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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Recognise your triggers
03 JUNE 2022

‘Do not lose your temper – it only leads to harm.’
Psalm 37:8 NLT

A weapon can either protect or destroy; it all depends on who is using it. Anger works the same way; that’s why it’s wise to know what triggers or sets you off. Some of the most common triggers surface at these times:

1) When your rights have been violated. Is it always bad to get mad? No, sometimes the problem that infuriates you most is the one God has called you to help solve. This world is a better place because of men and women who devoted their lives to fighting disease, poverty, corruption, and injustice. That’s what Jesus did when He purged the temple of extortionists. The Bible says, ‘If you are angry, be sure that it is not out of wounded pride or bad temper…don’t give the devil that sort of foothold’ (Ephesians 4:26-27 PHPS).

2) When you’re frustrated because things aren’t going right for you. A recent news report told of a man who went hunting on his mountain bike. When it broke down, he got mad and shot it to pieces. That makes no sense! As one author observed, ‘Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.’

3) When you’re under constant stress. Paul writes, ‘Have a sane estimate of your capabilities’ (Romans 12:3 PHPS). By cramming too much activity into too little time, you set yourself up for stress. Like a violin string that’s pulled tighter and tighter, you end up snapping. Then you feel guilty and think you’re not spiritual enough. In life, ‘it’s always something,’ so anticipate challenges and allow time for the unexpected.

Bottom line: ‘Do not lose your temper – it only leads to harm.’

2 Kings 13-14, Acts 10:1-23

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Intimacy with Jesus – the secret to victory
04 JUNE 2022

‘I want to know Christ.’
Philippians 3:10 NLT
Paul said, ‘I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death.’ Let’s take an in-depth look at this verse.

1) ‘I want to know Christ.’ In Scripture, the word ‘know’ indicates physical intimacy between two people who love one another. For example, ‘Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain’ (Genesis 4:1 NKJV).

2) ‘And experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.’ What’s dead in your life that needs to be raised? There is no problem that Christ’s resurrection power can’t handle. And how do you access it? When you make intimacy with Christ your top priority, you tap into His power.

Some of us would be more comfortable if the verse ended after the words, ‘the mighty power that raised him from the dead’. But the truth is, if you want intimacy with Christ, you must be willing to ‘suffer with Him’. Here, the word ‘suffer’ isn’t referring to a bad allergy season or a losing streak on the stock market. For Paul, it meant being beaten, betrayed, and beheaded. But it brought a level of intimacy with Jesus that can’t be experienced any other way.

If you have ever suffered deeply with another person, you understand this principle. You will never experience true intimacy with somebody by telling them, ‘I only want to share the good times with you.’ Often, the strongest relationship bonds come from the suffering we go through together; trials that cause us to know, love, and trust each another in a newer, deeper dimension.

2 Kings 15-16, Acts 10:24-48

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Keys to answered prayer (1)
05 JUNE 2022

‘We must believe that God…rewards everyone who searches for him.’
Hebrews 11:6 CEV

Just as the right key opens the door, there are scriptural principles that act as keys to prayer. For the next few days, let’s look at them.

Faith. ‘Without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and that he rewards everyone who searches for him’ (v. 6 CEV). God doesn’t necessarily respond to your need. Look around and you will see that everyone has unmet needs. So what does God respond to? Your faith!

But Satan will try to fill your mind with doubts. And when he does, you need to examine your heart and see what it says. You can believe God’s Word in your heart even when your mind questions it. So stand on what’s in your heart instead of what’s in your head. Sometimes doubt begins with distraction. When you’re distracted from God’s promises, you start to doubt. And as you focus more and more on your problems, your faith begins to waver. When that happens, you must refocus like a laser on God’s promises – and merely glance at your problems. Don’t try to deny them, but don’t give them undue attention.

The Bible says: ‘When you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all’ (James 1:6-8 CEV). Stay anchored to God’s Word, and don’t drift all over the place when your circumstances begin to change.

Luke 10:25-42, Psalms 60-62

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Keys to answered prayer (2)
06 JUNE 2022

‘If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.’
1 John 5:14 NIV

Knowing God’s will. John writes: ‘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’ (vv. 14-15 NIV).

One of the surest ways to know you’re praying according to God’s will is to pray according to His Word. Use the Scriptures to back up what you’re praying for. Say, ‘Lord, you promised it in your Word, and I’m believing you for it.’ Sometimes there are things we want to pray for, but we aren’t sure whether those things are God’s will for us according to Scripture. In that case, you need to ask God to give it to you if it’s His will – and to help you be satisfied with His decision.

Saint Augustine prayed, ‘Grant that I may do Thy will as if it were my will, so that Thou mayest do my will as if it were Thy will.’ D.L. Moody put it this way: ‘Spread out your petition before God, and then say, “Thy will, not mine, be done.” The sweetest lesson I have learned in God’s school is to let the Lord choose for me.’

Now you may have to wait, because God’s timing is part of His will. Be patient; it will happen. You may not see it yet, but God has promised and it’s on the way. And remember, if He doesn’t give you what you asked for, He will give you something better when you walk in faith and keep a good attitude.

2 Kings 17-18, Acts 11

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Keys to answered prayer (3)
07 JUNE 2022

‘When you do pray, your prayers are not answered, because you pray just for selfish reasons.’
James 4:3 CEV

Right motives. The reason you pray is much more important than the words you say. The motive is the why behind the what. And having a pure heart that loves God and loves people is always acceptable to the Lord. On the other hand, selfishness is unacceptable, revenge is unacceptable, manipulation and control are unacceptable, jealousy is unacceptable, pride is unacceptable, and praying to win the lottery is unacceptable. In fact, anything that’s selfishly based is an unacceptable motive.

Somebody once asked a little boy if he said his prayers every night. He thought about it for a second and replied, ‘No, some nights I don’t need anything.’ Sound familiar? The first and foremost reason for prayer is to develop an intimate relationship with God. Think about it: how long do you think your marriage would last if you only came home to see your spouse when you needed clean laundry, a good meal, and a little loving? Not very long, right? The same principle applies to prayer.

Jesus said, ‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you’ (John 15:7 NKJV). When you focus on ‘abiding’ in Christ, you will get a response to your ‘asking’. James writes, ‘Your prayers are not answered, because you pray just for selfish reasons.’ The truth is, we’re innately self-centred. That’s why we need to purify our hearts on a regular basis – and that calls for examining our motives. It may be painful at first, but you must do it if you want to see your prayers answered.

2 Kings 19-21, Acts 12

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Keys to answered prayer (4)
08 JUNE 2022

‘Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.’
Hebrews 4:16 NLT

Boldness. Boldness isn’t arrogance, presumption, or a sense of entitlement. It’s confidence based on who you are in Christ.

Paul writes, ‘Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find his grace to help us when we need it most’ (v. 16 NLT). As God’s redeemed child, you have a right to approach Him at any time. And understanding that enables you to overcome Satan’s attempts to make you feel unworthy. It removes your natural inclination to say, ‘I know God can do it, but it’s hard to believe He will do it for me.’ You think like that when you feel unworthy. But the glorious truth is – Jesus has made you worthy! (See Colossians 1:12.)

Note also, ‘We will find grace to help us when we need it most,’ and grace is simply undeserved favour. In other words, God will give you what you don’t deserve when you’re confident enough to ask Him. Plus, you’re asking in Jesus’ name, not your own. You’re presenting to the Father all that Jesus is, not all that you are.

And here is another thought: when you have hidden sin in your heart, you can’t pray with confidence. Unconfessed sin locks you in and shuts God out (see Psalm 66:18). But the good news is, when you ask God to reveal your sin, He will. And when He does, you must deal with it if you want to keep the lines of communication open. If God reminds you of a situation in which you didn’t do the right thing, don’t try to sweep it under the rug. Acknowledge it, receive His forgiveness, and then you can pray with confidence.

2 Kings 22-23, Acts 13:1-25

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Will you wish you had given more?
09 JUNE 2022

‘God loves a cheerful giver.’
2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV

The film Schindler’s List tells the story of one man’s efforts to make the most of a desperate situation. As the director of a munitions factory in Poland, Oskar Schindler decided to use his position to save Jewish lives. By employing them in his factory, Schindler rescued many condemned Jews from the gas chambers. But keeping them employed was costly, and little by little he liquidated his personal property to keep his business afloat. At the end of the story, the Nazis are defeated, and the full impact of Schindler’s efforts is revealed as the dead are counted and the living stagger back to freedom.

In one scene, kneeling by the railway tracks that had carried thousands to their deaths, Schindler had a startling realisation. He could have saved a few more! Overwhelmed with regret, he laments keeping the few personal assets he still owns. If only he had known when the war would end, he would have done more. Now it was too late.

Oskar Schindler was a hero. He is credited with saving more Jews during World War II than any other single person. But interestingly, all he could think about was what he didn’t do. He wished he had done more.

A powerful lesson in Schindler’s story is this: even joyful givers will look back on their lives and wish they had done more. There are also others who gave less than they could have given, or who never gave at all. Can you imagine their thoughts as they stand before God, giving an account of how they used their resources and to be rewarded accordingly? ‘God loves a cheerful giver,’ so today look for opportunities to give.

2 Kings 24-25, Acts 13:26-52

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Prove yourself faithful
10 JUNE 2022

‘There is no other God who can deliver like this.’
Daniel 3:29 NKJV
The story of the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace teaches us these four lessons:

1) Doing God’s will can land you in trouble. Don’t expect the world to appreciate you. Look at Jesus: ‘In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it’ (John 1:4-5 NKJV).

2) God will be with you in your trouble. When Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fire, he said, ‘I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God’ (Daniel 3:25 NKJV). Instead of destroying them, the fire destroyed the ropes that bound them, setting them free. Be encouraged! It may look like circumstances have you locked in, but God is going to vindicate you and bring you out victoriously.

3) It’s your trouble that produces your testimony. People are watching you. The things they’re trusting in don’t work, and they’re wondering if what you’re trusting in does. Your faithfulness to God and His intervention on your behalf will touch their lives in ways your theology never will. Everyone in Babylon knew what the Hebrew children believed. But they wanted to know, ‘Does it work when you’re in the fire?’ It does!

4) The greater your trouble, the greater your blessing. ‘Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon’ (v. 30 NKJV). Here is a scriptural principle you can count on: when you prove yourself faithful in times of trouble, God will promote you to higher levels of blessing.

1 Chronicles 1-3, Acts 14

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Jesus is the only way
11 JUNE 2022

‘Come to me…Let me teach you.’
Matthew 11:28-29 NLT

Imagine you’re a child studying astronomy. You read about the first mission to the moon and you begin to ask your teacher all sorts of space travel questions. ‘What’s it like on the moon?’ The teacher replies, ‘Well, I would guess’ or ‘I think’ or ‘Perhaps’. She’s never been there. But next day Astronaut Neil Armstrong enters your classroom. ‘Now ask your questions,’ the teacher says, and Armstrong answers each with certainty. He knows the moon; he’s walked on it. No speculation or hesitation – he speaks with conviction.

So did Jesus: ‘He taught them as one having authority’ (Matthew 7:29 NKJV). Jesus knows the dimensions of heaven. He knows the words of the songs sung by the angelic choir. He has unrivalled knowledge of God – and He wants to share His knowledge with you: ‘No one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him’ (Matthew 11:27 NLT).

But notice what Jesus says next: ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens…Let me teach you…and you will find rest for your souls’ (Matthew 11:28-29 NLT). Underline the words ‘Let me teach you’. ‘Let me teach you how to handle your money, your marriage, and your mood swings. Let me teach you how to live the right way on earth, and how to go to heaven when you die.’ And don’t we need to learn? The age of information has become the age of confusion: too much know-how, and hardly any know-why. We need answers. Answers only Jesus has. ‘But can I trust Him?’ There’s only one way to find out!

1 Chronicles 4-6, Acts 15:1-21

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God’s faithfulness to you
12 JUNE 2022

‘If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.’
2 Timothy 2:13 NIV

Here is something you should be very glad about: God’s faithfulness to you doesn’t depend on your faithfulness to Him. The Bible says, ‘If we are faithless, he remains faithful.’ Your mistakes may take you out of God’s will, but they will never place you beyond His reach.

Catherine Marshall tells of a great personal struggle she experienced after writing a novel titled Gloria. She began the book in 1969 and abandoned the project two-and-a-half years later. To her, the shelved manuscript was like ‘a death in the family’. Attempting to reconcile her conflicting thoughts and feelings, she spent time at a retreat house. And while there, she reread the Bible story from Numbers about a time when poisonous snakes filled the Israelite camp. The people recognised the snakes as punishment for their sin, and cried out in repentance. The Lord told Moses, ‘Make a [bronze] snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live’ (Numbers 21:8 NIV).

Catherine realised that just as the Israelites took that which had hurt them, lifted it up to God, and were healed, we can take our mistakes and sins, lift them up to God in prayer, and trust Him to heal us. She writes, ‘When any one of us has made a wrong (or even doubtful) turning in our lives through arrogance, lack of trust, impatience, or fear – God will show us a way out.’

Even when you stray, God loves you so much that He will draw you back to Himself again. ‘If we are faithless, he remains faithful.’

Luke 11:1-28, Psalms 63-65