Good Words for Today
Lord Jesus, so many of us have been sleepwalking through life, going through the motions, and ignoring the needs around us. Teach us to count our days and then teach us to make our days count. Wake us up, Lord! Shake us up! Do it for our good and your glory. Amen.
Plan for today: Less grumbling, more gratitude. Less worry, more prayer. Less fear, more faith.
Gracious Lord, save us from investing in things which will not last. Help us to live so that in 10,000 years we will have no regrets. Amen.
Will anyone be glad to see you in heaven? Will anyone hug your neck and say, “Thanks for making sure I got here?”
"When was the last time we dirtied our window by pressing our nose up against it, waiting for Jesus to return?" Philip De Courcy
Lord Jesus, I pray for faith to trust you even when I think I have a better plan. Amen.
“We are always in a fever to do something for God. We’ve forgotten that the first thing God wants is that we be something for him.” Alan Redpath
You don't have to push yourself forward. God knows your name. He knows where you are. He knows what is best. Let God lead and all will be well.
When God wants to show us his will, he gives us a flashlight, not a road map. We are given just enough light to peer into the darkness and take the next step.
When you invite the devil in, don't be surprised when he doesn't want to leave.
It's not wrong to plow a field, but if your plowing keeps you from Jesus, you'd better burn the plow.
God's call most often comes in the midst of our daily routine. He called David while he was tending his father's sheep. He called Peter when he was a fisherman and Matthew when he was a tax collector. We are far more likely to encounter God by getting out of bed and getting busy doing our job than if we stay in bed waiting for a dream or a vision.
You are not in a position to estimate your own effectiveness. When you think you have won, don't be so sure. When you think you have failed, let God render the final verdict.
All other ground is sinking sand.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for mercy that reaches us in our most desperate moments and never lets go. Amen.
The only obedience that counts with God is complete obedience. Partial obedience is just another name for disobedience.
"The fool vents all his feelings, but the wise person keeps them to himself" (Proverbs 29:11). You don't have to say everything you're thinking, and most of the time you shouldn't.
“God has deep pockets full of mercy.” Mark Pritchard
You’ll never know if Jesus has the power to help you until you really need his help. You’ll never know if Jesus is with you until you decide to go somewhere in his name.
Nothing dispels doubt like speaking up for Jesus. Pick up your sword, enter the arena, and your doubts will begin to disappear.
We need patience when we talk to unbelievers. When lost people say foolish things, we may be tempted to retaliate with unkind words of our own. That’s almost always a bad idea. It’s like cursing a blind man because he can’t see the color green.
"Come, every soul by sin oppressed, There's mercy with the Lord; And he will surely give you rest, By trusting in his Word." Refrain: "Only trust him, only trust him, Only trust him now. He will save you, he will save you, He will save you now."
My Lord, if I should have less than I want today, may I be content in the knowledge that I already have everything I need. Amen.
Lord Jesus, deliver me from an impatient spirit today. Amen.
"Jesus! what a Friend for sinners! Jesus! lover of my soul; friends may fail me, foes assail me, he, my Savior, makes me whole."
No one will ever be able to escape judgment by saying, “The devil made me do it.” No, he may have tempted you, but you did the sinning all by yourself.
If Jesus paid it all, you don’t have to. If you try to pay for your salvation, it means you don’t think he paid it all. There is no middle ground between those two propositions. God is not trying to sell you salvation. He doesn’t offer salvation at half-price. And you can’t split the cost with him or pay for your sins on the installment plan. God is offering you salvation free of charge. Jesus paid in full so you wouldn’t have to pay anything.
"There is nothing small in the Christian life--nothing so small that we can combat it in our own strength. Apart from God, the smallest temptations will be more than a match for us." F. B. Meyer
"Dark is the stain that we cannot hide; What can avail to wash it away? Look! There is flowing a crimson tide; Whiter than snow you may be today."
Good motives do not excuse sinful behavior. Wrong is still wrong even if you had a good reason for doing it.
If you dare to stand up for what you believe, you may end up like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. You’ll be standing while everyone else is kneeling. Nebuchadnezzar won’t like you very much. Soon enough, you’ll discover how hot the fiery furnace can be. But the good news is, Jesus is with you in the fiery furnace. That’s where he makes himself known.
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of his glory and grace."
Without Jesus, our plans are doomed to fail. Until we realize how helpless we are, we will depend on our money, our organization, our staff, and our connections to make things happen. But when we at long last come to the end of our hoarded resources and cry out, “Lord, this is impossible. Help!” all heaven comes to our aid.
The best missionary work always begins at home. Everyone is either a missionary or a mission field. Which are you?
If we do not move toward Jesus, we must inevitably move away from him. No one can stay neutral forever.
"If the church went back to its main task of preaching the Gospel and getting people converted to Christ, it would have far more impact on the social structure of the nation than ... any other thing it could possibly do." Billy Graham
"And when my task on earth is done, when by thy grace the victory's won, e'en death's cold wave I will not flee, since God through Jordan leadeth me."
“Occasionally, weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face. Trust God. And embrace the life you have.” John Piper02
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” George Orwell
When you are discouraged, Jesus is praying for you. When you feel like giving up, Jesus is praying for you. When you want to get even, Jesus is praying for you. The Lord of the universe is praying for you right now. Let that thought give strength to your heart today.