Living Today
Articles from Christian teachers and leaders. Designed to help you as you follow Jesus here in Vanuatu
The Word for Today encourages Teachers and Students
We got this encouraging testimony from Lilian who is a teacher in Vanuatu to our UCB Vanuatu team... Thank you for all that you are doing. It's touching lives. I am a teacher and I find it very helpful in helping my students know about the love of God. All the...
A Testament of Healing: How The Word for Today Guided Me Through Cancer
The following powerful testimony is from Tomu in Fiji... A women shared about her journey since she started receiving, her copies back in 2021. She shared with me how God came through for her during her most difficult time since being diagnosed with breast cancer two...
Seasons
We all experience different seasons in our lives. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from...
Relationships
Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is, for the brethren to dwell together in unity. Relationships are such a part of our lives that at times we forget how important and necessary they are. Every part of our day is revolved around different forms of relationships. Imagine a life with no relationships? We would be like a person stranded on a deserted island. Yes, at first it might be alright, (especially for introverts), but after a while without any other human contact, we...
The Voice
The fundamental truth is that as “followers of Christ”, we need to know the voice of our Father BUT in a world with so many voices bombarding us all the time, this is not only hard but can be very confusing. John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me. We have voices telling us how to do just about every part of our lives. Who to vote for, what we identify ourselves as, what is right or wrong. You name it – the voices are plentiful and loud. As believers, God...
A Fathers Heart
Despite having 21 years to prepare a father of the bride speech for my daughter wedding last week - it’s hard as a father to keep reminding yourself that “your little girl” isn’t that little anymore - she has grown up into a beautiful women. There are many great privileges a father gets to have with his daughter. Things like Blowing bubblegum bubbles A high five that stings Learning to whistle First bike ride Rollercoaster introduction Using power tools Fits of laughter and moments of tears...
The Cross at Easter
The cross is an important symbol during Easter, reminding us of the incredible sacrifice Jesus made. Despite all of our struggles and pain, the cross reminds us we are not alone in this world. We can find strength and comfort knowing that Jesus has already saved us from our sins. It’s this hope for redemption through Christ’s death on the cross that makes Easter such an integral part of Christian tradition. Stu Millar from Train to Proclaim recently shared on Vision Chrisitan Media his...
Who am I? Part 1
Ever struggled with “who you are?” You know… that voice that says you are defeated, or have nothing, or not beautiful etc. Have a read of these LIFE GIVING VERSES then remind yourself that IN CHRIST… you have everything you need. I AM - God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God 1 Peter 1:23 Forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood Ephesians 1:7 / Hebrews 9:14 / Colossians 1:14 / 1 John 1:9 / 1 John 2:12 A new creature 2 Corinthians 5:17 The...
Living out Faith in a Hostile World
You don’t have to look any further than the most recent headlines to see that we live in uncertain times. Many people think the world has never been more hostile to Christians than it is now, especially since the cancel culture continues to target people who aren’t seen as politically correct. Being a Christian in a deeply secularised society is a growing challenge. Everyone’s truth seems to be accepted unless you’re a Christian. So how do we live out our faith in such a hostile world? With...
Blessed to be a Blessing
Numbers 6:24-26 says Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. If we could shrink the Earth’s population into a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following. There would be: 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the western hemisphere, both north and south, 8 Africans 52 females; 48 males 80 living in...
When All Seems Lost
Now what? That’s something that all of us have said to ourselves at one time or another. In his new message, ‘When All Seems Lost’, Pastor Jeff Vines covers the topics of marriage and keeping relationships strong. Jeff offers encouragement for those of us who are struggling with chaos and feeling lost. God does not give His law arbitrarily. When God tells us He wants us to live in certain parameters and by certain precepts, He does it because He loves us. If He’s the creator and sustainer of...
Compassion and Action
The crewmembers on board Logos Hope all left their homes at one point to come on board the ship to live and work together with others from around the world. They exchanged their familiar environments for a very unique accommodation – a ship – which sooner or later they also call their home for a specific amount of time. They all do know though, that there are many people in the world, who are longing for a place to stay in which they can experience peace and safety. The refugees who leave...
Be sensitive to others
‘Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.’ Philippians 2:4 NIV
Often, we are unaware of the other person’s needs in a relationship or friendship. We become calloused [hardened]. We stop listening. We’re oblivious to the pressure they’re under. Simply stated, the root of many problems in a relationship is insensitivity. Everyone you meet needs kindness. The people who sit around you in church have major hurts; you’re just unaware of them.
We find a great example of sensitivity in the life of King David. David’s friend, Jonathan, Saul’s son, had been killed. Now, safely enthroned for several years, David made a rare request. He asked if anyone was left in Saul’s family that he could help. He discovered Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet. When David sent for him, Mephibosheth almost certainly thought he was going to be killed because he was a member of the enemy’s family from the old dynasty. But David said to him, ‘Don’t be afraid… for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father, Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’ (2 Samuel 9:7 NIV)
Mephibosheth felt like a dog and expected to be treated like one and replied, ‘What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?’ (2 Samuel 9:8 NIV) One of the dangers of success is that the pressures that accompany it can make you insensitive towards others. David was gracious and sensitive to Mephibosheth’s needs. Ask yourself if there is anyone you need to become more sensitive towards, and then ask the Holy Spirit for help to do it.
SoulFood: Gen 47-49, John 19:25-42, Ps 150, Ecc 5:10-12
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©