Good Words for Today

"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.

"Are you a Christian?" The Oregon shooter told the students who answered yes they would meet God in one second, and then he shot them. Jesus welcomed those martyrs into heaven. They were ready to answer the question. Are you? #YesIAmaChristian

When we walk in purity, God is greatly glorified and we are greatly satisfied.

"Come all saints and sinners, you can't outrun God Whatever you've done can't overcome the power of the blood." David Crowder

Those who misuse others will someday be called to account for it—if not in this life, then in the life to come. The scales of justice will be balanced in the end.

"While I wait for the smoke to clear You don't even have to speak Just sit with me in the ashes here And together we can pray for peace To the one acquainted with our grief." From "Not Right Now" by Jason Gray 

"There is a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel’s veins. And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stain." William Cowper, 1772

When we stand before the Lord, we may be surprised to know that our bottom line and his aren’t quite the same. He won’t ask how much money we made or lost or how many cars we owned or whether or not we climbed to the top of our profession. His question on that day will be much simpler: “Were you faithful in doing the task I gave you to do?” If we can answer yes, our time on earth will have been well-spent.

"Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul, Thank you, Lord, for making me whole; Thank you, Lord, for giving to me Thy great salvation so rich and free." Seth and Bessie Sykes, 1940

If you have the courage to open your heart to Jesus, he will come in and transform your life into something more beautiful than you ever imagined possible.

"Sometimes I disagree with God. No times have I been right and He wrong." R. C. Sproul, Jr.

When we trust in Christ, God covers our sin, he removes the inner stain, he wipes our personal record clean, and then he releases us from our guilt so that we are set free.

"When I walk through the shades of death Thy presence is my stay; One word of Thy supporting breath Drives all my fears away." Isaac Watts

Forgiveness means giving grace to those who don't deserve it. If people deserved forgiveness, they wouldn’t need it.