The Word for Today is just for you

‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for…Saul, for he is praying.’ Acts  9:11 NIV

Has everyone else written off your Saul? ‘He is too far gone.’ ‘He is too hard, too addicted, too old, too cold.’ Joseph believed one day he would be reunited with the brothers who betrayed him, and it happened. The prophet Hosea’s wife deserted him and became a prostitute. Yet, he kept the door open, and she came home. God believed in Saul. And he believed in Saul through Ananias: ‘Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 9:17 NIV).

Max Lucado writes: ‘My favourite Ananias-type story involves a couple of college roommates. The Ananias of the pair was a tolerant soul. He tolerated his friend’s late-night drunkenness, midnight throw-ups, and all-day sleep-ins. He didn’t complain when his friend disappeared for the weekend or smoked cigarettes in the car. He could have requested a roommate who went to church more or cursed less or cared about something other than impressing girls. But he hung with his personal Saul, seeming to think that something good could happen if the guy could pull his life together. So he kept cleaning up the mess, inviting his roommate to church, and covering his back.’

Max continues: ‘ I don’t remember a bright light or a loud voice. I’ve never travelled on a desert road to Damascus. But I distinctly remember Jesus knocking me off my perch and flipping on the light. It took four semesters, but Steve’s example and Jesus’ message finally got through.’ So, no matter what, don’t give up on your Saul!

SoulFood: Acts 6-7, Mark 3:20-27, Ps 75, Pro 10:22-23

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘Blessed is he who considers the poor;’ Psalm 4 1:1 NKJV

In October 2022, Forbes stated there were 2,668 billionaires in the world. It’s incredible to think that one individual, let alone 2,668 individuals, can be worth billions of dollars, and yet there are billions of poor people in the world.

Does that seem right? These individuals might easily say, ‘I worked for my money.’ But the question is, what responsibility does God place on the haves with regard to the have-nots? Surely donations made by even one of these individuals would eliminate the threat of starvation experienced by millions. So, why are there still people who are hungry and dying of starvation? ‘Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.’ (Psalm 41:1-3 ESV).

When you bless the poor, God blesses you. So, as one leader wrote, make this your prayer:

‘Lord, you promised we would always have the poor among us. Help me to make sure that the reverse is also true: that I’m always among the poor, helping, encouraging, and lending a hand wherever I can. Enable me to love the invisible God by serving the very visible poor in my corner of the world. Help me to be creative without being condescending, encouraging without being egotistic, and fearless without being foolish. May the poor bless You because of me…amen.’

SoulFood: Acts 3:11 – 5:42, Mark 3:13-19, Ps 127, Pro 10:19-21

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well.’ Jeremiah 2 2:16 NIV

When he was a theology student, Jim Wallis and some of his classmates took scissors to the Bible and cut out every verse about poverty, wealth, justice, or oppression. And would you believe it, by the time they had finished, there were some two thousand verses lying on the floor! The fact is, when you cut concern for the poor from your Bible, you cut the heart right out of it! Here is one such verse: ‘“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord’ (Jeremiah 22:16 NIV).

Jesus often quoted Scripture, but only on one occasion do we find Him selecting and reading from it. And what portion did He choose to read publicly? ‘”The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free’ (Luke 4:18 NIV). Jesus’ to-do list is: help for body and soul, strength for the physical and spiritual, and therapy for temporal and eternal.

Now some people (albeit a minority) are poor because they’re lazy and need to be taught that God’s Word says, ‘Those unwilling to work will not get to eat’ (2 Thessalonians 3:10 NLT). But others are poor because parasites have weakened their bodies, or they spend six hours every day collecting water, or rebel armies have destroyed their farms, or disease has claimed their parents. These are the people God has assigned us to care for!

SoulFood: Acts 1:1 – 3:10, Mark 3:7-12, Ps 43, Pro 10:17-18

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘Their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.’ Acts  6:1 NIV

Since the government didn’t care for widows and orphans back in New Testament times, the church took on that responsibility. Unfortunately, bias raised its ugly head, and Jewish widows and orphans were given preferential treatment over Gentile widows and orphans. How did the church leaders respond? They could easily have dismissed it like we so often do. They could have said, ‘We’re called to feed souls, not stomachs. We deal in matters of sin and salvation, not sandals and soup.’ Instead, here is what they did.

First, they called a meeting to resolve the problem (see Acts 6:2). They let every member know that their church took poverty seriously, and they were each personally responsible before God to do something about it. The Scripture doesn’t endorse forced communism, but it clearly teaches Spirit-led volunteerism.

Second, they assigned the problem to their brightest and best. They selected seven men, well respected, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and gave them this responsibility (see Acts 6:3 NLT). Instead of grooming our children for important fields like medicine, law, politics, or government, let’s teach them that caring for the needy is one of God’s highest callings. Why do 10% of the world’s population go to bed hungry each night? Or, 17,000 plus children die every single day (one every five seconds) from malnutrition and preventable diseases when we can do something about it? No one can do everything, but God has called each of us to do something! ‘Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.’ (James 1:27 CSB).

SoulFood: Joel 1-3, Mark 3:1-6, Ps 56, Pro 10:14-16

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,’ 2 Corinthians  3:18 NKJV

As the old saying goes, ‘You become like the company you keep.’ Paul explains it this way: ‘But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV).

Christians, like mirrors, reflect the glory of God. The more you spend time in God’s presence, the more you will reflect His likeness and carry His presence with you. What does beholding your face in a mirror mean? It’s more than just a quick glance; behold means to study, stare at, and contemplate. The Bible tells us after Moses spent 40 days on a mountain in God’s presence, the people of Israel couldn’t bear to look at his face because it was glowing with the glory of God. ‘And it came about, when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai … that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him.’ (Exodus 34:29 NASB). What Moses beheld was what Moses became! The Bible says that ‘whatever you do, do all to the glory of God’ (1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV). That means ‘whatever you do’, you’re a reflector!

Jesus said, ‘Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16 NIV).

In other words, people should be able to look at you and see the God who lives within you. And that should be the case at home, at play, in the workplace, and anywhere else you happen to be.

SoulFood: Jer 51-52, Mark 2:23-28, Ps 50:16-23, Pro 10:11-13

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,’ Psalm 4 4:3 NKJV

A frog was running out of water, so he asked two birds to transport him to a nearby pond by having each bird carry one end of a stick in their beak while he bit down on the centre and held on. It was a sight to behold: two birds, one stick, and a frog in the middle. A cow looked up, saw the trio passing overhead, and asked, ‘Who thought of that?’ The frog couldn’t resist. Pride prevailed over prudence. ‘It was meeee…!’ he yelled as he plummeted to earth. Don’t make the same error.

‘Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall’ (Proverbs 16:18 NLT). Why are you good at doing what you do? For your own comfort? To save for your retirement? To bolster your self-esteem? No, these are all bonuses, not the main reason. You’re good at what you do, for God’s sake. It’s about Him, not you!

Read and ponder these words in your heart: ‘Wealth and honour come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion, people are made great and given strength’ (1 Chronicles 29:12 NLT). Recalling the victories, blessings, and successes Israel had experienced, David reminds us: ‘For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favoured them.’ (Psalm 44:3 NKJV).

Keep in mind that the blessings you enjoy every day are yours only because God favoured and smiled on you. That’s the truth!

SoulFood: Gal 5:22, Luke 2:8-20, Pro 3:13-18, Ps 119:161-168

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,’ Psalm 44:3 NKJV

A frog was running out of water, so he asked two birds to transport him to a nearby pond by having each bird carry one end of a stick in their beak while he bit down on the centre and held on. It was a sight to behold: two birds, one stick, and a frog in the middle. A cow looked up, saw the trio passing overhead, and asked, ‘Who thought of that?’ The frog couldn’t resist. Pride prevailed over prudence. ‘It was meeee…!’ he yelled as he plummeted to earth. Don’t make the same error. Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall’ (Proverbs 16:18 NLT). Why are you good at doing what you do? For your own comfort? To save for your retirement? To bolster your self-esteem? No, these are all bonuses, not the main reason. You’re good at what you do, for God’s sake. It’s about Him, not you! Read and ponder these words in your heart: ‘Wealth and honour come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion, people are made great and given strength’ (1 Chronicles 29:12 NLT). Recalling the victories, blessings, and successes Israel had experienced, David reminds us: ‘For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favoured them.’ (Psalm 44:3 NKJV). Keep in mind that the blessings you enjoy every day are yours only because God favoured and smiled on you. That’s the truth!

SoulFood: Gal 5:22, Luke 2:8-20, Pro 3:13-18, Ps 119:161-168

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘To know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge.’ Ephesians  3:19 CSB

Princess Alice was Queen Victoria’s daughter. When her son contracted an incurable disease called black diphtheria, the doctors quarantined the boy and warned his mother to stay away from him lest she gets infected. Yet she couldn’t. One day she overheard her son whisper to his nurse, ‘Why doesn’t my mother kiss me anymore?’ His words melted her heart, and she ran to him, smothering him with kisses. Within a few days, she died and was buried. What would compel a mother to risk her life for her child? Love!

Now stand at the cross and ask what would lead Christ to do something even greater for us? Love!

Writing to the believers in Ephesus, Paul says, ‘I want you to know, Christ’s love surpasses knowledge.’ You can trace the greatest action of Christ to his greatest attribute – love.

Perhaps the people who should have loved you didn’t, and those who could have loved you, wouldn’t. Maybe you were left at the hospital, or left standing at the altar, or left with an empty bed and a broken heart. Regardless of the cause, you were left with the question, ‘Does anybody love me?’ And today, Christ answers unequivocally, ‘I do!’ The truth is, His love for you ‘is too wonderful to be measured’.

Hymn writer Charles Gabriel wrote: ‘I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, And wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean. How marvellous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be: How marvellous! How wonderful! Is my Saviour’s love for me!’ God couldn’t love you more than He does right now, and that will never change.

SoulFood: Jer 49-50, Mark 2:18-22, Ps 50:1-15, Pro 10:8-10

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.’ Luke  6:45 NIV

Where does goodness come from, and how can you cultivate more of it in your daily decisions and actions? Some people think goodness is a matter of the head and that right-thinking results in right living.

Today every politician gives the impression that education is the panacea [answer] for practically every problem in society. Yet education of the head, without the same emphasis on the integrity of the heart, will only make wicked people clever. If education alone were the answer, white-collar crimes would likely drop. Others think goodness is a matter of the hands. They say goodness means treating people well. But doing good does not make a person good. Murderers on death row may be good to their mothers, but they are not good individuals.

The truth is, goodness is not located in the head or the hands; it’s hidden in your heart. Jesus, the best man who ever lived, said, ‘A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.’ Goodness is not merely a matter of what we know or what we do; it is a matter of what we are. As you consider the life ahead of you, what really matters is not how long you live but how well you live.

Sir Francis Bacon once said: ‘Of all virtues and dignities of the mind, goodness is the greatest, being the character of Deity; and, without it, man is a busy, mischievous, wretched thing.’ So in your desire to be good, draw closer to God. After all, you become like the company you keep.

SoulFood: Jer 45-48, Mark 2:13-17, Ps 25:16-22, Pro 10:4-7

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘Bless the Lord, all you…who by night stand in the house of the Lord!’ Psalm 13 4:1 NKJV

God divided time into days and nights. So, you will have daytime experiences and night-time experiences. For example, you can have a night-time experience in a divorce court, in bankruptcy proceedings, in an unemployment line, or at a graveside. And because you can’t see clearly at night, it’s easy to wonder if God is really there with you. Take heart – He is! With Pharaoh’s armies behind them and the Red Sea in front of them, the Israelites faced their greatest challenge. But the Bible says, ‘All that night the Lord drove the sea back’ (Exodus 14:21 NIV).

Be encouraged; God is at work even when you can’t see Him. Hymn writer George Matheson wrote: ‘Will I remain in God’s house at night…love Him for who He is…desire not the gift but the giver? When I can remain…during the darkness of night and worship…I’ve accepted Him for Himself alone.’ Don’t just turn to God when you need a miracle; instead, focus on your relationship with Him, and you will get a miracle when you need one. Jesus said, ‘If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you’ (John 15:7 NKJV). After losing everything near and dear to him, Job’s friend Elihu said to him, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us…and makes us wiser?’ (Job 35:10-11 NKJV). Jesus said, ‘What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight’ (Matthew 10:27 NIV).

Be encouraged; it’s in your night-time experiences that the Lord stabilises, supports, and strengthens you to go on to victory.

SoulFood: Jer 41-44, Mark 2:1-12, Ps 25:8-15, Pro 10:1-3

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©