Good Words for Today
Lord, we pray for all those lost in the darkness of sin. May the light of Jesus shine in their hearts today. Amen.
"For my pardon, this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus."
You'll never regret being kind. Try to remember that today.
"Hear my cry to you, Lord. Let your word help me understand." (Psalm 119:169 NCV). Since true understanding comes from the Lord alone we should have the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. The newspaper tells me what is happening in the world. The Bible tells me what it means.
"Even though America is just as wicked as Sodom and Gomorrah ever were, and as deserving of the judgment of God, God would spare us if we were earnestly praying, with hearts that had been cleansed and washed by the blood of Christ." Billy Graham
You can’t run away from the battle. When you hear the sound of cannon fire, you’ve got to pick up your weapon and head for the front line. It’s not enough to say, “I’m a Christian” when the battle is raging elsewhere. You’ve got to stand and fight where the enemy is attacking.
"Don't let success go to your head. Don't let failure go to your heart." Tim Keller
“Arrows shot at random hit targets appointed by God.” Erwin Lutzer
"I am with you always!" (Matthew 28:20). Goals for 2018: Live like Jesus is living in you. Love like Jesus is loving through you. Walk like Jesus is walking with you.
A good prayer for the the new year: "Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be." You can sing along with Bart Millard's fine rendition of this song.
Rejoice . . . remember . . . repent. Finish well. The Lord is on your side.
"Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I've come" These familiar words come from the second verse of "Come, Thou Fount," a hymn written by Robert Robinson in 1757. Back then a hymnwriter could pen something like "Here I raise my Ebenezer" and know that most of his readers would understand the reference. Today people think of Ebenezer Scrooge and wonder what that has to do with anything. The term "Ebenezer" means "stone of help" in Hebrew. After the Israelites won a great victory over the Philistines in 1 Samuel 7, Samuel set up a huge boulder as a marker of God's divine intervention. He called it "Ebenezer," meaning something like "God has helped us every step of the way, and this victory comes from his hand." To "raise an Ebenezer" means to remember God's goodness. There is no better time than the end of a year to declare what the Lord has done for you. Take a moment and look back over the last twelve months: How has the Lord helped you? When did he rescue you? What prayers did he answer? How has he helped your loved ones? When you stumbled, how did he pick you up? When you were grieving, how did he comfort you? Don't put 2017 to bed without thinking about the goodness of the Lord. Write it down. Share it on Facebook. Tell your friends. If you have seen God's hand at work, it's time to "raise an Ebenezer."
Lord, keep me far from temptation today because I am very weak. Increase my resolve to do right no matter what the cost. Amen.
"This is God’s universe, and God does things his way. You may have a better way, but you don’t have a universe." J. Vernon McGee
Lord, fill my heart with so much grace that the devil must flee when he sees me coming. Amen.
"There will be a glorious climax to human history. There is more to Christmas than the birth and death of Christ. There is also the ultimate triumph of God's Kingdom. At his Birth he was laid in a manger. At his death he wore a crown of thorns. But when He comes again, it will be as the Commander-in Chief of the Armies of Heaven. He will take control of this war weary world and bring the permanent peace for which we yearn." Billy Graham
“For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.” Charles Dickens
"O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today."
"In his name all oppression shall cease." We are not there yet, but we long for that day to come. We long for an end to shootings and bombings. We long to see hatred replaced with love and violence with peace. We long for our tears to be turned to joy. A light shines from Bethlehem that overcomes the darkness. Lord Jesus, you joined us in our sadness and pain. Shine your light in our hearts today and give us holy hope for better days to come. Amen.
"Hear the heart of heaven beating, Jesus saves Jesus saves And the hush of mercy breathing, Jesus saves Jesus saves Hear the host of angels sing, 'Glory to the Newborn King' And the sounding joy repeating, Jesus saves" Travis Cottrell
When God declared war at Bethlehem, he named a baby as his Commanding General. The babe became a lamb who is a lion. Victory is certain. Live undefeated today.
His kingdom will never end. Why would you follow anyone else?
This is a good day to remember the hurting, seek out the lonely, say a kind word, and sing a carol. Christmas is almost here!
"When the right time came, God sent his Son" (Gal 4:4). His time is not our time, but it's always the right time. That's how God works.
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.
"Child in the manger, Infant of Mary, Outcast and Stranger, Lord of all, Child Who inherits all our transgressions, All our demerits on Him fall."
Remember: Herod is not God. Sometimes we have to disobey. "They went back home by another road" (Matt 2:12).
"That he alone might have the first place in all things" (Colossians 1:18). There is no room for double occupancy in the Christian's heart.
"Don't let the sun go down on your anger" (Ephesians 4:26). There is a divine time limit on your anger. Ignore it at your own peril.
In 1915 J. Wilbur Chapman preached a sermon at Montreat Conference Center in North Carolina on Psalm 45:8, "All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made you glad." As Dr. Chapman emphasized what Jesus left behind when he came from heaven to earth, Harry Barraclough felt the Lord nudging him to write a song. He gave the words to Charles Alexander who introduced the song to the great crowd at the conference center that night. It soon became a beloved favorite of evangelical churches around the world. We don't hear it much nowadays, and it isn't often thought of as a Christmas song, but it is most fitting for this season of the year. Take a few moments to ponder the words of the chorus: Out of the ivory palaces Into a world of woe only His great, eternal love Made my Savior go. I found a beautiful acappella version with the words superimposed above the singers.
An unforgiving Christian is an oxymoron. We forgive because we have been forgiven. When you refuse to forgive because "they don't deserve it," you've forgotten what Jesus did for you.
When God wants to save the world, he starts in a manger.
We sometimes say, “God helps those who help themselves,” but that’s not found in the Bible. It would be more accurate to say God helps those who can’t help themselves, and aren’t ashamed to admit it.
"Sweet little Jesus boy They made you be born in a manger Sweet little holy child We didn't know who you were Didn't know you'd come to save us Lord To take our sins away Our eyes were blind, we could not see We didn't know who you were"
"By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27). Lord, help me to see "him who is invisible" so that I might not be bothered by the anger of those who do not see you at all. Amen.
Speak the truth, but speak it in love. If you can't do that, you'll be better off not saying anything at all.
Christmas proves how far God will go. He doesn't wait for an invitation. He doesn't wait for us to come to him. He shows up and light explodes in our darkness. He moved into our neighborhood and made himself at home. He gave up heaven to rescue you. That's how far God will go.
"I thank God for the mountains, and I thank Him for the valleys, I thank Him for the storms He brought me through. For if I’d never had a problem, I wouldn’t know God could solve them, I’d never know what faith in God could do." From "Through It All" as sung by Andrae Crouch
Preachers, tell us what God has to say. We don't need political commentary or movie reviews. Give us the Word of the Lord. PS After you tell us, tell us again. We tend to forget.
Who needs a good word from you? Say it. Who needs your wisdom? Share it. Who needs your love? Give it.