UCB Word For Today

Some people think we’re not supposed to ask God for too much; otherwise, it’s selfish. But God wants you to ask. ‘You do not have because you do not ask.’ If you’re not asking – then you’re not releasing your faith. Jesus said, ‘According to your faith be it unto you’ (Matthew 9:29 KJV). You need to learn to pray bold prayers and expect and believe God for greater things. ‘Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession’ (Psalm 2:8 NKJV). That’s a bold prayer! But if God tells you to pray it, it’s because He is willing to answer it. You may have a dream in your heart but don’t see how it could ever happen. Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. He is a God of multiplication. He can multiply your time and help you to get more done. He can multiply your wisdom and help you to make better decisions. He can multiply your finances: ‘May He who supplies seed to the sower…multiply the seed you have sown’ (2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJV). Instead of being satisfied with merely surviving, God wants you to thrive. A survival mentality will keep you from God’s best. Shake it off and say, ‘God, you promised that what was meant for my harm, you would use to my advantage (see Romans 8:28). I may have been through the fire, the famine, and the flood, but I know it’s my time of favour. It’s my time to see more of your goodness in my life.’ Believe God for greater things. © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The word ‘edify’ means ‘to build up, strengthen, encourage, and motivate’. There are probably people in your life right now who need someone to speak blessing over them. You don’t know how much it will mean when you give them your approval and let them know you are proud of them and that you think they can do great things. Everyone needs to be edified. So, what kind of seeds are you planting in your children, in your husband or wife, in your friends? Do you believe in anyone? Have you let them know? Are you taking an interest to find out how you can improve their life? Have you listened to their dreams? Have you found out what they believe God has put in their heart? Have you let them know that you’re behind them? That’s what an edifier does! Henry Ford was introduced to Thomas Edison as ‘the man trying to build a car that runs on gasoline’. When Edison heard it, he said, ‘A car that has its own power plant; that’s a brilliant idea.’ Until then, no one had encouraged Ford, and he had just about decided to give up. And then Edison stepped in, who spoke faith into him. That was a decisive moment in Henry Ford’s life. He said, ‘I thought I had a good idea, but I started to doubt myself. Then along came one of the greatest minds that’s ever lived and gave me his complete approval.’ You don’t understand the power you hold or how much it means when you tell somebody, ‘I believe in you. You have what it takes. I’m behind you 100 per cent.’ © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The historian Edward Gibbon tracked the speedy progress of Christianity in the days of the Roman Empire, and points to five reasons for it: 1) The fervour of the early Christians. 2) The power of miracles. 3) The pure morals of the Christians. 4) The compact church organisation. 5) The belief in future rewards. The Bible often speaks about our rewards in heaven. Here are a few examples: ‘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. 11-12 NKJV). ‘The Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works’ (Matthew 16:27 NKJV). ‘Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name…will by no means lose his reward’ (Mark 9:41 NKJV). ‘Let no one cheat you of your reward’ (Colossians 2:18 NKJV). ‘Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work’ (Revelation 22:12 NKJV). Here is the sequence of events: the Lord will come in the air, the dead in Christ will be resurrected, the redeemed still alive on earth will be caught up with them, and we will receive our glorified bodies and then our eternal rewards. ‘The fire will test each one’s work…If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward’ (1 Corinthians 3:13-14 NKJV). ‘Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour…is not in vain’ (1 Corinthians 15:58 NIVUK).© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Jack Welch, who guided the General Electric Company through some of its most profitable years, wrote a book called Winning. Compiling many of the different questions people had asked him along with his answers, he wrote a book of management principles. One question was this: ‘Do you think you will go to heaven when you die?’ In response, Jack listed some of the mistakes he had made in business and in life, including two divorces. Then he said, ‘So as far as heaven, who knows? But if there are any points given out for caring for people with every fibre of your being and giving life all you’ve got every day, then I suppose that I might have a shot!’ But going to heaven is not about caring for people or giving life all your energy every day. It’s about putting your trust in Jesus Christ – and in Him alone. Maybe understanding this truth is harder for successful business people than for others, due to their own drive, vision, and energy that have helped them attain success. But when it comes to heaven, those traits don’t count. No one earns heaven; it is a gift. ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23 NKJV). Hebrews 6:4 calls it ‘the heavenly gift’. And the apostle Paul writes, ‘By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast’ (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV).© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

In preparation for a dinner party, a woman stopped by a small butcher’s shop to buy meat for the meal. She had decided to stuff and roast a chicken as the main course. When she asked the man at the counter for the largest chicken he had, he reached into the cold-storage compartment, grabbed the last chicken he had, and placed it on the scale. ‘This one weighs four pounds, madam,’ he said. The woman thought for a moment and then said, ‘I’m not sure that will be enough. Don’t you have a bigger one?’ The attendant put the chicken back into the compartment, pretended to search through the melting ice for another bird, and then brought out the same chicken. This time when he weighed it on the scale, he discreetly applied some finger pressure to the scale. ‘Ah,’ he said with a smile, ‘this one weighs six pounds.’ The woman frowned, and making some mental calculations, brightened as she said, ‘I’m just not sure. I’ll tell you what – wrap them both up for me!’ There is no doubt about it, ‘honesty is the best policy’. And that is so in this life, and the life to come. Concerning this life, the Bible says, ‘People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.’ And here is what the Bible says about the life which is to come: ‘Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts’ (1 Corinthians 4:5 NKJV).© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

‘Lord, Your Word says, “A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.” Satan is attacking my family, and I’m turning to You for help. Your Word says, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will [be my defence and] lift up a standard against him” (Isaiah 59:19 NKJV). Touch the hearts and minds of every member of this family, and draw them closer to You. You said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9 KJV). I commit myself to be a peacemaker in this situation, and ask You for the wisdom to know what to say and do. Deliver my family from selfishness, pride, and bitterness. Give us the sort of love that covers all sins and weaknesses (see Proverbs 10:12). Help us to know when a disagreement is about to open a floodgate, and give us the grace to drop the matter before the clash gets out of control (see Proverbs 17:14). Your Word says that avoiding a fight is a mark of honour, and that only fools demand to quarrel (see Proverbs 20:3). Lord, put an end to the strife that is wreaking havoc in our family. I take authority over every contentious spirit. I ask You to help my family start to pursue things that produce peace and the things we can use to edify and build one another up (see Romans 14:19). Your Word says that there is nothing too hard for You (see Jeremiah 32:17). So, I’m praying and believing for healing and restoration in my family. In Jesus’ name. Amen.’© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

‘Father, when Adam was lonely, You made Eve and brought her to him. And just as You knew what Adam needed, I’m struggling with loneliness, and You know what I need too. You said in Your Word, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV). There is a part of me that can never be satisfied or fulfilled by any relationship other than You. But You also created me to be sociable and need interaction with other people. Help me to admit and stop any negative behaviour on my part that may cause people not to enjoy and to accept me, such as being critical, envious, hot-tempered, judgmental, or unforgiving. Please give me the tongue of the learned so that I will know how to speak appropriate words in season to others. Please open my ears to listen to them with real understanding (see Isaiah 50:4). Help me to overcome shyness and the fear of rejection and to reach out to others believing that You can speak to their heart and cause them to be open and accepting. Teach me how to accept their love, help, and generosity. Help me to understand the importance of caring for my relationships and not just paying attention to friends when it’s convenient for me. Help me to be a reliable friend (see Proverbs 18:24). You know what I need in a relationship. You put David and Jonathan together, and Ruth and Naomi together. So, I ask You to put me together with the right person or persons. In Jesus’ name. Amen.’© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Opposites often attract, marry, and then have to deal with their differences – especially when their children become teens and they run up against boundary issues. Boundary disputes test the parents’ capacity to negotiate differences in deciding what’s right or wrong for their child. You let her do whatever she wants…You’re driving him away with your strictness…She needs more discipline…He needs space to be a kid. Both parents love their children and want only the best for them, but they disagree on how to accomplish it. In his book Boundaries with Teens, Dr John Townsend gives some helpful and practical suggestions. 1) Agree that your teen comes first. Calmly, honestly, and selflessly discuss your differences together. The winner should always be your child! Agree, even compromise, on setting limits that protect your teen and promote his or her best interests. 2) Defer to one another’s strengths. Each of you has areas you’re better equipped to handle. For example, whichever one is better at organising, listening objectively in heated moments, or calming a troubled teen should help the other one with these issues. 3) Don’t triangulate your teen. It’s easy to pull your child into conflict on your side. Typically the other parent then responds by pampering the child with gifts, privileges, and liberties in order to regain their approval. That strategy guarantees everybody loses! Agree to sort out your differences. And if you can’t, seek the help of a wise friend, pastor, or counsellor. Your child’s life and future are what matter – not which one of you wins the popularity contest!© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Let’s begin with three short stories that spell out the challenge of building a strong and happy marriage. First story: A man was observing a couple and said to his wife, ‘Look at them, they look so happy.’ She said, ‘Don’t be so sure, they’re probably saying the same thing about us.’ Second story: A woman once said, ‘My husband and I have a very happy marriage. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for me. So we’ve gone through life doing nothing for each other.’ Third story: A husband told his friend, ‘My wife and I have decided never to go to bed angry.’ His friend asked, ‘How’s that working?’ He replied, ‘We haven’t slept in a month.’ Seriously, the biggest challenge in marriage is selfishness. When two people each put their own desires and interests first, their relationship is headed for trouble and possibly a divorce court. What’s the answer? These inspired words were written almost two thousand years ago, but they are still God’s formula for a stable and successful marriage: ‘Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures. Love never ends…So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love’ (vv. 4-8, 13 NCV). © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica and says, ‘Now, brothers and sisters, we ask you to appreciate those who work hard among you, who lead you in the Lord and teach you. Respect them with a very special love because of the work they do’ (vv. 12-13 NCV). Consider these twenty-first-century statistics: 1) Fifty per cent of pastors feel so disheartened that they would exit the ministry if they could, but they don’t know any other way to make a living. 2) Fifty per cent of ministers starting out won’t continue five years in the ministry. 3) Only one out of every ten ministers will retire as ministers in some capacity. 4) In America more than seventeen hundred pastors exited the ministry every month of 2011. There are many reasons why pastors leave the ministry. One reason is inadequate financial support and stress on the family. Paul addresses this: ‘Let the elders [pastors] who rule well be counted worthy of double honour [financial remuneration], especially those who labour in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The labourer is worthy of his wages”’ (1 Timothy 5:17-18 NKJV). Some pastors leave the ministry because they are the target of frequent criticism. Paul addresses this: ‘Do not receive an accusation against an elder [pastor] except from two or three witnesses’ (v. 19 NKJV). So, pray for your pastor, and make it a point to show them your appreciation. God will bless you for it. © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Jesus, who was known in the Bible as ‘the Great Physician’, spent much of His ministry healing the sick. Read these four Scriptures: 1) ‘Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching…preaching the gospel… and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments…and He healed them’ (Matthew 4:23-25 NKJV). 2) ‘When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them…And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease’ (Matthew 9:36; 10:1 NKJV). 3) ‘When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognised Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well’ (Matthew 14:34-36 NKJV). 4) ‘A great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon… came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases…And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all’ (Luke 6:17-19 NKJV). Since Jesus Christ is ‘the same yesterday, today, and forever,’ that means you can pray with faith and confidence, believing God to heal you and your loved ones. © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The Bible says: ‘The Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” The LORD said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.” So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water”’ (vv. 9-11 NKJV). Notice how David likened God’s power to the bursting forth of waters. He is saying that when God shows up and releases His power, it will be like a flood of His goodness, His power, His favour, His healing, His wisdom, His resources, and whatever else you need. Think about how powerful water is: only a few feet of water can lift a huge car weighing thousands of pounds and push it all around. On the news we have seen entire houses and buildings carried downstream in torrents of water. Nothing can stop it. Nothing is allowed to stand in its way. And that’s what happens when God gives you a breakthrough and releases a flood of His power on your behalf. And God has not changed. His power has not diminished. ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You’ (Jeremiah 32:17 NKJV). God is able to move on your behalf. And He is willing – so ask Him for a breakthrough.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The Bible says: ‘While he was preaching…four men arrived carrying a paralysed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof…Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralysed man…“Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”’ (vv. 2-5, 11-12 NLT). Notice the words ‘when Jesus saw their faith’ (NKJV). Do you have faith God can see? What are you doing to show God you truly believe Him and are taking Him at His Word? It’s important to pray and believe, but you must also do something to demonstrate your faith. For the four men who carried their sick friend to Jesus, demonstrating their faith meant refusing to let the crowd get in their way, or the roof stop them from getting to Jesus. Sometimes you are closest to your victory when you face your greatest obstacles or opposition. A lot of people give up too easily. You say, ‘I’ve tried, but nothing I have done has worked.’ You must be more determined than that. If you can’t get through the crowd, climb up and come down through the roof. Be relentless. That’s what these men did, and Jesus rewarded them with a miracle. And when you are willing to demonstrate a determined faith, He can do the same for you too. © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

When Corrie ten Boom travelled the world sharing her experiences, she would often speak with her head down. She appeared to be reading notes, but she was actually stitching a needlepoint design. When she would finish telling her story of the atrocities she suffered from the Nazis, she would reveal the needlepoint she had been working on. She would first show the back side, which was just a tangle of coloured threads with no distinct pattern. And she would say, ‘That’s how we see our lives. Sometimes it makes no sense.’ Then she would flip the needlepoint over to unveil the finished side. And she would say, ‘This is how God views your life, and someday we will have the privilege of seeing it from His point of view.’ Then she would end her talk with this poem written by Grant Colfax Tullar, a minister: ‘My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me; I cannot choose the colours, He worketh steadily. Oft times He weaveth sorrow and I, in foolish pride, forget He sees the upper, and I the underside. Not til the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly, will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why. The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver’s skilful hand, as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.’ Paul writes, ‘Now we see a dim reflection, as if we were looking into a mirror, but then we shall see clearly. Now I know only a part, but then I will know fully, as God has known me.’© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Motivational speaker Denis Waitley describes an experience that marked his life forever. He was trying to catch a flight for a speaking commitment and was running through the airport terminal. He reached the gate just as the agent closed the door. Denis explained his dilemma, but the agent didn’t reopen the door. That’s when his annoyance turned into anger. He stomped out of the boarding area and returned to the ticket counter to lodge a complaint and reschedule his flight. His anger increased as he waited for over twenty minutes in a line that hardly moved. Right before his turn at the ticket counter, an announcement over the intercom changed his life, because he realised that by missing that flight, his life had been saved. The flight he missed, Flight 191 from Chicago to Los Angeles, had crashed on take-off with no survivors. Denis never lodged his complaint. He also never returned his invalidated ticket for Flight 191. He brought it home and tacked it on a notice board in his office. In the aftermath of that experience, anytime he felt irritated or upset, all he had to do was look at that ticket from Flight 191. It was an unforgettable reminder that life is a gift that should not be undervalued. The psalmist wrote: ‘The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years…it is soon cut off, and we fly away…So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom’ (vv. 10, 12 NKJV). © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The prophet Isaiah tells us God ‘energises those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire…folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind’ (vv. 29-31 MSG). When an eagle is on the ground it’s vulnerable to attack by predators like snakes and wolves. On terra firma its surroundings are a fixed reality the eagle can’t change. So what does it do? It rises above them! From the air, everything looks different. The eagle’s altitude transforms its attitude – and that can happen for you too. ‘Those who wait upon God get fresh strength.’ Here are two illustrations of what it means to wait upon God: 1) Like a wide-winged eagle waiting for a thermal current to carry it heavenward, you must stay in God’s presence with your heart attuned to Him. Do you have duties and demands? Yes, but none as important as this. Why? Because you understand that if you don’t get into God’s presence and stay there until He refreshes and restores you, you won’t make it. 2) Like an attentive waiter at a fine restaurant, whose only aim is to please, you wait on God, sensitive to His voice and surrendered to His will. Have the pressures of life left you drained? Watching television may entertain you for a while, but it won’t restore what life takes out of you. Only God can do that, so learn to ‘wait’ on God. © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

A saleswoman passed a particular corner each day on her way to work. For more than a week, she observed a little girl trying to sell a flop-eared puppy. The saleswoman finally said to the little girl, ‘Honey, if you want to sell this dog, I suggest you clean him up, brush his coat, raise your price, and make people think they’re getting something of value.’ At noon, the saleswoman noticed the little girl had taken her advice. The puppy was groomed and sitting under a big sign that read, ‘TREMENDOUS Puppy for Sale – £5,000.’ The saleswoman smiled and gulped, determined to tell the little girl later that she may have overpriced the puppy. To her surprise, on the way home she saw the puppy was gone! Flabbergasted, the woman sought out the little girl to ask if she had really sold the dog for £5,000. The little girl said, ‘I sure did, and I want to thank you for all your help.’ The saleswoman spluttered, ‘How in the world did you do it?’ She said, ‘It was easy. I just took two £2,500 cats in exchange!’ Seriously, two thousand years ago the greatest exchange of all time took place. On a cross outside Jerusalem, Jesus Christ gave His life in exchange for ours, ‘the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God’. At the cross God took all your sin and placed it upon Christ. And when you place your trust in Christ, God takes all of His righteousness and wraps you up in it. That’s the great exchange!© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Sports psychologists have identified six recurring traits that are common to Olympic gold medallist athletes. These traits of a champion apply to both men and women, but they are also dominant factors in the lives of those who succeed in nonathletic vocations as well. Let’s look carefully at each trait and see what we can learn. 1) Self-analysis. The successful athlete knows their strengths and weaknesses, and engages in a critical appraisal that is honest but never negative. 2) Self-competition. A winner knows that he or she can only control their own performance, so they compete against their own best effort and not that of others. 3) Focus. The champion is always ‘in the present’, concentrating on the task at hand. 4) Confidence. Successful athletes control anxiety by setting tough but reasonable goals. As these goals are reached, their confidence increases. 5) Toughness. This is a mental trait that involves accepting risk and trying to win, rather than trying not to lose. A winner sees change as opportunity, and accepts responsibility for their own destiny. 6) Having a game plan. Even the best athletes know that talent is not enough; they must have a game plan. And here is the good news: you can develop these six traits. You say, ‘Where can I get a game plan for my life?’ From the God who loves you and says in His Word, ‘For I know the plans I have for you…plans for good…to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen’ (vv. 11-12 TLB).© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Perhaps you wonder, ‘Is the Bible really inspired by God? Is it true, trustworthy, and infallible?’ The answer is yes, and here are three reasons why: 1) It is remarkable in composition. It was composed over sixteen centuries by forty different authors, including soldiers, shepherds, farmers, and fishermen. Begun by Moses in Arabia and finished by John the Revelator on Patmos – it was penned by kings in palaces, shepherds in tents, and captives in prisons. Would it be possible for forty writers, largely unknown to each other, writing in three different languages in several different countries, separated in time by as much as 1,600 years, to produce a book of singular theme? This would be impossible unless behind them there was one mind and one designer. (See 2 Peter 1:21.) 2) It is remarkable in durability. It is the single most published book in history. Translated into at least 1,200 languages by an army of translators, it has outlived all its opponents. Bibles have been burned by governments and banished by courtrooms, but God’s Word endures. The death knell has been sounded a hundred times, but God’s Word continues (see Isaiah 40:8). 3) It is remarkable in prophecy. Its pages contain more than 300 fulfilled prophecies about the life of Christ, yet they were all written at least 400 years before He was born. What are the odds? Imagine if something similar occurred today. If we found a book written in the year 1900 that prophesied two world wars, a depression, an atomic bomb, and the assassinations of a president and a civil rights leader, wouldn’t we trust it? Yes. So you can believe these words: ‘All Scripture is inspired by God.’© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Don’t chart your life’s course according to the opinions of people or popular culture. If you do, you’ll make the mistake that a farmer’s son made. The father sent the boy to prepare a field, reminding him to till straight lines. ‘Select an object on the far side of the field and plough straight at it.’ Later, when the father checked on the boy’s progress, there wasn’t a straight furrow to be found. ‘I thought I told you to select an object and plough towards it,’ the dad said. ‘I did,’ the boy answered, ‘but the rabbit kept hopping.’ A straight line requires an unmoving target, so set your sights on the unchanging principles of God’s Word. Let it be the authoritative Word in your world. This decision rubs up against the skin of our culture. We prefer the authority of the voting booth, the pollster, or whatever feels good. Such resistance is not novel to us. When Paul wrote a letter to Timothy he listed nineteen characteristics of people, each of which was a fruit of rebellion (see 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Then he wrote: ‘Continue following the teachings you learned. You know they are true, because you trust those who taught you. Since you were a child, you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching how to live right’ (2 Timothy 3:14-16 NCV). So soak yourself in the Scriptures!© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.