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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

He exchanged clothes with us
08 APRIL 2023

‘His robe…was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.’
John 19:23 NLT

John records: ‘When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they…also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it”’ (vv. 23-24 NLT). Jewish mothers traditionally made these garments as gifts for their sons who were leaving home. So while we don’t know if Mary actually made Jesus’ robe, it was likely a cherished possession.

It’s also significant because throughout the Bible, clothes symbolise behaviour and character. Peter talks about being ‘clothed with humility’ (1 Peter 5:5 NKJV). Paul says, ‘And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes’ (Galatians 3:27 NLT). Like His robe, Jesus’ character was seamless, integrated, and perfect. The words ‘woven…from top to bottom’ indicate that He had always been directed by the mind of God. In fact, He said, ‘The Son can do nothing…but only what he sees the Father doing’ (John 5:19 NRSV).

However, when Jesus was crucified, He set aside His seamless robe, ‘changed places with us’ (Galatians 3:13 NCV) and put on the robes of sin that had our names on them. He died like a common criminal for sins He didn’t commit so that we could wear the garments of His righteousness. And so that sinners like us coming to the cross could leave wearing the ‘coat of his…love’ (Isaiah 59:17 NCV), the belt of ‘goodness and fairness’ (Isaiah 11:5 NCV), and the ‘garments of salvation’ (Isaiah 61:10 NIV). Jesus not only prepared a place in heaven for us; He made sure we would be properly dressed for the occasion.

Joshua 16-18, John 3:22-36

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

A new adventure in existence
09 APRIL 2023

‘Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.’
Hebrews 2:15 NLT

When Charles Lindbergh, the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic, was dying of cancer, he wrote these words to be read at his burial service: ‘We commit the body of Charles A. Lindbergh to its final resting place; but his spirit we commit to Almighty God, knowing that death is but a new adventure in existence and remembering how Jesus said upon the cross, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”’

Death is just ‘a new adventure in existence’, so there is no need to dread it or ignore it. Because of Christ, you can face it with joy and confidence. Furthermore, His resurrection guarantees yours. Aristotle was wrong: death isn’t to be feared. The Greeks were mistaken: the boatman Charon won’t ferry you across the River Styx into oblivion in a sunless world of spirits.

As a believer, you don’t get buried, you get planted! ‘So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power’ (1 Corinthians 15:42-43 NKJV).

One day when Saint Francis of Assisi was hoeing his garden, a man asked him what he would do if he suddenly learned he was to die at sunset that day. He said, ‘I would finish hoeing my garden.’ Here was a man who was ready to die, and without the fear of death, he was ready to maximise every moment of life. That’s how you need to live too!

Luke 7:1-30, Psalms 37-39

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Showing grace towards those who differ with you
10 APRIL 2023

‘Grow in…grace.’
2 Peter 3:18 NKJV

Think how much happier and more energised you would be if you weren’t trying to control people and straighten them out. One author writes: ‘Give your loved ones the dignity of making their own mistakes and learning from them. If you’re always getting into someone else’s business, you’re not only going to burn out, you’re hindering God from working in their lives…they belong to Him, not you!’

In the New Testament, when legalistic Jewish believers tried to impose kosher laws on Gentile believers, Paul wrote: ‘Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t…must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them’ (Romans 14:3 NLT). Sometimes in trying to be holy, we come across as harsh. Just because you don’t feel at liberty to do something doesn’t give you the right to condemn those who do – unless it’s something clearly prohibited in Scripture. Having strong opinions doesn’t give you the right to impose them on others. Remember, you can have the right theology and the wrong attitude.

Gladys M. Hunt writes: ‘Acceptance means you’re valuable just as you are…you can talk about how you feel…and why – and someone really cares…you can try out new ideas without being shot down…you can even express heretical thoughts and discuss them with intelligent questioning. You feel safe. No one will pronounce judgment…even though they don’t agree with you. It doesn’t mean you’ll never be corrected…it simply means it’s safe to be you.’

When it comes to the truth, stand fast! But when it comes to nonessentials like personal preferences, customs, and traditions, ‘Let each be fully convinced in his own mind’ (Romans 14:5 NKJV).

Joshua 19-21, John 4:1-30

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Are you having a night-time experience?
11 APRIL 2023

‘Bless the LORD, all you…who by night stand in the house of the LORD!’
Psalm 134:1 NKJV

God divided time into days and nights; so, you will have daytime experiences and night-time experiences. For example, you can have a night-time experience in a divorce court, or in bankruptcy proceedings, or in an unemployment line, or at a graveside. And because you can’t see clearly at night, it’s easy to wonder if God is really there with you. Take heart – He is!

With Pharaoh’s armies behind them and the Red Sea in front of them, the Israelites faced their greatest challenge. But the Bible says, ‘All that night the Lord drove the sea back’ (Exodus 14:21 NIV). Be encouraged; God is at work even when you can’t see Him.

Hymnist George Matheson wrote: ‘Will I remain in God’s house at night…love Him for who He is…desire not the gift but the giver? When I can remain…during the darkness of night and worship…I’ve accepted Him for Himself alone.’ Don’t just turn to God when you need a miracle; instead, focus on your relationship with Him and you will get a miracle when you need one. Jesus said, ‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you’ (John 15:7 NKJV).

After losing everything near and dear to him, Job’s friend Elihu said to him, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us…and makes us wiser?’ (Job 35:10-11 NKJV). Jesus said, ‘What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight’ (Matthew 10:27 NIV). Be encouraged; it’s in your night-time experiences that the Lord stabilises, supports, and strengthens you to go on to victory.

Joshua 22-24, John 4:31-54

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

A heart filled with goodness
12 APRIL 2023

‘A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.’
Luke 6:45 NIV

Where does goodness come from, and how can you cultivate more of it in your daily decisions and actions? Some people think goodness is a matter of the head, and that right-thinking results in right living. Today every politician gives the impression that education is the panacea for practically every problem in society. Yet education of the head, without the same emphasis on integrity of the heart, will produce only clever fiends. If education alone were the answer, white-collar crimes would likely drop.

Others think goodness is a matter of the hands. They say goodness means treating people well. But doing good does not make a person good. Murderers on death row may be good to their mothers, but they are not good individuals. The truth is, goodness is not located in the head or the hands; it’s hidden in your heart. Jesus, the best man who ever lived, said, ‘A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.’

Goodness is not merely a matter of what we know or what we do; it is a matter of what we are. As you consider the life ahead of you, what really matters is not how long you live but how well you live. Sir Francis Bacon once said: ‘Of all virtues and dignities of the mind, goodness is the greatest, being the character of Deity; and, without it, man is a busy, mischievous, wretched thing.’ So in your desire to be good, draw closer to God. After all, you become like the company you keep.

Judges 1-3, John 5:1-30

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Christ’s love for you
13 APRIL 2023

‘Christ’s love…is too wonderful to be measured.’
Ephesians 3:19 CEV

Princess Alice was Queen Victoria’s daughter. When her son contracted an incurable disease called black diphtheria, the doctors quarantined the boy and warned his mother to stay away from him lest she get infected. Yet she couldn’t. One day she overheard her son whisper to his nurse, ‘Why doesn’t my mother kiss me anymore?’ His words melted her heart and she ran to him, smothering him with kisses. Within a few days, she died and was buried. What would compel a mother to risk her life for her child? Love!

Now stand at the cross and ask what would lead Christ to do something even greater for us? Love! Writing to the believers at Ephesus, Paul says, ‘I want you to know…Christ’s love…is too wonderful to be measured.’ You can trace the greatest action of Christ to his greatest attribute – love. Perhaps the people who should have loved you, didn’t; and those who could have loved you, wouldn’t. Maybe you were left at the hospital, or left standing at the altar, or left with an empty bed and a broken heart. Regardless of the cause, you were left with the question, ‘Does anybody love me?’ And today Christ answers unequivocally, ‘I do!’ The truth is, His love for you ‘is too wonderful to be measured’.

Hymn writer Charles Gabriel wrote: ‘I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, And wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean. How marvellous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be: How marvellous! How wonderful! Is my Saviour’s love for me!’ God couldn’t love you more than He does right now, and that will never change.

Judges 4-6, John 5:31-47

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Give God all the glory
14 APRIL 2023

‘Your right hand and strong arm…helped them.’
Psalm 44:3 NLT

Did you hear about the frog that was running out of water, so he asked two birds to transport him to a nearby pond? He convinced each of them to carry one end of a stick in their beak while he bit down on the centre and held on. It was a sight to behold: two birds, one stick, and a frog in the middle. They were making progress until a cow in a pasture looked up, saw the trio passing overhead, and asked, ‘Who thought of that?’ At that point the frog couldn’t resist. Pride prevailed over prudence, and as he plummeted to earth, he yelled, ‘It was meeee…!’

Don’t make the same error. ‘Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall’ (Proverbs 16:18 NLT). Why are you good at doing what you do? For your own comfort? To save for your retirement? To bolster your self-esteem? No, these are all bonuses, not the main reason. You’re good at what you do – for God’s sake. It’s about Him, not you! Read and ponder these words in your heart: ‘Wealth and honour come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand…at your discretion people are made great and given strength’ (1 Chronicles 29:12 NLT).

Recalling the victories, blessings, and successes Israel had experienced, David reminds us: ‘They did not conquer…with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm…that helped them, for you loved them’ (Psalm 44:3 NLT). Keep in mind that the blessings you enjoy every day are yours only because God favoured and smiled on you. That’s the truth!

Judges 7-8, John 6:1-21

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

You’re a reflector
15 APRIL 2023

‘Christians…reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord.’
2 Corinthians 3:18 PHPS

As the old saying goes, ‘You become like the company you keep.’ Paul explains it this way: ‘All of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit’ (v. 18 NRSV). J.B. Phillips’ translation puts it this way: ‘Christians…reflect like mirrors.’ And the King James Bible translators say it like this: ‘Beholding as in a glass.’ So which translation is right? All three! The ancient Greek word Katoptris can be translated either way.

Bottom line: the more you spend time in God’s presence, the more you will reflect His likeness and carry His presence with you. What does ‘beholding’ your face in a mirror mean? It’s more than just a quick glance; ‘behold’ means to study, stare at, and contemplate. The Bible tells us after Moses spent forty days on a mountain in God’s presence, the people of Israel couldn’t bear to look at his face because it was suffused with the glory of God (see Exodus 34:29). What Moses beheld was what Moses became!

The Bible says that ‘whatever you do, do all to the glory of God’ (1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV). That means ‘whatever you do’, you’re a reflector! Jesus said, ‘Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16 NIV). In other words, people should be able to look at you and see the God who lives within you. And that should be the case at home, at play, in the workplace, and anywhere else you happen to be.

Judges 9-10, John 6:22-44

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

You must care for the needy (1)
16 APRIL 2023

‘Their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.’
Acts 6:1 NIV

Since the government didn’t care for widows and orphans back in New Testament times, the church took on that responsibility. Unfortunately, bias raised its ugly head and Jewish widows and orphans were given preferential treatment over Gentile widows and orphans. How did the church leaders respond? They could easily have dismissed it, like we so often do. They could have said, ‘We’re called to feed souls, not stomachs. We deal in matters of sin and salvation, not sandals and soup.’

Instead, here is what they did. First, they called a meeting to resolve the problem (see Acts 6:2). They let every member know that their church took poverty seriously, and they were each personally responsible before God to do something about it. The Scripture doesn’t endorse forced communism, but it clearly teaches Spirit-led volunteerism. Second, they assigned the problem to their brightest and best. They selected seven men – well respected, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom – and gave them this responsibility (see Acts 6:3 NLT). Instead of grooming our children for ‘important’ fields like medicine, law, politics, or government, let’s teach them that caring for the needy is one of God’s highest callings.

Why do 10 per cent of the world’s population go to bed hungry each night? Or seventeen thousand-plus children die every single day (one every five seconds) from malnutrition and preventable diseases when we can do something about it? No one can do everything, but God has called each of us to do something! ‘Pure and genuine religion…means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let world [systems] corrupt you [into believing that it’s not your responsibility]’ (James 1:27 NLT).

Luke 7:31-50, Psalms 40-42

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

You must care for the needy (2)
17 APRIL 2023

‘He defended the cause of the poor and needy…so all went well.’
Jeremiah 22:16 NIV

When he was a theology student, Jim Wallis and some of his classmates took scissors to the Bible and cut out every verse about poverty, wealth, justice, or oppression. And would you believe it, by the time they had finished, there were some two thousand verses lying on the floor! The fact is, when you cut concern for the poor from your Bible, you cut the heart right out of it! Here is one such verse: ‘“He defended the cause of the poor and needy…so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord’ (v. 16 NIV).

Jesus often quoted Scripture, but only on one occasion do we find Him selecting and reading from it. And what portion did He choose to read publicly? ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…to proclaim freedom for the prisoners…recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free’ (Luke 4:18 NIV). Here was His to-do list: help for body and soul, strength for the physical and spiritual, and therapy for temporal and eternal.

Now some people (albeit a minority) are poor because they’re lazy and need to be taught that God’s Word says, ‘Those unwilling to work will not get to eat’ (2 Thessalonians 3:10 NLT). But others are poor because parasites have weakened their bodies, or they spend six hours every day collecting water, or rebel armies have destroyed their farms, or disease has claimed their parents. These are the people God has assigned us to care for!

Judges 11-12, John 6:45-71