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WORD FOR YOU!

Avoid habits that can trap you
28 DECEMBER 2021

‘If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.’
1 Corinthians 6:12 MSG

Paul said, ‘Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.’ If we’re serious about spiritual growth, we need to look for opportunities to say no to our wants in small areas. Then one day we’ll be able to say no when it really counts. Daniel started by saying no to eating the king’s food, and later was able to say no to bowing to the king’s idols. We need to focus in on the undisciplined areas of our lives; the ones we keep excusing, rationalising, and putting off dealing with. Paul measured his actions by this standard: ‘Is it beneficial? Does it have the potential to control me?’ (see 1 Corinthians 6:12). We have a ‘right’ to eat a tub of ice cream every night. It’s permissible – but it’s not ‘beneficial’, especially if we want to try to eat more healthily. We have a ‘right’ to spend our money as we please, but bad management of our money and buying things we can’t really afford leads to problems. We have a ‘right’ to look at whatever we want on TV or the internet, but exposure to wrong influences will inevitably weaken our characters, steal our self-respect, and trap us. Our character is the sum total of the choices we make each day. Every single decision matters and influences our character in some way, so let’s try to make good choices. If you want to start replacing bad habits with good ones, you should ask God for help and guidance – but the only person who can make it happen is you.

What Now?

Get into the habit of making good choices. Before doing something, try developing a routine of quickly asking: Is it beneficial? Does it have the power to control me? Would God approve?

Zechariah 9-10, Revelation 19

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WORD FOR YOU!

Change of heart
29 DECEMBER 2021

‘The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts…so that you may love him.’
Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV

Hebrew baby boys went through the rite of circumcision. It signified that they were in a covenant relationship with God in which He promised to protect, guide, and bless them. And in the New Testament, Paul ‘spiritualises’ this rite. ‘True circumcision…is a change of heart produced by [God’s] Spirit’ (Romans 2:29 NLT). That change of heart calls for cutting off anything that encourages and produces in us wrong impulses and actions. Jesus said, ‘Those whose hearts are pure…will see God’ (Matthew 5:8 NLT). When our hearts are pure, we’ll be able to see God where others can’t and hear Him when others don’t. The word pure could be translated ‘without contamination’. It’s the difference between a clear stream and a polluted one. It means our self-centred thinking is abandoned and our earthly nature is crucified. The difference between forgiveness and cleansing is like the difference between cutting off a weed at the ground and pulling it up by its roots. Forgiveness deals with the ‘result’ of sin – that’s easy to identify. But cleansing deals with the ‘cause’ of sin – that’s not so easy to identify because it deals with our natural traits and character flaws. Forgiveness comes by confession, but cleansing comes by walking in the light: ‘If we walk in the light, as he is in the light…the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin’ (1 John 1:7 NIV). Do you keep asking God to forgive the same sins over and over? That’s because you need to experience true cleansing. Your heart needs to be changed. And that’s a job for the Holy Spirit.

What Now?

Whenever you clean anything today (like the dishes, your teeth, the ice off your car, etc.) ask God to clean you on the inside too, and remove any self-centred traits or ungodly motives and desires from your heart and mind.

Zechariah 11-12, Revelation 20

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WORD FOR YOU!

No more hiding
30 DECEMBER 2021

‘God called to the man, “Where are you?”’
Genesis 3:9 NLT

When we don’t feel good about ourselves, we might use things like work, food, relationships, and money to build a wall and keep people from getting too close. Another hiding tactic we might use is to keep the focus off ourselves and direct it on to other people by asking things like, ‘How come she passed the exam and I didn’t?’ Or, ‘Why did he get that job and not me?’ – the implication being that the other person didn’t deserve their achievement and that we’re looking for things to criticise about them so we feel better about ourselves. But even worse than pretending with people is pretending with God. When God asked Adam, ‘Where are you?’ He already knew the answer. But He asked anyway, because He wanted Adam to acknowledge where he was and what he had become. Eric Hoffer said, ‘We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves.’ Until we face the truth about ourselves, we’ll find it hard to talk to God. We’ll feel lonely and alienated, and we’ll struggle to let people get close to us in case they see who we ‘really are’. But God already knows everything about us – every emotion, every word and every thought – and He doesn’t reject us. So let’s make this our prayer today: ‘Father, I know You love me. Nothing can change that or steal its joy except my own doubts and my refusal to believe it. You loved me before I was born, You created me according to Your plan, You redeemed me and gave me a special purpose in the world, and You’re working day by day to make me into a person who pleases You’ (see Philippians 2:13). The good news is…we don’t have to hide from God.

What Now?

Pray the prayer in today’s reading slowly, thinking about the truth of each line. Then if you can, share it with someone who you think needs a bit of encouragement today.

Zechariah 13-14, Revelation 21

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WORD FOR YOU

Believe in your vision
31 DECEMBER 2021

‘I will pour out my Spirit.’
Joel 2:29 NLT

God spoke through the prophet Joel, saying, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants – men and women alike’ (v.28-29 NLT). God has a vision for each of us to fulfil. And sometimes our vision won’t make sense because we don’t feel qualified. In the musical Man of La Mancha, there’s a scene where Don Quixote and his servant stand gazing at a dilapidated inn. When Don Quixote describes his vision of turrets and magnificent gates, his servant tries hard to see the same picture, but all he can see are ruins. And when he describes what he sees, Don Quixote says, ‘Stop! I will not allow your facts to interfere with my vision!’ When God gives us a vision, there’ll always be people who are ready to try and convince us that it can’t be done, or that we can’t do it, which can confirm the our deepest fears about our abilities. But if we ignore our critics and rise above our fears, God will enable us to fulfil the vision He’s given. It’s important to keep in mind that although a vision may come in an instant, it can take a lifetime to fulfil. Habakkuk wrote, ‘It is not yet time for the message to come true, but that time is coming soon; the message will come true. It may seem like a long time, but be patient and wait for it, because it will surely come’ (Habakkuk 2:3 NCV). God keeps His promises, so if He’s given you a vision for your life, believe in it, ‘because it will surely come.’

What Now?

Are there any critics holding you back from doing what God’s tasked you with? Pray that His voice would be the loudest in your life, and His opinion would be your only influence in the year ahead.

Malachi 1-4, Revelation 22

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WORD FOR YOU

This year, glorify God and enjoy Him
01 JANUARY 2022

‘Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.’
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV

In 1643, the Houses of Parliament ended the existing system of government in the Church of England, and an assembly of people was called to Westminster Abbey to rebuild the English church. One of the first questions asked in the documents that came out of that assembly was ‘What is the chief end of man?’ In other words, ‘What’s our purpose?’ And the answer: ‘To glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.’ It's such a simple and, at the same time, such a powerful question and answer. It's as true today as it was centuries ago. And it's something we should set as the blueprint for our lives this coming year. Glorify God. Obey God. Enjoy God. When we know our lives are glorifying God, we enjoy His presence, but when we know they aren’t, we tend to avoid Him. And that’s bad, because without God’s presence in our life, our chance of living successfully in the things that really matter and in God's eyes isn’t good. As we look back on last year, there might be things we regret because we know that God wasn't glorified in them. But God’s giving us a new year, a new opportunity to make changes and do things differently. We might find it helpful to make New Year’s resolutions to help us stay focused on our goals, but we need to base every one of them on this verse from the Bible: ‘Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.’ If we make that our foundation and stick to it, we'll stay on the right path, and we'll have the peace and joy of knowing our lives are pleasing to God.

What Now?

Create your own worship playlist of songs that remind you to glorify God in everything you do and inspire you to praise Him. Make praise and worship the soundtrack to your year!

Genesis 1-3, Matthew 1

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WORD FOR YOU

Being fruitful (1)
02 JANUARY 2022

‘I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.’
John 15:16 NIV

When Jesus said, ‘I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last,’ He was saying, ‘Spend your life aiming for things and doing things that have lasting significance and eternal value!’ What does He mean by ‘fruit’? ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV). Those nine qualities describe the only life that’s truly worth living. Fortunately, we’re not left to produce this kind of fruit through our own efforts. And in fact, we never will be able to do it alone. Jesus said this: ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing’ (John 15:1-2, 4-5 NIV). Jesus is speaking to every believer, ‘every branch in me’ (v.2 NIV). God, who is 'the gardener’ (v.1 NIV), has a goal for each of us: to be ‘even more fruitful’ (v.2 NIV). And the secret of fruitfulness is staying in constant contact with Jesus and developing a close relationship with Him. ‘If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit’ (v.5 NIV). So, if we want to be more fruitful, let's draw closer to Him and look forward to the amazing ways He'll use us.

What Now?

Pray that your relationship with God will continue to grow stronger and stronger, and that you’ll be especially fruitful for Him in the year ahead.

Luke 1:1-20, Psalms 1-3

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WORD FOR YOU

Being fruitful (2)
03 JANUARY 2022

‘The godly have deep roots.’
Proverbs 12:3 NLT

We must cultivate deep spiritual roots. ‘Blessed are those who trust in the Lord…They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit’ (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT). This Scripture gives us one reason why we need deep spiritual roots: to make it through the rough times – times of heat and drought. Solomon said, ‘No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted’ (Proverbs 12:3 NIV). It’s when seasons of adversity hit our lives that we discover what we're ‘rooted’ to: God’s strength or just our own. When the Bible talks about ‘heat’, it's talking about the pressures of life. When it talks about ‘drought’, it’s talking about seasons of crisis and lack. We need ‘Roots that reach deep into the water,’ because ‘They never stop producing fruit.’ Because of their roots, the giant redwoods of Northern California can withstand the big forest fires. The roots of large trees can spread up to five times the width of the tree’s leafy canopy. That’s why they’re stable in the storms and droughts. Paul wrote this: ‘I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong…you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God’ (Ephesians 3:16-17, 19 NLT).

What Now?

Draw a quick sketch of a tree with lots of deep, long roots. On each root, write a Bible verse that reminds you of God’s strength and love.

Genesis 4-6, Matthew 2

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WORD FOR YOU

Being fruitful (3)
04 JANUARY 2022

‘Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him.’
Colossians 2:7 NLT

Paul wrote these words: ‘Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ’ (v.6-10 NLT). If you ever visit an Arizona desert, you’ll find that it’s full of different kinds of vegetation. The contrasts are fascinating. The dried-up, brittle tumbleweed blows everywhere, because it has no roots, but the saguaro cactus can bear fruit even in 130-degree weather, because its roots go out fifty to sixty feet in all directions. We must have deep spiritual roots if we're going to make it through the ‘dry spells’ of life. Most people can put up with a day or two of drought, but what about extended seasons of stress, grief, lack, illness, and adversity? Whatever our lives are rooted to is what we'll draw our strength from. The psalmist wrote this: ‘They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind’ (Psalm 1:2-4 NLT). Today pray, ‘Lord, root me deep in you.’

What Now?

Go back to the drawing you made yesterday. Read each verse that you wrote down, and ask God that His words of love would refresh, feed, and strengthen you for the year ahead.

Genesis 7-9, Matthew 3

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WORD FOR YOU

Evidence of God (1)
09 JANUARY 2022

‘He never left them without evidence of himself.’
Acts 14:17 NLT

There’s a joke about some scientists who are arguing with God: ‘We can do transplants, clone cells, save lives, and thousands of other miraculous things. We don’t need You anymore.’ God listens patiently, then says, ‘How about this: if you can make a human, the same way I made Adam, then I’ll leave you alone.’ The scientists agree and start scooping up handfuls of dirt. But God stops them: ‘No, no. Get your own dirt.’ That’s only a joke, but a few years ago, scientists actually managed to make a very simple living cell. They copied bacteria from a goat intestine, looked at each of its genes, and turned them off one at a time. If the cell died, they determined that gene was essential to life. Eventually, they stripped it down to just 473 genes. But here’s where it gets interesting. They know the cell is alive, but they don’t know how. Nearly one third of the genes have no known purpose, but without them, the cell dies. And just like in the joke, the scientists had to start with something God had already created. There are so many things we don’t know the answers to. God may reveal the answers to us at some point, and there may also be some things He’ll keep to Himself. We might think a single cell is quite a simple thing, but when we look at it closely, it’s so much more complex than we realise. And it’s the same with all of creation. The beauty and complexity of it is beyond anything we could invent for ourselves. The Bible says, ‘He never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness’ (v.17 NLT). We can see God’s hand everywhere, and we’re so blessed to be able to have a personal relationship with Him.

What Now?

Write down some of the questions you want to ask God. Share them with Him and ask Him to reveal the answers, if it’s the right time and if it’s His will for you to know.

Luke 1:21-38, Psalms 4-6

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WORD FOR YOU

Evidence of God (2)
10 JANUARY 2022

‘The builder of everything is God himself.’
Hebrews 3:4 NCV

Take a moment to think about the complexity of the human body, every feature, every organ, every system working together. Could something like that really bring itself into being from nothing? Given enough time, could complex systems like those in our bodies be built by chance through a series of random, unguided changes? The Bible is clear on how everything was made: ‘Every house is built by someone, but the builder of everything is God himself’ (v.4 NCV). And that means God built each one of us, too. Dr Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project, and also a believer, described exploring nature as ‘a way of getting a glimpse of God’s mind,’ and said, ‘All truth is God’s truth, and therefore God can hardly be threatened by scientific discoveries.’ Albert Einstein, one of the world’s greatest scientists, said, ‘The deeper one penetrates into nature’s secrets, the greater becomes one’s respect for God.’ And Sir Isaac Newton said, ‘The most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.’ The more closely we look at our world (and beyond it), the more we realise how complicated it all is. Science often seems to be opposed to God, but we can try to see scientific discoveries as ways of revealing how marvellous a designer and builder God really is. It’s amazing to think that we’re not only intricately made, but also uniquely created with our own personalities, skills, looks, likes and dislikes. Let’s celebrate the fact that we’re individuals, made by God for a unique purpose, and let’s praise Him for the diversity and variety He’s created.

What Now?

Scroll through your list of followers on one of your social media accounts. Thank God for each person on that list (if you know them well enough, thank Him for a particular skill or aspect of their personality that you love about them), and praise Him for the uniqueness and diversity He’s created.

Genesis 20-22, Matthew 6:16-34