[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Stand on God’s Word (2)

‘Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.’
Psalm 119:50 NLT

The UCB Word for Today - 22 JAN 2020

When you are in pain. Sometimes God lifts you out of your situation.

Other times, He carries you through and makes you stronger by proving His love and faithfulness to you. Sometimes He relieves you of the pain; other times He sustains you in the midst of it.

If you’re in pain today, read these promises from God’s Word and stand on them: ‘Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.’

‘Let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant. Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live’ (vv. 76-77 NLT). ‘Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.

My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all! Feel my pain and see my trouble’ (Psalm 25:16-18 NLT).

‘The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!’ (Psalm 34:17-20 NLT).

‘Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise’ (Jeremiah 17:14 NKJV). Notice, God’s promises revive and comfort us in all of our troubles.

Your Bible is a prescription from the Great Physician Himself, and the label on the bottle reads: ‘Take as often as needed for pain.’

Genesis 46-48, Matthew 13:1-30

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Stand on God’s Word (3)

‘Exercise self-control in all things.’
1 Corinthians 9:25 NRSV

The UCB Word for Today - 23 JAN 2020

When you are eating too much. Studies confirm that today over half the population of the western world is eating too much.

If you are one of the many people battling a problem of overeating, here’s the good news: God can help you win the battle! Often it’s not about what you are eating, it’s about what’s eating you.

We overeat to find comfort and relief from stress and anxiety, but it’s a short-term fix and it doesn’t work. The psalmist went directly to the root of his problem: ‘Search me…and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life’ (Psalm 139:23-24 NLT). God can relieve the ‘anxious thoughts’ within you.

The Holy Spirit is the greatest therapist in the world. When you surrender and ask Him to take up residence within you, you discover that ‘the fruit of the spirit is…self-control’ (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV 2011 Edition).

He can give you the power to control your appetite, and start living by the Scripture: ‘Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God’ (1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT). So make this your prayer today: ‘O Lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone’ (Jeremiah 17:14 NLT).

The word for you today is – with God’s help you can avoid eating too much.

Genesis 49-50, Matthew 13:31-58

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Stand on God’s Word (4)

‘When you are tempted, he will show you a way out.’
1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

The UCB Word for Today - 24 JAN 2020

When you violate your marriage vows. You violate God’s Word, break your spouse’s heart, embarrass the cause of Christ, live with the fear of exposure, and trade short-term pleasure for long-term pain.

So before you get involved, seek God’s help, and stand on His Word. ‘Give honour to marriage, and remain faithful to one another…God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery’ (Hebrews 13:4 NLT).

‘Put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires’ (Colossians 3:5 NLT).

‘Don’t participate in…promiscuity and immoral living…Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires’ (Romans 13:13-14 NLT).

‘Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does…Don’t you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?

You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honour God with your body’ (1 Corinthians 6:18-20 NLT).

‘The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful.

He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure’ (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT).

If you’re toying with the idea of having an affair, or you’re already in one, or you’re trying to get out of one, stand on the Word of God today and believe Him for victory.

Exodus 1-3, Matthew 14:1-21

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Stand on God’s Word (5)

‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted.’
Psalm 34:18 NLT

The UCB Word for Today - 25 JAN 2020

When someone has broken your heart. When somebody you love breaks your heart and betrays your trust, you’re in a vulnerable place.

And the Enemy will use the experience to get you to do four things that will hurt you even more, derail you spiritually, and rob you of God’s blessing:

1) Isolate yourself, alienate and avoid others.
2) Lose your sense of trust, and suspect the motives of everyone you meet.
3) Cause a root of bitterness to spring up that will impact your relationship with your family and those in your circle of influence (see Hebrews 12:15).
4) Make you strike back and get even, rendering evil for evil (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1
5). Don’t do it! Instead, stand on God’s Word: ‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.’

‘I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing’ (Jeremiah 31:13 NLT).

‘The Spirit of the Lord…has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor…heal the broken-hearted…proclaim liberty to the captives…recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed’ (Luke 4:18 NKJV).

‘Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you’ (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT).

Has someone done you wrong? Forgive them – and keep on forgiving them until you’re free in your mind.

It’s a daily walk that sometimes feels like three steps forward and two back. But if you keep your eyes on Jesus – you’ll get there.

Exodus 4-6, Matthew 14:22-36

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Stand on God’s Word (6)

‘To depart and be with Christ…is better by far.’
Philippians 1:23 NIV

The UCB Word for Today - 26 JAN 2020

When death takes someone you love. Satan will try to torment you with remorseful thoughts of what you did and didn’t do for your loved one while they were still here.

Don’t listen to him! The Bible calls him ‘the accuser’ (see Revelation 12:10). Instead, rejoice that your loved one was in right standing with you and with the Lord, and that you’ll be reunited in heaven for all eternity.

Give yourself permission to grieve, and when the grieving period ends, stand on God’s Word: ‘Brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.

For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died’ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 NLT). ‘Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever.

Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength’ (1 Corinthians 15:42-43 NLT).

‘Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you. And…I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also’ (John 14:1-3 NKJV).

Paul writes, ‘To depart and…be with Christ…is better by far.’ Lean on these words of Scripture today and find comfort.

Luke 1:57-80, Psalm 10-12

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Stand on God’s Word (6)

‘Go back…and submit.’
Genesis 16:9 NIV

The UCB Word for Today - 27 JAN 2020

The Bible says: ‘Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. The angel of the Lord found Hagar…in the desert…And he said, “Hagar…where have you come from, and where are you going?”

“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. Then the angel…told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”

The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count”’ (vv. 6-10 NIV 2011 Edition). Hagar obeyed, and when her son Ishmael was born, God said, ‘I have heard you: I will surely bless him…make him fruitful and…greatly increase his numbers.

He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation’ (Genesis 17:20 NIV 2011 Edition). Most of us don’t relish the idea of submitting [acquiescing, deferring to, surrendering], and God sent Hagar back to a hard place that day.

But when she obeyed, He blessed her. Note the question the angel asked her, because it may be one God’s asking you as well: ‘Where have you come from, and where are you going?’

If He is, stop and consider your answer. God, who knows the end from the beginning and who brings good things out of bad, has your best interests at heart.

Even though it’s hard to do, if you’ll obey Him, He will bless you. He’ll give you grace to endure and strength for the struggle, and do things in your life that can’t be accomplished any other way.

By trying to escape your present situation, you may be running from the lesson God wants to teach you and the rewards that lie beyond it. So the word for you today is: ‘Go back, and submit.’

Exodus 7-8, Matthew 15:1-20

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Challenge your own thinking

‘Let the wise listen and add to their learning.’
Proverbs 1:5 NIV

The UCB Word for Today - 28 JAN 2020

As you examine your mistakes, you realise it was your thinking at the time that caused them, and that’s why you need to keep challenging your own thinking. ‘Let the wise listen and add to their learning.’

How do you do that? By learning to appreciate how others think and by continually exposing yourself to people who are different from you.

You will think like the people you spend the most time with. When you spend time with people who think outside the box, you’re more likely to break new ground.

Let’s face it, any time we find a way of thinking that works, our greatest temptation is to rely on it repeatedly – even if it doesn’t work in new situations. When your goal is to protect the success you already enjoy, you put the brakes on the process that can lead you to even greater success.

Holding on to a good tradition is a good thing. But you need to remember that every tradition was originally a good idea, perhaps even a revolutionary idea, but every tradition may not be a good idea for the future.

When you cling to what’s already in place, you resist change – even change for the better. That’s why it’s important to challenge your own thinking.

If you’re too attached to how things are done now, nothing will change for the better. Dr John Maxwell writes: ‘In your early years you won’t be as wrong as people think you are.

In your later years you won’t be as right as people think you are. And all through the years you will be better than you thought you could be.’

Exodus 9-11, Matthew 15:21-39

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Be devoted to Christ

‘Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.’
1 Timothy 4:15 NIV

The UCB Word for Today - 29 JAN 2020

One day a friend of Chuck Swindoll’s stopped by his study to ‘speak the truth in love’ to him (see Ephesians 4:15). The man said, ‘I don’t think you’ll fall morally or ethically.

What does worry me is that you could be tempted to let your time with God and your time in the study of the Scriptures become less and less important to you. I want to urge you, do not let that happen.’

Swindoll took his words to heart and wrote down these five promises to himself. If you’re serious about being devoted to Christ, you need to make these same promises to yourself also:

‘1) I promise to keep doing original and hard work in my study. Those to whom I am called deserve my best efforts.

2) I promise to maintain a heart for God. That means I will pray frequently and fervently, and stay devoted to Him and to my calling.

3) I promise to remain accountable. Living the life of a religious lone ranger is not only unbiblical, it’s dangerous.

4) I promise to stay faithful to my family. My wife deserves my time, affection, and undivided attention. Our now-grown children deserve the same.

5) I promise to be who I am, just me. To keep laughing and saying things a little “off-the-wall”.

To be a friend and make a few mistakes each month.’ On that second promise: being devoted to Christ doesn’t make you weird, judgmental, antisocial, or isolated from the world.

No, it makes you the best version of yourself you can be – and the one God wants you to be.

Exodus 12-13, Matthew 16

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

When you worship, God feels right at home

‘O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.’
Psalm 22:3 KJV

The UCB Word for Today - 30 JAN 2020

The place where you live is your home, or ‘habitation’. So when you praise God, you’re saying, ‘Make Yourself at home, Lord.’

Where does God dwell? He has many different addresses and one of them is ‘praise’.

Just as we enjoy a deeper level of intimacy with those we share our lives with at home, praise creates a sense of intimacy between God and us. Just as words spoken in love and appreciation draw two people together, words of praise draw you closer to God.

The New King James Bible says, ‘You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.’ Note the word ‘enthroned’. The Japanese have a wonderful way of translating this.

Recalling how their emperor was once carried on a throne and those around him would stop and bow down, they say, ‘When we worship God we create a seat, and He comes down and sits in it.’ Five times in two back-to-back Scriptures we are commanded to ‘sing praises’ to God.

‘Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding’ (Psalm 47:6-7 NKJV).

When God repeats the same thing five times in two verses, it’s because He wants to be sure you get the message. You say, ‘But I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.’

Listen to a praise song and hum along. The psalmist wrote, ‘Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name’ (Psalm 63:3-4 NKJV).

Exodus 14-15, Matthew 17

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Your forgiveness is guaranteed

‘If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins.’
1 John 1:9 AMPC

The UCB Word for Today - 31 JAN 2020

In spite of our best intentions and efforts, we all ‘fall short’ of God’s requirements (see Romans 3:23 NKJV). So what’s the answer?

‘If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts]. If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]’ (1 John 1:8-9 AMPC).

When it comes to God’s forgiveness, knowing is better than feeling. Here’s how God’s forgiveness works: consciousness of sin leads to conviction of sin, and conviction of sin leads to confession of sin, and confession of sin leads to cleansing of sin, and cleansing of sin leads to confidence before God (see 1 John 3:21-22).

You say, ‘I don’t feel worthy of God’s forgiveness.’ You will never be worthy of it!

God’s forgiveness is not based on your worthiness, but on Christ’s! Furthermore, God is not like your parents; He doesn’t insist you squirm and be miserable for a few days so that you will ‘learn your lesson’ before He forgives you.

That would mean you play a part in earning His forgiveness. It’s by grace, and grace alone (see Ephesians 2:8-9)!

‘Grace’ means ‘undeserved favour’. So when God forgives you, honour Him by forgiving yourself and moving on.

Exodus 16-18, Matthew 18:1-20

[Gracemohau]

TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY

Pray before temptation comes

‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’
Luke 22:40 NIV

The UCB Word for Today - 01 FEB 2020

You can put on your best game face in an attempt to convince others you’re doing better than you are, but deep inside you know the areas where you’re most often tempted and fail. In fact, if you are gut-level honest, chances are you keep a mental scorecard.

Others may give you an A or B on your report card, but you give yourself a failing grade. And when that happens often enough, you reach the place where you start thinking, ‘What’s the point in asking God for forgiveness?

I’m just going to repeat the same sins over and over and have to go back to Him again.’ There’s a solution.

Jesus told His disciples, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation’ (see Matthew 26:41). In other words, pray before the temptation comes and you’ll be strengthened and fortified to handle it.

‘But I have prayed!’ you reply. Then increase the dosage and pray more!

Before Jesus calmed the storm on Galilee, He spent the whole night in prayer. Turn off your TV, your computer, your phone, and any other outside connections, and spend time with God.

What did the old-timers mean when they talked about ‘praying through’? Simply this: you can reach a point in prayer where you ‘know’ God has given you the strength you need and victory is assured.

Paul said, ‘Let us…approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16 NIV 2011 Edition). What do you need when you keep failing?

God’s grace to forgive you – and His help to overcome temptation. So pray before temptation comes, and God will make you an overcomer.

Exodus 19-20, Matthew 18:21-35