Good Words for Today

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.

If you're not regularly challenged by what you read in the Bible, you're not doing it right. It's good to read the Bible. It's better to let the Bible read you.

"Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne. Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own. Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee, and hail him as thy matchless king through all eternity."

Lord Jesus, help us not to fear going slowly. We thank you that even when life seems to pass us by, and we feel like we've been put on the shelf, you’re not finished with us. Amen.

"Pray until you can pray; pray to be helped to pray and do not give up praying because you cannot pray. For it is when you think you cannot pray that is when you are praying." Charles Spurgeon

"God will not protect you from anything that will make you more like Jesus." Elisabeth Elliot

You don’t have to go to hell. God has provided a way of escape for you. But even God’s way of escape will do you no good unless you reach out and take it. If you ignore Jesus, there is no hope for you. God doesn’t have a Plan B for those who reject his Son.

"There is a name I love to hear I love to sing its worth It sounds like music in my ear The sweetest name on earth   Oh, how I love Jesus Oh, how I love Jesus Oh, how I love Jesus Because He first loved me"

Lord Jesus, grant that we would not be even slightly disappointed at the conditions around us. You have made us for times like these. Give us a new vision of the difference we can make in our world. Amen

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose I will not, I will not desert to his foes; that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake!" From the hymn "How Firm a Foundation," 1787.

God does not change, which means he will be there when we need him most. In the midst of our difficulty, when we have failed, when we say, “I deserve to go to hell,” the Father speaks from heaven and says, “I have made a promise, and I swore an oath. Your sin cannot cancel my grace.”

"For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you" (2 Chronicles 20:12). First, you must confess your need ("we have no power"). Second, your must admit your weakness ("We do not know what to do"). Third, you must focus on the Lord ("Our eyes are on you"). God loves to help those who admit they can't help themselves.  

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

"Be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). God is ready, willing and able to fill you right now. He’s more willing to fill you than you are to be filled. If for some reason you aren’t filled with the Holy Spirit, it’s not because of God’s reluctance. We do not have to beg God to do what he has already promised to do. Rather, he is begging us to make the way clear so he can do what he promised to do!

“What riches of kindness he lavished on us His blood was the payment, His life was the cost We stood 'neath a debt we could never afford Our sins they are many, His mercy is more.” Matt Papa