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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Faithfulness (3)
07 FEBRUARY 2023

‘Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.’
Luke 16:10 NIV

Pastor James Merritt said, ‘The other day I asked my beautiful wife if she married me for my looks. She replied, “No, I married you for your brains – it’s the little things that count!”’ Merritt was joking of course. What really counts in life is faithfulness in little things; it’s how dependability begins, grows, and matures.

Longfellow wrote, ‘Most people would succeed in small things if they weren’t troubled with great ambition.’ Sometimes we think we’re too big for small things; we would rather get on with what we perceive as bigger, more important matters. But here is how Jesus sees it: ‘Anyone who can be trusted in little matters can also be trusted in important matters. But anyone who is dishonest in little matters will be dishonest in important matters. If you cannot be trusted with this wicked wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? And if you cannot be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will give you something that will be your own?’ (vv. 10-12 CEV).

If you want to succeed on the job, come to work on time; stick with the job until it’s finished; when you see something that needs to be done, do it – even if it’s not in your job description. Give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay; take your designated lunch break, not a three-hour paid holiday; report your expenses truthfully; support the team; and uphold the company’s reputation (however, if there is a genuine problem in this area, you should consider speaking out).

In other words, be faithful on the job: ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might’ (Ecclesiastes 9:10 NIV). That’s the kind of faithfulness God honours.

Exodus 27-28, Matthew 21:1-22

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Faithfulness (4)
08 FEBRUARY 2023

‘Great is thy faithfulness.’
Lamentations 3:23 KJV

Faithfulness can turn the most menial job into a vitally important one. For example, think about how dependent we are on something as small as a postage stamp. It’s always ready for service. It goes wherever it’s sent. It does whatever it’s asked to do. It sticks to the task until it’s done. It doesn’t give up when it’s licked. It stays up to date. And it finds no job too small.

We weren’t all born with equal talents; some of us are more gifted in certain areas than others. But every one of us was born with an equal responsibility to utilise his or her abilities at full capacity. That’s the most any of us can do – and it’s what God, who gave us our talents, expects us to do.

Two hundred years ago when the U.S. Marine Corps was first formed, officials gave considerable time to contemplating a fitting motto. They finally chose the Latin phrase semper fidelis, a phrase now engraved on the mind of every Marine. What does it mean? ‘Always faithful’! Both are important words, but the most important is the first one: always. Why? Because a Marine can’t afford to be faithful only when it’s comfortable or convenient, or when they feel like it, or when it will make them happy. Semper fidelis means you must always be faithful – regardless of the cost.

God wants to be able to say the same thing about you as is said about Him: ‘Great is thy faithfulness.’ So whether you’re a boss, an employee, a father or mother, a husband or wife, a friend, teammate, or a Marine, the word for today is – always be faithful.

Exodus 29-30, Matthew 21:23-46

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Committed and connected
09 FEBRUARY 2023

‘In Christ we, though many, form one body.’
Romans 12:5 NIV

The Bible describes the Christian life in war terms: fight, conquer, strive, battle, overcome, victory. You’re in a spiritual battle whether you realise it or not, and you need support and backup. When you became a Christian, you became a member of God’s army.

Imagine you go to a recruiting office to join the Army. They say, ‘Wonderful, sign here.’ You say: ‘Wait! I have one stipulation. I don’t want to be committed to any particular platoon. I want to be able to float around. I’ll be part of the Army, but I don’t want to be committed to a certain group of soldiers. If the battle gets too hot in one area, I’ll move to another area and join another platoon. And if I dislike one platoon’s leadership, I’ll join another.’

Would you want a person like that fighting by your side? Of course you wouldn’t! But that’s how many Christians today relate to God’s army. They float around from church to church with little or no commitment to any particular group of Christians – so while the battle is being fought, they are AWOL. There is no such thing as a free-floating believer in the Bible. The difference between just attending church and becoming a member is like the difference between getting married and just living together. The distinction is commitment.

The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia, which means being committed to one another. Jesus said, ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another’ (John 13:35 NIV). And you can’t love in absentia. So, be committed and connected.

Exodus 31-33, Matthew 22:1-22

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Always treat people with respect
10 FEBRUARY 2023

‘Always…give an answer…with gentleness and respect.’
1 Peter 3:15 NIV

The Bible says, ‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.’ Two ways to get an egg out of an eggshell are to 1) crack it open, or 2) put it in a warm, loving environment and allow it to incubate and hatch. The second way preserves the chick, while the first kills it.

Similarly, two ways to get the good news of the gospel across to people are to 1) pound them over the head with it, or 2) love them into God’s family. Have you noticed that a lot of evangelism is just a thinly-veiled insult? ‘You need what I have because you’re so awful.’ People do need the good news, but your disposition can keep them from receiving it. Respect unbelievers; don’t humiliate them. Respecting means accepting them. That doesn’t mean you have to approve of their lifestyle. Acceptance and approval are different. But everybody has the right to be treated in a respectful way.

The best way to share the gospel with unbelievers is to surround them with love and acceptance as you share it with them. Be respectful, sensitive, and caring. Theologian D.T. Niles said, ‘Evangelism is just one beggar telling another where to find bread.’ Share God’s Word! You do the sharing, and God will do the saving. Once you sow the seed of God’s Word into someone’s heart, you can love them and leave them and trust God to do His part.

Exodus 34-35, Matthew 22:23-46

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

You are being pruned (1)
11 FEBRUARY 2023

‘God’s discipline is always good for us.’
Hebrews 12:10 NLT

Did you know that some master gardeners actually talk to their plants? Why? Because it helps them grow! Imagine yourself saying, ‘You’re such a good plant. My, you really are looking fine today! I’m so proud of you!’ Now picture yourself talking to a plant you’re pruning and saying, ‘This pains me more than it pains you.’ Whack! ‘You will thank me for this afterward!’ Whack! ‘It’s for your own good!’ Whack! Now picture the plant talking back: ‘You don’t have a heart. You hate me. I’ve worked long and hard to make those roses you just cut off.’

Isn’t that what we say to God while He prunes us? ‘Don’t you love me? Don’t you care about me? Don’t you see what’s going on in my life right now?’ We think God is mad at us. No, He is not mad. One of the major mistakes we make is confusing pruning with punishment. Don’t equate the two. God sees you as someone who can bear more fruit, someone with potential for greatness, someone He wants to utilise in a significant way. He wants you to be as fruitful as you can conceivably be, so He prunes you, even lopping off some of the things He has been blessing in your life.

Have you lost a job you loved? Or a relationship you loved? God may have something much better in mind. Can you trust Him? Do you believe He is at work in your life? His Word says, ‘God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished’ (Philippians 1:6 NLT).

Exodus 36-38, Matthew 23:1-22

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

You are being pruned (2)
12 FEBRUARY 2023

‘My suffering was good for me.’
Psalm 119:71 NLT

God uses problems, pressures, and people to prune you for greater fruitfulness. Are you aware of Him using any of these three things in your life today? God can use all situations in your life to help you grow if you will just have the right attitude. He will use a major frustration, a financial setback, a sudden sickness, a broken marriage, a rebellious child, or even the death of a loved one to get your attention.

You say, ‘But it hurts so much!’ Yes, pruning is painful. Sometimes a gardener will prune a tree until it looks like a totem pole or a giant toothpick. It’s not a pretty sight. But the pruning process is positive. God is not mad at you. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:1 NKJV). God does not punish His genuine children. Jesus took your punishment on the cross. God’s pruning is for your best, for more fruitfulness in your life. Can God’s pruning fail to produce? Sure, if you don’t cooperate.

How does God produce ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control’ in your life? (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT). He produces these qualities by allowing you to face situations and people with exactly the opposite qualities. He teaches you to love by putting you around difficult people. He teaches you patience by letting things frustrate you. You say, ‘How can I cooperate with God?’ The Bible tells you: ‘Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus’ (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT).

Luke 3:1-19, Psalms 18-19

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

You can have peace of mind
13 FEBRUARY 2023

‘The LORD blesses his people with peace.’
Psalm 29:11 NIV

Everybody wants peace of mind. Whether you’re a businessperson facing the pressure of deadlines, a homemaker trying to round up kids, or a student trying to make it through the university term, everyone wants peace of mind. But most of us experience more stress than peace. How acquainted are you with stress? One author writes: ‘Here is a little quiz. Complete each of these sentences with the appropriate word: “I am ready to throw in the…I am at the end of my…I am just a bundle of…My life is falling…I am at my wits’…I feel like resigning from the human…” How did you do? If you answered, “towel, rope, nerves, apart, end, and race,” give yourself an A+.’

Most of us have muttered these words so often that they’re almost second nature. Stress is a regrettable fact of life in our contemporary world. Sales of sedatives are at an all-time high, and books on peace of mind become immediate best-sellers. We are warned that too much stress is unhealthy. So what else is new? We have understood that for centuries. Thousands of years ago, Solomon wrote, ‘A heart at peace gives life to the body’ (Proverbs 14:30 NIV). We know about stress, but where can we go to find peace? To God!

Take a moment and read these two promises: 1) ‘The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.’ 2) ‘Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace’ (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).

Exodus 39-40, Matthew 23:23-39

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Respond the right way
14 FEBRUARY 2023

‘We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials.’ Romans 5:3 NLT
Romans 5:3 NLT

In World War II, Viktor Frankl was sentenced to a Nazi concentration camp. The guards deprived him of everything. They took his wife, his family, his clothes. They even stole his wedding ring. But he had one thing no one could take from him. In a classic book, he wrote, ‘The last of human freedoms is the ability to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances.’ The guards could not take from Frankl his freedom to choose his attitude.

We do not know what is going to occur tomorrow, or even today. We can’t control all our circumstances, but we can control how we respond to them. We can control whether an experience makes us stronger or weaker, increases our faith or our fear, makes us a better person or a bitter person. The saying goes: ‘The same sunshine that melts the butter hardens the clay.’ God wants our struggles to strengthen us. Paul writes: ‘We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation [deliverance]. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love’ (vv. 3-5 NLT).

And here is another thought – a very important one. The tests and trials we go through in this life are what qualify us to rule and reign with Christ in the next life. Knowing that will help you to respond the right way!

Leviticus 1-3, Matthew 24:1-28

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Instead of worrying, trust God
15 FEBRUARY 2023

‘Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.’
Philippians 4:6 CEV

Paul writes: ‘Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel’ (vv. 6-7 CEV).

Worry is like sitting in a rocking chair; it’s always in motion and it keeps you busy, but it never actually gets you anywhere. In fact, if you do it too long, it wears you out! That’s why we must learn to ‘take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV).

One medical expert says that we create about thirty thousand thoughts per day, and an uncontrolled thought life can create a perfect environment for needless worry to thrive. The cause of worry is simple: it’s the reluctance to trust God to take care of the various situations in your life. Most of us have spent our lives trying to take care of ourselves, so it takes time – lots of it – to learn how to trust God instead. And the only way you learn that is by doing it. Each time you pray and turn the problem over to God, you experience His faithfulness. That makes it easier for you to trust Him next time. And when it comes to life’s problems, there will always be a ‘next time’.

So each time you begin to feel anxious, say, ‘I trust God completely; there is no need to worry!’ The more you think about this truth, the more you will find yourself choosing trust over worry.

Leviticus 4-5, Matthew 24:29-51

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

You can change your self-perception
16 FEBRUARY 2023

‘By the grace of God I am what I am.’
1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV

The new birth begins a transforming process in how you think about yourself. But it must be continued each day by renewing your mind. ‘Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect’ (Romans 12:2 NLT). Observe, when your thinking is changed by God’s Word, two things happen: a) you know His will for you, and b) you know He is pleased with you. When those two things happen, your self-perception is changed and you’re no longer at the mercy of other people’s opinions or evaluation of you.

Our opinion of ourselves is deeply affected by the opinions of the authority figures in our formative years. If our parents tended to neglect or ignore us, we concluded that we weren’t worth their time, attention, or love, and it tore at our self-worth. But as we mature in God’s Word, we learn to walk in the light of our new self-image and we gain new self-worth. Regardless of what you have been through in life or the mistakes you have made, God will help you to realise who you are and what He has graced you to do.

Before Paul met Christ, he killed Christians; that’s as bad as it gets. But after he met Christ, he wrote, ‘By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.’ When you understand God’s grace – His unearned, undeserved, unfailing favour towards you – it will profoundly change how you feel about yourself.

Leviticus 6-7, Matthew 25:1-30