UCB Word For Today

It’s easier to recognise success looking back than it is looking forward. For some of us, it can be many years before we recognise our success, celebrate it, and feel secure in it. That’s because we lack a proper perspective. At its widest point, the Mississippi River requires a two-mile-wide steel span bridge to get across; while at its source, the stream is so small you can jump over it. But it’s still the same river. Most things start small! Have you ever heard the Serenity Prayer? It goes like this: ‘God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.’ It was first prayed in a little church in Massachusetts by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr during a Sunday morning service. Only a small group of people was in the congregation that day, but one person liked the prayer and, after the service, he asked Niebuhr for a copy. ‘Here,’ Niebuhr responded, handing over a crumpled piece of paper. ‘I doubt I’ll ever have any more use for it.’ Well, guess what? Next to the Lord’s Prayer, it’s the most used prayer in the world. Isn’t it ironic that Niebuhr’s prayer became so popular? Evidently, his perspective wasn’t too good because he didn’t know what he had. With that story in mind, read this Scripture again and really think about it: ‘Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly.’ With God’s help, you can turn your failure into success and go on to greater things.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Everyone who ever achieved anything significant had to beat the odds. The problem for most of us isn’t the odds; it’s that we sell ourselves short. As R.H. Headlee observed, ‘Most people think too small, aim too low, and quit too soon.’ The odds in favour of David defeating Goliath weren’t good. Unless you factor faith in God into the equation, which David did. Listen to his words: ‘I’ll strike you down and cut off your head’ (v. 46 NIV). Clearly, David was aiming high. And when it comes to the thing God is callingyouto do, aim high. The odds matter little. Whether you fall down along the way matters little. You fell when you were learning to walk, didn’t you? Dr Maxwell Maltz says, ‘You’re a champion in the art of living if you reach only 65 per cent of your goals.’ If the odds indicate you will make a lot of mistakes on your way to success, so be it. As long as you’re eventually successful, isn’t that what matters? Remember, ‘If at first you don’t succeed – you know you’re running about average!’ As long as you keep trusting God and trying, He will come to your aid. James writes, ‘Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown’ (James 1:12 NIV). Paul writes, ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up’ (Galatians 6:9 NIV). When you believe God wants you to succeed, and you persevere, you move from failure to success.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

There comes a time when we have to face our fears and take a stand for what we know is right. That’s what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego did. They risked their lives when they refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol. They could have rationalised, ‘I’ll bow on the outside, but not on the inside,’ or ‘I’ll just pretend the idol is Jehovah.’ But they took a stand for what is right, and it set the stage for miracles. ‘Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished…saying to his counsellors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God”’ (vv. 24-25 NKJV). When you place yourself in a defenceless position, it sets the stage for God to show up. But if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego had bowed to the idol, 1) they would not have received promotions, 2) the Jewish people would not have gained protected status within the Babylonian kingdom, 3) idol worship would have continued in Babylon, and 4) Nebuchadnezzar would not have experienced a life-changing encounter with God. ‘Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God…who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him…there is no other God who can deliver like this.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon’ (vv. 28-30 NKJV). By honouring God today, you are positioning yourself for Him to bless and honour you.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Many of us have a God-sized dream within us, but we’re so afraid of failing we never even try. We can’t imagine how it could possibly happen. So, we don’t act on it. Here is a challenge: don’t worry about the outcome. That isn’t your responsibility. ‘Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.’ You simply need to act on it. It doesn’t have to be something big; in fact, it will probably be something small. Everything that’s big starts small. But if you do little things like they are big things, God will bless them and use them. A.W. Tozer said, ‘A low view of God is the cause of a hundred lesser evils. A high view of God is the solution to ten thousand temporal problems.’ Note how Paul prayed for the believers at Ephesus: ‘To make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him – endless energy, boundless strength!’ (Ephesians 1:18-19 MSG). We can’t imagine what God is capable of. This means we can’t imagine what we’re capable of if we give God control of our lives. His power initiates a chain reaction. And with His energy working within us, we can accomplish all He has called us to do.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Are you in a situation where lying seems to be the only viable solution? Unless you want to create a problem between God and yourself – don’t do it! ‘The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in those who tell the truth.’ When you lie, you hurt God, others, and yourself. ‘Dishonesty destroys treacherous people’ (Proverbs 11:3 NLT). Lying always comes with consequences because of the following: 1)God hears you.When you decide to pray, the last thing you will want to discuss with God is the first thing He will want to discuss with you; namely, your dishonesty! 2)It robs you of your confidence before God.The Bible says, ‘If we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him’ (1 John 3:21-22 NLT). 3)You risk being exposed.Remember, ‘Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed’ (Proverbs 12:19 NLT). When people discover you have lied, they lose respect for you, their trust level plummets, and a reputation that has taken years for you to build suffers a blow you may not recover from. Paul writes: ‘Since you have heard about Jesus and…learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbours the truth, for we are all parts of the same body’ (Ephesians 4:21-25 NLT). 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Under Old Testament law, God commanded Jewish farmers: ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field…You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger’ (v. 22 NKJV). Ruth was working in an obscure corner of a field owned by a wealthy man named Boaz, who is a beautiful type of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. When Boaz saw Ruth, he called her out of the corner and into the midst of the harvest field. And he instructed the reapers to drop handfuls of wheat in her path so that she wouldn’t have to work for it (see Ruth 2:16). There is a lesson here. One moment of God’s favour can change your life. And He can do it through someone He has already prepared, someone you haven’t even met yet. Ruth didn’t know it, but because Boaz was related to her mother-in-law Naomi, that positioned him to be her ‘kinsman-redeemer’ (see Ruth 3:1-9), who was someone qualified to wipe out her debt, and care for her, and meet her needs. Jesus said, ‘Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly’ (Matthew 6:4 NKJV). Be assured, God has not overlooked you. Others may not notice your faithfulness, but He does, and He will reward you for it. ‘Godisnot unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown towards His name,in thatyou have ministered to the saints, and do minister’ (Hebrews 6:10 NKJV). One of these days God is going to say to you, ‘Come out of that corner!’

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

The book of Ruth illustrates the difference between those who step out in faith and take risks, and those who give in to fear, play it safe, and miss God’s best for them. The book begins with these words: ‘There was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife [Naomi] and his two sons’ (v. 1 NKJV). Things went well for a while, then tragedy struck. First Naomi’s husband Elimelech died, and she was left with her two sons. They married local girls named Orpah and Ruth and then the sons died. Overwhelmed with grief, Naomi decides to return home to Bethlehem and advises her two daughters-in-law to stay in Moab and hopefully find husbands and raise families. This is where the difference shows up in the two girls. Orpah decided to stay in Moab, even though it was a place of heartache and hard times. Why? Because it was the place she knew. It was her comfort zone. She didn’t have the faith to go forwards. Ruth was different. She said to Naomi: ‘Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God’ (v. 16 NKJV). Orpah went back, Ruth went forwards. And it paid off. Back in Bethlehem, she met Boaz, her new husband. Not only was he wealthy, but he took good care of her, and they had a son from whom descended both King David and our blessed Lord Jesus. God rewards faith, not fear. So the word for today is – it’s time to break with the past and move forwards.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

God wants us to appreciate the season we are in; to live in the ‘here and now’. Some people live only for the future. ‘I’ll be happy when…’ Other people live in the past. Solomon addresses them: ‘Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this’ (Ecclesiastes 7:10 NKJV). TheNew Yorkermagazine once had a cartoon in which two monks in robes and shaved heads were sitting side by side, cross legged on the floor. The younger one, with a quizzical look on his face, is facing the older one, who is saying: ‘Nothing happens next. This is it.’ That’s exactly what it means to live in the here and now. We aren’t waiting for something else to occur, we aren’t distracted by anything around us, we aren’t trying to escape mentally to another time. We are fully alive because we are living in the moment! God may have done great things for you in the past, and you’re trusting Him to do great things in the future, but His presence, His power, His goodness, His favour, His blessing, and all that He is, can only be experienced in the here and now. Question: ‘Are you living in a shell to keep from being eaten alive by the pain of life? Do you guard yourself by retreating deeper into your shell, being available only to what is pleasant, predictable, and safe?’ ‘This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ Live in the ‘here and now’.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Since God is both our Creator and our Redeemer, we are called to be ‘conformed to His image’ in both senses. So, to become more like the Creator is to become more creative. When we apply our sanctified imagination to serve His objectives, we are doing what God does best and loves most. And our heavenly Father takes deep pride and joy in it. Just as we celebrate creativity in our kids, so God celebrates creativity in us. Have you ever noticed how often Psalms tells us to sing a new song? The creative command is repeated no fewer than half a dozen times. The more you discover about God, the more you love Him. And the more you love Him, the more you need new ways of expressing your love. Most of us don’t classify ourselves as creative, but that’s because we narrowly define creativity. We think of it like we do a work of art, a new invention, or an entrepreneurial conception. But that’s a meagre slice. Creativity isn’t merely for artists, inventors, or entrepreneurs; it’s vital in all aspects of life. In the fullest sense, creativity is any use of the imagination. Yes, in the past we may have used our imagination for the wrong purposes. But at the new birth, your imagination is redeemed so that it can be used to glorify God. If God is infinitely creative and we are not justcreatedin His image but called to be conformed to His image, then creativity isn’t optional. It’s a dimension of spiritual maturity. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

When things don’t happen as quickly as we want them to, we can become anxious, frustrated, irritable, and negative. And if you’re a ‘make it happen’ person, you can rush ahead of God and get into trouble. ‘The steps of good men are directed by the Lord. He delights in each step they take’ (Psalm 37:23 TLB). Think about it: if you’re following the Lord, you can’t go faster than the One who is leading. So, just take the next step and trust Him to work things out for you. God knows what you don’t know. At best, you are working with limited knowledge. Do you believe your steps are being ‘directed by the Lord’? Do you believe He has a plan for your life? Do you believe He cares for you and has your best interests at heart? If you do, then stand on this Scripture: ‘Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep travelling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honour you with every blessing’ (Psalm 37:34 TLB). God knows what He is doing. He works according to His schedule, not ours. When will God ‘honour you with every blessing’? Answer: ‘in due season’. Impatience is a sign of two things: 1) Immaturity. Babies cry until you pick them up, and children don’t want to wait for anything. But a wise parent knows that often the child is not ready to handle what they’re demanding. 2) Doubt and unbelief. ‘You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised’ (Hebrews 10:36 TLB). 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Do you get upset when you cannot control others? Or moody and irritated when people don’t do what you want? Do you react when your mistakes are pointed out? Or try to force people to comply with your demands? Do you exaggerate your pain, sickness, or need in order to gain attention or sympathy? Or criticise the opinions and choices of others, and position yourself as superior? Do you become angry and abusive when someone disagrees with you or challenges your authority? Are you reluctant to compliment others, but quick to try and fix something you think is wrong in them? Do you find it hard to say, ‘I need you’? Do you try to drive a wedge between your loved ones and anyone else who gets close to them? Do you ‘give orders’ to those you interact with, rather than using the simple courtesies of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’? If your answer to these questions is yes, then the word for today is – don’t be so controlling! The Bible says, ‘Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another’ (v. 10 NKJV). That means stopping to consider how your behaviour affects other people. You say, ‘But I just happen to have a strong personality.’ Sorry, that doesn’t let you off the hook! ‘A servant of the Lord must…be gentle to all’ (2 Timothy 2:24 NKJV). So if you’re a controller, start changing your ways! And if you’re being controlled because you fear anger and rejection, it’s time to draw a line in the sand. Seek help from a trusted friend, church leader, or healthcare professional, especially if you feel at risk. Ask God to help you stand firm and refuse to be controlled any longer.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The first reaction recorded in Scripture is God’s reaction to His own creation. He stepped back at the end of each day, looked at what He had made, and said, ‘It’s good.’ Then on the sixth day when creation was complete, He said, ‘It’s very good.’ This is why we feel so spiritual when we watch an ocean sunset or the towering summit of a mountain. Thomas Carlyle said, ‘Worship is transcendent wonder. Wonder for which there is no limit or measure; that is worship.’ It’s standing in amazement of the Creator and His creation. It’s translating the beauty of creation into worship of the Creator. It’s thanking God for splendid sunrises and dazzling stars and unique snowflakes. It’s giving credit where credit is due – to the Creator. The psalmist captured it in the words: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God’ (Psalm 19:1 KJV). The musical group U2 captured it in the words of their hit song ‘Beautiful Day’. Such wonder is also an act of worship. One pastor writes: ‘The sunrise is so consistent that we take it for granted, but few things are as miraculous as the celestial dance that takes place on a daily basis. The earth spins on its axis at a speed of 1,000 mph. And while [it] rotates 360 degrees on its axis every twenty-four hours, it is also hurtling through space at the unimaginable speed of 67,000 mph. You may not have any big plans for today, but you will travel 1.6 million miles in your annual lap around the sun. Quite an accomplishment!’ So, take time to wonder and worship God. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Did you know that the word ‘disciple’ occurs 269 times in the New Testament, whereas the word ‘Christian’ is found only three times? The word ‘Christian’ was first introduced to describe who they were, disciples of Jesus Christ! Dallas Willard uses the illustration of the car: ‘The disciple of Jesus is not the deluxe or heavy-duty model of the Christian – especially padded, textured, streamlined, and empowered for the fast lane on the straight and narrow way. He or she stands on the pages of the New Testament as the first level of basic transportation in the Kingdom of God.’ Becoming a Christian is the work of a moment; it happens when you place your trust in Christ. But becoming a disciple is the work of a lifetime; it calls for denying yourself and saying yes to the will of God every day of your life. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Three things: 1)To listen to Him and learn.That calls for reading, studying, memorising, verbalising, and applying the truths taught in the Scriptures to your life each day. 2)To follow Him wherever He leads.This may call for changing your plans, forfeiting some of your relationships, and giving Him access to things you would like to hold on to. 3)To be devoted to Him.One day Jesus said to Peter, ‘Do you love Me more than these?’ (John 21:15 NKJV). Note the word ‘more’. To be a disciple means to love Jesus more than anyone or anything else. And it’s the most fulfilling and rewarding life you can live!

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

The men and women who made the greatest impact on the world were those who were totally focused and sold out to their vision. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, once said, ‘If I had three hundred men who feared nothing but God, hated nothing but sin, and were determined to know nothing among men but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, I would set the world on fire.’ Jonathan Edwards, whose ministry sparked the Great Awakening in America, made this his life’s motto: ‘Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I will.’ C.T. Studd, one of England’s greatest athletes, shocked the world when he gave up fame and fortune to be a missionary to China. ‘If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him,’ he explained. Missionary Jim Elliot, who died as a martyr in South America, said, ‘He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.’ The day you were born, God had a track for you to run on. But to win, you must get rid of 1) anything that weighs you down, and 2) anything that trips you up. ‘Let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus’ (vv. 1-2 AMPC). 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Jesus said, ‘If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.’ Roman soldiers were permitted to force a Jew to carry a burden a mile for them. They treated Jews as tools to be used. So, what do you do in that kind of situation? Jesus invites us to take the high road. A Roman soldier like these could probably be a young boy, a stranger there, probably poor himself. All he receives is local resentment. So, you finish the mile and say, ‘You look tired. Can I help you some more? Can I carry it for you another mile?’ That would blow the soldier’s mind. Nobody asked that! That’s what you’re called to do! When someone takes advantage of you, you want to think of them as unlikable rather than a real person with their own story. It’s said that a friend offered to introduce English essayist Charles Lamb to a man whom Lamb had disliked for a long time. ‘Don’t make me meet him,’ Lamb said. ‘“I want to go on hating him, and I can’t do that to a man I know.’ Understand this: you can give the gift of empathy. You can remember that the person you don’t like is also a human being. You can put yourself in his their place. You can take the time to imagine how they feel, what they have been through, and how life has treated them. When you do that, your problem becomes an opportunity to practise the Christ life. Isn’t that what you want? Isn’t that what you signed up for in the first place?

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

They say, ‘The devil is in the details.’ But for a redeemed child of God,Heis in the details! When you set your heart on something and it doesn’t happen, it’s only human to experience disappointment. At such moments, here is what you need to keep in mind: 1) At best, you’re always working with limited information. You may know the end result you desire, but God knows what’s best for you, and He plans accordingly. ‘IamGod…declaring the end from the beginning…saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure”’ (Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV). 2) Trying to work outside of God’s will is like attempting to dig your way through a solid wall with a fork. Instead of digging your way out of a prison, you dig your way into one when you demand to get what you want. Do you really want to carry out a plan God hasn’t ordained? Can you depend on Him to know what’s best for you? ‘The Lord, the God of battle, has spoken – who can change his plans? When his hand moves, who can stop him?’ (Isaiah 14:27 TLB). It’s better to be disappointed temporarily than end up with something you can’t handle. The story of Israel reads like this: ‘He…redeemed them from the hand of the enemy…Then they believed His words; they sang His praise. They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel…and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul’ (Psalm 106:10, 12-15 NKJV). Trust God, and He will give you what’s best. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

There are plenty of good leaders around – don’t be afraid to follow them. But what about the ‘blind guides’ that Jesus talks about? Here are some signs to help you identify and avoid them: 1)Inflexibility. True leaders have a teachable spirit and a servant’s heart. They rejoice in your growth and aren’t threatened by your development. They won’t try to ‘keep you in the nest’ when it’s clear that you’re ready to fly. 2)Elitism.Look out for the ‘we-alone-are-right’ attitude. When someone can’t acknowledge and fellowship with other members of God’s redeemed family, something’s wrong. The wordexclusiveis often another word for paranoid. 3)Money-grubbing.Here is God’s standard for leadership: ‘Not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve’ (1 Peter 5:2 NIV). The Bible also says good leaders are ‘worthy of double honour’ (1 Timothy 5:17 KJV), which means twice as much. But look out for those who teach that you must only sow your seed into their field, and nowhere else. 4)Accountability. Beware of the untouchable, ‘I-am-God’s-anointed’ types. No matter how gifted we are, we all have blind spots and need to be confronted and counselled from time to time. Solomon said, ‘Pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up’ (Ecclesiastes 4:10 NIV). Here is what Jesus said about the religious leaders of His day: ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit’ (Matthew 15:13-14 NIV). When choosing a leader, you don’t need a blind prima donna; you need one with a servant spirit.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

The Bible has a lot to say about the dangers of the tongue. James devotes an entire chapter to this subject: ‘If we could control our tongues, we…could also control ourselves in every other way.’ Nowthereis an aspect of self-control to consider! The Greek sage Publius said, ‘I have often regretted my speech, but never my silence.’ And novelist William Edward Norris wrote, ‘If you your lips would keep from slips, five things observe with care; to whom you speak, of whom you speak, and how, and when, and where.’ King David puts it this way: ‘I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle’ (Psalm 39:1 NASB 1995). That’s what it takes – a muzzle! David is talking about making a conscious commitment to watch what you say, and if you want to accomplish this, here are three principles you need to live by: 1)Think first.Before you speak, pause for ten seconds and mentally preview your words. Are they accurate or exaggerated? Kind or cutting? Needless or necessary? Grateful or complaining? What you don’t say today, you won’t have to explain tomorrow. 2)Talk less.Your chances of getting into trouble increase exponentially when you talk too much. That’s why compulsive talkers often find it hard to keep friends. Conserve your verbal energy. 3)Start today.Already you have read enough to help bring your tongue into submission. So put that muzzle on your mouth now – and watch how it enriches your life.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

When you read God’s Word, you discover how He feels about you. As a result, your memories begin to heal, your self-worth is restored, and you stop trading with a devalued self-image. When that happens, you no longer believe that ‘anybody’s company is preferable to my own’. In a survey of supposedly happy couples, over 50 per cent said they wouldn’t marry the same person again. Why? Because the answer to loneliness isn’t people; it’s purpose! The apostle John was a prisoner on the Isle of Patmos when God showed him the glories of heaven and he wrote the book of Revelation. Paul was alone in a Roman dungeon when he wrote half the New Testament. God did some of His best work when He was alone with no one to applaud Him, so he praised Himself, saying, ‘It [is] very good’ (Genesis 1:31 KJV). Canyoudo that? It’s nice when others speak well of you, but when you can speak well of yourself, it reflects your opinion of yourself – and that’s the one you live with every day. Three cheers for those whose departure taught us how to be alone and enjoy it! Somewhere beyond loneliness, there is a contentment born of necessity. When your options close in the natural realm, you find doors opening to you in the spiritual realm. So, work on deepening your relationship with God. As you do, you will find joy, and you will also develop qualities that make you attractive to the right people. It’s why Jesus said that when you ‘seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously…he will give youeverythingyou need’ – including self-worth.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

A respected Bible teacher says: ‘Because my family’s so large, we draw names to see who we’ll buy presents for. One Christmas when I opened my present, I was disappointed…then I looked at my twin brother who gottwonice gifts. Sensing my disappointment, my wife came over to me and said, “Don’t worry. When we get home, we’ll exchange it for something you like better.” The same thing happens in the Body of Christ. We open the gifts God has given us and immediately run to someone else to see what he or she received…When we look at our gift…we’re unhappy…and immediately think…“I know…I’ll swap it for something I like better.” That’s why there are so many people running around claiming to be an apostle or a prophet or a teacher…They’re gift-swapping.’ You don’t get to decide what gift God gives you. God ‘put all the parts…in the body as he wanted them’. Sometimes it takes years for you to recognise your gift and start operating in it. Instead of coveting another person’s gift, be thankful for your own and ask God to use it to bless as many people as possible. And if you have questions about it, search the Scriptures. Paul says, ‘God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable’ (Romans 11:29 NIV); ‘God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well’ (Romans 12:6 TLB); ‘Each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that’ (1 Corinthians 7:7 NIV); ‘The Spirit decides what to give each person’ (1 Corinthians 12:11 NCV). So, use the gift God gave you. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Self-help books and motivational speakers are like cheerleaders standing on the sidelines shouting, ‘You can do it!’ They can be helpful, but if the ‘you can do it’ philosophy always held true, we wouldn’t need God. Paul understood this. That’s why he wrote, ‘I can do all thingsthrough Christwho strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). Discovering the will of God requires faith for the impossible and a childlike dependence on Him. The Bible is full of men and women who discovered their destiny in the perfect will of God by doing things that would ordinarily have been impossible to do on their own. For example: 1)Noah and his impossible project.Noah was commissioned to build a ship the size of an aircraft carrier – by hand – and on land! 2)Abraham and his impossible promise.At ninety, after years of trying unsuccessfully to be a father, God told him his children would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sands of the sea. 3)Mary and her impossible pregnancy.Imagine telling your husband to be, ‘I’m pregnant, and the baby’s father is the Holy Spirit.’ God has always chosen ordinary people to do extraordinary things – and they all had something in common. Every one of them was called to be part of something bigger than himself or herself. And because of their willingness to yield to God and allow His purposes to be revealed in them and fulfilled through them, He used them in amazing ways. God takes pleasure in doing things through us that onlyHecan do, so that in the end, He will receive all the glory, honour, and praise.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Let’s read what God said to the parents who entered the promised land: ‘Take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren’ (v. 9 NKJV). Notice the progression here. First, ‘take heed to yourself’. Next, ‘teach them to your children’. Your ability to influence and mould the children you care for is based on your credibility with them. When the principles you live by produce joy, peace, strength, kindness, discipline, and success, the children who look up to you will begin to take you seriously. And you have a limited window of opportunity. There are skills that can be learned during early childhood that become much more difficult later on. Have you ever wondered why it’s so simple to teach preschoolers any language they hear? And they can learn it perfectly, without even a trace of their own accent. Fifteen or more years later, they will have a much harder time attempting to make those same sounds. This is explained by a process called ‘phoneme contraction’. The larynx of a young child assumes a shape needed to make any sounds he or she is learning to use. It then sets in those positions, making it impossible or challenging to make other sounds in later years. A child’s attitude towards parental leadership and the guidance of carers is similar. That’s why it’s essential to ‘shape the will’ during the preschool and early years by balancing unconditional love with consistent teaching and firmness at home. If you miss that opportunity, the adolescent years can be rougher than they need to be.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

If you’re a parent, are you trying to keep your children under lock and key in order to keep them out of trouble? Or if you’re a teacher or Sunday school leader, do you try to impose strict rules? It won’t work. You’re not keeping them out of trouble, you’re simply postponing it. Things like curfews, dress codes, internet use, and checking up on their friends are part of good parenting and good teaching. But whenyouare not around to guide them, they need sound principles to live by. And those principles can be found in God’s Word: ‘Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes’ (vv. 6-9 MSG). Isn’t it interesting how each succeeding generation views the previous one as old fashioned and out of date? And that’s not all bad. Every generation believes there is a better way to do things, and that is the foundation for progress. That’s why getting from Liverpool to New York takes only seven hours by plane instead of three weeks by sailing ship. God’s Word can stand the test of scrutiny. So instead of shutting them down, invite children to ask questions and challenge assumptions, then help them arrive at solid scriptural convictions to live by. As someone who cares for children, there is no greater gift you can give them.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Have you sown a ‘seed’ of faith, and now you’re wondering when you will reap the ‘harvest’ God promised in His Word? If so, read on: ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come’ (vv. 26-29 NKJV). Before you reap the harvest of blessing God promised, you go through certain stages. First there is the ‘not knowing’ stage. Your seed is buried in the ground. How and when your harvest comes is entirely up to God. But you must believe that it will happen. Next comes the ‘blade’ stage. It’s just a tiny blade blowing in the breeze, but it’s enough to encourage you and let you know your harvest is on the way. Next comes the ‘head’ stage. The seed has started to sprout and look like what you prayed for. This is when you must water it with prayer, fertilise it with God’s Word, and protect it from anything or anyone that would uproot it through doubt and unbelief. Finally you enter the ‘full grain’ stage, when the grain ripens and you immediately reap a harvest. Whatever stage you’re in today, stand fast and keep trusting God. Your harvest is on the way. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

You can be sincere in your intentions – but sincerely wrong. The Bible says the rain falls on ‘the just and the unjust alike’ (Matthew 5:45 NLT). The law of cause and effect applies to everybody, and all your good intentions won’t bring you out at the right destination if you’re on the wrong road. Think about it like this: maybe you have considered investing in a particular company. You do the research, talk to the experts, and things look good. So, you proceed on the assumption that it’s a sound decision. Then the unexpected happens. A recession hits, and the market tanks. It’s not your fault; you were sincere in your decision to invest, but that doesn’t change the end result. You still lose. You can’t afford to put your trust in what ‘seems right to…man’ (Proverbs 16:25 NKJV); you must pursue those things that are right in God’s eyes. Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6 NLT). That means unless you have committed your life to Christ, you’re already on the wrong road. Turn around and ask Him to forgive your sins and put you on the road to eternal life. And if you’re a believer seeking direction, pray, read your Bible, and listen for what God has to say. The disciples on the Emmaus road said, ‘Did not our heart burn within us, while he…opened to us the scriptures?’ (Luke 24:32 KJV). Ask God to open His Word, give you ‘spiritual heartburn’, and point you in the right direction. He will!

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

It’s easy tosay, ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ but how can you tell if it’s real for you or if you’re just saying the words? Here is a simple test: when you need help, who do you turn to first? Most people go to God only after they have tried everything else. And when nothing else is working, then they try praying. Think about your last crisis. Whatever or whoever you turned to first for help,that’syour shepherd. A man on a trip to the African rain forests was following a guide. As they pushed deeper into the jungle, the guide with his machete was whacking away at the thick growth that rose up like a wall before them. ‘How do you know where to go?’ the man asked. ‘Where’s the path?’ The guide replied, ‘Iamthe path.’ Life is like a jungle; you need a guide who knows where he is going and what he is doing. And here on earth, who qualifies for such a job? One person only – the Lord! There will never be a day when you don’t need His guidance, and you can have it if you really want it. The Bible says, ‘He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out…he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice’ (John 10:3-4 NLT). What a promise! There are lots of different voices vying for your attention, including some who care about you and some who don’t. But Jesus your shepherd is the one voice you can always trust when it comes to guidance. That’s why it’s important to ‘know his voice’.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Life can wear you down. You can get to the place where your anxiety runs so deep, or your stress levels increase so high that you can’t think clearly. The problem or pain you’re experiencing is so overwhelming that you can’t put it into words. Good news: that’s when the Holy Spirit living within you praysforyou andthroughyou. As you bring your burden to the Lord and kneel in His presence, a wonderful thing happens. InThe Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases it this way: ‘God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us…If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves…That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good’ (vv. 26-28 MSG). Because prayer is relational, the Holy Spirit will communicate your heart to God and His heart back to you. When you don’t know how to pray – stay. Just remain in God’s presence with your heart open, and He will communicate with you. ‘You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things’ (1 John 2:20 NKJV). Before God puts the answer in your head, He puts His peace in your heart. That’s why prayer cannot be rushed. It’s why taking the time to meditate and be still before God is so important. It allows the Holy Spirit to share God’s thoughts with you so that you begin thinking His way. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

Losing your job can be devastating. This is when you must keep the right perspective. Having less doesn’t make you a lesser person. God still values you, and you must keep valuing yourself. The Christian life is one of trial and triumph. Paul writes: ‘I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength’ (vv. 12-13 NLT). What should you do when you’re unemployed? 1)Reduce your expenses to the bare minimum.That may mean riding the bus or train, making your own lunch, and using other cost-saving measures. 2)Take the stigma out of being unemployed.Don’t presume that people think less of you because you have lost your job. People generally respond to your situation in the same way you do. They will find your enthusiasm about your next move inspiring – even though you may not yet know what it is. ‘And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according toHispurpose’ (Romans 8:28 NKJV). Getting thrown into prison led to Joseph becoming prime minister of Egypt. ‘The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you’ (Deuteronomy 23:5 NKJV). God can revealtalentswithin you andconnectionsaround you and open thedoorto a level of blessing and success you never dreamed possible. So, trust Him and keep believing that your best days are ahead.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

To have job security you should: 1)Increase your visibility in your industry.Establish contacts and relationships with others outside your company by attending local industry gatherings wherever possible. Your goal should not merely be to know enough to get by but to develop your skills so that you will get noticed and get ahead. When the time is right and you’re ready, God will open doors for you. ‘For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him aswitha shield’ (v. 12 NKJV). 2)Maintain a divine perspective on your job.Remind yourself that it is not the source of your security but simply one of many channels God can use to provide for you. Read the story of Elijah the prophet and how God miraculously provided for him through a raven, a brook, and a single mum with just enough food for one meal. God used four different streams to water the garden of Eden. So when you have an unmet need or a financial shortfall, ask Him to reveal different streams of income to you. And stand on these two promises: ‘My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:19 KJV). ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear [of losing your job], but of power and of love and of a sound mind’ (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). Fear and faith are powerful forces that seek to rule your life. One will take you in the wrong direction, the other will take you in the right direction. So, strengthen your faith by reading God’s Word, praying, and entrusting the outcomes of your life to Him. 

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International. 

‘Stir up the gift of God which is in you.’ 2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV

Paul told Timothy, ‘Stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.’ That Scripture means, even though you’re gifted, you can become apathetic if you don’t keep doing the right things. ‘Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away’ (Hebrews 2:1 NKJV). The word ‘drift’ is not only slow and subtle, it’s deadly. Let’s look at two of the things that can rob you of your passion, enthusiasm, motivation, and focus. 1)Lack of goals.‘Without a vision the people perish’ (see Proverbs 29:18). What used to enthuse you? What destroyed your interest in it? Is it a desire you could revive? Put it down in writing. Ignore the potential cost or reasons it might not work. Just indulge your mind in the luxury of feeling optimistic and excited about something, even a small thing. 2)Wrong goals.Are you pursuing a goal you feel was imposed upon you by someone else? Or like Jonah before he was swallowed by the whale, possibly you’re rowing against the tide of God’s will for your life. Check with Him and see if this is so. Did God really lead you to pamper yourself in that extravagant item that’s now requiring you to work two jobs? Or maybe the time has come to an end for a goal that was part of God’s plan for a specific season of your life. Moving on is sometimes difficult, but oh, the joy and peace of knowing that you are in the centre of God’s perfect will!