The Word for Today in Asia and the Pacific

‘He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.’ 1 John 1:9 KJV

The story of David and Bathsheba is the stuff movies are made of—lust, adultery, premarital pregnancy, murder, and cover-up. And it looked like David was home free, except for one important detail: ‘The thing that David had done displeased the Lord.’ (2 Samuel 11:27 NKJV) In the Bible, God refers to David as ‘a man after His own heart’ (1 Samuel 13:14 NLT), but the same Bible says, ‘Be sure your sin will find you out.’ (Numbers 32:23 KJV)

So God sent the prophet Nathan to tell David, ‘I anointed you king… Why then have you despised the Word of the Lord?’ (2 Samuel 12:7–9 NLT) Then God passed sentence: ‘I am going to bring calamity on you… before all Israel.’ (2 Samuel 12:11-12 NIV)

From that day on, tragedy and turmoil plagued David’s family. On many levels, ‘the way of transgressors is hard’ (Proverbs 13:15 KJV), not the least of which is that sometimes God takes away your peace so that you will acknowledge your sin. It took an unplanned pregnancy, the murder of an innocent man, a child’s death, a prophet’s persuasion, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit before David’s heart softened and he admitted, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ (2 Samuel 12:13 NIV)

And when he prayed those words, God treated David’s sin the same way He treats ours: ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ (1 John 1:9 KJV) As long as you keep excusing, defending, and rationalising your sin, God can do nothing for you. But the minute you confess it to Him, He will forgive you. Isn’t that wonderful?

SoulFood: Job 24-28, Luke 21:1-11, Ps 38:1-12, Pro 8:22-23

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

‘This is the way; walk in it.’ Isaiah 30:21 NIV

Joni Eareckson Tada tells of a group of friends who were on a mountaintop discussing which direction to go. One man said, ‘That’s south!’ Another replied, ‘No, that’s east.’ Everybody threw in their two-cents’ worth, until finally someone produced a compass and said, ‘We can settle this real fast.’ Within seconds the compass confirmed they were, in fact, facing due west!

The only reliable source had the final say, and nobody was about to argue with it. During the day, many voices vie for your attention, and some so-called ‘experts’ can be dead wrong. Bottom line: you had better know which voice to listen to, because if you look only at your circumstances, you will become disoriented. An unexpected phone call, a floundering relationship, a lost job, or a sick child can make north look like south and east look like west. When that happens, it’s easy to lose your bearings, jump to conclusions, and end up on the wrong path.

The Bible says, ‘Whether you turn… right or… left, your ears will hear a voice… saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”’ There is only one true source of wisdom and truth, and Peter recognised that when he asked, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ (John 6:68 NIV)

You don’t need to know every detail in advance; that’s not how God works. Often, He doesn’t show us the big picture because we would be overwhelmed and think it was impossible. He wants to develop in you an unshakeable trust in His character and goodness; an acceptance that in order to fulfil His plan, you must depend on His strength.

SoulFood: Job 21-23, Luke 20:27-47, Ps 55:12-23, Pro 8:19-21

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

‘God is the one who began this good work in you.’ Philippians 1:6 CEV

Paul writes, ‘God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain… He won’t stop before it is complete.’ (Philippians 1:6 CEV) You will notice that Jesus regularly took time out of His busy schedule to pray. In fact, He sometimes prayed all night. And He tells us why: ‘The Son can do nothing by Himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing.’ (John 5:19–20 NLT)

Under the weight of our sins, He cried from the cross, ‘My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ (Matthew 27:46 NIV) And His words teach us three important things:

(1) We can be following God’s plan and still feel overwhelmed and alone at times.

(2) When God doesn’t answer, we must practise standing on the promises He gave us in His Word.

(3) The pain we’re feeling will eventually give way to the joy that awaits us on the other side of it.

So stick with God’s plan; as long as you do that, there is nothing the enemy can do to destroy you. The Bible says, ‘No weapon turned against you will succeed… These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord.’ (Isaiah 54:17 NLT) When you feel like you have reached the end of your rope, do what Jesus did and pray, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ (Luke 23:46 NIV)

In other words, turn it all over to God. Trust Him to do what you can’t do and to bring you through in victory.

SoulFood: Job 18-20, Luke 20:9-26, Ps 55:1-11, Pro 8:17-18

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

‘God always does what He plans.’ Ephesians 1:11 CEV

God said, ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the beginning and the end.’ (Revelation 22:13 CEV) God determines the end result He wants, then starts at the beginning and works towards it. He ‘always does what He plans.’

Joseph discovered that even when your family turns against you, God’s plan is still in effect. Looking back, he said, ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.’ (Genesis 50:20 NIV) But don’t confuse ‘good’ with ‘comfortable’. When God corrects or redirects you, it doesn’t always feel good. But it is good!

David said, ‘When You corrected me, it did me good because it taught me.’ (Psalm 119:71 CEV) If you’re not sure of God’s plan, seek Him until He shows it to you. Other things may seem more urgent, but nothing is more important. And if you already know God’s plan, rest assured that no human action can cancel it.

The psalmist wrote, ‘The Lord will vindicate me; Your love… endures forever.’ (Psalm 138:8 NIV) There is no situation Satan can devise for which God hasn’t already made ‘the way of escape.’ Paul reassures us: ‘God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted [tested] beyond what you are able, but with the temptation [testing] will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.’ (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV)

It’s in your times of testing that you discover God is faithful. He will stretch you, but never beyond your breaking point. His plan is for you to come out of this experience stronger and ready for what’s next on His agenda [plan].

SoulFood: Job 15-17, Luke 19:41 – 20:8, Ps 13, Pro 8:14-16

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

‘Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.’ Luke 6:37 NLT

Once you understand that some parents aren’t capable of giving their kids what they didn’t get themselves—namely love, nurturing, acceptance, and physical affection—it becomes easier to forgive them.

Stormie Omartian says: ‘Sometimes what one parent didn’t do hurts as bad as what the abusing one did. A parent’s uninvolvement or unwillingness to step in and rescue you feels like a betrayal. Unforgiveness for that uninvolved parent is more difficult to recognise but is more common than we think. Ask God to show you any unforgiveness towards a parent who didn’t come to your rescue. If it’s there, you have to deal honestly with your feelings…We can’t go back in time and get someone to hold and nurture us, and we mustn’t demand it from a spouse or friends because they can’t do it. It [must] come from our heavenly Father…The first step…is to receive [His] forgiveness and let its reality penetrate the deepest part of our being. When we realise how much we have been forgiven…we have no right to pass judgment on…another. Being forgiven and released from everything we’ve ever done is such a miraculous gift, how could we refuse to obey God when He asks us to forgive others? Forgiveness is a two-way street. God forgives you, and you forgive others…We base our decision not on what we feel like doing but on what we know is right. ’

Jesus said, ‘Do not judge… and you will not be judged… Forgive… and you will be forgiven.’ (Luke 6:37 NLT) Choosing to forgive and not let somebody else’s sin dictate what you feel or do frees you to live in peace.

SoulFood: Job 11-14, Luke 19:22-40, Ps 116:12-19, Pro 8:10-13

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