Good Words for Today
Our friends watch to see how we will respond to tragedy. They want to know if what we say we believe is enough for us in the hard times. And further in the distance, others watch what we go through. Many of them are unbelievers who wonder if Christ is real. They don’t know, they aren’t sure, maybe they’ve read the Bible, maybe they haven’t, but they’re watching how we respond to mistreatment, malicious accusations, sickness, the loss of a job, the end of our marriage, a career setback, a financial collapse, and from the shadows they watch us to see if what we have is real or not.
"For my pardon, this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus."
Hard times come to teach us not to trust in ourselves, but only in the Lord who raises the dead. Most of us are adept at handling the “moderate” problems of life. We can deal with cranky children or a prickly boss or a bad case of the flu or a pile of work that gets dumped on our desk. We understand normal pressures, and we learn how to deal with them. But sometimes things happen that strip the gears of life and force us to our knees and sometimes all the way down so we are flat on the ground. At that point, when all human options are foreclosed, our only hope is the Lord. We cry out to God in desperation, knowing that if he doesn’t help us, we’re sunk. That’s a lesson we must learn over and over again.
Lord, grant me tenacious, winsome courage as I go through this day. When I am tempted to give up, help me to keep going. Grant me a cheerful spirit when things don’t go my way. Give me the courage to do whatever needs to be done. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
General Robert E. Lee was once asked his opinion of a fellow officer who was widely known as one of Lee’s greatest detractors. The general responded that he thought the man a very fine officer. “But General,” his questioner replied, quite perplexed, “I guess you don’t know what he’s been saying about you.” “Oh, yes I do,” replied Lee. “But I was asked my opinion of him, not his opinion of me.”
We are like ants crawling across a painting by Rembrandt. We crawl across the dark brown and think all of life is dark brown. Then we hit green and think, "Oh, this is better. Now all is green." But soon comes the dark blue and then a splash of yellow, a streak of red, and then another patch of brown. On we journey, from one color to another, never realizing that God is painting a masterpiece in our lives using all the colors of the palette. One day we will learn that every color had its place and nothing was wasted or out of place.
Doubt your doubts, not your faith. This simply means you should not cast away your faith because you are in the deep valley of darkness. All of us walk into that valley from time to time. Some of us spend a great deal of time there. When you find yourself in that valley where all is uncertain and you are sorely tempted to give in to your doubts, fears and worries, remember these two words: keep walking. You may be in a valley of doubt today, but you don’t have to stop and build a condo there. The only way out is to keep on walking. Every step forward is a way to “doubt your doubts.” Soon enough the light will shine again.
One part of loving our enemies is greeting them graciously when we see them. Sometimes instead of turning the other cheek, we turn away so we won’t have to say hello to someone who hurt us. Some of us have been quite adept at looking the other way, ducking into a room, crossing the street, or even using Caller ID to keep from greeting people we don’t like. But if we only greet our friends, what benefit is that? Do not even sinners greet each other? One part of loving your enemies is to greet them instead of avoiding them. Smile, shake hands, and say hello to your enemies. It’s a good first step.
The world says, “Get even.” God says, “Seek the good of those who have harmed you.” The world says, “Get angry.” God says, “Pray for them.” The world says, “Don’t waste time loving bad people.” God says, “Love them anyway.”
Many of us have hardened places in our lives that will not become tender until we go through the fires of affliction. God lets that happen so we are equipped to reach out to others and comfort them.
When the Bible tells us to "be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18), it means that the power for living the Christian life comes from God and not from us. God wants to fill us with His Spirit! You will be filled when your need becomes your great desire. Over and over again. Every time.
Don’t let your doubts keep you from Jesus. Come to him just as you are—and bring your doubts with you. He never turns an honest doubter away.
You can hate your enemies, or you can pray for them. But you can’t do both at the same time.
When faced with someone who has mistreated you, ask God to do for them what you want God to do for you. Seek the same blessing for them that you seek for yourself. Think of it this way: The greater the hurt, the greater the potential blessing that will come when we forgive from the heart and by God’s grace bless those who curse us.
My Father, all your ways are right. When I am tempted to do wrong, remind me of the joy that comes from following your plan. Amen.
Joy is the deep satisfaction that comes from knowing God is in control, even when my circumstances seem out of control.
Whatever you have to do today, God will equip you to do it. No matter how hard the road ahead, God has already started mending your nets and arming you for battle. He never calls you to any hard task without giving you what you need to get the job done.
Even after I depart from this earth, and even if all my prayers are not answered, I can rest assured that God will continue to care for my family. What a source of comfort this is. After I'm gone, God's faithfulness will persist for our children, our grandchildren, and even for the great-grandchildren who are yet to be born. I do not know how much time we have left until we reach the end of our earthly road. But this I know: That road is paved with God’s love and faithfulness. And we need not be afraid.
Holy God, quicken my heart that I might worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen.
The good news is, you can stand up to temptation. The bad news is, you may end up losing your popularity in the process. After all, the world crucified Jesus. Why should you and I expect to get off any easier?
"Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." Garth Brooks
The cross stands at the center of our faith. Take away the cross, and we have no message to share, no hope to offer, no Good News to proclaim to the world. Our message is exceedingly personal. Jesus did not die for a vast, unknown mass of humanity. He died for you! He died for me! Take away that truth, and you reduce Christianity to a set of moral instructions. The gospel becomes good advice, nothing more. Only the death of Christ can move us to the supreme sacrifice of life. He had to be the Son of God for his death to change us. He had to die to forgive us. He had to rise to save us. A dead Christ saves no one. Only the empty tomb can guarantee our salvation.
In heaven we will take all our gifts and talents and put them at the disposal of the Lord. For all eternity we will find ourselves growing and learning while celebrating the amazing grace of our Sovereign God. That’s why death for the believer becomes the Great Adventure, the doorway to glory, the entrance to an unending journey beyond our wildest imagination. Traveling to the stars pales by comparison.
Don't be friends with everyone. Some people aren't good for you. In fact, some people drag you down. Put those people out of your life as much as possible. That's why Paul said, "Evil company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33). One version says, "Bad friends will destroy you." Find some friends who lift you up. Let the others go. That's the good word for today.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer once remarked that church is where all illusions are shattered. We see each other up close and personal so we see all there is to see. It’s not always a pretty sight. But that is okay too. Through our pain and tears, in good times and in bad times, as we laugh and play and pray together, in our singing and in our serving, we discover each other, and somehow we see Jesus. When Paul says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27), he uses the plural, not the singular. It’s not as if he’s talking about one person only (though Christ does indwell us individually), but it is also Christ in you and among you, in the whole congregation, in the whole messy glorious gathering we call the church.
We all tend to blame something else or someone else when we fall into sin. But it’s not the devil who made us do it, nor is it some titillating scene or some irritating person or some questionable relationship. We can’t blame our parents or our grandparents, and we can’t blame our DNA. Those things are factors in the equation, but the inner urge belongs to us. We can’t lay that off on people or circumstances. No one makes us sin.
Will we know our loved ones in heaven? The answer is yes. If in heaven I am still joined to my nation, my tribe, my own people, and if I still speak my own language, how could I be a stranger to my own loved ones? Such a thought is impossible Life in heaven will not be the same as life on earth, but we will not be strangers in heaven if we were friends on earth. We will know fully even as we are fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).
"Being a Christian isn't for sissies. It takes a real man to live for God — a lot more man than to live for the devil. If you really want to live right these days, you gotta be tough." Johnny Cash
Two thousand years ago Jesus came back from the dead never to die again. He was taken up to heaven where he now sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. One day soon he will return to the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And in that great day, the dead in Christ will rise first. Let's start the party now and dance and sing for our Lord has conquered the grave. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
Keep the faith, brothers and sisters. Yesterday our Lord was crucified. Today his body lies in the tomb. Tomorrow he rises from the dead. Saturday can seem like a long day–and it is–but be of good cheer. The crucifixion is behind us, Saturday will not last forever. Keep believing, child of God. It's Saturday, but Sunday's coming!
"I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary, To view the cross where Jesus died for me How marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul He looked beyond my fault and saw my need." Dottie Rambo
If you do not want Jesus as your Savior, you will one day face him as your Judge.
Lord Jesus, in this shaky world you are the Cornerstone of the ages. Help us to build our lives upon the foundation that will never be moved. Amen.
What thou, my Lord, hast suffered was all for sinners’ gain; Mine, mine was the transgression, but thine the deadly pain. Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve thy place; Look on me with thy favor, and grant to me thy grace. From "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded." Attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, ca. 1150 A.D.
The church is not a gathering of perfect people. If it were, every church on earth would be empty. The church is a gathering of very imperfect people who come to worship a perfect Savior.
Perhaps you’ve heard it said this way: “Don’t pray for God to bless what you are doing. Find out what God is blessing and go be a part of it.” That strikes me as wise advice. God blesses those who get excited about his plan to bless the world through Jesus.
God’s will is more like a sunrise than a sunburst. Early in the morning, the sun begins to peek above the eastern horizon. At first the sky lightens, then the first rays streak across the sky, then the rim of the sun begins to rise slowly above the earth. Eventually, the whole sun is revealed, rising until it dominates the sky, giving light to the earth and driving away the darkness. God’s will is like that. At first, we see his plan dimly, and then the outline begins to emerge. Slowly, over time, the clouds vanish, the darkness disappears, and the brightness of his presence fills our lives. Do you get anxious at sunrise when all you can see is the tiny rim of the sun? If you wait long enough you will see the sun in all its brilliance. The same is true of God’s plan for your life. You never see everything in advance, but if you wait long enough, God always reveals his will.