The Bible says, ‘Those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.’ The righteousness that God approves and accepts comes as a ‘gift’. And it’s based on ‘grace’. And grace means ‘unmerited, unearned, undeserved favour with God’. Are you trying through your own efforts to earn right standing before God? Do you believe that by doing more good deeds, giving more, praying more, serving more, that God will love you more and bless you? These are all good things. Indeed, they are important things. But the righteousness God accepts is a ‘gift’ which He Himself bestows and you yourself cannot earn. Indeed, if you had to earn it, it wouldn’t be a gift; it would be a reward for your efforts. Furthermore, how would you know when you had done enough to please God and be acceptable before Him? Satan will take every opportunity to condemn you for never doing enough. When that happens, you begin to fall into the trap of guilt, condemnation, and shame. When you base your relationship with God on your own merits, you will always fall short. Note something else in this Scripture. When you see your righteousness as a gift bestowed upon you by God because you have placed your trust in Christ, you begin to ‘reign in life’. Link this Scripture together with Romans 6:14, ‘For sin shall not have dominion over you,’ and you begin to get the picture. Instead of being ruled by the world, the flesh, and the devil, you ‘reign’ over them.

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

Often the reason a relationship fails is not because of a difference of opinion, but a lack of understanding. Why aren’t we more understanding? For three reasons: 1) Selfishness. Somebody quipped, ‘There’s two sides to every question – as long as it doesn’t concern me personally.’ Paul writes: ‘Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another.’ 2) Fear. Prejudice is often the fear of what we’re unwilling to try and understand. When it comes to new ideas you’ve two options: open your mind and grow, or reject them and stay the same size. We tend to compare what we don’t understand with what we think we do – like the people who told Columbus the earth was flat. When it comes to building relationships you’ve got to be willing to do what you’ve not yet done. 3) Differences. It takes more than one colour to make a rainbow and one musician to make an orchestra. When you take time to appreciate the differences in people, you discover we all share the same hopes and fears. Harry Truman said, ‘When we understand the other fellow’s viewpoint and what he’s trying to do, nine times out of ten he’s just trying to do right.’ Basically, we all share the same hopes and fears. Two of our most common problems are ‘gift-envy’ and ‘gift-projection.’ One happens when we compare our talents with others and feel inferior. The other happens when we expect others to feel equally passionate about what we do. The Bible says, ‘There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord’ (1 Corinthians 12:5 NLT).

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

If you’re serious about reaching and teaching people, there are two things you must try to do: 1) Talk to them, not above them. A pre-schooler was eating an apple in the back of the car. ‘Daddy,’ he said, ‘why is my apple turning brown?’ His father explained: ‘Because after you assimilated the skin on the exterior, the core structure of the apple came into contact with the atmosphere, which caused it to oxidise, thus changing its molecular structure and transforming it into a different colour.’ After a long silence, the little boy replied, ‘Daddy, are you talking to me?’ Can the listener understand and apply what you’re saying? Paul told the church at Corinth, ‘I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready…Indeed, you are still not ready’ (1 Corinthians 3:2 NIV). Jesus made a point of tailoring His remarks so the people listening could grasp the message. The Bible says, ‘With…parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.’ Think about it: Jesus was God, and He could easily have awed us with His knowledge. But because His desire was to change our lives for the better, He stayed on our level and spoke in a language we understand. And you must learn to do the same. 2) Say it over and over again. The fundamental law of learning is repetition. It’s been said that people have to hear something sixteen times before they believe it and really ‘get it’. The question that should concern you isn’t, ‘What will I say?’ but, ‘What will people take away from it?’

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

The fifth crown is the crown of glory. Peter wrote: ‘The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away’ (vv. 1-4 NKJV). This crown seems especially designed for pastors and Christian leaders. That doesn’t mean you have to be an official pastor or a member of a church staff. As one pastor explains: ‘You might be the shepherd of a small group. Your flock might be your family…It might be your Sunday school class…The Lord often gives us responsibility for the spiritual well-being and maturing of others, and what an opportunity to serve Him!’ This raises an interesting question: what are we going to do with these crowns? Revelation 4:10-11 describes a great worship service that will occur when we arrive in heaven. ‘The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power”’ (NKJV). Imagine kneeling before the Lord and laying your crown at His feet, overwhelmed with gratitude for all that He has done for you.

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

The fourth crown is the crown of life. Two different verses depict it for us. ‘Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him’ (James 1:12 NKJV). ‘Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.’ A pastor explains it this way: ‘The Crown of Life is given in recognition of enduring and triumphing over temptations and trials, even to the point of martyrdom. Motivated by our love for Christ, we persevere and never quit until He takes us home…Almost every New Testament book was written to believers who lived in danger of martyrdom. The apostles counselled them to persevere so they could inherit the Crown of Life.’ Today we are living in one of the most intense periods of persecution in the history of the church. Open Doors, an organisation that monitors persecution, reports on the top fifty nations where Christians face the most severe persecution. In 2017, they said trends are getting worse every year, and that ‘one hundred per cent of Christians in twenty-one countries around the world experience persecution for their faith in Christ, and more than 215 million Christians face “high levels” of persecution. Nearly one in every twelve Christians today lives in an area or culture in which Christianity is illegal, forbidden, or punished.’ The Bible says, ‘All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution’ (2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV). But the good news is that it gives each of us a marvellous opportunity to lay claim to the crown of life.

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

The third crown mentioned in Scripture is the crown of righteousness. Paul writes: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord…will give to me on that Day, and…also to all who have loved His appearing’ (vv. 7-8 NKJV). A pastor amplifies this: ‘The book of 2 Timothy represents the last known writing of the apostle Paul, and we have reason to believe he was beheaded shortly after writing these words. But rather than dreading death, he was looking forward to the Second Coming. He was…content with his record of service for the Master. Paul’s use of the athletic metaphor here is especially descriptive of the life of the believer because it describes struggle, endurance, discipline, and final victory. The Crown of Righteousness is reserved for those who have a longing for the Lord Jesus and who watch for Jesus to come back.’ Writing to Titus, Paul speaks of ‘looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ’ (Titus 2:13 NKJV). The pastor continues: ‘Psychologists tell us that anticipation…is an emotion with marvellous healing powers. People who are snowbound sustain their spirits by anticipating the longer days of spring and summer. Couples…separated by military deployment stay sane by anticipating their reunion…Brides and grooms are eager for their wedding day.’ As a Christian, your best days are ahead of you, and you can anticipate all the glories of heaven and eternity. It should motivate you to be faithful to Jesus as you wait for His return.

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

The second crown mentioned in Scripture is the crown of rejoicing. It’s given to those who take part in leading others to Christ. The background for this passage is written about in Acts 17, which tells the story of Paul arriving in the city of Thessalonica. He went into the synagogue, ‘and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining…that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ”’ (vv. 2-3 NKJV). Some of his hearers were converted, including a great multitude of devout Greeks and a number of prominent women. As a result, a church was built there. Writing to them later, Paul said that they would be his crown when Christ returned. We should all follow Bill Bright’s example; he was one of the best soul winners of the twentieth century. And he once disclosed his secret: ‘Although I have shared Christ personally with many thousands of people through the years, I am a rather reserved person and I do not always find it easy to witness. But I have made this my practice, and I urge you to do the same: assume that whenever you are alone with another person for more than a few moments, you are there by divine appointment to explain…the love and forgiveness he [or she] can know through faith in Jesus Christ.’ When was the last time you shared the gospel with someone? Whenever you do, the Lord is fitting you for a crown of rejoicing.

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

In describing our heavenly rewards, the Bible speaks of crowns. Let’s look at each and see what we can learn. The first is the victor’s crown. ‘Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified’ (vv. 25-27 NKJV). Paul points out that athletes who expect to win must actively train. And we, likewise, must retain self-control even in things that, although not inherently evil, can weaken our devotion to God. A pastor explains: ‘Sometimes we have to turn off the television so we can study our Bibles. We have to get up earlier in the mornings to have our daily devotions. We have to exercise self-control in what comes into our minds. We can’t watch many of today’s television programmes or movies – much less the streaming material accessible on our phones and computers – without violating biblical standards of personal holiness. We can’t subject our bodies to drug or alcohol abuse or allow immorality to creep into our relationships. We’ve got to keep our tempers [and tongues] under the control of the Holy Spirit…and we have to depend on God to strengthen us in our resolutions to live disciplined lives.’ The Bible says, ‘Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown’ – the victor’s crown.

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

Patience is a difficult skill to practise when it comes to relationships. This is particularly so when you feel lonely, empty, and incomplete. When that happens you can jump the gun, and make a choice based on your limited perspective rather than the larger picture that would emerge if only you had sought more information and waited patiently. To keep you from making a mistake that can negatively impact the rest of your life, here are three important steps you should take when it comes to forming a relationship: 1) You must ask the right questions. Be curious, inquisitive, and hungry for all the pieces of the puzzle. Always, always, ask! 2) You must find the answer to those questions. Sift through the surface impressions of what you see and hear and you’ll soon see a clearer picture emerging. This picture must harmonise with two things: a) your participation in this particular relationship; b) God’s will and purpose for your life. 3) You must act when the time is right, and know that you are acting on the best and most comprehensive information available. If it doesn’t work out, you can relax in the knowledge that you did everything possible to make a wise decision. Statistically, about half of all marriages today end in divorce. But if you take these three steps, you could finish up in the right half. And even if the relationship fails, you can carry into your next relationship the wisdom gleaned from the last one. ‘He made…a woman, and…brought her to the man.’ God knows just what you need, so seek His guidance.

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

Why does a happy, cooperative twelve-year-old suddenly turn into a sullen, depressed thirteen-year-old? There are two powerful forces that account for some of the adolescent behaviour that drives you crazy as a parent. The first is linked to social pressures common at that age. But there is a second source of disruption. It’s related to hormonal changes that not only transform the physical body but also revolutionise how kids think. For some (not all) adolescents, human chemistry is in a state of imbalance for a few years, causing flightiness, agitation, outbursts, and even depression. This upheaval can motivate a boy or girl to do things that make absolutely no sense to the adults who are watching anxiously on the sidelines. This hormonal firestorm can destabilise their self-concept and create a sense of foreboding. Parents often despair during the irrationality of this period. Everything they have tried to teach their children seems to have misfired for a couple of years. Self-discipline, cleanliness, respect for authority, and common courtesy may give way to risk-taking and all-around goofiness. If that is where your child is today, there is good news – better days are coming! Your unpredictable teen can actually become a tower of strength and good judgement – if they don’t do something destructive before their hormones settle down once more. What should you do as a parent? First, don’t draw long-term conclusions based on a short-term season. Second, let them know you love them, be patient, and pray for peace of mind. ‘The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds’ (Philippians 4:7 NKJV).

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