UCB Word For Today

When the people of Israel brought offerings to build the temple, David said: ‘For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours…Both riches and honour come from You…All things come from You, and of Your own we have given You’ (vv. 11-12, 14 NKJV). Imagine for a minute that you’re responsible for giving away someone else’s money. You aren’t allowed to spend it; you can only decide where it goes. When you think of it that way, it’s not hard to imagine finding pleasure in playing the philanthropist. Who wouldn’t enjoy being a vital lifeline to those who truly need it? Or wouldn’t you sleep a little better knowing that you had made a difference in the world? Yet as a steward over what God has entrusted to you, that’s the situation you find yourself in. You have been given someone else’s money and the opportunity to decide where it goes. The only thing that stands between you and unbridled joy is embracing that reality and pouring yourself into the work of God’s kingdom in the earth. A farmer doesn’t acquire seed to consume or hoard it. He only decides where to plant it. And only after the seed has been irrevocably cast into the ground is a harvest returned. That’s how joy is realised. If you’ve yet to find your beneficiaries in this world, you could be depriving yourself of a joy you were created to know. Just beyond the fear that is dampening your generosity awaits a harvest of joy. Hence Paul wrote: ‘See that you also excel in this grace of giving’ (2 Corinthians 8:7 NIV).

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

People who were happy when they bought their clothes at charity shops typically remain happy once they can afford designer clothes. Those who weren’t are still the same unhappy people they were when they were poor; they just dress better. Learning how to be satisfied with what you have, and to feel grateful for it, starts with understanding what money can and cannot do. There are things in life you cannot put a price on: good health, a family that loves you, the support of a friendship that has lasted many years, the feeling of accomplishment that comes from working hard and seeing your effort pay off. You cannot value these ‘possessions’ in terms of cash. If you think you don’t have anything to be grateful for, consider the sound of your child’s laughter, the crash of the ocean as waves hit the shore, the unconditional greeting you receive each day from your pet, and the hug of a friend you’ve been separated from. Without these assets, you’re in spiritual default. These items are priceless and have nothing to do with shares or profits. When you add up everything in life, the best things are free. If you’re not happy with your financial situation, then you need to take steps to change it. That’s wisdom and good stewardship. But before you do, conduct an audit of your personal assets. Yes, enjoying the spoils of success can be exhilarating. But remember to appreciate the beauty of life as well; it’s free. And it will fill you up in a way that money and things never will.

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

Jesus said: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice…for great is your reward in heaven’ (vv. 10-12 NKJV). To be persecuted for righteousness’ sake is to live as Jesus lived – with His character, His motives, His obedience, His trust in the Father, and His purity of heart. It’s to be a peacemaker, to hunger and thirst for what’s right, to turn your back on sin, and to be a fountain of mercy. If you live this way, you’ll be persecuted just as Jesus was persecuted. You won’t have to be confrontational in what you say or do – your very life will be confrontational. It’s the contrast that will bring confrontation! Jesus spoke the truth, lived the truth, and was willing to die for the truth. He never sought to pick a fight, but He spoke up every time the truth He spoke was challenged. And He promises that when you are insulted and abused for the same reasons He was, if you remain faithful, you will receive the kingdom of heaven. In other words, you’ll have a reward in heaven, and you’ll be given spiritual authority in the kingdom of heaven. What you may suffer here on earth is only temporary rejection, insult, or abuse. What you gain in heaven will be eternal and glorious. The Bible says: ‘The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us’ (Romans 8:18 NKJV).

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

The Hebrew word for ‘peace’ is ‘shalom’; it refers to a sense of well-being that produces calmness and confidence, even in a crisis. It’s assurance in the midst of uncertainty and confusion. Those who have an immovable, unshakeable, rock-solid trust in God are those who experience genuine peace of heart. How do you acquire such peace? First, you must know what God says in His Word and believe it. You must make God’s Word the foundation of all you believe and, therefore, of all you say and do. You must take God at His Word and surrender your will to His commandments and His plan. You must root your expectations and hope in His promises and His desires. True peace of heart is always built on truth – the truth of who God is, who you are ‘in Him’, and how God wants you to relate to Him and with others. To know God’s truth is to experience God’s peace. As you seek to bring this kind of peace to the hearts of others, you are acting like your heavenly Father. It is God’s desire that you be reconciled to Him and experience salvation and genuine heart peace. Our message is this: ‘Acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you’ (Job 22:21 NKJV). Paul put it this way: ‘Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 5:1 NKJV). Our ultimate role as peacemakers is not simply to see men and women at peace with one another but also at peace with God.

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

The Greek word for ‘pure’ is ‘katharos’, from which we get our English word ‘catharsis’. Psychiatrists talk about catharsis as the cleansing of a person’s destructive attitudes. The biblical word refers to a cleansing of all impurities from your inner spirit – impurities that include evil tendencies, evil thoughts, evil desires, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life (see 1 John 2:16). To be pure is to have all these impurities removed so that you might reflect the character of Christ Jesus. One of the main plagues in our society today, and even in many churches, is double mindedness. We have mixed motives, a divided mind and heart. We must put an end to segregating our lives, which causes us to speak and act one way around fellow Christians and another way around those who don’t know Christ. To be pure in heart is to have integrity – to have your heart, your head, and your hands fully integrated and aligned with the commands of God. To be a person of integrity is to say what you believe, and then do what you say. Jesus said very plainly, ‘No man can serve two masters’ (Matthew 6:24 KJV). ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ The pure in heart see God’s loving heart and mercy in every passage of Scripture. They see God in every event of history, shaping and moulding circumstances to serve His higher purposes. And they see God in the midst of their own difficulties, pain, and suffering. When your heart’s desire is to see and know God better, He will fulfil that desire.

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