Good Words for Today

God loves it when his people dare to trust him.

"How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds In a believer’s ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear." John Newton, 1779

In light of all that Christ has done, we are invited to trust him as Lord and Savior. But this is not merely an option we can take or leave as if we might find a better offer somewhere else. To say that God commands us to believe in Christ means that if we refuse his offer of eternal life we will regret our wrong decision for all eternity.

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it grow" (1 Corinthians 3:6). Our work apart from God means nothing. Without our work, there is nothing to grow. Do not despair if all you are doing is planting seeds. That's where it all begins. Sometimes we are planting and waiting. Sometimes we are watering and waiting. If we do our part, God will not fail to do his. Harvest time is coming. You can count on it.

Sometimes we just have to let go. How hard that is for most of us. Letting go doesn’t exactly mean giving up. It doesn’t mean passively sitting by while the world takes advantage of us. Letting go means giving up the right to always be in control. Letting go means admitting that you aren’t calling all the shots. Letting go means that you choose not to manipulate others. Letting go means admitting that you don’t have all the answers. Letting go means yielding your frantic emotions to the Lord. Letting go means resigning your position as Boss of the Universe.  

"My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame But wholly lean on Jesus’ name." Edward Mote, 1834

Our situation is so hopeless that salvation must come from another place. We need help that comes from outside ourselves. We are not saved by what we do but by what Jesus Christ has done for us.

"My plea is that all of us who love the gospel of Jesus and who love people will not shrink back from speaking boldly and clearly and wisely about the whole counsel of God, including the wonderful truth that Jesus delivers from the wrath of God. Nothing is more terrible than to be the deserving object of the just and omnipotent wrath of God. The world, and everyone in it, needs to know that God has made a way of escape through Jesus Christ. This knowledge is essential to the gospel we preach." John Piper

"Has Christ put away your sin? If he has, be as happy as the days are long in the sweet summertime, and be as bright as a garden in the month of June, and sing like angels, for you have more to sing about than angels have." Charles Spurgeon

"Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share, But our toil He doth richly repay; Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, But is blessed if we trust and obey." John H. Sammis, 1897

Lord, how quickly we doubt Your goodness while traveling through the wilderness. Thank You for never leaving us even when we feel alone and overwhelmed. Amen.

I need a God who is bigger than all my problems. Sometimes I feel my need; often I don't. But feelings don't matter in any case. I desperately need the Lord. And so do you. So do we all.

If you live long enough, you'll have to face some hard times and some deep disappointment. That's part of the process of growing to spiritual maturity. At this point in my life, I am more aware than ever of my own limitations. I find myself increasingly glad that we worship a God whose power is unlimited, who never grows weary, whose plans will not be defeated, and whose ways are far beyond our own. What a comfort to serve a God like that.

"Let not conscience bid you linger, Nor of fitness fondly dream; All the fitness he requireth Is to feel your need of Him." Joseph Hart, 1759

"But you have come to Mount Zion" (Hebrews 12:22). The precise Greek word means “to come near.” It has the idea of coming in the presence of someone or something. Think what this means for us: We’re not far from heaven. We’re not far from the angels. We’re not far from our loved ones in heaven. We’re not far from God. We’re not far from Jesus himself. Let that thought give strength to your heart today.

What will the next fifty years bring? I don't know the answer to that question. But this much is certain: The gospel that was handed down to us will still meet the needs of the future. The Bible that we believe will still have the answers for the next generation. And the victories that are yet to be won will be accomplished in the strength of the Lord.

Persecution is a terrible thing, but unfaithfulness is far worse.

There is a time to pray and a time to act. At some point you've got to head down into the valley and pick up five smooth stones.

Faith means doing what God has told you to do, even if you don’t fully understand the reason why.

"The Christian life is a process of God breaking our idols one by one" Elisabeth Elliot

"We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Bear the news to every land, Climb the steeps and cross the waves; Onward!—’tis our Lord’s command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!" Priscilla Jane Owens

Life is like a roll of the dice, but God is in charge of how the numbers come up.

“I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me." Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Feet stink. That’s why they need washing. It’s not always fun, but you can wash feet if you don’t mind being a servant instead of a big shot.

Will you obey God today?

Lord Jesus, help me to live today so that in 10,000 years I will have no regrets but will be glad I lived for you. Amen.

I know a whole handful of miserable, grumpy Christians, and I think I know what is wrong with most of them. They have decided that they're going to keep the body of Christ at arms length and they're not really going to get involved. They are not going to join the church. They are not going to really get involved and they are going to sit on the fence and watch as things go by. They're going to stick their toe in and pull it out and stick their toe in and pull it out and that's all they're going to do. Generally speaking they are the most miserable, grumpy people in the world because joy comes when we make the commitment to walk together. It comes when we jump off the diving board into the deep end of Christian togetherness. When we really begin to love each other and live together and work together and pray together and walk together and serve together—then joy comes. God set it up that way. When we make that commitment to the body of Christ, joy comes. Something happens together that could never happen when we're apart.

"Lord, let at last Thine angels come, To Abram's bosom bear me home, That I may die unfearing; And in its narrow chamber keep My body safe in peaceful sleep Until Thy reappearing. And then from death awaken me That these mine eyes with joy may see, O Son of God, Thy glorious face, My Savior and my Fount of grace, Lord Jesus Christ, My prayer attend, my prayer attend, And I will praise Thee without end." This is the 3rd verse of "Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart" by Martin Schalling, ca. 1571.

Christ has won the victory. He is risen indeed! No one can put him back in the grave.

"On a hill called Calvary There stands an endless mercy tree Every broken weary soul Find your rest and be made whole." Krissy Nordhoff and Michael Neale

God is giving us an unshakable kingdom. It’s ours. Guaranteed. Therefore, we can afford to share the things of this world with others. It can’t last much longer anyway.

Jesus will give you everything you need to do everything he calls you to do.

"Taking my sin, my cross, my shame Rising again I bless Your name You are my all in all." Dennis Jernigan

"If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me." Robert Murray McCheyne

"These are serious times in which we’re living, and I am convinced that we are facing one of three things: either the blackout and the annihilation of civilization as we know it; or the second coming of Jesus Christ; or else a global revival. One of three things. I pray God that we can see a global revival. There is nothing in the Scripture that says we cannot have a great spiritual awakening of gigantic proportions before our Lord comes." Adrian Rogers

"And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul." Horatio Spafford

If you had a bigger God, you wouldn’t worry as much. If you had a bigger God, you would be stronger in the moment of crisis. If you had a bigger God, you would be less tempted to compromise.

"It's me, it's me, O Lord, Standing in the need of prayer. Not my brother, not my sister, But it's me, O Lord, Standing in th need of prayer."  

Your present condition does not determine your final destination. God has said that all his children will one day be with him in heaven. Some of us have an easier road through this life; others a much harder path. But we all get there the same way—by the grace and mercy of God.

We sometimes say, “God helps those who help themselves,” but that’s not in the Bible. It would be more accurate to say God helps those who can’t help themselves and aren’t ashamed to admit it.