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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

FOUR LESSONS LEARNED ON YOUR JOURNEY (2)

‘Call to me and I will…tell you…things you do not know.’

JEREMIAH 33:3



Third, you learn the secret of prayer. Do you feel lost in unfamiliar territory, uncertain as to what your next move should be? God uses such times to get your attention, call you back to Himself and encourage you to lean on Him, your unfailing source of strength and wisdom. Stop trying to figure everything out by yourself! God says, ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you…things you do not know.’ Take your problem to the Lord and ask Him for a solution; He won’t disappoint you. ‘…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective’ (James 5:16 NIV). Fourth, you learn the power of patience. When the Holy Spirit gives you direction and puts a goal or dream in your heart, it’s easy to be quick on the trigger and want it to happen overnight. Timing is crucial. And it’s under God’s control, not yours! Waiting for God’s timing isn’t wasting time, it’s essential in developing two qualities you need—faith and hope. ‘But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently’ (Romans 8:25 NIV). While you are learning patience, God is at work arranging things on your behalf, and also producing Christ-like qualities in you. The Psalmist said that his hope was in God. What’s your hope in? Good luck? The economy? The doctor’s prognosis? As long as your hope is in anything other than God’s unfailing love and goodness, you’ll wrestle with uncertainty. What’s the answer? ‘…Their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord’ (Psalm 112:7 NIV).

James 1-2 , Matthew 9:27-38, Psalm 91, Proverbs 3:3-4

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BEYOND BARRIERS

EPH 2:13-16

This year’s WPCU theme has been chosen by the Student Christian Movement of India, and focuses prayer on the plight of the Dalit community.  ‘Because of casteism the Dalits are socially marginalized, politically under-represented, economically exploited and culturally subjugated.  Almost 80% of Indian Christians have a Dalit background ... Christian disunity in India within churches and between them is further accentuated by the caste ...

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

THE SECRET OF SATISFACTION

‘…I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.’

PHILIPPIANS 4:11



If money guaranteed happiness, wouldn’t the rich be happier than everybody else? Studies show that often they’re not. Happy people don’t follow money, they follow their God-given passion. In ‘What Happy People Know’, Dr. Dan Baker writes: ‘The man in front of me seemed to have it all: money, freedom, friends and family. But he didn’t have the one thing he wanted most—happiness. His home life would horrify most people—alienated kids, a wife who resented his obsession with work, no time to kick back.’ What was this man’s biggest concern? Keeping what he had! Maybe you’re reading this, thinking, ‘Yeah, but that doesn’t apply to me. In his situation I know I could be happy!’ No, money can’t buy happiness; regardless of how much you have, it’s never enough. Fear will always whisper, ‘Unless you get more you won’t be secure.’ So what’s the secret of happiness? Paul writes: ‘For I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 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. 11-13 NLT). When you pursue God’s purpose for your life, money is secondary. Your real status symbols are salvation, spiritual growth, a secure home, special friends, and the satisfaction of doing what God called you to do. Watchman Nee said, ‘I have never met a soul who has set out to satisfy the Lord, and has not been satisfied himself.’

James 3-5 , Matthew 10:1-10, Psalm 96, Proverbs 3:5-6

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NEIGHBOUR FRIDAY

REV 3:15-19

Lord, I pray for all the local churches in my neighbourhood, and all the churches that my neighbours attend.  May the local church truly represent You and Your Kingdom, and may it be passionate about reaching out to those who do not yet know You, and about helping the less fortunate in our community .Ask your church leader how you can help your church achieve more in your community. Support your leader in prayer.

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

ARE YOU STRESSED OUT ABOUT MONEY? (1)

‘…It is [God] who gives you the ability to produce wealth…’

DEUTERONOMY 8:18




The story of Elijah being fed by the ravens teaches us that God can take care of us in a bad economy (1 Kings 17:1-7). The story of Joseph teaches us that when we follow God’s plan, we will have all that we need to get us through hard times (Genesis 41:37-57). One of the dangers of living in a materialistic society is that you feel ‘entitled’ to things, even when you can’t afford them. To overcome financial anxiety you must practise fiscal discipline. God doesn’t bless recklessness. You can’t go into debt, then pray that God will get you out of it. Sometimes He does. But if you don’t learn from your mistakes you’ll just keep repeating them. A popular radio show in Atlanta, USA is hosted by a man called Clark Howard. He begins every programme by saying, ‘Spend less, save more, and don’t get ripped off.’ He talks about banks that charge extortionate rates for credit cards, and tells people to live within their means. ‘But I’m used to a certain lifestyle,’ you say. Get unused to it! If you want peace of mind, learn the art of contentment. Does contentment mean you can’t have ambition? No, it means delaying gratification and enjoying where you are, on your way to where you’re going. It means learning to live by these words: ‘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’ (Philippians 4:12-13 NLT).

Numbers 1-2 , Matthew 10:11-20, Psalm 100, Proverbs 3:7-8

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NEIGHBOUR FRIDAY

REV 3:15-19

Lord, I pray for all the local churches in my neighbourhood, and all the churches that my neighbours attend.  May the local church truly represent You and Your Kingdom, and may it be passionate about reaching out to those who do not yet know You, and about helping the less fortunate in our community .Ask your church leader how you can help your church achieve more in your community. Support your leader in prayer.

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

ARE YOU STRESSED OUT ABOUT MONEY? (2)

‘…I am the Lord…who teaches you to profit…’ ISAIAH 48:17 NAS




The best way to overcome financial anxiety is by trusting God to meet all your needs. You say, ‘That’s nice, but what does God know about my business?’ More than you think! He’s the CEO of the whole world. When it comes to successful systems, nobody knows more than He. He created the universe in such precise order that if one star moves two degrees out of orbit without His permission; the whole thing dissolves into cosmic chaos. Yet when He needs to move a star, He can do it like He did for the wise men that first Christmas. Wall Street could learn a thing or two from Him! Here’s part of His résumé: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go.’ If you want to become more profitable, go into partnership with God. Does that mean you can just stay home from work, go fishing, and God will pay your mortgage? No, God doesn’t reward laziness and inefficiency! The story’s told of a pastor who stopped by to admire the garden of one of his parishioners. ‘Isn’t God’s handiwork wonderful?’ he said. The parishioner thought about it for a moment and then replied, ‘Yeah, but you should have seen it when God had it all by Himself.’ Understand this: 1) You’ve got to get up and go to work. 2) You’ve got to consult God before you make decisions. 3) You’ve got to honour God with your tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8-12). 4) When you’ve done your best, you’ve got to trust God with the rest.

Numbers 3:1 - 4:33 , Matthew 10:21-31, Psalm 104:1-23, Proverbs 3:9-10

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

SHOW YOUR LOVE NOW!

‘…He has commanded us to love one another…’

2 JOHN 1:6



Each morning pray: ‘Lord, whether or not I get anything else done, help me to spend this day loving You and loving others, because that’s what Your Word says life is all about.’ If you do that, you’ll treat those around you more graciously. And people will notice it. You’ll start winning in areas where you’ve lost. The more time you give to someone, the more you reveal their importance to you. It’s not enough to tell them they’re important, you must prove it by investing in them. The best way to spell love is T-I-M-E. Love is not what you think or feel about others; no, it’s how much you give of yourself to them. Men in particular struggle with this. They say, ‘I don’t understand my wife and children. I provide everything they need. What more could they want?’ They want you! They want your attention! Love concentrates so intently on another that it forgets itself. This kind of attention says, ‘I value you enough to give you my most precious asset—my time.’ Why is now the best time to express your love? Because you don’t know how long you’ll have the opportunity to do so. Circumstances change, people die, children grow up. The truth is, you’ve no guarantee of tomorrow. If you want to express your love you’d better do it now. So, who do you need to start spending more time with? What do you need to cut out of your schedule to make that possible? The best use of life is love, the best expression of love is time, and the best time to love is now.

Exodus 20:8-11 , Isaiah 58:13-14, Luke 4:16, Hebrews 10:19-25

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PRAYER & ME

2 JOHN 1:6

Are you prepared to be the answer to your prayers, or do you treat prayer more as a transaction in which you hand everything over to God to sort out?  Sometimes, no sooner have we said: ‘Lord please do such-and-such’ than God replies: ‘I’d like you to do that actually!’Lord, I want to be a partner in Your work today.  Show me where I need to be the answer to my own prayers for other people.

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

LEARNING TO WALK BY FAITH (1)

‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’

2 CORINTHIANS 5:7




It’s time to ‘get with it’, when God tells you the same thing three separate times: ‘The just shall live by faith’ (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11). This is not a suggestion for theological debate; it’s His will for your life. Clearly, God has made faith the only way to live! No alternative is offered. ‘Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him’ (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). Let’s take a moment and consider some questions arising from this life-transforming truth: 1) Who are ‘the just’? Paul writes, ‘Know that a person is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith…’ (Galatians 2:16 NIV). Justification (just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned) can’t be earned, it’s a free gift that comes by faith. If you have placed your trust in Christ then you are fully accepted in God’s eyes. How good is that? 2) What is ‘walking’? Paul says, ‘We walk by faith and not by sight.’ Walking requires that you get up and start moving. You can’t just sit around aimlessly, waiting for the rapture. Walking involves: Motivation—you’re moved by a purpose. Direction—you’ve chosen a destination, a goal to reach. Motion—you’re committed to mobilising your energy and resources in the pursuit of your God-given destination and purpose. To walk by faith you must be engaged in consistent, forward movement intended to bring you into God’s destiny for your life.

 

Numbers 4:34 - 6:27 , Matthew 10:32-42, Psalm 104:24-35, Proverbs 3:11-12

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DROUGHT IN SOMALILAND

PSALM 20:1

Gursho looks after her son’s six children.  He used to keep animals – 100 camels and 200 goats - but they’ve all died in the drought.  Now her son has left town to look for work – although he has yet to find any.  Her youngest grandchild, Shuciab, is malnourished, so thank the Lord Gursho receives food for her as part of our supplementary feeding programme.  Pray that we will be able to help many more such families

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

LEARNING TO WALK BY FAITH (2)

‘…I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’

MARK 9:24




Here is another question to consider: What is ‘walking by sight’ (2 Corinthians 5:7)? It’s living your life based on how things look to the natural eye. It’s deciding and acting in accord with your perceptions and circumstances, rather than God’s Word. It’s being dictated to by your feelings and thoughts. Your thoughts and feelings are—yours! Examine them. Don’t let them hijack you. Use your spirit-controlled temperament to bring them under control. Too often we are sandwiched between faith and doubt, in a ‘catch-22’ between what our transformed spirit says and what our carnal mind says. One day a distraught father brought his son to Jesus for healing. Jesus told him, ‘…Everything is possible for one who believes’ (Mark 9:23 NIV). At that point the boy’s father said, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’ At times we experience both faith and doubt. This man was honest about his doubts, yet Jesus still worked a miracle for him. If he had needed correcting, Jesus would have corrected him. If his faith was not genuine, the Lord would have known it. But Jesus accepted his declaration of faith, despite his doubts. There are three lessons here for us: 1) Don’t be afraid to acknowledge your doubts. 2) Don’t let your doubts overrule your faith. God’s Word in the matter is God’s will for you; stand on it. 3) Hand your doubts over to the Lord and say, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’ How long does it take to learn to walk by faith? A lifetime!

Numbers 7 , Matthew 11:1-9, Psalm 107:1-9, Proverbs 3:13-18

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DROUGHT IN SOMALILAND

PSALM 20:1

Gursho looks after her son’s six children.  He used to keep animals – 100 camels and 200 goats - but they’ve all died in the drought.  Now her son has left town to look for work – although he has yet to find any.  Her youngest grandchild, Shuciab, is malnourished, so thank the Lord Gursho receives food for her as part of our supplementary feeding programme.  Pray that we will be able to help many more such families.

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

LEARNING TO WALK BY FAITH (3)

‘Faith comes from hearing the message…through the word…’

ROMANS 10:17





What does it mean to ‘walk by faith…’ (2 Corinthians 5:7 NAS)? It’s radically different from walking by sight, reason, emotion or intellect. It calls you to live above these things. It enables you to enter the realm of supernatural possibilities because Jesus said, ‘All things are possible to one who believes’ (Mark 9:23 ESV). Here are some scriptural principles about faith that will help you: 1) It is not rooted in human effort. Self-confidence and intellectual acumen don’t qualify. Optimism, good luck and social connections don’t qualify. Learning religious formulas won’t do it either. 2) It’s rooted in God’s unlimited power and unchanging Word. ‘Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word.’ The Word of God, received and residing within you, continuously produces faith within you. No teeth-gritting super-effort is required; you simply decide to believe what God says and respond to it. 3) Walking by faith calls for action. ‘Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds’ (James 2:18 NIV). Until you act, your faith is useless. ‘In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead’ (v. 17 NIV). The moment you act your faith springs to life, inviting God to move on your behalf. Today He’s waiting for you to act so that He can respond to you. Even if you don’t feel like it, ask yourself, ‘What would my first step of faith be if I really felt like taking action?’ Do it! You’ll be walking by faith and reaping the rewards! (Hebrews 11:6).

Numbers 8-10 , Matthew 11:10-19, Psalm 107:10-16, Proverbs 3:19-20

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DISEASE IN SOUTH SUDAN

PSALM 40:11

Praise God that our team continues to save lives at the kala-azar treatment centre in Jiech, Jonglei State, South Sudan.  Kala-azar is a deadly disease transmitted to humans by the bite of infected female sandflies.  A recent mass mosquito net distribution (to help prevent kala-azar) covered nearly 5,000 families with two nets each.  Pray that these families will understand the importance of using the nets, and will help spread awareness of this disease around ..

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

GOD IS WORKING OUT HIS PLAN FOR YOU

‘I make known the end from the beginning...’

Isaiah 46:10




You are not a mistake your parents made in the heat of passion. What your parents did may have been illegitimate, but you are not. You may wonder: ‘God, is it possible that You have a reason for my conception? Am I called to do something great in life? Is there something so unique to my personality, so connected to my life experiences, so relative to my sphere of influence, so dependent upon my colour and culture, so necessary to my needs and shortcomings that nobody can do it exactly the way You want it done but me?’ Yes. God

says, ‘I make known the end from the beginning…My purpose will stand.’ You are going to succeed because God has already determined your destiny. Before God establishes the procedure, He decides the purpose. When a builder is confused he refers back to the blueprint and checks with the architect. God is the architect and builder of your life. He never gets confused about what He’s planned or how it’s to be built. When He builds something, it’s built for maximum efficiency and optimal performance. We think, ‘Lord, why are You holding me back while others get to go forward? Why is it taking so long for my breakthrough to come?’ God responds, ‘What does the blueprint say?’ God is building a solid foundation under you so that you’ll be able to handle the pressures that accompany His blessing, and go through the storms of life without being moved or shaken. Anything that’s made well is made slowly. Anything that’s worth having is worth fighting for.

Numbers 11-13 , Matthew 11:20-30, Psalm 107:17-22, Proverbs 3:21-24

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NEIGHBOUR FRIDAY

 Lord, I pray for all the churches in my area, and ask that You would help us to live, work and worship together in unity.  Plant in us the conviction that we need each other, and as we serve our community together, please multiply our efforts, so that we have an even greater impact for good in the streets around where we live. This week, can you pray a blessing on a church you don't go to?

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

TO SUCCEED IN LIFE

‘Open my eyes, that I may see…’

Psalms 119 : 18

 To succeed in life: 1) You must refuse to settle for yesterday’s accomplishments. If what you did yesterday still looks big to you today, you probably haven’t done enough today. Paul celebrated his accomplishments, but he focused on what God had for him in the future: ‘…Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on…’ (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT). 2) You must refuse to sit around waiting for tomorrow’s opportunities. Between the great things we can’t do and the little things we won’t do, the danger is that we’ll do nothing. The world is blessed most by those who do things, not by those who merely talk about doing them. 3) You must refuse to let your beginning dictate your end. George Washington Carver spent his early years shuffled between foster homes until, it is thought, Maria Watkins, a washerwoman, found him asleep in her barn. She didn’t just take him in; she took him to church and introduced him to Jesus. When he eventually left her home, he took with him the Bible she’d given him. Maria left her mark on his life, and George left his mark on the world. This father of modern agriculture was a friend to three presidents as well as Henry Ford and Gandhi. He is credited with over three hundred different inventions. And the remarkable thing is, despite his disadvantages, he never became bitter or spent so much as a moment getting even. Instead, he went into his lab every morning and prayed, ‘Open my eyes that I may see.’ How could God fail to bless someone with such an attitude?

 

Numbers 14-15, Matthew 12:1-14, Psalm 107:23-32 , Proverbs 3:25-26

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NEIGHBOUR FRIDAY

 Lord, I pray for all the churches in my area, and ask that You would help us to live, work and worship together in unity.  Plant in us the conviction that we need each other, and as we serve our community together, please multiply our efforts, so that we have an even greater impact for good in the streets around where we live. This week, can you pray a blessing on a church you don't go to?