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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Get rid of the mental baggage!
‘Love…ties everything completely together.’

Colossians 3:14
The UCB Word for Today - 3 Jul 2017

If you’re the kind of person who harbours grudges and holds on to past mistakes, even your own, you know what it feels like to be weighed down by mental baggage. It’s hard for a relationship to survive when neither party has processed what happened in the past.

Like blame, mental baggage keeps you stuck. For example, if someone in a past relationship has hurt you and you’ve never let go of it, every time your mate does something similar it’s likely you’ll react with unwarranted fervour, as if he or she was the original person who hurt you.

When this happens, your mate is left feeling upset and confused by your over-the-top reaction to a minor infraction that on the surface appears insignificant. Just as you clean house to get rid of physical rubbish, you need to keep your mental, emotional, and spiritual house clean and in order.

Praying, reading, counselling, journalling, meditation, and exercise are all good ways to help ensure that past issues don’t seep into your current relationships.

And when they do come up from time to time, it’s best to talk to the people you’re in relationship with. Just be sure to do it in kindness, truth, and honesty.

The old adage – ‘Love means never having to say “I’m sorry”’ – is wrong! A more scriptural motto for keeping mental and emotional baggage in the bin where it belongs, is: ‘Don’t go to bed angry’ (Ephesians 4:26 GWT).

The Bible says, ‘Be gentle, kind…meek, and patient. Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. Love… ties everything completely together’ (Colossians 3:12-14 CEV).

2 Chron 25-27, Acts 27:1-26

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

You can start again
‘A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.’

Matthew 12:20
The UCB Word for Today - 4 Jul 2017

Aren’t you glad that God is a mender and not a discarder? With Him, broken lives don’t have to be the end of the story.

He’s often been called the God of the ‘second chance’. How short-sighted is that? If we got only two chances we’d all be miserably, hopelessly lost. But instead He’s the God of the ‘seventy times seven’! (see Matthew 18:22). In Greek, seven represents infinity.

So He’s the God of unlimited grace. As long as you humbly acknowledge your failure and desire to start again, He will enable you.

The ‘reed’ referred to in today’s verse is a shepherd’s makeshift flute that had withered, cracked, and become worthless. The smouldering ‘wick’ no longer gave light and was considered useless.


Both represent people set aside as damaged goods and rejected by others. But Jesus is committed to mend and heal, not break or quench those who have failed.

He desires to give us a fresh start regardless of our failures. The truth is that we all fail! As Adam’s descendants, messing things up comes naturally and effortlessly to us.

Abraham lied and put Sarah at risk. Jacob was a cheat and self-promoting con artist. Moses determined to do things his own way and ended up a fugitive.

David was an adulterer and a conspiratorial assassin who betrayed a faithful friend. Peter turned his back on Christ. Yet God used each of them to accomplish His will.

And He will use you too, because ‘where sin abounded, grace abounded much more’ (Romans 5:20 NKJV). So you can start again.

2 Chron 28-29, Acts 27:27-44

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Live a balanced life
‘Come with me…to a quiet place and get some rest.’

Mark 6:31
The UCB Word for Today - 5 Jul 2017

The Bible says, ‘The length of our days is seventy years – or eighty’ (Psalm 90:10 NIV 1984 Edition). If you’re blessed to live that long you’ll typically spend an average of twenty-four years sleeping, twenty years working, ten years in church and on holiday (mostly holiday), seven years eating, six years travelling, four years dealing with sickness, and two years getting dressed.

Kierkegaard said: ‘The press of busyness is like a charm…seeking to lay hold of ever-younger victims so that [we] are scarcely allowed time for God to develop in us Christian character.’ It’s a mistake to think that rushing through life buys you more time.

It doesn’t. Apart from keeping your adrenaline pumping and perhaps making you feel and look important, busyness can be the enemy of your soul.

It can rob you of spiritual growth by preventing you from reflecting and examining your heart. We’re not talking about the number of things you manage to get done every day, but the quality of your life’s product. You can be busy, yet not be balanced.

One Bible scholar said, ‘Solitude is the furnace of transformation.’ There are three kinds of solitude: 1) Brief intervals experienced daily. 2) Longer ones involving a few days or more away from it all.

Despite His hectic schedule, Jesus made a habit of withdrawing from the demands of the crowd to spend time with His Father. (Did He know something we don’t?)

And He told the disciples, ‘Come with me…to a quiet place and get some rest.’ 3) Forced rest. ‘He maketh me to lie down’ (Psalm 23:2 KJV). Don’t wait until God makes you lie down! Endeavour to live a balanced life.

2 Chron 30-31, Acts 28

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Recognise when Satan is at work
‘He had astonished them with his sorceries.’

Acts 8:11
The UCB Word for Today - 6 Jul 2017

Just as the apostles worked astonishing miracles through the power of God, Simon the sorcerer was able to do astonishing things through the power of the devil.


So how did the apostles handle the situation? Did they sidestep it? Coexist peacefully with it? Say, ‘It’s no big deal’? No, Peter confronted Simon, saying, ‘Repent…[that] your heart may be forgiven’ (v. 22 NKJV).

Today the forces of evil are real and you must know how to deal with them. Jesus said, ‘Behold, I give you the authority…over all the power of the enemy’ (Luke 10:19 NKJV).


The Bible tells us two important things about the demon-possessed man in Gerasa whom Christ healed: 1) The forces of evil within him introduced themselves as ‘Legion…for we are many’ (Mark 5:9 NIV 2011 Edition).

A legion was a well-trained, fully-equipped division of the Roman army that took orders from Caesar. 2) They ‘begged Jesus…not to send them out of the area’ (v. 10 NIV 2011 Edition). That’s because they’d established a stronghold within him. Understand this: you can’t win spiritual battles with natural weapons.

True, blaming Satan for all your problems can be a cop-out. But failing to see him at work gives him the advantage every time. You must be wise and know when you’re dealing with natural, human, psychological problems.

But you must also be discerning when you’re dealing with ‘principalities…powers…the rulers of the darkness…spiritual hosts of wickedness’ (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV). How can you overcome them? By taking up ‘the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day’ (Ephesians 6:13 NKJV).

2 Chron 32-33, Rom 1

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Don’t let jealousy destroy your marriage

‘Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.’

1 John 4:18
The UCB Word for Today - 7 Jul 2017

Solomon writes, ‘Jealousy is cruel as the grave’ (Song of Solomon 8:6 KJV). There are many practical applications for this verse, and one of them is that jealousy can cause the death of a marriage.

When you’re jealous of your partner, you distrust them and try to control their every move.

And that’s doubly true when someone in your past has betrayed you. Your fear of it happening again can make your spouse feel like his or her feet are always being held to the fire.

And if you keep doing it long enough you’ll create the very thing you fear; you’ll end up driving them away.

Even if they do stay, they may live in emotional isolation without ever fully giving themselves to you. With that in mind, here’s what the Bible has to say: ‘We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.


God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them…as we live in God, our love grows more perfect…Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear’ (1 John 4:16-18 NLT).

When you know that God loves you in spite of your imperfections, your sense of self-worth grows and you start believing you are worthy of love.

And when that happens, it’s easier to accept that your spouse loves you too and will be faithful.

That’s like getting out of prison – a prison of your own making called ‘jealousy’. Today God wants to set you free from jealousy and give you the relationship you’ve always longed for. Talk to Him about it.

2 Chron 34-36, Rom 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

God wants to set you free
‘There is a way that seems right…But its end is…death.’

Proverbs 14:12
The UCB Word for Today - 8 Jul 2017


Ever noticed how zookeepers handle an injured animal? Even though the keeper is only interested in helping, the animal doesn’t understand because it is focused solely on the pain.

As a result, it strikes out at the very one who’s trying to help.


Is that what’s happening in your life right now? Perhaps people who call themselves Christians have hurt you.

You didn’t expect them to be the ones inflicting the pain.


You may have been hurt to the extent that you no longer trust anybody – not even God. You haven’t actually said, ‘Lord, I don’t trust You,’ but your actions speak louder than your words.


You avoid reading His Word to find an answer. You won’t pray, or allow anyone to pray for you.


You try to bury yourself in your job. You move from one relationship to another. You try alcohol or mood-altering chemicals.


You spend hours watching television and surfing the Internet, and some of the things you’re watching violate your conscience and leave you feeling worse. What’s the answer? 1) Turn to God.


Give Him ‘all your worries and cares…for he cares about you’ (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). Give Him your pain, your failures, your hang-ups, and your challenges. 2) Forgive the person who hurt you.


Obsessing over what they did and trying to make them pay just keeps you chained to them.


But forgiveness breaks the chain and sets you free. In your own strength you may be able to do something to alleviate your pain.

But God can destroy the root of the pain and cause you to walk victoriously into the future.

Ezra 1-2, Rom

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Keys to spiritual growth
‘Until Christ is formed in you.’

Galatians 4:19
The UCB Word for Today - 10 Jul 2017

Here are the three scriptural keys to help you grow and mature spiritually: 1) Conception. This results from intimacy between two people who love each other.

Now, God’s love for you is clear and compelling (see 1 John 3:1); COMMIT; the question is how much do you love Him? (see John 21:15.) 2) Forming.


Paul writes, ‘My little children, for whom I labour in birth again until Christ is formed in you.’ God knows the tests and trials required to produce in you the character of Christ, and He will do whatever it takes to make it happen. 3) Pushing.

When you’re fully committed to bringing forth what God’s placed within you, you’ll have to push against every negative thing people have done to you or said about you.

You’ll have to push against Satan’s attacks in all their debilitating forms: painful memories, feelings of hopelessness, and low self-esteem.

The enemy may have spent years pushing you aside, pulling you back, and putting you down, but God will empower you to give birth to what He’s placed in you.

And here’s something else to think about: when a baby is born, everything in the family changes. And the same is true for you.

When you give birth to what God has put inside you, everything in your life will be affected. God’s blessing is an ‘overflowing’ blessing; it will touch every area of your existence.

Just as a mother can tell when she’s pregnant, the same is true in the spiritual realm. So don’t fail to give birth to what’s within you. Now is the time to bring it forth!

Ezra 3-5, Rom 4

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Pursue change
‘You will be…complete.’

James 1:4
The UCB Word for Today - 11 Jul 2017

If you’re serious about changing your life, a well-known leadership expert offers this advice: ‘Don’t just change enough to get away from your problems – change enough to solve them.

Don’t just change your circumstances to improve your life – change yourself to improve your circumstances.

Don’t do the same old things expecting different results – get different results by doing something new. Don’t see change as something hard that must be done – see it as something helpful that can be done.

Don’t avoid paying the immediate price tag of change – if you do you’ll pay the ultimate price of never improving.’ The Bible says, ‘When your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.’ Character building is a slow process; don’t expect it to be easy.

When you try to escape life’s difficulties you short-circuit the process, delay your growth, and end up with a worse kind of pain – the useless kind that accompanies denial and avoidance.

A letter was once returned to the post office and handwritten on the envelope were these words: ‘He’s dead.’ Due to an oversight the letter was sent again to the same address.

This time it was returned with a note that said – ‘He’s still dead!’ Let’s be honest, most of us don’t like change; we do everything in our power to avoid it. We want improvement but we don’t want to pay the price that goes with it.

And that’s a problem, because you’ll never become what God intends you to be by remaining what you are. It’s not enough to want change, and be open to it, you must pursue it!

Ezra 6-8, Rom 5

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Avoid strife
‘Where…strife is, there is…every evil work.’

James 3:16
The UCB Word for Today - 12 Jul 2017

The apostle Paul writes: ‘Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.

Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.

Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand’ (Philippians 2:2-4 MSG).

Strife wreaks havoc in relationships. It often stems from an inflated ego and leads to comparing, competing, and condemning.

James points that out: ‘Where…strife is, there is…every evil work.’ So be a strife-spotter! The moment it rears its ugly head – uproot it! ‘Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God.

Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many’ (Hebrews 12:15 NLT). If you want to walk in God’s blessing today, try to live in harmony with others. Is that always easy? No, but the sooner you learn to do it, the better things will go for you.

When God prompts you to ‘turn the other cheek’, or ‘take the short end of the stick’, draw on His grace and do it. Pray: ‘Lord, give me Your wisdom in this situation.’ He will. ‘The wisdom from above is first of all pure.

It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and…good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere.

And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness’ (James 3:17-18 NLT). Bottom line: if you want God’s blessing on your life – avoid strife.

Ezra 9-10, Rom 6

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Develop your child’s potential
‘The genuine faith that is in you…dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice.’

2 Timothy 1:5
The UCB Word for Today - 13 Jul 2017

It’s said Timothy became an apostle when he was seventeen. He was Paul’s spiritual son, and his designated successor. And it happened because of two women: his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Interestingly, his father and grandfather are not mentioned. So as a single parent you can raise a winning child.

According to a ten-year study conducted at Harvard Medical School, there are six factors related to the eventual intellectual capacity of a child: 1) The most critical period of a child’s mental development is between eight and eighteen months old. 2) The mother is usually the most important person in the child’s environment. 3) The amount of ‘live’ language directed to the child between twelve and eighteen months is absolutely critical. 4) Children given free access to living areas of their homes progressed much faster than those whose movements are restricted. 5) The family is the most important educational delivery system. 6)

The best parents are those who excel at three key functions: they are superb designers and organisers of their children’s environments; they permit their children to interrupt them for brief thirty-second episodes during which personal comfort and information are exchanged; finally, they are firm disciplinarians while simultaneously showing great affection for their children.

In other words, they love their kids, talk to them, treat them with respect, expose them to interesting things, organise their time, discipline them fairly, and raise them in strong stable families. It’s a time-honoured recipe for producing bright (and happy) children.

Neh 1-3, Rom 7