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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Caring versus Controlling
‘The Lord gives … Wisdom.’

Proverbs 2:6
The UCB Word for Today - 13 Feb 2016



When Karen O’Connor and her husband attended a marriage seminar on love and respect, it was an eye-opener. She writes: ‘What I was hearing hit close to home … I laid out my husband’s vitamins and prescriptions every morning even though he knows the routine better than me.


I assumed unless I took charge he’d ignore or forget them. I “suggested” what foods would help him lose weight, and took over researching some facts he needed for a speech he was writing … While some see these actions as helpful, in my case they were about control … trying to manage and direct my husband in matters that are his business.

I thought my way was better so I imposed it … Here are some of the challenges couples face and how we can change our responses: Old behavior: answering questions directed at your mate. New behavior: being quiet while your spouse replies - and learning something from their response.


Old behavior: giving unsolicited advice. New behavior: listening … trusting your mate to find his/her own solution, and supporting that discovery.

Old behavior: explaining your partner’s point of view for them. New behavior: waiting to hear their viewpoint and encouraging it.


Old behavior: making financial decisions without consulting your mate. New behavior: presenting investment opportunities and talking them over together.



Both husbands and wives admitted feeling embarrassed, judged, put down, and angry when their spouses stepped in and answered, or made decisions without asking them.



Everyone needs help … but crashing your mate’s boundaries and manipulating the outcome is something else. When you’re anxious or uncertain about when to step in and when to step aside, pray for guidance.’



Lev 1-3, Matt 24:1-28

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


How to Avoid Shipwreck (1)
‘There is trouble ahead if we go on - shipwreck.’

Acts 27:10
The UCB Word for Today - 14 Feb 2016



The apostle Paul was a prisoner on board a ship headed from Palestine to Rome. After they ventured through the Mediterranean Sea and docked at the island of Crete, God told Paul to advise the crew not to leave the harbour because there was going to be a great storm.



But they wouldn’t listen, and they ended up shipwrecked. Why? Impatience! They had a schedule to keep (see vv. 9-12 NLT). The truth is, when we allow ourselves to become impatient we often end up in a storm.


One pastor writes: ‘I’ve spoken with many crisis-ridden people who were impatient to get married … or get a new job … or move to the other side of town.



They didn’t take time to check things out with God, and they sailed right into the awaiting storms’. Instead of waiting for God’s choice of a mate, loneliness can drive you into the arms of the wrong person and a lifetime of misery.

Making financial decisions without consulting God first can land you in debt that may take years to get out of.


Sometimes when God says no, He doesn’t mean never. He’s simply saying, ‘Not now’. And what He has in store for you is worth waiting for! Here’s something you’d do well to keep in mind: God does a work of preparation within you to equip you for what He has in mind for you.



His Word says, ‘He that believeth shall not make haste’ (Isaiah 28:16 KJV), so don’t get impatient and jump the gun. ‘Wait … for the LORD … follow his path, and he will honor you’ (Psalm 37:34 GWT).


Luke 3:1-19, Ps 18-19

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


How to Avoid Shipwreck (2)
‘The officer in charge … listened … to the ship’s captain.’

Acts 27:11
The UCB Word for Today - 15 Feb 2016



Here are two more pointers on how to avoid shipwreck: 1) Don’t take advice from the wrong people, even the so-called ‘experts’. The Bible says, ‘But the officer in charge … listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul’.

Chances are, the ship’s owner was an expert in business and its captain an expert in maritime matters. Nevertheless, both men were incapable of hearing the voice of God.



Bottom line: Be discerning about who you allow to speak into your life. Just because someone’s successful in a secular field doesn’t mean they’re qualified to give you spiritual guidance. ‘Honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work … and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work’ (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 NLT).


Where should you go when you need spiritual guidance? To leaders in God’s work who have proven themselves worthy of your love and respect. 2) Remember that sometimes the majority gets it wrong. ‘Most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix’ (Acts 27:12 NLT).


The fact is the majority can be wrong! Remember what happened when Moses started to lead the children of Israel to the Promised Land? The majority wanted to return to Egypt. But they were wrong - dead wrong - and they perished in the wilderness.

We can get ourselves into a real mess by following prevailing opinion and the most popular ideas.


Listen for God’s voice and you’ll always go in the right direction. ‘He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way’ (Psalm 25:9 NIV 2011 Edition).


Lev 4-5, Matt 24:29-51

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



How to Avoid Shipwreck (3)
‘A gentle south wind began to blow.’

Acts 27:13
The UCB Word for Today - 16 Feb 2016



You can’t afford to be guided by circumstances alone. ‘When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they … sailed along the shore of Crete. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force … swept down from the island.


The ship was caught by the storm’ (vv. 13-15 NIV 1984 Edition). It’s foolish to ignore what God says, even when your circumstances seem to contradict it.



Things may look good to you right now, yet you could be sailing straight into a storm. You say, ‘This decision must be okay because I feel so good about it’.



Do you remember the words from Debby Boone’s old hit song: ‘It can’t be wrong when it feels so right’? Feelings can lie, and if God says, ‘Wait in the harbour,’ you’d better do it because the Devil can arrange undesirable circumstances if you put out to sea. Notice the words: ‘When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted’.


When it comes to the important decisions in your life, stand on these Scriptures: ‘Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies - make straight your way before me’ (Psalm 5:8 NIV 1984 Edition). ‘Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long’ (Psalm 25:5 NIVUK 2011 Edition). ‘Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path’ (Psalm 27:11 NIV 2011 Edition). ‘Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground’ (Psalm 143:10 NIV 2011 Edition).

When you pray that way, God will guide you in the right direction.


Lev 6-7, Matt 25:1-30

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Peace Is ‘an Inside Job’
‘I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.”’

Psalm 55:6
The UCB Word for Today - 17 Feb 2016



The psalmist wrote, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest’. Have you ever felt that way? Sorry, there’s no escape! Wherever you go - there you are! Peace is ‘an inside job’. Oceanographers tell us that even the worst ocean storms rarely extend more than twenty-five feet below the surface.


Gales can rip the ocean, causing tidal waves one hundred feet high, but just twenty-five feet below the surface the water is as calm as a pond.



The point is this: The only place you’ll ever find peace in the midst of life’s storms, is through an in-depth experience with God. Korean Christians have a saying that emerged from the persecution they endured because of their faith in Christ: ‘We’re just like nails.


The harder you hit us, the deeper you drive us; and the deeper you drive us, the more peaceful it becomes!’. Part of God’s purpose in allowing the storms of life to blow, is to drive us deeper - deeper into dependence on Him, and deeper into relationship with Him.


Someone said, ‘God takes life’s broken pieces and gives us unbroken peace’. When you focus on the God who never meets a problem He can’t solve, instead of focusing on the problem you can’t solve, you’ll experience in-depth peace.



And you’ll carry that peace with you wherever you go. Others will notice it and seek your advice when they too face trouble. You see, when you know that the God within you reigns above you, you won’t succumb to what’s around you.



Lev 8-10, Matt 25:31-46

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Do What God’s Called You to Do
‘Be fruitful, and multiply.’

Genesis 1:28
The UCB Word for Today - 18 Feb 2016



God told Adam, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply’. In other words, ‘Discover the purpose for which I made you and give yourself fully to it’. Ever observed a great golfer?


His level of concentration, the fluid grace as he arcs the club into that little white ball and sends it sailing onto the green? It’s what he was meant to do. He knows it and takes pleasure in it.



People who fulfil their calling exude an excitement and a connection to their gift that transcends fame. Most of them have simply found a way to get paid for doing something they love.


Money never replaces purpose. When you find the thing you’d gladly do for free - there’s a good chance you’ve found your calling.


You were made in the image of God, with a built-in drive to create. That doesn’t mean you must have an artistic temperament to find your life’s purpose.


But everyone who’s aware of their calling is in the process of giving birth to something. It may seem obvious that those who are songwriters, artists, and poets are giving birth to their dreams.


But so is any one of us who discovers who he or she is, and answers that call through their unique gifts.


You may be called to give birth to a business, or invent a technical device that will benefit others, or discover a cure for some disease, or find new systems of efficiency in the workplace.


You say, ‘But what if I try and fail?’. The real loser is the one who never attempts to fly with the wings God gave them. So, do what God’s called you to do!



Lev 11-12, Matt 26:1-25

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



The Power of Kindness (1)
Be devoted to one another.’

Romans 12:10
The UCB Word for Today - 19 Feb 2016



Sometimes we think that in order to be successful we have to be tough, hard-nosed, and stoic in how we relate to others.


Some folks even go so far as to interpret kindness as weakness and vulnerability. Nothing could be further from the truth. Kindness signals tremendous inner strength that others not only appreciate, but respect.


Aesop wrote a fable in which the wind and the sun argued over who was the stronger. ‘Do you see that old man down there?’ the wind asked. ‘I can make him take off his coat quicker than you can.’ The sun agreed to duck behind a cloud while the wind blew up a storm.


But the harder the wind blew the more firmly the traveller wrapped his coat around him. Eventually the wind gave up and the sun reappeared, smiling kindly upon the old man.

Before long he mopped his brow, shed his heavy coat and strolled away.


The sun knew the secret: Warmth, friendliness, and a gentle touch are always more effective than force and fury. Jesus was hard on hypocrites and those who took advantage of others. But to everyone else, including society’s rejects, He showed great kindness.


He came into an unkind, dog-eat-dog, every-man-for-himself culture where there were no mental health institutions, hospitals, orphanages, or organisations of mercy. Yet He poured the milk of human kindness into every bowl of human suffering.



And at the cross He demonstrated the ultimate cost of kindness - and in so doing, changed the world for all time. So, ‘Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves’ (Romans 12:10 NIV UK 2011 Edition).


Lev 13, Matt 26:26-46

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


The Power of Kindness (2)
‘Love is patient, love is kind.’

1 Corinthians 13:4
The UCB Word for Today - 20 Feb 2016



Truly great people understand the power of kindness. Once while Abraham Lincoln was dining in the White House one of his guests blew on his coffee, poured it into his saucer, and drank from it.


As you might imagine, some of the refined ladies and gentlemen seated nearby were aghast, and for a moment the room was filled with an embarrassed silence.

Then Lincoln took his coffee, poured it into his saucer, and for the rest of the evening drank directly from it.


And you know what? Everyone else in the room followed suit! One small act of kindness saved a White House guest unbelievable embarrassment.



And that simple but thoughtful gesture by one of America’s greatest presidents reminds us of the value of setting an example of kindness.


Chances are you’ve never heard of Stephen Grellet, a French-born Quaker who died in 1855. He’d still be unknown to the world at large, except for a few immortal lines that will likely be remembered forever: ‘I shall pass through this world but once.


Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.’ Each day has one thing in common with the next.



Both offer opportunities to show kindness, and when missed, those opportunities leave you with unwanted regrets. Poet C.R. Gibson wrote, ‘I have wept in the night for the shortness of sight, that to somebody’s need made me blind.

But I never have yet had a twinge of regret, for being a little too kind.’



Lev 14, Matt 26:47-75

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


What God Expects from You
‘From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.’

Luke 12:48
The UCB Word for Today - 21 Feb 2016


Added blessing always brings added responsibility, so: 1) Stop complaining.

Happiness doesn’t come from getting what you want; it comes from recognising and enjoying what you have.

So keep a positive attitude and be grateful every day. Rudyard Kipling said, ‘Don’t pay too much attention to fame, power, or money.


Some day you’ll meet a person who cares for none of these, and then you’ll know how poor you are’. 2) Stop assuming.

When you see your neighbours buying new furniture, taking expensive holidays, and driving the latest car, does something stir inside you to do the same? Be careful; just because someone appears to be in similar circumstances to yours doesn’t mean anything. They might earn twice as much.


On the other hand, they may be in debt up to their ears or three-quarters of the way to bankruptcy or a divorce court. Stop making assumptions and trying to be like somebody else. 3) Stop withholding.


Bruce Larson said, ‘Money is another pair of hands to heal, feed, and bless the desperate families of the earth. In other words, money is my other self’. But that’s only true if you’re willing to part with it.


Money is like manure: If you let it pile up it stinks; if you spread it around it helps things grow. Money gives you options the less fortunate can only pray for.


And one more very important thought: How you use your money will be one of the biggest issues you’ll face on Judgement Day. Indeed, it’ll be a determining factor when it comes to your eternal reward. Think about it!


Luke 3:20-38, Ps 20-22

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Is It God’s Plan?
‘Listen for God’s voice … he’s the one who will keep you on track.’

Proverbs 3:6
The UCB Word for Today - 22 Feb 2016


After being anointed king of Israel, instead of immediately going to Jerusalem and claiming his throne, David was forced to spend years living like a fugitive and hiding in caves because Saul was out to take his life.


More than once he must have asked himself, ‘What about the promise God gave me?’. Then an interesting thing happened.


One of David’s soldiers found Saul asleep; he came to David, saying, ‘God has delivered your enemy into your hand … let me strike him’ (1 Samuel 26:8 NKJV). What an opportunity! Get rid of the man who wants to kill you, come out of hiding, and claim your throne. After all, you’re already anointed to be king! It all made sense, except for one thing - it wasn’t God’s plan.


As much as David wanted to rule Israel, he knew that in order to succeed he must do it God’s way. This story should make you think twice, and pray before acting.



When Abishai offered to kill Saul, he had David’s welfare at heart. So be careful; your friends can give you advice contrary to God’s will. That’s when it’s hard not to go along with it, or defend your decision by rationalising that the end justifies the means.


Never let anyone, however well intentioned, persuade you to do what you know is wrong. ‘Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice … he’s the one who will keep you on track’ (Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG).


Lev 15-16, Matt 27:1-26