UCB Word For Today

An observant Jew says a minimum of one hundred blessing prayers each day, beginning with the Hebrew formula: Baruch Atah Adonai. Practising Jews bless God when they see or experience something for the first time. They bless God for smells and tastes. And if something is pleasurable, they bless God. If you enjoy something without saying a blessing, according to the Talmud, it’s as if you had stolen it. ‘All these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you.’ Note the words ‘come upon’ and ‘overtake’. You never know how or when His blessings will overtake you. But unlike His goodness and mercy, which ‘follow’ us all the days of our lives (see Psalm 23:6), the blessings of God are tracking you down like a heat-seeking missile. They’re hot on your trail. And one day they’re going to overtake you. Now God doesn’t bless us so we can raise our standard of living; He blesses us so we can raise our standard of giving. The greatest blessing is the ability to bless others. Have you been blessed? That’s where you need to flip the blessing. Where has God shown you favour? That’s where you need to return the favour. There is no greater joy than being on the giving end of a gift. Isn’t that what Jesus said? ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35 NIV). There are hundreds of blessings in Scripture, each with your name on it. If you are in Christ, the blessings belong to you. ‘No matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ’ (2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV). So, count your blessings.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Live with one ear towards heaven: ‘Is this opportunity from you, God?’ ‘Are you in this venture, God?’ ‘Should I take this road, God?’ One time Joshua failed to do this and paid for it. Here’s the story. A group of strangers entered the camp of Israel saying, ‘From a very far country your servants have come’ (v. 9 NKJV). Evidently, they knew God’s law had made special provisions for cities outside of Canaan (see Deuteronomy 20:10-12). Any city that agreed to make peace with Israel would be spared. So, being afraid, they resorted to deception. Three days passed before Joshua realised he had been lied to. These people were not from a distant land; they were from Gibeon, only a day’s walk away. As a result, Joshua entered into an alliance with the enemy because he didn’t seek the counsel of God. We do well to learn from his mistake. Our enemy enters our camp in disguise as well: ‘Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light’ (2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV). He’s crafty. That’s why it’s essential that we consult God in everything. In every decision and at each crossroad, acknowledge Him, heed Him, and ask Him: ‘Do I turn right or left?’ David said that God’s Word is a ‘lamp unto our feet’ (Psalm 119:105 KJV), not a spotlight into the future. He gives enough light to take the next step. When we pray, He speaks to our hearts: ‘Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left’ (Isaiah 30:21 NLT). So consult God in everything.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

If you are serious about having a truly interactive relationship with the Lord in which you speak to one another and hear from one another, you will need to spend quality, uninterrupted time opening your heart to Him. When Samuel finally prayed, ‘Speak, for Your servant hears,’ the Bible says, ‘Then the LORD said to Samuel.’ All too often, our prayer is ‘Listen, God, for Your servant is speaking.’ Listening to God can involve a variety of practices: reading His Word, spending time in solitude and silence, and hearing from God just like a seasoned friend you trust. Here’s an example: ‘As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” And he went on. “But you stand here awhile, that I may announce to you the word of God”’ (1 Samuel 9:27 NKJV). One of the most effective ways of hearing from God is through meditating on His Word. You might say, ‘But I don’t know how to meditate.’ If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. In both worry and meditation, your thoughts and focus are given to a certain thing. When you meditate on God’s Word, you’re focusing your thoughts on the right thing! God told Joshua: ‘This Book…shall not depart from your mouth [speak it regularly], but you shall mediate [focus] in it day and night, that you may observe to do [act on it] according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success’ (Joshua 1:8 NKJV).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

If you use a computer, you know what the save button is. To save a created document, you just press the save button. Words on the screen descend into the core of the machine. As long as the words are limited to the screen, they are vulnerable to the irascible cursor. It earns its name. We curse the little monster as it gobbles up our hard work. But once we save it, it is safe. Question: are you clicking the save button on Scripture? You save truth when you deliberately allow what you’ve read or heard to become part of who you are. Jesus said, ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ As you know (save) truth, the truth frees you from guilt, fear, pride, anger, etc. Saved truth has a shaping, reconfiguring impact on your heart. Only when you allow the truth of Scripture to be the authority in your life will you prove that it works. How do you do this? Begin with a prayer: ‘God, please speak to my heart today as I read Your Word.’ Then with an open heart, read until a message hits you, and you will receive great rewards. God told Joshua if he did this, He would make his way ‘prosperous’ (see Joshua 1:8). The promise of prosperity includes finances, but it also refers to a wealthy spirit, mind, and body. God prospers a leader with new skills, a worker with good sleep, a teacher with added patience, a mother with deeper affection, and an elderly person with greater hope. So click the save button!

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

If you make wise decisions now, you’ll have a better future. If you waste your time now, you’ll have regrets. That’s why you need to do the right thing when you have the opportunity to do it. Paul wrote: ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us’ (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV). God is able to do great things as His power works through you. So it’s not just about God doing things for you; He also wants to do things through you. Stop wishing your life would change, and start taking action! Pray and study God’s Word. And as He speaks to your heart, step out in faith and do what He leads you to do. God created you to live on purpose, for a purpose! He hasn’t just called you to be busy – He’s also called you to bear good fruit (see John 15:16). It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. But you need to take time out to think about how you’re spending your time! Before you go to sleep, reflect on the things that filled your day: which of them fulfilled God’s plan and purpose and which of them were a distraction? Ask God to reveal the things that need to change and ways you can make better choices that line up with His wisdom. Then lean on Him for the strength you need to make those changes. If you do, you’ll be fulfilled, peaceful, and excited about how God is working in your life.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.