Get Good Words for Today
delivered directly to your inbox

Lord Jesus, you showed us how to stay clean in a dirty world. May your life be my example and your Word my guide. Amen.
August 30, 2016
Christians ought to be good citizens, we ought to support our leaders as far as we can, and we ought always to pray for them. But we can never give ultimate allegiance to any president, prime minister, king or queen, or any military leader. That’s why Christians have gotten in trouble over the centuries. We pledge our allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ. Any lesser allegiance is just that—lesser. We can’t give ultimate allegiance to any human leader even when we are of the same political party. In American terms, Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat. He’s far above partisan politics. He’s the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We owe our ultimate allegiance to him alone.
August 29, 2016
"Encourage the fainthearted" (1 Thessalonians 5:14). The word is very unusual. It literally means to be "small-souled." This group of people is easily discouraged and despondent. They are overwhelmed by stress and burdened with problems. They are discouraged because the courage they need, they cannot find. It especially includes those who shrink before persecution, who fall under great temptation, who face trials at home, at work, at school, who find the Christian life one continual struggle. Paul says we are to "encourage" them. That is, we are to put courage into them. The word means to appeal to the emotions. We should find these people and give them a little TLC—Tender Loving Care. Anyone can do this. You are perfectly qualified for this ministry. You don't need to read any books or attend any seminars. Take a look around you  There are people on every hand who need the help only you can give. Go ahead. Do it. Don't wait for anyone else. Who will you encourage today?
August 28, 2016
"Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence" Jude 24 NET). No blemish. No fault. No guilt. When we stand before the Lord, he will say, “Does anyone in the whole universe know any reason why this person should not enter heaven?” At that point there will be a loud silence as no one—not the angels or the demons, not the saints or the sinners—no one in all the universe will be able to bring any charge against God’s elect. We are very blemished now, but when we stand before the Lord, all our blemishes will be gone forever. Let that thought give strength to your heart today.
August 27, 2016
Only God can make you better. Think about that for a moment. Exercise improves your body, therapy may help your soul, friends may lift your spirit, good fortune may improve your circumstances, but only God can make you better. God is the author and source of all spiritual progress. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this fundamental truth.
August 26, 2016
There are miracles all around us if only we had eyes to see them. Our problem is that we look for outward, spectacular results when God’s work—like the tiny mustard seed—begins in a hidden place, inside the human heart. I know of no greater miracle than the transformation of a sinner into a saint by the grace of God.
August 25, 2016
We didn’t vote on Jesus. He’s not running for the office of Savior. He is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. He's the only Savior you will ever need.
August 24, 2016
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). We desperately need more peacemakers today.  There is so much war, misunderstanding, bitterness, double-crossing, anger, slander, lying, hatred, and bloodshed.  On every hand are ruined marriages, broken friendships, shattered relationships, broken promises, and so much heartache. In 1781 Ben Franklin wrote to John Adams, “‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ is , I suppose, for another world. In this world they are frequently cursed.” Unfortunately, that’s true. Be a peacemaker anyway. It's hard and sometimes thankless work. Do it anyway. So rare is this kind of person that when people see a peacemaker, they say, “There goes a child of God.”  And God smiles from heaven and says, “That’s one of my kids.”
August 23, 2016
A healthy marriage is the work of a lifetime. It is simply impossible for newlyweds to fully enter into a transparent relationship. That comes after years of hard work. Being newly married does have its own rewards, most notably the joy of taking the first few steps on a journey that will take a lifetime to complete. With God's help a good marriage gets better as the years pass. To take a very personal example, Marlene and I got married August 22, 1974. Forty-two years later, we are still together and still happy we said, "I do." That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  
August 22, 2016
We must lift up the cross because it is the only message we have. If we talk about politics, we may get a new leader in the White House, but we won’t change the hearts of people. All around us are people who carry a heavy weight of sin. They are sick in their hearts from the burden they carry. You can see it in their eyes, read it in their faces, hear it in their voices. They long for something better, they wonder how they can be free of their sin. Where can they go? All that we believe is wrapped up in the cross of Christ. It is the central truth of the Christian faith and the preeminent event of human history. The cross is our message, our hope, our confidence. It is our badge of honor and the emblem of suffering and shame. Let us love the cross, preach the cross, stand by the cross, and never be ashamed of the cross. Hold it high as the banner of our salvation. Lift it up as the hope of the world. There is no power greater than the power of the cross. It is the only power that can lift men and women out of their sins, release them from condemnation, give them new life, and set their feet in a new direction.
August 21, 2016
"Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn; Through the storm, through the night, Lead me on to the light: Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home."  Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey, 1932
August 20, 2016
Heavenly Father, in hard times I often do not know how to pray. May my trials lead me back to your throne where I can find grace to help in the nick of time. Amen.
August 19, 2016
"After failure, do you sometimes feel you have missed plan A for your life? If you do, then thank God for His sovereignty and the reality of Romans 8:28: We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Plan B or C can be just as great as plan A. You may think that you have made a lot of mistakes and taken a lot of wrong turnings in your life. Perhaps you feel you are on plan F or G. I say, ‘Praise God for a big alphabet’ and press on!" George Verwer
August 18, 2016
"Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think" (Romans 12:3). There is nothing more important for any of us than to obey the ancient maxim—Know thyself! This will be the work of a lifetime, to truly know your strengths and weaknesses, to understand your temptations, to look at yourself with sober judgment, and to find a way to use what God has given you without falling into the twin traps of vanity and false humility. When God’s people take Romans 12:3 to heart, we’ll see a change in the attitudes of people around us. Pride builds walls. Humility builds bridges.
August 17, 2016
When Jesus said, "I will build my church," he told us that the church itself is his creation. He is the General Superintendent of a building project that has been going on for 2000 years. Sometimes the Lord uses stones that crack under pressure. But the church goes on because it is built on the Rock that cannot be shaken.
August 16, 2016
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). The text literally reads, "Don't be conformed to this age." Why?  Because this "age" is coming to an end soon, and when it does everything about this age will crumble to the dust. We live in this present age. But this present age will not last forever. We know there is a better age to come when Christ will reign on the earth. We must live today by the values of tomorrow. We must live in this present age, but this present age must not live in us.
August 15, 2016
Sometimes Christians worry about whether their faith is strong enough to take them to heaven. They get scared and say, "I'm hanging on to Jesus. But what if I lose my grip?" That can happen. If your salvation depends upon your hanging onto Jesus, you could be in trouble.   It's like a little child who is hanging onto his father's finger. The child is doing well until he begins to slip. As he falls, the child accidentally lets go of the father's finger. But when the father reaches down, he doesn't grab a finger. He grabs a hand. When the father grabs hold of the child's hand, it's not the child hanging onto the father. It's the father hanging onto the child.   You are not going to heaven because you are holding on to Jesus. You're going to go to heaven because Jesus is holding on to you.
August 14, 2016
"The mercy and love of God are not meant to make us feel that we can sin and get away with it; they are meant to break our hearts that we will seek never to sin again." William Barclay
August 13, 2016
“Sin is the second most powerful force in the universe, for it sent Jesus to the cross. Only one force is greater—the love of God.” Billy Graham
August 12, 2016
In the kingdom of God the way up is down, the way to become great is to become a servant, the way to life is by dying to self and the way to have more is to give away what you have.  He who would find his life must lose it for Jesus' sake. And the road to the kingdom goes by way of the cross.
August 11, 2016
O Lord, teach me the joy of the yielded life. Bring me to the place where You alone are my greatest treasure. Amen.
August 10, 2016
Each year when we celebrate Easter, we are reminded that God’s ways are not our ways. The disciples were not expecting a resurrection, yet God answered with an empty tomb. We may rest assured that when we do our part God will not fail to do his. For the Christian, every day is Easter and every prayer an opportunity for God to surprise us with an unexpected answer.
August 9, 2016
"Christians belong in the public arena, working for both morality and justice in public policies—but without illusions. There are no quick fixes; politics alone cannot hope to change the character of a nation." Chuck Colson
August 8, 2016
True preaching is not sharing. It is not dialogue or discussion. When I stand behind the pulpit, I’m not having a dialogue with the congregation. This isn’t a large-group discussion. If you want to discuss something, we can go out for a Coke and we’ll talk for a while. Discussion is good and has its place, but that’s not what preaching is all about. Preaching is not dialogue because God is not negotiating with the human race. He has declared the terms of salvation (they couldn’t be better since he made it free for the asking) on the basis of the death of his Son.
August 7, 2016
"Rescue the perishing, Care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o’er the erring one, Lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save." Fanny Crosby, 1869
August 6, 2016
I pray for grace, dear God, to yield up anything that keeps me from discovering your best for my life.  Grant that the good may go in order that the best may come. Amen.
August 5, 2016
“He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). The hotter the fire, the more the pain but the quicker the gold comes forth. In the end you will be both approved and improved by God. Your trials are not wasted nor are they random acts of fate. You will be approved—found to be good. You will be improved—made to be better. I can’t tell you when your trials will end, but I do know this much: He’s an on-time God. You can’t rush him, but he’s never late either. When the appointed time has come, the fierce heat will dissipate and the gold of tested character will come forth in your life.
August 4, 2016
We ought to enjoy life. “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). Of all the people in the world, we should be the ones having the best time. After all, we know we aren’t going to live forever and we know where we’re going when we die. So have a blast while you last.
August 3, 2016
"Does he not see my ways and count my every step?" (Job 31:4). O be careful little eyes what you see O be careful little eyes what you see For the Father up above Is looking down in love Oh be careful little eyes what you see
August 2, 2016
Don’t ever be surprised by the hostility of rich and powerful people to the Lord and his people. If they hate Jesus, they will hate those who follow Jesus. The more you openly identify with Jesus Christ, the more you will face opposition from the world. It was so in the beginning, and it is the same today.
August 1, 2016
"Right is right even if nobody is right, and wrong is wrong even if everybody is wrong. God does not change the moral law to suit our behavior." Billy Graham
July 31, 2016
"Fear not, little flock, from the cross to the throne, From death into life He went for His own; All power in earth, all power above, Is given to Him for the flock of His love Only believe, only believe; All things are possible, only believe; Only believe, only believe; All things are possible, only believe."  Paul Rader, 1921
July 30, 2016
"The lower down we get the better. I frequently find that I cannot pray as a minister; I find that I cannot sometimes pray as an assured Christian, but I bless God I can pray as a sinner. I begin again with, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner,' and by degrees rise up again to faith, and onward to assurance." Charles Spurgeon
July 29, 2016
"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous" (Hebrews 13:5). Marriage is of central importance because it is one of the key ways in which God displays his glory in the world. The key word in that sentence is “glory,” which speaks of God’s greatness, his character, and his reputation in the world. God intends that your marriage display something of his character to the world. That leads us in some surprising directions: --Your marriage is not primarily about you, your husband or wife, your children, or your family. --Your marriage is not primarily about your own sexual fulfillment. --Your marriage is about God! Until we grasp this, we will never have a proper foundation for thinking Christianly about marriage. In the great debates convulsing our society, we must ask, “Where is God glorified in this?” It is never enough to say, “This is what I want.” Or “This is how I feel so it must be right.” We must ask, “How can we order our lives and all our relationships so to bring the greatest honor and glory to God?” Marriage is a witness to the honor and glory of God. Marriage is a window in time through which the world gasps a glimpse of eternity.
July 28, 2016
Most of us know the antiphonal chant between the pastor and the congregation that goes like this: Pastor: God is good. Congregation: All the time. Pastor: And all the time. Congregation: God is good. Somewhere I read that that chant started in the churches of Nigeria. When I mentioned that in one of my sermon emails, I got a note the next week from a lady in Lagos, Nigeria who said, “It’s true. We do say that in our churches. But we add something. After we say that chant, everyone then says in unison: ‘I am a witness.’” That’s good. That’s powerful. That’s biblical. Maybe you should stop right now and say those words out loud: God is good . . . all the time. And all the time . . . God is good. I am a witness!
July 27, 2016
"Unguarded strength is actually a double weakness, because that is where the least likely temptations will be effective in sapping strength. The Bible characters stumbled over their strong points, never their weak ones." Oswald Chambers
July 26, 2016
"Let your good deeds shine out for all to see" (Matthew 5:16 NLT). It is no great thing if you retire to your closet or go live in some corner of the desert where you are away from the world and then say, "I will live for Christ here." Likewise, you accomplish nothing if you adopt the world's standards. God bless those believers who can mix and mingle with the men and women of the world and still say, "I will live for Christ." That is true Christian greatness.
July 25, 2016
The Christian is a person who thinks not of his rights but of his debts.  We owe Jesus everything.  He bought us with the cost of his own life.  We are no longer free to do what we want, but only what he wants.  He bought us, he paid for us, we belong only to him.
July 24, 2016
How long are you going to allow your future to be defined by your past? How long will you choose to stay in your disappointment? Don’t despise your present because it’s not what you wanted it to be or because it’s not what your past used to be. Lay your disappointments at the foot of the cross. Let Jesus have them. Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there. Give thanks for all your blessings. Then by God’s grace, move forward with your life, determined to serve the Lord.
July 23, 2016
"Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people" (Ephesians 5:3). Somewhere I read a comment by Billy Graham that we now laugh at things that would have made us blush with embarrassment a generation ago. No doubt he is correct. What once was a red flag, we now ignore or even laugh at. If someone dares to raise a voice of concern, he is derided as a legalist or a bore or a narrow-minded fundamentalist. Why should the world have all the fun? Why can’t we go along with the crowd? We don’t have to do what they do, but we can enjoy watching them do it. I don’t think Paul would be impressed with that argument.
July 22, 2016