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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

When you pray

‘While He prayed…heaven…opened.’

Luke 3:21

The UCB Word for Today - 13 Dec 2016

When Jesus was baptised the Bible says, ‘While He prayed…the Holy Spirit descended…upon Him…and a voice…from heaven…said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased”’ (vv. 21-22 NKJV). After the crucifixion the disciples ‘prayed with a single purpose’ (Acts 1:14 CEV) and ‘the place…was shaken.

They were…filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke God’s word without fear’ (Acts 4:31 NCV). Make no mistake, prayer can be hard work, but our most rewarding moments will come from time spent on our knees.
God uses prayer to accomplish things that won’t happen any other way.


Henry Blackaby says: ‘As we pray our attention is turned towards God and we become more receptive to aligning our lives with His will.


He won’t equip us with His power while we’re racing off to our next appointment! His Spirit won’t empower us if we’re oblivious to what He’s saying.


He requires our complete attention…“Jesus told his disciples…they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1 NIV 2011 Edition). If you’ll commit yourself to spend sustained time in prayer…God will work in your life as He did in the lives of Jesus and His disciples …The fervent prayer of the people at Pentecost didn’t induce the Holy Spirit to come upon them.


Prayer brought them to where they were ready to participate in the mighty work God had already planned.’ The Bible says, ‘Before daylight, [Jesus] went…to a solitary place; and…prayed’ (Mark 1:35 NKJV). And before He chose His disciples, ‘he spent the night praying’ (Luke 6:12 NCV).


If it took a whole night for Jesus to determine His Father’s will, what makes you think you can do it in a few hurried moments?

Jonah 1-4, Rev 7

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Don’t be so self-absorbed

‘Each of you should look not only to your own

interests, but also to the interests of others.’

Philippians 2:4

The UCB Word for Today - 14 Dec 2016

Do you want to maintain other people’s respect? When they share their struggles and successes with you, don’t say, ‘That’s nothing; let me tell you about my…!’ Haman, a Persian government official mentioned in the book of Esther, was self-absorption personified.


He ‘boasted to [his friends and wife] about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honoured…and…elevated him above the other nobles and officials’ (Esther 5:11 NIV 2011 Edition).


Not once do we read of his expressing interest in anyone but himself. Indeed, he was so resentful of the favour the king had shown towards Mordecai, a Jew, that he built a gallows on which to hang him.


And how did the story end? The king hanged Haman on the gallows he had built for Mordecai.


So unless you want to tie a noose around your own neck, stop talking so much about yourself! Chances are you may not even be aware of this character flaw in your communication.


So ask God to point it out when you do it, and give you grace to overcome it. Self-centeredness dies slowly, so start with small steps.


Try going for a whole day without making your issues the focus of every conversation.

Give everyone you meet your full attention - and watch your friendships multiply and your relationships deepen.

The word for you today is: ‘Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.’


Micah 1-3, Rev 8

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Understanding your child

‘Give to Your servant an understanding heart.’

1 Kings 3:9
The UCB Word for Today - 15 Dec 2016

Do you remember the ‘class clown’ in the school? He could make everyone crack up at the most inopportune times.


He was a trial to his teachers, an embarrassment to his parents, and an utter delight to every child who wanted to escape the boredom of school.


Teachers probably wonder if the Department for Education assigns at least one clown to every class to make sure they earn every pound of their salaries.

These skilled little disrupters are usually boys. Often they have reading or other academic difficulties. They may be small in stature, although not always, and they’ll do anything for a laugh.


Their parents and teachers may not recognise that behind the boisterous behaviour is often the pain of inferiority. You see, humour is a classic response to feelings of low self-esteem.

That’s why within many successful comedians is the memory of a hurting child.

Jonathan Winters’ parents were divorced when he was seven, and he used to cry when he was alone because other children teased him about not having a father.


Joan Rivers frequently joked about her unattractiveness as a girl. She said she was such a ‘dog’, her father had to throw a bone down the aisle to get her married.

These famous comedians got their training during childhood, using humour as a defence. That’s also the inspiration for the class clown.

By making an enormous joke out of everything, they often conceal the self-doubt that churns inside them.

Understanding that should help you meet their needs and manage them more effectively. ‘Give to Your servant an understanding heart’ is a prayer every parent and teacher should pray.


Micah 4-5, Rev 9

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Dealing with depression (1)

‘Elijah was a man just like us.’

James 5:17

The UCB Word for Today - 16 Dec 2016

Elijah, who’d been fearless for three years, became frightened when Jezebel threatened his life.

So he ran to the desert, where he became depressed and announced, ‘I have had enough, LORD…Take my life’ (1 Kings 19:4 NIV 2011 Edition).

Elijah became a prime candidate for depression when he got physically tired, emotionally drained, and felt threatened.

He was a basket case of emotional problems: fear, resentment, guilt, anger, loneliness, and worry.

And the Bible says, ‘Elijah was a man just like us.’ He wrestled with the same problems we do.

He got so depressed that he wanted to die! Why do we get ourselves into such emotional messes?

Sometimes it’s because of what happens to us - bad circumstances that occur in our lives. But more often it’s due to faulty thinking.


The truth is our emotions are generated by our thoughts, and when we think in destructive ways we are going to feel depressed.


Our emotions spring from how we interpret life, and if you always see things from a negative viewpoint you’re going to get down.

To rid yourself of harmful emotions you must learn to change the way you think.


That’s why the Bible talks about being ‘transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12:2 KJV).

To overcome depression you must learn to correct your wrong thinking and attitudes about life.


In the words of Jesus, when you ‘know the truth…the truth will set you free’ (John 8:32 NIV 2011 Edition). Looking at things from the right point of view - God’s viewpoint - is the path to overcoming depression.


Micah 6-7, Rev 10

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Dealing with depression (2)

‘He…collapsed…wanting…to be done with it all.’

1 Kings 19:4

The UCB Word for Today - 17 Dec 2016


The Bible says: ‘When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba… He left his young servant there and…went on into the desert another day’s journey.

He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all - just to die’ (vv. 3-4 MSG).

What was Elijah’s mistake? The same one we sometimes make when we’re depressed: we focus on our feelings rather than on the facts of the situation. It happens when we get down.

Elijah felt like a failure because of one incident that intimidated him. He thought to himself, ‘I’m such a coward - why am I running?’ And because he felt like a failure he assumed he was a failure.

Feelings often lie; and when we focus on how we feel instead of focusing on reality we get into trouble.

For instance, when we make a mistake in one area, we tend to feel like we’re failures at all of life in general. That’s a misconception.

Everyone is entitled to make mistakes, and you can fail in some areas without being a failure as a person.

Mental health experts encourage us to vent our feelings and get them out. But that’s not the complete answer, because feelings are notoriously unreliable.

God doesn’t tell us to get in touch with our feelings, but to get in touch with the truth of His Word because ultimately that’s what sets us free (see John 8:32).

To overcome depression you must study God’s Word and practise bringing your feelings into alignment with what it says.

Nahum 1-3, Rev 11

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Dealing with depression (3)

‘LORD…Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’

1 Kings 19:4

The UCB Word for Today - 18 Dec 2016

Another cause for depression is comparing ourselves with other people.

We think, ‘If I could just be like so-and-so I’d be happy.’ When you compare yourself with other people you’re asking for trouble (see 2 Corinthians 10:12).

There’s only one person you should strive to be - and that’s yourself.

When you try to imitate another person and act like them, invariably you end up depressed. You need to be honest with yourself, and be who you are. That’s all God wants. That’s all He expects.

When we start comparing ourselves with other people, we fall into another trap: we compare our weaknesses with their strengths. We forget that those people may be weak in areas where we are strong.

What’s more, we try to motivate ourselves through self-criticism and condemnation. We do it by ‘should-ing’ ourselves: ‘I should be able to be like that person.

I should be able to act better. I should be able to accomplish it. I should be able to stop it’ - as if whipping ourselves verbally is going to change us! Nagging doesn’t work when we do it to another person, and nagging ourselves doesn’t work either.

So what’s the solution? Start reprogramming your mind with God’s Word. ‘By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.

We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself…has given us great and precious promises…that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires’ (2 Peter 1:3-4 NLT).

Luke 23:26-56, Ps 126-128

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Dealing with depression (4)

‘I’ve been working my heart out for…GOD.’

1 Kings 19:10

The UCB Word for Today - 19 Dec 2016

After Elijah fled to the desert and hid in a cave, God asked him, ‘What are you doing here?’ (v. 9 MSG). Whereupon Elijah replied, ‘I’ve been working my heart out…because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your places of worship, and murdered your prophets.

I’m the only one left, and now they’re trying to kill me’ (v. 14 MSG). Another thing that causes depression is assuming false blame.

When we take on a responsibility God never gave us, it’s too heavy a burden to bear. If you’re in the habit of helping people, you soon realise they don’t always respond in the way you’d like.

And that’s the case whether it’s your children, your friends, your spouse, or the people you work with. People react in many different ways, and you can’t assume personal responsibility for their responses.

God has given each of us a free will, and when you accept responsibility for other people’s decisions you take on a burden that will only depress you.

At best, you can influence people but you can’t control them. The final decision is theirs, so don’t let yourself get down over something that you can’t control.

When you know you’ve done what God told you to do, trust Him to do what you can’t do. Any time you try to convict, convince, convert, control, or change another person, you’re setting yourself up for misery.

The Bible says, ‘It is God who works in you [and others] to will and to act according to his good purpose’ (Philippians 2:13 NIV 1984 Edition). So when you’ve done your part, back off and let God do His.

Habakkuk 1-3, Rev 12

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Dealing with depression (5)

‘They are trying to kill me too.’

1 Kings 19:10

The UCB Word for Today - 20 Dec 2016

Here’s another mistake that triggered Elijah’s depression: he exaggerated the negative. It’s that old ‘everybody’s against me!’ thinking.

The fact is, almost nobody was against Elijah. Only one person opposed him, and her threat wasn’t real. Queen Jezebel didn’t dare kill Elijah.

Think about it: if she’d really intended to kill him she wouldn’t have sent a messenger to warn him, she’d have sent a hit man! Jezebel feared Elijah’s influence.

If he’d ended up a martyr, that would have increased his influence and likely caused a revolution.

Having just witnessed what God did to the prophets of Baal, Jezebel was probably afraid of what God would do to her if she touched His prophet. So her words were empty threats.

But instead of stopping to realistically evaluate the situation, Elijah ran away.

When we’re depressed we tend to exaggerate the negative. In reality, Elijah wasn’t the only person still faithful to God.


There were seven thousand other prophets who hadn’t succumbed to pagan religion (see v. 18 NIV), but Elijah exaggerated the problem and ended up sinking lower than ever. If you feel depressed today, put your trust in God.

Rise up and say, ‘This too shall pass. What does not destroy me will only make me stronger.’ Here’s a promise you can stand on with complete confidence: ‘Your goodness is so great! You have stored up great blessings for those who honour you.

You have done so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world’ (Psalm 31:19 NLT 1996 Edition).


Zepheniah 1-3, Rev 13

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Transformed by beholding

‘We all…beholding…the Lord, are being transformed

into the same image…by the Spirit of the Lord.’

2 Corinthians 3:18

The UCB Word for Today - 21 Dec 2016

Many Christians think God is just waiting to pounce on them for their failures, and their wrong believing produces wrong living.

When you view God that way you can’t help but live in constant fear, insecurity, and anxiety over your sins and struggles.

Today make a decision to turn your eyes away from yourself and place them on Jesus, for He has already made you righteous with His blood (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).

The more you behold Jesus, the more you will be transformed into His likeness. ‘We all…beholding…the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory [by degrees (AMP)]…by the Spirit of the Lord.’ Keeping your eyes on Jesus leads to the greatest expression of holiness. Many of us think we have to do more in order to be more holy and accepted by God.

As you focus on Jesus and see His love, His forgiveness, His abundant grace, and His gift of righteousness purchased for you with His own blood, your approach to Christian living changes and you are transformed - from the inside out.

Holiness comes by focusing on Jesus, not yourself.

This is not outward behaviour modification, it’s inward change sustained by a heart that’s been touched by grace and an emancipated conscience that’s freed from guilt and condemnation.

As a result you begin to walk in victory instead of defeat. And this is the life that God wants you to experience today.

Haggai 1-2, Rev 14

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Transformed by beholding

‘We all…beholding…the Lord, are being transformed into the same image…by the Spirit of the Lord.’

2 Corinthians 3:18
The UCB Word for Today - 21 Dec 2016

Many Christians think God is just waiting to pounce on them for their failures, and their wrong believing produces wrong living.

When you view God that way you can’t help but live in constant fear, insecurity, and anxiety over your sins and struggles. Today make a decision to turn your eyes away from yourself and place them on Jesus, for He has already made you righteous with His blood (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).

The more you behold Jesus, the more you will be transformed into His likeness. ‘We all…beholding…the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory [by degrees (AMP)]…by the Spirit of the Lord.’ Keeping your eyes on Jesus leads to the greatest expression of holiness.

Many of us think we have to do more in order to be more holy and accepted by God.

As you focus on Jesus and see His love, His forgiveness, His abundant grace, and His gift of righteousness purchased for you with His own blood, your approach to Christian living changes and you are transformed - from the inside out. Holiness comes by focusing on Jesus, not yourself.

This is not outward behaviour modification, it’s inward change sustained by a heart that’s been touched by grace and an emancipated conscience that’s freed from guilt and condemnation.

As a result you begin to walk in victory instead of defeat. And this is the life that God wants you to experience today.

Haggai 1-2, Rev 14