UCB Word For Today

Elihu suddenly spoke up in Job chapter 32. It’s apparent he had been present all along, but he held his peace because he believed Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were older and wiser than he was. ‘I am young in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know’ (Job 32:6 NIV). After hearing the long and meaningless discourses of Job’s three older friends, Elihu suddenly felt emboldened to speak: ‘It is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding. It is not only the old who are wise…Therefore I say: listen to me; I too will tell you what I know’ (Job 32:8-10 NIVUK). Then he spoke non-stop for the next six chapters. He no longer saw himself as a loser in the game of comparison. Feelings of inferiority are generated by comparing yourself with others. Or you go to the other extreme and finish up with a sense of superiority. That’s why you should never play the comparison game. Question: can you recall a time when you felt so inadequate that you kept quiet and refused to speak up, even though you had a worthwhile thought or idea? You must realise that it is not your ability that determines your success, but ‘the breath of the Almighty, that gives [you] understanding’. The secret of success is drawing daily on God’s enabling power. When you become persuaded of this truth, you will be able to take on new levels of risk and responsibility without fear of failure.

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

Every time you are in conflict with someone, but you go to them and seek reconciliation and forgiveness – the kingdom is breaking into this world. Every time you have a chunk of money and decide to give significantly to somebody who is hungry or homeless or poor – the kingdom is breaking into the world. Any time someone has an addiction and wants to partner with God so much that they are willing to get help from a loving community – the kingdom is breaking into the world. Every time a workaholic parent decides to stop idolising their job, rearranges their life, and begins to love and care for the family entrusted to them – the kingdom is breaking into the world. Every time you include someone who’s lonely, every time you encourage someone who’s defeated, every time you challenge somebody who’s wandering off the path, and every time you serve the needy – the kingdom of God is once more breaking into the world. Jesus taught us to pray: ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ Notice He didn’t tell us to pray, ‘Get me out of here so I can go up there!’ His prayer was, ‘Make up there come down here. Make things run down here, in my life, the way they run up there.’ The answer to this prayer begins with you personally: your body, your mind, your appetites, etc. Then it spreads to your workplace, your family, your neighbourhood, your church, and your sphere of influence. And it all starts by asking yourself this question: ‘Where do I want to see God’s presence and power break into my world?’

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

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’ (1 Chronicles 29:11-12, 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’ (Matthew 5:10-12 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.