When a recession hit Jerusalem, Paul asked the believers at Corinth to give offerings to meet this need: ‘Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem’ (vv. 1-3 NIVUK). A healthy church will always have two things: in-reach and outreach. It will endeavour to meet both the spiritual and material needs of people. In the Old Testament, God told His people, ‘If there is among you a poor man of your brethren…you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother’ (Deuteronomy 15:7 NKJV). When you have a true encounter with Christ, you will have a heart for hurting people. ‘Then Zacchaeus…said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house”’ (Luke 19:8-9 NKJV). When it comes to giving to God, the Bible encourages us to share what we have and give generously. You should be guided by your love for God: ‘So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver’ (2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV).]

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

When it comes to giving, here are two important truths the Bible teaches us about money: 1) God does not expect us all to give the same amount. ‘Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you’ (v. 17 NKJV). Paul writes, ‘For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have’ (2 Corinthians 8:12 NIV). 2) God will ask you to make sacrifices to fulfil His kingdom purposes in the earth. In order to reverse the judgment of God that had come upon the people, King David was instructed to ‘go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite’ (2 Samuel 24:18 NKJV). When Araunah saw David coming, he offered him the land free of charge. But David said: ‘“No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel’ (vv. 24-25 NKJV). God does not ask us to give equally, He asks us to sacrifice equally. And here is the good news: on the other side of every sacrifice God asks you to make for Him, there awaits you His blessings and His rewards.

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

Here is what Job said about his great wealth: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there.’ Job understood that we all enter life with our hands empty, and we all exit life with our hands empty. The only thing we can take with us when we go is what we have sent ahead. Jesus talks about this: ‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’ (Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV). When Jesus referred to treasure, His audience would have understood that He was referring to clothing, food, or money. Rich people wore the best clothes, but moths could tear holes in them. Rich people ate the best food, but rats and worms could consume it. Rich people owned silver and gold, but since there were no banks, they stored their money in their houses. But because houses were made of clay, thieves could conveniently reach through the wall and rob it. What Jesus was saying was ‘Don’t put your treasure where it can be damaged, decayed, or done away with.’ A pastor writes: ‘Jesus doesn’t want your money. It’s already His. Jesus wants your heart. But since your heart always follows your money, He wants you to surrender your money, your wealth, your stuff to Him.’ When you do that, you’re investing in eternity instead of time.

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

After four hundred years of living like slaves, the Israelites were about to take possession of the promised land. And God had a concern. What was it? The same concern He has about each of us. When you have little, you realise how dependent you are on God. But when you have much, your tendency is to forget God, the source of every blessing. Note what David said when God’s people gave generously to build the temple: ‘All things come from You, and of Your own we have given You…God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house…is all Your own’ (1 Chronicles 29:14, 16 NKJV). The prayer David prayed that day left a lasting impression on his son Solomon, who later wrote: ‘As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labour – this is the gift of God’ (Ecclesiastes 5:19 NKJV). You say, ‘I worked hard to get to the top in my career’ or ‘I worked hard to build this business.’ Who gave you the strength? Who gave you the talent? Who gave you the strategy, the connections, and the resources to do it? If you think it was you, read this Scripture, write it down, and carry it with you: ‘Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go”’ (Isaiah 48:17 NKJV).

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

God owns everything. If you doubt that, read these Scriptures: ‘“The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” says the Lord of hosts.’ ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein’ (Psalm 24:1 NKJV). ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father’ (James 1:17 NKJV). ‘Both riches and honour come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all’ (1 Chronicles 29:12 NKJV). What do these Scriptures mean? They mean that the bank account, the stock portfolio, or the title deed to the property may be held in your name, but God owns it all. You say, ‘Then what am I?’ You are the administrator of God’s estate, and the executor of His will. Can an administrator do as he or she chooses with someone’s estate? No, they are required to manage it on behalf of someone else. Can the executor do as he or she chooses with someone’s last will and testament? No, they are required to follow the instructions given in that will. And if you want to know the terms of God’s will for your life, they’re found in His Word. And the more God entrusts to you, the more He requires of you. Jesus said, ‘Everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more’ (Luke 12:48 NKJV).

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

One marriage expert says a single mother sent him a story that helped explain the loneliness and stress faced by those raising children alone. She said she was looking out her window one drizzly day and saw a mother robin and her brood of chicks perched in a nest. As the rain poured down, the mother bird covered her chirping little chicks beneath her extended wings. Then the hail began to fall. Instead of tucking her head safely in the nest, the mother robin raised her head upward and took the blows to protect her young. All of the chicks made it safely through the storm. What a graphic illustration of the perils of single parenting! The responsibility of raising children alone is unrelenting, requiring a mum or dad to earn a living, cook, clean, supervise homework, take care of sick children, and so on. Beyond these day-to-day duties, they must figure out how to meet their own personal and spiritual needs. Taken in context, this may be one of the toughest assignments on earth. Single parents, whether mothers or fathers, need our continued support and prayers. To those who are taking the blows on behalf of their children, be assured that there are better days coming. The storm you’re in won’t last forever. A beautiful rainbow will soon appear. When the job has been completed and a brood of healthy little birds has been raised, there will be sweet benefits for the parents who don’t fly away. God’s Word promises, ‘Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.’

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

God instructs us to seek Him, but not as though He is hiding from us. When we seek God, we make a decision that’s necessary for bringing us into the spiritual realm. Some levels of blessing are never received unless they are diligently sought. It’s your seeking after God that moves Him to respond. ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him’ (Hebrews 11:6 KJV). There are no manuals that instruct us step by step as to the proper way to seek the Lord. Some people seek Him quietly, with soft tears falling gently down a weary face. Others seek Him while walking the sandy beaches of a cove, gazing into the swelling currents of an evening tide. Some raise their hands and praise Him with loving expressions of adoration. There are no rules, just that you seek Him with your whole heart. What does it mean to seek God ‘with all your heart’? It’s giving Him your full attention and removing all distractions so that you can focus on Him. Imagine dropping a contact lens on the floor, or a precious stone from a ring and saying, ‘No problem, I’ll just look for that later.’ No, the value you place on something determines the intensity with which you seek it. When you pray, ‘Lord, I need you; I won’t make it without You,’ you are praying ‘with all your heart’. And God answers such praying, ‘I will be found by you’ (Jeremiah 29:14 NKJV).

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

After sharing great truths and insights with us, the psalmist often uses the word ‘Selah’. It is thought to mean ‘pause and reflect’. For years people have said that experience is the best teacher. But the truth is, evaluated experience is the best teacher! Stopping to reflect is one of the most important activities you can do in order to grow. It provides a superior value than motivation or encouragement because it lets you make sure you’re going down the right road. After all, if you’re on the wrong track, you don’t need motivation to move faster. You need to pause, reflect, and change course. In describing the end times, the Bible says, ‘Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase’ (Daniel 12:4 NKJV). You will note that it says ‘knowledge’ will increase, which is information, facts, and data, but it doesn’t say understanding will increase. With a sharp intellect and a good memory, you can retain lots of knowledge. But in order to have understanding, you must take the time to drill down and understand what you’re seeing and hearing. Galileo said, ‘All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered. The point is to discover them. That takes investigation.’ By pausing and reflecting, you can sort through the experiences you have, put them into perspective, and glean from them the wisdom required to have a better future. These are often referred to as ‘aha’ moments, when you experience sudden understanding or insight. It’s when the proverbial light bulb switches on. Only a few things in life are better than moments like that. But these moments only come to those who take the time and effort to pause and reflect.

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

In 1982, John Hinckley Jr attempted to take the life of President Ronald Reagan by shooting him with a handgun. Reagan’s daughter, Patti, later recounted what she learned from her father when he was in hospital: ‘My father said he knew his physical healing was directly dependent on his ability to forgive John Hinckley…It showed me that forgiveness is the key to everything…He gave me an example of Christ-like thinking.’ Sometimes the wounds that others inflict on us are unintentional, and other times they are deliberate. But in both cases the Scriptures give us a clear standard concerning the wrongs we experience. You are to forgive those who hurt you, ‘even as God in Christ forgave you’. That’s a high standard, but it’s one that brings healing for our deepest wounds. Sometimes we dispense forgiveness like a soft drink from a vending machine – mechanically, and with no feelings attached. But the Bible says two attitudes should accompany forgiveness: kindness, which is expressed in our actions, and tender-heartedness, which is expressed in our attitudes. Why? Because that’s the way God forgives us. Throughout Scripture we find emotions such as kindness, gentleness, compassion, and tenderness – in word or by action – ascribed to God. We also find examples of it in the lives of those God used to fulfil His plans and purposes. Joseph was one of them, when he forgave his brothers who betrayed him. And He calls on us to do the same. This kind of forgiveness is as much an act of the heart as it is an act of the will.

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

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.