A minister writes: ‘To the average eye, it was a mutilated piece of marble. The aborted sculpture had been abandoned a half century earlier…but a young artist named Michelangelo saw something in that stone others did not. Chiselling the eighteen-foot block of marble would consume nearly four years of his life, but that seemingly worthless stone was destined to become what many consider the greatest statue ever sculpted…Michelangelo resurrected a dead stone and, breathing his artistry into it, brought David into existence. As he chiselled…he believed the masterpiece was already inside the stone. All he had to do was remove the excess stone so David could escape. He didn’t see what was. He saw what could be…He didn’t see the imperfections in the stone. He saw a masterpiece of unparalleled beauty. And that is precisely how the Artist [God] sees you. “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Every work of art originates in the imagination of the artist. And so you originated in the imagination of God. You were conceived by God long before you were conceived by your parents. You took shape in the imagination of the Almighty before you took shape in your mother’s womb.’ Regardless of what others think of you, or what you think of yourself, God sees you as a potential masterpiece. To see yourself as anything other than that is to devalue and alter your true identity. And it’s in discovering your true identity that you discover God has a plan for your life.

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

A pastor writes: ‘God used a seemingly random skill to strategically position David. And the slingshot skill isn’t the only example…When David played the harp, it soothed Saul’s spirit [see 1 Samuel 16:23]. That’s how David met Jonathan [King Saul’s son]. That’s how he learned the customs of the king’s court. Without his musical skills, David wouldn’t have even gotten a foot in the door! You never know what skill God will use for His purposes, so don’t underestimate the strangest of skills. God can use anything…for His purposes if we simply allow ourselves to be used by Him. God used Noah’s boat-building skills, Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams, and the Magi’s astrological knowledge. No skill is unredeemable or unusable in God’s grand scheme…But here’s what you need to see: the greatest psalms came out of the worst circumstances…The most comforting psalms were written in the most uncomfortable situations. David is walking through the valley of the shadow of death. David is agonising over his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. David is a fugitive hiding out in the caves of Adullam. David didn’t want to be in any of those situations, but [they] produced the profound lyrics we find in Psalm 23, Psalm 51, and Psalm 142. Maybe you’re wrestling with depression or reeling from a mistake that seems unforgivable, or just sick and tired of being sick and tired…So you may not like your present circumstances, but they may be the key to your character development. And character development is the key to your future.’

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

One key to fulfilling your destiny is realising what season you’re in. If you don’t, you will feel exasperated and disappointed. For example, in some seasons learning to follow is more important than learning to lead. In some seasons handling failure offers more value than handling success. One of the biggest errors we make is concentrating all our energy on the next season, rather than enjoying the season we’re in, maximising it, and gleaning its lessons. God wants to get you where He wants you to go even more than you want to get there. So, enjoy the journey, and understand that God will get you there when you’re ready. Your present frustration will give you a reason for future celebration if you stay the course long enough. God is developing emotional endurance inside you. The key to emotional endurance is going through high levels of disappointment that break us down so God can build us back up with a holy confidence. Can you imagine how David felt as he watched his brothers go off to war while he stayed home to tend a flock of sheep? But his day was coming. And yours is too. While you wait, don’t bypass God’s plans by taking shortcuts. God is setting you up. But the bigger the opportunity, the longer it takes. The reason we get irritated is because we think big without thinking long. Reconsider your timeline, and be encouraged when it takes longer than you estimated. That means God wants to do something considerably more than all you can ask or imagine (see Ephesians 3:20).

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

Author Dorothy Littell Greco writes: ‘For some perfectionists, the fear of making a mistake results in a sort of paralysis, causing us to agonise over every decision…To help you discern if [perfectionism] has crept into your life…consider the following questions: a) Are you comfortable asking for help or only offering it? b) Are you able to receive appropriate criticism without getting defensive? c) Do you have a nagging belief that you are falling short of some illusive standard? d) Do you harshly critique yourself? e) Are you able to experience joy? An absence of joy might be one of the best indicators [of] perfectionism. It slowly squeezes the joy out of life by reducing creativity, accentuating mistakes, and making us slaves of success.’ The truth is, no matter how hard we struggle, we can never be perfect enough to satisfy the sin debt against us. And we don’t have to be! ‘Christ gave himself…for our sins as one sacrifice for all time and then sat down in the place of highest honour at God’s right hand…For by that one offering he made forever perfect in the sight of God all those whom he is making holy’ (vv. 12, 14 TLB). Notice: when God makes you perfect, it’s going to be for forever, and once you get your head wrapped around that truth, it will change your life. Gigi Graham Tchividjian says, ‘We don’t have to be perfect to be a blessing. We are asked only to be real, trusting in His perfection to cover our imperfection, knowing that one day we will finally be all that Christ saved us for and wants us to be.’

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

A perfectionist seeks to achieve nothing less than perfection. Dorothy Littell Greco writes: ‘I’ve been a perfectionist for as long as I can remember…I had to get A’s, had to win, and had to please everyone. Every mistake or perceived failure unleashed a torrent of self-condemnation…Perfectionism often [comes from] insecurity and a faulty understanding of grace. During the first few years…parents are meant to communicate through their words and actions that we’re…lovable, even though we do nothing to earn that love…But not all of us were the beneficiaries of such parenting. Many of our needs were met with frustration or even anger, which we interpreted as, “There’s something wrong with me.” When that’s the case, over time, shame creeps in…[and] distorts our understanding of our self-worth. The voice of perfectionism increased when I started following Jesus. I feared being judged and…excluded, [which] motivated me to prove my worth to my fellow Christians. Though I believed, theoretically, that I was saved by grace, I lived as if I had purchased salvation on credit and was accruing an enormous debt. I [lived] as if Jesus would tear up our “salvation contract” the moment I made a mistake. As I began to understand that pride and a fear of mankind were driving my perfectionism, I confessed this as sin…[and] the chokehold started to loosen. Like the Samaritan woman at the well, I needed Jesus to break in and tenderly reorient me to his living water.’ Remember, you don’t have to be perfect to be a blessing to others – you just have to be real!

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

If you are a purpose-driven person, the thought of spending eternity doing little, or nothing, will have no appeal to you. But that’s not the case. When we get to heaven, God is not going to say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you can take the rest of eternity off.’ No, He will say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things’ (Matthew 25:21 NKJV). There will be ‘many things’ for us to do. We already know that we will be ruling with Christ over this restored earth during His millennial reign (see Revelation 20:6). And Revelation 22:3 says, ‘His servants shall serve Him’ (NKJV). God will not only have a place for each of us, but a plan. The reason heaven will not be boring is because God is not boring! The psalmist said, ‘In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore’ (Psalm 16:11 KJV). Since we will be in God’s presence, everything we do will bring joy and satisfaction. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has placed eternity in our hearts. That means that God has created within us a space that cannot be satisfied with anything but heaven. We can never comprehend all that God has prepared for us in our heavenly home. And we can’t recreate heaven on earth. But when we opt to prepare for our eternal home that is waiting for us, our earthly focus shifts towards living a life that pleases and honours God and brings others to Him.

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

Mentor Graham was so absorbed in evaluating the assignments he had given his students that he failed to notice the youthful giant who slouched into his Illinois classroom one day after school. After his eyes had adjusted to the brightness of the late afternoon sunshine, causing the husky young man to be in silhouette before him, he recognised the youth as a newcomer to the community. The lad already had a reputation for ‘whipping the living daylights’ out of all the local toughs. Graham would have been justified in thinking, ‘What does he want here? Am I in danger?’ Rather, he looked up and down the six foot, four inches of muscle and ignorance before him and offered to help the lad with his reading and studies. When the young man left the classroom an hour later, he had several books under his arm – on loan from Mentor Graham with a promise of more in the future. There is a good chance that you have never heard of Mentor Graham, right? He was a quiet man, simply willing to do his best for any student who came his way. His pupil, however, became more famous. His name? Abraham Lincoln! Graham recognised in Lincoln a hunger for knowledge and a desire to learn, and took the time to invest in him. And as a result, Lincoln helped change history. The greatest investment you can make is in people. Solomon wrote, ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.’ And when you get it, don’t keep it to yourself – pass it on.

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

The three-digit emergency system has amazing capabilities. In most places in the UK, you need only dial those numbers to be instantly connected to a call handler. On a computer screen, the call handler instantly sees the caller’s telephone number, address (or approximate location if calling from a mobile phone), and the name under which the number is listed. A caller need not say anything once the call is made. Even rasping coughs and hysterical cries have brought a quick response. The call handler knows where the call is coming from, and help is sent immediately. Sometimes our situation is so urgent and desperate that we can’t put it into words, so we send up the SOS prayer, ‘Lord, I need your help!’ And help is on the way. ‘It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear’ (Isaiah 65:24 NKJV). Sometimes you feel the effects of something, but you don’t understand the cause and you can’t explain it. This is when the indwelling power of God’s Spirit comes to your aid: ‘The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them’ (Romans 8:26-28 NLT).

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

If you really believed God’s Word concerning your situation, how would you act differently? Saying you believe is just the beginning; activating your faith means preparing for the answer to arrive. Ask yourself, ‘If I really expected an answer to my prayers, how would I prepare for its arrival?’ In Scripture, Jesus gave His disciples this parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man…planted in his field…when it grows, it…becomes a tree’ (Matthew 13:31-32 NIV). The farmer may sincerely believe they can produce a mustard tree, but nothing happens until they choose the location, prepare the soil, plant the seed, and continually water it. Once they do all those things, they can actively watch for its appearance. So, where do you start? 1) Pray for wisdom to make the right decisions (see James 1:5-7). 2) Plan your work, and work your plan. Aimless, passive waiting for the things to materialise without thoughtful, active involvement will prove disappointing and fruitless. God uses you as His partner. ‘We are labourers together with God’ (1 Corinthians 3:9 KJV). 3) Break your plan into small, accomplishable action steps. 4) Don’t wait for the fear to go or the faith to grow. Be prepared to take calculated, productive risks. Feel the fear and do it anyhow! 5) Start thanking God even before you can see the answer. And if you should miss the bull’s-eye, remember the Revolutionary War militia’s response: ‘Ready, aim, fire! Adjust your aim – and fire again.’ ‘[Abraham’s] faith and his actions were working together.’ And that’s still the Bible formula for success.

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

James asks, ‘What good is it…if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds…Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says…“Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing…what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds’ (vv.14-18 NIV). A veritable ocean of faith without the appropriate action to follow it up is nothing more than an ocean of dead, useless faith. On the other hand, an ounce of faith that’s acted upon can produce an ocean of results (see Matthew 13:31-32). Action breathes life and power into your faith. The biblical prescription for faith is simple but potent. 1) You decide to believe in God’s promise and His power to make it happen – leaving the ‘how and when’ up to Him. 2) You choose to act in keeping with what you believe before you see any evidence of the results. 3) God responds to your faith by keeping His unbreakable promise. ‘Hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ (Numbers 23:19 KJV). God goes to work exercising His unlimited capacity to perform His Word. Jesus said, ‘Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours’ (Mark 11:24 NIV). Now – it’s up to you to claim and act on His promise.

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