Explore every episode of the podcast UCB Word For Today

If you are impulsive, you tend to lack discipline. You can be thoughtless, or insensitive to others, or driven by appetite. You may have a hard time with delayed gratification. You have a low frustration tolerance. You get bored easily. You can fly off the handle. If this describes you, here are six principles you should try to incorporate into your life: 1) Ask counsel from wise friends before plunging forward with an idea. ‘The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge’ (Proverbs 18:15 NKJV). 2) Cultivate friendships with people who are not only wise but strong enough to hold you accountable. ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed’ (James 5:16 KJV). 3) Spend time praying about a potential open door before assuming that your intuition is a divine command. ‘He shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way’ (Psalm 25:8-9 NLT). 4) Study and read about an area of need before you commit yourself to action. ‘Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps’ (Proverbs 14:15 NLT). 5) When you come to the end of a season of activity, spend some time in reflection so that you can become a wiser person before you go on to the next thing. ‘Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty’ (Proverbs 21:5 NLT). 6) Make a commitment and stick with it, even when the next impulse, which looks so much more fun, comes along.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Anxiety is the curse of the modern era, but it’s not a new trend. Throughout Scripture, Jesus talked a lot about anxiety, stress, and fear. In fact, He mentioned them repeatedly in His teachings. In Matthew 6:25-27, He said, ‘Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or…what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?’ (NIV). Now, Jesus didn’t say these words just to relieve our fears and worries. What He was doing was commanding us not to be anxious because it demonstrates a lack of faith in God’s faithfulness to us. Paul writes: ‘Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition…with thanksgiving…make your wants known to God. And God’s peace…which transcends all understanding shall garrison…your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:6-7 AMPC). Instead of letting fear and anxiety control you, you can have peace by bringing your worries to God in prayer, thanking Him by faith for the answer, and trusting Him to work things out as only He can. So, what are you going to do? Worry and fret, or pray and have peace? The choice is yours.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

When God told Joshua, ‘Be strong and courageous,’ the word be really means become. It’s not like a computer in which you enter a password and ‘hey, presto!’ you’re courageous. Courage is a quality you grow into. Like filling bigger shoes, the more you walk in them, the more comfortable they become. Joshua had already been to the Promised Land. He knew there were seven nations to be conquered. He was well aware of the problems he’d have to face. So, God said: 1) ‘Do not be afraid of those nations, for the LORD…is among you, and he is a great and awesome God’ (Deuteronomy 7:21 NLT). The job you’re about to take on may look more like a battlefield than a bed of roses, but God will be with you. He will give you solutions for the problems and strength for the battles. 2) ‘The LORD your God will drive those nations out ahead of you’ (Deuteronomy 7:22 NLT). God will go ahead of you and arrange everything. He will help you make the right connections and provide you with the needed resources. 3) ‘The LORD…will drive those nations out…little by little. You will not clear them away all at once’ (v. 22 NLT). God works in us one area at a time. Life’s not one big battle; it’s a series of small daily struggles required to defeat the enemies that stand in your way. Twenty-three chapters later, God was still telling Israel to be courageous. Courage is like oxygen; you can’t survive without it. It’s not the absence of fear; it’s the conquest of it. Courage means doing it afraid until you conquer your fear.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Research showing that love mindsets are the norm while fear mindsets are learned is revolutionary for scientists. But it’s not new if you look at Scripture: ‘There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.’ Over the past several decades, scientists have researched the anatomy and physiology of love and fear. These are two different systems, and at any one conscious moment, we will be operating in one or the other. Science is showing us that there is a massive ‘unlearning’ of negative toxic thoughts when we operate in love. We can unlearn negative fear – it is not part of our innate natural functioning. Recent neuroscientific research suggests that some of the chemicals the brain releases when we are operating in love, including oxytocin, can calm fear and worry, support the brain’s capacity for positive change, and help us form healthier ways of thinking and connecting with others. This chemical also flows when we trust, bond, and reach out to others. So, choosing to operate in love can literally ‘drive out fear’. Research also shows that when we do good things and reach out in love, endorphins and serotonin are also released. These detoxify our brains and increase our motivation and wisdom, helping us handle life more successfully. We see the profound consequences of choosing between love and fear in Scripture: ‘I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life’ (Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV). In Ecclesiastes 7:29 we are told, ‘God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path’ (NLT). The choice is yours: walk in fear or walk in love.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

In March 1987, Eamon Coughlan was running in the qualifying heat at the World Indoor Track Championships in Indianapolis. He was the reigning world record holder at 1500 metres and was favoured to win the race. Unfortunately, with two and a half laps left, he tripped and fell hard. But he got up, and with great effort managed to catch the race leaders. With twenty yards to go, he was in third place, which would have been good enough to qualify for the final race. Then Coughlan made a fateful mistake – he looked over his shoulder to the inside. Seeing no one there, he relaxed his effort slightly. What he hadn’t noticed was that a runner was charging hard on the outside. This runner passed him just a yard before the finish line, eliminating him from the finals. Coughlan’s great comeback effort ended up being worthless for only one reason: he momentarily took his eyes off the finish line and focused on the would-be competitors behind him. The writer of the book of Hebrews said, ‘Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.’ A ‘weight’ refers to things that are legitimate but can slow you down. A ‘sin’ refers to something illegitimate that you know to be wrong and can cost you the race. So lay them both aside and ‘run with endurance the race that is set before [you], looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith’ (vv. 1-2 NKJV).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Prayer Pastor Heidi Scanlon said: ‘God has blessings for us in categories we don’t even know exist.’ That means God can create something out of nothing. He can seemingly come out of nowhere, and just when you need Him most, give you something you don’t even have a category for. God says: ‘“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”’ (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV). You may say, ‘If God has blessings that I don’t even have categories for, how can I ask for them?’ That’s where the Holy Spirit, who dwells within you, comes to your aid: ‘We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us…in accordance with the will of God’ (Romans 8:26-27 NIV). And because the Holy Spirit prays in accordance with the will of God, you are blessed with wisdom beyond your knowledge, power beyond your strength, and favour beyond your ability. Paul put it this way: ‘Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen’ (Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV). Now you still must do your due diligence, for God cannot bless negligence. But when you know you’ve faithfully done your part and obeyed God, you can trust Him for blessings beyond your imagination.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Back in the days of the great western cattle ranches in America, a little donkey would sometimes be harnessed to a wild horse and then turned loose onto the range. The wild horse would drag the donkey for miles, throwing him around like a bag of feed. In several days, however, they would return. The little donkey would be seen first, trotting back towards the ranch with his submissive steed in tow. Somewhere out in the wild, the horse would become exhausted and try to free itself of the donkey. At that moment, the donkey became the master of the two. The slow, patient, unimportant animal became the leader over the faster, more volatile, and more prized one. What made the difference? Having a steadfast purpose! And what was the donkey’s purpose? Going back home to the ranch! So no matter how many times they fought, tugged on the rope, and ended up on their backs kicking and fuming, each time the donkey got back on his feet, he would take a few more steps in the direction of the ranch. It was only a matter of time until the tired and exhausted horse decided to join him. One of the great themes of Scripture is having a steadfast purpose. Samuel told the Israelites: ‘Do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver’ (1 Samuel 12:21 NKJV). Isaiah wrote: ‘I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed’ (Isaiah 50:7 NKJV). Paul wrote: ‘Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.’

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

In late January 1956, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr received a threatening telephone call at his house. It was not the first foreboding message he’d received. But on this night, as his children and his wife lay sleeping, the weight of the Civil Rights Movement was too heavy. He decided that the risk was too great. He began to map out an exit strategy. At midnight he bowed over the kitchen table and began to pray, ‘I am afraid. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I’ve come to the point where I can’t face it alone.’ King described what happened next. ‘I experienced the presence of the Divine as I have never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear the quiet assurance of an inner voice saying: “Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth; and God will be at your side forever.”’ When facing a daunting challenge, Dr King shifted his focus and turned to God. The Bible says: ‘When Joshua was by Jericho…he lifted his eyes…and behold, a Man stood opposite him.’ After Joshua lifted his eyes from Jericho, a divine messenger stood before him with the solution to his problem. As long as your eyes are only on your problem, you won’t see your problem solver. You must look up. ‘I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD’ (Psalm 121:1-2 NKJV).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Here’s what you need to know about the walls of Jericho: they were immense. They wrapped around the city like a suit of armour, forty feet above the ground. They were impenetrable. Here is what you need to know about Joshua: he didn’t bring the walls down – God did. And God will do that for you too. Your Jericho is your fear, anger, bitterness, or prejudice. It’s also your insecurity about the future; your guilt about the past; and your negativity, anxiety, and proclivity to criticise, over-analyse, or compartmentalise. Your Jericho is any circumstance, attitude, or mindset that keeps you from joy, peace, or rest. Jericho blocks your way, so its walls must fall! ‘Go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess’ (Joshua 1:11 NKJV). The verb translated as ‘possess’ means ‘to occupy by driving out previous tenants and possessing in their place’. But Satan won’t leave without a fight. He will resist. He will push back. But he will not win. Why? Because God has already declared that you are the victor. ‘The LORD said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand.”’ God did not say, ‘Joshua, take the city.’ God said, ‘Joshua, receive the city I have taken.’ The same can be said about you and your challenge. You may say, ‘If God has done it for me, what do I have to do?’ 1) Receive your victory by faith, just as you received your salvation. 2) Speak victory. Be sure your words line up with God’s words. 3) Walk out your victory, one day at a time.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

In ancient Jewish culture, formal education began at six years of age. Jewish boys enrolled in the local synagogue school called bet sefer, which means ‘house of the book’. By the time they graduated four years later, they had memorised the entire Torah – every jot and tittle of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy was engraved on their cerebral cortex via memorisation. There goes our excuse for not being able to remember, right? According to tradition, the rabbi would cover the students’ writing slates with honey on the first day of class. Then the rabbi would instruct his class to lick the honey off their slates while reciting Psalm 119:103: ‘How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!’ (NKJV). That was the first and perhaps most important lesson in their entire education. The rabbi wanted his students to fall in love with the Word of God. He wanted them to taste and see that the Word is good (see Psalm 34:8). Jeremiah thought so: ‘Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart’ (Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV). David said: ‘The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple’ (Psalm 119:130 NKJV). Solomon said: ‘For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding’ (Proverbs 2:6 NKJV). When you acquire a taste for God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, who is the author of the Word, will do two things for you. First, He will reveal it to you. Second, He will remind you of it.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

As the Jordan River swelled to a mile in width, crossing it was no small task. Especially with millions of people! God said, ‘Go over this Jordan, you and all this people’ (Joshua 1:2 NKJV). Do you think they were scared? Would you have been? ‘The feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water’ (Joshua 3:15 NKJV). It was the smallest of steps, but with God, the smallest step of faith can activate the mightiest of miracles. As they touched the water, the flow stopped as if someone had shut off the water main. Next, we read: ‘All Israel crossed over on dry ground’ (v. 17 NKJV). By performing this miracle, God wanted them to know: ‘By this you shall know that the living God is among you.’ For Joshua’s people, assurance came as they stood on dry land looking back at the Jordan. For us, assurance comes as we stand on the finished work of Christ and look back at the cross. Let the cross convince you. Be settled about God’s faithfulness. The psalmist describes a person of faith this way: ‘He is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him’ (Psalm 112:7 TLB). Life has many unanswered questions, but God’s promise to save you needn’t be one of them. ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?’ (Romans 8:32 NKJV). Rest in your redemption. The past is past. Your future is bright.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Jesus said: ‘The Helper, the Holy Spirit…will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.’ When you need to make a critical decision, you need ‘the spirit of wisdom and revelation’ (Ephesians 1:17 NKJV). When you’re in a difficult situation and unsure of what to say: ‘Just say whatever is given to you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit’ (Mark 13:11 NIV). When you find it hard to show love? ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love’ (Galatians 5:22 NIV). The same is true with every fruit of the Spirit. Do you need to overcome an addiction? ‘The fruit of the Spirit is…self-control’ (v. 22-23 NIV). Of course, that’s an oxymoron because it doesn’t come from you. It’s the Spirit who manufactures it, so it’s really Spirit-control. What you need more of is the Holy Spirit. And for the record, the Spirit of God doesn’t just want to fill you; He also wants to stretch you and increase your capacity. If you feel like your life is in chaos today, the Spirit of God is hovering – just as He did at the dawn of creation when He brought light out of darkness, order out of chaos, and beauty out of nothingness (see Genesis 1:1-3). No matter what question you have, the Holy Spirit is the answer. No matter what problem you face, the Holy Spirit is the solution. You need as much of Him as you can get, so you need to yield as much of yourself to Him as you can.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom beyond our knowledge, power beyond our strength, and gifting beyond our ability. With His help, we become better than our best effort and better than our best thought. We become the best version of ourselves possible. Of course, this takes a lifetime. Hence, Paul wrote: ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.’ It’s hard to imagine a farmer planting a crop of beans and then being surprised that it didn’t produce corn. Why? Because you reap what you sow. Yet some of us seem shocked when the seeds of sin yield their crop. So, what are you planting? Love or hate? Joy or ingratitude? Patience or impatience? Self-control or self-indulgence? You cannot break the law of sowing and reaping, but it can break you or make you – if you keep sowing the right seeds. Want a bumper crop? Then you need more of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit can’t fill you if you’re full of yourself. So, a prerequisite to having more of the Holy Spirit is being honest, being humble, and being hungry. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the nine fruits the Holy Spirit produces in our lives. So, if you want more of the Holy Spirit, it means you literally want more love, more joy, more peace, more forbearance, more kindness, more goodness, more faithfulness, more gentleness, and more self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23 NIV). The good news is, you can have as much of the Holy Spirit as you want.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Marian wanted to become a concert singer, a challenge that was doubly difficult because of the colour of her skin. Her mother, however, had a patient trust in God. Marian later said, ‘Mother’s religion made her believe she could receive what was right for her if she was conscientious in her faith. If it did not come, it was because God had not considered it right for her. We grew up in this atmosphere of faith that she created…We believed as she did, because we wanted the same kind of haven in the time of storm.’ When Marian was denied admission to a famous music conservatory on account of her race, her mother said, ‘Someone would be raised up’ to help her accomplish what she hoped to do at the conservatory. That someone arrived a few weeks later. One of Philadelphia’s outstanding voice teachers, Giuseppe Boghetti, made room for her to become one of his students. And Marian Anderson was on her way to becoming one of the most popular singers of the twentieth century. On Easter Sunday in 1939, she sang to seventy-five thousand people at the Lincoln Memorial and gave a performance never to be forgotten by those present. Solomon said these two things about God’s guiding hand in our lives: 1) ‘The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?’ 2) ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take’ (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Consider these examples of resistance to inventions that we now consider commonplace and enjoy every day. In Germany, ‘experts’ said that if trains went as fast as fifteen to twenty miles an hour – considered a frightful speed – blood would spurt from the travellers’ noses and passengers would suffocate when going through tunnels. In America, experts said the introduction of the railway would require the building of many asylums, since people would be driven mad with terror at the sight of the locomotives. When the idea of iron ships was first proposed, experts insisted that they would not float, it would be difficult to preserve the iron bottom from rust, and that iron would play havoc with compass readings. In 1797, when the first cast-iron plough was invented, farmers in New Jersey rejected it, saying the cast iron would poison the ground and stimulate the growth of weeds. When the YMCA in New York welcomed the invention of the typewriter and announced typing lessons for women, protests erupted on the grounds that the female constitution would break down under the strain. Now consider these statements, each of which is a product of a negative mindset: 1) ‘Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible’ (Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, 1895). 2) ‘Man will never tap the power of the atom’ (Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize winner in physics, 1923). 3) ‘Everything that can be invented has been invented’ (Charles H. Duell, U.S. Patent Office Director, 1899). If you want to accomplish great things and be used by God, become an ‘I can’ person.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, ‘Let’s tell the whole world about Jesus’, with the key scripture coming from BOOK VERSE: CHAPTER (NIV): 'Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”’ Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

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The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, ‘Evaluate your expectations’, with the key scripture coming from Psalm 62:5 KJV: “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

💻 READ THE WORD FOR TODAY ONLINE

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The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, “You’re not alone, God is with you!”, with the key scripture coming from Joshua 5:14 (NIV): “As commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

💻 READ THE WORD FOR TODAY ONLINE

👉 Visit: https://www.ucb.co.uk/word-for-today

📖 SIGN UP TO GET THE UCB WORD FOR TODAY DELIVERED

👉 Get a free copy delivered to your home each quarter: https://www.ucb.co.uk/signup

If you are a redeemed child of God, then the Holy Spirit lives within you. And He will guide you towards God’s blessings for your own life and towards opportunities to bless others. In some cases, your ability and willingness to overrule reason, tune out the well-meaning advice of others, and be led by God’s Spirit can make a world of difference for someone in need. Admiral Sir Thomas Williams was in command of a ship that routinely crossed the Atlantic. His course brought him in sight of Ascension Island, which was uninhabited most of the time. It was barely visible on the horizon during the crossing when Sir Thomas felt a great urge to steer his vessel towards it. The closer he came to the island, the greater the urgency he felt. When he gave the order to head for the island, his lieutenant officer respectfully pointed out that such a course change would greatly delay them. Even so, the admiral remained intent. The inner urging, which he had come to recognise as God guiding him, was very strong. As the ship neared the island, his crew spotted a white flag. ‘It must be a signal!’ Williams concluded. Sure enough, on the beach were sixteen men who’d been shipwrecked many days before. They were starving and had nearly given up hope. Sixteen lives were saved that day because a man had learned to listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit within him. And you can too. ‘The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.’

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Let’s look at four liberating truths in this Scripture: 1) ‘She perceives that her merchandise is good.’ She is not looking for validation or approval of her merchandise. When you’re insecure and don’t value what you have, others may be able to minimise it and convince you that it’s not worth much. This woman, like all of us, desires acceptance and validation, but she will not seek it or find herself debilitated if she doesn’t get it. 2) ‘She perceives that her merchandise is good.’ To perceive is to sense and know inwardly. She understands what she brings to the table and inwardly values it. She will not doubt the value of its worth; neither will she find it necessary to brag about the quality of her merchandise. She will not have her nose turned up in pride, but neither will she have her eyes cast down with false humility. She simply has a balanced and healthy view of her wares. 3) ‘She perceives that her merchandise is good.’ Here is someone who’s not intimidated by or unduly concerned about the goods of other merchants. Consequently, she doesn’t spend her energies comparing and competing. 4) ‘She perceives that her merchandise is good.’ She’s not stuck in the past, thinking about the good merchandise she used to have. Neither is she postponing the pursuit of her goals until her merchandise is perfect. She simply steps out in faith, having done the best she could. Her merchandise is good today; tomorrow is in God’s hands. Anxiety has no place in her life. So the word for today is – what you’ve got is good!

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Nicholas Herman was a cook in a monastery. He worried about whether or not he was truly saved. One day while looking at a tree, he realised the truth of the psalmist’s words – that it had to be rooted in something other and deeper than itself (see Psalm 1:1-3). That day, he decided to make his life an experiment in what he called a ‘habitual, silent, secret conversation of the soul with God’. He’s known today by the new name given to him by his friends: Brother Lawrence. He remained obscure throughout his life and spent the rest of his days in the monastery kitchen. But the people around him found that rivers of living water flowed out of him that made them want to know God the way he did. ‘The good brother found God everywhere,’ one of them wrote, ‘as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying with the community.’ After Brother Lawrence died, his friends put together a book of his letters and conversations. It is called The Practice of the Presence of God, and it is thought to be one of the most widely read books of the last four centuries. This short-order cook has outsold many popular contemporary novelists, and his book is still on best-seller lists. Brother Lawrence said: ‘The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way.’

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

When it comes to Christ’s return, five questions arise: 1) What is the Lord’s coming? It’s the fulfilment of His promise: ‘In My Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you. And…I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also’ (John 14:2-3 NKJV). 2) Whose coming is it? Christ’s! When He ascended back to heaven, an angel announced: ‘This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven’ (Acts 1:11 NKJV). 3) Why is Jesus coming back? His first coming was as the suffering servant who died on the cross for our sins. His second coming is to usher in a time of peace on earth and an eternity in His presence. His first coming, He dwelt with us for a while. At His second coming, He will take us to dwell with Him forever. 4) Where is His coming? ‘The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air’ (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV). 5) When is He coming? Jesus said, ‘Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only’ (Matthew 24:36 NKJV). If you’re wise, you’ll live each day as if Christ could return at any moment – because He could!

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Here are some confidence-building Scriptures you should read, memorise, pray, and stand on each day: 1) ‘His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness’ (2 Peter 1:3 NIV). 2) ‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him’ (1 John 5:14-15 NIV). 3) ‘The eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him’ (2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV). 4) ‘Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit’ (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV). 5) ‘Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16 NIV). 6) ‘We say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”’ (Hebrews 13:6 NIV). 7) ‘Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 1:6 NIV).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Around the turn of the nineteenth century, a Russian physician named Ivan Pavlov won a Nobel Prize for his experiments with dogs. All of them had one thing in common – they salivated around food. But Pavlov wanted to find out if salivation could be caused by another stimulus, so he conditioned the dogs by ringing a bell before feeding them. Eventually the dinner bell caused salivation, even if the food wasn’t served. Pavlov referred to this learned relationship as a conditioned reflex. We have all been consciously or subconsciously conditioned our entire lives. Much of our behaviour was dictated by those conditioned reflexes. Some conditioned reflexes are as normal and natural as a blush. Others are as destructive as drinking to drown your sorrows. But conscious or subconscious, harmless or harmful, one thing is certain: we are far more conditioned than we realise. And one dimension of our spiritual growth is being reconditioned by the grace of God. Jesus said, ‘You have heard that it was said…But I say to you.’ Jesus uses this couplet repeatedly. What was He doing? He was uninstalling Old Testament applications and reinstalling New Testament truths. It was no longer ‘An eye for an eye.’ Jesus upgraded it to ‘Turn to them the other cheek,’ which required reconditioned reflexes (see Matthew 5:38-39 NIV). Sometimes it’s much easier to act like a Christian than to react like one. How does this change in our reactions take place? By the Holy Spirit. ‘We are being changed to be like him [Jesus]. This change…comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 3:18 NCV).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Do you find yourself wondering if Jesus is willing to heal you? Let’s look at the ministry of Jesus Christ, whom the Bible says is ‘the same yesterday, today, and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV). That means if He did it before, He will do it again. As you read about the many healings and miracles Jesus performed on a continual basis, it will cause your faith to grow and your expectation to rise. ‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God’ (Romans 10:17 KJV). Throughout the gospels, people with various sicknesses went to Jesus for healing. Some were near death, and some were actually dead. There were people with strong faith, and others who struggled to believe. All the people Jesus healed were unsaved, as Jesus had not yet purchased salvation on the cross. The keys to every one of these miracles are: 1) Those who were sick made sure they were in the presence of Jesus; 2) They willingly received His word and acted on it. Read about some of the miracles Jesus performed: 1) Simon’s mother-in-law healed of a fever (see Matthew 8:14-15); 2) The resurrection of Jairus’s daughter (see Mark 5:21-24, 35-43); 3) Healing of the woman with the issue of blood (see Mark 5:25-34); 4) A deaf man healed (see Mark 7:32-37); 5) A severed ear restored (see Luke 22:47-51); 6) A blind man healed (see John 9:1-41). Jesus never said no to a cry for help and healing: ‘Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all’ (Matthew 12:15 KJV). And what He did for them, He can do for you if you pray and believe His Word.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

A farmer once caught a young eagle in the forest, brought it home, and raised it among his chickens and turkeys. Five years later, a naturalist came to visit him and saw the bird. ‘That’s an eagle, not a chicken!’ he said. ‘Yes,’ said the farmer, ‘but I’ve raised it to be a chicken.’ The naturalist said, ‘It has a wingspan of fifteen feet. It’s an eagle!’ The farmer said, ‘But it will never fly.’ The naturalist disagreed, and they decided to put their argument to the test. First, the naturalist picked up the eagle and said, ‘Thou art an eagle; thou dost belong in the sky and not to this earth; stretch forth thy wings and fly.’ The eagle saw the chickens and jumped down. The next day, the naturalist took the eagle to the top of the house, said the same thing, and let the eagle go. Again, it spotted the chickens below and fluttered down to join them in feeding. ‘One more try,’ said the naturalist. He took the eagle up a mountain. The trembling bird looked around, and then the naturalist made it look into the sun. As he spoke its true identity once more, suddenly the eagle stretched out its wings, gave a mighty screech, and flew away, never to return. You must know who God created and called you to be. And that takes place in the right environment, the right company, and with the right input – God’s input! ‘He has created us anew in Christ Jesus…[to] do the good things He planned for us.’

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, ‘Keys to spiritual growth’, with the key scripture coming from 2 Peter 3:18 NKJV: “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

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The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, ‘Overcome evil with good’, with the key scripture coming from Romans 12:21 NKJV: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

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The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, ‘God has given you seed to sow’, with the key scripture coming from Matthew 13:31 NIV: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

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The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, “Tell the truth”, with the key scripture coming from Proverbs 12:22 NKJV: “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

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The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, “Have Realistic Expectations (2)”, with the key scripture coming from John 2:25 NIV: “He knew what was in each person.” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

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The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, “How to make anger work for you (1)”, with the key scripture coming from James 1:19 (NLT): “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

💻 READ THE WORD FOR TODAY ONLINE

👉 Visit: https://www.ucb.co.uk/word-for-today

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The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, “Have Realistic Expectations (1)”, with the key scripture coming from John 2:25 (NIV): “‘He knew what was in each person.’” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

💻 READ THE WORD FOR TODAY ONLINE

👉 Visit: https://www.ucb.co.uk/word-for-today

The title of today’s UCB Word For Today is, “The quickening of the Holy Spirit”, with the key scripture coming from Psalm 119:25 (KJV): “‘Quicken thou me according to thy word.’” Listen along and spend some time with God today.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

💻 READ THE WORD FOR TODAY ONLINE

👉 Visit: https://www.ucb.co.uk/word-for-today

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