Pastor's Corner

When you are in pain. Sometimes God lifts you out of your situation. Other times, He carries you through and makes you stronger by proving His love and faithfulness to you. Sometimes He relieves you of the pain; other times He sustains you in the midst of it.

If you’re in pain today, read these promises from God’s Word and stand on them: ‘Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.’

‘Let Your unfailing love comfort me, just as You promised me, Your servant. Surround me with Your tender mercies so I may live.’ (Psalm 119:76-77 NLT)

‘Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all! Feel my pain and see my trouble.’ (Psalm 25:16–18 NLT)

‘The Lord hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!’ (Psalm 34:17–20 NLT)

‘Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise.’ (Jeremiah 17:14 NKJV) Notice, God’s promises revive and comfort us in all of our troubles. Your Bible is a prescription from the Great Physician Himself, and the label on the bottle reads: ‘Take as often as needed for pain.’

From The Word for Today.

Cain cultivated the ground, planted the seed, gathered the harvest, and offered God the fruits of his labours. It seems likely that he thought God would be impressed, and that He would feel obligated to bless him. But that’s not how it works!

Abel, on the other hand, obviously had a different attitude. Perhaps he told God, ‘I did nothing. You created the lamb I’m offering. I’m just giving You back what’s Yours, and asking You to bless it.’ And God did!

You can tell a lot about somebody by how they approach God. Some of us act like God owes us something. Others among us are so impressed with our spiritual status and accomplishments that we feel the need to approach Him with lofty phraseology and high-sounding ‘thees’ and ‘thous’. But God isn’t impressed, so let’s get real!

‘The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering.’ Clearly Abel wasn’t seeking credit for anything. He wanted God to have all the glory. That’s the kind of offering that moves God’s heart and invites His richest blessing upon our lives. So what are you offering God today? Your achievements? Your denominational credentials? Your self-reliance? Your shallow emotion?

If you are, don’t bother! The only thing He asks is that you humbly open your heart and let Him recreate you in the likeness of Jesus. When you do that, something wonderful happens. By downplaying your own self-interests and giving God an acceptable offering, not only will He receive and respect it, He will bless you and equip you to bless others too. That’s how it works!

From The Word for Today.

When you ask parents about their future hopes for their kids, you’ll hear words like happy, secure, and self-confident. Those are nice sentiments, but not guarantees. But what makes that kind of adult? A childhood filled with trophies and good grades? A life in the country, far away from the crime-ridden city? Enriching pastimes like travel and music? The truth is, not one of these things predicts later happiness.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t encourage children to study and excel; having parents who value knowledge makes a difference. The important qualities, however, aren’t external, they’re internal. Psychologist Dr Edward Hallowell says to feel secure, your children need to develop two crucial skills:

(1) The ability to overcome adversity.

(2) The capacity to sustain joy.

He says, ‘Life is full of disappointments. Only by failing the first time and learning to try, try, and try again will a person get the most out of their abilities.’ But how do you teach your kids to be joyful in the face of adversity? There’s only one way to do it: introduce them to the source of joy.’

Isaiah said, ‘My soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation.’ (Isaiah 61:10 NIV)

David said, ‘In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.’ (Psalm 16:11 ESV)

Jeremiah said, ‘Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.’ (Jeremiah 15:16 NASB)

God never promised us a life without problems, but His Word says, ‘The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives… joy.’ (Galatians 5:22 NLT)

From The Word for Today.

What we consume determines our performance. That’s why you need to be careful what you feed your body, your children, your pets, and even your car. But what you feed your mind is equally important, especially when you consider these two laws that operate in life:

(1) The law of cognition. Your thoughts influence your emotions and your behaviour. The Bible says, ‘As he thinks in his heart, so is he.’ (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV) Jesus said a good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit (see Matthew 7:18). In other words, good thinking can’t produce bad results, just as bad thinking can’t produce good results.

(2) The law of exposure. The Bible says, ‘Do not… be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking.’ You’ll always think about what you are exposed to the most. And given the violence, lust, and greed portrayed by the media, it’s not surprising that crime and immorality are on the rise. You can’t just say, ‘I’m going to read this magazine, watch this programme, listen to this music, but it won’t affect me.’ Social science now confirms what God said all along—it does affect you! Where you go, what you read (or don’t read), what you watch, and the dreams you entertain all shape your mind.

Paul writes, ‘Remember what Christ taught, and let His words enrich your lives and make you wise.’ (Colossians 3:16 TLB) So when you need the right mind-fuel, remember: ‘God and the message of His grace… is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those He has set apart for Himself.’ (Acts 20:32 NLT)

From The Word for Today.

An ox and a donkey each have a tail, two eyes, and four legs. But if you harness them together, they won’t get along or work well together. Actually, they will pull in different directions. That’s because God made them with very different natures and attributes!

With that picture in your mind, here’s some advice on dating you’d be wise to heed. Looks soon fade, so choose someone who has other, less obvious attributes. For example:

(1) Consider their manners and how they treat the waiter at the restaurant.

(2) What type of interests do they have?

(3) Do they share your spiritual values and beliefs?

(4) Do they show genuine interest in what you have to say?

(5) How do they treat people they’re not trying to impress?

Once the newness of the initial attraction wears off, there must be something more, or the relationship is doomed. And make sure you’re the chooser, and not the chosen. Think about what you really want, and don’t entrust your heart to someone without first ascertaining their suitability. The only way to do that is to ask questions and ask God for discernment so you can learn to read their motives through their mannerisms. If you’re going to make an informed decision about sharing your life with this person, and share the most intimate, vulnerable parts of yourself literally and figuratively, you must open your eyes, along with all your senses, and really see the other person. Stop. Look. Listen. Pray. That’s the Bible’s formula for making a wise decision when it comes to choosing a mate for life.

From The Word for Today.

If you want God’s will to be done in your life, don’t rush things. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, did that. As a result Ishmael was born, and that brought all sorts of strife and family complications—that still trouble us, even in the twenty-first century.

Remember: ‘Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit’ (John 3:6 NIV), so be sure your plans are conceived by God’s Spirit. Don’t try to salvage anything flesh-based. God said, ‘My covenant I will establish with Isaac.’ (Genesis 17:21 NIV)

Isaac was born as a result of God’s will, done God’s way, in God’s time. Everything that’s conceived in you comes from one of two sources: the flesh or the Spirit. So be careful. People will try to involve you in all kinds of schemes to promote yourself. God doesn’t need anybody’s help to bless you; He can do it all by Himself! That’s why whenever Satan attacks you, you need to be able to point him to your spiritual birthplace and remind him that you didn’t begin this project and you don’t have to finish it.

‘He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.’ And here’s another thought. If God’s dealing with you about carnality, pride, or some other obstacle in your path, don’t resist, don’t run, and don’t get in His way. Like a drowning man frantically trying to save himself—until you stop flailing around God can’t do anything for you. So the word for you today is: ‘Try less and trust more!’

From The Word for Today.

‘Seven times a day I praise You. (Psalm 119:164 NIV)

‘His praise shall continually be in my mouth.’ (Psalm 34:1 KJV) When you are overwhelmed by circumstances, the last thing you feel like doing is praising God. But it’s the first thing you should do, because praise gets your attention off yourself and onto God’s miraculous power.

Jehoshaphat faced an army he had no hope of defeating. But when he started to praise God, his enemies destroyed each other while he looked on in amazement. When Paul and Silas praised God in prison, their chains broke and the doors opened. It’s normal to focus on the problem and forget to praise God, but praise solves problems. Peter writes: ‘The tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ (1 Peter 1:7 ESV) Start to acknowledge the power of praise and choose to exalt God regardless of how you feel. Praise brings you into God’s presence and positions you for His favour and blessing.

You say, ‘But I don’t understand how praise works.’ Think about it like this: you don’t have to understand aerodynamics in order to fly. You just get on the plane and the pilot takes you where you need to go. It’s the same when you praise God—just do it and you’ll get results.

From The Word for Today.

David was a giant killer, a psalm writer, and Israel’s most popular king. But when the stresses of life brought him to his breaking point, he wrote, ‘I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’

Are you at your breaking point today? When you get to that place, one of two things happens: you either break down or break through! It all depends on what you do. David experienced a breakthrough because he knew the right formula: ‘Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart.’ (Psalm 27:14 NKJV)

There’s an old saying—‘The same sun that melts the butter hardens the clay.’ When trouble comes, you can turn against God because you’ve served Him faithfully and don’t understand why He’s permitting you to go through such a hard time, or you can turn to Him for the answer! Nothing catches Him off guard, and nothing is too hard for Him.

He said, ‘I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.”’ (Isaiah 46:9–10 NKJV) You may be in a state of shock right now—but God isn’t. Your circumstances can actually become a platform for Him to demonstrate His unfailing love and care for you. So don’t lose heart; He’s going to bring you through this storm and bring glory to His name in the process.

From The Word for Today.

Remember the reality tv show Undercover Boss? In it, the company owner goes undercover disguised as a regular staff member, and works alongside the other employees. He or she gets to experience their daily pressures and problems, becomes familiar with their strengths and weaknesses, and finds out what is and isn’t working. Some of the discoveries are truly eye-opening, and lead to major changes that end up making the organisation a more efficient, more profitable, and a more enjoyable place for everyone to work.

A good definition of the word understand is ‘to stand in another person’s shoes’. That’s what happened to the prophet Ezekiel. He writes: ‘Then I came to the colony of Judean exiles… I was overwhelmed and sat among them for seven days. After seven days the Lord gave me a message. He said, “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman.”’ (Ezekiel 3:15–17 NLT) When did God give Ezekiel a message for others? After he’d spent seven days and nights sitting with people who had lost everything, people in deep despair and in need of answers.

Referring to Jesus, the Bible tells us, ‘This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do.’ (Hebrews 4:15 NLT) Your most effective ministry to others can come out of some of the experiences you’re going through right now, especially the painful ones you’d like to escape and don’t even feel comfortable talking about. The truth is, your greatest mess can turn out to be your greatest message. So let God work on you until He gets you to where you need to be.

From The Word for Today.

Put your goals in writing. God told the prophet Habakkuk, ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain…so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time…Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.’ (Habakkuk 2:2–3 NIV)

Note the word ‘delay’, because it’s not one we particularly like. God can give you a vision overnight, but usually it won’t be fulfilled overnight. You’ll face disappointments, discouragements, and delays. Because your vision always costs more than you estimated, and takes longer than you planned, it can become ‘blurred’ by your circumstances and emotions. That’s why it’s so important to write it down and keep it in front of you! Why did God tell Abraham that his children would be as numerous as the stars in heaven? Because stars are something you can physically look at and count. ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish [languish and waste away].’ (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)

The word ‘perish’ suggests something that’s slowly decaying, and that’s what happens when you don’t keep your God-given vision in front of you. If you’ve dreamed of losing weight, post a picture that inspires you on your refrigerator. If you dream of one day owning your own home, stick a picture of it on your message board. And if your goal is to give a certain amount to God’s work, write a cheque for that amount and place it where you’ll see it every day. With a clear-cut written goal, you’ll always know where you are and remember what God has called you to do.

From The Word for Today.

Depend on God more than on others. That doesn’t mean you don’t need other people. You do. When God calls someone to do a job, He calls others to stand alongside them. God’s promise is: ‘I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.’ So ask Him who belongs in your life.

In Exodus chapter 17, as long as Moses held his hands up, Israel’s armies prevailed in battle, but when his hands grew tired the battle went the other way. So Aaron and Hur stood by Moses and held up his hands until victory over the Amalekites was complete. You need people who know how to hold up your hands and strengthen you.

Paul wrote, ‘I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves… Timothy has proved himself.’ (Philippians 2:20–22 NLT) In fact, Paul took an entire chapter of the Bible to acknowledge and thank all those who made it possible for him to succeed in his calling. He writes about people ‘who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches.’ (Romans 16:4 NKJV)

Some of us are stubborn and self-centred; we subscribe to the philosophy, ‘It’s my way or the highway.’ We burn through people, leaving wreckage in our wake. Don’t do it! When God sends gifted people into your life, acknowledge them, respect them, train them, motivate them, and reward them. When you do that, not only will you fulfil your goal, you will create a win/win for everybody.

From The Word for Today.

Trust in God more than in yourself. That doesn’t mean you should go through life doubting and second-guessing yourself, or being afraid to move in case you make a mistake. When you recognise and embrace God’s plan for your life, you tap into the power you need to fulfil it. False humility will handicap you spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, and keep you from moving forward.

When God called Jeremiah to be a prophet, he protested, ‘I am only a child.’ (Jeremiah 1:6 BSB) But listen to what God told him: ‘Do not say, “I am only a child.”’ (Jeremiah 1:7 BSB) As surely as ‘the tongue can bring death or life’ (Proverbs 18:21 NLT), you must learn to speak God’s Word over the vision He has given you.

Yes, it’s a mistake to think you can play God’s role or that He will play yours. But once you understand your personal assignment and tap into His power, you can start believing for success, regardless of what obstacles may stand in your way. When you know you’re in the will of God, doing what He told you to do, you can stand confidently on these Scriptures: ‘“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts.’ (Zechariah 4:6 NKJV).

‘One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, as He promised.’ (Joshua 23:10 NKJV)

‘In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.’ (Psalm 138:3 NKJV)

You’re not alone today—God is with you!

From The Word for Today.

We’ve all been given individual gifts and goals in life, and God is the giver of both. Jesus said, ‘That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ (John 3:6 NKJV) When you have a desire that’s ‘born of the flesh’, don’t expect God to fulfil it.

It’s ok to admire and learn from gifted, successful people, as long as you don’t try to duplicate them. It’s okay to emulate their good character qualities and seek their input as long as you go to God, the architect of each of our lives, and ask Him to show you His blueprint for your life. Even though David’s desire was to build the temple, God told him his son, Solomon, would ultimately build it. David’s job was to raise the money and materials for the project. If you’re a ‘make-it-happen’ sort of person, that kind of thinking will go against your grain.

So read this and think about it: ‘They were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel to them.’ (Acts 16:6–10 NKJV)

So let God set your goals and you’ll be heading in the right direction.

From The Word for Today.

The Bible tells us that fear is a ‘spirit’. This spirit has a mind that thinks and a voice that speaks, and if you allow it to—it will control you. Today if you’re battling a ‘spirit of fear’, make this your prayer: ‘Lord, Your Word says when I seek Your face, You’ll hear me and deliver me from all my fears (see Psalm 34:4). So I cast down every anxious thought that rises up against what I know about You and Your power (see 2 Corinthians 10:5). I stand on the promise that You’ll never leave nor forsake me (see Hebrews 13:5). I rest in the truth that nothing is too hard for You (see Jeremiah 32:17). I rejoice in the assurance that You’ve already given Your angels responsibility for keeping and protecting me in all my ways (see Psalm 91:11). I resist the spirit of fear, and command it to flee in Jesus’ name (see James 4:7). By faith I decree that Your peace, which passes human understanding, will guard my heart and mind (see Philippians 4:7). Therefore, I will not let my heart be troubled or afraid (see John 14:27). In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.’

Now instead of focusing on the problem, focus on the Problem-Solver—God! That may not immediately resolve your difficulty, but it’ll keep you in a peaceful state of mind while you wait for God to work.

Isaiah said, ‘You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!’ (Isaiah 26:3 NLT) Note the word ‘fixed’. As you go through this day with your mind ‘fixed’ on God, you’ll have ‘perfect and constant peace’ (AMPC).

From The Word for Today.

Have you lost your job? Are you facing the possibility of losing your home or going bankrupt? Are you in the toughest place you’ve ever been? Paul ‘suffered the loss of all things’ (Philippians 3:8 NASB), but he didn’t stay there. He went on to say, ‘My God shall supply all your need.’ (Philippians 4:19 NKJV)

And God can do that for you—with or without a salary or some other anticipated source of income. The psalmist said, ‘Those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.’ One of the things you have to watch out for is Satan’s worst-case-scenario talk. If you allow him, he will paint mental images of you living in a cardboard box, under a bridge.

Stand on God’s Word today and declare: ‘Lord, You said if I’m willing and obedient, I will enjoy the best You have to offer (see Isaiah 1:19). You promise to surround me with favour (see Psalm 5:12). Your Word says that You can do more than anything I could even ask or think, according to Your power that works within me (see Ephesians 3:20). Even though nothing seems to be going right for me just now, give me faith to believe You for good things and better days. Your Word tells me to be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let my requests be made known to You. That Your peace, which surpasses human understanding, will guard my heart and mind (see Philippians 4:6–7). Lord, honour Your Word today, in the name of Jesus, Amen.’

From The Word for Today.

Moses began his ministry when he was eighty. Esther started hers as a teenage girl. When she heard the words of Mordecai—‘Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’—she could easily have said, ‘Give me time to grow up, get married, have children, and fulfil my dreams before asking me to put my life on the line to save the Jewish people.’ But she didn’t. She said, ‘I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.’ (Esther 4:16 AMPC)

Often what God does in you while you’re waiting is more important than the thing you’re waiting for. Sometimes you think you’re ready but God knows you’re not, so He puts you into the school of faith. That’s where you learn to listen to ‘the teacher’ (the Holy Spirit), study your lessons, pass the tests, and graduate so that God can use you. It’s not a comfortable place to be, but God is more interested in your character than your comfort.

Missionary Nancy Cockrell writes: It was God’s plan all along to bring you here to serve Him, by using your gifts to minister to others—for such a time as this. He has given you the grace to reflect the love and character of Christ, to be a light in a darkened world—for such a time as this. You have a unique place of service in God’s Kingdom, touching lives as only you can do—for such a time as this.’

So here’s the question: is God telling you today—your time has come?

From The Word for Today.

It’s good to read about what Jesus did when He walked among us. But when you see someone living the way He did, it’s called ‘putting skin on Jesus’. Instead of just being an historic figure, His lifestyle becomes a reality. And isn’t that what people are looking for?

Gandhi once said if he could meet Christians who were like Christ, he’d become one too. Unfortunately, the Christians he knew carried weapons and subjected him and his people to servitude. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Jesus said, ‘Whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.’

Maybe you’re wondering how we could possibly do greater works than Jesus. Here’s how: He was one man confined to one place, whereas His redeemed family is capable of multiplying His works throughout the world. So what was Jesus like? For starters, He was compassionate, not condemning. Remember the woman caught in the act of adultery? When the Pharisees wanted to stone her, He said, ‘Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!’ (John 8:7 NLT) Ouch! Who was Jesus talking about? The Pharisees or the religious hierarchy? No, He was talking about Himself! He was the only one without sin and He had no stones to throw! If you want to know what ‘putting skin on Jesus’ looks like, the Bible lists these nine ‘fruits’ (or Christlike qualities) that the Holy Spirit wants to produce in your life: ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.’ (Galatians 5:22–23 NLT)

From The Word for Today.

For a redeemed child of God, nothing in life should be more important than discovering and doing His will. But you have four options:

(1) You can remain ignorant of it. Chances are this isn’t you, or you wouldn’t be reading this daily devotional right now. Clearly you have a desire to know God’s will for your life and He will help you find it (see Isaiah 30:21).

(2) You can know it and choose to disobey it. Jonah knew God’s will, but he ran from it and ended up in the biggest storm of his life. What was his problem? He didn’t like the assignment God gave him. Is your problem that you know God’s will but you just don’t like it?

(3) You can know it but settle for less. The truth is you can sing in the choir and serve on church committees, yet deep in your heart know you’re settling for less than God’s will.

(4) You can settle for nothing less than God’s will. There are moments when God’s will seems too difficult, too prolonged, and too unrewarding. Your own ideas seem easier, quicker, and more enjoyable. In the end, you find that His plan was better than yours and there will never be an exception to this rule. So you may as well decide from now on to yield to God’s will, do things His way, and believe Him for His best. Today get down on your knees and say with the psalmist, ‘I delight to do Your will, O my God… Your law is within my heart.’ (Psalm 40:8 NKJV)

From The Word for Today.

Paul writes: ‘The Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.’ (Romans 8:26–27 NASB) So what is this ‘weakness’ in prayer that we are subject to? It’s that sometimes we don’t know how to express the depth of our desires and feelings, nor do we even realise what we need. Sometimes we’re so exhausted in spirit, mind, and body, that we can hardly muster the energy to open our mouths. There are instances when discouragement has taken such a strong hold of your heart that you can’t imagine a way out of your circumstances. That’s when you need to ask for the Holy Spirit’s help! When you are a believer, the Holy Spirit supplies you with the two things you can’t live without:

(1) The ability to know what God is saying to you. Sometimes you can’t trust your own wisdom or the advice of those closest to you.

(2) How to have an intimate relationship with God. One of the most wonderful things Jesus said was, ‘I have called you friends.’ (John 15:15 KJV) But friendships aren’t built on a hit-and-run basis; they take time and communication. Jesus described His relationship with the Father like this: ‘The Father loves the Son and shows Him everything.’ (John 5:20 NLT)

And not only does the Holy Spirit show you what to do, He empowers you to do it. So seek His help today.

From The Word for Today.

Did you know that over half of those who enter the ministry leave before retirement? Why? There are lots of reasons—here is one of them: They discover that great revelation is accompanied by a ‘thorn’. The apostle Paul, who wrote half the New Testament, says: To keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’ (2 Corinthians 12:7–10 NIV)

There are 168 hours in your week. The hour you spend in ministry preaching a sermon, teaching Sunday school or leading a small group showcases you in the areas of your gifting and strength. So your challenge will always be to remember that it is God’s Word and God’s power, not yours, that changes lives and gets the job done. Notice what Paul said: ‘To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh.’ Paul’s thorn came in the form of ‘weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties.’ What’s your thorn? You can only stand strong before people if you discipline yourself to spend time before God in prayer and Bible study. That’s how to stay effective and finish strong in ministry!

From The Word for Today.

The apostle Paul wrote, ‘I don’t want what you have—I want you… I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.’ (2 Corinthians 12:14–15 NLT) Paul found his greatest fulfilment in giving, not receiving. For him, giving was its own reward. For him, being successful meant making others successful. For him, being joyful meant bringing joy to others. That’s because he didn’t look to people for his reward, but to God: ‘Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do.’ (Ephesians 6:8 NLT)

The hardest thing for most of us to do is to fight our natural tendency to put ourselves first. That’s why it’s important to continually examine your motives and make sure you’re not sliding backwards into selfishness. If you want to check your motives, follow the example set by Benjamin Franklin. Every day he asked himself two questions. When he got up in the morning he would ask, ‘What good am I going to do today?’ And before he went to bed he would ask, ‘What good have I done today?’ If you can answer those questions with selflessness and integrity, you can keep yourself on track. Seeing those in need, and giving to meet that need, keeps your priorities and your perspective right. It increases the quality of life for both the giver and the receiver. The truth is, there is no life as empty as the self-centred life, and there is no life as centred as the self-empty life.

From The Word for Today.

Consider these words: ‘I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon if I can. I seek opportunity, not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the company look after me. I want to take the calculated risk, to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed. I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfilment to the stale calm of utopia. I will not trade freedom for beneficence, nor dignity for a hand out. It is my heritage to think and act for myself, to enjoy the benefits of my creations, to face the world boldly and say, “This I have done.”’

That sounds like another man who wrote, ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness.’ (2 Timothy 4:7–8 NIV)

But I'm disadvantaged,’ you say. Ever see the movie Rain Man? Dustin Hoffman plays a savant: a person who, in a sea of disabilities, has an island of genius. In the movie, he's incredibly gifted with numbers.

Other savants have amazing abilities in art and music. The truth is, all of us arrived equipped and empowered to do something special. You have an island of genius inside you. God's given you a gift. Believe it! Discover it! Develop it! Cherish it! Use it! Gift it! That's what it means to have a glorious inheritance from God.

From The Word for Today.

The first mention of anger in Scripture is when Cain got so angry with his brother Abel that he murdered him. In Australia in 2018, three people died each week at someone else’s hand.

Anger not only kills others, it can kill you. Dr Redford Williams, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science at Duke University, states: ‘The hostility and anger associated with Type-A behaviour is a major contributor to heart disease. People who struggle with anger are five times more likely to suffer coronary heart disease, and people with heart disease more than double their risk of a heart attack when they get angry.’

Of course, there’s a difference between anger and mere aggravation. A little girl asked her father to explain that difference. So he picked up the phone, dialled a number, allowed his daughter to listen in, and when the other person answered, he said, ‘Hello. Is Melvin there?’

Back came the answer, ‘There’s no one here named Melvin. Why don’t you look up numbers before you dial them?’

The father waited a moment, then re-dialled the number. ‘Hello. Is Melvin there?’

The man yelled, ‘I just told you there’s no Melvin here! Don’t call this number again!’ then slammed down the receiver.

The father looked at his daughter and said, ‘Honey, that was anger. Now let me show you aggravation.’ He dialled the number again.

A voice roared back, ‘Hello!’

And her dad calmly said, ‘Hi. This is Melvin. Have there been any calls for me?’

The word anger is only one letter short of the word danger. So ask God to help you manage your anger. He will!

From The Word for Today.

The Bible says that the greater the offence, the greater the need to forgive your offender in order to go on with your life. Remember when you were growing up, how your parents would tell you to close the door? That’s because in winter you were letting in the cold and in summer you were letting in the insects.

Forgiveness shuts the door on your past! Paul, who martyred Christians before becoming one, writes, ‘This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching… unto those things which are before.’ Only when you release your grip on the past can you secure your grip on the future. Forgiving is a decision, one you sometimes have to make daily or even hourly. Bottom line: you need to forgive every time the issue that’s hurting you rears its head (see Matthew 18:21–22).

Complete healing can take months or years. When someone hurts you deeply, you must purpose in your heart to keep forgiving them until you’re free from their influence. No matter what they took from you through abuse, abandonment, betrayal, manipulation or deceit, the fact is that bitterness will take more! Like making a rod for your own back, unforgiveness lets the person who hurt you keep on doing it. So until the issue is resolved, you may have to get down on your knees every day and pray, ‘Lord, by an act of my will, I forgive ________ and ask You to bless them. I’m turning them over to You and getting on with my life.’

There’s no shortcut—it’s the only path to freedom!

From The Word for Today.

One of the most effective ways to teach is through ‘teaching moments’. Jesus did that. When a fig tree didn’t produce fruit, He cursed it and it immediately withered up. That got the disciples’ attention (see Matthew 21:18–22). Then He explained that unless you stay filled with God’s Spirit, you won’t be fruitful in His service.

He could have taught this same lesson in the synagogue. But then His listeners would’ve had to imagine a fig tree, and the message would have been diluted depending on the ability of the hearer. When three drunken high-school students crashed their car into a tree, the wreck sat in front of their school for several days. Every day the students had to look at it. That’s called a ‘high-impact teaching moment’.

It’s said timing is everything. That’s certainly true when it comes to learning the important lessons in life, so don’t miss them! If you’re a parent, it’s futile to constantly ‘preach’ at your kids. If you’re a leader, it’s a mistake to keep ‘lecturing’ the people who are answerable to you. Let the experience speak! Then ask for their thoughts, and listen without interjecting! People learn more through discovery than dialogue. That’s why God instructed Joshua to build a monument of twelve stones on the other side of Jordan after He miraculously parted its waters so they could cross over (see Joshua 4:1–9). What He was really saying was, ‘When your children ask what this monument is all about, use it as a teaching moment about My love and faithfulness.’

From The Word for Today.

If you have a tendency to remind people of all the good things you do and the sacrifices you make, read what Jesus said: ‘When you have done all those things which you are commanded, say…“We have done what was our duty to do.”’ We all deserve recognition for the good we do, and we thrive on appreciation. But lots of times we don’t get it, so we’re left with three choices:

(1) We can succumb to self-pity and go around complaining about how the world doesn’t treat us right or give us a fair deal.

(2) We can give way to resentment, walk around with a chip on our shoulder, and end up wondering why people don’t want to be around us.

(3) We can adopt the attitude Jesus taught and say, ‘I’m only doing what God expects of me. And knowing He is pleased with me is reward enough.’ If you try to run on the fuel of other people’s encouragement and praise, when it doesn’t come you’ll have no joy. And that’s bad because ‘the joy of the Lord [the joy that comes from knowing you walk under the smile of His approval] is your strength.’ (Nehemiah 8:10 KJV)

Living this way will make you a self-starter and a successful finisher. And when that happens, you’ll find favour at home and on the job, and end up with more friends than you know what to do with. Plus your real reward, the one that matters most, is guaranteed when you stand before the Master one day and hear the words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ (Matthew 25:23 KJV)

From The Word for Today.

The word ‘anoint’ means ‘to pour on and rub in’. In the Old Testament a priest had oil poured over his head, symbolising the Spirit of God resting on him as he carried out his duties each day.

Now fast forward to the age we are living in and read it again: ‘The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you.’ The word ‘abide’ simply means ‘to take up residence and live in’. In other words, you’re a container for God’s Spirit. And when His Spirit lives within you, it affects every area of your life. Try to imagine the advantage this gives you when it comes to your relationships, your career, your health, your decisions, your struggles, your marriage, and your ministry. Imagine what it does when you’re under stress and handling overwhelming problems. And furthermore, the anointing of God’s Spirit that ‘abides’ in you is transferable to others. When you speak Scriptural words of kindness and encouragement to someone, those words are still at work long after you’re gone because they’re infused with the presence of God.

In Psalm 23:5 NIV, David says: ‘You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.’ ‘Overflows’ means it’s spilling out to friends, family, colleagues, strangers.

The psalmist said, ‘I shall be anointed with fresh oil.’ (Psalm 92:10 KJV) Every morning when you wake up, pray, ‘Lord, anoint me afresh today.’ Then go out and touch others with that anointing!

From The Word for Today.

Paul’s ministry began when he met Jesus on the Damascus Road. In that humbling encounter, the Lord said to him: ‘Get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as My servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen Me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light.’ (Acts 26:16–18 NLT)

Before Paul could be successful in his calling and minister effectively, he had to be delivered from the fear of people. That included those who knew him well, and those he had yet to meet who didn’t know him at all. He had to be detoxed from the need for approval. In essence, God was saying to Paul, ‘You’re just the postman. Some days people will like what you deliver, other days they won’t. You have to deliver the post anyway. So I’m setting you free from the fear of their rejection and the need for their acceptance.’

Has God called you to do a particular job? Are you afraid you’ll make mistakes? Count on it—you will! Are you worried you’ll be criticised? It comes with the turf! People will disappoint you in 101 different ways, but if you’re determined to do the will of God, pray, ‘Lord, deliver me from people pleasing, so I can share with them what You’ve given to me.’

Then get on with the job!

From The Word for Today.

One morning, a businessman saw a fisherman lounging on his boat drinking coffee. ‘You’re back early,’ he shouted.

The sailor replied, ‘I’ve caught enough. I’m through for the day.’

The businessman said, ‘Why not go out again? If you keep going out you can catch more fish and increase your income, buy a second boat, hire a crew, and become rich like me.’

The man replied, ‘Why should I do that?’

The businessman said, ‘So you’ll be free to do what you want and enjoy life.’

Grinning, the fisherman said, ‘But that’s exactly what I’m doing right now!’

The Bible says, ‘Be satisfied with what you have,’ yet many of us base our self-worth on what we own or achieve. We only feel good about ourselves when we’re involved in certain relationships or live in certain areas or reach certain goals. We tell ourselves, ‘When I earn more money, or become CEO, or get fitter, etc., I’ll be ok.’

So, what’s the basis of your self-worth today? If you’re not sure, ask yourself, ‘What can I not live without?’ Is there somebody you’re afraid will leave you? A job you’re too involved in? Is there something you need to accomplish before you feel complete? It is both Scriptural and wise to have goals for your life, but don’t undermine yourself by believing that you’re ‘less than’ because you’ve achieved or acquired less than someone else. The Scriptures teach that when you make God’s purposes your number one priority, ‘He will always give you all you need from day to day if you will make the Kingdom of God your primary concern… For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.’ (Luke 12:31–32 TLB)

From The Word for Today.

When you go beyond simply reading your Bible and take the time to meditate each day on its truths, you begin to think like God. And when that happens your life changes for the better. Peter was so dependent on the words of Jesus that he said, ‘To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ (John 6:68 NKJV) And Job said, ‘I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.’ (Job 23:12 NIV)

Question: How often do you set aside time to meditate on the Scriptures? As you meditate on God’s Word you develop a mindset that enables you to rise above your fears. ‘My word… will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.’ (Isaiah 55:11 NIV) Did you get that? God’s Word will accomplish God’s purposes in your life! That’s why Satan will battle you over finding time to read your Bible.

The truth is, you don’t find time, you make it! The prophet Isaiah said, ‘Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will.’ (Isaiah 50:4 NLT) In a world that’s often devoid of commitment, God promises: ‘I won’t give up on you. I’ll keep working on you until you’re clear in your perceptions, strong in your faith, and balanced in your spiritual walk. As you meditate on My precepts, you’ll start to move in a new direction. And when that happens, your life will begin to prosper.’

From The Word for Today.

One Friday morning an eager young Stanford University student stood before Louis Janin, a well-known mining engineer. He was seeking employment. Janin informed him, ‘All I need right now is a stenographer.’

The young man said eagerly, ‘Fine, I’ll take the job.’ Then he added, ‘But I can’t come back until Tuesday.’

Janin agreed, and the next Tuesday the young man reported for work as scheduled. Janin asked him, ‘Why is it that you couldn’t come back before Tuesday?’

The young man replied, ‘Because I had to rent a typewriter and learn how to use it.’

The young typist was Herbert Hoover, whose can-do attitude eventually led him through the doors of the White House to become one of America’s presidents. By taking shortcuts—you risk short-changing your future. Your unwillingness to learn today will leave you unprepared for tomorrow’s opportunities. No skill you learn will ever be lost. Gleaning knowledge and learning new skills builds confidence and sharpens your mind. Successful people have one thing in common: they never quit learning! Furthermore, God calls prepared people, so prepare yourself.

The Bible says: ‘Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver… Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.’ (Proverbs 2:2–10 NLT)

From The Word for Today.

The only way to avoid criticism is to say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing. When you attempt anything of value or significance, people are going to talk about you. Nehemiah’s enemies tried to stop him from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem by using gossip and innuendo: ‘It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true… Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: “There is a king in Judah!”’ (Nehemiah 6:6–7 NIV) Notice, no source was given of the accusations against Nehemiah. ‘It is reported.’ Always be prepared when someone comes to you and says something like this: ‘I heard…’ or ‘somebody said…’ or ‘the word on the street is…’

Never receive a criticism from someone who is bringing it on behalf of someone else, someone they won’t even name, someone who won’t say it to your face. Not even slander could keep Nehemiah from the work he was doing. Note how he responded: ‘I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”’ (Nehemiah 6:8 NIV) In other words: ‘I don’t care what you think, or say, or like. I’m going to keep building this wall until the job is done.’ And that must be your attitude too. Most of the time your friends don’t need an explanation, and your enemies wouldn’t believe one if you held them at gunpoint. So stay focused and get the job done.

From The Word for Today.

The story of Joseph the prisoner becoming Joseph the prime minister teaches us that we can rise above the circumstances, overcome the challenges, and live in the fullness of our God-given potential. His journey was a long one, and yours may be too. But if you don’t take the first step, you’ll remain stuck where you are.

Sometimes your ‘stronghold’ was established early in life. Family pain is the deepest pain, because it’s inflicted so early and involves people who should have been trustworthy. You were too young to process the mistreatment. You didn’t know how to defend yourself. Your dad, mum, uncle, big brother—they towered over you, usually in size, always in rank. When they judged you falsely, you believed them. All this time you were operating on faulty data: ‘You’re stupid… slow… dumb like your father… fat like your mother…’ Decades later those voices of defeat still echo in your subconscious. But they don’t have to!

‘For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.’ Use the ‘reject and repeat’ strategy and you’ll win the victory in your thinking. When negative, fearful, guilt-ridden, inferior, condemning thoughts arise, reject them and begin to repeat what God says about you in His Word. As God’s Word comes to life within you, your old thoughts will begin to die and lose their control over you. Today pull down that stronghold and let your healing begin.

From The Word for Today.

There’s an ancient legend that says the apostle John had a partridge he enjoyed feeding and tending. One day a hunter visited him and was astonished to see him playing with the bird. ‘I’m surprised to see you engaged in such amusement when there are great matters related to the Gospel with which you could be busy.’

John replied, ‘Do you always keep your bow bent?’

The hunter said, ‘No, that would render it useless. I loosen the string unless I am hunting.’

The apostle nodded and said, ‘Me too; I unbend my mind for the same reason.’

Guess who said, ‘Let’s get away from the crowds for a while and rest.’ Jesus, the most-in-demand person Who ever lived. Why did He say it? The Bible tells us, ‘There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and His apostles didn’t even have time to eat.’ And Jesus is our example.

One summer a pastor announced he wasn’t going to take a holiday, since the devil never goes on holiday. Some of his congregation laughed; others thought he was very ‘spiritual’. One man went home, however, to see if Jesus had the same attitude. He found that in His three years of active ministry Jesus had ten periods when He got away from the crowds, in addition to His nightly rest and Sabbath day rest. Next Sunday he asked his pastor, ‘Are you following the devil’s example or the Lord’s example?’ Recreation is just that: re-creation, a time to renew your energy and nurture your most valuable relationships. So, take time to rest.

From The Word for Today.

Before you discover your God-given purpose in life, you’ll often experience a series of adversities that cause you to relinquish what’s temporal and to grasp what’s eternal. For Paul it meant the loss of every earthly possession. For others it can mean the heat of battle in a divorce court. When the person you thought was ‘everything’ walks away, suddenly you’re stripped down to what you had before. Look at Job; his home was a shambles, his marriage seemed a joke, and his children were dead. That’s when he discovered you can be stripped of the temporal, but not the eternal; stripped of your wealth, friends, and fame, but not of your character and your faith in God—those things survive the strippings of life.

The Bible says of Job after these disasters happened: ‘Then he fell to the ground in worship.’ (Job 1:20 NIV) True worship is born in the fire of sacrifice. When you can lay upon the altar something you thought you had to have because you realise it was God’s all along—that’s worship. Look at Abraham’s altar. God didn’t want the slain body of Isaac; He wanted to know if there was anything Abraham loved more than Him. That’s it—reaching the place where you can pray: ‘Lord, here are my grudges and unforgiveness, my need to impress, my time, talent and treasure, anything I’m wrapped up in that hinders me from being completely Yours. You’ll never have to take these things from me, for I gladly give You all it takes to be what You want me to be.’

Can you pray that prayer today? It’s not easy, but it’ll change your life.

From The Word for Today.

Focus on one thing at a time. Are you being pulled in different directions? People constantly tried to do this to Jesus and distract Him from His goal in life. The Bible says, ‘At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for Him and when they came to where He was, they tried to keep Him from leaving them.’ (Luke 4:42 NIV) Jesus was about to leave and they tried to make Him stay.

Here’s how He responded: ‘I must proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’ He refused to be distracted by less important matters. Indeed, He was a master at this. Everybody tried to interrupt Him. Everyone had a Plan B for His life. But in essence He responded, ‘No, I must keep moving towards My goal.’ And He kept right on doing what He knew God had told Him to do. He was determined. He was persistent. He was focused.

So when you have a dozen different things to do, pick the most important one and stick with it until it’s complete. Then pick the second most important and do the same thing, until you’ve completed the list. When we diffuse our efforts we’re ineffective; when we concentrate our efforts we’re more successful. Diffused light produces a hazy glow, whereas light that’s concentrated produces fire. Jesus didn’t let interruptions prevent Him from concentrating on His goal. He didn’t let others make Him tense or stressed or irritated. And He is your example!

From The Word for Today.

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.

From The Word for Today.

In New Testament times society had no welfare system. That’s why the apostle James wrote, ‘Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows.’ (James 1:27 NIV) This could be the kind of ministry you’ve been looking for! The only qualification you need is the memory of how it feels to ‘be left out’ and the compassion to ‘do something about it’.

The following poignant letter, The Story of Widowhood, was written by a lady whose husband died. ‘First numbness, then busyness. A million things to settle. Endless death certificates and things to sign. Friends are so considerate; caring support from relatives. You keep busy. But at night you pound the empty side of the bed in grief. Finally you close your eyes, throw his toothbrush into the garbage, and toss out the old work shoes you brought home from the hospital in a plastic bag. You empty the closet and give all his things away. It’s heartache like you wouldn’t believe. Every suit in his closet reminds you of a special place or time you shared together. A year has passed; you’re still in one piece. Then the blow! Your friends celebrate a birthday—all couples. You’re not included because you’d be a “fifth wheel”. Some wives may even consider you a threat. Please remember us. Don’t treat us like excess baggage. We’ve been handed a rotten break, and we need friends. Signed, Forgotten.’

Think of the difference you could make today in somebody’s life by being willing to seek out those that society so often overlooks and forgets.

From The Word for Today.

When did you last take time to laugh, to dance, and to love? Can you even remember? In the words of an unknown poet: ‘This is the age of the half-read page; the quick hash and the mad dash. The bright knight with the nerves tight; the plane hop and the brief stop. The lamp-tan in a brief span; the big shot in a good spot. The brain strain and the heart pain; the catnaps until the spring snaps… and the fun’s done!’

Sobering words, right? But does it have to be that way? No, if it’s that way in your life today, chances are it’s because you made it that way. And you’re the only one who can make it different! You say you’re busy? We’re all busy. Who says you can’t enjoy life even when the pace picks up? Certainly not God!

Chuck Swindoll writes: ‘I refuse to force hilarity into the back seat every time responsibility takes the wheel. If the fun’s gone, it’s because we didn’t want it around—not because it didn’t fit… I don’t care if your “to do” list is as long as the horizon, you need to get back in balance and take the time to laugh… to dance… and to love. Why? Because the Bible says so! Furthermore, your family and friends will enjoy you a lot more when you do.’

The psalmist said, ‘You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.’ (Psalm 16:11 NKJV) So go ahead and enjoy your life the way God intended—it will be over before you know it.

From The Word for Today.

In a 1985 newspaper essay, Anne Wells wrote: ‘My brother-in-law opened my sister’s bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. It was an exquisite silk handmade slip; the price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. “Jan bought this the first time we went to New York… eight or nine years ago… She never wore it; she was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion.” He put the slip on the bed with the other clothes we were taking—to the mortician. Then he turned to me, “Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion!”’

Those words changed Anne Wells’ life. She continued: ‘I’m not saving anything anymore. Now we use our good china… for every special occasion—like losing a [kilo], getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom. “Someday” and “one of these days” are fighting a losing battle to stay in my vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing, hearing, or doing, I want to see, hear, and do it now. I’m trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and lustre to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes I tell myself this is a special occasion.’

Makes you think, doesn’t it? Makes you want to drain the last drop of joy out of every day and break free from the cement of procrastination that whispers, ‘You can do it later.’ Wise up! Forgive that offence, tell that person you love them, take that trip, go back to school. Decide today to do the thing you’ve been putting off.

From The Word for Today.