Good Words for Today

You do not win the lost by living like the lost. You win the lost by loving the lost and living like the saved.

Christ is now in heaven praying for us. What a marvelous thought this is—and what a balm for troubled souls. When I am down in the dumps, Jesus prays for me. When I falter under the load, Jesus prays for me. When my faith gives way, Jesus prays for me. When I fight a losing battle against temptation, Jesus prays for me. There’s even more than that. Often when I am asked to pray for someone, I can’t seem to find the appropriate words, and I feel as if my prayers are in vain. But Jesus in heaven comes alongside me, takes my pitiful prayers, and transforms them into powerful petitions before the throne of God, as does the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27). When I can’t pray, when the words won’t come, Jesus prays for me.

"Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection and the life . . . Do you believe this?' (John 11:25-26). This is a canyon question which makes sense only during an all-night vigil or in the stillness of smoke-filled waiting rooms. A question that makes sense when all of our props, crutches, and costumes are taken away. For then we must face ourselves as we really are: rudderless humans tailspinning toward disaster. And we are forced to see him for what he claims to be: our only hope." Max Lucado

If Jesus’ death is not enough for you, there isn’t a Plan B. If you refuse to come to Christ as Lord and Savior, then the door of heaven will remain shut to you.

Have you ever wondered why God called himself by the name “I AM” in the Old Testament?  Certainly it has to do with his eternal existence, but there is also a word of personal encouragement in that name. Think of it this way. Who is God to you?  According to his name, he is the essence of whatever you need at the moment.                         “I am your strength.” “I am your courage.” “I am your health.” “I am your hope.” “I am your supply.” “I am your defender.” “I am your deliverer.” “I am your forgiveness.” “I am your joy.” “I am your future.” In short, God is saying to you and me, “I am whatever you need whenever you need it.”  He is the all-sufficient God for every crisis.

"Keep your hand in that of the Master, walk daily by His side, so that you may lead others into the realms of true happiness, where a religion of hate, (which poisons both body and soul) will be unknown, having in its place the 'Golden Rule' way, which is the 'Jesus Way' of life, will reign supreme." George Washington Carver

Before a worship service one Sunday, I chatted with a friend I ­hadn’t seen for many months. He and his wife have been through a series of incredibly difficult experiences over the previous two or three years. Although he had no idea what I would be preaching on, he grabbed my hand and said, “Tell the people that God is faithful. Tell them those three words: God is faithful.” Then he added, “I haven’t always been faithful, but God has been faithful to me.” Good theology saves you from despair when hard times come.

The worst our enemies can do is kill us. But if they kill us, we go to heaven where we will live with Christ forever. If we lose, we win! So go ahead and stand strong, be bold, live for Christ, endure hardship, stand up for what you believe. The worst that can happen is the best that can happen. Our future is secure because it doesn’t rest on us; it rests on the faithfulness of God.  

"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret" (Proverbs 11:13). One reason hurting Christians often drift away from the church is that they simply cannot trust fellow believers to keep their struggles private. How many churches have split because someone began spreading rumors and revealing secrets! How many believers are defiled because we are too curious, too quick to pry, and too prone to repeat things in public that would be better dealt with in private. God bless those believers who can keep a secret. They bear a burden only God knows. Remember, you don’t have to tell everything you know. If you can’t keep a secret, don’t listen to it in the first place. Lord Jesus, I pray to become the kind of person others can trust with their secrets. Amen.

Sometimes we think, "I wish so-and-so would hear this sermon. They really need it." You might be right. Maybe they do need it. But you probably need it more than they do. Take heed to your own soul first. Take the log out of your own eye first, and you will see more clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

"Everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to do the dishes." Michael Horton

"It's time for the reborn to stand up for the unborn." Russell Moore

"Christ came into the world to save others, not to save himself; and no man is a true Christian who does not think constantly of how he can lift his brother." Woodrow Wilson

There are no limits to what God can do. We can’t even imagine what God can do. His power is so great that we don’t even know what we don’t know.

"Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on When we shall be forever with the Lord. When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored. Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past All safe and blessed we shall meet at last." From the hymn "Be Still My Soul," by Kathrina von Schlegel, 1752.

"Great men cultivate love...only little men cherish a spirit of hatred." Booker T. Washington

Lord, thank you for closed doors that kept me from going in the wrong direction. Amen.

"Only when we as individuals see the evil that is within will we find an answer for the evil that is around us." Ravi Zacharias

"I have a message from God for you" (Judges 3:20). Sometimes delivering God's message means saying things people don't want to hear. It's better to be faithful and unpopular than cowardly and loved by all. PS Read Judges 3:15-23 to get the context.

"My life-long experience as a business man, and as a Christian worker among young men, has taught me that the only power in this world that can effectually keep one from sin, in all the varied and often attractive forms...is that which comes from an intimate knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as a present Savior." George Williams, founder of the YMCA, in 1905

"Faith is not believing in spite of evidence but obeying in spite of consequence." Warren Wiersbe

During his life, William Cowper suffered mightily from depression. In 1773 he wrote a poem that became a hymn called "God Moves in a Mysterious Way." If you are going through a hard time, let these verses encourage your heart: "Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head." "Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face."

We are like ants crawling across a painting by Rembrandt. We crawl across the dark brown and think all of life is dark brown. Then we hit green and think, ‘”Oh, this is better. Now all is green.” But soon comes the dark blue and then a splash of yellow, a streak of red, and then another patch of brown. On we journey, from one color to another, never realizing that God is actually painting a masterpiece in our lives using all the colors of the palette. One day we will learn that every color had its place, had a reason, nothing was wasted or out of place. Just as there is a time and a season for everything, there is also a color for every stage of life’s journey.

"Author of my hope Maker of the stars Let me be Your work of art Won't You write Your story on my heart?" From the song "Write Your Story" by Francesca Battistelli.

"You cannot judge God by your calendar. God may appear to be slow, but he never forgets his promises." Tim Keller

“Christ Jesus took hold of me" (Philippians 3:12). The whole Christian life can be found in those six words. Christ found me. Christ saved me. Christ has a purpose for my life. The supreme purpose of my life is to discover his purpose for me!

“God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him.” Hudson Taylor, pioneer missionary to China

Near the end of his life, the Apostle Paul said, “I have finished the race" (2 Timothy 4:7). No matter what happened to him, he just kept moving forward by the grace of God. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time, one day at a time. He wasn’t deterred by opposition because he knew it was coming eventually. Our problem is that we’re surprised by trouble. We think the Christian life ought to be easy. It’s not easy, and it’s not supposed to be easy. Today is the day of struggle, combat, warfare. Today we march to battle in the name of the Lord. The day of rest comes later.

Procrastination destroys many good intentions. More marriages die because of slow neglect than from deliberate desertion. Things essential and basic are neglected every day. We mean to say a word of encouragement, but we never get around to it. We mean to write a letter, or make a call but it never gets done. We mean to share Christ with a neighbor, we intend to get serious in our Christian faith. We hope to pray more, we want to read the Bible. We have great dreams and high ideals, but time and neglect and the trivia of life sap our strength and divert us until the day comes when our resolve is gone, our marriage has grown cold, our children have left home, our spiritual life has grown dull. Yes, come now, do it now, serve God now. What you would do for God, you can do, but you must not delay.

"It is a miracle that you are saved, and it is a miracle that you are STILL saved!" H. B. Charles Jr.

Gracious Lord, give me grace to take my stand with Jesus today and never to be ashamed of him. I care not what others say. I will follow Jesus! Amen.

Good thought to start the year . . . I’m not as strong or as wise as I think I am, but God is stronger and wiser than I can imagine.

Happy New Year to everyone who reads these words. The Captain of our Salvation has called us to join his army. Brothers and sisters, it’s time to put on your marching shoes! The cry comes from the front, “Forward by faith.” And off we go, adventuring into this new year. May God help us to press on to serve the Lord in 2016!

  Though most of us have never sung this hymn (if I have, I don't remember it), the message seems especially appropriate for a day when we sum up the year just ending and think about what God has for us in 2016. We could hardly do better than to ponder these words written by Charles Wesley in 1762. He took his inspiration from the Bible commentary of Matthew Henry on Leviticus 8:35. From that unlikely verse (which has to do with the ordination of priests under the Old Testament law) came commentary that led to a hymn that calls each of us to end this year committed more than ever to do the Master's will. "A charge to keep I have, A God to glorify, A never-dying soul to save, And fit it for the sky. To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill: Oh, may it all my pow’rs engage To do my Master’s will!"  

Proverbs 3:6 promises that God will make our way straight as we trust him, but it doesn't tell us how he will do that. Sometimes we get too mystical about God’s will. We want dreams and visions and odd things to happen to us. God doesn’t always work that way. More often God works through the mundane details of life. As you use the means at your disposal, God takes those means and works through circumstances to see that his will is done in your life. That may include some events that seem quite miraculous to us. But whether or not we see the miraculous, our responsibility is to use the information we have to make wise plans for the future.

There are three qualifications for those who would serve the Lord: The first is love. The second is love. The third is love. (See John 21:15-17)

"Heaven came down and glory filled my soul, When at the cross the Savior made me whole; My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day, Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!" John W. Peterson

For those who face loneliness during this season of the year, take comfort in this fact: God’s answer to loneliness is not a theory or an abstract doctrine or a book to read or a seminar to attend. It’s not a better job, more friends, another movie to watch or another song to sing. And it’s not even the beauty of a sunrise or a sunset. God’s answer to loneliness is wrapped up in a person—Jesus Christ. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. He is the only one who will never leave you or forsake you. Loneliness can be overcome through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Do you know him?

In an interview with David Frost on PBS, Billy Graham said he hoped the last word he uttered before dying was simply this: “Jesus.” We can’t do any better than that.

"Good Christian men, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice; Now ye need not fear the grave: Peace! Peace! Jesus Christ was born to save! Calls you one and calls you all, to gain His everlasting hall. Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!" Originally in Latin and German. Translated into English by John M. Neale in 1853.