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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Your Core Values
‘We have wronged no one.’

2 Corinthians 7:2
The UCB Word for Today - 29 May 2016


Life coach Douglas Woods says: ‘Each of us holds many values … Some … superficial, transitory, or fitting solely the moment in which we find ourselves.

Others are more fixed and stay with us through our life; these are our “core values”.’ Paul could adapt to any culture in order to reach people for Christ, but when it came to his core values he could say, ‘We have wronged no one.’ Your core values are: 1) Your friends and lifelong companions.


Abraham Lincoln said, ‘When I lay down the reins of this administration I want to have one friend left, and that friend is inside myself.’ 2) Your compass. Seasons, relationships, circumstances, and goals change, but core values remain.


Like a compass, they always point you in the right direction. Is living this way easy? No. Doubters will think you’re foolish because you walk by faith.

People without family values won’t understand your devotion to your family. The carnally minded won’t understand your dedication to Christ.

And those whose core values differ from yours will try to convince you to follow them, or lower your standards. 3) Your anchor. Without core values you’re adrift. Any storm can take you under; any current can carry you places you don’t want to go.

But with core values you have an anchor that holds even when the weather gets nasty.

Addressing issues that come with age, Christian psychologist Dr James Dobson says: ‘Midlife crisis is more a phenomenon of the wrong value system, than the age of the group in which it occurs.

All of a sudden you realise the ladder you’ve been climbing is leaning against the wrong wall.’


Luke 10:1-24, Ps 57-59

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Be Considerate of the Weak
‘Uphold the weak.’

1 Thessalonians 5:14
The UCB Word for Today - 30 May 2016


Every school has boys and girls who are at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

Some of them are physically unattractive, some are slow learners, and some are simply unable to make friends and find a comfortable place in the school environment. (The same is true in the workplace and the church.) The key question is: what should teachers do when they see one of these children being ridiculed and taunted by their peers?

Some would say, ‘Kids will be kids. Stay out of the conflict and let the children work out their differences for themselves.’ But the Bible says we are to ‘uphold the weak’. When a strong, loving teacher comes to the aid of the least respected child in class, something dramatic occurs in the emotional climate of the room.

Every child seems to utter an audible sigh of relief.

The same thought bounces around in many little heads: ‘If that kid is safe from ridicule, then I must be safe, too.’ By defending the least popular child in the classroom, the teacher is demonstrating that he or she respects everyone and will fight for anyone who is being treated unfairly.

One of the values children cherish most is justice. (Adults do too!) They are, conversely, very uneasy in a world of injustice and abuse.


Therefore, when we teach children kindness and respect for others by insisting on civility in our classrooms, we are laying a foundation for human kindness in the world of adulthood to come.

So wherever you are today, endeavour to ‘comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all’.


2 King 1-3, Acts 8:1-25

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In Jesus name amen, thank You4a word that opened our eyes in Jesus name amen...

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


How to Get Your Prayers Answered (1)
‘If you abide in Me … it shall be done for you.’

John 15:7
The UCB Word for Today - 31 May 2016


Have you spent weeks, months, or even years praying about something specific? Are you saying, ‘Lord, I know what Your Word says, so why isn’t it working for me?’ In order to get the result you’re praying for, you must be able to answer these three questions: 1) Are you praying for God’s will? Jesus said, ‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you’ (v. 7 NKJV).
The word ‘abide’ speaks of intimacy and close connection. It paints a picture of ‘home’, the place where you experience provision and nurture.


When you have that kind of relationship with God, you’ll know His heart and His desires so well that your will is going to line up with His will. And as a result you’ll get what you ask for.

Don’t just assume that what you are praying for is in line with God’s will. Instead test your prayer by applying the ‘abiding principle’. Abiding brings spiritual maturity. And when you’re spiritually mature you begin to pray differently.

Your prayers aren’t self-centred and self-seeking. The time you spend in the presence of the One you love most becomes more important to you than the end result you hope for.

You don’t mind waiting, because you realise God’s timing is always perfect.

And when He chooses to say no to your request, you rejoice and say, ‘Then you’ve something better in mind for me, and I trust You.’ Have you reached that point yet in your walk with Him?


2 King 4-6, Acts 8:26-40

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


How to Get Your Prayers Answered (2)
‘Treat them fairly … Then, when you call, the Lord will answer.’

Isaiah 58:6, 9
The UCB Word for Today - 1 Jun 2016


2) Are you self-sabotaging your prayers? God told the Israelites the reason they weren’t getting answers to their prayers was because they were engaged in finger-pointing and criticism (see vv. 9-10 NIV 2011 Edition).

Have you been guilty of that? It’s just as important to glorify God through the words you speak when you’re not praying, as when you are.


The Bible says there’s a direct link between having a critical, careless tongue, and not getting your prayers answered. How you treat others will determine how God treats you (see Ephesians 6:7-8).


God lays it squarely on the line: ‘Stop oppressing those who work for you and treat them fairly … share your food with the hungry and … those who are helpless, poor, and destitute … If you do these things, God will shed his own glorious light upon you.


He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.


Then, when you call, the Lord will answer … All you need to do is to stop oppressing the weak and stop making false accusations and spreading vicious rumours! Feed the hungry! Help those in trouble! Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you shall be as bright as day.


And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you with all good things, and keep you healthy too’ (Isaiah 58:6-11 TLB).That means the answer to your prayers is contingent upon two things: your attitudes and actions towards others.


2 King 7-9, Acts 9:1-22

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

How to Get Your Prayers Answered (3)
‘Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us.’

Ephesians 5:2
The UCB Word for Today - 2 Jun 2016


3) Do you show a loving attitude? The Bible says, ‘Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us.’ Your mouth is such a major part of your love walk.


We fail to realise how much we can do for people by building them up with our words. And we need to be even more careful not to say things that tear them down.



The Bible says ‘the heart is deceitful above all things’ (Jeremiah 17:9 NIV 2011 Edition). What vibes are you giving off? What are you ‘putting out there’? When we’re too busy to show love - we’re too busy, and it’s time to examine our heart motives and attitudes. How do we do that? By examining our tongue, and what’s coming out of our mouth.


Do you remember the last time you went to the doctor and he asked you to open your mouth and say, ‘Aaah’? The reason they ask you to do that is so they can examine your tongue.


Just like your tongue tells a physician a lot about your physical health, it can tell you a lot about your spiritual health. To get answers to your prayers you must search your heart in three areas: 1) Learning to abide in Christ.


This will bring you to a higher level of spiritual maturity and help you discover the authority you have in prayer. 2) Speaking in line with God’s Word. This can move ‘mountains’ in your life (see Mark 11:23). 3) Growing in your love walk. This opens up powerful opportunities for you to show others who God really is.


2 King 10-12, Acts 9:23-43

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Nourish and Cherish Each Other!
‘For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it.’

Ephesians 5:29
The UCB Word for Today - 3 Jun 2016


When it comes to loving your husband or wife, the Bible uses the words ‘nourishes and cherishes’. The word nourish means ‘to build up, strengthen, develop, and sharpen’. The word cherish means ‘to treasure, value, protect, and celebrate’. Do you recall how you felt as a child at your birthday party when you were treated like the most special person in the room?


Now you’re older and more mature, but don’t you still want to be celebrated that way…just a little bit, once in a while? Come on, admit it - you know you do! Feeling celebrated in a loving relationship is essential to its health.


It’s nice to be the object of the celebration, but it’s equally important to plan celebrations for and with your partner.


Whether it’s for big occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and job promotions, or smaller occasions that matter only to the two of you, making your spouse feel special and cherished in ways that matter to him or her helps create a lifelong bond between you.


Now, being celebrated doesn’t mean that life is always a party. Sometimes celebration includes comforting and consoling each other through the dark days and tough times. In fact, the ability to celebrate the joys of life amid its bitter downturns is a priceless quality you’ll find only in mature individuals.


It’s easy to celebrate the good times, but you need someone to love you and stand by you after the holiday ends and the workday begins. So the word for you today is: nourish and cherish each other!


2 King 13-14, Acts 10:1-23

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Handling Lonliness
‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’

Hebrews 13:5


The UCB Word for Today - 4 Jun 2016


Somewhere beyond loneliness, there’s a contentment that’s born of necessity.


When all your options in the natural realm seem closed, doors can spring open in the spiritual realm. That’s when you begin to see the possibility of having the kind of relationship with God you never had before.

John was alone on the island of Patmos, a penal colony like Alcatraz, when God caught him up and took him on a trip through the glories of heaven. As a result we have the book of Revelation.


Paul was in prison when he wrote his greatest epistles. In Genesis, God did His miraculous work of creation when He was alone with no one to applaud Him, so He praised Himself saying, ‘It was very good’ (see Genesis 1:31NLT).

And you must learn to do that too. When others say nice things it reflects their opinion of you. But when you can speak well of yourself it reflects your opinion of you - and that’s the one you live with every day.

To get a handle on loneliness, you must do away with the notion that anybody’s company is preferable to your own.

Genesis 2:18 reminds us that we were designed to have companions, but there are still times when you need to draw close to God to remind you that you’re not alone, and help you fill the spiritual emptiness within you.


Think about it for a moment and you’ll realise that sometimes the solution to loneliness isn’t people, it’s purpose.

It’s not a lack of affection, but a lack of direction.

And when you need purpose and direction for living there’s only one place to go - to God!


2 King 15-16, Acts 10:24-48

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Pray for Understanding
‘Give to Your servant an understanding heart … that I may discern between good and evil.’

1 Kings 3:9
The UCB Word for Today - 5 Jun 2016

Have you ever wondered why God made King Solomon the richest man in his day? Here’s the answer: ‘God said … “Because you … have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself … but have asked for … understanding … I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.


And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days”’ (vv. 11-13 NKJV).


Before you ask God for material success, ask Him for wisdom and understanding. When you have those two qualities, God can trust you with material success because He knows you’ll use it to do His will and glorify Him.


So what exactly is understanding? It’s the sum total of knowledge and wisdom! It’s the ability to interpret life as God does - to see what He sees in a person or situation.


In other words, understanding is the ability to see through God’s eyes, hear through His ears, think through His mind, and feel through His heart.


What’s the answer to marital conflict? Understanding! What’s the answer to parent-teen conflict?

Understanding! What’s the answer to business conflict? Understanding! ‘In all your getting, get understanding.

Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor’ (Proverbs 4:7-8 NKJV). The word for you today is: pray for understanding.


Luke 10:25-42, Ps 60-62

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Don’t Go There!
‘He took the path to her house.’

Proverbs 7:8


The UCB Word for Today - 6 Jun 2016



Solomon writes, ‘I perceived … a young man devoid of understanding, passing along the street near her corner; and he took the path to her house’ (vv. 7-8 NKJV).This guy’s mistake was being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong person.


And the message is clear: If you don’t want to get burned, stay away from the fire! You can’t get hooked on cocaine if you never use it. You can’t become an alcoholic if you never drink.


And you can’t commit sexual sin if you don’t allow yourself to get into the wrong situation. It’s impossible to escape completely from situations and people who may be potentially dangerous.


But as Martin Luther said, ‘You can’t stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from making a nest in your hair!’ The story’s told of an elderly man who noticed a little boy riding around and around the block on his bike.

This went on for hours, and finally the man asked him, ‘Son, aren’t you tired?

You’ve been riding around this block all morning.’ The little boy replied, ‘I’m running away from home.’ The man replied, ‘But you’re not running away from home, you’re just riding around the block.’ ‘No,’ insisted the boy. ‘I’m running away from home - but my mom said I couldn’t cross the street.’ We’re all prone to wander, so God has laid down certain boundaries we should never cross, certain places we should never go, and certain people we should never accompany.

There’s never a right time to be in the wrong place with the wrong person. So don’t go there.


2 King 17-18, Acts 11