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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Learning to confront (1)
12 FEBRUARY 2022

‘If you accept correction, you will be honoured.’
Proverbs 13:18 NLT

We don’t enjoy confrontation, but it’s impossible to grow without it. Healthy confrontation calls for ‘speaking the truth in love’ (Ephesians 4:15 NIV) to those we value. Just as God confronts each of us in areas where we need to grow, He expects us to do the same for others. Is it easy? No. But here are some guiding principles to help you: 1) Talk to the person, not about them. Healthy confrontation should be direct and, when possible, done in private. It calls for thoughtful communication, delivered firmly but graciously. When people are hurting, handle them with care. 2) Don’t exaggerate or use spiritual hype. Give specific examples. Don’t hide behind words like ‘I believe the Lord has shown me that you’re wrong’. When Nathan the prophet confronted King David about his sin with Bathsheba, he was specific. And keep your emotions in check; allow enough time between the offence and the confrontation for a prayerful defusing of any anger you feel. 3) Don’t guilt-trip them; help them. Don’t leave somebody in a stew without clear direction on how to improve. That’s not fair, and it’s not constructive. Actually, it can lead to more intense issues and unwanted complications. The best approach is to calmly identify the problem and suggest ways it can be resolved. Your goal isn’t to expose somebody but to show them a better way. 4) Don’t be critical; be compassionate. If you miss everything else, don’t miss this! If you do, you will find yourself condemning rather than confronting. If you’re honest, you will admit that your own road to success has had some potholes – so approach others with love and concern.

Exodus 39-40, Matthew 23:23-39

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Learning to confront (2)
13 FEBRUARY 2022

‘For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.’
Hebrews 12:11 ESV

Healthy confrontation calls for putting the other person’s well-being above your own interests. So how do you confront someone in the right way? By doing these three things: 1) Be sure. There must be a good reason to confront. And it should be a rare event, not an everyday one. You shouldn’t relish the experience. If you do, you need to examine your motives. Are you feeling superior? Are you redirecting your anger towards this person over a completely different issue? Are you lifting yourself up by putting them down? Before confronting someone, you must answer these questions truthfully. 2) Be specific. Vagueness leads to an uncertain outcome, no matter how tactful and gracious your words may be. Make sure you know the reason for the confrontation; then make it clear to the other person. 3) Be sensitive. Every situation is different, so a season of soul-searching and prayer should precede any face-to-face encounter. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for problems, and the other person will sense uncertainty and uneasiness in your words. Don’t run that risk. If you haven’t taken the time to pray and get counsel beforehand, don’t jump into the situation on your own. We have all seen this type of Clint Eastwood ‘Go ahead, make my day’ approach. Without fail, it leaves confusion, resentment, and a trail of wounded souls. Make sure your words and tone of voice are attuned to the person you’re dealing with. And try to keep your personal agenda in check; none of this is about you! Pay close attention to timing, choose your words carefully, and, for sure, pray for guidance. Remember, Christlike confrontation brings the right result every time.

Luke 3:1-19, Psalms 18-19

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Remember to say ‘I love you’
14 FEBRUARY 2022

‘Jonathan asked David to repeat his promise of love for him.’
1 Samuel 20:17 NCV

Hoping to save their relationship, a woman dragged her husband to see a counsellor. During their session, the counsellor asked him, ‘Do you tell your wife you love her?’ The man growled, ‘I told her when we got married I loved her – and that if I ever changed my mind, I’d let her know.’ Seriously, people know you love them when you show them and when you tell them. The relationship between Jonathan and David was so strong that they were willing to lay down their lives for one another. Yet the Bible says, ‘Jonathan asked David to repeat his promise of love for him.’ When you lose a loved one, you realise that relationships are much more important than possessions. We tend to forget that, in our scramble to get to the top of the heap. There is something about knowing you have a short time to live that radically alters your perspective. It makes you want to fill every precious moment with important words you have left unsaid and important things you have neglected to do. Don’t let self-centredness masquerading as ambition or religious zeal stop you from expressing your love to the people in your life who need to hear it. Make that call. Send that e-mail. Buy those flowers. Say, ‘I love you.’ Most times, people don’t need our opinions and solutions; when we give them our love and support, they usually find their own solutions. Yes, it’s important to fulfil your God-given assignment in life, but not at the cost of the people who really matter. Three little words people never get tired of hearing are ‘I love you’. It’s not complicated – it just requires thought.

Leviticus 1-3, Matthew 24:1-28

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Making Jesus look good, on the job
15 FEBRUARY 2022

‘You are the salt…You are the light.’
Matthew 5:13-14 NKJV

Do the people you work with know that you are a follower of Christ? What do they think of your attitude towards those in authority? How about the people who work under you – are you critical or complimentary towards them? How is your timekeeping? Do you arrive to work on time and give 100 per cent? Do you demonstrate a commitment to personal growth and excellence on the job? In other words, on the job, are you making Jesus look good? When you begin to think seriously about it, the eternal destiny of some of the people you work with may be riding on your performance. Right now, they may not be too interested in what you have to say when it comes to the things of God. But all of that can change in an instant. When people face a crisis in life like death, divorce, sickness, or unemployment, they want someone with real answers. That’s when they seek out the boys they threw into the fiery furnace and the lions’ den, because nobody else around them has answers that work. Jesus said: ‘You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?…Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill…I’ve put you…on a hilltop, on a light stand – shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God’ (Matthew 5:13-16 MSG).

Leviticus 4-5, Matthew 24:29-51

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Don’t exaggerate
16 FEBRUARY 2022

‘My words are plain to anyone with understanding.’
Proverbs 8:9 NLT

King Solomon wrote: ‘Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding’ (vv. 6-9 NLT). We usually embellish the truth in order to get these two things: the attention and the approval of the listener. But eventually, it backfires. Over time, people discover your propensity to stretch the truth, and you lose your credibility with them. And once you lose that, it takes a long time to get it back – if ever. Sweeping statements like ‘Everybody does it,’ or ‘You never,’ or ‘You always’ cause people to discount you and eventually slot you as untrustworthy. It’s okay to say something with enthusiasm but avoid exaggeration. Stick to the facts and resist the urge to be the centre of attention by engaging in this form of lying. Joseph’s brothers resented the favour of God that was on his life. So, they threw him into a pit, dipped his coat in blood, then took it back home and showed it to their ageing father. They didn’t say a word. They simply let the old man conclude that his son had been devoured by a wild beast. And what’s more, they allowed him to live with that cruel lie for years. Revelation 22:15 says, ‘Whosoever loveth and maketh a lie’ is lumped together with ‘sorcerers…whoremongers…murderers, and idolaters’ (KJV). So, unless that’s the company you want to be identified with, tell the whole truth. Today make your prayer, ‘Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and…a deceitful tongue’ (Psalm 120:2 NKJV).

Leviticus 6-7, Matthew 25:1-30

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Where there is strife, sow seeds of peace
17 FEBRUARY 2022

‘For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.’
James 3:16 KJV

When a well-known pastor was asked by a sceptic, ‘Do you believe there is such a thing as a real devil?’ he smiled and replied, ‘Have you ever been to an annual church business meeting?’ Seriously, if you have been a church member for any length of time, you know that strife rears its ugly head in the family of God just like it does everywhere else. Paul and Barnabas, a brilliant ministry team, allowed their differences over John Mark to separate them to where they could no longer work together. Later Paul changed his mind, but the die was already cast. He appealed ‘to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News’ (Philippians 4:2-3 NLT). Strife hinders our prayers, takes our focus off lost souls, and makes us ineffective in our ministry. We must learn to respect each other’s talents, perspectives, and positions instead of envying them. In other words, learn to disagree without being disagreeable. The Bible says: ‘Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace’ (James 3:16-18 KJV). God blesses peacemakers (see Matthew 5:9), so when strife arises in your church, make it your mission to sow seeds of peace!

Leviticus 8-10, Matthew 25:31-46

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

To succeed, you must study God’s Word
18 FEBRUARY 2022

‘Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.’
Psalm 119:18 NIV

The key to Bible study is to do it daily, systematically, and prayerfully. The psalmist prayed, ‘Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.’ This involves three things: 1) God will show you the truth about Himself. You will discover His nature, His opinions, and what He values. And if you grew up with an absent or abusive parent, you will discover that your heavenly Father is entirely different – lovingly different! 2) God will show you the truth about others. You will begin to understand and appreciate their places in your life. You will also learn to recognise and anticipate their needs and the role God wants you to play in helping them. You see, when God blesses you, it’s always to make you a blessing to others (see Genesis 12:1-2). 3) God will show you the truth about yourself. You will start to grasp and appreciate how important you are to Him. Yes, He will point out your problems and weaknesses. But He will do more than that. He will show you the possibilities He sees in you and the plans He has for you (see Jeremiah 29:11). So, set aside time each day to study your Bible. And spend part of it simply reading, without trying to delve into complex theological concepts. Read and absorb what God has to say, and let His Spirit speak to your heart. And here is an additional thought: since the Bible is the only book God ever wrote, and one day you’re going to stand before the author Himself, wouldn’t you like to be able to tell Him you have read His book?

Leviticus 11-12, Matthew 26:1-25

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

God will give you another chance
19 FEBRUARY 2022

‘Turn back to me…ask for help, and I will answer your prayers.’
Jeremiah 29:12 CEV

Because they disobeyed God, the Jews spent seventy years as slaves in Babylon. They lost their joy, their freedom, and their identity; all the things that make life worth living. But God hadn’t finished with them. He told them this: ‘After…seventy years, I will be kind and bring you back to Jerusalem, just as I have promised. I will bless you with a future filled with hope – a future of success, not of suffering. You will turn back to me…ask for help, and I will answer your prayers. You will worship me with all your heart, and I will be with you and accept your worship.…You feel secure’ (vv. 10-15 CEV). Maybe you have veered off course. We all have at one time or another. But when you read biblical accounts of the people God blessed and used, you discover that failing isn’t unusual. Often, it’s part of the learning curve. The fact is, there is nothing in your past or present that God can’t use. When we come into this world, none of us knows exactly what we’re supposed to do with our lives. And that’s okay. Just start where you are right now. When God puts your life back on track, He starts by giving you a sense of hope, because only God-given hope will sustain you through the rough times. If you’re wondering whether you will ever get to where you’re supposed to be in life, go back and reread what God promised His people: ‘A future filled with hope’ (v. 11 CEV). And the God who gave Israel another chance will give you one, too, when you turn to Him.

Leviticus 13, Matthew 26:26-46

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Servants to God’s will
20 FEBRUARY 2022

‘As the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.’
Ephesians 6:6 KJV

The word ‘servant’ can have a negative connotation, but not in this Scripture. Knowing how pressures and people distract us from our God-given purpose, Paul uses the strongest possible language, doulos (meaning ‘slave’ or servant’), to remind us that we’re supposed to be servants to God’s will. Jesus loved people so much that one day He would die to redeem them, but that didn’t stop Him from saying no when He needed to. Pleasing and appeasing people to win their approval is never a good idea because it puts someone other than God in the driver’s seat of your life. Instead of letting Himself be side-tracked, 1) Jesus refused to let other people’s idea of what was important keep Him from His mission, 2) Jesus recognised that doing God’s will was more important than trying to meet everybody else’s expectations, and 3) Jesus made prayer and uninterrupted time with His Father a top priority. Was that easy? No, and it won’t be easy for you either! Early in His ministry when word spread about His miracles, a ‘whole town gathered…and Jesus healed many’ (Mark 1:33-34 NIV). The next morning another crowd was waiting on His doorstep! And how Jesus responded this time might surprise you. ‘While it was still dark, Jesus…left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else…so I can preach there also. That is why I have come”’ (vv. 35-38 NIV). Jesus was a servant to God’s will, and you must be too.

Luke 3:20-38, Psalms 20-22

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Are you doing it for the right reasons?
21 FEBRUARY 2022

‘He had this testimony, that he pleased God.’
Hebrews 11:5 NKJV

When you grow up with rejection, it can manifest itself in a need to isolate and withdraw or in a drive to constantly ‘prove yourself’. One man said it like this: ‘I can still hear my father yelling, telling me I’d never be any good, never amount to anything. The more he yelled, the more determined I became to prove him wrong.’ Are the wrong voices speaking to you? If they are – read on! The Bible says Enoch ‘had this testimony, that he pleased God’. How? ‘By faith’ (v. 5 NKJV). God sees you differently from how your parents or peers do. Their acceptance is often based on your performance, whereas God’s acceptance is based on your position. Paul writes, ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…that in him we might become the righteousness of God’ (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). God sees us wrapped in the righteousness of Christ; therefore, we’re always acceptable. That doesn’t mean you don’t work hard; it means working for the right reasons. Instead of striving for God’s approval, you serve Him out of gratitude. Once you know that your identity and worth aren’t tied to the car you drive, the home you live in, how much you earn, or the people you mix with, it changes your motivation. Instead of being concerned about the neighbourhood you live in, you become concerned about your neighbours. Instead of focusing on how much money you make, your focus becomes financing God’s kingdom. Instead of worrying about your job title, your goal becomes performing with excellence and integrity. In other words, instead of just working hard, you’re doing it for the right reasons.

Leviticus 14, Matthew 26:47-75