Good Words for Today
Light shines. Heaven arrives. Darkness defeated. Angels sighted. Jesus born. Caesar decreed. Census taken. Bethlehem full. Manger ready. Jesus born. Prophets spoke. Welcome Messiah. Unto us. Great joy. Jesus born.
"In manger poor the Babe He lies That made the world and rules the skies." From an early English carol called "I Heard a Mess of Merry Shepherds," ca. 161122
If the world had needed education, God would have sent a teacher. If the world had needed an army, God would have sent a general. If the world had needed more money, God would have sent a banker. But since the world needed a Savior, God sent a baby! That is the surprise, and the wonder, and ultimately the delight of Christmas. God did what we would never have done, and in so doing, he opened the door to heaven for all of us.
Lord Jesus, you loved the lonely and helped the hurting. Give me a heart like yours to spread your joy this Christmas season. Amen.
Christmas is for broken people who aren’t ashamed to admit it. The self-righteous need not apply. They missed him when he came the first time, and they still miss him today.
What are you waiting for today? Do not despair if the answer is slow in coming. Bethlehem proves the faithfulness of God. He answers our fears with a baby wrapped in rags.
Lord Jesus, grant me eyes of faith to see you as you are, King in a cradle and Lord of the universe. Amen.
Lord Jesus, we are amazed that you left heaven for people like us. Thank you for making a place for us in God’s family. Amen.
When we are at our wit's end, God is just getting started.
Here are three prayers to help you through the day: "Lord, have mercy." "Your will be done." "Give me a grateful heart."
God intends for you to struggle with sin so that in your struggle, you would be stripped of your self-reliance and begin to trust in God alone. Does the fact that you struggle make you a failure? No. It makes you an excellent candidate for the grace of God
Almighty God, increase my faith so that I might believe without wavering that you are greater than all my problems. Amen.
Feel free to disagree with God if you must, but you'll never win that argument. You're better off praying for grace to accept what you don't understand.
"I saw more clearly than ever that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was to have my soul happy in the Lord.” George Müller
Wise words for preachers: "Jesus didn't say, 'Feed my giraffes.' He said, 'Feed my sheep.' Put the hay on the lower shelf where God's sheep can get to it." J. Vernon McGee
Miracles come in many varieties. Some are outward and spectacular. Some are inward as God gives strength to his children as they suffer for him. Who’s to say which is greater?
“But if he doesn’t, you should know, Your Majesty, we’ll never honor your gods or worship the gold statue that you set up” (Daniel 3:18). If God doesn’t do what you expect, will you trust him anyway?
"Oh, for grace to let my trials bless me!" Charles Spurgeon
My Lord, thank you for loving us so fiercely that even our secrets cannot turn you away. Give us the courage to bring into the open those hidden things that keep us from you. Amen.
Lord, give me courage to do right today even when I'm tempted to do wrong. Amen.
Don’t get mad at your critics. You’re far worse than they know.
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way” (Deuteronomy 8:2). Praise is a choice. No one is forced into bitterness. Gratitude begins when you choose to remember what God has done for you.
"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
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV). God’s ability is “off the chart.” It can’t be measured. It’s so great that it can’t even be imagined. This verse is teaching us the exceeding, abundant, immeasurable, infinite ableness of God. There are no limits to what God can do. We can’t even imagine what God can do. His power is so great we don’t even know what we don’t know.
Lord Jesus, fill me with the knowledge of your will so that I want what you want. Bring me to the place where I will say, “Your will be done—nothing less, nothing more, nothing else." Amen.
Some people will only drag you down. Avoid them. You don't have to spend time with everyone who wants to spend time with you.
Christians who are embarrassed by hell will soon lose interest in heaven.
God intends to give you a hope and a future, but not without a trip to Babylon. The promises of God shine brightest when they are hardest to believe.
"He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25). The battle isn't over, and we already know who wins.
"Every saint has a past, Every sinner has a future." Saints tend to forget the first part, and sinners doubt the second part. Thank God, both parts are equally true.
"I am persuaded that men think there is no God because they wish there were none. They find it hard to believe in God, and to go on in sin, so they try to get an easy conscience by denying His existence." C. S. Lewis
“When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.“
You’ll never regret being kind today.
You came to Christ because someone prayed for you. It might have been a godly mother or father or a friend who witnessed to you or a pastor or a Sunday School teacher or a youth pastor or a deacon or a missionary or a fellow student or a coworker. Don’t think you came to Christ on your own. Someone lifted you before the Throne of Grace, and God moved from heaven to draw you to the Savior. If someone prayed for you when you were lost, won’t you do the same for someone else who needs Jesus?
The gospel is the central message of the Bible. Therefore, we must know it. The gospel is God’s plan of salvation. Therefore, we must believe it. The gospel is meant for everyone. Therefore, we must preach it.
God has given the church an utterly unique message. We say to everyone who will listen, “Go to the cross, and the cross will lead you home.” May we never be ashamed of the cross of Christ but preach it boldly as the only hope of the world.
"Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Oh, for grace to trust Him more!"
"Be sure your sin will find you out." This is a severe mercy from the Lord. Until your sin is uncovered, you will live in fear and shame. But once you face the truth, you discover the healing grace of God, and then you can be set free.
The believer who arms himself with the Word of God will never lack for a weapon in the battle. It answers all our doubts and all our discouragement. This is all we have and this is all we need. The church marches triumphantly when it relies upon God’s Word.
To a world that rejects authority, the church must declare the authority of God. The world says, “We want freedom.” God says, “If you want freedom, obey my Word.” We must proclaim the truth of God even to those who reject it because it is the truth that sets men free.