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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Check the soil of your heart
25 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.’
Mark 4:14 NLT

In Jesus’ parable of the sower, the seed landed on four types of ground, producing four different results. ‘The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted’ (vv. 15-20 NLT). The seed of God’s word cannot fail: ‘It always produces fruit’ (Isaiah 55:11 NLT).

So if God’s promises aren’t being fulfilled in your life, ask yourself, ‘What kind of soil am I?’ Are you a surface person – thin-skinned and easily offended? A shallow person with no spiritual root system? Are you thorny ground? Are ‘the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things’ choking the spiritual life out of you? Or are you rich, fertile ground that produces results? Check the soil of your heart.

Isaiah 43-44, Philippians 3

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

How to protect yourself when you’re alone
26 SEPTEMBER 2021


‘Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.’
Psalm 25:16 NLT


David, who committed adultery with another man’s wife, prayed: ‘Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all!…See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me! Protect me! Rescue my life from them! Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge. May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you’ (vv. 16-21 NLT).

How can you protect yourself in areas where you’re vulnerable? 1) By staying close to God. When you’re lonely, distancing from God doesn’t make sense. It just increases your exposure to things like infidelity, pornography, drugs, and alcohol. 2) By coming out of hiding.

Get involved in some aspect of ministry. Be willing to be more transparent by getting to know others and letting them get to know you. Shakespeare said, ‘Fire that is closest kept burns most of all.’ When you spend time around people who truly care about you, loneliness ceases to be such an issue. 3) By taking the focus off yourself.

Winston Churchill said, ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’ Victory comes by reaching out to those in need; by giving of yourself, praying for them, loving and serving them. 4) By forgiving those who’ve hurt you. Isolating yourself when you’ve been hurt just leads to bitterness. Forgive, turn it over to God, let Him deal with your offender – and get on with your life.

Luke 18:1-17, Psalms 97-99

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Recognise when it’s wise to compromise
27 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘That I might by all means save some.’
1 Corinthians 9:22 NKJV

Paul wouldn’t yield an inch on Bible truth, but when it came to customs, traditions, and people’s preferences, he refused to fight about them. For example, some of the Corinthian Christians thought because certain meats were offered in worship to idols it was sinful to eat them.

So did Paul handle it by standing up and declaring, ‘I’m not going to allow you to impose your unscriptural convictions on me’? No. He wrote: ‘Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as…real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated.

It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble’ (1 Corinthians 8:7-9 NLT). Then he bottom-lines it by saying, ‘I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some’ (1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT). God didn’t call us to win theological arguments; He called us to win people to Christ.


So be gracious towards those who don’t think like you, dress like you, or care about some of the things you care about. Be gracious towards those whose worship style and fine points of theology differ from yours. ‘Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace’ (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT).

Isaiah 45-46, Philippians 4

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Think more about others (1)
28 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘How does the love of God abide in him?’
1 John 3:17 NKJV

On a scale of one to ten, how often do you think about the needs of others and try to meet them? Before you answer, read this: ‘Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?’ Selfishness is defined as ‘the state of being overly concerned with one’s self’. Now God is not asking you to sacrifice for others to the point where you jeopardise your own health and mental well-being, then end up resentful for doing so. Nor does He expect you to meet every need that comes your way.

He’s challenging the ‘what’s in it for me?’ attitude of our age in which self-gratification, self-improvement, self-enlightenment, and self-indulgence is increasingly being promoted. Selfishness dies hard, but it’s a stronghold you must break in order to experience the peace and joy that give life meaning. B.C. Forbes, founder of Forbes magazine, said: ‘I’ve never known any human being, high or humble, who regretted when nearing life’s end, having done kindly deeds.

But I have known more than one who became haunted by the realisation that they had led selfish lives.’ James writes: ‘If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead’ (James 2:15-17 NKJV). So, think more about others.

Isaiah 47-49, Colossians 1

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Think more about others (2)
29 SEPTEMBER 2021

‘He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has given.’
Proverbs 19:17 NKJV

Here are four ways in which you can express kindness and generosity towards others. 1) Giving your time. Giving a few hours of your time to someone, especially if you’re a busy person, can mean the world to a person who’s hurting. 2) Giving your talent.

Organisations like Habitat For Humanity and Doctors Without Borders marshal the talents of gifted people to relieve suffering and provide shelter to the needy. That’s scriptural! (See Matthew 25:34-46.) 3) Giving your treasure. ‘He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given.’ Can you imagine the interest God pays? 4) Giving your temperament.

Everybody you meet, struggles with anxieties and fights battles they usually don’t talk about. So, your smile and word of encouragement can be like a lifeline that helps keep them afloat that day. Selfishness is so innate in each of us that it’s like breathing; we do it without thinking.

So, in order to change we must rearrange our priorities and reprogramme our minds and decide, ‘I will not let this day pass until I have said or done something to help, bless, and encourage another human being.’ God told Abraham, ‘I will bless you…and you shall be a blessing’ (Genesis 12:2 NKJV). Today pray: ‘Father, I thank You for every resource and advantage You have given me. Help me always to remember that these blessings are from You, and that they are to be shared with others for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.’

Isaiah 50-52, Colossians 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Think more about others (3)
30 SEPTEMBER 2021


‘Not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many.’
1 Corinthians 10:33 NKJV


Here’s a group you don’t want to be part of: ‘In the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God’ (2 Timothy 3:1-4 NKJV). There’s nothing wrong with making money. Indeed, if you honour the Lord He will help you to make more of it (see Deuteronomy 8:18, Isaiah 48:17, Luke 6:38, 2 Corinthians 9:8). But here’s a Bible principle you must live by to walk in the blessing of God. When you have enough money to meet your own needs, you must be willing to say yes to God when He asks you to meet someone else’s need.

If you’d like to conquer selfishness and become more generous, here are some steps: 1) Give away something that you would prefer to keep. The goal is to break your emotional attachment to material things. 2) Graduate to anonymous benevolence. Leave a needy person such as a senior citizen, a student or a single parent a cash gift in an envelope. Don’t put your name on it, and don’t tell anyone you did it.

And no, you can’t claim it as a tax deduction. But God promises to return it to you many times over, and in the areas where you need it most (see Galatians 6:7). 3) Have someone you trust monitor your progress. Meet with them throughout the year and invite them to ask you not about how much money you made, but how much you’ve given away to help others. If you’re serious about conquering selfishness, these are steps you’ll be willing to take.

Isaiah 53-55, Colossians 3

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Thoughts on giving (1)
01 OCTOBER 2021

‘She…has given everything she had.’
Mark 12:44 NLT

God doesn’t want your generosity to be restricted by fear. Either you’ll trust Him financially and experience the joy of participating in His purposes on earth, or trust your own earning ability and live with anxiety. The danger of not moving to a higher level of giving is that you can miss out on something great that God wants to do for you ­– and through you.

Count on it; at some point He’ll challenge you to give more than you’ve ever given before. And at that moment your faith will cause you to say yes, or your fear will cause you to dismiss it as impractical. That’s a pivotal point in your life, because your response to God’s challenge will determine your future. Some levels of giving are effortless, while others make us uneasy.

Sooner or later we all hit a wall called fear, and unless you recognise it you’ll never be able to break through it. As a result you’ll live with less than God intends you to enjoy. What’s the solution? Change your concept of ownership! Adolphe Monod said, ‘There’s no portion of money that is our money and the rest God’s…It’s all His; He made it all, gives it all, and has entrusted it to us for His service.’ If you believe that, there’s no reason not to give.

However, getting God involved in your finances means surrendering control of your money to Him. And that can be scary. Jesus’ model for generosity was a widow who gave her last penny, without having anything to fall back on except God’s promise to meet her needs. When you reach that point, you’re on the threshold of the miraculous.

Isaiah 56-58, Colossians 4

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Thoughts on giving (2)
02 OCTOBER 2021

‘If it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously.’
Romans 12:8 NIV (1995 edition)


The Bible says; ‘We have different gifts…If a man’s gift is…contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously’ (vv. 6-8 NIV 1995 edition). Every believer receives grace for giving, but some of us have the gift of giving. Who are these people? They have a gift of making money. Everything they touch turns to gold. They have the Midas touch.

They know how to make wise investments and recognise a good deal. Indeed, good deals are drawn to them like iron to a magnet. They know how to get the best return on their money. If you’re one of these people, you must realise that your ability to accumulate wealth is actually a gift from God: ‘And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth’ (Deuteronomy 8:18 NKJV). God also says, ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go’ (Isaiah 48:17 NKJV). But don’t let prosperity lead you into pride.

You’re not wealthy because of your ability to wheel and deal, but because God has blessed you. And He has done it for a reason; so that you can be a blessing to others. God told Abraham, ‘I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing’ (Genesis 12:2 NKJV). That means when God taps you on the shoulder and tells you to write a cheque, don’t argue with Him. Just say, ‘How much?’ You say, ‘Why should I do that?’ Because God can not only add, He can subtract.

Isaiah 59-61, 1 Thessalonians 1

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Thoughts on giving (3)
03 OCTOBER 2021

‘You must decide in your heart how much to give.’
2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT

We each give for different reasons. 1) Some people give out of guilt. They give to God’s work because they would feel bad if they didn’t. 2) Some people give out of greed. They give only to get. They stand on Scriptures such as: ‘Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you’ (Luke 6:38 NKJV).

What’s wrong with this kind of thinking? It’s ‘me-centred’, rather than ‘us-centred’. 3) Some people give to get glory. Jesus said, ‘Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 6:1 NKJV).

God is not just interested in what you give, but in why you give. He looks beyond the measure of your giving, to the motive behind it. If you give to God out of greed, guilt, or glory, He writes a big zero over your account. Jesus said: ‘When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly’ (vv. 3-4 NKJV). 4) Some people give out of gratitude. These are the people who ask, ‘What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits towards me?’ (Psalm 116:12 NKJV), and they give out of gratitude. That’s the kind of giver you should be.

Luke 18:18-43, Psalms 100-102

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™


God will forgive and restore you
04 OCTOBER 2021

‘Father, I have sinned.’
Luke 15:18 NIV

The Prodigal Son’s story begins like this: ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” So he divided his property between them. Not long after…the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and…squandered his wealth in wild living’ (vv. 11-13 NIV).

This young man’s sin was bad, really bad! In a Middle Eastern patriarchal society the disrespect he demonstrated towards his father is beyond what most of us can relate to. As the younger son he was entitled to a third of the family estate, but only after his father’s death. So in a sense he was sending a message to his dad, saying, ‘I wish you were dead’.


If you think that’s shocking, his father’s response of love and grace is even more shocking. And if you’ve failed God badly, it’ll come as a real encouragement to you. When his boy came back home - broke, busted, and disgusted - the Bible says, ‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms round him and kissed him’ (v. 20 NIVUK). In that culture fathers never ran.

A proud patriarch would never hitch up his garments, bare his legs, and run – ever! The point Jesus wanted to make is this: the moment you turn around and come back to God, He will run to meet you with open arms, forgive your sin, and restore you to your rightful place in His family. So, come today!

Isaiah 62-64, 1 Thessalonians 2