[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Get your approval from God

‘Our eyes look to the Lord our God.’
Psalm 123:2 NKJV

The UCB Word for Today - 12 JUNE 2020

It’s always nice to be appreciated for the work you do, and when that doesn’t happen, it can affect your sense of self-worth. That’s why the Bible says, ‘As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters…our eyes look to the Lord our God.’

Your true worth comes from God, not your boss. And when you forget that, you set yourself up for frustration in the workplace.

Taken to the extreme, you become less effective on the job because you’re not willing to make decisions and take risks in case it negatively affects what others think about you. In essence, you become a ‘yes’ man or woman who nods and agrees with everyone just to please them and have them like you.

Consequently, your value to the company plummets because you’re not utilising your God-given gifts to the fullest. Whatever your position, it’s only a small part of who you are, a spoke radiating from the centre of your identity as a son or daughter of the King of kings.

You’re not the hub turning the wheel. Knowing who you are, apart from what you do, is as essential to your success in the workplace as your credentials and your skill set.

When others know that you constantly need approval, it empowers them to manipulate you, define you, and influence your self-worth. That’s too much power to give anybody!

It doesn’t matter what your job entails, remember: ‘Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God’ (1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT).

1 Chronicles 7-9, Acts 15:22-41

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Everything you need for living

‘Everything we need.’
2 Peter 1:3 NIV

The UCB Word for Today - 13 JUNE 2020

Peter writes, ‘His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life’ (v. 3 NIV). Living life to the fullest requires three things:

1) A little extra. This is the extra-mile principle Jesus taught (see Matthew 5:41), and it calls for two things:

a) Extra effort. Life coach and author Art Williams said, ‘You beat 50 per cent of the people by working hard…the other 40 per cent by being a person of honesty and integrity and standing for something…the last 10 per cent is a dogfight.’ If you want to win, make up your mind to always do ‘a little extra’.

b) Extra time. ‘Though [your vision] linger, wait for it; it will certainly come [to pass]’ (Habakkuk 2:3 NIV). Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor who created the Mount Rushmore memorial to America’s presidents, was asked if he considered his work to be perfect.

He replied, ‘Not today. The nose of President Washington is an inch too long.

It’s better that way, though. It will erode and be exactly right in ten thousand years.’

2) Your best effort. Andrew Carnegie said, ‘There’s no use trying to help people who won’t help themselves.

You can’t push anyone up a ladder unless he or she is first willing to climb it.’

3) The right mentor. Paul writes, ‘Pattern your lives after mine’ (Philippians 3:17 NLT).

Good mentors lead by example; they know that to be followed, they must first be respected. They know whether you learn visually or verbally.

They know whether you need a pat on the back or a kick in the seat of the trousers. If you have such a mentor, you’re blessed.

If not, ask God to send one into your life today.

1 Chronicles 10-12, Acts 16:1-21

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Start exercising

‘Bodily exercise profits.’
1 Timothy 4:8 NKJV

The UCB Word for Today - 14 JUNE 2020

As you move into your forties, fifties, and sixties, you’ll tend to become more sedentary. One woman made a lifelong commitment not to sweat.

Another one joked that the only reason for jogging was to look better at her funeral. A driver put this bumper sticker on his car: ‘I’m pushing fifty, and that’s enough exercise.’

The Bible says, ‘Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.’ Does that mean taking care of your body isn’t important?

No, it means you must stay in balance! What’s the point of working to develop the virtues of a saint if you die before your time with blocked arteries?

You say, ‘But I don’t like jogging or lifting weights.’ Then here’s some good news.

A recent medical study found if you spend forty-five minutes a day doing household chores such as mowing the lawn, you’ll enjoy greater longevity than those who are inactive. It’s even better if you do some push-ups and sit-ups, but it’s not necessary.

If you fail to maintain your car, you have no right to blame the manufacturer. And if you fail to maintain your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, you have no right to blame God.

You say, ‘But I believe in divine healing.’ And God promises it to you in His Word (see James 5:14-15).

But He expects you to use faith – and wisdom. So put down the TV remote control, get off the sofa, and do a little home clean-up or repair.

Not only will your house look better, but you’re likely to live longer.


Luke 11:1-28 , Psalm 63-65

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Impartiality should be a ‘house rule’

‘Isaac loved Esau…but Rebekah loved Jacob.’
Genesis 25:28 KJV

The UCB Word for Today - 15 JUNE 2020

Sibling rivalry in a family is normal, and handling it calls for sensitivity and wisdom. Unfortunately Isaac and Rebekah lacked those two qualities.

‘Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob’ (NKJV). Joseph’s troubles began with these words: ‘Now Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours’ (Genesis 37:3 KJV).

But it doesn’t have to be that way in your family. It’s neither necessary nor healthy to allow your children to attack each other and make life miserable for those around them.

You may not be able to harmonise their relationship entirely, but by practising impartiality, at least you can avoid making it worse by inflaming the natural jealousies between your children. Ever since time began, siblings have resented each other’s successes and competed for their parents’ attention.

So you must be careful to avoid casual comments that favour one child over another, especially in these three areas:

1) Physical attractiveness.
2) Intelligence.
3) Skills and athletic abilities.

Those are the three raw nerves on which self-esteem hangs. Referring to a girl as ‘my pretty daughter’ or to a son as ‘the smart one’ can set off raging emotions in other children, who perceive themselves to be ugly or dumb.

Sensitivity in those areas will reduce the antagonism between your children and create a more harmonious tone for every member of the family. Paul told Timothy, ‘Obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favouritism to anyone’ (1 Timothy 5:21 NLT).

That was a ‘church rule’, but it’s also a ‘house rule’!

1 Chronicles 13-15, Acts 16:22-40

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Get serious about helping needy people

‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
Matthew 25:45 NKJV

The UCB Word for Today - 16 JUNE 2020

The Bible teaches that one day God will evaluate and reward each of us according to how we treat those around us who are hurting and needy. And that’s why you need to get serious about helping them.

Thomas Barnardo believed that, and he became one of the great Christian heroes of the 1800s. During his work among the poor and homeless in London’s East End, he built a home for destitute children that housed four hundred boys and girls.

He turned the Edinburgh Castle Gin Palace and Music Hall into the Coffee Palace, a centre for evangelistic and Christian activities. He built a village for girls that served more than nine thousand of them during his lifetime.

In all, more than sixty thousand children benefited from the vocational training centres and homes he built. In extreme cases where he found children in the hands of cruel people, he would ‘abduct’ them – a policy which, where parents were involved, was against the law.

But he felt bound by a higher law – God’s law. This made him vulnerable to criminal charges and bitter custody battles, but eventually the law of the land was changed, not Barnardo.

His successful ‘graduates’ included lawyers, doctors, musicians, naval commanders, businessmen, and colonial ministers of state, all of whom had once been destitute and were rescued. How do you change the world?

Starting today, you can do it one life at a time.

1 Chronicles 16-18, Acts 17:1-15

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Learning the hard way (1)

‘For…time would fail me to tell of…Samson.’
Hebrews 11:32 NKJV

The UCB Word for Today - 17 JUNE 2020

Samson had incredible potential, but he threw it all away. Why? For several reasons.

He failed to control his impulses. He was physically strong, but morally weak. He deliberately ignored God’s principles, and his life became a pathetic cycle of failures.

He never learned; he kept making the same mistakes over and over. For him it was a kind of game: ‘How close can I get to the fire without getting burned?’ He

Delilah, a Philistine prostitute, kept pressing him about the source of his strength, and each time she got a little closer to the truth. Samson was playing with temptation by toying with her, and eventually he got burned.

And we do the same thing when we say things like ‘It can’t hurt…just this one time.’ The truth is, not one of us plans to be a failure.

It comes naturally – and gradually. It’s a step-by-step process, as little by little we become weakened.

Our whole lives don’t fall apart in one day. Problems build up over a period of time, because we refuse to learn from our mistakes.

Maybe you’re thinking, ‘But this is an area of my life I have no control over. It’s just the way I am.’

That’s the wrong answer. Here’s the right one: ‘He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength’ (Isaiah 40:29 NKJV).

When Samson finally faced the truth, God broke his cycle of failure and gave him the power to do what he should do, and made him victorious. And God will do the same for you when you turn to Him!

1 Chronicles 19-21, Acts 17:16-34

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Learning the hard way (2)

‘If sinners entice you, do not consent.’
Proverbs 1:10 NKJV

The UCB Word for Today - 18 JUNE 2020

You’re asking for trouble when you choose the wrong friends. Somebody wisely said, ‘If you want to soar with eagles, you can’t run around with turkeys.’

Eventually you become like the people you spend the most time with; that’s why it’s so important to choose your friends wisely. The psalmist said, ‘Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners’ (Psalm 1:1 NKJV).

Samson developed unhealthy relationships and they led him astray. So here’s the question: are your friends keeping you from living 100 per cent for God?

Do they tear you down or build you up? When you’re with them, do you find yourself conforming to things that violate your convictions and your conscience – things you don’t feel good about doing?

The book of Proverbs warns us repeatedly about negative associations: ‘My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.’ Constant exposure to wrong attitudes and values will eventually take its toll on your life.

It is always easier to pull someone down than it is to lift them up. So, what kind of friends should you keep?

The kind who bring out the best in you, who lift you up, who encourage you, and make you a better person. ‘But aren’t we supposed to love everybody?’ you ask.

Yes, but you’re not supposed to lean on them, listen to them, learn their wrong ways, and become like them. When it comes to choosing your friends, here’s the scriptural rule you should live by: ‘[Lord,] I am a friend to anyone who fears [respects] you – anyone who obeys your commandments’ (Psalm 119:63 NLT).

1 Chronicles 22-24, Acts 18

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Learning the hard way (3)

‘The child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’
Judges 13:7 NKJV

The UCB Word for Today - 19 JUNE 2020

You’re asking for trouble when you refuse to take God seriously. The angel who announced Samson’s birth said he was to ‘be a Nazirite’, indicating that he was to be dedicated to doing God’s will.

But Samson was careless about his spiritual life. He prayed only when he was in trouble.

He was impulsive; he did whatever he felt like doing. The truth is, we’d save ourselves so many problems and spare ourselves so much pain if we’d just stop and ask God for direction.

Samson turned to God only when he got into a jam. It’s what we call ‘foxhole Christianity’.

We pray, ‘Lord, if You get me out of this dilemma, I promise I’ll live for You from now on.’ But here’s the question: is God just an afterthought, a convenience to you?

When things get tough and you’re in a tight spot you turn to Him in desperation, but when everything’s alright you ignore Him? Only when Samson was captured by the Philistines, his eyes gouged out, and he was grinding grain at a mill like an ox, do we read that he turned to God and prayed.

What kind of history might Samson have had if he’d prayed right from the beginning? Why did he wait until everything fell apart before turning to God?

It doesn’t have to be that way in your life! The psalmist said, ‘Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.

You will eat the fruit of your labour; blessings and prosperity will be yours’ (Psalm 128:1-2 NIVUK).

1 Chronicles 25-27, Acts 19:1-22

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Learning the hard way (4)

‘The hair of his head began to grow again.’
Judges 16:22 NKJV

The UCB Word for Today - 20 JUNE 2020

With regard to Samson, the Bible tells us, ‘The hair of his head began to grow again.’ The process of renewal was starting.

Samson repented, God gave him back his strength, and he ended his life with an inspiring act of heroism. Maybe you feel like you’ve messed up so badly that God will never love you and use you again – but remember Samson!

God never gave up on him, and He hasn’t given up on you. He sees your potential and remembers why He made you: you were created for great things.

It’s only as you move into the centre of God’s will that you discover why you were made. When you do, things will begin to fall back into place.

There is something very encouraging about Samson. He’s included in God’s hall of fame – the panorama of people of great faith detailed in Hebrews 11. Why?

Because God can take a person who seems like a total failure and use them to accomplish great things. If He only used people who were perfect, nothing would ever get done.

Instead, He uses ordinary people with weaknesses, who sometimes fail in big ways. So what should you do if you’re a Samson?

Turn your life over to the Lord. Give Him all the pieces and let Him put them together.

He can give you the power to break loose from the things that are tying you down and preventing Him from working in your life. Only God knows your potential, and you will never bring it out on your own.

He must do it in His strength – so let Him start today!

1 Chronicles 28-29, Acts 19:23-41[/color]

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Pray with confidence

‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God.’
1 John 5:14 NIV

The UCB Word for Today - 21 JUNE 2020

Sometimes we pray ‘Just’ prayers. We say, ‘Lord, we just ask you to protect us, or provide for us…If you’d just help us in this situation, we’d be so thankful.’

It’s as if we are saying, ‘Lord, I hate to bother You with this, but…’ It sounds humble, but in reality it demonstrates a lack of faith and confidence in approaching God. Plus it’s not scriptural.

The Bible says, ‘Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). ‘If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him’ (1 John 3:21-22 NIV).

‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him’ (1 John 5:14-15 NIV).

‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory…forever and ever’ (Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV). ‘If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!’ (Matthew 7:11 NIV).

As a redeemed child of God, you can approach your loving heavenly Father with confidence, knowing that whatever you need, He will provide it – and much more!

Luke 11:29-54 , Psalm 66-67