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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Prayer can change your life
07 MAY 2021

‘First of all…prayers.’
1 Timothy 2:1 NIV

Prayer is simply communicating with God. And communication can be spoken or silent. It can even be expressed in song. Many of the psalms are just prayers set to music.

Prayer is connecting with God. Whether it’s confessing a sin, praising His name, pursuing His will, interceding for a friend, or petitioning for your own needs, your prayer must be God-centred, never self-centred.


Sincere prayer comes from a heart that longs for God to reveal what He desires. So you must allow adequate time for listening and waiting intently before your heavenly Father.

And prayer must be your first priority. Paul instructs Timothy: ‘I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made’ (v. 1 NIV). Note the words, ‘First of all’.

Before you slide out of bed, before you take a shower, before you make your way to work, and before your first appointment, pray, pray, pray! Every afternoon at three o’clock, Peter and John went to the temple to pray.

In the middle of the day, they interrupted their schedule to gather for one purpose: prayer. So when your day is rolling along at its own pace and in its own direction, interrupt it with prayer.


As your day builds towards a crisis, deliberately stop to pray. When your morning begins to go south, pull away for a few moments of solitude to seek God’s mind and ask for His instruction.

When your attitude starts to sour, pause for an attitude adjustment prompted by prayer. Don’t wait – pray immediately. Make prayer your first priority in all things and at all times. If you do, you’ll find that prayer changes your life for the better.

2 Samuel 3-5, John 17

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Preparing for greater things
08 MAY 2021

‘You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.’
Matthew 25:23 NIV

To succeed in life you need thick skin when it comes to handling criticism. It’s what separates those who say they want success from those who are prepared to pay for it. For example, if you’ve been praying for a mate to share your life, ask yourself if you’re prepared for the sacrifice and responsibility that comes with marriage. Are you stable? Are you unselfish?


Are you mature enough to provide for a family? Or if you’re asking God to increase your business, are you providing outstanding service to your existing clients? Someone quipped: ‘A peacock that rests on its feathers is just another turkey!’ Sometimes we’re in love with the image of success, but we haven’t counted the actual cost of succeeding.

It’s a good thing God doesn’t automatically give us everything we ask for. Often we want something because it looks good in someone else’s life. But God in His wisdom knows that right now it would hurt us because we’re not mature enough to handle it.

God tests us with what we have, in order to develop our consistency and strength. He observes how we handle the pressures that accompany the blessings He’s already given us. He wants to bring us to the place where we’re impervious to adversity; where we’ve learned to appreciate the giver more than His gifts.

When we reach that point, we’ll hear Him say, ‘You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (v. 23 NIV). Those words will make everything you’ve been through worthwhile.

2 Samuel 6-8, John 18:1-18

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Your words reveal your heart
09 MAY 2021

‘Your speech betrays you.’
Matthew 26:73 NKJV

The words you speak will give you away every time. It happened to Peter. On the night Jesus was arrested and all His disciples scattered, Peter stayed close enough to see what was happening – but not close enough to be identified with Him.

The Bible says: ‘Those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly’ (vv. 73-75 NKJV).

After that episode nobody accused Peter of being a follower of Jesus! Isn’t it interesting how profanity in any language has a way of making others question the quality of your relationship with Christ? Your words have the power to build people up or tear them down, draw them to Christ or drive them away.

With that in mind, here are two Scriptures you need to underscore and think about often: 1) ‘Let your speech always be with grace…that you may know how you ought to answer each one’ (Colossians 4:6 NKJV). 2) ‘Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up…that it may benefit those who listen’ (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).

Today, here’s a prayer for you to pray: ‘Father, may the words I speak this day bring credit to the name of Jesus and draw others to Him. In His name I pray, amen.’

Luke 8:26-56, Psalms 46-48

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Your family background doesn’t matter
10 MAY 2021

‘Jesus is not ashamed to call [us] brothers and sisters.’
Hebrews 2:11 NIV


Every family has its secrets. A cousin with a prison record, or a dad who abandoned the family, or a grandparent who ran off with a co-worker. It may surprise you to know Jesus didn’t come from a perfect family either.

The Bible records the details of Jesus’ ancestral lineage – and it includes some flawed characters! There’s Tamar, who tricked her father-in-law in order to seduce him, and there’s a white-collar criminal named Jacob who took advantage of his brother and his father-in-law in order to get rich.

And how about King David? One day he’s writing psalms, and the next day he’s seducing the wife of one of his army officers. The list goes on, and Scripture records it to let you know two important truths: 1) You are not unique.

If your family tree has damaged fruit, Jesus wants you to know He’s been there! In the absence of any mention of Joseph’s involvement in Jesus’ adult life, some scholars believe Mary may have raised Him and his siblings alone.

And Jesus wasn’t reluctant to call His ancestors family – which means He’s not ashamed of you either. 2) Jesus doesn’t look at your past in order to decide your future. In His eyes, spiritual DNA trumps natural DNA! The Bible says: ‘If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation’ (2 Corinthians 5:17-18 NIVUK). So don’t be afraid to tell others that what Jesus did for you, He will do for them when they put their trust in Him.

2 Samuel 9-11, John 18:19-40

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

P-R-A-Y!

11 MAY 2021
‘Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.’
1 Chronicles16:11 NIV

To help you remember the four parts of prayer, think of the acrostic P-R-A-Y: P – Praise the Lord! Not sure how? Think you’ll run out of words? Not if you use the Scriptures. David gives us a beautiful example in 1 Chronicles 29:11-13. It’s one you can use: ‘Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendour…Yours, Lord, is the kingdom…In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name’ (NIVUK). R – Repent of your sins! Just as heat forces impurities to the surface so the metal refiner can remove them, your prayer time will reveal attitudes that must be changed, habits that must be broken, and barriers to blessing that must be removed.

It’s not enough to tell God about your sins. He already knows them. You must ask Him to help you turn away from them. This is true repentance. A – Ask for yourself and others! Your prayers invite God into the situation, and your faith activates His power to change it.

There’s no distance in prayer, no culture or language barrier it can’t overcome. It’s like throwing on a power switch – things begin to move when we pray. Jesus said, ‘I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven…whatever doors you open on earth shall be open in heaven’ (Matthew 16:19 TLB). Y – Yield yourself to God’s will! Declaring the Lordship of Jesus Christ in your life is like signing your name to the bottom of a blank cheque and inviting Him to fill in the amount

2 Samuel 12-13, John 19:1-22

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Show some enthusiasm!
12 MAY 2021

‘Make full use of the gift that God gave you.’
2 Timothy 1:6 CEV

Unless you maintain your enthusiasm, life can wear you down. A job that once challenged you can become monotonous, a relationship that once excited you can grow stale, and a daily walk with God that once inspired you can feel like just going through the motions.

The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek word which means ‘possessed by or inspired by God’. But how do you stay inspired? Just as the Israelites gathered fresh manna every morning, you need a daily infusion of God’s Word and God’s Spirit. Paul challenged the Christians in Rome: ‘Serve the Lord enthusiastically’ (Romans 12:11 NLT). And the believers in Galatia: ‘If someone is eager to do good things…that’s all right’ (Galatians 4:18 NLT).

So instead of complaining about all the things you don’t like, realise that the presence and power of God lives within you and put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. Remember whose kingdom you’re a citizen of. God’s! Author Sheldon Vanauken says: ‘The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness.


But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians – when they are sombre…joyless…self-righteous…smug… narrow and repressive.’ The Christian life is not meant to be a journey to the grave with the goal of arriving safely in a well-preserved body, but a race to the finish line, used up, totally fulfilled, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!’ David tells us God lifted him out of a pit of despair, put his feet on solid ground, and gave him a new song (see Psalm 40:1-3). And hasn’t He done the same for you? So show some enthusiasm!

2 Samuel 14-15, John 19:23-42

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

When Jesus Comes on Board
13 MAY 2021

‘He got into one of the boats…belonging to Simon.’
Luke 5:3 NIV

One day Jesus ‘saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats…belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.


When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because You say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break’ (vv. 2-6 NIV).

Are you sitting today where Peter sat? Your outlook is bleak, your nets are empty, you’ve tried everything you know and you’re ready to give up? It happens; you get to the place where you simply stop expecting anything good.

You’ve experienced too many disappointments and you’re afraid to dream, reach, stretch, or broaden your horizons. Jesus knows how hard you’ve tried and today He’s inviting you to try again – this time with Him.

Even though you’re wrestling with depression and tormenting memories, unemployment, addiction, financial failure, or sickness, the Lord of new beginnings wants to come on board.

If you let Him, He will show you what to do. Now, what He says may not initially make sense to you. But if you’re willing to respond like Peter – ‘Because You say so, I will’ – you’re on the threshold of a miracle. Today, invite Jesus on board and watch how your situation changes.

2 Samuel 16-18, John 20

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Cultivate an awareness of God’s presence
14 MAY 2021

‘Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’
Genesis 28:16 NIV


Jacob lived life on the fast track doing business deals and making lots of money, unlike David who was on the slow track tending a flock of sheep in his pasture.

But notice what each of them said about God. ‘When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”’ On the other hand, David said: ‘I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.


I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure’ (Psalm 16:7-9 NIV). Notice the difference? Jacob was so busy that he failed to recognise God’s voice or cultivate an awareness of His presence.

But David said, ‘I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.’ Those words are perhaps the simplest and best definition of spiritual life.

The Bible says, ‘We have the mind of Christ’ (1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV). You say, ‘What does that mean to me?’ It means that the indwelling Christ can think His thoughts through you.

Isn’t that wonderful? When you have a feeling of reassurance, or a sense of guidance, or you feel the conviction of sin, it means God is present with you.

So pay attention and honour His presence by responding to Him. Perhaps you’ve always wondered what it means to ‘walk with God’. Now you know.

2 Samuel 19-20, John 21

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Loving people you don’t like
15 MAY 2021

‘His…plan has always been to adopt us into his…family.’
Ephesians 1:5 TLB

In the Bible God commands us to love one another. Interestingly, He doesn’t command us to like one another. And that’s a good thing because you can love someone and not like certain things about them. Paul writes, ‘We are his workmanship’ (Ephesians 2:10 KJV).

The word ‘workmanship’ comes from the Greek word poiéma from which we get the word poetry. And poetry is a diversified and creative thing; it comes in many forms. That’s why the Bible says God works through different people in different ways (see 1 Corinthians 12:6).

He uses all kinds of people, including the ones we may not like or want to work with. ‘A spiritual gift is given to each of us’ (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT), and it’s up to us to discover and develop it. ‘Christ gave those gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving’ (Ephesians 4:12 NCV).

The word ‘prepare’ is also interesting. It comes from a medical term in the original Greek. Doctors used it to describe the process of setting a broken bone.

Stop and look around you today. Have you ever seen so many broken hearts, broken homes, broken dreams, and broken lives? And if we who claim to be followers of Christ do our job right, they will find help and healing.

God uses us to minister to one another, love one another, honour one another, and carry one another’s burdens. When you think about it, the church is God’s treatment centre for everything that ails us.

And if you keep that in mind, it will help you to love and get along with people you don’t necessarily like.

2 Samuel 21-22, Acts 1

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Cast out your fears
16 MAY 2021

‘Perfect love casts out fear.’
1 John 4:18 NKJV


You would be surprised how many people, even successful ones, struggle each day with unexpressed fears. Maybe you’re one of them.

The Bible says, ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind’ (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). Now if our fears don’t come from God, where do they come from? Different sources: 1) The way you were programmed growing up in your family. 2) Overdosing each day on the news, 99 per cent of which is negative. 3) Satan.

The point is, your fears don’t come from God. Recognising the true source of your fears is the first step to overcoming them.

And God has given you a powerful weapon with which to defeat them: ‘Perfect love casts out fear.’ You say, ‘Yes, perhaps if I loved God more perfectly, I wouldn’t be so afraid.’ No, you’ve got the cart before the horse. Try as you might, you could never love God perfectly.

There’s only one ‘perfect love’, and that’s His love for you. And it’s unconditional, bought and paid for by Jesus Christ when He died for you on the cross.

Having a revelation of the unmerited, undeserved, unearned love, grace, and favour of God towards you will enable you to rise up and begin to ‘cast out’ fear, anxiety, doubt, guilt, condemnation, and worry. God’s love for you is not based on your performance, but on Christ’s.

When you trust in Christ’s performance instead of your own, you are ‘accepted in the beloved’ (Ephesians 1:6 KJV). And when you have the assurance of that, you know you also have the power to ‘cast out’ your fears.

Luke 9:1-17, Psalms 49-50