The Word For Today

When you fail, God's love for you does not fail. To enjoy the fullness of what he wants for you, you must believe that. The knowledge of God's love will carry you through to victory when everything is against you. The knowledge of God's love will carry you through life's storms into a place of peace.

God's love is not restricted to the days when you have performed well. He loves you just as much during the times when you fail. You need to be confident of his love, especially when you have trials and the devil is accusing you and saying, 'Well, you must have done something wrong.' God's love is not doled out on a merit system. You did nothing to deserve his love; therefore, you can do nothing to forfeit it.

John wrote: 'We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect [mature]. So, we will not be afraid on the day of judgement, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because [God's] perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced [and embraced] his perfect love' (1 John 4:16-18 NLT). Be confident of, and trust, God's love for you.

If you're dealing with an insecure partner, make every effort to be accountable. It's important to voluntarily provide adequate details. After all, he or she is looking for assurance. Learn to explain your whereabouts in a casual but thorough manner. Short, one-syllable responses will provide more insecurity and leave the person to imagine various negative scenarios. A jealous person is insecure and thus has doubts about having what it takes to maintain the relationship.

Do not make the mistake of thinking or saying, 'You just need to get over your insecurity.' If it were that easy, your partner would have done it by now. Continue to pray for their healing from this debilitating mindset, but do your part not to exacerbate the problem with vague communication. Most of all, encourage your partner to talk about the fears. Listen without being critical or judgmental. Seek first to understand. Make it clear that you love your partner and have pure intentions regarding your relationship. But here is something important to keep in mind: stay balanced in your interaction. You must also make it clear that you will not be forced into an emotional prison by having to account for every moment of the day. This too could exacerbate the jealousy and set up unrealistic expectations.

Trust is a two-way street. And one way to build trust is by praying together. In prayer, we become honest and transparent, realising that God already knows every detail about us. When your partner hears you share your heart in prayer, it relieves unfounded fears and creates security within them.

Meditation is the most effective way to assimilate God's word. David describes the 'blessed' man this way: 'His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night' (Psalm 1:2 NKJV). And whatever you meditate on and memorise, the Holy Spirit will help you recall when you need it. 'He will...bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you' (John 14:26 NKJV).

As one of the highest-ranking American captives in Vietnam, Jeremiah Denton was subjected to gruelling torture. But he survived, and returned home to become one of Alabama's United States senators. How did he do it? He says that one of his basic survival skills was quoting passages of Scripture he had memorised. Internalised Scriptures were his unseen sword to fend off the cruellest weapons of the enemy. By inwardly focusing on the power of God to sustain and strengthen him, he was able to rise above his circumstances. Scriptures he had memorised and meditated on years ago became his prayers of deliverance. When you meditate upon God and his word, recalling his many promises and acts of faithfulness, your faith grows and your fears dissolve (see Romans 10:17). David understood this well. Many times, in his attempts to escape the wrath of King Saul, he recalled the greatness of God and found himself strengthened: 'I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways' (Psalm 119:15 NIV); 'I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons' (Psalm 16:7 NKJV).

Do yourself a big favour: begin to meditate on God's word and memorise it.

When you study the lives of those who were greatly used by God in the Bible, you see that they were not spared from hurt, disappointment or even betrayal. The truth is, if you live long enough, you'll be wronged by someone. The question is, how will you react? The apostle Paul tells us how we should react: 'Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others' (Colossians 3:13 NLT).

The story is told of two friends who were walking through the desert when they got into an argument. One friend slapped the other in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt. But without saying anything, he wrote in the sand, 'Today my best friend slapped me in the face.' They kept walking until they found an oasis. Since they were thirsty, they stopped for water. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire, fell in, and started to drown. His friend then reached out and saved him. That night, the saved man etched this in a stone: 'Today my best friend saved my life.' The friend who had slapped and then saved him asked, 'After I hurt you, you wrote in sand. And now you write on a stone. Why?' He replied: 'When someone hurts us, we should write it in sand, where the winds of forgiveness can blow and erase it. But when someone does something good for us, we should engrave it in stone where it will be long remembered.'

Mercy forgets wrongs and remembers rights!

'I have set the Lord always before me'. Say these words aloud several times and let them roll around in your mind. Imagine how this might actually be experienced in your life.

What would it be like to wake up with God on your mind? What would it feel like at night if you were aware of him as you fell asleep? What would your conversations be like with other people if God were the unseen third party present? What would work or school be like if you were continually aware of God and were communicating with him as you sat in your office or at your desk, asking for his help and guidance, not carrying the burden by yourself? After all, this is his promise to you: 'Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall' (Psalm 55:22 NLT).

'I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved' (Psalm 16:8 NKJV). Reflect on the idea that the Lord is at your 'right hand'. In Scripture, the right hand is considered the hand of power and the one that does the work. Now reflect on these words: 'I shall not be moved'. Picture yourself receiving bad news or facing opposition; picture someone important who doesn't like you. Picture your work going badly - but it doesn't move or shake you. Why? Because God has given you supernatural peace. Isn't this the life you want? Then pray, 'God, this is the life I choose; show me what I need to do so that it may be so.'

The story of the prodigal son illustrates the meaning of true repentance. It's about a young Jewish man who rebelled against all that he'd been taught, turned his back on his father, was lured by the bright lights of the big city, and ended up in a pigpen feeding swine.

But he did three things that turned his life around. First, he changed his mind. 'When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death"' (Luke 15:17 NIV)! Second, he redirected his will. 'I will...go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you' (Luke 15:18 NIV). Third, he took action. 'So he got up and went to his father' (Luke 15:20 NIV). Repentance is a change of mind, which brings about a change of will, and results in a change of action. It led to the prodigal's forgiveness and restoration to his family.

Two things about sin you need to know: (1) God will uncover every sin you try to cover up. 'Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts' (1 Corinthians 4:5 NKJV). (2) God will cover every sin you uncover. 'He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy' (Proverbs 28:13 NKJV). Go ahead - confess and forsake your sin, and God will cover it with the blood of Christ. Do it now.