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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Knowing when to let go
23 APRIL 2022

‘As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother.”’
Ephesians 5:31 NLT

When our children are young, we’re so busy providing them with things like love, protection, discipline, training, and authority that it feels like these responsibilities will go on forever. But they don’t. When our children reach their late teens and early twenties, we must open the door for them to the world outside.

If you’re going through this right now and feeling anxious, try to realise that you’re in one of the most challenging and difficult parts of parenting. Your tendency to hold tightly to the reins of control in order to keep your children from making mistakes is natural. But your children are more likely to make good choices if they aren’t compelled to rebel in order to achieve their freedom.

The simple truth is that responsibility and maturity flourish best in an atmosphere of freedom. ‘As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother.”’ The secret of success is in granting your child autonomy at the right time, in the right amount, and with the right attitude. Your goal should be to allow independence little by little through the years, as your children are able to manage new responsibility.

The final release, then, should represent a small step in the direction of freedom instead of a tumble into anarchy. In the final analysis, we all learn by trial and error. You did, and try as you may to avoid it, your children will, too. ‘So what should I do?’ you ask. Pray for them daily, release them into God’s care, and let them know that you will always love them and be there for them.

1 Samuel 4-6, John 9:24-41

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Don’t be a slave to the wrong things
24 APRIL 2022

‘You become the slave of whatever you choose to obey.’
Romans 6:16 NLT

Consider some of the people who are enslaved today through no fault of their own – children sold into the sex trade and immigrants sold into forced labour. That’s not the kind of slavery Paul is talking about when he writes, ‘You become the slave of whatever you choose to obey.’

When it comes to sin, the Bible draws a line in the sand and tells us not to cross it. Why? Because when you cross it once, it’s easier to cross it again. Whether your ‘drug of choice’ is alcohol, illegal or over-the-counter drugs, pornography, gambling, or overeating, you start out believing you’re the master and end up realising you’re the slave. One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is, ‘I can stop whenever I want to.’ The Prodigal Son was forgiven and restored, but he still lost his inheritance. Spiritually, you can lose your confidence before God. Personally, you can lose your sense of self-worth. Publicly, you can lose respect and influence with others. And if you’re not careful, even ‘good’ things can hurt you. A strong work ethic can lead to neglecting your family and losing your marriage. Vegging out in front of the TV can stunt your spiritual growth. Even too much caution and thoughtfulness – good qualities – can prevent you from stepping out in faith and fulfilling your God-given potential.

When God says no, He is not being a killjoy and trying to make your life difficult; He is protecting you! If something has the potential to enslave you, don’t do it. And if you’re already hooked, turn to God and He will set you free.

Luke 8:1-25, Psalms 43-45

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Competence doesn’t compensate for insecurity
25 APRIL 2022

‘From that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.’
1 Samuel 18:9 NLT

One of the truest tests of leadership is how you respond to somebody else’s success. Do you rejoice, or secretly resent them? Do you feel like their blessing somehow came at your expense? King Saul sent David out to fight Goliath. When he succeeded and the Israelites began to sing David’s praises, Saul couldn’t handle it. ‘From that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.’ Leaders who lack confidence are a danger to themselves, their followers, and the groups they lead. That’s because leadership doesn’t camouflage your flaws; it puts them on display. Whatever negative baggage you’re carrying grows heavier when you attempt to lead others. Insecure leaders generally have four common traits:

1) They don’t provide security for others. To be a good leader, you must make your followers feel good about themselves. Honour them. Reward them. Promote them.

2) They take more than they give. Insecure leaders are on a continual search for validation, acknowledgement, and love. And because of that, their focus is on obtaining personal security, not instilling it in others.

3) They continually limit their best people. Insecure leaders don’t see their best people as co-workers; they see them as potential competitors who might rise up through the ranks and threaten their position. Such leaders generally find ways to take the credit for work that was done by others.

4) They continually limit their organisation. When followers are undermined and go unrecognised, they become disheartened and eventually stop performing to their potential. When that occurs, the whole organisation suffers.

Today, examine your leadership style and see if any of these shoes fit you.

1 Samuel 7-9, John 10:1-21

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

How to keep from falling
26 APRIL 2022

‘Whoever does these things will never be shaken.’
Psalm 15:5 NIV

In The Message paraphrase we read, ‘For people who hate discipline and only get more stubborn, there’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break, but by then it’ll be too late to help them”’ (Proverbs 29:1 MSG). King Solomon was reputed to be the wisest man who ever lived. He wrote these words, but sadly he didn’t live by them, so he ‘crashed and burned’. And if it could happen to Solomon, none of us are immune!

Character has become a crucial issue today because so many political, business, and religious leaders have fallen so publicly. As a leader, you don’t operate in a vacuum. You influence many others, and when you fall, they feel the repercussions. When a big oak tree falls, it takes the little trees with it. So how can you guard against falling? By not favouring gifts over character. Today we have an unhealthy tendency to celebrate and reward someone’s gift and overlook their character; both must be developed. Character is the sum total of your daily habits.

In Psalm 15, David gives us eight traits to look for in a leader worthy of respect: 1) They have integrity. 2) They don’t take part in gossip. 3) They don’t harm others. 4) They speak up against wrong. 5) They honour those who walk in the truth. 6) They keep their promise, even at personal cost. 7) They’re not greedy to profit at the expense of others. 8) They’re strong and stable. David concludes his psalm by saying those who do these things ‘will never be shaken’. That’s how you keep from falling!

1 Samuel 10-12, John 10:22-42

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Strive for integrity
27 APRIL 2022

‘The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.’
Proverbs 11:3 NIV

Jesus said, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew 19:19 NIVUK). But in order to love yourself, you must first be able to respect yourself. And self-respect is based on personal integrity.

Author Ted Engstrom tells the following story in his book called Integrity: ‘For Coach Cleveland Stroud and the Bulldogs of Rockdale County High School [Conyers, Georgia], it was their championship season: twenty-one wins and five losses on the way to the Georgia Boys Basketball Tournament last March, then a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the state finals. But now the new glass trophy case outside the high school gymnasium is bare. Earlier this month the Georgia High School Association deprived Rockdale County of the championship after school officials said that a player who was scholastically ineligible had played forty-five seconds in the first of the school’s five postseason games.

'“We didn’t know he was ineligible at the time; we didn’t know it until a few weeks ago,” Coach Stroud said. “Some people have said we should have just kept quiet about it, that it was just forty-five seconds and the player wasn’t an impact player. But you’ve got to do what’s honest and right and what the rules say. I told my team that people forget the scores of basketball games; they don’t ever forget what you’re made of.”’

Every honest or dishonest word and action either adds to or takes away from your character. That’s what the Bible means when it says, ‘The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.’ So today, strive for integrity in all your dealings.

1 Samuel 13-14, John 11:1-29

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Have confidence in your prayers
28 APRIL 2022

‘We are confident…he hears us.’
1 John 5:14 NLT
A leader wrote these words:

‘My dad was a busy man…to get him at work you had to go through a switchboard unless you knew his private number. He gave it to a few business partners, but all of his kids had it…We knew, no matter how busy he was, we could call anytime on his direct line. I’ve the same thing…my kids know my number…they can call me anytime for anything. And you know what? No voices sound sweeter to me than my kids’ voices. When one of them says, “Hi, Dad,” it doesn’t matter what I’m juggling…they’re an absolute priority…Now multiply that out exponentially – and listen to me. Nothing sounds sweeter to God than your voice saying, “Hello, Father.” There’s nothing going on in the cosmos that would keep Him from directing His full attention to your conversation or your request.’

That means when God is your Father, you can call home anytime. He is never more than a prayer away! Jesus said: ‘Ask, and God will give to you…If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!’ (Matthew 7:7, 9-11 NCV).

You can talk to God without begging and grovelling, ‘confident that he hears…whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And…he will give us what we ask for’ (1 John 5:14-15 NLT). So, whatever is robbing you of your confidence in prayer, deal with it today.

1 Samuel 15-16, John 11:30-57

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

The benefits of being unselfish
29 APRIL 2022

‘Look out…for the interests of others.’
Philippians 2:4 NKJV

Unselfishness does three things for you:

1) It improves the quality of your life. It gives you an appreciation for life and a comprehension of its higher values. Seeing people in need and giving to meet those needs sets a lot of things into perspective. One leader writes: ‘There is no life as empty as the self-centred life. There is no life as centred as the self-empty life.’ If you want to enhance your world, focus your attention on assisting others.

2) It makes you part of something greater than yourself. In the mid-1980s, Merck & Company, the global pharmaceutical corporation, developed a medication to cure river blindness, a disease that infects and causes blindness in millions of people, mainly in developing countries. While it was a good product, potential customers couldn’t afford it. So, what did Merck do? It produced the drug anyway and announced that it would give it free to anyone who needed it. As a result, they gave away more than 250 million tablets. George W. Merck says, ‘We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It’s not for the profits. The profits follow, and if we have remembered that, they have never failed to appear.’ The lesson to learn? Simple. Instead of attempting to be great, be part of something greater than yourself.

3) It creates a legacy. Jack Balousek, former president of True North Communications, said, ‘Learn, earn, return – these are the three phases of life.’ When you think unselfishly and invest in others, you gain the opportunity to create a legacy that will outlive you. And that should be your goal.

1 Samuel 17-18, John 12:1-26

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Teach your children
30 APRIL 2022

‘That things will go well for you and your children.’
Deuteronomy 4:40 NCV

As a parent, you’re constantly transmitting your values to your children, so do these:

1) Let them see you pray. Help them to understand that prayer is how we build a lifelong friendship with God. And they will need His friendship when you’re not around to help them. God said, ‘When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honour them’ (Psalm 91:15 NLT).

2) Show them what God is like. Your child’s concept of God is formed by you. Whether you’re loving and protective or distant and cold, they will grow up understanding God through the interactions they have with you. Some examples are that God is never too busy to listen, He constantly tells us He loves us, and He is never abusive. Getting the idea?

3) Help them to see God in others. When kids are encouraged to see God at work in their own lives, they begin to discern Him at work in the lives of others too. When that happens, they will value and respect others and be valued and respected in return. That will help them to be secure and successful in life.

4) Don’t send them to church; take them. Children need to believe – and belong. Teach them that just like a limb dies that’s disconnected from a body, we die spiritually unless we are connected to a local church. ‘Belonging’ means they will always have a place to go. The Bible says, ‘Obey his laws…that things will go well for you and your children’ (Deuteronomy 4:40 NCV). Helping your kids to find the right path is the greatest gift you can give them.

1 Samuel 19-21, John 12:27-50

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Look before you leap!
01 MAY 2022

‘Don’t make rash promises.’
Ecclesiastes 5:2 NLT

When it comes to making commitments and keeping them, Solomon doesn’t mince any of his words: ‘Don’t shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think…When you tell God you’ll do something, do it – now. God takes no pleasure in foolish drivel. Vow it, then do it. Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up. Don’t let your mouth make a total sinner of you. When called to account, you won’t get by with “Sorry, I didn’t mean it”’ (vv. 2, 4-6 MSG).

That means don’t be impulsive, listen as much as you speak, get as much information as you can, then consult God in prayer before you make a commitment. People often say what they think others want to hear, but that can get them into a lot of trouble. Don’t promise something you can’t deliver. And don’t make excuses. Nothing diminishes your influence like trying to reverse a mistake with a lame excuse.

When you make a commitment based on emotion, you will only follow through if you feel a certain way. True commitment doesn’t work like that. It’s not a feeling; it’s a character quality. Human emotions constantly fluctuate, but commitment has to be rock solid. Real dedication shines through in times of trouble and adversity. It doesn’t depend on gifts or abilities, but on integrity. It’s a result of choice, not conditions. And it only lasts when it’s based on values. Bottom line: ‘Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God’ (v. 2 NKJV). So look before you leap, and think before you commit.

Luke 8:26-56, Psalms 46-48

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Who are you depending on?
02 MAY 2022

‘My God shall supply all your need.’
Philippians 4:19 KJV

How can you tell when you’re depending on people rather than God? When you get upset with your boss because you didn’t get the raise you think you deserve. When you become angry with a loved one because he or she turned you down for a loan. When you do things like that, you’re sitting at the wrong door waiting for your blessing! Yes, it hurts when your efforts aren’t acknowledged. But you must understand this: God will use people as instruments to bless you, but He alone must always be the source of all your blessings!

Ponder these Scriptures: ‘You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth’ (Deuteronomy 8:17-18 NIV). ‘When God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them…this is a gift of God’ (Ecclesiastes 5:19 NIV). ‘She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her…silver and gold’ (Hosea 2:8 NIV). What was her problem? She ignored God and forgot that He was her true source.

We generally pursue and nurture relationships that are rewarding – and that’s important information. Why? Because only when you recognise God as the source of all your blessings will you commit to nurturing your relationship with Him. That’s why Jesus said, ‘Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well’ (Matthew 6:33 NIV). When you pursue God, sow generously into His kingdom, and expect Him to meet your needs – your efforts will be blessed.

1 Samuel 22-24, John 13:1-20