Good Words for Today
"Let God be great in the assembly of his people; let him be lifted up as he is revealed to us in Jesus Christ, and joy will fill our hearts. If the services of the church are dull, it is because He has been left outside." James Denney
"A minister without boldness is like a knife without an edge. If men will be bold to sin, ministers must be bold to reprove them." William Gurnall
"Yours is the kingdom, the power & the glory forever. Amen." (Mt 6:13). It's his kingdom we seek, his power we need, & his glory we desire. Years ago a friend told me he prayed this verse every morning because it focused his heart in the right place. I can testify that this verse has had the same impact in my life. Many times I have prayed like this: "Lord, let your kingdom come even if my kingdom must go." "Lord, let your power be manifest even if my power disappears." "Lord, let your glory be seen and let my glory fade away." Praying like that reminds me that everything depends on God, and that's a good way to start the day.
Lord, teach me to pray and give me a heart for prayer so that when I am gone, people will remember that I prayed for them. Amen.
"Oh, dear friends, you may rejoice. God has laid no embargo upon rejoicing; he puts no restriction upon happiness. Do believe it that you are permitted to be happy. Do believe that there is no ordinance of God commanding you to be miserable." Charles Spurgeon
Loving Lord, We truly believe that all things work together for good to those who love you. When we are tempted to sin, give us wisdom to choose the way of escape while we have the chance. May we not trifle with sin and so be brought down in shame and disgrace. Give us a strong desire to do the right thing no matter what it costs. Help us to see your fingerprints even in the hard experiences of life. May our trials make us more like Jesus day by day. Amen.
Lord, help me to appreciate what I have while it is still mine to enjoy. Amen.
“By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise” (Hebrews 11:9). It is a false and dangerous theology that says, “If I trust God, everything will work out fine and all my dreams will come true.” Many times the very opposite seems to be true. Too many people follow Jesus for the wrong reasons. What did you sign up for? A picnic in the park? A tea party? Jesus calls you to take up your cross daily and follow him. We may have to live in tents for a while. Who can say what tomorrow will bring? Our challenge is to be like Abraham and cling to the promises of God no matter what happens. We may have to say at some point, “We would rather die with the Lord than live without him.” In God’s time every promise will be fulfilled. Meanwhile, we watch and wait and walk by faith.
Every church should post a sign that says, "Sinners Welcome!" You would never run out of prospects.
God will not waste the tears and prayers of his children. When God gives a heavy burden for prayer, I believe it is because he intends to answer that prayer sooner or later.
Somewhere I ran across this wonderful sentence: God does not recruit heroes. No, he doesn’t. Not many mighty are called, not many noble, not many powerful, not many great as the world counts greatness. God doesn’t go for the big names to populate heaven. He takes ordinary folks and then does extraordinary things through them. But even that isn’t the full story. When God wants to recruit some front line soldiers for his army, he goes into the enemy camp and rounds up a handful of the orneriest, meanest, toughest, roughest, wildest looking sinners he can find. Then he draws them to Christ, saves them, justifies them, converts them, sanctifies them, cleans them up, fixes them up, dresses them up, and then he sends them out to do battle in the service of the King of Kings. That’s the point Paul makes in Romans 5:6-9 when he says that we were “powerless,” “ungodly,” “sinners,” and even “God’s enemies.” But even so, Christ died for us that he might reconcile us to God. Thus does God turn his enemies into his friends.
"When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan" (Proverbs 29:2). True leadership always begins with character—a fact we overlook to our own peril. The real power of politics comes from the moral character of the person holding high office. Although a leader may hide behind opinion polls and a favorable economy, in the end what he or she is will eventually be found out. No one can escape the moral dimensions of leadership.
So many of us look at a difficult situation and pray, "Lord, change my situation." That's not usually God's will. Much more often the difficult situation has come as a means of making us grow spiritually. God often brings difficulty into our lives to deepen our total dependence upon him. When that happens, we ought to pray, "Lord, change me so that I can face this situation." That's a prayer God is pleased to answer.
"He knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I will come forth as gold" (Job 23:10). You can have an easy life, or you can have a deep faith. You can't have both. There is no gold without the fiery furnace.
Let these six simple words lift your spirits: “God is God, good, and great.” God is God—be humbled. God is good—be encouraged. God is great—be thankful.
Spirit of God, I pray for the grace not to be overly surprised by anything that happens to me today. Amen.
This week I've been reading about Charles Alexander, a man previously unknown to me. During the early 1900s, he was known around the world for his gospel music ministry with R. A. Torrey and J. Wilbur Chapman. He was to those preachers what Cliff Barrows has been to Billy Graham. During a crusade in Toronto, a young convert told pianist Robert Harkness that he feared he could not "hold out" because he thought his faith was too weak. Harkness asked Miss Ada Habershon of London to compose a song that would help those who felt their faith was too weak. The result was a lilting gospel song called "He Will Hold Me Fast." Charles Alexander began to use it in crusades in Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, and eventually in the US, to great effect. Once one of the most-loved gospel songs in the world, eventually it was almost entirely forgotten. Here the original lyrics: When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast; When the tempter would prevail, He can hold me fast. Refrain He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast; For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast. I could never keep my hold, He will hold me fast; For my love is often cold, He must hold me fast. Refrain I am precious in His sight, He will hold me fast; Those He saves are His delight. He will hold me fast. Refrain He’ll not let my soul be lost, Christ will hold me fast; Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast. Refrain Several years ago Matt Merker revived this century-old song by giving it a new musical setting with an additional verse. Click on this link to watch the video: He Will Hold Me Fast This wonderful song reminds us we are not kept by our feeble hold on Christ but by his strong hold on us.
“Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about'" (Genesis 22:2). There are times in life when obedience must be immediate. If you stop to argue, that in itself is a form of disobedience. If you try to talk God out of it, that too is disobedience. If you offer an alternate plan, that is also disobedience. Blessed are those who obey and leave the results with God.
"Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18 CEB). If you refuse to give thanks in every situation, you are virtually saying that you know better than God how to run the universe. By giving thanks when we don’t feel like it, we are proclaiming that God’s wisdom is greater than ours. That simple act of giving thanks in the midst of sorrow and heartache is worth more than 10,000 words when things are going well.
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.
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.
"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?
"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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.”
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.
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.
"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
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.
"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
"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.
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.
"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.
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.
"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
“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
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.
O Lord, teach me the joy of the yielded life. Bring me to the place where You alone are my greatest treasure. Amen.