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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Are You Struggling Financially? (1)
‘…your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.’

Matthew 6:32
The UCB Word for Today - 16 Sep 2015



Donna Savage writes: ‘In my husband’s first years as a pastor our mortgage payment gobbled up half his income…I learned to replace panic with peace by praying for: Clarity. Money is linked to our self-esteem. It can trigger feelings of shame, fear, pride, and anger. But “understanding [God’s] Word brings light to the minds of ordinary people” (Psalms 119:130 CEV). Creativity.



If you want more money, you must earn more or spend less. We serve a creative God, and He rewards those who “…diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV). Ask Him to show you how to increase your income. Connections. Kids are familiar with connect-the-dot puzzles, where you join a random collection of dots to produce an image you’d otherwise miss.


It’s all about the right connections, and God can send the right people into your life with answers to your money problems. Contentment. Just like earthquakes expose structural weaknesses in buildings, financial pressure exposes our spiritual weakness.


Paul said, “I have learned the secret of being content” (Philippians 4:12). Key phrase: I have learned. Hardship enrols us all in a basic contentment course, but we don’t all get the same homework.





Some of us learn through financial hardship and proving God’s faithfulness for ourselves.’ Savage continues: ‘I’ve given God an “I can’t do this” ultimatum more than once… I’ve also celebrated the adventure of moment-by-moment dependence on His resources. I’ve proved God’s faithfulness in my prayers and in my pantry, and it’s never limited by my bank balance.’




Is 26-27, Eph 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Are You Struggling Financially? (2)
‘…all these things shall be added unto you.’

Matthew 6:33
The UCB Word for Today - 17 Sep 2015



Pray: ‘Heavenly Father, Your Word says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” You are well able to take care of my financial situation; You know what needs to be done. Direct my steps (Proverbs 3:5-6).




Help me to remember that Your resources are meant to flow freely from the place of abundance to the place of need (2 Corinthians 8:14).

I believe You have a financial plan for my life, and when fear of the future threatens to overwhelm me, I will hope continually and praise You more and more (Psalms 71:14). As You walk with me through this crisis and I stay focused on You, You promised to keep me in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Forgive me for worrying.



I cast all my cares on You right now (1 Peter 5:7)…I don’t have to bear these burdens on my own…I lay them down and receive Your divine rest (Matthew 11:28). You promised to supply all my needs (Philippians 4:19); that it’s Your good pleasure to give me the [blessings and benefits of Your] kingdom (Luke 12:32).



You told me not to worry about anything and instead make my requests known to You with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6-7). I know You’ll take care of tomorrow because You’re Jehovah-Jireh, my provider (Matthew 6:34). You know what I need and when I need it…You’re the God of more than enough (Ephesians 3:20). Thank You for meeting my every need, and for the sense of peace and security You’re imparting to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.’





Is 28-29, Eph 3

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY




Get Over It!


‘He who…forgives an offence seeks love, but he who…harps on a matter separates…friends.’

Proverbs 17:9
The UCB Word for Today - 18 Sep 2015



Countless friendships are destroyed because one person gets offended by something the other one said or did.




A mark of spiritual growth is how quickly you get over slights and insults; the more mature you are, the less time it takes to ‘forgive an offence’ and move on. One Christian writer says: ‘Okay, your friend ditches you and your feelings are hurt…or she’s too busy to return your phone call or email…or you’re out to dinner with another couple and the other man insults your husband in an attempt to be funny …Offences come…Jesus said they would (John 16:33). People are people. If you’ve been offended by a friend, or felt slighted, get over it! Hit the Control>Alt>Delete buttons.





Don’t let bitterness even think about putting down roots…"Love…is not irritable…it keeps no record of being wronged…never gives up…and endures through every circumstance” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT)…It seems impossible…and without God’s love it is. So yield to His love, overlook offences and walk in love, because next week you’ll be the one needing unconditional love.



When it comes to being perfect, we’ve all failed. If you want your friends to overlook your offences, be quick to overlook theirs.’ Make this your prayer today: ‘Father, thank You for the relationships You’ve blessed me with. I make a decision today to release anyone who has ever offended me in the slightest…to overlook it… forget about it, and move on. I will not keep a record of their wrongs. I will offer mercy and unconditional love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.’



Is 30-31, Eph 4

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY




Get Over It!
‘He who…forgives an offence seeks love, but he who…harps on a matter separates…friends.’

Proverbs 17:9
The UCB Word for Today - 18 Sep 2015



Countless friendships are destroyed because one person gets offended by something the other one said or did. A mark of spiritual growth is how quickly you get over slights and insults; the more mature you are, the less time it takes to ‘forgive an offence’ and move on.





One Christian writer says: ‘Okay, your friend ditches you and your feelings are hurt…or she’s too busy to return your phone call or email…or you’re out to dinner with another couple and the other man insults your husband in an attempt to be funny …Offences come…Jesus said they would (John 16:33). People are people. If you’ve been offended by a friend, or felt slighted, get over it! Hit the Control>Alt>Delete buttons. Don’t let bitterness even think about putting down roots…"Love…is not irritable…it keeps no record of being wronged…never gives up…and endures through every circumstance” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT)…It seems impossible…and without God’s love it is.





So yield to His love, overlook offences and walk in love, because next week you’ll be the one needing unconditional love. When it comes to being perfect, we’ve all failed. If you want your friends to overlook your offences, be quick to overlook theirs.’ Make this your prayer today: ‘Father, thank You for the relationships You’ve blessed me with. I make a decision today to release anyone who has ever offended me in the slightest…to overlook it… forget about it, and move on. I will not keep a record of their wrongs. I will offer mercy and unconditional love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.’




Is 30-31, Eph 4

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



The Importance of Your Self-Talk
‘This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.’

Lamentations 3:21
The UCB Word for Today - 20 Sep 2015

Lamentations chapter three describes how despair engulfs us, and how we can conquer it. Jeremiah’s downward spiral starts in verse one: ‘I am the man who has seen affliction…’ (v 1 NAS), and morphs into an unhealthy preoccupation with his troubles.


The fact is, when our circumstances deteriorate, our self-talk sounds a lot like Jeremiah’s. He blamed God for his physical symptoms, his emotional anguish, and his sense of entrapment.


He rehearsed God’s failure to answer his prayers, and his fear that he’d been singled out as an object of public ridicule: all classic elements of depression. No wonder he felt powerless and hopeless! (v 18). That kind of self-talk initiates and intensifies despair and depression and feeds our negative outlook.



The turning point came when Jeremiah changed his self-talk: ‘This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.’ He changed his thought process by recalling God’s goodness and mercy: ‘Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed…His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness’ (vv 22-23 NIV). When you change your mind—you change your mood! It doesn’t happen automatically; you have to deliberately refocus your thinking at the very time when you feel least like doing it. Notice: Jeremiah’s circumstances didn’t improve—his outlook did. A stream of encouraging thoughts triggered a change in his self-talk—and his depression lifted: ‘“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I have hope in Him”’ (v 24 NAS). That’s how important your self-talk is!




Luke 18:1-17, Ps 97-99

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Dump Your Grudges!
‘Love…keeps no record of being wronged’

1 Corinthians 13:4-5
The UCB Word for Today - 21 Sep 2015



Holding a grudge is costly, and you and the people in your life end up footing the bill! In all probability the offender has moved on, forgotten the offence, and left you holding the bag.


But in reality, blame, not the offender, is the crux of the problem. And until you understand and accept that, you will continue to be upset. Don’t let your grudges fester and turn into: 1) Self-victimisation.




Negative energy expended on others just drains your resources and robs you of the chance to fulfil your God-given potential. Stop cheating yourself. Don’t surrender your power to your grudges! 2) Bitterness. It’s like a deadly poison; a little of it can contaminate your entire system. The hurt you harbour pollutes the stream of your daily experience, including your experience with God! 3) Isolation.



There’s no joy in being around someone who constantly indulges in blame, defensiveness and anger. Others pick up the vibes and feel at risk, so they keep a safe distance in case they become a target in the event that they displease you. It’s a formula for isolation and self-induced loneliness. 4) Negative role-modelling.



Maybe you think, ‘My feelings are nobody’s business!’ Maybe—if you live on a desert island. Grudges are highly communicable. ‘…Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up…corrupting many’ (Hebrews 12:15 NLT). 5) Sabotaged repentance.


Genuine repentance and forgiveness aren’t possible until you’re willing to face up to your grudges. If you’re still blaming others, you’re avoiding responsibility. A bad attitude is like a flat tyre—until you change it, you’re not going to get anywhere.



Is 34-36, Eph 5:17-33

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY




Start Thinking Creatively (1)
‘…God created mankind in His own image…’

Genesis 1:27
The UCB Word for Today - 22 Sep 2015



The Bible calls you a ‘child of God’. Stop and consider what that means. God’s creativity is already built into your DNA; your job is to recognise it, release it and put it to work. Advertising executive George Lois said, ‘Creativity can solve almost any problem.



The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.’ But for your creativity to be released, you must first identify the barriers and start taking them down. Here’s a common one: ‘We’ve always done it this way.’ People who say that have stopped thinking for themselves. They’re just putting in their time, waiting for a pay packet and going home at the end of the day without thinking, reflecting or even considering the possibilities of change.



If you’re one of these people, it’s time to wake up and start looking around you. Mind-deadening routine is the cancer of creativity. If you mindlessly go about your business the same way every day, your routine is opening you up to mistakes.



Why? Because, the chances are, your habits have caused you to lose the ability to think critically and question your methods. Start questioning policies, techniques, forms, rules, paperwork—anything that’s become routine. Ask, ‘Why do we do that? Is it even necessary? Can we do it better?’ On the farm of success there are no sacred cows. If you insist on doing things the way they’ve always been done, you’ll end up being out-thought, out-sold, out-produced and finally out of business. So start thinking creatively.




Is 37-38, Eph 6

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Start Thinking Creatively (2)
‘God…calleth things that are not as though they were.’

Romans 4:17
The UCB Word for Today - 23 Sep 2015



God sees things others don’t, and He talks about them as though they were established facts. ‘God…calls things that are not, as though they were.’ And since you are made in His image, you need to do the same. In other words, start thinking creatively.




Film director Frank Capra said, ‘A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.’ So if you’re part of a church or a business that continually throws up obstacles to productivity, forms barriers to originality and puts the brakes on momentum, it’s time to speak up. And if nobody will listen, it’s time to pray and ask God if you’re in the right place.



An environment doesn’t just ‘happen’, it’s created by the people who live and work in it. People, systems and policies either stoke the fire of creativity or put it out. Alexander the Great once visited the famed teacher Diogenes and asked whether he could do anything for him.



Diogenes replied, ‘Only stand out of my light.’ One of the best things you can do for a creative person is not to get in their way! Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Leonardo da Vinci all used the best equipment and went to extraordinary lengths to find the finest materials for their paints, brushes and canvas. And they’d be no different today.



But don’t expect change to come easily. Insecure leaders tend to penalise honesty and feel threatened by creativity, especially when it suggests there’s a better way of doing things. But you owe it to God, to yourself and the people you work with to give it your best shot.



Is 39-40, Phil 1

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Start Thinking Creatively (3)
‘Diotrephes…refuses to accept my suggestions…’

3 John 1 v. 9
The UCB Word for Today - 24 Sep 2015



Not everybody is willing to think creatively, and some people resent those who do.

The apostle John said: ‘I have written briefly to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to take the lead among them and put himself first, does not acknowledge my authority and refuses to accept my suggestions or listen to me.’ Every organisation has at least one of these people; just make sure it’s not you.




Author Phil Cooke says: ‘One of the most damaging sacred cows in organisations is basing employee status on seniority rather than talent. Yes, loyalty is important, but some of the most loyal employees I’ve ever met are loyal because of selfishness.



They project loyalty to keep their jobs, retain their benefits, or hold on to their authority. Real loyalty is about innovation, original thinking and helping the company get to the next level…Every person has worth and is important. But a great leader always knows the people who bring the most value to the organisation.


Those are the people to be developed, trained and cultivated. When you create an atmosphere of original thinking, you’ll have more loyalty than you’ll know what to do with.



Most companies are so ignorant of how to develop an environment of innovation that if you’ll do it, you will have people coming from every direction to work with you.’ The apostle Paul practised and taught this principle: ‘We urge you…to recognise those who labour among you…and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake…’ (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 NKJV). To become a creative thinker, you must value creative thinking.



Is 41-42, Phil 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY




Start Thinking Creatively (4)
‘Be still, and know that I am God…’

Psalms 46:10
The UCB Word for Today - 25 Sep 2015



Observe: 1) Creative thinking usually begins when you’re in a crisis. Think about the Red Sea, the Battle of Jericho, and Goliath. Israel’s most spectacular victories came about when they were in seemingly impossible situations.




That’s why God said, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’ Your Creator will give you creative ideas if you’re willing to be still in His presence and listen to Him.

But that means interrupting your busy schedule, getting alone with Him, and waiting patiently until He speaks to you. And in an age of attention deficit disorder, that’s not always easy.




Your mind must become a blank slate and you must be willing to let God write on it. 2) Creative thinking can be a messy process.


If you’re image-conscious, insecure, or a perfectionist by nature, you’ll need some serious reprogramming. American cartoonist Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert series, said, ‘Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.




Art is knowing which ones to keep.’ On your way to the best possible solution, you’ll have to entertain a lot of not-so-good ideas. Are you willing to do that? 3) Creative thinking is about ‘doing’. Jesus once healed some lepers, but their healing didn’t take place immediately.



The Bible says, ‘…as they went, they were cleansed [healed]’ (Luke 17:14 NKJV). At first they may have thought, ‘Nothing’s happening. I still have leprosy.’ But when they got to a certain point in their journey, the miracle took place. You must be willing to step out in faith and try things in order to find what works and what doesn’t.




Is 43-44, Phil 3