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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Armed for spiritual warfare (3)
25 FEBRUARY 2024

‘Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.’
Ephesians 6:18 NLT

Your spiritual armour must be put on correctly so that all the pieces fit; otherwise, you’re vulnerable to defeat at Satan’s hands. So, how do you do that? Paul tells us how: ‘Pray in the Spirit at all times.’ Your clothes closet is where you find what you need to wear in the natural realm, and your prayer closet is where you find what you need to wear in the spiritual realm. Only through prayer do you become clothed for spiritual warfare, so don’t go into battle undressed. Paul writes, ‘Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh’ (Romans 13:14 NIV). That’s one of the most effective verses in Scripture when it comes to winning over temptation.

Professionals who train dogs to listen and obey their commands no matter what, start by throwing a piece of red meat in front of the dog. The untrained dog immediately goes for it, but eventually the trainer teaches the animal to give him its undivided attention regardless of what’s put in front of it. When the training process is complete, the dog will not take its eyes off its master even when temptation is right under its nose. There is an important lesson here for you. If you keep your eyes on Jesus, it won’t matter what kind of lie or temptation Satan throws your way. Every now and then you may want to ‘go for it’, but if you stay focused on Jesus and listen to His voice alone, you will be victorious in the fight.

Luke 3:20-38, Psalms 20-22

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Try to be more flexible
26 FEBRUARY 2024

‘The wisdom from above is…willing to yield to others.’
James 3:17 NLT

Flexible people are happy people. They experience a lot less stress than the rigid types who insist on things always being done a certain way. One of the reasons inflexibility is so stressful is that we have to achieve our goals through thinking human beings who often have their own ideas, ideas different from ours. If you’re not the type who is receptive to new ways of doing things because you view them as a personal rejection of your own ideas, ask Jesus the Great Physician to perform some corrective surgery on you.

The Pharisees were the epitome of perfectionism and inflexibility. When they accused Jesus of not keeping the Sabbath, He said, ‘The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath’ (Mark 2:27 NLT).

Question: How flexible are you? Are you so specific at home that your family stays on edge for fear of violating one of your endless preferences? Must the towels always be folded in a certain way? If plans need to be changed, does it send you into a tailspin or do you stop and consider that God may have a different plan? Don’t try to justify your behaviour by hiding under the cloak of ‘excellence’. Yes, you would like to see things done in the best manner possible; however, seek to understand when your behaviour leaves the realm of being excellent and begins to border on being an inflexible perfectionist who not only creates stress for yourself but for others as well. The word for today is – relax. Bend a little. Try going with the flow.

Leviticus 23-24, Mark 1:1-22

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Hope for the future
27 FEBRUARY 2024

‘There is…a future…for you…your hope will not be cut off.’
Proverbs 23:18 NIV

Are you surrounded by people whose mission is to inject ‘a dose of reality’ into your life? They continually point out how tough the economy is, how dismal the job market is, and how the sky is falling down. Jon Walker writes:

‘I remember my high school English teacher telling me not to apply to Cornell University because they wouldn’t accept me, and if they did, I wouldn’t be able to do the work…I almost didn’t apply, but a few days later a former teacher said, “If you get in, go. You can do it.” His words made all the difference. I applied and was accepted…The world needs more optimists, encouragers, and inspirers to speak into the hearts of others and say, “I believe in you. Follow your passion and live your purpose. If you have the desire, you have the power to make it happen. Keep working hard. You’re improving and getting better. The economy is tough, but you can still grow your business. The job market isn’t great, but you’ll find the right job…Even if you fail, it will lead to something even better. You’re learning and growing.” The difference between success and failure is belief, and often that belief is instilled in us by someone who encouraged us.’

The Bible says, ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish [lack faith and focus]’ (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). Vision is a desire to move ahead; without it, you stay stuck where you are. It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks; God says, ‘There is…a future…for you,’ and when you look to Him, He will give you the strength to go forward.

Leviticus 25, Mark 1:23-45

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Changing how you pray
28 FEBRUARY 2024

‘I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.’
Ephesians 1:16 NIV

Bible prayers are powerful. They put things into perspective. For example, Paul prayed that God would give the Ephesians ‘the Spirit of wisdom and revelation…that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…and his incomparably great power’ (vv.17-19 NIV). With this model in mind, JoHannah Reardon writes this:

1) Make your prayers God centred. The creator of the universe has given you the privilege of bringing your requests to Him. When you tell God how great He is, you’re filled with an expectancy that something great can happen because you’re talking to the One who can do anything.

2) Make them praise filled. Paul starts by saying, ‘I have not stopped giving thanks for you.’ The key isn’t to focus on your troubles, but to thank God and praise Him because He knows what He is doing. Learn to say, ‘I don’t know why I’m having this problem, Lord, and I would love for You to change things. But if You don’t, I know You will use it for good in my life.’

3) Make them life changing. Most of our prayers are asking God to change our circumstances. But maybe He wants to change you. That doesn’t mean He won’t ever intervene; He supplies needs, opens doors, and heals people in incredible ways every day. But when you spend years praying for something that never happens, it may be a clue you’re not praying the right way. Paul found joy in a prison cell, and when God opens your eyes, you will find joy in your situation too.

Leviticus 26-27, Mark 2:1-12

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Let God remould you
29 FEBRUARY 2024
‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.’
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV



What would you like to change about yourself? How would you change it? To ask it another way, what would your spouse or your best friend like you to change? Maybe that would be more enlightening. How would you end the sentence, ‘It’s just like me to…’? Always be late? Not stay on a diet? Say the wrong thing? Burst out in anger? Be sad? Jeremiah puts it this way: ‘Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil’ (Jeremiah 13:23 NLT).

You say, ‘I guess it’s hopeless.’ No, this is where God’s life-changing power comes into operation: ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come’ (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV). Once we commit our lives to Christ, we’re not the same any longer; a new life has begun. That’s why the Bible calls it being ‘born again’. We immediately have a new nature, plus the indwelling Holy Spirit. A set of ‘spiritual batteries’ is included to supply the power! That makes all the difference.

Just as your first birth was the beginning of your life, so the new birth is the beginning of this new life. And it’s followed by a lifelong process depicted in Romans 12:2: ‘Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity’ (PHPS).

Numbers 1, Mark 2:13-28

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Respond with love
01 MARCH 2024

‘Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you.’
1 Peter 3:9 NLT

Some of the negative people in your life lack intimate relationships. So, they keep others at arm’s length, rarely share their feelings, and are uncomfortable with those who do. They find it easier to condemn than to accept. Their hard-and-fast views make them inflexible. Often these people can’t handle freedom. They need rules that limit their choices, and they only feel secure within their own boundaries. Understanding that will help you deal with them the right way, which is to ‘take the high road’.

Peter gives us the rules of that road. (Interestingly, this is now the older, mellower, more spiritual Peter, not the one who whipped out his sword and chopped off the ear of the high priest’s servant.) ‘Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathise with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil”’ (vv. 8-12 NLT).

So, the word for today is – don’t retaliate, respond with love.

Numbers 2, Mark 3:1-19

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Don’t shout about it
24 MARCH 2024

‘When you give…don’t shout about it.’
Matthew 6:2 TLB

Jesus said: ‘Take care! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, for then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give a gift to a beggar, don’t shout about it as the hypocrites do – blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you…they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you do a kindness to someone, do it secretly – don’t tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. And your Father who knows all secrets will reward you’ (vv. 1-4 TLB).

Give generously and gladly but keep it to yourself. It’s nobody’s business but yours and God’s. And if you make it somebody’s business, you immediately have your reward and forfeit the opportunity to receive something even greater when you arrive in heaven. And you will receive it because, ‘God…will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people’ (Hebrews 6:10 NIV). Others may not notice your generosity, or quickly forget it, but God won’t, and He will reward you for it.

The next time you’re sitting in church, realise there are faithful people all around you who have given and given again without ever letting it be known. You may even be one of them! Every Sunday you rub shoulders with some of the greatest givers of our day, and they do it ‘as to the Lord’ (Colossians 3:23 KJV) by keeping it to themselves and waiting for His promised reward. Others may never know – but God will never forget.

Luke 5:17-39, Psalms 31-32

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

Be interested in everything God does
01 APRIL 2024

‘It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.’
Proverbs 25:2 NIV

Anything that reveals something about our Creator is something we ought to be interested in. Scripture is in a classification all by itself as God’s written revelation. But mathematics discloses a distinctive dimension of God’s personality too. Along with art. And science. The Bible says: ‘God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight…He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom’ (1 Kings 4:29, 32-34 NIV).

Solomon was interested in everything. And the breadth of his knowledge gave him such a depth of wisdom that ‘from all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom’. Who sent those men? ‘The kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.’ As Spirit-filled citizens of God’s kingdom, we haven’t been called to avoid the culture, but to inform it, instruct it, and illuminate it. ‘It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.’

God loves it when we realise something or encounter something new to us, even if our discoveries are common knowledge. Isn’t that a normal parental reaction when our children discover new things? When you keep asking the right questions, God will keep giving you the right answers.

Deuteronomy 32-34, Mark 15:25-47

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY™

To know God, examine what He has made
02 APRIL 2024

‘God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.’

Romans 1:20 NIV

The New Testament Greek word translated as ‘disciple’ means ‘learner’. By definition, a disciple is someone who never ceases to learn. He or she makes the most of the hundred billion brain cells God has loaned to them. They keep asking and seeking and knocking (see Matthew 7:7).

Leonardo da Vinci carried a notebook wherever he went. Some have estimated that he left fourteen thousand pages of notes to painter Francesco Melzi in his will. Almost seven thousand pages still exist. Bill Gates bought eighteen pages for $30.8 million in 1994. The scribbles on da Vinci’s napkin varied from anatomy to botany to painting to philosophy. One thing that made him extraordinary is that he wrote most of them using a technique called mirror writing. He wrote in reverse so the words could be read solely when reflected in a mirror. In the final days before his death on May 2, 1519, Leonardo apologised to God and to man ‘for leaving so much undone’. And he resolved to keep learning until the day he died. Even on his deathbed, Leonardo was observing and relating, in scientific detail, the nature and symptoms of his illness.

So, never stop learning, because it glorifies God when you do it for the right reasons. And the right reason is to know Him so that you can love Him even more. Live like you will die tomorrow – but keep learning like you will live forever. After all, as a redeemed child of God, you will.

Joshua 1-3, Mark 16