Good Words for Today

If you need a miracle, ask for one. There's no extra charge for big requests.

"In the beginning God" (Genesis 1:1). Wisdom begins with those four words.

You don't get to choose your neighbors. God sends the ones he knows we need. Some will be difficult and grumpy. Love them anyway.

"Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). Some questions to ponder: Am I up-to-date on my forgiving? Am I holding a grudge against anyone? Am I harboring any bitterness against any person? Am I talking too much about what others have done to me? Have I forgiven those closest to me who have hurt me so deeply? None of this is easy. Forgiveness will cost us a great deal. But we will be helped if we remember how much the Lord Jesus went through in order to forgive us. Jesus died to create a race of forgiving men and women. Forgiven people forgive people.

"God marks across some of our days,'Will explain later.'" Vance Havner  

"What are we to make of Jesus Christ?’ This is a question, which has, in a sense, a frantically comic side. For the real question is not what are we to make of Christ, but what is He to make of us?" C. S. Lewis

"A person without knowledge is no good. A person in a hurry makes mistakes" (Proverbs 19:2 GW). Slow down! That's a good word for the middle of a busy week. It's also a good word for the first day of Lent, the season of reflection that leads us to Holy Week. Across the centuries, Christians have used the metaphor of a journey to think about these days leading up to the cross. One translation of this verse says, "Being excited about something is not enough. You must also know what you are doing. Don’t rush into something, or you might do it wrong." Do you know where you're going today? If you don't, how will you know when you get there? Solomon is not advising us to stay in bed all day. Far from it. He's all in favor of decisive action. But before you launch out on this Wednesday, take a breath. Slow down. Make room for God in your life because without him you're just running in circles.

"Following Jesus seemed easy enough at first, but that was because they had not followed him very far." Robert Coleman

“My Lord, you have fought and won every battle. You are the undisputed Victor. When I am tempted to doubt, remind me of your unlimited power. Amen.”

"Live like someone died for you." Lecrae

"If I have . . . all knowledge . . . but do not have love, I am nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:2). No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.    

"An inheritance is what you leave for someone. A legacy is what you leave in someone. Let's leave legacies." Ken Whitten

In 1680 Joachim Neander wrote the hymn "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" based on Psalm 103 and Psalm 150. Here's one of the verses: "Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee! Surely his goodness and mercy here daily attend thee; Ponder anew What the Almighty will do, If with his love he befriend thee!" Those words call us to "ponder anew" what the Almighty will do. Take a moment to do that right now. Think about God's power. Marvel at his love. Consider his kindness. Remember how he has helped you in the past. Ask him to help you today. Here's a contemporary version of this great hymn by Fernando Ortega.

God's sovereignty is only bad news for those who reject it.

When people ask me if God can speak to them today, I always tell them not to worry about it. He's got your number on speed dial, and he can ring your phone any time of the day or night. And you won't be able to put him on call waiting either.

Plan your days and make a schedule, but always leave room for God.

"Thou, O Christ, art all I want, More than all in Thee I find." Charles Wesley

Jesus doesn't tolerate sin, but he does forgive it. If we want to get the gospel right, we must understand both parts of that sentence. If we miss the first part, we don't take sin seriously. If we miss the second part, we lose the grace of God.

“For the child of God, there are no accidents, only incidents” (Roy Zuck). That's the best one-sentence summary of Romans 8:28 I’ve ever seen.

God so delights to save sinners that he saves people I wouldn't save if I were God. But if knew myself better, I would be more amazed that he saved me. It's all grace all the time. Smile and be glad that God included you.

If our sorrows do not drive us nearer to God, then for all practical purposes they are wasted on us. How sad to stumble and then to suffer and to be none the better for it. And how much worse if we stumble and then suffer and then become bitter against the Lord or against other people. But how good it is when we can come to the end of a hard time and say, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word” (Psalm 119:67).

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace today. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Amen.

"Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine Inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art." From the hymn "Be Thou My Vision."

Lord Jesus, may I never be ashamed and never hesitate to pick up my cross and follow you. Amen.

You aren't good enough, and you never were. Will you admit that? Jesus is more than enough, and always will be. Will you believe that?

"Faith is not the absence of doubt; it is continuing to follow Jesus in the midst of doubt." J. D. Greear

"Leave behind your regrets and mistakes Come today there's no reason to wait Jesus is calling Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy From the ashes a new life is born Jesus is calling" "O  Come to the Altar" by Elevation Worship

Lord Jesus, forgive us for being complacent in an age of grace. Give us broken hearts for those who do not know you. Amen.

"Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered" (Proverbs 22:24). You don't have to answer every angry email or every cantankerous Facebook comment. Wisdom knows when to walk away. We used to sing, "It only takes a spark to get a fire going," but that song was about God's love. There is enough dry tinder in all of us that it only takes a few sparks from an angry person to set us ablaze. Better to walk away from an argument than to wish you had.

It’s good to think about Jesus. It’s better to follow him. It’s good to be excited about Jesus. It’s better to commit your life to him.

Thank you, Lord, for amazing grace that saved a wretch like me. Help me to keep believing for those who don’t yet know you. Amen.

There are no hopeless cases with Jesus. He’s not ashamed to hang out with drunkards and prostitutes and crooked tax collectors. Here’s a real shocker: He’ll even spend time with religious people if they want to spend time with him.

"I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments" (Psalm 119:60). Delay is deadly to the spiritual life. We can always find reasons to procrastinate if we don't want to obey God. How blessed as those who are eager to do God's will. Delayed obedience is disguised disobedience. May God make us quick to . . . Hear his Word, Seek his face, Repent of our sin, Forgive others, Speak for Christ, Serve others in Jesus' name.

"Whenever God means to use a man for big things, He breaks him into little pieces first." Charles Spurgeon

Have you prayed about it? You tried worrying, and that didn't help. You tried ignoring it, and that didn't help. You tried complaining, and that didn't help. Just do what God always intended for you to do. Pray about it.

Lord, if I can’t change the whole world, help me to improve my little corner. Amen.

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth" (1 Corinthians 3:6). We all have a part to play. Some plant the seeds, others water the ground, but only God can bring forth new life. Be glad for the part God has given you, and do it as well as you can. Don't spend time worrying about what anyone else does. Our job is to plant and water. If we do our part, God cannot fail to do his. Be faithful today. Harvest time is coming.

"To keep your marriage brimming, With love in the loving cup, Whenever you're wrong, admit it; Whenever you're right, shut up." Ogden Nash *Incidentally Mr. Nash titled this poem "A Word to Husbands." Just thought I'd throw that in for your consideration.

 "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up" (James 4:10). If we do not humble ourselves before the Lord, he will do it for us. Nebuchadnezzar learned that the hard way (see Daniel 4). God knows how to humble the proud. Better to humble yourself now and save a lot of heartache later.

Lord, help me to pick my fights wisely so that I won't be embroiled in arguments all day long. Amen.