‘He who covers his sins will not prosper.’ Proverbs 28:13 NKJV

The Bible says, ‘He who covers his sins will not prosper. But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.’ (Proverbs 28:13 NKJV) Could this be the reason you’re not succeeding? Unresolved guilt has the ability to corrode your confidence like acid. But there is an answer: ‘Whoever confesses and forsakes [his sins] will have mercy.’ Confess it to God! He already knows what you have done—He is just waiting for you to deal with it so He can forgive you and bless you again. ‘God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.’ (1 John 1:5 ESV)

The light of God reveals things. When a light is switched on in a room, we can see dust and bugs scattering. And when God gets involved in our lives, He begins to show us things we may prefer not to see; things we have been hiding, even from ourselves. We’re often deceived, especially about ourselves. We don’t want to deal with our faults, and we don’t enjoy having them exposed. Privately we feel condemned about them, but at least we feel like they’re hidden. But anything hidden has power over us because we fear it may be discovered. Refuse to live that way.

The best and most liberating thing you can do is to face what God wants to take care of and get beyond the fear of it. David said, ‘I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.’ (Psalm 32:5 NKJV)

SoulFood: 1 Sam 27–31, Lk 4:31–44, Ps 122, Prov 17:18–21

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

‘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 ©

‘Lord, where do I put my hope?’ Psalms 39:7 NLT

Here are four suggestions to help you survive and grow through upheavals such as an unexpected job loss, the death of a loved one, a failed marriage or a serious health issue:

(1) Admit how you feel. That doesn’t mean sitting around wallowing in negativity; it means trusting God enough to acknowledge how you really feel. Pretending things are fine when they’re not, makes it harder to get back up. We all have down times. The Psalmist asked God to help him cope with despondency (Psalms 42 and 43). And at one point Paul was under so much pressure he ‘despaired even of life.’ (2 Corinthians 1:8 NKJV)

(2) Identify the source. Discouragement often comes on the heels of a setback or disappointment. Did something you set your heart on fall apart? Were your hopes unrealistic to start with? Did somebody let you down? Or is your dejection coming from a generalised feeling of burnout?

(3) Talk with a trusted counsellor. Solomon said, ‘There is safety in having many advisers.’ (Proverbs 11:14 NLT) Don’t let pride prevent you from opening up to those who will listen empathetically and respond wisely. Talking to the right people can lessen your sense of isolation, and also pave the way for others who are hurting to do the same.

(4) Be open before God. He, not fate or circumstances, gets to write the last chapter. Maybe He’s trying to teach you something or redirect your energies. David said, ‘Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.’ When your hope is in God, He replaces discouragement with confidence so that what you’re going through can become a path to spiritual growth.

SoulFood: Exo 16–18, Luke 12:35–48, Ps 66:13–20, Pro 6:23–25

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

‘…He walked on the water…to Jesus.’ Matthew 14:29 NKJV

Peter discovered what we all discover in our walk with God: just because you sink doesn’t mean you’re sunk. Here are two reasons why. First, failing doesn’t make you a failure, quitting does. Failure is just a part of learning. Sir Edmund Hillary made several attempts to climb Mount Everest before succeeding. After one such attempt he stood in front of a photograph of the mountain and shook his fist as he told his audience: ‘Mount Everest, you will not beat me again. You have grown all you are going to, but I’m still growing!’ He learned something from every unsuccessful attempt until one day he succeeded. Winston Churchill said, ‘I’ve never failed at anything in my life. I was simply given another opportunity to get it right.’ That’s the winning spirit!

Second, the real failures were the ones who chose not to risk. They failed quietly and privately; their failure went unnoticed and uncriticised. Although Peter crashed and burned publicly, he’s still the only one who walked on the water. He alone knew how it felt to be empowered by God to do what he could never have done by himself. Once you’ve ‘walked on water’ (been held up by God in a risky situation) you are never the same. Peter would take this moment to his grave! He also experienced the joy of being lifted by Jesus in a moment of despair. Peter knew, in a way the others couldn’t, that if he sank Jesus would be there to save him. He shared a moment, a connection, a trust the others didn’t. How could they, when they never left the boat! Failure doesn’t come from sinking—it comes from letting your fears stop you.

SoulFood: Jam 3–5, Mark 5:11–20, Ps 94:12–23, Pro 10:27

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

‘Speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ.’ Ephesians  4:15 NLT

It’s difficult to confront a friend when there is a problem. It’s easier to stay superficial, to demonise one another when you don’t agree, or to cut ties with someone at the first sign of trouble. But the Bible says, ‘One who gives a right answer kisses the lips.’ (Proverbs 24:26 NASB) Transparency deepens relationships and keeps our fellowship open and authentic, freeing us to speak the truth in love. No more lies or pretence. Tell your brother the truth. Remember, ‘Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbour,” for we are members of one another.’ (Ephesians 4:25 NKJV)

Relationships involve flawed people who make mistakes and get into messes. Friends need to be able to count on each other, not just for fun and affirmation, but for instruction and correction. Committing ourselves to a friendship means that, because we care on a deep, intimate level, we need to have the courage to speak up when a friend needs to hear tough words. True friendship comes with joy and responsibility. To avoid talking truthfully about a situation that’s hurtful, dangerous, or out of God’s will is to dishonour the friendship and the friend. When we’ve been trusted with the blessing of friends, we must love them enough to be willing to experience hurt, rejection, and even anger. In the end, truth heals.

Before addressing a difficult situation, if there’s any self-righteousness or the tiniest desire to get even, we should keep silent. When it comes to touchy subjects, our honesty must be accompanied by pure, loving motives. The Bible says, ‘Speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ.’ If your words aren’t infused with love, they’ll hurt rather than heal.

SoulFood: Num 7, Matt 10:1-10, Ps 107:1-9, Pro 3:13-18

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

‘My words are plain to anyone with understanding.’ Proverbs 8:9 NLT

King Solomon wrote: ‘Everything I say is right, for I speak the truth and detest every kind of deception. My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding.’ (Proverbs 8:6–9 NLT)

Usually, when we embellish the truth, it is to get these two things: the attention and the approval of the listener. But eventually, it backfires. Over time, people discover you are someone who stretches the truth, and you lose your credibility with them. And once you lose that, it takes a long time to get it back—if ever.

Sweeping statements like ‘Everybody does it,’ or ‘You never,’ or ‘You always’ cause people to discount you and eventually slot you as untrustworthy. It’s ok to say something with enthusiasm but avoid exaggeration. Stick to the facts and resist the urge to be the centre of attention by engaging in this form of lying. Joseph’s brothers resented the favour of God that was on his life. So, they threw him into a pit, dipped his coat in blood, then took it back home and showed it to their ageing father. They didn’t say a word. They simply let the old man conclude that his son had been devoured by a wild beast. And what’s more, they allowed him to live with that cruel lie for years.

Revelation 22:15 NASB says that everyone who ‘loves and practises lying’ is lumped together with ‘the sorcerers, the sexually immoral persons, the murderers, the idolaters.’ So, unless that’s the company you want to be identified with, tell the whole truth. Today make your prayer, ‘Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.’ (Psalm 120:2 NIV)

SoulFood: Gen 50, Haggai 1-2, Luke 9:57-62, Ps 149, Pro 4:25-27

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

‘I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent Me.’ John 5:30 NIV

Know who you are trying to please. Jesus didn’t try to please everybody, so isn’t it foolish for you to try to do something even God doesn’t do? It was a settled issue with Jesus: ‘I’m going to please God, full stop!’

And God replied, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ (Matthew 3:17 KJV) When you lose sight of who you’re trying to please you’ll always cave in to three things:

(1) Criticism, because you’re overly concerned about what others think of you.

(2) Competition, because you’re afraid somebody will get ahead of you.

(3) Conflict, because you’re threatened by anyone who disagrees with you.

Jesus said, ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.’ (Matthew 6:33 NKJV) By focusing on God’s will you simplify your life! You’ll always be doing the right thing, the thing that pleases Him, regardless of what anybody else thinks. We love to blame stress on other people and on our obligations: ‘You made me do… I have to… I’ve got to.’

Actually, there are few things in life apart from our jobs that we must do. So what we’re really saying is, ‘I choose to [fill in the blank] because I don’t want to handle the consequences otherwise.’ Rarely does anybody make us do anything, so we can’t blame other people for our stress. When we feel pressured, we’re choosing to let others put us there. The fact is, we’re not victims unless we allow ourselves to be pressured by outside demands.

SoulFood: 1 Sam 1–3, Matt 26:17–29, Ps 34, Pro 21:14–16

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

‘I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.’ Acts 27:25 NIV

Third, anchored by God’s promises. The third anchor that gives us confidence in a crisis is found in Paul’s words, ‘I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.’ If you have ever been betrayed by an unfaithful spouse, you may have lost trust in marriage. If you’re a victim of a scam, you may have lost your friends or the bank. If you voted for someone you believed had integrity only to discover they were in the pocket of special interest groups, you may have lost your trust in government. But never ever lose trust in the promises of God!

Look in the face of your storm today and sing the words of this famous hymn by Russell Carter: ‘Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling winds of doubt and fear assail, by the living Word of God, I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God.’ You may lose your cargo, you may lose your ship, you may even go overboard—but you’re going to prevail because of God’s promises to you. As the old saying goes, ‘God said it, I believe it, and that settles it!’

If you’re in crisis today, here are some Bible promises you can stand on: ‘The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.’ (Deuteronomy 33:27 NIV) ‘You have given me Your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; Your help has made me great.’ (Psalm 18:35 NLT) ‘Even to your old age and grey hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you.’ (Isaiah 46:4 NIV)

SoulFood: Neh 11–13, Lk 22:14–23, Ps 78:56–64, Prov 24:5–10

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

‘Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.’ Ephesians 6:10 NLT

Paul tells us two things about his thorn:

First, that it was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him. The word ‘buffet’ means ‘to render blow after blow’. It was not one battle, but a series of back-to-back attacks that didn’t let up. Satan knows your weakest areas, and he will repeatedly attack you in those areas. How can you defeat him? The Bible tells: ‘Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armour so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.’ (Ephesians 6:10–12 NLT)

Second, that the thorn was in his ‘flesh’ You are a regenerate spirit, living in an unregenerate body. That’s why the Bible commands us to crucify the flesh, starve the flesh, and refuse to give in to the impulses of the flesh. And in God’s strength you can do it: ‘By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a Godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvellous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.’ (2 Peter 1:3–4 NLT)

SoulFood: Heb 11:17–13:25, Luke 10:25–37, Ps 33:1–12, Pro 5:7–14

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2026

‘…I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.’ John 5:30 NKJV

The third thing that describes Christ’s relationship with His Father is obedience. Jesus said: ‘As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.’ Jesus neither considered nor consulted His own will in the matter. Instead He focused like a laser on one thing—doing the will of God, no more and no less. Note the words, ‘As I hear.’ When you have heard from God the discussion is over; it’s time to act. God’s not going to change His mind, so you need to start changing yours and ‘get with the programme.’

When you make Jesus the Lord of your life, you give up three basic rights: (a) What it will cost you; (b) Where it will take you; (c) The extent to which it will change you. In order to enjoy a relationship with Jesus similar to the one which He had with His Father, that’s the price tag! You say, ‘That sounds very demanding.’ Yes, but it’s also very protective. When God told His people to do something, He also told them why: ‘…that it might go well with you…’ (Deuteronomy 5:33, 6:3, 12:28) God’s not trying to cramp your style, make your life hard or put you in a straitjacket. He’s a Father who wants only the best for His children. Isn’t that what every good parent wants? So when you walk in obedience, God’s best is what you will get.

SoulFood: 3 John, Jude, John 15:5–17, Ps 14, Pro 28:13–16

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