‘Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.’ Proverbs 16:3 NIV As a follower of Jesus, your direction shouldn’t come from people and be confirmed by God, it should come from God and be confirmed by people. The Bible says: ‘The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the [...]
by Bob and Debby Gass
Seek God for direction
‘Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.’ Proverbs 16:3 NIV
As a follower of Jesus, your direction shouldn’t come from people and be confirmed by God, it should come from God and be confirmed by people. The Bible says: ‘The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established. The LORD has made all for Himself,’ (Proverbs 16:1-4 NKJV). You may be able to do what someone else has done and do it even better. But has God called you to do that particular thing? Before you follow someone else’s guidance, do these: 1) Check the source of their wisdom. ‘For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity so that he may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of his faithful followers. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and integrity, every good path.’ (Proverbs 2:6-9 CSB). 2) Check their motives. John writes, ‘I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened’ (Revelation 20:12 NKJV). Will one of those be the book of motives? And if it is, will your actions and accomplishments stand up under divine scrutiny? 3) Check the outcome they’re pursuing. If you seek success to have power and prestige or seek riches only to have comfort, you violate one of the core principles of God’s Word: you’re blessed to be a blessing to others.
SoulFood: Job 38-39 Luke 22:24-38 Ps 6 Pro 8:32-33
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2023
Tap here to get this reading each day directly in your inbox
Learn to control your anger
‘Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.’ Proverbs 19:11 NLT When it comes to anger, here is what you need to know: it isn’t a psychological disorder; everybody gets angry. And it’s not necessarily a sin. Like a fast-flowing river, it can generate constructive or destructive energy and be unleashed negatively or harnessed [...]
The joys of heaven (3)
‘There will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain;’ Revelation 21:4 NASB Sometimes we describe dying as crossing the Jordan. That’s because the Jordan River runs into the Dead Sea. The story is told of an elderly Christian lady who was dying. For most of her life, illness had confined her to bed or a [...]
The joys of heaven (2)
‘The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth.’ Revelation 21:16 NKJV The next time you feel cramped for space, read this: ‘The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its [...]
The joys of heaven (1)
‘For our citizenship is in heaven,’ Philippians 3:20 NASB The story is told of a pastor who asked his congregation, ‘How many of you want to go to heaven?’ Everyone raised their hand except one little boy. The pastor said, ‘Son, don’t you want to go to heaven?’ He replied, ‘Yes, but I thought you were getting [...]
Steps to forgiveness (2)
‘Forgive, and you will be forgiven.’ Luke 6:37 NIV Here are three more steps to forgiveness: 1) Accept people as they are and don’t try to change them. You say, ‘I’ll only forgive them if they change.’ That just keeps you tied to them, obsessing over what they did and demanding they act in ways that you [...]
Steps to forgiveness (1)
‘Forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another;’ Colossians 3:13 NKJV The misery of living with unforgiveness in your heart always lasts longer than the pain of the offence. Always! When you hold on to resentment, you open the door to depression and physical illness. Forgiving brings healing to your wounds and restores your joy. [...]