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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Jesus is the answer
07 March 2025

‘I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.’
Romans 10:20 NLT

The Bible says, ‘I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.’ You say, ‘What does this Scripture mean?’ That even though you’re looking for answers in the wrong places, asking the wrong questions, and heading in the wrong direction, Jesus will intercept you, redirect you, and meet your deepest needs.

When the woman at the well met Jesus, she was looking for the answer in relationships. She had been through five failed marriages and was living with man number six (see John 4:18). When Zacchaeus met Jesus, he was looking for the answer in material things. ‘Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was’ (Luke 19:2-3 NKJV). When Paul met Jesus, he was looking for the answer in religion. Here is his CV: ‘Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless’ (Philippians 3:5-6 NKJV).

Multiple relationships didn’t satisfy the woman at the well, riches didn’t satisfy Zacchaeus, and religion didn’t satisfy Paul. And these things won’t satisfy you either. What will? A relationship with Jesus! Today He is saying to you: ‘The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life’ (John 10:10 NLT). Today, Jesus is the answer.

Numbers 11-12, Mark 5:21-43

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Problems? Draw closer to God
08 March 2025

‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.’
James 4:8 NKJV

We say we trust God but often fear that He won’t come through for us when we need Him most. So, we falsely assume that if we keep thinking about the problem and worrying about it enough, somehow we can take care of it on our own – just in case God doesn’t show up and do something according to our timetable. This brings us closer to our problems, but not to the One who can solve them.

But when we choose to believe that God is in control of our lives and is going to handle whatever situation we are in, we move closer to Him and our problems don’t seem so worrisome at all. It works like this: the closer you get to the problem, the smaller God seems, and the closer you get to God, the smaller your problem seems. The Bible says, ‘Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding’ (Proverbs 3:5 AMPC). Trusting God will keep you from reasoning and trying to figure out things you don’t have answers for yet.

Instead of listening to that nagging voice inside that says, ‘What are you going to do?’ draw closer to God and say, ‘I’m going to trust God to show me what to do.’ David declared, ‘My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart…how good it is to be near God!’ (Psalm 73:26, 28 NLT). Where is God when you need Him most? Right beside you!

Numbers 13-14, Mark 6:1-29

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Don’t avoid – engage
09 March 2025

‘As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.’
John 17:18 NIV

Jesus prayed in John 17:14-18: ‘I have given them your word…My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world’ (NIV).

Where did Jesus dispatch His disciples? Into the world. He didn’t say, ‘Try to avoid the world. Just hang out with Christian people in the church, and keep your distance from people who use bad language and are bad people.’ He says being sent as a representative of God into your job, your neighbourhood, your circumstances, and your situations is why you’re on this planet. He says, ‘As the Father has sent me, I am sending you’ (John 20:21 NIV).

We’re not called to avoid the world, but to engage it. You say, ‘But I don’t feel comfortable around such people.’ Then ask God to make you more like Jesus, who was known as ‘a friend of sinners’ (see Luke 7:34). Jesus told His disciples, ‘I am sending you out like sheep among wolves’ (Matthew 10:16 NIV). It takes two things for a sheep to operate among wolves: courage and wisdom. It also takes total commitment. Albert Schweitzer gave up his standing as a superb theologian and world-class musician to serve the poorest people on another continent. Whatever God has called you to do, it will involve loving people and giving yourself to them.

Luke 4:31-44, Psalms 26-28

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

UCB Word For Today
Group guidance

10 March 2025
The Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”’
Acts 13:2 NIV

A group of believers met together and dedicated significant time to pray, fast, and worship. And as a result, ‘the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”’ How did they know the Spirit told them this? The passage doesn’t say. It may have been a dramatic moment. Or it may be that later, looking back, they recognised that the Spirit had guided them. But what is certain is that they received guidance from God together.

When it comes to guidance, one of the mistakes we make is called ‘narrow framing’; we miss the whole range of options God has before us because of our limited thinking. A Christian author explains: ‘We ask things like “Should I end this relationship or not?” instead of, “How might I make this relationship better?” Or “Should I buy that or not?” rather than, “What’s the best way I can use this money?”…On our own, we tend to suffer from confirmation bias. We seek out information that confirms what it is we already want rather than looking for the unvarnished truth. People watch cable channels that reinforce their political bias. We pretend we want the truth…but what we really want is reassurance of the positions we have already staked out.’

Isaiah told about people ‘who say to the seers, “Do not see”; and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions”’ (Isaiah 30:10 NRSV). In seeking guidance, operate according to the H.O.W. principle. In other words, be Honest, Open, Willing.

Numbers 15-16, Mark 6:30-56

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

UCB Word For Today
Just sow the seed

11 March 2025
‘We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News.’
1 Corinthians 3:5 NLT

One day when Charles Colson was scheduled to preach to three hundred inmates at San Quentin prison, a lockdown was called and most of the prisoners were confined to their cells. To the few who were allowed to attend, Colson decided to go ahead and give the complete message he had prepared. Later when he expressed disappointment that the three hundred were unable to attend, he was told, ‘We videotaped your message and will be showing it numerous times to all twenty-two hundred prisoners.’

What if Colson had given way to disappointment and just delivered a short devotional instead of the full evangelistic message he had prepared? More than two thousand prisoners would not have heard the gospel.

An occasion may arise when you are the only person available to speak for God. Will you be faithful in such a moment? You are the most important person in the world to God when you are the one He has called to do something for Him. And the message is more important than the messenger.

Paul writes: ‘We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work’ (vv. 5-8 NLT).

Numbers 17-19, Mark 7:1-16

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

See yourself as valuable (1)
12 March 2025

‘I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.’
Philippians 4:13 AMPC

When God made the first man, He saw that his creation was ‘very good’. That means every person that has ever been born, including you, has seeds of success within them. All you need to do is water them and feed them, and they will grow. So why do many people fail to reach their God-given potential in life? One of the key reasons is low self-esteem; they don’t believe in themselves. They possess hundreds of possibilities, but they never nurture them because they have persuaded themselves that they’re incapable of learning and growing into something amazing.

If you don’t believe you’re valuable and worth investing in, you will never spend the time and effort necessary to develop into what God made you to be. Zig Ziglar said, ‘It’s impossible to consistently behave in a manner inconsistent with how we see ourselves. We can do very few things in a positive way if we feel negative about ourselves.’

Paul was humble. He was aware of his total dependence on God. But He also had a healthy sense of self-worth. Here is what he wrote to those who believed in him and supported his ministry: ‘I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]. But it was right and commendable and noble of you to contribute for my needs and to share my difficulties with me’ (vv. 4:13-14 AMPC). So, the word for today is – see yourself as valuable, because God does.

Numbers 20-22, Mark 7:17-37

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

See yourself as valuable (2)
13 March 2025

‘You are precious to me. You are honoured, and I love you.’
Isaiah 43:4 NLT

If you want to be a 10 but your self-esteem is a 5, you will never achieve at the level of a 10. You will achieve a 5 or lower. Why? Because you cannot surpass the image you have of yourself. Low self-esteem puts a cap on your potential. So where does our low self-esteem come from? Other people. When the most important people in your life repeatedly tell you that they expect you to go nowhere and achieve nothing of worth, that’s what you eventually start believing about yourself. And it’s like downloading a virus into your computer; it destroys your God-given potential.

What’s the answer? Instead of believing what others say about you, find out what God says about you. After all, who knows the value and potential of a product better than the manufacturer who made it? When God called Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nation of Israel, Jeremiah said, ‘I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!’ (Jeremiah 1:6 NLT). Perhaps you can identify with Jeremiah: ‘I’m too young, or too old, or not the right nationality, or not educated enough, or not rich enough.’

Note what God said to Jeremiah next: ‘Don’t say, “I’m too young,” for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you’ (vv. 7-8 NLT). Changing your self-image begins with changing your self-talk. In order to see yourself as valuable, begin to see yourself as God sees you.

Numbers 23-25, Mark 8:1-21

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Pray about it, then take action
14 March 2025

‘So they began this good work.’
Nehemiah 2:18 NIV

There is a time to pray, and there is a time to take action. Sometimes that means filling out the job application, or writing the cheque, or setting up the appointment, or having the conversation, or making the move. Peter Marshall said: ‘I wonder what would happen if we all agreed to read one of the Gospels until we came to a place that told us to do something, then went out to do it, and only after we had done it, began reading again? There are aspects of the Gospel that are puzzling and difficult to understand. But our problems are not centred around the things we don’t understand, but rather the things we do understand…Our problem is not so much that we don’t know what we should do. We know perfectly well, but we don’t want to do it.’

One of the big mistakes we make is requesting God to do for us what God wants us to do for Him. Before God parted the waters of the Jordan River to allow the Israelites to enter Canaan, He told the priests to take a few steps into the river. Why did God do it that way? Maybe it was because He wanted to know if they had enough faith to get their feet wet. As long as your feet are planted on dry ground, God won’t part the river for you. You say, ‘I’m waiting for God to move.’ Perhaps God is waiting for you to step out in faith and make the first move. If so, the word for you today is – take action.

Numbers 26-28, Mark 8:22-38

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

UCB Word For Today
The importance of God’s Word

15 March 2025
‘He read in their hearing all the words of the Book.’
2 Chronicles 34:30 NKJV

When Josiah became king in Jerusalem, he assigned workers to repair the temple. There they discovered a copy of God’s law in the ruins. No one had seen it in years! Josiah quickly reasoned that Judah’s idolatry was directly tied to the absence of the reading of God’s Word. So, he gathered all the people of Judah together, personally read to them the law of God, and led them in a rededication to live according to the principles of God’s Word.

Don’t miss the connection here! Failure to read God’s Word and live by it led God’s people into idolatry. In the Bible you discover God’s priorities for your life. When you fail to read it, study it, and meditate on its precepts, you end up focusing on your own interests and neglecting God’s priorities. And anything you put ahead of God is an ‘idol’. Sometimes an idol is a sinful practice you know to be wrong. But an idol can also be a legitimate thing like a job, or a relationship, or a particular interest that consumes so much of your time and energy that your relationship with God gets short-changed or totally neglected.

The hymn writer William Cowper wrote, ‘The dearest idol I have known, whate’er that idol be, help me to tear it from thy throne, and worship only thee.’ If you’re serious about getting to know God better, drawing closer to Him, and putting Him in first place in your life, make a decision to spend time each day in His Word.

Numbers 29-31, Mark 9:1-29

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

UCB Word For Today
The link between disobedience and stress

16 March 2025
‘Walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’

Jeremiah 7:23 NKJV
A leading Christian psychologist says there is a direct correlation between the stress we experience and disobeying God’s Word. Could that be true? Could there be a link between the stress you are feeling and the level of your obedience to God?

Yes. Think about it. As a redeemed child of God, when you knowingly disobey Him, your conscience bothers you and you feel conflicted and condemned. By knowingly violating His Word, you get uncomfortable in your own skin. Plus, when you need to pray and ask God for something, it can feel like you’re addressing a creditor with your unpaid bills. ‘If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence towards God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight’ (1 John 3:21-22 NKJV).

Sometimes we cannot pinpoint the exact source of the stress we’re feeling; it just feels like all is not well. What should you do? Stop and take inventory! The twelve-step programme of recovery refers to this as ‘a searching and fearless moral inventory’. It must be taken in order for a suffering alcoholic or addict to break free of what keeps driving them back to their habit.

Would you like to de-stress? Read this Scripture prayerfully and carefully: ‘But this is what I commanded them, saying, “Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you”’ (Jeremiah 7:23 NKJV).

Luke 5:1-16, Psalms 29-30