UCB Word For Today

The title of today’s UCB Word for today is, “You’re not alone, God is with you!”, with the key scripture coming from Joshua 5:14 (NIV): “As commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

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

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If you are a redeemed child of God, then the Holy Spirit lives within you. And He will guide you towards God’s blessings for your own life and towards opportunities to bless others. In some cases, your ability and willingness to overrule reason, tune out the well-meaning advice of others, and be led by God’s Spirit can make a world of difference for someone in need. Admiral Sir Thomas Williams was in command of a ship that routinely crossed the Atlantic. His course brought him in sight of Ascension Island, which was uninhabited most of the time. It was barely visible on the horizon during the crossing when Sir Thomas felt a great urge to steer his vessel towards it. The closer he came to the island, the greater the urgency he felt. When he gave the order to head for the island, his lieutenant officer respectfully pointed out that such a course change would greatly delay them. Even so, the admiral remained intent. The inner urging, which he had come to recognise as God guiding him, was very strong. As the ship neared the island, his crew spotted a white flag. ‘It must be a signal!’ Williams concluded. Sure enough, on the beach were sixteen men who’d been shipwrecked many days before. They were starving and had nearly given up hope. Sixteen lives were saved that day because a man had learned to listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit within him. And you can too. ‘The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.’

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

Let’s look at four liberating truths in this Scripture: 1) ‘She perceives that her merchandise is good.’ She is not looking for validation or approval of her merchandise. When you’re insecure and don’t value what you have, others may be able to minimise it and convince you that it’s not worth much. This woman, like all of us, desires acceptance and validation, but she will not seek it or find herself debilitated if she doesn’t get it. 2) ‘She perceives that her merchandise is good.’ To perceive is to sense and know inwardly. She understands what she brings to the table and inwardly values it. She will not doubt the value of its worth; neither will she find it necessary to brag about the quality of her merchandise. She will not have her nose turned up in pride, but neither will she have her eyes cast down with false humility. She simply has a balanced and healthy view of her wares. 3) ‘She perceives that her merchandise is good.’ Here is someone who’s not intimidated by or unduly concerned about the goods of other merchants. Consequently, she doesn’t spend her energies comparing and competing. 4) ‘She perceives that her merchandise is good.’ She’s not stuck in the past, thinking about the good merchandise she used to have. Neither is she postponing the pursuit of her goals until her merchandise is perfect. She simply steps out in faith, having done the best she could. Her merchandise is good today; tomorrow is in God’s hands. Anxiety has no place in her life. So the word for today is – what you’ve got is good!

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

Nicholas Herman was a cook in a monastery. He worried about whether or not he was truly saved. One day while looking at a tree, he realised the truth of the psalmist’s words – that it had to be rooted in something other and deeper than itself (see Psalm 1:1-3). That day, he decided to make his life an experiment in what he called a ‘habitual, silent, secret conversation of the soul with God’. He’s known today by the new name given to him by his friends: Brother Lawrence. He remained obscure throughout his life and spent the rest of his days in the monastery kitchen. But the people around him found that rivers of living water flowed out of him that made them want to know God the way he did. ‘The good brother found God everywhere,’ one of them wrote, ‘as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying with the community.’ After Brother Lawrence died, his friends put together a book of his letters and conversations. It is called The Practice of the Presence of God, and it is thought to be one of the most widely read books of the last four centuries. This short-order cook has outsold many popular contemporary novelists, and his book is still on best-seller lists. Brother Lawrence said: ‘The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way.’

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

When it comes to Christ’s return, five questions arise: 1) What is the Lord’s coming? It’s the fulfilment of His promise: ‘In My Father’s house are many mansions…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 14:2-3 NKJV). 2) Whose coming is it? Christ’s! When He ascended back to heaven, an angel announced: ‘This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’ (Acts 1:11 NKJV). 3) Why is Jesus coming back? His first coming was as the suffering servant who died on the cross for our sins. His second coming is to usher in a time of peace on earth and an eternity in His presence. His first coming, He dwelt with us for a while. At His second coming, He will take us to dwell with Him forever. 4) Where is His coming? ‘The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air’ (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV). 5) When is He coming? Jesus said, ‘Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only’ (Matthew 24:36 NKJV). If you’re wise, you’ll live each day as if Christ could return at any moment – because He could!

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