‘The unfolding of your words gives light …’ Psalm 11 9:130 NIV

American President Woodrow Wilson said: ‘I am sorry for men who do not read the Bible every day; I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and of the pleasure. It is one of the most singular books in the world, for every time you open it, some old text that you have read a score of times suddenly beams with a new meaning. There is no other book that I know of, of which this is true; there is no other book that yields its meaning so personally, that seems to fit itself so intimately to the very spirit that is seeking its guidance.’

If you want to get the most out of your Bible, ask these questions:

1) Is there a warning to heed?

2) Is there a promise to claim?

3) Is there a sin to forsake?

4) Is there a command to obey?

5) Is there a lesson to learn?

6) Is there a principle to apply?

7) Is there an example to follow?

As you ask yourself these seven questions, keep a journal to write down the answers God gives you, and you will be amazed at the wisdom you glean. You will be thrilled by the success principles you learn. Your anxieties will begin to lift, your mind will clear, and you will experience peace.

John writes, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’ (John 1:1 NIV). Notice the phrase ‘the Word was God’. The more you read your Bible, the more of God’s presence and power you will experience. You might even adopt the old advertising slogan: ‘Don’t leave home without it.’

SoulFood: Exo 22-24, John 3:1-21, Ps 89:1-14, Pro 26:17-19

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2024

‘The Lord…closed her womb.’ 1 Samuel 1:5 NKJV

Sometimes the door will open only when you understand why it was shut in the first place. Consider the story of Hannah. She wanted a son but God wanted a prophet. When she prayed, ‘If You…give me a son, I will give him back to You all his life…’ (1 Samuel 1:11 NCV), God not only gave her Samuel, but also six more children (1 Samuel 2:5). When you pray for a harvest, God will ask you to sow a seed. That seed may be something you love and want to cling to; but don’t do that—rather, surrender it to God. Hannah discovered she couldn’t be satisfied with less than God’s will. Elkanah had two wives, but he loved Hannah the most and granted her ‘a double portion’ of his gifts (1 Samuel 1:5). But when you’re not doing what you know God has truly called you to do, the love of people and material things won’t satisfy you. ‘Ordained’ people are not just those in pulpits! Hannah was ordained to be a mother. You may be ordained to be a secretary, a farmer or a teacher. Find whatever God’s called you to do, and do it! Finally, Hannah’s desperation led her to her destiny: ‘The Lord…closed her womb.’ Why? To get Hannah’s attention, to draw her closer to Himself. Hard times cause us to re-examine our lives and seek God as never before. Our emphasis changes from ‘Lord, here’s what I want’ to ‘Lord, what do You want?’ Then He blesses us, because ‘…He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.’ (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)

SoulFood: Num 3:1–4:33, Mark 5:31–43, Ps 2, Pro 10:30–32

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

‘Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.’ Hebrews 1 0:24 NIVUK

One of the major benefits of joining a church or community group is the support and encouragement we receive from each other. The Bible says we were not meant to be alone. ‘Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 NASB.

One of the characteristics of the early church was their faithfulness to staying connected to each other because they knew connectedness doesn’t merely happen. They met together daily. They ate together. Over time, however, that happened less. So the writer of Hebrews said: ‘Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another’ (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV).

Serving one another encourages both parties and gives us a sense of purpose knowing that our service to others is changing lives. People respond to knowing they are not alone in their pain and that someone cares enough to listen and reassure them that this situation will pass. Every day, everyone you know faces life with eternity on the line, and life has a way of beating people down. Every life needs a cheering section. Every life needs a shoulder to lean on once in a while. Every life needs a prayer to lift them up before God. Every life needs a hugger to wrap some arms around them sometimes. Every life needs to hear a voice saying, “Don’t give up.”’

SoulFood: Song 1-4, Luke 2:34-40, Ps 17, Pro 16:12-15

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2024

‘This peace will control the way you think and feel.’ Philippians 4:7 CEV

People often say God won’t give us anything we can’t handle. But it’s truer to say He won’t give us anything He can’t handle. Do you feel like there is too much to do and not enough of you to do it? Scripture says: ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ (Romans 15:13 NIV) Now read that Scripture again!

The way to have peace in the midst of a troubled situation is by staying filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. How do you do that? By developing a spiritual hunger and letting God fill you. He can give you a sense of serenity [peace] when you’re surrounded by stress. So, if you’re in over your head today, pray this: ‘Father, You said no weapon formed against me shall prosper (see Isaiah 54:17). I can’t keep the enemy’s weapons from being formed, but I know You will keep them from being effective against me. You said if I ask anything according to Your will, You will grant my request (see 1 John 5:14–15). You said when I walk in obedience, I will be blessed when I come in, when I go out, when I lie down, and when I get up (see Deuteronomy 28:6; Psalms 1:1;  3:5). You told me to turn all my troubles over to You and You will take care of me (see 1 Peter 5:7). So here they are! Today I’m standing on Your promises. You said it! I believe it! That settles it! Amen.’

SoulFood: 1 Chron 17:1–20, Heb 11:4–12:3, Ps 18:20–29, Pro 4:18

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2023

‘I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.’ Genesis 12:2 NIV

God promised to bless Abraham and make his name ‘great’ for one reason—so he would be a blessing to others. Jesus taught His disciples to be distributors of blessing and first responders to those in need. That’s why He often involved them in the miracle process; He was training them. In feeding the five thousand, the miracle of multiplication took place after the bread and fish left the disciples’ hands. Jesus was the source, they were the distributors (see Matthew 14:13–21).

And God is calling you to be a distributor too. Sometimes we don’t recognise our blessing because it’s in seed form, so we conclude we don’t have what it takes. Not so. Jesus said: ‘This is what the Kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’ (Mark 4:26–29 NIV)

Note the words: ‘The seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.’ Instead of saying, ‘How could God possibly use me?’ become aware and alert to people’s needs. You have something God can use, and when He blesses it, you’ll be amazed at your potential. The miracle of the loaves and fishes began when someone said, ‘These people need to be fed.’ That’s when the disciples discovered Jesus could use what they had, even though it seemed inadequate.

SoulFood: Mal 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 ©

‘Perfect love casts out fear.’ 1 John  4:18 NKJV

When God says, ‘Fear not,’ He is basically telling you, ‘You’re going to have to deal with fear, but you can conquer it. You can act in spite of it.’

The Bible says, ‘… perfect love casts out fear.’ Sometimes we mistakenly think that Scripture means if we love God perfectly enough, we won’t be afraid. No, the only perfect love is God’s love for you. And it’s unconditional. Knowing that He always loves you, walks with you, defends you, supports you, and has promised to bless you in all that you do is what casts out your fear. And it does one more thing: it strengthens your faith. ‘But without faith it is impossible to please Him …’ (Hebrews 11:6 KJV).

When you know that God is pleased with you, you begin to rise above your fears. When fear knocks on your door and finds you full of faith, it cannot enter. That’s why you need to meditate continually on God’s Word and let your conversation be filled with faith. If you’re used to allowing your mind to go everywhere it pleases, meditating on God’s Word will require making a new habit.

Don’t become discouraged if you discover you have good intentions but many failures. The Bible says, ‘… we walk by faith …’ (2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV). How did you learn to walk? By getting up one more time than you fell down until you finally did it. When you set your mind to speaking fear-defying words of faith, the Holy Spirit will come to your aid and strengthen you. As one minister says, ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, it is progress in its presence.’ So just keep progressing, and you will get there!

SoulFood: Gal 1-3, Mark 12:1-12, Ps 128, Pro 13:17-19

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2024

‘Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself.’ Daniel 1:8 NKJV

The Bible says, ‘Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank.’ This particular food and wine was offered to pagan gods as an act of worship, and for Daniel that was unacceptable. He was being asked to compromise his character, and he wouldn’t do it. Daniel would have had good reasons if he had chosen to say yes. He was far from home and could do as he pleased. Nobody back home would ever know it. Plus, if he didn’t eat it, he would be insulting the king—not a good move!

Daniel knew God’s Word was clear when it came to idol worship, and God blessed him for it. He ended up being protected, preserved, promoted, and prospered in unthinkable ways. His philosophy was: ‘When God says yes, I say yes. And when God says no, I say no.’ And it seems likely he had established his convictions before he got to Babylon.

Question: have you decided what your core convictions are? Have you spent the good times determining what you will and won’t do during the hard times? If not, you need to. Daniel’s friends probably told him, ‘Nobody will know.’ But his thinking was: ‘God will know, and so will I. I don’t have to live with you, but I’ve got to live with me.’ Your thoughts and ideas must always be open to change and improvement, but your core convictions must be non-negotiable. So, live by your convictions.

SoulFood: Ps 118:19–29, Matt 21:1–16 Palm Sunday

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

‘Seek the Kingdom of God above all else…’ Matthew 6:33 NLT

As you read the following nine qualities, ask yourself, ‘Do these things show in my life today? Am I developing these fruits so I can be trusted with greater responsibility for the advancement of God’s Kingdom?’ (1) Merciful and Grace-Giving ‘God blesses those who are merciful…’ ‘Stop judging others, and you will not be judged.’ (Matthew 5:7; 7:1 NLT) (2) Reconciliatory in order to mend broken relationships. ‘If…a friend has something against you…go and apologise and be reconciled to him…’ (Matthew 5:23–24 TLB) (3) Teachable ‘Anyone who listens to My teaching and obeys Me is wise…’ (Matthew 7:24 NLT) (4) Courageous ‘Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves…don’t be afraid…’ (Matthew 10:16;26 NLT) (5) Submitted ‘Anyone who does the will of My Father in Heaven is My brother and sister and mother!’ (Matthew 12:50 NLT) (6) Surrendered ‘If any of you wants to be My follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow Me.’ (Matthew 16:24 NLT) (7) Repentant ‘…unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.’ (Matthew 18:3 NLT) (8) Humble ‘But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’ (Matthew 23:12 NLT) (9) Servant–Minded ‘But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant.’ (Matthew 20:26 NLT) If you’re willing to make Jesus Lord of your life, make His Word the last word on all issues, and seek the fullness of His Spirit—you can live this lifestyle too!

SoulFood: Hosea 1–5, Luke 2:8–20, Ps 8, Pro 14:9–12

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

‘Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity.’ Proverbs 21:5 NLT

To have job security you should:

(1) Endeavour to be as indispensable as possible. ‘Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.’ (Proverbs 21:5–6 NLT) Strive for integrity and excellence in your work, while learning as much as possible about procedures and processes beyond your area of responsibility. Be willing to help others—but not at the expense of your own effectiveness.

(2) If the fear of losing your job stems from personality clashes with your boss, embrace the Biblical principle of authority and submission. Responsibility stops with the person in charge. Therefore, determine to submit to anything asked of you that’s not illegal or immoral. When possible, confirm the instructions from your boss, and include your feedback on the potential outcome. Always speak with respect. Be willing to put in extra effort. Don’t make excuses or try to cover up for poor workmanship. Getting along with your boss is crucial, so make it your special project. ‘Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back.’ (Titus 2:9 NKJV)

(3) Know your worth. Are you in a field with a strong demand for your skills, or do you need to educate yourself in order to upgrade them? If you want a raise or a promotion on the job, you must be willing to invest the time and effort to do what’s necessary in order to earn them. ‘Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.’ (Proverbs 10:4 NIV)

SoulFood: Jer 41–44, Mt 26:26–46, Ps 25:8–15, Prov 10:1–3

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2025

‘Let your eyes look straight ahead.’ Proverbs  4:25 NKJV

To succeed at what God has called you to do, you must do these:

1) Remove distractions. This is not easy, as most people now get hundreds of electronic messages day. But you must do it. How? By keeping the discipline of practising your priorities. Don’t accomplish easy things first, or hard things first, or urgent things first. Do first things first – the important activities that provide you with the highest return. That way, you keep distractions minimised.

2) Protect yourself from distractions. Allocate blocks of time to think without interruptions. Make yourself unavailable so you can work without interruptions. If you are a leader, master the art of balancing the necessity to remain accessible to others with your need to withdraw from them to think. Jesus often withdrew from activities and prayed (see Luke 5:16). To know people’s needs, He spent time with people. To meet people’s needs, He spent time with God in prayer. As a result, He was always in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, doing the right things.

And you must do that too! If you’re naturally withdrawn, then make sure to get out among people more often. If you’re always ‘on the go’, then remove yourself periodically so that you can be refreshed and refocused in order to accomplish what God has called you to do. ‘Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked…’ (Proverbs 4:25-27 NLT).

SoulFood: 1 Sam 20:30 – 23:29, Luke 5:12-26, Ps 102:18-28, Pro 17:11-14

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2024