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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

He’s a God of restoration (1)
14 MARCH 2022

‘I will restore to you…’
Joel 2:25 NKJV

Whatever life has taken from you, God can restore. He may not give you exactly what you want, but He will give you what’s best. And even when you fall under His corrective hand through disobedience, if you repent, He will reinstate you to a place of blessing. You say, ‘But what about the time I’ve wasted, the opportunities I’ve squandered, and the mess I’ve made of my life? Sometimes I wonder if I’ve fallen so low that even God cannot reach me.’ No, there’s hope for you. The Bible says, ‘Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear’ (Isaiah 59:1 NKJV). After wasting all that he’d inherited from his father, the Prodigal Son returned home, penniless and embarrassed. All he wanted was three square meals and a job in the servants’ quarters. But the moment he said, ‘Forgive me,’ his father called for the best robe, the fattest cow, the newest shoes, and a ring of son-ship restoring him to his rightful place as a member of the family. Even under the crushing weight of the Old Testament law, with demands that no one could live up to, God said, ‘If a man steals an ox or a sheep…he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep’ (Exodus 22:1 NKJV). Now if God would do that for those who lived under the law and on the wrong side of the cross, how much more will He do for those He has redeemed? So you can go to Him today with confidence, knowing He’s a God of restoration.

Numbers 23-35, Mark 8:1-30

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

He’s a God of restoration (2)
15 MARCH 2022

‘You shall surely…recover all.’
1 Samuel 30:8 NKJV

One day the Amalekites swept down on King David’s home town, burning it to the ground and taking its families captive. In this scene of devastation, David and his men ‘lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep’ (1 Samuel 30:4 NKJV). Now, God will let you grieve your losses because that’s healthy, but He won’t allow you to stay there too long. So God said to David, ‘Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all’ (v. 8). Did David and his men get back everything they had lost? Yes, and much more besides, for our God is not only a God of restoration but a God of abundance. You say, ‘I feel so ashamed of the years I have wasted.’ The God Who created time can give you more of it. ‘I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten…the consuming locust…You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the Name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame’ (Joel 2:25-26 NKJV). Notice the word, ‘plenty’. When God blesses you, it will not come from an eyedropper or from a rationed supply. No, you’ll be able to sing, ‘His love hath no limit; His grace hath no measure, His power no boundary known unto men. For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.’ Ever since Adam and Eve ‘blew it’ in Eden, God’s desire and plan has been to restore to us all that we have lost. So come to Him today and let the restoration begin.

Numbers 26-28, Mark 8:31-38

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

He’s a God of restoration (3)
16 MARCH 2022

‘That you through his poverty might become rich.’
2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV

Are you saying, ‘If only I hadn’t said, or done…’? You’re not unique; we all have our regrets. But God wants us to learn from them, not live in them. ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.’ Jesus wore the crown of thorns so you could wear the crown of righteousness, and be in right standing with God. ‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 5:1 KJV). Being justified gives you the right to stand before God and claim His best. Is your business struggling or failing? Peter the fisherman experienced that too. So Jesus, the Restorer, said to him: ‘“Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink’ (Luke 5:4-7 NKJV). Just one word from Jesus, and you can go from the threshold of bankruptcy to adding a second boat. Jesus actually gave Peter back more than he lost. So the word for today is, ‘Believe for more than you expected, because our God is a God of restoration.’

Numbers 29-31, Mark 9:1-29

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Acknowledging God’s sovereignty
17 MARCH 2022

‘God is good.’
Romans 12:1 CEV

Paul writes, ‘God is good. So…offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice…Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him’ (vv. 1-2 CEV). There are two ways to understand God’s sovereignty: a) through His initiative, and b) through our response. In essence, Paul is saying this: 1) Resist the pressures of a world system that pulls you in the wrong direction. 2) Renew your mind every day through prayer and reading God’s Word. 3) Recognise His will for you and live accordingly. But Paul doesn’t stop there. He writes: ‘Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honour others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of…needy people…Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you…When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. Be friendly with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you are smarter than others. Make friends with ordinary people. Don’t mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, and do your best to live at peace with everyone’ (vv. 9-18 CEV). God’s sovereignty doesn’t release us from personal responsibility. It doesn’t mean we should lose interest in current affairs or in making informed decisions. God still expects us to strive for excellence and show concern for a lost world. Acknowledging God’s sovereignty sets you free from playing God and enables you to enjoy walking with Him.

Numbers 32-34, Mark 9:30-50

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Don’t let your feelings control you
18 MARCH 2022

‘Carefully guard your thoughts.’
Proverbs 4:23 CEV

When it comes to everyday living, you can walk according to the unchanging principles of God’s Word or by your constantly changing feelings. When you live by God’s Word, you have stability. When you live by your feelings, it’s like riding a roller coaster; one day you’re up, the next day you’re down. God wants to bring you into emotional maturity, but you have to cooperate with Him. This calls for a daily act of your will; choosing to do things His way rather than your own. And once it becomes a habit, you discover that life is more enjoyable. Now, you don’t let everyone who knocks on your door come in and make themselves at home, so why would you let every emotion that surfaces dictate the direction of your day or decide your responses? ‘Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life’ (v. 23 CEV). It’s your thinking that produces your feelings, not vice versa! That’s why Paul writes, ‘Capture every thought and make it…obey Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5 NCV). In other words, if a thought doesn’t line up with God’s Word, don’t give it a voice or a vote. ‘We walk by faith, not by sight’ (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV). This may come as a surprise, but as a Christian, you won’t always feel God’s presence. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to two of His disciples on the Emmaus road, yet they didn’t recognise Him. Why? Because they were occupied with their feelings! How did He lift them out of their negative emotions? ‘He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself’ (Luke 24:27 NKJV). Bottom line: you must be led only by God’s Word.

Numbers 35-36, Mark 10:1-31

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Learning from lepers
19 MARCH 2022

‘And…as they went, they were cleansed.’
Luke 17:14 NKJV

‘Ten…lepers…lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”…He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and…glorified God…So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the [other] nine?”…And He said to him…“Your faith has made you well”’ (vv. 12-19 NKJV). This story teaches us these three things: 1) Sometimes the answer comes quickly; other times it comes slowly, step-by-step. The Bible says, ‘As they went, they were cleansed.’ You don’t know which step will bring the answer, so you must keep walking in faith. Mosaic law dictated that before a leper could be welcomed back into society, the priest must pronounce him ‘clean’. Think about it: Jesus saw the change in these men before it ever took place; that’s because He has the power to make it happen! 2) Don’t give up because others reject you. As social outcasts, these men expected Jesus to treat them accordingly. But when you draw close to God, He will draw close to you (see James 4:8). Are you struggling with an issue that has caused others to shun you or cast you aside? Jesus won’t do that. He said, ‘Whoever comes to me I will never drive away’ (John 6:37 NIV). 3) Always remember to thank and praise God. Only one of the ten lepers passed the gratitude test. Would you have passed it? When you realise how much your thanks means to the Lord, you will never let a day go by without praising and worshipping Him.

Deuteronomy 1-3, Mark 10:32-52

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace (1)
20 MARCH 2022

‘Perfect love expels all fear.’
1 John 4:18 NLT

God cares about you too much to leave you in any doubt about His love. The Bible says His ‘perfect love expels all fear’. If God loved us with an imperfect love, we’d have cause to worry. Human love is flawed; it keeps a checklist of our sins and shortcomings – and consults it often. God keeps no such list. His love casts out our fear because it casts out our guilt. John writes, ‘If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart’ (1 John 3:20 NKJV). When you feel unforgiven, question your feelings but don’t question God. Go back to His Word; it outranks self-criticism and self-doubt. Nothing fosters confidence like a clear grasp of God’s grace, and nothing fosters fear like ignorance of it. The fact is if you haven’t accepted God’s grace, you’re doomed to live in fear. No pill, pep talk, psychiatrist or earthly possession can put your mind at ease. Those things may help numb your fear, but they can’t eradicate it. Only God’s grace can do that. Have you accepted Christ’s forgiveness? If not, get down on your knees and do it now. The Bible says, ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us…and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9 KJV). The place of confession is also the place of cleansing and restored confidence towards God. Your prayer can be as simple as this: ‘Lord, I admit I’ve turned away from You. Please forgive me. I place my soul in Your hands and my trust in Your grace. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.’ Now, having received God’s forgiveness, mercy and grace – live like it!

Luke 5:17-39, Psalms 31-32

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace (2)
21 MARCH 2022

‘Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.”’
Psalm 3:2 NIV

Regardless of how badly you have failed or how often you have failed – God won’t give up on you. So don’t give up on yourself! Nothing you’ve done is beyond the scope of His grace. Others may give up on you, but not God. King David fell as low as a person can get. He was guilty of adultery, deception and murder – all major offences. But God forgave and restored him. He writes about it in two psalms. In the first psalm he writes: ‘Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side…Deliver me, my God!’ (vv. 2-7 NIV). In the next psalm he writes: ‘He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him’ (Psalm 40:1-3 NIV). And the God who turned David’s greatest mess into a message, and his greatest test into a testimony, will do the same for you when you turn to Him and receive His forgiveness, mercy and grace.

Deuteronomy 4-6, Mark 11:1-19

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Stick with God’s plan (1)
22 MARCH 2022

‘God always does what he plans.’
Ephesians 1:11 CEV

God said, ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end’ (Revelation 22:13 CEV). God determines the end result He wants, then starts at the beginning and works towards it. He ‘always does what he plans’. Joseph discovered that even when your family turns against you, God’s plan is still in effect. Looking back, he said, ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good’ (Genesis 50:20 NIV). But don’t confuse ‘good’ with ‘comfortable’. When God corrects or redirects you, it doesn’t always feel good. But it is good! David said, ‘When you corrected me, it did me good because it taught me’ (Psalm 119:71 CEV). If you’re not sure of God’s plan, seek Him until He shows it to you. Other things may seem more urgent, but nothing is more important. And if you already know God’s plan, rest assured that no human action can cancel it. The psalmist wrote, ‘The Lord will vindicate me; your love…endures forever’ (Psalm 138:8 NIV). There is no situation Satan can devise for which God hasn’t already made ‘the way of escape’ (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV). Paul reassures us: ‘God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted [tested] beyond what you are able, but with the temptation [testing] will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it’ (v. 13 NKJV). It’s in your times of testing that you discover ‘God is faithful’. He will stretch you, but never beyond your breaking point. His plan is for you to come out of this experience stronger and ready for what’s next on His agenda.

Deuteronomy 7-9, Mark 11:20-33

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Stick with God’s plan (2)
23 MARCH 2022

‘God is the one who began this good work in you.’
Philippians 1:6 CEV

Paul writes, ‘God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain…he won’t stop before it is complete’ (v. 6 CEV). You will notice that Jesus regularly took time out of His busy schedule to pray. In fact, He sometimes prayed all night. And He tells us why: ‘The Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing’ (John 5:19-20 NLT). Under the weight of our sins, He cried from the cross, ‘My God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Matthew 27:46 NIV). And His words teach us three important things: 1) We can be following God’s plan and still feel overwhelmed and alone at times. 2) When God doesn’t answer, we must practise standing on the promises He gave us in His Word. 3) The pain we’re feeling will eventually give way to the joy that awaits us on the other side of it. So stick with God’s plan; as long as you do that, there is nothing the enemy can do to destroy you. The Bible says, ‘No weapon turned against you will succeed…These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord’ (Isaiah 54:17 NLT). When you feel like you have reached the end of your rope, do what Jesus did and pray, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’ (Luke 23:46 NIV). In other words, turn it all over to God. Trust Him to do what you can’t do and to bring you through in victory.

Deuteronomy 10-12, Mark 12:1-27