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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Winning the battle over apathy
17 DECEMBER 2023

‘Stir up the gift of God which is in you.’
2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV

Paul told Timothy, ‘Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.’ That Scripture means, even though you’re gifted, you can become apathetic if you don’t keep doing the right things. ‘Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away’ (Hebrews 2:1 NKJV). The word ‘drift’ is not only slow and subtle, it’s deadly. Let’s look at two of the things that can rob you of your passion, enthusiasm, motivation, and focus.

1) Lack of goals. ‘Without a vision the people perish’ (see Proverbs 29:18). What used to enthuse you? What destroyed your interest in it? Is it a desire you could revive? Put it down in writing. Ignore the potential cost or reasons it might not work. Just indulge your mind in the luxury of feeling optimistic and excited about something, even a small thing.

2) Wrong goals. Are you pursuing a goal you feel was imposed upon you by someone else? Or like Jonah before he was swallowed by the whale, possibly you’re rowing against the tide of God’s will for your life. Check with Him and see if this is so. Did God really lead you to pamper yourself in that extravagant item that’s now requiring you to work two jobs? Or maybe the time has come to an end for a goal that was part of God’s plan for a specific season of your life. Moving on is sometimes difficult, but oh, the joy and peace of knowing that you are in the centre of God’s perfect will!

Luke 23:26-56, Psalms 135-139

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Character (1)
18 DECEMBER 2023

‘A principled life can stand up to the worst.’
Proverbs 11:4 MSG

Abraham Lincoln said, ‘Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.’ It’s easier to focus on our talent because, generally speaking, it produces results that are rewarded and celebrated by others. In other words, there is an element of ego connected to our gifts. Character is built in private. Your reputation is what people think you are, but character is what God (and you) know you are.

If you want to go the distance, focus more on character than talent. The writer of Proverbs says, ‘Live right, and you will eat from the life-giving tree. And if you act wisely, others will follow’ (Proverbs 11:30 CEV). If you’re praying for greater results, being must precede doing. To achieve greater goals, you must become a more effective leader. To attract better people, you must become a person of great character. When you consistently display character, competence, and purpose, you make a powerful statement to those around you and draw them closer to you. Great things are rarely accomplished alone, so if you want to attract good people, you have to become a better person yourself.

This is particularly true if you’re a person of great ability. Your talent may lift you up before others, but your lack of character will bring you down. The Bible says, ‘A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst’ (Proverbs 11:4 MSG). A wise leader is willing to admit, ‘I’m not perfect, but I know who is. And I’m doing my best to become more and more like Him in my professional and personal life.’

Nahum 1-3, Revelation 11

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Character (2)
19 DECEMBER 2023

‘When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy.’
James 1:12 NCV

Because he was handsome, Joseph attracted the unwanted attentions of his boss’s wife. Day after day, she tried to seduce him. Now fast-forward to later in his life: if Joseph encountered that level of temptation when he was just a household slave, can you imagine the level he was exposed to when he became Egypt’s prime minister? Acting with integrity in small things equips you to act with integrity in big ones. In the hour of temptation, you will be called upon to choose one of two paths: character or compromise. And every time you choose character, you become stronger, even when your choice comes at a cost. Observe:

1) Character is more than just talk. Do you remember the old show-and-tell method of teaching in school? If you’re all tell and no show, you lose credibility.

2) Talent is a gift, but character is a choice. Generally speaking, talent is something you’re born with; you have little say in the matter. But character is a choice you get to make each day, and usually it’s made when only God and you know about it.

3) Character brings lasting success. It’s said that early Stradivarius violins were made from wood taken from the side of trees that had faced the brunt of a storm. Why? Because weather-beaten wood produces the sweetest music. Are you getting the idea?

4) Temporarily you may rise above your character limitations, but you won’t be able to sustain it. Eventually you will be seen for what you are.

So, the word for today is – don’t just work to build your career, work to build your character.

Habakkuk 1-3, Revelation 12

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Patience, love, and encouragement
20 DECEMBER 2023

‘I came so close to the edge.’
Psalm 73:2 TLB

If you’d met Asaph, who wrote some of the psalms, you’d probably have thought he hadn’t a care in the world. But you’d have been wrong: ‘I came so close to the edge of the cliff! My feet were slipping and I was almost gone.’ Then at the end of the psalm he does a one-eighty, and writes, ‘My health may fail, and my spirit grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever’ (v. 26 NLT). Despite his problems, he chose to speak words of courage.

When you have an opportunity to encourage someone, do it. You never know what a person is going through - that’s true whether they live in a mansion or a mud hut. Here’s an important principle to keep in mind: people tend to become what the most important people in their lives think of them! So, think the best, believe the best, and express the best towards them. You say, ‘But they need to stop making the same stupid mistakes!’ Change happens by inches, not miles. Even when it seems simple, it’s rarely easy. The only way we can break old habits is to form new ones, and that takes time and practice - lots of it. You can’t tell people something once and expect them to get it; they need to hear it over and over before they can make the adjustment. And how you tell them can determine whether they freeze in fear or soar above the obstacles.

Be persistent. Never give up trying to help them improve. Acknowledge every step of progress they make. The way to get lasting results is through patience, love, and encouragement.

Zephaniah 1-3, Revelation 13

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Kids and kites
21 DECEMBER 2023

‘A man shall leave his father and mother.’
Matthew 19:5 NKJV

If you’re a parent, letting go of your children is often one of the toughest phases of parenting. Erma Bombeck compared it to flying a kite.

‘Mum and dad run down the road hoping to catch a breeze. Eventually, and with much effort, they manage to hoist the kite a few feet in the air. Just when they think it is safely underway, great danger looms. It dives towards electrical lines and twirls perilously near the trees. It is a scary moment.

'Then, unexpectedly, a gust of wind catches the kite and carries it upward. Mum and dad begin feeding line as rapidly as they can. The kite then becomes difficult to hold. Parents reach the end of their line and begin to wonder what to do next. The little craft demands more freedom. It rises higher and higher. Dad stands on tiptoe to accommodate the tug. It is now grasped tenuously between his index finger and thumb, held upward towards the sky.

'Then comes the moment of release. The string slips through his fingers, and the kite soars majestically into God’s beautiful sky. The kite is now a mere pinpoint of colour in the sky. The parents are proud of what they have done – but sad to realise that their job is finished. It was a labour of love. But where did the years go?’

Parenting is an exhilarating and terrifying experience, and one that was ordained from the beginning. With the ultimate release, your task as a parent is finished. The kite is free, and so, for the first time in twenty years or so, are you. What’s next? Ask God; He has a plan for your life.

Haggai 1-2, Revelation 14

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

The power of a shared faith
22 DECEMBER 2023

‘Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?’
Amos 3:3 NKJV

If your attraction to your partner is founded only on the way they look, imagine how they might look twenty-five years from now. Regular exercise and good diet will only take you so far, then Mother Nature and Father Time begin to take their toll. The truth is that looks may bring you together, but only commitment and a shared faith will keep you together! The Bible says, ‘Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?’ (2 Corinthians 6:14-15 NLT).

That doesn’t mean the two of you must hold identical views on every issue and practise your faith in similar ways. But you need the same values and views regarding the fundamentals of your faith – how you view God, the role of the church, and personal practices. ‘Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?’

Faith is that indescribable strength, that secret weapon of the soul that allows us to persevere even when the facts seem damning and the truth unbearable. It’s what keeps us going when we’re not sure we can continue. It’s the light that leads us out of the darkness, and the map that guides our way. Without faith we would probably pull over to the side of the road, give up, and watch everyone else pass us by. But when we trust in the Lord and believe that He will guide us, there is almost nothing we cannot withstand and walk through together.

Zechariah 1-2, Revelation 15

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Silent Night’?
23 DECEMBER 2023

‘You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.’
Luke 1:31 NIV

We have sung the words of that Christmas carol since infancy. But those words actually do not come from Scripture. ‘Silent Night’ was a poem written by an Austrian priest in 1816. The words conjure up a serene picture with the happy couple watching their newborn baby. It’s not likely, however, that there was silence. After an exhausting journey on a donkey, Joseph and the very pregnant Mary didn’t check into the master suite of the Bethlehem Grand Hotel. They begged the use of an animal shelter, complete with the clatter and scents of barnyard animals – anything but silent! Ask any mother about giving birth. Even with the help of modern pain-reducing medicines and sterilised environments, the bravest woman rarely remains silent while giving birth. For Mary, Joseph, and Jesus – this was hardly a silent night!

‘Holy night’: of all the nights in history, this was the most holy. God set in motion His eternal plan to come to earth as the Redeemer of lost people. ‘God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them’ (2 Corinthians 5:19 NKJV). Jesus came to take on Himself the sins of doomed humanity, so ‘that we might become the righteousness of God in Him’ (v. 21 NKJV). It doesn’t get any holier than that!

‘All is calm, all is bright’: on that holiest of nights, our spiritual and moral darkness was forever dispelled by Jesus, the Light of the World. And our fears as lost sinners were replaced by the peace and joyful assurance that we are His eternally forgiven people.

Zechariah 3-4, Revelation 16

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

A whole new approach
24 DECEMBER 2023

‘The Word became flesh.’
John 1:14 NKJV

When the angel visited Mary, he said, ‘Don’t be frightened…God has decided to…bless you!’ (Luke 1:30 TLB). Yet when it comes to approaching God directly, many religions are ruled by fear. Philip Yancey says:

‘Certainly the Jews associated fear with worship…A person “blessed” with a direct encounter with God expected to come away scorched or glowing or maybe [in pain] like Jacob…Among people who walled off a separate sanctum for God in the temple and shrank from pronouncing or spelling out the name, God made a surprise appearance as a baby in a manager. In Jesus, God found a way of relating to human beings that did not involve fear…A New Covenant…that would not emphasise the…gulf between God and humanity but instead would span it…

'I learned about incarnation when I kept a saltwater aquarium…You would think, in view of all the energy expended on their behalf, that my fish would at least be grateful. Not so. Every time my shadow loomed above the tank they dove for cover…to [them] I was deity…too large for them, my actions too incomprehensible. My acts of mercy they saw as cruelty; my attempts at healing…as destruction. To change their perceptions…I would have to become a fish and “speak” to them in a language they could understand. A human being becoming a fish is nothing compared to God becoming a baby. Yet…that is what happened at Bethlehem.

'The God who created matter took shape within it, as an artist might become a spot on a painting or a playwright a character within his own play. God wrote a story, only using real characters, on the pages of real history. The Word became flesh.’

Luke 24:1-35, Psalms 140-144

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

He is all this…and more!
25 DECEMBER 2023

‘These will be his royal titles.’
Isaiah 9:6 TLB

Jack Hayford writes: 'Who is this Babe of Bethlehem…who became flesh…who called forth songs of angels…this Christ of Christmas?…the answer comes back with ringing authority…

'He is the Redeemer – “in whom we have redemption” (Colossians 1:14 NKJV). We who believe on His name have been “qualified” (v. 12 NKJV), “delivered” and “conveyed” (v. 13 NKJV) into a new…kingdom, by…a price once-paid to secure our freedom, potential, and fellowship.

'He is the Revealer – “the image of the invisible God” (v. 15 NKJV). The veil of mystery is removed…no one need wonder what He is like – His Son Jesus has come to disclose His heart, His nature, His ways, His very being. Christ reveals all of the Father we could ever want to understand (see John 14:9).

'He is the Creator – “by Him all things were created” (Colossians 1:16 NKJV). All things – in heaven and earth – were made…for His use, pleasure, and glory.

'He is the Sustainer – “in him all things consist” (v. 17 NKJV). He, the Word, spoke all things into existence (see John 1:3)…and “upholds all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3 NASB). Just as He creates (see Hebrews 11:3), so He keeps.

'He is the Leader – “the head of the body, the church” (Colossians 1:18 KJV). He gained this position by reason of His proven power and authority demonstrated in His resurrection. He who created all beings and powers (see v. 16) confined Himself within His own creation and voluntarily submitted to death (see Philippians 2:6-9). But to the dismay of hell, He rose from the dead, gave birth to the Church, and is now Lord over all.’

Zechariah 5-6, Revelation 17

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Keep Christmas alive all year
26 DECEMBER 2023

‘The shepherds returned, glorifying…God for all the things they had heard and seen.’
Luke 2:20 NIV

An early pioneer travelling across the Great Plains stopped at the edge of the Grand Canyon. Amazed to discover a vast chasm one mile deep and eighteen miles wide stretching out of sight, he exclaimed, ‘Something must have happened here!’

And as Haddon Robinson observed: ‘At…Christmas…anyone who stops to look and listen must ask what the hustle and bustle is all about. A thoughtful man or woman seeing the lights…decorations…festivities, and…religious services might also conclude, “Something must have happened here!” Of course, something did happen. We need to tell the world…God has visited our planet. His Son…came to reveal God and to die for our sins (see John 1:1-14). He lived among us that we might live forever with Him. When the shepherds found the Messiah lying in a manger, they marvelled because it “was just as they had been told” (Luke 2:20 NET).' As a result, they ‘returned, glorifying…God for all the things they had heard and seen’. They returned to their fields and flocks with fresh energy. But they still had to return.

Jon Walker writes: ‘After we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we return to the office…to school…to the things we normally do…God takes us to the mountaintops…shows us great miracles and wonders, but He doesn’t leave us there. It’s in the fields and among the flocks that our faith grows, nurtured in the soil of the mundane…The conflicts over…who cleans up the mess, who gets to go home early, or who gets the biggest piece of pie, test whether it’s really Christ who lives in us.’

Zechariah 7-8, Revelation 18