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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY




Characteristics of Godly Leadership
‘…If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously…’

Romans 12:8
The UCB Word for Today - 26 Sep 2015



Leadership in business, politics and public service doesn’t automatically qualify you for leadership in church. J Oswald Sanders says, ‘The overriding need of the church is for a leadership that’s authoritative, spiritual and sacrificial.’ Let’s look at each of those qualities: 1) Authoritative leadership.




People respect leaders who are certain about where they’re going, and inspire confidence in those who choose to follow them. Tentative leaders don’t motivate others to get on board and stay on board. Uncertainty confuses and disheartens followers.


People follow, almost without question, someone who’s wise, strong, and faithful to what he or she believes. 2) Spiritual leadership. We’re attracted to leaders who are gifted and charismatic.



But these natural characteristics alone aren’t enough. Followers can be captivated by human traits—often to their own cost. Don’t settle for being a popular ‘Pied Piper’. Godly leaders are committed to connecting their followers with Jesus, not with themselves!



Do your people know, love and serve God more because of your leadership? If so, you’re a godly leader. 3) Sacrificial leadership. Would you still lead if, like Paul, you were betrayed, falsely accused, beaten, half-drowned, starved, stoned and left for dead? Godly leaders lead when it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, unrewarding and costly. They’re dedicated to the sheep they’re responsible for, and the ‘Chief Shepherd’ they’re responsible to!


They recognise that Jesus drafted and modelled the prototype of godly leadership at the cost of His own life: ‘To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps’ (1 Peter 2:21 NIV).



Is 45-46, Phil 4

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


What Are You Called to Do?
‘…Jesus…went around doing good…’

Acts 10:38
The UCB Word for Today - 27 Sep 2015


Your value in God’s eyes was established at the cross. The Bible says, ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?’ (Romans 8:32 NIV) Notice the words ‘all things’. We are all equal in Christ. But when it comes to your career, your value is determined by the problem you solve.



That’s why we pay a cardiologist more money than a chef in a fast-food restaurant. Jesus was a problem solver. People were spiritually hungry so He said, ‘…I am the bread of life…’ (John 6:35). They were sick so He ‘went about doing good…healing all’. He discerned what He had, that others needed, and provided it for them. What do you have to offer? What would you attempt to do if you knew it was impossible to fail? You are not here by accident. God told Jeremiah, ‘Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I [set you apart], and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations’ (Jeremiah 1:5 AKJV).



Everything
God makes is to meet a need and solve a problem. So what are you called and gifted to do? That’s where you’ll find your highest level of joy! Think of your contribution to others as an assignment from God.


Paul made tents to support his ministry. So your ministry may be supported by your job. But whether you are in a full-time ministry or a part-time ministry, don’t leave this earth until you have found and fulfilled what God called you to do.





Luke 18:18-43, Ps 100-102

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


What Are You Called to Do?
‘…Jesus…went around doing good…’

Acts 10:38
The UCB Word for Today - 27 Sep 2015



Your value in God’s eyes was established at the cross. The Bible says, ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?’ (Romans 8:32 NIV) Notice the words ‘all things’. We are all equal in Christ.

But when it comes to your career, your value is determined by the problem you solve.



That’s why we pay a cardiologist more money than a chef in a fast-food restaurant. Jesus was a problem solver. People were spiritually hungry so He said, ‘…I am the bread of life…’ (John 6:35). They were sick so He ‘went about doing good…healing all’.



He discerned what He had, that others needed, and provided it for them. What do you have to offer? What would you attempt to do if you knew it was impossible to fail? You are not here by accident. God told Jeremiah, ‘Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I [set you apart], and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations’ (Jeremiah 1:5 AKJV).



Everything God makes is to meet a need and solve a problem. So what are you called and gifted to do? That’s where you’ll find your highest level of joy! Think of your contribution to others as an assignment from God. Paul made tents to support his ministry. So your ministry may be supported by your job. But whether you are in a full-time ministry or a part-time ministry, don’t leave this earth until you have found and fulfilled what God called you to do.




Luke 18:18-43, Ps 100-102

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Making Yourself Look Good (1)
‘…lay your hand upon your mouth.’

Proverbs 30:32
The UCB Word for Today - 29 Sep 2015



Your tongue is just inches from your brain, but the way some of us rattle on, you’d think our mouths and minds were miles apart! James says, ‘…The tongue…corrupts the whole body…’ (James 3:5-6 NIV).



Author Ramona Cramer Tucker writes: ‘I admit I’m a talker …I don’t set out to break a confidence, but somehow my mouth kicks into gear before my brain…But God takes a clear stand on gossip. He knows loose lips can ruin another person’s reputation, introduce mistrust into a relationship, encourage the gossiper to embellish their tale, and cause them to sin by being tempted to lie when confronted…I love to share news, to be “in the know”, and because I’m wired this way it’s easy for me to spread gossip under the guise of being well-meaning, even prefacing my news with “I wish you’d pray for”…


But just because my sharing is well-meant doesn’t mean it’s appropriate.’ The most common reason for making someone else look bad—is to make ourselves look good! We are like the proud Pharisee in the temple who stood alone and prayed, ‘…God, I thank you that I am not like other people…’ (Luke 18:11 NCV).



The writer of Proverbs says, ‘If you have done foolishly in exalting yourself, or…thought evil, lay your hand upon your mouth.’ It’s one thing to think bad thoughts—it’s another to voice them.



The saying goes: ‘You can’t stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair!’ So do yourself and everybody around you a favour—practise putting your brain in gear before engaging your mouth.



Is 50-52, Col 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY




Making Yourself Look Good (2)
‘…if we could control our tongues…’

James 3:2
The UCB Word for Today - 30 Sep 2015





When you’re upset, it’s tempting to ‘hand out other people’s dirty laundry’. But making yourself look good at somebody else’s expense always backfires.



One Christian author observes: ‘That righteous feeling turns to shame faster than you can walk away, hang up the ‘phone, or hit “send”…I can’t emphasise enough how crucial it is to get control over your tongue. I wish someone had warned me to stop talking and start praying.’ A lady named Michelle learned her lesson the hard way. She was having lunch with a co-worker at a restaurant and they visited the ladies’ toilet.



While they were fixing their hair they started to talk about people at work who drove them crazy. Immediately Michelle launched into a diatribe about Beth, a co-worker who had no idea how much trouble she created for the rest of the team.



As Michelle prepared to launch into more specifics, a cubicle door opened and out walked Beth, flushed and upset. In a split second what felt like a pressure-relief session turned into an embarrassing mess…Beth ran out in tears, and Michelle couldn’t take back the words she’d said. Beth never returned to work, and the next day she resigned.




While her co-workers openly cheered what they considered to be good news, Michelle was miserable…She tried to call Beth, and even wrote a letter of apology, but there was no response. And what’s worse, Michelle is a Christian and Beth made no such profession. Treat others the way you’d like to be treated (Matthew 7:12). What goes around comes around, and idle chatter will surely come back to haunt you.




Is 53-55, Col 3

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY




The Power to Solve the Problem
‘…overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.’

Romans 8:37
The UCB Word for Today - 1 Oct 2015



Everyone has problems. The only people who don’t—are in cemeteries. The real problem is—how we handle our problems.


Often we try to solve them with our own power. How can you tell when you’re doing that? Because you’re tired all the time! You’re like the guy who said, ‘I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.’



Or we’re like the lady who said, ‘Just about the time I manage to make ends meet, somebody moves the ends.’

We say things like, ‘I’m doing okay under the circumstances.’ Well, what are you doing under them? Someone has said that circumstances are like a mattress; if you’re on top you rest easy, but if you’re underneath you suffocate!




What’s the answer? Take your focus off your problems and put it on God’s promises. Here’s one of them: ‘Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble?...’ (v 35 NLT). Paul answers, ‘No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.’ The word ‘conqueror’ means ‘one who overcomes by gaining control’.



And Paul says that we are ‘more than’ conquerors (Romans 8:37 NKJV). To be a conqueror means to fight a battle and win. To be more than a conqueror means to win a battle without having to fight. Jesus fights on your behalf; He does it in you, and through you, and that makes you ‘more than’ a conqueror.




Is 56-58, Col 4

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Rules for Serving
‘Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them…’

Romans 12:9
The UCB Word for Today - 3 Oct 2015



When it comes to serving others, try to live by these three rules: 1) Serve sincerely. ‘Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them…’ God knows your heart, so be honest with yourself about your true motives in serving and sacrificing for others.



If you need help in this area, turn to the Scriptures: ‘For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart’ (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV). 2) Serve silently. ‘…when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet…that [you] may have glory from men…’ (Matthew 6:2 NKJV). Note the words, ‘do not sound a trumpet’.



When people take your kindness for granted or fail to appreciate the things you do for them, don’t toot your own horn. Look to God for your reward, not people; otherwise you’ll be disappointed. ‘…as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters…so our eyes look to the Lord our God…’ (Psalms 123:2 NKJV). 3) Serve selectively.



You’re not called to go to every place, meet every need, and help every person. On two different occasions God stopped Paul from going into Asia to preach the gospel. But look what happened next: ‘And a vision appeared to Paul in the night.



A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”…immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them’ (Acts 16:9-10 NKJV). Why is this important to know? Because when God guides you, He provides for you!




Is 62-64, 1 Thess 2

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



Shake It Off
‘…shake the dust off your feet…’

Mark 6:11
The UCB Word for Today - 4 Oct 2015



Here’s some good advice Jesus gave His disciples. When someone rejects you or won’t listen to you, ‘…shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.’



When you experience rejection, you have two choices: allow it to affect your confidence and self-worth, or ‘shake it off’ and move on. Now, Jesus was not talking about sincere minds that don’t understand, but proud minds that reject the truth.



He was saying, ‘Don’t let it break your stride and keep you from accomplishing what needs to be done.’ When Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, he was bitten by a snake while gathering firewood. Immediately the islanders said to one another, ‘…this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live’ (Acts 28:4 NKJV).


How did Paul respond? ‘…he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm’ (v. 5 NKJV).



What did the islanders say about him then? ‘…they changed their minds and said that he was a god’ (v. 6 NKJV). Wow! People’s minds change like the wind! So don’t let their compliments puff you up, or their criticisms tear you down. God’s will is for you to help others.



If they accept your help, give it. If not, go where you will be accepted and appreciated. Jesus said, ‘…I say to you, he who receives whomever I send, receives Me…’ (John 13:20 NKJV). In the final analysis it’s not you they are rejecting, but the One who sent you. Knowing that, gives you confidence and peace of mind.



Luke 19:1-27, Ps 103-104

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY


Are You Afraid? Trust God!
‘You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You…’

Isaiah 26:3
The UCB Word for Today - 5 Oct 2015


Fear is a normal part of living. And the most successful and confident people you know experience it.


The difference is they refuse to be ruled by fear because they know that, when it gets out of control, it can paralyse you. The Bible says, ‘…fear hath torment…’ (1 John 4:18). Neuroscientists at Yale University discovered that patients who expected to experience an electric shock had anxiety levels similar to those who responded to the real thing.



Researcher Elizabeth Phelps writes, ‘A lot of our fears and anxieties are learned through communication. If someone tells you to be afraid of a dog, then the brain responds as if you actually were.’ In other words, our brains don’t know the difference between real and imagined threats.



This goes a long way toward explaining why the National Institute of Mental Health reported that almost twenty million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. Someone who’s perfectly safe, but has a fear of being robbed, suffers just as much as someone living in a situation with a high risk of robbery, or someone actually in the act of being robbed.



Because our brains don’t discriminate between emotions that are real or imagined, fear can dominate our lives, and it’s just as devastating as physical injury.



Psychologist Marilyn Barrick said, ‘For the most part, fear is nothing but an illusion. When you share it with someone, it tends to disappear.’ So share your fears with God and watch them begin to disappear. The Bible says, ‘You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!’




Is 65-66, 1 Thess 3

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TODAY'S WORD FOR TODAY



A Blank Only God Can Fill
‘…in Him we live and move and exist…’

Acts 17:28
The UCB Word for Today - 6 Oct 2015



Here’s a time-tested maxim: ‘The heart is a God-shaped blank, and only God can fill it.’ In Through the Valley of the Kwai: From Death-Camp Despair to Spiritual Triumph, Ernest Gordon writes about American soldiers who were captured, tortured and starved by the Japanese in the Malay Peninsula in World War II.



As a result they started acting like animals, clawing, fighting and stealing food. In an effort to turn things around, the group decided to start reading the New Testament. And as Gordon read it to them they were converted to Christ, and this community of animals was transformed into a community of love.


That’s because God lives in Jesus, and Jesus is willing to live in the hearts of those who trust Him. He offers joy, peace, a transformed life and assurance of eternal life to all those who place their trust in His atoning death.



So what are you using to try to fill the void in your life? Material possessions? Mood-altering substances? Sex? Career success? The pursuit of intellectual growth? Excitement? You may as well give it up now—it won’t work! Paul explained it like this to the philosophers in Athens: ‘…God…made the world and everything in it…He…gives life…to everything…He satisfies every need…His purpose was [that we should] seek after God…feel [our] way towards Him and find Him—though He is not far from…us. For in Him we live and move and exist…’ (vv 24-28 NLT). In the words of the time-honoured hymn: ‘Now none but Christ can satisfy; none other name for me. There’s love, and life, and lasting joy, Lord Jesus, found in Thee.’



Jer 1-2, 1 Thess 4