s father is the Holy Spirit.’ God has always chosen ordinary people to do extraordinary things – and they all had something in common. Every one of them was called to be part of something bigger than himself or herself. And because of their willingness to yield to God and allow His purposes to be revealed in them and fulfilled through them, He used them in amazing ways. God takes pleasure in doing things through us that onlyHecan do, so that in the end, He will receive all the glory, honour, and praise.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Let’s read what God said to the parents who entered the promised land: ‘Take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren’ (v. 9 NKJV). Notice the progression here. First, ‘take heed to yourself’. Next, ‘teach them to your children’. Your ability to influence and mould the children you care for is based on your credibility with them. When the principles you live by produce joy, peace, strength, kindness, discipline, and success, the children who look up to you will begin to take you seriously. And you have a limited window of opportunity. There are skills that can be learned during early childhood that become much more difficult later on. Have you ever wondered why it’s so simple to teach preschoolers any language they hear? And they can learn it perfectly, without even a trace of their own accent. Fifteen or more years later, they will have a much harder time attempting to make those same sounds. This is explained by a process called ‘phoneme contraction’. The larynx of a young child assumes a shape needed to make any sounds he or she is learning to use. It then sets in those positions, making it impossible or challenging to make other sounds in later years. A child’s attitude towards parental leadership and the guidance of carers is similar. That’s why it’s essential to ‘shape the will’ during the preschool and early years by balancing unconditional love with consistent teaching and firmness at home. If you miss that opportunity, the adolescent years can be rougher than they need to be.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

If you’re a parent, are you trying to keep your children under lock and key in order to keep them out of trouble? Or if you’re a teacher or Sunday school leader, do you try to impose strict rules? It won’t work. You’re not keeping them out of trouble, you’re simply postponing it. Things like curfews, dress codes, internet use, and checking up on their friends are part of good parenting and good teaching. But whenyouare not around to guide them, they need sound principles to live by. And those principles can be found in God’s Word: ‘Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes’ (vv. 6-9 MSG). Isn’t it interesting how each succeeding generation views the previous one as old fashioned and out of date? And that’s not all bad. Every generation believes there is a better way to do things, and that is the foundation for progress. That’s why getting from Liverpool to New York takes only seven hours by plane instead of three weeks by sailing ship. God’s Word can stand the test of scrutiny. So instead of shutting them down, invite children to ask questions and challenge assumptions, then help them arrive at solid scriptural convictions to live by. As someone who cares for children, there is no greater gift you can give them.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Have you sown a ‘seed’ of faith, and now you’re wondering when you will reap the ‘harvest’ God promised in His Word? If so, read on: ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come’ (vv. 26-29 NKJV). Before you reap the harvest of blessing God promised, you go through certain stages. First there is the ‘not knowing’ stage. Your seed is buried in the ground. How and when your harvest comes is entirely up to God. But you must believe that it will happen. Next comes the ‘blade’ stage. It’s just a tiny blade blowing in the breeze, but it’s enough to encourage you and let you know your harvest is on the way. Next comes the ‘head’ stage. The seed has started to sprout and look like what you prayed for. This is when you must water it with prayer, fertilise it with God’s Word, and protect it from anything or anyone that would uproot it through doubt and unbelief. Finally you enter the ‘full grain’ stage, when the grain ripens and you immediately reap a harvest. Whatever stage you’re in today, stand fast and keep trusting God. Your harvest is on the way. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

You can be sincere in your intentions – but sincerely wrong. The Bible says the rain falls on ‘the just and the unjust alike’ (Matthew 5:45 NLT). The law of cause and effect applies to everybody, and all your good intentions won’t bring you out at the right destination if you’re on the wrong road. Think about it like this: maybe you have considered investing in a particular company. You do the research, talk to the experts, and things look good. So, you proceed on the assumption that it’s a sound decision. Then the unexpected happens. A recession hits, and the market tanks. It’s not your fault; you were sincere in your decision to invest, but that doesn’t change the end result. You still lose. You can’t afford to put your trust in what ‘seems right to…man’ (Proverbs 16:25 NKJV); you must pursue those things that are right in God’s eyes. Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6 NLT). That means unless you have committed your life to Christ, you’re already on the wrong road. Turn around and ask Him to forgive your sins and put you on the road to eternal life. And if you’re a believer seeking direction, pray, read your Bible, and listen for what God has to say. The disciples on the Emmaus road said, ‘Did not our heart burn within us, while he…opened to us the scriptures?’ (Luke 24:32 KJV). Ask God to open His Word, give you ‘spiritual heartburn’, and point you in the right direction. He will!

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

It’s easy tosay, ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ but how can you tell if it’s real for you or if you’re just saying the words? Here is a simple test: when you need help, who do you turn to first? Most people go to God only after they have tried everything else. And when nothing else is working, then they try praying. Think about your last crisis. Whatever or whoever you turned to first for help,that’syour shepherd. A man on a trip to the African rain forests was following a guide. As they pushed deeper into the jungle, the guide with his machete was whacking away at the thick growth that rose up like a wall before them. ‘How do you know where to go?’ the man asked. ‘Where’s the path?’ The guide replied, ‘Iamthe path.’ Life is like a jungle; you need a guide who knows where he is going and what he is doing. And here on earth, who qualifies for such a job? One person only – the Lord! There will never be a day when you don’t need His guidance, and you can have it if you really want it. The Bible says, ‘He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out…he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice’ (John 10:3-4 NLT). What a promise! There are lots of different voices vying for your attention, including some who care about you and some who don’t. But Jesus your shepherd is the one voice you can always trust when it comes to guidance. That’s why it’s important to ‘know his voice’.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Life can wear you down. You can get to the place where your anxiety runs so deep, or your stress levels increase so high that you can’t think clearly. The problem or pain you’re experiencing is so overwhelming that you can’t put it into words. Good news: that’s when the Holy Spirit living within you praysforyou andthroughyou. As you bring your burden to the Lord and kneel in His presence, a wonderful thing happens. InThe Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases it this way: ‘God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us…If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves…That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good’ (vv. 26-28 MSG). Because prayer is relational, the Holy Spirit will communicate your heart to God and His heart back to you. When you don’t know how to pray – stay. Just remain in God’s presence with your heart open, and He will communicate with you. ‘You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things’ (1 John 2:20 NKJV). Before God puts the answer in your head, He puts His peace in your heart. That’s why prayer cannot be rushed. It’s why taking the time to meditate and be still before God is so important. It allows the Holy Spirit to share God’s thoughts with you so that you begin thinking His way. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Losing your job can be devastating. This is when you must keep the right perspective. Having less doesn’t make you a lesser person. God still values you, and you must keep valuing yourself. The Christian life is one of trial and triumph. Paul writes: ‘I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength’ (vv. 12-13 NLT). What should you do when you’re unemployed? 1)Reduce your expenses to the bare minimum.That may mean riding the bus or train, making your own lunch, and using other cost-saving measures. 2)Take the stigma out of being unemployed.Don’t presume that people think less of you because you have lost your job. People generally respond to your situation in the same way you do. They will find your enthusiasm about your next move inspiring – even though you may not yet know what it is. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according toHispurpose’ (Romans 8:28 NKJV). Getting thrown into prison led to Joseph becoming prime minister of Egypt. ‘The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you’ (Deuteronomy 23:5 NKJV). God can revealtalentswithin you andconnectionsaround you and open thedoorto a level of blessing and success you never dreamed possible. So, trust Him and keep believing that your best days are ahead.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

To have job security you should: 1)Increase your visibility in your industry.Establish contacts and relationships with others outside your company by attending local industry gatherings wherever possible. Your goal should not merely be to know enough to get by but to develop your skills so that you will get noticed and get ahead. When the time is right and you’re ready, God will open doors for you. ‘For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him aswitha shield’ (v. 12 NKJV). 2)Maintain a divine perspective on your job.Remind yourself that it is not the source of your security but simply one of many channels God can use to provide for you. Read the story of Elijah the prophet and how God miraculously provided for him through a raven, a brook, and a single mum with just enough food for one meal. God used four different streams to water the garden of Eden. So when you have an unmet need or a financial shortfall, ask Him to reveal different streams of income to you. And stand on these two promises: ‘My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:19 KJV). ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear [of losing your job], but of power and of love and of a sound mind’ (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). Fear and faith are powerful forces that seek to rule your life. One will take you in the wrong direction, the other will take you in the right direction. So, strengthen your faith by reading God’s Word, praying, and entrusting the outcomes of your life to Him. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

To have job security you should: 1) Endeavour to be as indispensable as possible. ‘Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap’ (vv. 5-6 NLT). Strive for integrity and excellence in your work, while learning as much as possible about procedures and processes beyond your area of responsibility. Be willing to help others – but not at the expense of your own effectiveness. 2) If the fear of losing your job stems from personality clashes with your boss, embrace the biblical principle of authority and submission. The buck stops with the person in charge. Therefore, determine to submit to reasonable instructions that are asked of you, provided they’re not illegal or immoral. When possible, confirm the instructions from your boss with a follow-up email, including your feedback on the potential outcome. Always speak with respect. Be willing to go the extra mile. Don’t make excuses or try to cover up for poor workmanship. Cooperating with your boss is crucial, so make doing so your special project. ‘Exhortbondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing inall things, not answering back’ (Titus 2:9 NKJV). 3) Know your marketability. Are you in a field with a strong demand for your skills, or do you need to educate yourself in order to upgrade them? If you want a raise or a promotion on the job, you must be willing to invest the time and effort to do what’s necessary in order to earn them. ‘Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth’ (Proverbs 10:4 NIV).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

If you think the perfect life would be one in which you didn’t have to work, think again. God created the garden of Eden, then He created Adam, then He told Adam that his job was to take care of it. Why? Because work gives dignity and meaning to our lives. That’s why the Bible says, ‘Those who work…will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense’ (v. 11 NIV). For the next few days, let’s talk about how to have job security. In 2023 the unemployment rate in the UK was about 4.2 per cent (almost three million workers). With statistics like those, it’s easy to see why so many of us live in fear of becoming unemployed. The fear of losing your job is rooted in the following core fears.Lack:‘How will I meet my obligations?’Inadequacy:‘I’m not good enough.’Helplessness:‘What do I do now?’Loneliness:‘I’ll be isolated from my social network.’ For some, the shame and humiliation of losing a job is as devastating as the loss of income. Fretting about being fired can become a self-fulfilling prophecy because its anxiety makes you less efficient and effective. So if you live with the constant fear of losing your job, it’s time to stop worrying and start developing a strategy that will enhance your position on the job or assure you of a soft landing if you get laid off. Your first and foremost strategy must be to trust in God’s faithfulness: ‘The Lord your God will then make you successful in everything you do….The Lord will again delight in being good to you…if you obey his voice’ (Deuteronomy 30:9-10 NLT). 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Here are three important principles you need to keep in mind when conflict arises: 1)Deal with the issue without attacking the person.Some of the most vicious personal attacks have been waged over religion. What a shame! Some of us would rather lose the relationship than lose the argument. 2) Sometimesit’s best to go separate ways.When Paul and Barnabas argued over whether or not John Mark should travel with them on their next missionary journey, ‘their disagreement was so sharp that they separated’ (Acts 15:39 NLT). But that’s not the end of the story. Actually, it resulted in the birth of two different ministries. So, be gracious. What’s happening right now may be God’s way of moving you into a new area of service and blessing. 3)Remember that ‘iron sharpens iron’(Proverbs 27:17 NKJV). When iron sharpens iron, sparks fly. If you have ever been around teens, you can relate. They’re experts at coming up with unconventional off-the-wall opinions that challenge you and keep you honest. An old Quaker bought a cantankerous cow. Every milking session became a battle of wills. Determined to demonstrate grace under fire, the old man refused to react when Bessie stomped her foot, whipped him in the face with her tail, and knocked over the milk bucket. Finally, she kicked him against the barn wall, and that did it! Glowering, he growled, ‘Thou knowest I am a Quaker and cannot strike thee back – but I can surely sell thee to a Presbyterian!’ When you are the injured party, that’s when you need to draw on this promise: ‘He gives more grace.’

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Jesus said, ‘Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need’ (v. 33 NLT). You ask, ‘When Ithinkabout God, is that the same as praying?’ It can be. We’re all familiar with the power of unspoken communication. Many of us grew up with parents who didn’t have to say a thing to make their will known. It may have been a certain look in their eye or some other unspoken signal. But we knew exactly what was being communicated and how we were expected to respond. Prayer works that way too. When youthinkabout God, it’s prayer; and when God communicates His thoughts back to you, it’s a form of answered prayer. A little boy wanted a bicycle for Christmas, and one night he was praying at the top of his voice telling God exactly what kind and colour of bike he wanted. His mother said, ‘Son, you don’t need to shout for God to hear you.’ He replied, ‘I know, Mama, but I need to shout if Grandpa is going to hear me and buy me that bike!’ The truth is, you don’t need to shout for God to hear you, and you don’t need to try and conjure up answers to your prayers. Jesus said, ‘Your heavenly Father knows what you need before you even ask.’ So, why even take the time to pray? Because God wants you to approach Him with confidence, trust Him with all your needs, and build a relationship with Him. That’s what it’s all about!

It’s not by accident that these two Scriptures are back-to-back: ‘Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender’ (vv. 6-7 NIV). Your child’s college university education, an affordable home, and a reliable car are okay to borrow money for. Otherwise, unless you can pay for something – learn to wait! Jesus said, ‘If any man would be my disciple, he must deny himself’ (see Luke 9:23). We’re not very good at denying ourselves the things we want. But unless you want your kids to inherit your debt, end up getting into debt themselves, and passing the principle of instant gratification on totheirchildren, break the cycle now. Get out of debt and stay out of debt! Say: ‘Lord, I’m through making excuses. I take responsibility for the mess I’m in. I gave in to my impulses, overspent, ignored Your principles of good stewardship, and I repent. Give me the courage to face my debts and take an honest look at where I stand. Don’t let me live in denial. You warned us not to be ignorant of Satan’s tactics (see 2 Corinthians 2:11). He is attempting to keep me in financial bondage, and, as a result, I am unable to respond when it’s time to sow and finance Your work. Direct me to a trustworthy source that can help me develop a debt-eliminating strategy. Help me to stop having to make additional interest charges. Deliver me from emotional spending. Please, help me to get out of debt. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.’

Jesus did only those things placed in His mind by His Father. And He wants you to learn to live that way too. You ask, ‘Is such a life possible?’ Yes, it’s not only possible, it’s essential to fulfilling God’s will for your life. The Bible says that Mary took time to listen to Jesus, but her sister Martha didn’t because she was too busy ‘serving’ (see Luke 10:40). You can get so busy serving the Lord that you lose your sensitivity to His voice and end up preoccupied with secondary things. You learn to hear from God by making time to hear from Him! Fifteen times in the New Testament, Jesus said, ‘He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ When you became a new creation in Christ, you got new spiritual ears, but you must learn how to use them. Indeed, that must become one of the highest priorities in your life. A newborn child has the ability to hear but doesn’t understand what he or she is hearing; understanding takes time, it takes learning, it takes attention, it takes intimacy with his or her parents. When Jesus met the two disciples on the road to Emmaus following His resurrection, they didn’t recognise Him. But He loved them, so ‘he opened their minds so they could understand’ (Luke 24:45 NIV). As you look back over your life, you recognise times when God walked and talked with you but you didn’t understand what He was saying. No problem! God is patient, and He will work with you and develop you.

The New Testament Greek word translated as ‘disciple’ means ‘learner’. By definition, a disciple is someone who never ceases to learn. He or she makes the most of the hundred billion brain cells God has loaned to them. They keep asking and seeking and knocking (see Matthew 7:7). Leonardo da Vinci carried a notebook wherever he went. Some have estimated that he left fourteen thousand pages of notes to painter Francesco Melzi in his will. Almost seven thousand pages still exist. Bill Gates bought eighteen pages for $30.8 million in 1994. The scribbles on da Vinci’s napkin varied from anatomy to botany to painting to philosophy. One thing that made him extraordinary is that he wrote most of them using a technique calledmirror writing.He wrote in reverse so the words could be read solely when reflected in a mirror. In the final days before his death on May 2, 1519, Leonardo apologised to God and to man ‘for leaving so much undone’. And he resolved to keep learning until the day he died. Even on his deathbed, Leonardo was observing and relating, in scientific detail, the nature and symptoms of his illness. So, never stop learning, because it glorifies God when you do it for the right reasons. And the right reason is to know Him so that you can love Him even more. Live like you will die tomorrow – but keep learning like you will live forever. After all, as a redeemed child of God, you will.

Anything that reveals something about our Creator is something we ought to be interested in. Scripture is in a classification all by itself as God’s written revelation. But mathematics discloses a distinctive dimension of God’s personality too. Along with art. And science. The Bible says: ‘God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight…He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom’ (1 Kings 4:29, 32-34 NIV). Solomon was interested in everything. And the breadth of his knowledge gave him such a depth of wisdom that ‘from all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom’. Who sent those men? ‘The kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.’ As Spirit-filled citizens of God’s kingdom, we haven’t been called to avoid the culture, but to inform it, instruct it, and illuminate it. ‘It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.’ God loves it when we realise something or encounter something new to us, even if our discoveries are common knowledge. Isn’t that a normal parental reaction when our children discover new things? When you keep asking the right questions, God will keep giving you the right answers.

Here are two more evidences of Christ’s resurrection: 1)You would be hard-pressed to find a time in recorded history where someone willingly gave up their life for what they knew to be a lie.Author Paul E. Little said, ‘Men will die for what they believe to be true, though it may actually be false. They do not, however, die for what they know is a lie.’ The fact that those early disciples were willing to endure such suffering makes the foundations of Christianity unshakable. 2)Christ’s enemies went to incredible lengths to disprove the resurrection.‘When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy [bribe] him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed’ (vv. 12-15 NIV). Think: there has never been a witness in history allowed to testify to what transpired while he or she wasasleep. And for a Roman soldier to fall asleep on duty meant a certain death penalty. Indeed, if Jesus had still been in the tomb, or if they had taken his body and placed it somewhere else, why did the Jewish leaders not say so? No, they were paralysed and powerless to do anything about it. Their only option – the one they took – was to initiate great persecution against all Christians. But it failed then, and it fails now because Jesus is alive!

Here are three more pieces of evidence that will convince any open-minded seeker of the truth of Christ’s physical resurrection from the dead: 1)The Christian sacraments.The Christian sacraments point to the death and suffering of Christ and also to His resurrection and power. These can be traced back in uninterrupted sequence to the exact time of the death of Jesus Christ. 2)Christian art.In the catacombs of Rome, from the period of the persecutions, we discover etched into the walls, depictions of the resurrection of Christ as an element of the earliest Christian beliefs. 3)The Christian church.Consider the undeniable fact of the Christian church. Numerous people do not realise the link between the church and the resurrection, but scholars do. The Christian church is the biggest institution that exists or has ever existed in the world’s history. It is five times larger than the Roman Empire at its greatest scope. In fact, more than two billion people today acknowledge their worship of Jesus Christ as the alive and risen Son of God. How did such an institution come into and stay in existence? Someone quipped, ‘The Grand Canyon wasn’t formed by a person dragging a stick.’ Neither was an institution the magnitude of the Christian church created by the fancies of idle dreamers in days past. Historians recognise that the Christian church can be tracked all the way back to the city of Jerusalem in AD 30, the time of the death and resurrection of Christ. So,, in truth we can say, ‘Christ is risen indeed!’

Trust the fact that Jesus rose from the dead! Here are two evidences of it: 1)The Lord’s Day.For thousands of years, the Hebrew people had maintained their Sabbath doctrine. Then later, a group of early Christians who were Jews changed the day of worship from the seventh day to the first day! What could account for their deserting a tradition to which they had held so steadfastly? The resurrection of Christ, which happened on the first day of the week, His appearance to the disciples on the first day of the week, and the outpouring of His Spirit on the church on the first day of the week. So on the first day of the week, the disciples met to worship Him (see 1 Corinthians 16:2). 2)The celebration of Easter.This took the place of the Jewish festival of the Passover. So why did the Jews, who regarded the Passover to be the most important event in the history of their nation, forsake it in favour of the celebration of Easter, which was the most important festival among Christians? The salutation was, ‘Christ is risen!’ The reply was, ‘Christ is risen indeed!’ What fact, other than that of the resurrection, can explain the reality of the Easter celebration, which we can trace all the way back to the era of the early church? Paul writes: ‘For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day…After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters’ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 6 NIV).

The more history you have with your spouse, the more joy and pain you have experienced. You’re closer at times than others as the circumstances of life rise and fall. Yet if you did due diligence at the onset of the relationship, were clear about what you desired in a partner, and honestly evaluated who that person is, what will keep your union going forward is remembering what brought the two of you together in the first place. What you initially enjoyed and esteemed about this person probably hasn’t changed. But for your relationship to continue to develop, you must work on growing closer. All relationships have growth areas that require pruning and fertilising. If you feel your relationship isn’t what it once was, it could be that it’s developing into something different. Or it could be that you need to renew your commitment to keeping it fresh and moving forward. It may be that you must work on creating the intimacy that’s missing or enjoying the love you once had. The fundamentals of your mate, if they were really there in the first place, aren’t likely to change. The basis of your relationship is what’s important. Focusing onthatmakes it much easier to go with the flow of the unavoidable ups and downs of daily living. So, do you need more time together? When you’re too busy to listen,reallylisten, your mate thinks you don’t care about them or you don’t value the relationship sufficiently. Think: what would you do if your car broke down? You would take the time and pay the price to fix it! 

Jesus said, ‘When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you’ (v. 6 NIV). The Christian life could be compared to the Old Testament tabernacle, which was divided into three compartments. There was an outer court to which everyone had access. And you too have an outer court; the place you go to work, shop, and play. It represents your outward appearance or public persona, the part of you everyone sees. The tabernacle also had an inner chamber called the Holy Place, where most people weren’t permitted to go. You also have a Holy Place where designated people like close friends or family can enter. You decide who comes in and who doesn’t, and no one can force their way. Certain people may have authority over you vocationally or financially, but that doesn’t automatically allow them entrance. When it comes to that inner chamber, you get to decide who comes and goes. The third compartment in the Old Testament tabernacle was the holy of holies, a very small, carefully guarded place, deep inside. It was accessed only by the chief priest, and there was room for only one person and God. You have one of those places inside you as well. We sometimes refer to it as ‘the secret place’ because only God is allowed in. And here is a truth you need to know: your level of peace, joy, contentment, guidance, and victory is regulated by the amount of time you spend with God in your secret place. Prioritise it, protect it, and spend time there each day. 

Did the people in Scripture who ‘walked with God’ ever stumble? They did. Did they get off track sometimes? Yes. But when their feet hit the floor every morning, their commitment was to walk with God throughout the day. They drew on His strength, endeavoured to do His will, and aimed towards the goal that He had set for them. Paul writes, ‘I…beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called’ (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV). That means you must know the direction God is leading you in and stay in step with Him. When He acts – you act. When He pauses – you pause. As a believer, your life shouldn’t be compartmentalised into what’s sacred and what’s secular. The Bible says, ‘In him we live, and move, and have our being’ (Acts 17:28 KJV). You can’t say, ‘Inthissituation, I’m operating under my own steam, but inthatsituation, I’m operating according to the Holy Spirit within me.’ The Holy Spirit doesn’t come and go from your life; He is always with you! Here is a Scripture you need to think about: ‘Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created’ (Revelation 4:11 KJV). What an awesome thought: you were created to bring pleasure to God! So, one of the most important questions you can ask yourself – and frequently – is, ‘Lord, are my ways pleasing to you right now?’ (see Proverbs 13:5-6). When they are, you will discover that the direction He takes you in is always the right direction; His timing is always the right timing, and the results you get are always the right results.

When Peter exercised enough faith to get out of the boat and walk on water, he sank and looked worse than any of the other disciples. When he tried to defend Jesus, he cut off a man’s ear. When he promised to be loyal, he fell flat on his face. When he tried to advise Jesus, he was the devil’s advocate (see Matthew 16:22-23). Eventually he became a leader in the church – but he got worse before he got better. And his behaviour didn’t surprise or discourage Jesus one bit. He will never stop helping a follower of His who is sincerely seeking to grow. He will always lead us forward in growth; but growth requires risk, and risk sometimes means failure. Jesus knows that, but He never gives up on a student just because he or she fails. For example, if you haven’t been confronting people when you should, once you start, the odds are that you will do it badly. If you have rarely encouraged people, your initial attempts may be clumsy. If you have never shared your faith, the first time you do, you may stumble all over yourself. Go ahead and stumble! Failure isn’t about falling down; it’s about refusing to try. One man told his pastor, ‘If I were God, I wouldn’t put up with someone like me.’ The pastor replied, ‘Then be glad you’re not God, and I’ll be twice as glad – for we would both be sunk.’ As long as you hunger for God, He will workwithyou andinyou. Growing in grace means growing spiritually through the stages of childhood, adolescence, and into maturity. So, don’t give up on yourself – God won’t!

‘Stir up the gift of God which is in you.’ 2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV

Paul told Timothy, ‘Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.’ That Scripture means, even though you’re gifted, you can become apathetic if you don’t keep doing the right things. ‘Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away’ (Hebrews 2:1 NKJV). The word ‘drift’ is not only slow and subtle, it’s deadly. Let’s look at two of the things that can rob you of your passion, enthusiasm, motivation, and focus. 1)Lack of goals.‘Without a vision the people perish’ (see Proverbs 29:18). What used to enthuse you? What destroyed your interest in it? Is it a desire you could revive? Put it down in writing. Ignore the potential cost or reasons it might not work. Just indulge your mind in the luxury of feeling optimistic and excited about something, even a small thing. 2)Wrong goals.Are you pursuing a goal you feel was imposed upon you by someone else? Or like Jonah before he was swallowed by the whale, possibly you’re rowing against the tide of God’s will for your life. Check with Him and see if this is so. Did God really lead you to pamper yourself in that extravagant item that’s now requiring you to work two jobs? Or maybe the time has come to an end for a goal that was part of God’s plan for a specific season of your life. Moving on is sometimes difficult, but oh, the joy and peace of knowing that you are in the centre of God’s perfect will!