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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Bring out the best in others
18 JULY 2021[

‘I thank my God every time I remember you.’
Philippians 1:3 NIV


The ability to bring out the best in others is important for two reasons. First, we usually see in people what we expect to see. Second, they generally rise to our level of expectation. Dr John Maxwell writes: ‘I’ve never known a positive person yet who didn’t love people and try to see the best in them.


And one of the most effective ways to help you see the best in others is to do what I call putting a “10” on people’s heads. Here’s what I mean: We all have expectations of others, but we can choose whether those expectations are positive or negative. We can think that others are worthless or wonderful.

When we make the decision to expect the best and actually look for the good instead of the bad, we’re seeing them as a “10.”’ Try to imagine how the Philippian believers felt when Paul said, ‘I thank my God every time I remember you.’ When you have faith in someone, you give them an incredible gift, maybe the best gift you can give another person. Give them money, and they may soon have spent it. Give them resources, and they may not use them to the greatest advantage.

Give them help, and within a short period of time, chances are that they’ll find themselves back where they started. But demonstrate faith in them, and they become confident, invigorated, self-reliant, and motivated to obtain the skills they need to succeed on their own. Then later if you do share money, resources, and other kinds of help, they’re better equipped to use them to build a better future.

Luke 13:1-21, Psalms 72-73

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Be tenacious
19 JULY 2021


‘Stand firm. Let nothing move you…your labour in the Lord is not in vain.’
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIVUK


One of the most prevalent themes in the Bible is perseverance. The apostle Paul writes: ‘Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.’ Again he writes: ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up’ (Galatians 6:9 NIV).

And James adds: ‘Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him’ (James 1:12 NIV).

The dividing line between winning and losing isn’t talent; it’s tenacity. Being tenacious means this: 1) Giving it everything you have, not more than you have. Some people inaccurately believe that being tenacious demands more than they have to offer.

As a result, they get discouraged and stop pushing themselves. But being tenacious means giving 100 per cent – not more, and certainly not less. 2) Working with determination instead of waiting on destiny. Persistent people don’t rely on luck, fate, or destiny for their success.

They recognise that trying times aren’t the times to stop trying. 3) Stopping when the job is finished, not when you’re tired.

To succeed, you often have to push beyond what you think you can do. Remember, victory isn’t determined until the last step in the race has been run.

So draw on God’s grace, refuse to give up, and keep going until you cross the finish line and win the prize.

Nehemiah 12-13, Romans 9:16-33

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Ask and listen
20 JULY 2021


‘The accuser of our brothers…has been hurled down.’
Revelation 12:10 NIV

Have you ever been guilty of accusing someone before you knew all the facts? If so, be aware that you’re tugging on the same end of the rope as Satan, the official ‘accuser’ of God’s children.

The Bible says: ‘The accuser of our brothers…who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down’ (v. 10 NIV). Emotional and spiritual maturity demand that you first seek to understand, rather than making a hasty accusation.

Look at the example God gave us in the garden of Eden. He could easily have said, ‘Adam and Eve, you unappreciative sinners, I should never have trusted you in my garden!’ God’s non-accusatory style in confronting Adam and Eve about their sin supplies a powerful model for those of us who tend to speak before we’re in possession of all the relevant information.

The Bible says: ‘The Lord God called to Adam…“Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”’ (Genesis 3:9-11 NKJV). Notice God already knew the answers to all three questions He asked.

Nevertheless, He gave Adam an opportunity to explain his side of the story. And in Adam’s case, he couldn’t. However, the divine principle still stands: asking a clarifying question and listening carefully to the response are key steps in overcoming your tendency to criticise or accuse. Have you ever been unjustly accused? If you have, don’t do it to others. Ask, and listen!

Esther 1-2, Romans 10

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Become a nurturer
21 JULY 2021


‘When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion.’
Matthew 9:36 NKJV



The Bible says, ‘A good leader motivates, doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit’ (Proverbs 16:10 MSG). Jesus was a good leader.

He loved people, but He never used them for His own ends. He was busy, but never too busy to stop and help them. In relating the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus said: ‘As he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

He went to him…bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him’ (Luke 10:33-34 NIV). Note the words, ‘took care of him’. To lead someone, you must be able to influence them, and you do that by taking the time to nurture them. At the heart of the nurturing process is a genuine care for others.


If you want to help and positively influence people, you can’t dislike or disparage them, because they’ll sense it. You must love and respect them. The old adage ‘Fake it till you make it’ won’t work; people know whether or not you care.

Maybe you’re wondering why you need to assume a nurturing role; after all, isn’t that something they should get somewhere else, like from their family? Many of the people you come into contact with every day are desperate for encouragement, and, sadly, if they don’t get it from you, there’s no one else who will give it to them. When you become a nurturer in the life of another person, you have a real opportunity to influence them for good and for God. So become a nurturer!

Esther 3-5, Romans 11:1-18

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Today, magnify the Lord
22 JULY 2021


‘Magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.’
Psalm 34:3 NKJV


Notice two things about the Lord’s Prayer. It begins with the words ‘Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name’ (Matthew 6:9 KJV), and ends with ‘Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen’ (v. 13). God wants you to begin and end your prayers thinking of Him.

Why? Because it does you twice as much good to focus on God as it does to focus on anyone or anything else! When you magnify an object, you enlarge it so that you can see and understand it more. When we magnify God, we do the same thing. We enlarge our awareness of Him, so we can understand Him more. This is what happens when we worship Him – we take our minds off ourselves and set them on God.

We put the emphasis on Him. In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases the final words of the Lord’s Prayer this way: ‘You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes’ (Matthew 6:13). Could it be any plainer? God is in charge! Speaking of Jesus Christ, Peterson paraphrases Paul’s words like this: ‘God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule.

And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the centre of all this, Christ rules’ (Ephesians 1:20-23 MSG). So when you magnify the Lord, you’re saying: ‘You not only rule the universe, you rule my heart!’

Esther 6-8, Romans 11:19-36

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Take a load off your mind
23 JULY 2021


‘Learn to live freely and lightly.’
Matthew 11:30 MSG


Jesus said: ‘I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly’ (vv. 28-30 MSG).

Note the words, ‘I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.’ It’s good to know we don’t have to worry about things, figure everything out, or carry the burdens in our lives.

It can actually be quite refreshing to realise that we don’t need to know everything about everything! We need to get comfortable saying, ‘I don’t know the answer to this predicament, and I’m not going to worry about it because God’s in control, and I trust Him.

I’m going to relax in Him and live freely and lightly!’ When we’re overburdened with the cares of life – struggling, labouring, and worrying – we need a mental and emotional break.

Our minds need to rest from thinking about resolving problems, and our emotions need to rest from being upset. Worry robs us of rest and its benefits.

So the next time you find yourself worried and anxious, remember, you can ‘live freely and lightly’. All you have to do is rest in the assurance of God’s love, provision, and guidance.

If someone asks you what you’re going to do about your problem, tell them you’re not thinking about it right now. If they ask you why, tell them you’ve turned it over to God, and you’re trusting Him to work it out for you.

Esther 9-10, Romans 12

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY




God will take care of you
24 JULY 2021


‘The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us.’
Psalm 115:12 NKJV


How much time do you spend worrying about things that usually never happen? Be honest! And has anything improved as a result of your worrying about it? Of course not! Paul writes: ‘The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God’ (Philippians 4:5-6 NIV). He then encourages us by saying that when we do this, the peace of God will fill our hearts and minds (see Philippians 4:7).

The instant you begin to worry or feel anxious about something, take your concern to God in prayer. Release the weight of it, and totally trust Him to either show you what to do, or show you that He will take care of it Himself. Prayer is powerful against worry.

When you’re feeling pressure, it’s always best to pray about it instead of fretting and talking about it. Will this be easy to do? No, if you’ve worried all your life, then worry has become a habit. But with commitment, perseverance, and God’s help, you can conquer worry.

Here are two keys to doing it: 1) Instead of trying to get rid of your negative thoughts, which only keeps you focused on them, fill your mind with positive thoughts.

Scriptural ones! (see Philippians 4:8). 2) Take action quickly. As soon as you begin to worry, say, ‘No, I’m not going to worry about this because it does no good.’ You may wonder, ‘But who’s going to take care of the problem?’ God! His Word says, ‘The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us.’

Job 1-2, Romans 13

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Refuse to be fearful
25 JULY 2021


‘Do not look at his appearance or…physical stature.’
1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV


We pride ourselves on our ability to judge people and situations based on appearance – and lots of time we’re wrong. Goliath issued the same challenge to Israel for forty days: ‘Send me your best fighting man, and I’ll kill him. I’m the champion.

I’m the greatest.’ That kind of fear-based thinking applies to every giant you encounter in life. Chuck Swindoll writes: ‘Fear and worry…don’t come just once; they come morning and evening, day after day, relentlessly trying to intimidate. They come in the form of a person, a pressure…a worry…fear that hammers on your heart…day in and day out, yelling across the ravine in your own personal valley.

Few things are more persistent and intimidating than our fears and worries…especially when we face them in our own strength.’ When picking Israel’s next king, God told the prophet Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or…physical stature.…For the Lord does not see as man sees;…man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’ (v. 7 NKJV).

As human beings, we look at what’s on the outside and form opinions based on what we see. Goliath was a giant with a booming voice and lots of bravado – three traits designed to instil fear into the bravest heart. But God was neither impressed nor intimidated by him.

And what’s more, He gave David the ability to see Goliath through His eyes. Fears are like babies; the more you nurse them, the bigger they grow.

Once you start seeing the giants in your life from God’s perspective, they lose their power to immobilise and intimidate you. So refuse to be fearful.

Luke 13:22-35, Psalms 74-76

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Invest in your children
26 JULY 2021


‘
Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.’
Job 8:7 NKJV


The Lazy B ranch sits on two hundred and sixty square miles. Most of it is scrub brush, and it’s been in the Day family since 1881. When Harry and Ada Mae Day had their first child, a baby daughter, they travelled two hundred miles to a hospital for the delivery and brought her home to a difficult life. The four-room adobe house had no running water or electricity, and there was no school within driving distance.

You would think with such limited resources, the little girl’s future might be limited. But Harry and Ada Mae were determined their children would have the best education possible. They subscribed to metropolitan newspapers and magazines, and read to their child hour after hour.


When her daughter was four years old, Ada Mae began her on the Calvert method of home-schooling and later saw that she went to the best boarding schools possible. One summer they took their children on a car trip to visit all the state capitals in America west of the Mississippi River.

When young Sandra was ready for college, she went to Stanford University, then on to law school, and eventually she became the first woman justice to sit on the Supreme Court of the United States of America. So the word for today is – invest in your children.

And be willing to start small, otherwise you won’t start at all. Instead of dwelling on what you don’t have, use what God’s given you and He will bless it. Stand on this Scripture for your children: ‘Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.’

Job 3-4, Romans 14

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Become willing to change
27 JULY 2021


‘Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!’
Deuteronomy 32:29 NKJV


Unless you’re willing to change, in a few years from now you’ll be exactly the same as you are today, except you’ll be older, with less time and fewer options.

The Bible says, ‘Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end.’ How do you become willing to change? Recognise that change will happen whether you like it or not. If you do that, you’ll be prepared. One author writes: ‘The only thing certain about tomorrow is that it will be different from today.

If you doubt that, consider this: My grandfather had a farm, my parents had a garden, and I’ve got a can opener! It’s a different world than it was twenty years ago, and it will be different in another twenty.

But the good news is that the world changes so fast that you couldn’t stay wrong all the time if you tried!’ The difference in who you are today and who you’ll be twenty-five years from now depends largely on three things: the books you read, the relationships you build, and the time you spend with God.

Do you want to be wise? The Bible says, ‘The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding’ (Proverbs 2:6 NKJV). Do you want to be happy? ‘Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding’ (Proverbs 3:13 NKJV).

Do you want to feel fulfilled in life? ‘Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord’ (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV).

Job 5-7, Romans 15:1-13