Let Go, And Let God

‘Give your burdens to the Lord.’ Psalm 55:22 NLT

Are you burdened about someone you love? Have your efforts to help them failed? Let go, and let God deal with them! Letting go doesn’t mean you stop caring; it just means you can’t do for them what they need to do for themselves. Letting go isn’t about cutting them off; it’s about realising you’re not responsible for the problem, you can’t cure it, and you can’t control it. It’s about not being the rescuer or the saviour so others never realise the consequences of their own actions. It’s admitting that the outcome is not in your hands. It’s not about blaming or trying to change the other person; but having the wisdom to recognise you can only change yourself.

It’s ‘caring about’, instead of ‘caretaking’. It’s being supportive without trying to fix the other person, and instead of judging, allowing them to choose their own path. Letting go means instead of wading into the middle and trying to control every possible outcome, you allow others to experience their own outcomes. Instead of hovering and being overprotective, it’s about permitting them to face reality. It’s about accepting instead of denying. And rather than nagging, scolding, and arguing, it’s learning to work on your own shortcomings.

Letting go means instead of trying to adjust everything to your own desires, you take each day as it comes and treasure each moment. It means instead of criticising and regulating, you learn to focus on the purpose to which God has called you. It means not looking back with regret on the past, and focusing instead on growing and living for the future. Letting go is about fearing less and loving more. The word for today is—let go, and let God!

SoulFood: 2 Cor 5:14–21, Phil 3:8–14, Ps 77:11–20, Pro 9:10–12

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

Go Back To Where You First Met God!

‘Jacob named the place Bethel.’ Genesis 35:15 NLT

What should you do when you’re discouraged and afraid you’ve lost your way? That’s the question Jacob was facing. And when he turned his heart towards God, here is the answer he got: ‘“Go up to Bethel… build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his household and all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.”’ (Genesis 35:1–3 NIV)

Now, you may not be into idol worshipping, but what do you need to ‘get rid of’? Bethel means ‘the place where God dwells’. So Jacob went back to the place where he had met God, where he had received a vision of his future, and where he had first experienced the joy of living in a covenant [solemn agreement] relationship with the Lord.

Have you made a mess of your life? Then go back to Bethel, to where you first met God. Build an altar and place your life on it. Do what the Scripture says: ‘In view of God’s mercy… offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.’ (Romans 12:1–2 NIV)

SoulFood: 2 Cor 6:14–7:1, Matt 3:1–10, Ps 116, Pro 31:30–31

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

Don’t Spread Discouragement

‘So they spread this bad report.’ Numbers 13:32 NLT

Discouragement caused the Israelites to doubt God’s promise, give up their dream, and die in the wilderness. Ironically, they were only several days’ journey from the Promised Land! How did it happen? After spending 40 days in Canaan, a land of such fruitfulness that it took two men to carry one cluster of grapes, ten out of twelve spies came back saying, ‘We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are! So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites.’ (Numbers 13:31–32 NLT) Now, would you like to know how God feels about people who spread such discouragement? ‘The ten men… who incited rebellion against the Lord with their bad report—were struck dead with a plague… only Joshua and Caleb remained alive.’ (Numbers 14:36–38 NLT)

So how about you? When you see others facing negative circumstances, do you express doubt about their ability to succeed? Can you listen to someone’s plans without making disheartening remarks? Even if you can’t quite envision their dreams, at least agree to stand in faith with them for God’s perfect will to be done concerning the proposed endeavour. Think of all the people who have encouraged you during your lifetime!

In a world plagued with negativity and bad news, everyone needs a little encouragement from time to time. So make a conscious effort to speak sincere words of affirmation, support, and inspiration to those within your circle of influence. And when you encounter a discourager, don’t let them derail you. Remind yourself and them that God is ‘able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.’ (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV) Because He can!

SoulFood: Mal 3–4, Matt 2:16–23, Ps 139:13–24, Pro 31:28–29

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

The Gift Of Encouragement

‘If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.’ Romans 12:8 NLT

Did you know that there’s such a thing as ‘the gift of encouragement’? There is! The Bible says, ‘In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well… If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.’ (Romans 12:6–8 NLT)

And you don’t have to be talented or have a high IQ to demonstrate this gift. Every day you meet people in need of encouragement. They may not show it on the surface, but underneath they’re struggling to keep their head above water. Some of them are at the point of despair, and your words can lift them. Even a smile can do it. Job said, ‘When they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them.’ (Job 29:24 NLT)

Solomon said, ‘Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.’ (Proverbs 12:25 NKJV) Don’t assume because people exhibit the trappings of status and success, that they don’t need encouragement. David was a celebrity singer-songwriter whose psalms are still read around the world. He was Israel’s most popular king. His victories in battle are still the envy of military academy strategists. But he had days when he felt so low that he was reaching up to touch bottom: ‘I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain.’ (Psalm 38:17 NLT) It’s not just average people who need encouragement—celebrities, kings, and generals need it too. Everybody does! So when you have the gift of encouragement you will never be without a job. So today be sensitive to God’s leading, and when He prompts you to encourage someone—go do it!

SoulFood: Mal 1–2, Matt 2:9–15, Ps 139:1–12, Pro 31:25–27

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

You ‘Must’ Love Yourself

‘Love yourself.’ Matthew 22:39 CEV

When God saves you, He positions you ‘in Christ’. From that moment on, He views you as being righteous. Not because of your ‘own righteousness… but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God.’ (Philippians 3:9 NKJV) When you are growing up, your parents may have given you the impression that if you were good enough they would love and accept you. As a result, you think God feels the same way about you. But He doesn’t. In truth, you could never be good enough to earn God’s love; that’s why He clothes you in Christ’s righteousness and says, ‘I love you unconditionally in spite of all your faults.’

Now you have a true basis for loving yourself! Think: if God loves you then you are worthy of loving, right? That means you can love yourself! And in fact, you must, because you can only give love to others from the wellspring of your own self-esteem. If you wrestle with insecurity, guilt, self-doubt, and self-loathing, eventually it will show up in your relationships.

Swiss psychologist Paul Tournier said: ‘If a person will love God the way he ought to… he will then love others the way he ought to… and when he loves God and others the way they ought to be loved, he will never need a psychiatrist.’ God’s love gives you a mental image of yourself that enables and empowers you to give and receive love from others. The truth is, if you had been the only sinner who ever lived, Christ would have died for you. And when that truly dawns on you, you’ll start to love yourself and develop into the fullness of your God-given potential.

SoulFood: Zech 12–14, Matt 2:1–8, Ps 97, Pro 31:22–24

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

Finding Purpose In Your Work

‘God placed the man in the Garden of Eden as its gardener to tend and care for it.’ Genesis 2:15 TLB

First, God made a man. Then He made a garden and said to the man, ‘Care for it.’ Perhaps you thought work came about as a result of the fall. It’s true, work took on a different meaning at that point, but it’s a mistake to think our first parents had no purpose. From the time Adam and Eve were created, it’s clear that God intended us to be like Him—creative, productive, and invested in tasks that contribute to His purposes. Adam and Eve were put in charge of the garden, and before their selfish decision to disobey God they enjoyed maximum fulfilment in their work.

The Bible says: ‘Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.’ (Genesis 2:19 NKJV)

The first job in the universe included identifying the nature, gifts, and strength of each creature, and overseeing them. That’s a managerial position! And someone who is busy needs an executive assistant, so Eve was created to be Adam’s ‘helper’. You need look no further than your Bible to realise that productive work is God’s plan for your life. A job well done is its own reward. It gives you a sense of value, without which you can get depressed. Don’t fall for the media hype that tells you successful people don’t need to work. We were each created to fulfil a purpose in life, regardless of how much money is in our bank account.

SoulFood: Ps 103:8–18, John 3:16–18, Acts 2:38–41

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

Christmas is about—Christ

‘They saw the young child with Mary His mother and fell down, and worshipped Him.’ Matthew 2:11 KJV

He was born in the humblest of settings, yet Heaven above was filled with the songs of angels. His birthplace was a cattle shed, yet a star brought the rich and noble from thousands of kilometres away to worship Him. His birth was contrary to the laws of life and His death was contrary to the laws of death, yet no miracle is greater than His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection and His teachings. He had no wheat fields or fisheries, yet He spread a table for 5,000 and had bread and fish to spare. He never stood on expensive carpeting, yet He walked on the waters and they supported Him. His crucifixion was the crime of crimes, yet from God’s perspective no less a price could have made possible our redemption. When He died, few mourned His passing, yet God hung a black cape over the sun. Those who crucified Him did not tremble at what they’d done, yet the earth shook under them.

Sin never touched Him. Corruption could not get hold of His body. The soil that was reddened with His blood could not claim His dust. For over three years He preached the Gospel. He wrote no book, He had no headquarters and He built no organisation. Yet 2,000 years later He’s the central figure of human history, the perpetual theme of all preaching, the pivot around which the ages revolve, and the only redeemer of the human race. At this season of celebration and gift-giving, let’s join the wise men who ‘fell down and worshipped Him.’ Let’s remember, Christmas is about—Christ!

SoulFood: Isa 9:1–7, Matt 1:18–25, Mic 5:2–5a, Isa 7:14

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

Are You Alone This Christmas?

‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted.’ Psalm 34:18 NIV

When you find yourself alone at Christmas, the sights and sounds that should bring joy can reinforce your sense of sadness and loss. There is no magic, get-well-quick formula; processing what you’re missing takes time and God’s sustaining grace. But here are some insights to help you:

(1) Don’t assume. Don’t buy into the myth that everybody else is having a perfect Christmas while you struggle. The truth is, we all experience the unrealistic demands and pressures of shopping, entertaining and gift-giving. And it’s worse in times of heartache. That’s why we’re so relieved when it’s over.

(2) It’s just one day out of 365. You can handle it for 24 hours because God has promised to give you ‘strength… equal [to] your days.’ (Deuteronomy 33:25 NIV)

(3) Take the focus off yourself. Reach out. See if there’s a needy family or a hurting neighbour who’d enjoy spending an hour with you. It’ll probably be the last thing you feel like doing, but it is therapeutic, restores your perspective and brings a sense of well-being and gratitude.

(4) Start some new traditions, especially when old ones just make you feel worse. ‘Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.’ (Philippians 3:13 NKJV) If you’re feeling lonely, here’s a prayer for you. ‘Lord, you know my heart aches today. Your Word says You are close to the broken-hearted. Let me feel Your nearness. Become more real to me than the activity without and the emptiness within. Help me draw close to You, and in so doing make this Christmas like none I’ve ever known.’

SoulFood: Zech 9–11, Matt 1:12–17, Ps 117, Pro 31:18–21

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

Be Generous With God

‘Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid.”’ 1 Kings 17:13 NIV

Picture a mother and her child in a severe famine, with just enough food for one last meal. Now picture Elijah saying, ‘Share with me what you’ve got. Don’t be afraid; God will make sure you’ve more than enough to see you through.’ What would you have done? This woman chose to obey God. As a result, she survived her famine and probably outlived her potential undertaker. In fact Jesus praised her in one of His sermons.

Basically there are two kinds of givers: those who give God their ‘leftovers’, and those who give Him their ‘firstfruits’ (see Proverbs 3:9). The first type of givers see themselves as responsible for meeting their own needs, so the leftovers go to God’s work. But the problem with giving leftovers is that your generosity is tied to your self-sufficiency. And the moment you face financial uncertainty, generosity takes a back seat.

On the other hand, those who give God their firstfruits understand He’s the source of everything they have. They are motivated to invest in His interests first and their own interests second. They believe in the Scriptural principle that what you reap is always greater than what you sow (see 2 Corinthians 9:6–11). Doesn’t it make sense to trust God with your finances, since it all belongs to Him? And to trust Him with something that’s beyond your control anyway? Think about it: you say you trust God with your eternal destiny, yet you reject His invitation to be your financial partner. Does that make sense? The truth is, you can never out-give God, so be generous!

SoulFood: Zech 5–8, Matt 1:6b–11, Ps 113, Pro 31:14–17

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

Give Your Worries To God

‘Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?’ Matthew 6:27 NLT

Worry changes nothing except you—and not for the better. It won’t pay your bills, solve your family problems, or give you a good night’s sleep. You don’t add one day to your life, or one bit of life to your day by worrying. But you can age prematurely and die before your time. Read these two Scriptures carefully:

‘Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.’ (Psalm 125:1 NIV)

‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.’ (Isaiah 26:3 NIV)

Notice that the same word in both Scriptures is ‘trust’. Worry simply reveals our lack of trust in God! So who are we trusting in? Ourselves! And only when that no longer works, are we willing to hand God the problem. Can you imagine asking the great sculptor Michelangelo, ‘Are you sure you know what you’re doing with that chunk of marble?’

God knows what He’s doing, and when you trust Him, ‘His peace will guard your hearts and minds.’ (Philippians 4:7 NLT) Paul is using a military illustration here. The Philippians lived under Roman occupation, which was bad. But they knew that the sentries also guarded their town, which was good. They knew that before an enemy could get to them, it first had to get past the guards. And because you’re ‘in Christ’, Satan has to go through Him to get to you. Are you getting the picture? Nothing—absolutely nothing—can get to you without first coming through Him! Once you accept that, God’s peace will fill your heart.

SoulFood: Zech 1–4, Matt 1:1–6a, Ps 128, Pro 31:10–13

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