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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™


Positioned for God’s blessing
24 NOVEMBER 2021

‘And the LORD said, “Here is a place by Me.”’
Exodus 33:21 NKJV


God told Moses, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you’ (v. 19 NKJV). But in order to see that promise fulfilled, Moses had to be properly positioned, so God said, ‘Here is a place by Me.’ When you function in the place where God has assigned you, you can claim His promise: ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you.’ Why would the Prodigal Son leave his father’s house when everything he needed was there? Because: 1) He wanted his father’s blessing, but not his authority.

Jesus said, ‘Why do you call me, “Lord”…and do not do what I say?’ (Luke 6:46 NIV). Why indeed! Peter Marshall, former chaplain to the US Senate, once prayed: ‘Lord, help us to apply what we applaud.’ 2) He took his father’s blessings for granted.

God warned the Israelites: ‘Be careful…you do not forget the Lord, who brought you…out of…slavery’ (Deuteronomy 6:12 NIV). When they crossed the river Jordan, He told them to take twelve stones, one for each tribe, and build a memorial. Why? To remind them of who they were, who He was, and His covenant with them. 3) He didn’t know the danger waiting for him out there.

And as a result, he ended up in a pigpen. Understand this: the path that takes you away from God may begin with pleasure, but it always ends with pain. Ask those who have walked it, and they will tell you, ‘Don’t go there!’ Live by this Scripture: ‘He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty’ (Psalm 91:1 NKJV). Stay positioned for God’s blessing.

Daniel 1-2, 2 Peter 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Positioned for God’s blessing
25 NOVEMBER 2021

‘And the LORD said, “Here is a place by Me.”’
Exodus 33:21 NKJV

God told Moses, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you’ (v. 19 NKJV). But in order to see that promise fulfilled, Moses had to be properly positioned, so God said, ‘Here is a place by Me.’ When you function in the place where God has assigned you, you can claim His promise: ‘I will make all My goodness pass before you.’ Why would the Prodigal Son leave his father’s house when everything he needed was there? Because: 1) He wanted his father’s blessing, but not his authority. Jesus said, ‘Why do you call me, “Lord”…and do not do what I say?’ (Luke 6:46 NIV). Why indeed! Peter Marshall, former chaplain to the US Senate, once prayed: ‘Lord, help us to apply what we applaud.’ 2) He took his father’s blessings for granted. God warned the Israelites: ‘Be careful…you do not forget the Lord, who brought you…out of…slavery’ (Deuteronomy 6:12 NIV).

When they crossed the river Jordan, He told them to take twelve stones, one for each tribe, and build a memorial. Why? To remind them of who they were, who He was, and His covenant with them. 3) He didn’t know the danger waiting for him out there.

And as a result, he ended up in a pigpen. Understand this: the path that takes you away from God may begin with pleasure, but it always ends with pain.

Ask those who have walked it, and they will tell you, ‘Don’t go there!’ Live by this Scripture: ‘He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty’ (Psalm 91:1 NKJV). Stay positioned for God’s blessing.

Daniel 1-2, 2 Peter 2[/color]

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

The danger of rising too quickly
26 NOVEMBER 2021

‘Never be in a hurry about appointing a…leader.’
1 Timothy 5:22 NLT

Before David became the king of Israel, he spent years tending a flock of sheep in the wilderness. That’s not an impressive start. But that’s where he built his relationship with God and honed his skills as a strategist and warrior. If you want to succeed, here is an immutable principle you must understand: God will let you practise in a place where your weaknesses can be worked on, your gifts developed, and where your mistakes won’t affect too many others.

One Bible teacher tells of a pilot friend who received word from the control tower saying, ‘You’re cleared for five thousand feet.’ When he got there, he was told to hold for further instructions. Then came the words, ‘You’re cleared for ten thousand feet.’ Gradually the controller took him level by level to thirty-five thousand feet where he was cleared to fly to his destination.

That day, God spoke to him saying, ‘I wish you would trust Me like that. Instead, you want to go straight to thirty-five thousand feet in one thrust!’ Try to understand this: God sees the end from the beginning, and He has already mapped out your journey. He knows that if you rise too quickly, there are dangers.

You may be in the cockpit – but God is in the control tower! And today He is saying to you, ‘Trust Me and I’ll get you safely to your destination.’ God’s plan for your life can’t be rushed. When you try to rise too quickly, 1) you make costly and painful mistakes, 2) you adversely affect the lives of those who depend on you, and 3) you end up in a tug-of-war with God, which you lose!

Daniel 3-4, 2 Peter 3

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Take the initiative (1)
27 NOVEMBER 2021

‘Be strong and of good courage, for you must go.’
Deuteronomy 31:7 NKJV

When God gives you an unconditional promise, all you need to do is wait for it. But when He makes a conditional promise, you have a part to play in its fulfilment. Sometimes that calls for taking the initiative. For Israel, it meant being willing to face opposition and drive the occupying nations from the promised land so it could be theirs. ‘Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed”’ (vv. 7-8 NKJV).

In essence, God was saying, ‘When you take the initiative, I will act on your behalf.’ And He’s saying the same thing to you today. Here is what it means to take the initiative: 1) Knowing what you want. Humourist and pianist Oscar Levant once quipped, ‘Once I make up my mind, I’m full of indecision.’ We smile, but sadly that’s the way many of us operate. The fact is, you can’t be indecisive and be effective at the same time. 2) Being willing to take risks.

The difference between a believer and a nonbeliever is this: as a believer, God has promised to go before you and arrange the circumstances in your favour. ‘But I’m afraid!’ you say. Faith in God doesn’t eliminate fear – it overcomes it. So take the initiative.

Daniel 5-7, 1 John 1

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™


Take the initiative (2)
28 NOVEMBER 2021

‘Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD.’
Jeremiah 17:7 NKJV

Second, take action. There is an old saying ‘you can if you will’. Initiators don’t wait for others to motivate them. They know it’s their responsibility to move themselves forward beyond their comfort zone, and they make it a practice.

President Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘There is nothing brilliant or outstanding in my record, except perhaps this one thing. I do the things I believe ought to be done. And when I make up my mind to do a thing, I act.’ The Bible says, ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good [take action]; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness’ (Psalm 37:3 NKJV).

Third, learn from your failures and keep moving forward. The good news for initiators is, they make things happen. The bad news is, they make lots of mistakes along the way. The greater your potential, the greater your chance for failure.

Senator Robert Kennedy said, ‘Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.’ Are you constantly on the lookout for opportunity, or do you wait for it to come to you? Are you willing to pray and take a step of faith, or do you endlessly analyse everything? As former chairman of Chrysler, Lee Iacocca said, ‘Even the correct decision is wrong when it was taken too late.’ When was the last time you initiated something substantial in your life? If you haven’t moved yourself forward out of your comfort zone lately, you might have to jump-start your initiative. The Bible says, ‘He is [your] help and…shield’ (Psalm 115:11 NKJV). That means God will help you to succeed. And when you fail, He will protect and redirect you.

Luke 22:39-71, Psalms 119:89-176

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Take the initiative (3)
29 NOVEMBER 2021

‘The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.’
Proverbs 29:25 NKJV

Fourth, change your mindset. Does risk scare you? Are you discouraged by past failures? Do you not see the potential that opportunity offers? You won’t be able to move forward until you discover what is holding you back. ‘The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.’ A snare is a trap. And when you begin to see your fears as a trap, you will want to be free from them.

Fifth, don’t wait for opportunity to knock. Opportunity seldom comes knocking; you have to go look for it. Assess your assets, talents, and resources. Doing so will give you a picture of your potential. ‘But I don’t have any special talents,’ you say. Yes, you do. ‘God has…given each of us different gifts to use’ (Romans 12:6 CEV). Sixth, take the next step. It’s one thing to notice an opportunity; it’s another to act on it.

Somebody once quipped, ‘Everyone has a great idea in the shower. But only a few people step out, dry off, and do something about it.’ Choose the best opportunity you see, pray about it, do the best with it that you can, and keep going until you have done everything possible to make it happen. And when you have done your best – trust God to do the rest.

Winston Churchill said, ‘Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities…because it is the quality which guarantees all others.’ And where does courage come from? God! The psalmist said, ‘Trust in the Lord forever…for in…the Lord, is everlasting strength’ (Isaiah 26:4 NKJV).

Daniel 8-10, 1 John 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™


You’re in a time of testing
30 NOVEMBER 2021

‘Joseph remained a slave until his own words had come true, and the LORD had finished testing him.’
Psalm 105:19 CEV

God may not respond exactly when you want Him to, but He is always on time. ‘No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly’ (Psalm 84:11 NKJV). It’s difficult to watch God blessing others while you’re forced to wait. The Bible tells us, ‘Joseph remained a slave until his own words came true, and the Lord had finished testing him.’ God’s plan was for Joseph to live in a palace, yet for years he lived in a prison, charged with crimes he never committed.

But it was there he met a butler who had the ear of Pharaoh, and through this connection, he was promoted to the number-two spot in Egypt. Understand this: when you walk with God, your opportunities for advancement are regulated by His plan, not someone else’s actions. And preparation always precedes promotion. When Elijah called down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel, everybody admired and applauded him. But then he spent years living through a famine, and the only friend he had was an impoverished widow. Together they had to trust God for every meal.

That’s when Elijah learned important lessons about humility, divine guidance, and trusting God in times of need; things that don’t necessarily make sense to your natural mind. When God is going to build something great, He takes time to lay a strong foundation. ‘Jesus grew…in favour with God and man’ (Luke 2:52 NIVUK). Allow yourself time to grow. Let Him build a foundation under you that will sustain you and the blessings He has in mind for you in the years ahead.

Daniel 11-12, 1 John 3

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

The reasons for your discontent
01 DECEMBER 2021

‘They have dug…cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!’
Jeremiah 2:13 NLT

Let’s take a moment and try to understand some of the reasons for our discontent: 1) Looking for happiness in the wrong places. God said: ‘My people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me – the fountain of living water. And…dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!’ (v. 13 NLT).


There is an emptiness inside you that only God can fill, and He will, if you invite Him in. 2) Failure to serve others. How we treat others is often a reflection of how we feel about ourselves. Philosopher-poet Eric Hoffer said: ‘The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbour as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves.

We are tolerant towards others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves. It is not only love of self but hatred of self which is at the root of the troubles that afflict our world.’ 3) Comparing ourselves with others. Paul writes, ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice’ (Romans 12:15 NIV).

When you resent someone else’s achievements or level of blessing, joy drains out of your life like a sieve. The Bible says: ‘We are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around…So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvellously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves…or trying to be something we aren’t’ (Romans 12:4-6 MSG).

Hosea 1-4, 1 John 4

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Let their criticism strengthen you
02 DECEMBER 2021

‘Listen…you will be encouraged.’
Judges 7:11 NIV

Are you being criticised? Has it shaken your confidence? God told Gideon, ‘If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp…and listen to what they are saying. Afterwards, you will be encouraged’ (vv. 10-11 NIVUK). Why did God send Gideon and his servant into the enemy camp? To hear what they were saying, and to encourage him. When they arrived, a soldier was telling a friend about his dream: ‘“A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp.


It struck the tent with such force that the tent…collapsed.” His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon…God has given…the whole camp into his hands.” When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he…worshipped’ (vv. 13-15 NIVUK). Sometimes when you need encouragement, it’s good to pay attention to what your critics are saying. As Dale Carnegie observed, ‘Nobody kicks a dead dog!’ You’re making a difference – otherwise, they wouldn’t even notice you. Seen through this framework, criticism can actually strengthen your faith.

For every battle, God has a strategy. So don’t just pray for victory; ask God to show you the winning strategy. A God-given vision will always be greater than the person who is called to fulfil it. The Bible says, ‘Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it’ (Psalm 127:1 KJV). God knows the weight load you can handle, the materials you need, and how it will all fit together in your life. So if He’s speaking to you and, like Gideon, you’re afraid to act, stand on this verse: ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down…the [enemy]’ (Judges 6:16 NIV).

Hosea 5-6, 1 John 5

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

How are things at home?
03 DECEMBER 2021

‘I’m doing the very best I can…at home, where it counts.’
Psalm 101:2 MSG

After King David’s affair with Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan told him, ‘The sword shall never depart from your house’ (2 Samuel 12:10 NKJV). And it happened. His son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar, and because David had lost his moral authority at home, he did nothing about it.

When his other son Adonijah staged a coup, ‘his father…never crossed him at any time by asking, “Why have you done so?”’ (1 Kings 1:6 NASB1995). If ever there was a time David needed to be a husband and father, this was it. As a leader he unified Israel, won wars, and brought the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem.

But with his own family, he blew it. No wonder he ‘went up by…the Mount of Olives, and wept’ (2 Samuel 15:30 NKJV). When he heard of his son Absalom’s untimely death, he cried, ‘If only I had died in your place!’ (2 Samuel 18:33 NKJV). And when he faced death himself, instead of sending for his wife and children, his servants hired a ‘young woman…and she cared for the king’ (1 Kings 1:4 NKJV).

The man who made strangers of his own family died in a stranger’s arms. It’s too late to change David’s story – but not yours! If you succeed in your career and fail at home, your achievements will be hollow. Apart from your relationship with God, your first priority should be to love your spouse and dedicate yourself to the children in your care. David wrote, ‘I’m doing the very best I can…at home, where it counts.’ Sadly, David’s best wasn’t good enough. But by God’s grace, your story can be different!

Hosea 7-8, 2 John