Good Words for Today
What good will it do to say to an unbeliever, “Be nice” or “Try harder” or “Clean yourself up” or even “Give money to the church.” That advice is dangerously misleading. Unbelievers can never really be nice or try harder or clean themselves up apart from God. And they don’t need to give money to the church. They need to be born again.
“For God so loved the world” is still true today.
Do you love Jesus? Good, then don’t be afraid to let the world know and don’t worry if others don’t understand.
Fear not. Satan will not win in the end. King Jesus will have the last word.
In this life there are many roads a person may travel, but only one that leads to heaven. The road to heaven starts at Calvary. Just keep walking in the blood-stained path of the crucified Savior and that road will take you safely home at last.
Our trials have an expiration date. God's mercy doesn't. Remember that when you feel like giving up.
When my father was dying, I received a phone call from my mother saying that we should come quickly to the hospital. That meant flying to a distant city to see him one last time. We packed a few things and hopped in the car to go to the airport. It was a Sunday afternoon and the streets were almost deserted. On our way, we passed by a billboard sponsored by a brokerage house with a digital sign that recorded the current change in the stock market. Because it was the weekend, there was nothing to report. The sign read +0.00. Plus Zero. A thousand times I would pass that sign by and think nothing of it. But that day the image stuck in my mind. I was on my way to my father’s deathbed to say goodbye. Humanly speaking, there was no hope at all. But to live to is hope, and I prayed that somehow my father might be spared. It was not to be, but out of the sorrow of those days I learned a great lesson. When hope is gone, life is gone. To hope is to believe in God in spite of what you see around you. It is to live in Plus Zero territory. Zero is what life often gives us. The Plus is what we have in God.
People tend to become what we believe them to be. They either live up to or down to our expectations. If you treat a man as trustworthy, he will strive to prove himself worthy of your trust. If you tell a child, “Take a big swing. You can hit that ball,” he’ll go to the plate and swing like Babe Ruth. If you treat your wife as if she is the most beautiful woman in the world, she will be transformed before your very eyes. That’s what Jesus did. To vacillating Simon, he said, “You are a rock.” To a prostitute, he said, “Your sins are forgiven.” To a woman caught in adultery, he said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” It is the simple power of believing the best and not the worst about people.
Lord Jesus, we pray today for those who are struggling to know you. Pull back the curtains of unbelief so that they might be filled with faith to believe in you. Amen.
When we say, “God, I’m afraid of the future,” the Lord replies, “Afraid of the future? My child, I invented the future!”
Music is a weapon of spiritual warfare. The devil hates it when we sing to the Lord. He hates our music because singing rouses our souls, gives us courage, lifts our hearts, restores our faith, builds our confidence, unites our voices, and lifts up the name of the Lord like a mighty banner. Music is not just preparation for warfare. Music is spiritual warfare. Lift up your voice, and you will see the salvation of the Lord.
If you cannot do great things for the Lord, do little things in his name. You will soon discover that little things become great things when they are done in Jesus' name.
Lord, do whatever it takes to make me happy in you. If that means making me miserable with the things of this world, so be it. Amen.
There are some lost people who will be saved tomorrow, and they have no clue about it today. We don’t know who they are, but God does! So pray fervently for God to bring in the harvest. So be ready to share Christ. So live with eager expectation. God is not finished yet!
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Corinthians 13:1). Life without love is zero. You can pile up all the good deeds, all the education, all the spiritual gifts, and all the noble works that you like. Without love, it still equals zero. You can be smart, beautiful, strong, wealthy, educated, multi-lingual, rich and famous, but without love it still equals zero.
Lord God, thank you for stepping into the confusion of my life and leading me forward. I still need your help today. Amen.
Daniel made up his mind not to compromise. God honored his convictions. That's why we’re still talking about him 2600 years later. The application is very simple. I dare you. Be a Daniel this week.
Father, thank you for being there even when I think you are not there. Amen.
Holy Father, when I was drowning in the deep water of sin, you pulled me to safety. Use me, Lord, to do the same for others who need to know Jesus! Amen.
"Stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say" (Ephesians 4:29 CEV). What is God saying to us? No more stinking speech! This is God's Word.
There are no interruptions in life. There are merely divine appointments God didn’t tell you about in advance.
Don't get angry at the lost. You were lost once too.
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT). The devil is hungry, and you're on the menu!
Jesus is not one among many ways to heaven. He is the way to heaven, the source of all truth, and the only one who can give us eternal life. Don't water it down. Don't apologize for it. It's the good news the whole world needs to hear. God has made a way for anyone, anywhere to be saved through Christ.
"When everything is going well in your life, beware! You are a prime candidate for a satanic attack.”
We never question the Lord's compassion when things are going well. But God's compassion is not measured by our circumstances. God cares just as much when the tempest is raging as when the seas are calm and the sun is shining.
Here's a prayer based on 2 Thessalonians 3:1. Insert the name of your town, your village, your neighborhood, or your city. “Lord, let your Word run through_______________. Let it run through the schools and the government, the banks and the stores. Unleash your Word in all the churches. May homes be filled with your Holy Word, beginning with ours. O Lord, turn your Word loose and let it run from _____________to the ends of the earth. Amen!”
Creator of the universe, give me eyes to see your handiwork, ears to hear your voice, and lips to proclaim your greatness. Amen.
All too often we conclude that something can’t be done so we don’t bother trying to do it. If Moses had taken that attitude, the Jews would still be in Egypt. If Joshua had felt that way, the walls of Jericho would still be standing. If David had adopted that opinion, Goliath would still be terrorizing the Jews. You never know in advance what God may do so don’t rule out the possibility of a mighty miracle coming your way.
Do not despair if you feel like you are alone. Trust in God and take the next step. If your current situation seems hard, remember that you are not home yet. God writes the last chapter.