If you want to become a generous person, do these: 1) Be grateful for whatever you have. Generosity rises out of contentment; it doesn’t come from obtaining more. John D. Rockefeller admitted, ‘I have made millions, but they have brought me no happiness.’ It’s an inside job; if you’re not content with a little, you probably won’t be content with a lot. And if you’re ungenerous with a little, you won’t abruptly change when you become wealthy. 2) Don’t allow the desire for possessions to control you. Jesus said, ‘Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own’ (v. 15 NLT). Author Richard Foster writes, ‘Owning things is an obsession in our culture. If we own it, we feel we can control it; and if we can control it, we feel it will give us more pleasure. The idea is an illusion.’ If you want to take control of your heart, don’t let your possessions take control of you. 3) Regard money as a resource. The first time popular French author Dominique Lapierre went to India to conduct research for a new book, he rode in a Rolls-Royce he had just bought with a book advance. While there, he learned what he needed for his book The City of Joy. But he also encountered something else: a passion to help the poor. And that discovery transformed his life. Until his death in December 2022, he distributed his time between writing, fundraising, and giving time and money to help people. His attitude can be summarised by these words on the back of his business card: ‘All that is not given is lost.’

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

When you learn to forgive and accept yourself, it means you have come to terms with your humanity and learned to be at peace with your imperfections. You realise that what you have been through, together with the grace of God, has made you the person you are today. Veronica Shoffstall said: ‘After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul…that love doesn’t mean leaning, and company doesn’t always mean security…that kisses aren’t contracts and presents aren’t promises, and you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes ahead, with the grace of [an adult], not the grief of a child, and you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight. After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much, so you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. And you learn that you really can endure, you really are strong, you really do have worth…’ Those words can be summed up in one phrase: ‘living life on life’s terms’. Is it easy to do? No. And on days when life’s terms seem too hard to cope with, God’s promise to you is this: ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’ And that’s a promise you can stand on!

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

In Even Eagles Need a Push, David McNally describes a mother eagle teaching her young to fly: ‘The eagle gently coaxed her offspring towards the edge of the nest. Her heart quivered with conflicting emotions as she felt their resistance to her persistent nudging. “Why does the thrill of soaring have to begin with the fear of falling?”…The ageless question was still unanswered for her…Her nest was located high on a shelf of sheer rock face. Below there was nothing but air to support the wings of each child. “Is it possible that this time it will not work?” she thought. Despite her fears, the eagle knew it was time. Her parental mission was all but complete. There remained one final task – the push. The eagle drew courage from innate wisdom. Until her children discovered their wings, there was no purpose for their lives. Until they learned how to soar, they would fail to understand the privilege it was to have been born an eagle. The push was the greatest gift she had to offer…her supreme act of love. And so one by one she pushed them, and they flew!’ The Bible says, ‘Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them…The Lord…led him’ (v. 11-12 NIV). Is God pushing you out of your comfort zone? Have you lost your job and your financial security? Or a relationship you thought would last a lifetime? Do you feel like you’re being pushed out of your nest and over the cliff’s edge? Don’t be afraid; God will catch you. Better yet – He will teach you to fly.

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

Author Jon Gordon writes: ‘I’d love to share with you the benefits…of two simple words. THANK YOU. They…have the power to transform our health, happiness…and success. Research shows that grateful people are happier and more likely to maintain good friendships. Gratitude…also improves the heart’s rhythmic functioning, which helps us to reduce stress, think more clearly under pressure and heal physically. It’s…physiologically impossible to be stressed and thankful at the same time. When you are grateful you flood your body and brain with…endorphins that uplift and energise you…Gratitude…[is] also essential for a healthy work environment…The number one reason why people leave their jobs is because they don’t feel appreciated…Gratitude is like muscle. The more we do with it the stronger it gets. Here are…ways to practise thanksgiving every day: 1) Take a daily…ten-minute walk…and say out loud what you are thankful for. This will set you up for a positive day. 2) At dinner with friends and family, go around the table and have each person…say what they’re thankful for. 3) Psychologist Martin Seligman…suggests that we write a letter expressing our gratitude to someone. Then we visit this person and read them the letter…People who do this are measurably happier and less depressed a month later. 4) Say thank you at work. When Doug Conant was the CEO of Campbell Soup, he wrote approximately 30,000 thank you notes to his employees and energised the company in the process…Organisations spend billions of dollars collectively on recognition programmes but the best and cheapest recognition programme of all consists of a sincere THANK YOU.’

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

Breathing is a complicated process. It requires physiological precision, and the average person takes about twenty-three thousand breaths a day. And while we’re inclined to thank God for everything that takes our breath away, maybe we should also thank Him for all of our other breaths. In 2000, Pastor Ed Dobson was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, a degenerative disease with no known cause or cure. Sharing his ongoing struggle to be thankful while living with an incurable condition, Dobson writes: ‘There are many things for which I am not grateful! I can no longer button…my shirt. I can no longer put on a heavy jacket…[or] raise my right hand above my head. I can no longer write…[or] eat with my right hand. I eat with my left hand, and now even that is becoming a challenge. And over time…these challenges will get worse…So what in the world do I have to be grateful for? So much. Lord, thank you for waking me up this morning…that I can still turn over in bed…that I can still get out of bed…that I can walk to the bathroom…that I can still brush my teeth…that I can still eat breakfast…that I can still dress myself…that I can still drive my car…that I can still walk…Thank you that I can still talk…The list goes on…I have learned…to focus on what I can do, not on what I can’t do. I have learned to be grateful for the small things in life and for the many things I can still do.’ What do you have to be thankful for? ‘Give thanks in all circumstances.’

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

Don’t be double minded and attempt to think in two different ways at the same time. For example, we come to church to get ‘the wisdom that is from above’ (James 3:17 KJV), then leave church and get the wisdom from below and try to combine them. But it doesn’t work. You cannot mix unleaded fuel and diesel fuel. The moment you do, you have cancelled the unleaded because of the diesel – merely looking like fuel doesn’t mean it will help you. As Christians, we attend church on Sunday to get unleaded, and on Monday go into the world and get diesel. Then we wonder why we’re wearily labouring. Let’s illustrate it this way: we have AM and FM frequencies on our radios: both different, both separate. When riding in a car, you choose which one to listen to; you can’t listen to both at the same time, even though you have both options. The Bible says: ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways’ (James 1:5-8 NKJV). God responds to a faith that is single minded and focused on His Word. So, the word for today is – don’t be double minded!

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

We all make mistakes, misjudge issues, and mess up at some point. We’re all human. The truth is that mistakes are one of the major ways in which we learn and get wiser. But because of our fear of being criticised or losing face, we often attempt to hide our mistakes. The only real calamity about mistakes is if you don’t learn something from them. Failing to admit a mistake blocks the path to growth. Listen to the words of the Lord when He admonished the Israelites to learn from their mistakes: ‘Jeremiah, say to the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back?’”’ (Jeremiah 8:4 NLT). It’s a relief to you and an inspiration to others when you can acknowledge your mistakes without being defined or derailed by them. Circumstances and other people may have swayed our decisions, but in the end, we are each responsible for what we do. When we make a mistake, the action we take is – our choice. The best approach for dealing with your mistake is to accept complete responsibility, learn from it, decide how not to repeat it, and go on. Interestingly, other people will connect with you more and even respect you more when you are able to acknowledge your weaknesses. And it sets them free to do the same thing. Humility is one of the attributes that people esteem in others; pride is hated – even by other proud people.

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

Author Chuck Swindoll says that when he was a young man, he couldn’t understand how two people who loved the Lord and believed the Bible could come to different conclusions: ‘In my two-by-four thinking I was convinced that all godly minds held identical conclusions…I soon discovered that there weren’t only various opinions, but God had the audacity to bless those who disagreed with me…He isn’t nearly so narrow minded as many of His people…God’s much easier to live with…tolerant…full of more grace and forgiveness than all of us.’ In order to show grace under fire, you must understand and accept these two things: 1) People’s opinions and convictions will often differ from yours. Yes, you must never compromise Bible truth and core values, but it costs no more to be tactful and gracious than it does to be critical and caustic. And that’s especially true when confrontation and correction are called for. Paul writes, ‘If another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path’ (Galatians 6:1 NLT). Pay careful attention to the words ‘gently’ and ‘humbly’. 2) Everyone’s perspective has some merit. When you grow up in a home that functions on a right-versus-wrong justice scale, the person who is ‘right’ gets praised while the person who is ‘wrong’ gets put down. And that’s a pity because generally it’s not an ‘I’m-right-and-you’re-wrong’ issue as much as it’s an ‘I-see-it-this-way-and-you-see-it-that-way’ issue. So before you go to war, ask yourself what’s more important: your need to correct this person or to connect with them.

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

Are you in ‘the school of hard knocks’ today? Are you wondering, ‘Why am I going through this?’ Because God is more interested in your character than your comfort! Patsy Clairmont writes: ‘Jason, our youngest, has two goals in life. One is to have fun, and the other is to rest. And he does both quite well. So I shouldn’t have been surprised by what happened when I sent him to school one fall day. As Jason headed off for the bus, I busied myself, preparing for a full day. The knock on the door was a surprise and disruptive to my morning rhythm, which is not something I have a lot of. I flew to the door, jerked it open, only to find myself looking at Jason. “What are you doing here?” I demanded. “I’ve quit school,” he announced. “Quit school?” I repeated in disbelief, at a decibel level too high for human ears. Swallowing once, I tried to remember some motherly psychology. But all that came to my mind was “A stitch in time saves nine” and “Starve a fever, feed a cold”…Somehow, they didn’t seem to apply to a six-year-old drop-out dilemma. So I questioned, “Why have you quit school?” Without hesitation he proclaimed, “It’s too long, it’s too hard, and it’s too boring!” “Jason,” I instantly retorted, “you’ve just described life. Get on the bus!”’ The Bible says, ‘If you suffer for doing good and…endure it…this is commendable before God.’ So when you find yourself in ‘the school of hard knocks’, rejoice – God is training you for bigger and better things! So, get on the bus!

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

When we give in to temptation, it’s easy to blame other people and our environment. ‘Women dress too provocatively today…Men are too sexually aggressive…The media is too explicit.’ These statements may be true, but they don’t help us to overcome the tempter’s tactics. Humorist Will Rogers is attributed with saying, ‘Things aren’t what they used to be, and probably never were!’ Rose-coloured glasses can be deceptive when it comes to looking back. Satan, our enemy, hasn’t altered his tactics. They still work because human nature hasn’t changed. David learned painfully that Bathsheba’s bath routine didn’t cause his failure. Owning responsibility for his behaviour, he prayed, ‘I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against…You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight’ (Psalm 51:3-4 NKJV). Notice two important lessons David learned: 1) He discovered that forgiveness, restoration, and freedom begin by repenting and taking responsibility for your actions. 2) He also learned that the way to maintain power over your lustful nature lies in frequent time spent in God’s Word, not your own efforts. ‘How can a young person stay on the path of purity?’ God’s answer isn’t mystifying or hard to understand. His universal solution is, ‘By living according to your word.’ David’s new attitude and purity of heart came from practising this truth: ‘I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you’ (Psalm 119:11 NIV). And that’s a formula for victory that will work for you too.

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