Good Words for Today

Of all the things that plague modern Christianity, nothing is more troublesome than spiritual indecision. We can't decide which team we're on. In the great battle between light and darkness, we live in the twilight. We say we're on Team Jesus, but we struggle about which uniform to wear. We can say it more succinctly. If you're going to be a Christian, be one!

"Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyway." John Wayne

You will never make an impact on the world until you are willing to be disliked. As long as you make popularity your goal, you will never make waves or swim against the tide. But if you ever decide that faithfulness to God matters more than popularity with the world, you can be like Elijah, who defeated the prophets of Baal and saved his nation.

If we are willing to obey, God will take care of the details. He can send the ravens to feed us when the world has forgotten us.

Death cannot destroy the promises of God.

We all have a job to do, and we will be happier in it if we realize that most everyone else we know will be doing something different. Our challenge is to do what we do with grace, courage, zeal, and humility, and leave the judging of others to the Lord.

If God is for us . . . We have a Friend in high places. The angel of the Lord encamps around us. Christ will never leave us. The peace of God will fill our hearts. The Holy Spirit will lead us. The joy of the Lord will be our strength. The devil cannot defeat us. We will not give in to fear. If God is for us, who can be against us?

You can have the pleasures of sin or you can have the joy of the Lord, but you can't have both at the same time.

Don't gossip about the weakness of others. Pray about it, and keep moving. You've got more important things to do.

Sin does not cease to be sinful just because it has become fashionable.

Prince of Peace, show me what it means to be a peacemaker in a world filled with war. Amen.

Christ has won the victory. He is risen indeed! No one can put him back in the grave.

Love is a choice. You’ll find out what that means when you decide to love someone who hates you.

My God, you are the Lord of the changing seasons of life. Without you, I could hardly face tomorrow, but as long as you are with me, I will have no fear. Amen.

Over 100 times the Bible tells us to "fear not." That ought to be enough to carry us into the new year. How have you seen God's faithfulness this year? What prayers has God answered? When did God come through for you or your loved ones? Sleep well tonight. God's grace carried us through 2025; His promises will lead us into 2026.

“Soon He’s coming back to welcome me,     Far beyond the starry sky; I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown,     I shall reign with Him on high.”

Lord, help me to appreciate what I have while it is still mine to enjoy. Amen.

Only two things in this world are eternal—the Word of God and people. It only makes sense to build your life around those things that will last forever. The Word of God will last forever. People last forever. Everything else disappears.

Spirit of God, make me more like Jesus today. Amen.

May God deliver us from a casual relationship with Jesus. We can get so comfortable with our Lord that he no longer amazes us. When that happens, miracles vanish because we no longer expect them. Don’t take Jesus for granted! Deliver us, O Lord, from casual Christianity. Open our eyes to see you as you are—the mighty Son of God from heaven. Amen.

In order for Christ to be our Savior, three conditions had to be met: He must be a man. An angel could not die for our sins. He must be an infinite man. A mere mortal could not bear the infinite price that had to be paid for our sins. He must be an innocent man. A sinner could not die for the sins of others. The Virgin Birth guarantees that our Lord fulfills all three conditions. Because he was born of Mary, he is fully human. Because he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, he is fully God. Because he was born holy, he is sinless in thought, word, and deed. Thus he is fully qualified to be our Savior. Joy to the World! The Lord is come!

Christ gained nothing by becoming man because all things belonged to him already. We who had nothing at all gained everything when God became a man.

"He came down to earth from Heaven, Who is God and Lord of all. And his shelter was a stable, And his cradle was a stall. With the poor and mean and lowly, Lived on earth our Saviour Holy." From "Once in Royal David's City," Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848.

The scribes in Jerusalem knew so much but did so little. The Wise Men knew so little but did so much. Don't fall into the trap of thinking your knowledge will save you. It won't! God give us the faith of the Wise Men who came so far to meet Jesus. Wise men still worship Him!

We sometimes hear that Christmas proves how important we are to God. After all, he sent his Son to save us. That's true, but it's not the whole story. Christmas proves how messed up we are. Jesus didn't come for perfect people because perfect people don't need a Savior. If you don't see yourself as a sinner, then Christmas is just another holiday. But if you are willing to admit that you are lost, then you can be found. Christmas is for broken people who aren't ashamed to admit it. The self-righteous need not apply. They missed Jesus when he came the first time, and they still miss him today.

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Joseph had to give up his own ideas about how things should be done. It’s the same with us. We have to let go of our ideas and let God work his plan. Then the miracles happen.

Promises made. Promises kept. That’s not just a slogan. That’s Christmas in four words.

Here's a good word for every pastor who stands in the pulpit. Don't forget the people who come to hear you week after week. Many are struggling, some are just barely hanging on. They need to hear from God, so tell them the truth with clarity, compassion, and conviction. Preach so that God's weary children will find the courage to believe all over again.

Christmas reminds us God is God and we're not. He can arrange for a virgin to become pregnant. He can cause a Roman emperor to order a census at precisely the right moment in history. He can ensure the baby will be born at exactly the place prophesied 700 years earlier. He can bring together angels, shepherds and Wise Men to celebrate that miraculous birth. And he can take a tiny baby born in a stable and make that baby the Savior of the world. Now if God can do all that, what are you so worried about?

Too many people worry that their faith is not strong enough to save them. But that's the wrong place to start. If you begin by looking at yourself, you will end up in doubt and despair. My faith isn't good enough or strong enough, and neither is yours. We aren't saved by trying hard to believe in Jesus. It is Christ who saves us by faith. Do you see the difference? When we come to Jesus, we have nothing to bring, nothing to offer, nothing to give him. Even our faith feels too small. But Christ saves us because we have come to him with our faltering faith, filled as it is with imperfection and shot through with doubt. Do not look to your faith to save you. Look to Christ! When you do that, he will save you, and you will realize that all you did was reach out like a drowning man reaches for a life ring. That wasn't much, but it was enough because it is Christ who saves us by faith.  

When God wants to save the world, he starts in a manger.

The world had no room for Jesus 2000 years ago, but he came anyway. He still comes to every heart that makes room for him.

In times of trouble, remember this: There is no crisis in heaven.

No church is perfect. We have our good days and we have our bad moments. We doubt and worry and fret and fuss and question. We rejoice and we glorify God together. Christ is there in all of it. Sometimes that’s where you see Him best.

You can make all the speeches you want and announce your long-range plans, your ten-year goals, and your personal objectives, but just remember this: When you are finished, God always gets the last word. What a relief to realize that God is God and you're not. Now you can rip that big G off your sweatshirt.