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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Personal Growth (3)

‘As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.’

Proverbs 27:17

The UCB Word for Today - 24 Oct 2016

When you stop growing, you stop enjoying your co-workers and associates.

In most cases it’s another symptom of lack of growth, and it’s directly linked to your lack of influence. When you’re the ‘go-to’ person, everyone seeks you out.


They want your advice and expertise on a myriad of issues and concerns. But once you stop growing, the focus shifts to someone else.

Personal growth keeps you focused on people, and keeps them focused on you. So what can you do to stay fresh? Start cross-pollinating.


Bees spend their lives moving from flower to flower, carrying pollen from one source to another.

And what’s the result? Growth! Because bees continually spread pollen around the garden, more flowers start growing and it becomes a more beautiful environment.


In life, cross-pollinating means identifying valuable information from multiple sources and spreading it in various ways to different people. So start looking for answers in unexpected places.

Paul writes, ‘Stir up the gift … which is in you’ (2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV), otherwise it’ll lie dormant and you’ll become bored. Dedicate some time every day to personal growth.

Discover where you do your best thinking and go there regularly. Get up earlier, use your lunch break, turn off the TV in the evening.

The time and place don’t matter - the important thing is that you stick to it.

Eugene S. Wilson said, ‘Only the curious will learn, and only the resolute overcome the obstacles to learning.


The Quest Quotient has always interested me more than the Intelligence Quotient.’ Often innate curiosity will tell you more than intelligence.

The point is, you must be committed to personal growth in order to succeed.


Jer 43-45, Titus 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Take the Risk!

‘Give it to the one who risked the most.’

Matthew 25:28

The UCB Word for Today - 25 Oct 2016

Remember the three stewards who were each given a sum of money to invest? The first two doubled theirs; the third buried his in the ground.


The first two were promoted; the third was fired. ‘Get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb’ (v. 28-30 MSG).


Could there be a more powerful incentive to taking a risk of faith based on what God promised you? You say, ‘But what if I fail?’ Failure trains you for success! It can show you what you need to change in order to move forward.


Think of it this way: as a redeemed child of God you have a security net that allows you to fail safely.


But if your reputation and self-worth are all tied up in knots over some failed enterprise, you’ll not be motivated to try again.

It’s human nature to want to feel good, to succeed, to win the prize, to move forward.


But just like a world-class athlete backs up to gain the momentum to run faster, sometimes a few steps backward now will fuel your progress later.


And here’s something else to keep in mind: God assesses our accomplishments differently than people.


A failure in the eyes of men is often a success in the eyes of God. Remember Noah? Before the flood he looked like a loser; afterward he became the most successful man on earth.


Your most fulfilling reward isn’t human approval - it’s God’s ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ (Matthew 25:21 NIV 2011 Edition). So take the risk!


Luke 20:27-47, Ps 110-112

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Let it Go
‘Set your heart on God and reach out to him.’

Job 11:13
The UCB Word for Today - 26 Oct 2016

Jesus, ‘the Great Physician’, never covers up an infected sore. He insists it be lanced, drained, cleansed, and given time to heal.


Maybe you’ve given birth to a child outside of marriage, or had an abortion, or been in prison, or walked through a bitter divorce.


Don’t be discouraged. Jesus is not impressed by our virtues; He’s touched with ‘the feeling of our infirmities’ (Hebrews 4:15 KJV).


He understands your struggle. ‘He himself has…been through suffering and temptation, he knows what it is like … and … is wonderfully able to help us’ (Hebrews 2:18 TLB).


Maybe you’re wondering if someone with your past problems can be blessed and used by God. Absolutely! The hymn by William Cowper puts it like this: ‘There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.’ The rewards of repentance are awesome! Zophar replies to Job: ‘Prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you.

Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear.


You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away … Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and … rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help’ (Job 11:13-19 NLT).

Whether it’s guilt over something you’ve done, or the pain of something that was done to you - let it go! Today, step into the river of God’s grace and let it flow over you, setting you free.

Jer 46-47, Titus 3

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Praying According to God’s Will

‘The Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with

God’s own will.’

Romans 8:27

The UCB Word for Today - 27 Oct 2016

Since we sometimes pray outside of God’s will, part of the Holy Spirit’s job is to change our minds - not convince God to give us what we want.

That’s why the Spirit ‘searches our hearts’ in prayer.


Sometimes words are inadequate; you don’t always know what someone’s really thinking or wants based on what they say. But if you could see inside their heart you’d know exactly how to interpret their words.


That’s what the Spirit does when He searches our hearts and interprets our requests to the Father.


But if the Holy Spirit is going to intercede for us (appeal to God on our behalf) we’d better learn what God’s will is. And where do we learn that? In His Word.


Before we can pray in the will of God two things have to happen. First, we must have a regular intake of Scripture.


God’s mind is revealed in His Word, so when you read the Bible you learn how to pray the way you should. Second, if our prayers are going to hit the mark we need to practise meditating on the Scriptures.

Just as a good cook allows a stew to simmer in order to bring out all the flavours, we need to ‘marinate’ our minds in Scripture and allow it to become part of us.


When that happens we’ll start to see things change in our prayer lives because the Spirit’s intercession is tied to God’s will, which is tied to His Word.

In the final analysis you may think you know what you want, but God knows what you need!


Jer 48-49, Philemon

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Try to Make Amends

‘I will pay back four times the amount.’

Luke 19:8

The UCB Word for Today - 28 Oct 2016

Zacchaeus had a bad reputation; as a tax collector he got rich by cheating people. And the fact that Jesus spent the night at his house shocked the religious community.


We’re not privy to what Jesus told Zacchaeus that night, but it caused him to respond, ‘Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’ Jesus answered, ‘Today salvation has come to this house’ (v. 9 NIV 2011 Edition). There’s an important lesson here about becoming whole.


The basis of true emotional healing rests on your willingness to forgive and when possible, make amends to those you’ve hurt.

If you owe someone a debt, you must try to pay it. If you’ve wounded them, you must apologise and try to restore the relationship.

Jesus said: ‘This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters.


If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right.

Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.

Or say you’re out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don’t lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him’ (Matthew 5:23-25 MSG).


So, who do you need to make things right with today? Pray for grace - then go take care of it. When you do God will bless you, and you’ll feel better about yourself too!


Jer 50, Heb 1

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

A Joyful Outlook

‘The joy of the LORD is your strength.’

Nehemiah 8:10

The UCB Word for Today - 29 Oct 2016

You get to choose your outlook each day, so choose wisely and well. Observe: 1) A joyful outlook gives you the winning edge.

When world heavyweight champion Joe Louis got knocked down by Tony ‘Two Ton’ Galento in Yankee Stadium, he immediately jumped up and went after his opponent.

When his trainer protested, ‘Why didn’t you stay down for nine like I’ve always taught you?’ ‘What?’ growled Louis. ‘And give him all that time to rest?’ Then he went out and won the fight. 2) A joyful outlook determines how others respond to you. When you smile, people tend to smile back.

But if you come across as hard-nosed, they’re likely to respond in kind.

If you want to enjoy people as you go through your day, think well of them. This isn’t rocket science, but it’s easily forgotten. 3) A joyful outlook brings happiness.

English literary figure Samuel Johnson said: ‘He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts, and multiply the grief … he proposes to remove.’ 4) A joyful outlook always brings the best result.

Successful people embrace this truth, whether it’s a surgeon going into the operating room, a pastor preparing a sermon, or an executive launching a new business venture.

Confidence increases your chance of success every time.

So when you approach a task, especially one you don’t relish, fix your mind on God’s promises and not your feelings.

It’ll get you back on track every time - guaranteed!

Jer 51-52, Heb 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

The Bible Formula for Happiness

‘Time and chance happen to them all.’

Ecclesiastes 9:11

The UCB Word for Today - 30 Oct 2016

Are you the kind of person who needs clear answers to everything and can’t tolerate shades of grey? Well, the truth is we don’t have answers for much of what happens in the world.

God stamps many of the issues we struggle with: ‘Will explain later!’ Modern science would have us believe that given enough time, everything is concrete, exact, measurable, and provable.

But we’ve discovered this isn’t so.


For example, why does one family experience tragedy and another doesn’t?


Why do the ‘haves’ throw more food away every night than what it would take to feed the ‘have-nots’? Why do the young and innocent die? You could drive yourself crazy with these questions and still not find the answers.


So what should you do? The Bible says: ‘Eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favours what you do … Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love … Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might … The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favour to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.

Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them’ (vv. 7-12 NIVUK 1984 Edition).

Bottom line: Learn to live with unanswered questions, trust God with all your heart, and wring the most out of each day. That’s the Bible formula for happiness.


Lam 1-2, Heb 3

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Be Careful What You Watch

‘Make a parapet around your roof to make it safe.’

Deuteronomy 22:8

The UCB Word for Today - 31 Oct 2016

Hundreds of pornography sites are being introduced to the Internet. The idea is to have you accidentally exposed to them through clever marketing.


This helps explain how children as young as eight become addicted to pornography and to the websites that feed it in the middle of the night when parents are sleeping.

But these websites are also visited by teenagers and adults.


So protection isn’t just called for on the part of parents, but by all those on the front line in the battle for moral purity. In his book Getting Through the Tough Stuff, Chuck Swindoll writes: ‘One in every two churchgoers is actively involved with Internet porn. (Are you shocked?) Nine out of ten children have been exposed to it - most of them accidentally while doing homework online.


Thirty-seven percent of pastors say Internet porn is a current struggle in their lives. Most are exposed to it through … computer screen pop-ups, unsolicited email, and links to websites with innocent-sounding names.

When an enticing image flashes, temptation is hard to overcome, especially for males.


The Internet has become an integral part of our lives. There’s much that’s good, but there’s just as much that’s deadly.


It is therefore our responsibility as Christians to protect ourselves from the dangers that are part of Internet usage!’ God commanded the Israelites: ‘Make a parapet around your roof to make it safe so … someone doesn’t fall off.’ Even the apostle Paul recognised that he was capable of being ‘disqualified’ as a leader in God’s work (see 1 Corinthians 9:27). So the word for you today is: Be careful what you watch.


Lam 3-5, Heb 4

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

On-the-job training

‘Lord, please send someone else to do it.’

Exodus 4:13

The UCB Word for Today - 1 Nov 2016

When God called Moses to go into Pharaoh’s palace and announce, ‘Let my people go,’ he responded by saying, ‘Please, send someone else to do it.’ Is that how you feel today?

If so, here’s what God told Moses: ‘Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say’ (v. 12 NIV 2011 Edition). When God calls you He equips you.


But He doesn’t necessarily do it in advance. Sometimes your training takes place in the process of doing what God said. And that can be scary.


Maybe you’ve been saying to God, ‘I’m afraid to speak in front of people - what do You mean You want me to lead this meeting?’ Or, ‘Why would You want me to apply for this job when I’m not particularly qualified?’ You can’t rely on your own perspective.


The only qualifications needed to do any job God asks of you are His strength and His ability. The rest is on-the-job training.


You simply have to trust God and act on His urging. That doesn’t mean you’ll never be afraid.


You will! But that’s when you must exercise your faith to stretch and grow beyond what you can imagine, and start doing what needs to be done based on what you currently know. That can be humbling.

You’ll find yourself more dependent on God than ever. It’s likely you’ll have to ask a lot of questions of those around you - and sometimes more than once.


But don’t be afraid to ask, to make mistakes, to seek assistance, or do things differently from your predecessor.


If God called you - you’re the right person for the job. Never lose sight of that!
Ezek 1-2, Heb 5

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

You can do it!

‘I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.’

Philippians 4:13

The UCB Word for Today - 2 Nov 2016

One of Satan’s favourite strategies is making you feel incapable of accomplishing anything worthwhile.

He’ll remind you of your past mistakes so that even when you do make an effort, your fear of failure will sabotage you.


This is commonly referred to as ‘Failure Syndrome’. Satan wants you to feel so bad about yourself that you’ll have no confidence at all.

But the fact is you don’t need confidence in yourself - you need confidence in the God who lives within you!

Without that, you’re like a plane without fuel sitting on the runway; you look good but you’ve no power. Hear this: through Christ you have the power to do what you never could on your own.


Once you learn this truth, anytime the devil tells you, ‘You can’t do anything right,’ your response will be, ‘Maybe not, but Jesus in me can; and He will because I’m relying on Him and not myself. His Word says I’ll succeed in everything I put my hand to’ (see Joshua 1:7).


When the Enemy says to you: ‘You’re not able to do this, so don’t even try! You’ll fail again like you did in the past,’ your response should be: ‘It’s true; without Jesus I’m not able to do a single thing.


But with Him, and in Him, I can do all I need to do.’ Read these words, get them down into your heart and stand on them today: ‘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].’ The word for you today is: you can do it!


Ezek 3-4, Heb 6