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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Say, ‘God is my dwelling place’
04 NOVEMBER 2021

‘Lord, You have been our dwelling place.’
Psalm 90:1 NKJV

Even though the Israelites were God’s people, they ‘wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them’ (Psalm 107:4-5 NKJV). If you feel that way today, perhaps your soul needs a ‘dwelling place’. A home where it’s at peace, secure, and nurtured; a place where you can lay down your worries, weariness, and frustrations. David said, ‘My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and…flesh cry out for the living God’ (Psalm 84:2 NIV). Good news! Jesus wants to be your home! He said, ‘Live in me.

Make your home in me’ (John 15:4 MSG). You can treat Him as an emergency shelter you run to in times of trouble, or you can live in Him. You say, ‘How do I make Jesus my “dwelling place”?’ Think about it: if someone gave you the gift of a beautiful home, how would you enter it? You would check to make sure the giver was serious, inspect the paperwork, then pack up, move in, and enjoy it, right? Jesus is serious when He invites you to live in Him. So by the act of faith, pack up and move in today. God said, ‘My people will live in peaceful places…in safe homes and…calm places of rest’ (Isaiah 32:18 NCV).

The English poet Hartley Coleridge penned these insightful words about faith: ‘It is an affirmation and an act, that bids eternal truth be present fact’ (emphasis added). The spoken Word of God is powerful! So when you get up every morning, make this your affirmation: ‘Today, God is my dwelling place!’

Ezekiel 5-7, Hebrews 7

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™


Prepare through prayer
05 NOVEMBER 2021

‘Can’t…you stay awake with me for just one hour?’
Matthew 26:40 CEV

In Gethsemane, Jesus ‘came back and found his disciples sleeping. So he said to Peter, “Can’t any of you stay awake with me for just one hour? Stay awake and pray that you won’t be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak”’ (vv. 40-41 CEV).

Jesus was just hours from the cross, and He asked His disciples to pray for Him. Imagine His disappointment when He found them sleeping! Perhaps they didn’t get enough rest the night before. Maybe they were worn out from a hard day’s work.

We have all been victims of drowsiness, so we shouldn’t be surprised that they fell asleep, but we are! We’re shocked because it was such an important night. This night, more than any other, required the discipline of prayer. But the disciples missed a great opportunity to encourage and strengthen Jesus in His hour of need. They missed an opportunity to strengthen themselves as well. Satan knows if he can keep you from prayer, you will be powerless. He is the master of distraction.

Think how often he has robbed you of your quiet time with God by using things like TV, the telephone, the internet, a messy house, your to-do list, your wandering mind, your heavy eyelids. Your quiet time with God isn’t something you try to ‘fit into’ your schedule; it must be something you prioritise, or it won’t happen. The King James Version says, ‘Pray, that ye enter not into temptation’ (v. 41). You don’t know what each day holds, but through prayer and spending time in God’s Word, you can prepare your heart for whatever life throws at you.

Ezekiel 8-10, Hebrews 8

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Night vision (1)
06 NOVEMBER 2021

‘Who is among you who…fears the Lord…yet who walks in darkness…?’
Isaiah 50:10 AMPC

God promises us peace, but not smooth sailing or immunity from life’s problems. The Bible says you can ‘fear the Lord yet walk in darkness and trouble.’ Check your Bible: a) Job lived an exemplary life yet he lost everything.

Troubled and perplexed, he cried, ‘[God] has blocked my way…he has shrouded my paths in darkness (Job 19:8 NIV) b) Jeremiah, after preaching to a rebellious people who beat and imprisoned him, said, ‘Oh, that…my eyes [were] a fountain…I would weep day and night for…my people’ (Jeremiah 9:1 NIV) c) Paul suffered so much he ‘despaired even of life’ (2 Corinthians 1:8 KJV).

Faith is like film; it’s developed in the dark. Dark days make us lean on God in ways we normally wouldn’t. The truth is, if our faith was never tested we wouldn’t be motivated to pursue God and draw closer to Him. Edward Mote wrote: ‘When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.’ It’s easy to praise God when your health is good and your bills are paid. It’s when light suddenly turns to darkness that we discover what our faith is made of and where our trust truly lies. It’s in those seasons, that we develop night vision!

Ezekiel 11-13, Hebrews 9

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Night vision (2)
07 NOVEMBER 2021

‘I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places.’
Isaiah 45:3 NIV

Sometimes God doesn’t tell us why because He wants us to know who. In Psalm 23, David goes from talking about God, ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ to talking with Him, ‘Thou art with me’ (KJV). What happened in between? David learned that no matter how dark the way is, the Lord is there to guide us.

He discovered that it’s better to walk through the valley with God than stand on the mountaintop alone. God doesn’t always light the path in advance, but He promises, ‘When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee’ (Isaiah 43:2 KJV).

When you feel like you’re out of your depth or in over your head, claim the promise! Job had many unanswered questions, but when he began to understand the difference between reason and relationship, he told God, ‘My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you’ (Job 42:5 NIV). When you can’t find the reason, trust the relationship. God won’t fail you. Contrary to what you may think, darkness isn’t always the work of the enemy.

Sometimes it’s one of God’s best teaching tools. ‘About the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea…And when they saw Him…they were greatly amazed…beyond measure, and marvelled’ (Mark 6:48-51 NKJV). You get to know the Lord by going through storms with Him.

The psalmist said, ‘the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.’ (Psalm 139:12 NRSV). So instead of running from your problems, ask God to develop your night vision, to show you ‘the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places’ (NRSV).

Luke 21:1-19, Psalms 113-115

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Night vision (3)
08 NOVEMBER 2021

‘You who…walk in the light of your fires…will lie down in torment.’
Isaiah 50:11 NIV

When the darkness you are experiencing is God-ordained, don’t try to create your own light: ‘You who…walk in the light of your fires…will lie down in torment.’ Abraham decided to kindle his own fire when God’s promise of an heir didn’t materialise quickly enough. Tired of waiting, he decided to go it alone by fathering Ishmael, and ended up creating problems that would last for generations. God had already promised to liberate Israel, but Moses took it upon himself to do things his way.

As a result he killed an Egyptian slave master and spent the next forty years in the wilderness (see Exodus 2:11-15). Peter promised to follow Jesus to prison and to death (see Luke 22:33), but because he didn’t wait for instructions he ended up lopping off an innocent man’s ear.

When you’re in darkness by divine design you don’t have to be afraid, God will bring you through. Why are we so sure? Because the Bible gives us great promises like: ‘Light arises in the darkness for the upright’ (Psalm 112:4 AMP), and ‘weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning’ (Psalm 30:5 KJV).

The forty days Moses spent alone on the mountain, Elijah’s stay on Mount Horeb, and Paul’s years in the Arabian Desert weren’t wasted experiences; they were part of God’s plan. Jesus said, ‘What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight’ (Matthew 10:27 NIV). Notice two things in this Scripture: 1) It’s in your worst moments that God gives you some of your best insights. 2) People will listen to you because you’ve ‘earned the right to speak.’ So sit tight and let God teach you things which can only be learned in the dark.

Ezekiel 14-15, Hebrews 10

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

He understands (1)
09 NOVEMBER 2021

‘He faced all of the same testings we do.’
Hebrews 4:15 NLT

The Lord understands what you are going through today because He has been where you are. The Bible says: ‘This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do…So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.

There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most’ (vv.15-16 NLT). That means: 1) Jesus understands your family problems. He had a family of His own. And on one occasion they said, ‘He’s out of his mind’ (Mark 3:21 NLT). 2) Jesus understands when you feel overwhelmed. ‘Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.’ (Mark 6:31 NLT).

Jesus not only dealt with on-the-job pressures, He had to organise, train and correct His own followers, including a group of uneducated fishermen, a bigot, and a despised tax collector. 3) Jesus understands when you feel rejected. The town He grew up in had no use for Him: ‘He came unto his own, and his own received him not’ (John 1:11 KJV). When Philip said, ‘We’ve found the One Moses wrote of…Jesus…from Nazareth!’ Nathanael said, ‘Nazareth? You’ve got to be kidding’ (v. 45 MSG).

And Jesus’ family tree was nothing to write home about either. Rahab was a prostitute, Jacob was a crook, David was an adulterer – to name just a few. Yes, Jesus understands. He knows where you’re at today and He’s able to help you. So talk to Him!

Ezekiel 16-17, Hebrews 11

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

He understands (2)
10 NOVEMBER 2021

‘He faced all of the same testings we do.’
Hebrews 4:15 NLT

Are you disappointed in people? Jesus understands, because in the final analysis, those He loved and counted on let Him down. Judas, His treasurer, sold Him out, and then sealed the deal with a kiss. Even in His darkest hour, Gethsemane, His closest disciples, Peter, James and John, couldn’t stay awake and pray with Him for an hour (see Matthew 26:40). Are you tired of all the demands? Jesus understands. ‘A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all’ (Matthew 15:30 NLT).

You say, ‘But if Jesus was God how could He get tired?’ Because He was both God and man. He had to be God in order to save us, and man in order to die for us. ‘Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime’ (John 4:6 NLT). Have you been falsely accused? Jesus understands. They accused Him of being ‘a boozer, a friend of the misfits’ (Matthew 11:19 MSG). Up until the time of His death they were still trying ‘to find something false…so they could kill him’ (Matthew 26:59 NCV).

And Jesus said, ‘The servant is not greater than his lord’ (John 15:20 KJV). When you decide to follow Jesus, you’re signing up for a life of advancement – and adversity! So why did Jesus go through these things? ‘Since he himself has gone through suffering…he is able to help us’ (Hebrews 2:18 NLT). He walked the path you’re on today so that you could go to Him knowing He understands, and that He is able to help.

Ezekiel 18-19, Hebrews 12

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™


Understanding Satan’s schemes
11 NOVEMBER 2021

‘We are not unaware of his schemes.’
2 Corinthians 2:11 NIV

One of Satan’s favourite schemes is getting us to use legitimate things in an illegitimate way. During the wilderness temptation, he tried to take advantage of Christ’s hunger by saying, ‘Turn these stones into…bread’ (Matthew 4:3 MSG).

But Jesus knew the Scriptures, so He replied, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”’ (v. 4 NKJV). Had Jesus given in to His human impulses, He would have gone along with Satan’s scheme and forfeited His heavenly Father’s supply that was just about to arrive. We all need money, but Satan will tempt you to cheat on your taxes, short-change your customers, cut corners on the job, or withhold your donation.

We have all been created with the need for companionship and sexual fulfilment. But Satan will tempt you to fulfil those needs by having an affair or trapping you into online pornography. We all long to be successful in our career. But Satan will tempt you to achieve it through lying, manipulating, or blowing someone else’s light out in order to let yours shine.

One of his oldest schemes is to confuse our values so that good appears to be evil, and evil appears as good. So what’s the answer? Paul says, ‘Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes’ (Ephesians 6:11 NIVUK). There is only one way to unmask Satan and defeat his schemes, and that’s through a close walk with God, a daily study of the Scriptures, and a consistent prayer life. That’s how you guard your mind, your mouth, and your morals.

Ezekiel 20-21, Hebrews 13

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

You must hear from God for yourself
12 NOVEMBER 2021

‘What does my Lord say to His servant?’
Joshua 5:14 NKJV

In the New Testament, God emphasised different things to each of the seven churches in Revelation. Why? Because they each had a different assignment and faced different challenges. It’s wise to read good books and listen to good mentors and teachers, but don’t assume that what God told them is what He is telling you. There are times when you need to hear from Him for yourself.

You may adopt certain principles, but you must get your plan from God. That’s why it’s sometimes hard for God to get through to preachers. When He speaks to them personally, they give it an introduction, three points, and a conclusion – and preach it to others! And as a spiritual leader, there is another potential pitfall: trying to get ‘a word’ for others because they happen to be bothering you.

Let God straighten them out and get back to where you belong! Paul wrote, ‘We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us’ (2 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). Your authority and anointing depend on being where God wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do. When you’re driven by ego, or other people’s expectations, or a goal God gave to someone else, you’re setting yourself up to fail. You must hear from God for yourself.

If you’re assigned – you’re confined! You can’t go where you like and do as you please, so ask God to crown your efforts with success. If you’re in the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, don’t let pride keep you there. Pray, ‘What does my Lord say to His servant?’ Then, do it!

Ezekiel 22-23, James 1

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Does your love have staying power?
13 NOVEMBER 2021

‘[size]Love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.’
1 John 4:7 NIV[/size]

When we watch celebrities move through multiple marriages and hop from one relationship to another, it reminds us that you can have charisma without character, talent without trustworthiness, and skill without staying power. A cartoon in a magazine showed a couple standing before a minister during their wedding ceremony. The minister, looking at the bride, said, ‘The correct response is, “I do,” not, “It’s worth a try.”’ Love – in marriage and in any other relationship – requires unselfishness and commitment on our part.

And contrary to popular opinion, it doesn’t come easily or naturally to any of us. Love is others-centred and self-sacrificing. The truth is that we’re all self-centred; in our own natural selves, we care little about making sacrifices for others unless we’re highly motivated and well rewarded.

That’s why the Bible teaches us that one of the secrets of having an intimate relationship with someone else is having one with God. John the apostle writes, ‘Love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love’ (vv. 7-8 NIV). And if you ask Him to do it, God will download that kind of love into your heart.

Here’s how He does it: ‘God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us’ (Romans 5:5 NIV). This kind of love grows as we mature it. It develops as we feed it. It expands as we persist in it. Bottom line: this kind of love has staying power!

Ezekiel 24-26, James 2