UCB Word For Today UCB

One expert points out that leaders touch your heart before they ask for your hand. That’s the law of connection. Before a leader can touch a person’s heart, he or she has to know what’s in it. And you learn that by listening. A reluctance to listen is too typical among poor leaders. Over half of all management problems are the consequence of faulty communications. And the vast majority of communication problems stem from poor listening. Many voices are clamouring for our attention. As you think about how to listen, keep in mind that you have two reasons for listening: a) to connect with people, and b) to learn about them. That includes your competitors. Sam Markewich quipped, ‘If you don’t agree with me, it means you haven’t been listening.’ Though of course he was joking, the sad truth is that when a leader views another organisation only as competition, he or she focuses attention on building their own case or championing their own objective and forgets to learn from the other group’s efforts. Now, you don’t necessarily want to base your actions on what the other person is doing, but you should still listen and learn how to improve yourself. It’s a costly mistake to get so busy doing your own thing, or trying to make things happen, that you’re not paying attention to what’s going on around you. Every day you live and every experience you have, both negative and positive, can teach you valuable lessons. But you must listen!

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

God designed your marriage partner to meet your physical needs, your emotional needs, and yes, even some of your spiritual needs. Adam enjoyed perfect health, worked at the perfect job, and lived in the perfect environment. He even went for walks with God every day. Nevertheless, he was lonely and incomplete. So God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’ Note the word ‘helper’. God intended your partner to help you grow and fulfil your destiny. There is an intimate physical, emotional, and spiritual bond between you. No one on earth will ever know you better than your God-given mate. He or she should be your closest friend, counsellor, and confidant. That calls for communication! And good communication is based on asking the right questions and listening carefully to the answers. It calls for turning off the TV, your laptop, iPad, and mobile phone. It means asking, ‘How are things with you today?’ then listening long enough for hidden emotions to surface. Listen until you understand your spouse’s concerns, feelings, fears, hopes, and dreams. Listen accurately, so you can assess his or her real needs – needs you are best equipped to meet. Your questions reveal your level of caring, and the answers you get in return can become a foundation for a long, happy marriage. That’s exactly what God had in mind when he said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one’ (v. 24 NASB).

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

The words for you today are 1) Get ready. For forty years, Joshua had served Moses and been mentored by him; now he was ready to lead Israel into the promised land. This raises the all-important question: are you ready for the success you seek? The frustrating thing about preparation is sometimes it takes more time than the event you’re preparing for. Are you self-disciplined? Are you up to date on your career or calling? Do you have the right relationships in place? Is your home life in order? Do you have strong character? As the old saying goes, ‘You can claim to be surprised once; after that, you’re unprepared!’ One author writes: ‘Talented people are sometimes tempted to take shortcuts. Character prevents that. Talented people may feel superior and expect special privileges. Character helps them to know better. Talented people are praised for what others see them build. Character builds what’s inside them. Talented people have the potential to be difference makers. Character makes a difference in them. Talented people are often a gift to the world. Character protects that gift.’ 2) Go! God told Joshua, ‘I will give you every place where you set your foot’ (v. 3 NIV). Don’t be like Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland who asked the Cheshire-Cat, ‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’ ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat. ‘I don’t much care where—’ said Alice. ‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat. To succeed, you must do the right things, moment by moment, day by day, following through with them in a consistent way.

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

Remember the words of the old Sunday school song, ‘The wise man built his house upon the Rock…The foolish man built his house upon the sand’? The storm hit both houses leaving only the wise man’s house standing. Jesus wasn’t simply recommending the virtues of wisdom over foolishness. The truth is, we’re all wise at times and foolish at others. And He wasn’t saying the house that survived the storm was a believer’s house while the house that perished belonged to an unbeliever. Neither was He implying that the church attender’s house withstood the storm while the non-attender’s house collapsed. His point was simpler – and more compelling. When things are at their worst and we are pushed to the wall, when we doubt our chances of survival, when we have used up our last ounce of resistance, it’s not our wisdom, salvation, or church attendance that gets us through the storm. While these are crucially important aspects of Christian life for which we praise God, many wise, faithful believers go under in life’s storms: an abusive relationship, a financial collapse, an unfaithful partner, the loss or illness of a child, a mental or physical disability. Jesus’ point wasn’t even a plea for increased knowledge of His Word. Both homeowners understood His Word, but simply saying, ‘Lord, I totally agree with you,’ won’t get you through the storm. The point Jesus was making here is that doing what you hear Him say is what will get you through the storm! God has bound Himself to honour His Word, and your obedience aligns you with it and activates His power on your behalf.

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

Here is something else Joseph knew that you need to know too. You can’t afford the excess baggage of bitterness. After many years, Joseph met his brothers again when they came to Egypt for grain. As they entered Joseph’s presence and bowed before him, Egypt’s second-in-command, they were unable to recognise him. And when Joseph tried to tell them who he was, they were stunned and horrified. Here was the brother they had tried to kill years earlier, and now he was in a position to do whatever he wished with them. But instead, he forgave them. Why? Because Joseph knew he couldn’t afford the excess baggage of bitterness. So what should you do when you’re tempted to harbour bitterness? Do what Joseph did: he sustained his faith and hope in God, believed that things would ultimately work out well, and continued his spiritual life. When things go wrong, we often turn our back on the one person we need most – the Lord. When difficulties come our way, we say, ‘God, why did you allow this to happen?’ We start blaming God as if it’s His fault, instead of saying, ‘Lord, please handle this problem.’ God can take circumstances that are completely bad and turn them around. When people attempt to use situations to destroy you, God can use them to develop you. He delights in turning crucifixions into resurrections. The Bible says, ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you’ (James 4:8 NKJV). God comes by invitation, and as long as you keep talking to Him and trusting Him, He will work things out for you.

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

Here are two more things Joseph understood that you need to understand as well: 1) You can’t afford to give in to self-pity. Perhaps you’re going through a trial right now and you’re an innocent party – the victim of a situation you didn’t cause. Consider Joseph’s reaction when he was in a similar position. The first thing he didn’t do was succumb to self-pity. Why? Because it’s a major contributor to depression. Often when we experience a serious problem and our self-esteem is already at its lowest ebb, we start blaming ourselves and putting ourselves down. Joseph didn’t do that. He understood that the crisis he was in wasn’t of his own making, and he tried to look at it realistically. When you’re in a storm and you allow your boat to turn sideways, the storm will capsize you. Similarly, when storms come into your life, the best way to overcome them is to trust God and face them head-on, like Joseph did. 2) Never make a major decision when you’re depressed. Many times when we’re discouraged, we’re tempted to say, ‘I’m going to give up,’ or ‘I’m going to switch jobs,’ or ‘I’m going to move away,’ or ‘I’m going to file for divorce.’ Please don’t do that! When you’re downcast and despondent, your feelings are unreliable, your focus becomes blurred, and you lose your perspective when it comes to exercising good judgement. So what should you do? Trust God to bring you through it! Say with the psalmist, ‘In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?’

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