Good Words for Today

Anything that makes us like Jesus is good for us.

"O how the world to evil allures me! O how my heart is tempted to sin! I must tell Jesus, and He will help me Over the world the victory to win." Elisha Hoffman, 1893

"We should, each one, ask ourselves, What place lies nearest to me, nearest in opportunity and hope of influence? To what friend, to what neighbor, can I speak a word or do an act that shall help to bring him into contact with Christ?" John Ker

In 1981 when President Reagan was nearly assassinated, his pastor from California came to see him in the hospital in Washington, D.C. Pastor Don Moomaw took the president’s hand and asked him, “How is it with you and the Lord?” “Everything is fine with me and the Lord,” replied Mr. Reagan. “How do you know?” The answer was simple and profound: “I have a Savior.”

"O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold, Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old, And win with them the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia, Alleluia!" "And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, Steals on the ear the distant triumph song, And hearts are brave, again, and arms are strong. Alleluia, Alleluia!" From the hymn "For All the Saints" by William How, 1864

“And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us; We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.” Martin Luther

Coming to Christ is not difficult. You don’t have to have strong faith. You can have weak faith as long as it is resting upon a strong object. And who could be stronger than Jesus Christ Himself?

How much faith does it take to go to heaven? It depends. The answer is not much and all you’ve got. If you are willing to trust Jesus Christ with as much faith as you happen to have, you can be saved.

"Thee I shall constantly proclaim, Though earth and hell oppose; Bold to confess Thy glorious Name Before a world of foes." Charles Wesley, 1749

We shouldn't make excuses for Jesus. He said he came not to bring peace, but a sword. He is the great divider of humanity. We do him no favors when we water down his claims.

With regard to death, there is bad news and good news. The bad news is that we're all going to die someday. The good news is, if you know Jesus, when you die you go straight to heaven. Which means that If you know the Lord, you're never really dead.

"A scared world needs a fearless church." A.W. Tozer

"I feel more affinity with unsophisticated believers than with the Christian elite. . . . I stand with the Bible-thumpers." John Frame

"Men who are strong are always men who are fixed somewhere, who have a conviction from which they cannot be separated by argument, which cannot be changed, whatever the circumstances in the midst of which they live. Sometimes these men are very narrow, but they are wonderfully strong; they are singularly obstinate, but they are splendidly dependable. Sometimes their convictions resolve themselves into two or three great fundamental truths, and they are never moved from them. Consequently, we always know where to find those men." G. Campbell Morgan

"Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your Holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen." Book of Common Prayer, 1662

When we ask God to make us like Jesus, we are really praying to be led to the Cross.

"Christ leads us through no darker rooms than he went through before, He that unto God's kingdom comes must enter by this door. Come Lord, when grace has made me meet, thy blessed face to see; For if thy work on earth be sweet, what will thy glory be! My knowledge of that life is small, the eye of faith is dim; But 'tis enough that Christ knows all, and I shall be with Him!" Richard Baxter, 1681

"Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail; Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end, Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend." Robert Grant, 1833

"Have fun at my funeral because I'm not going to be there." Tony Evans

"Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there." Joseph Scriven

We must live in this present age, but this present age must not live in us.

"Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that’s a tough call. That’s rebellion." Alice Cooper

Encouragement is not something that perishes in the using. The way to get more is to use what you've got. It increases by giving it away.

I pray for grace, dear God, to yield up anything that keeps me from discovering your best for my life. Grant that the good may go in order that the best may come. Amen.

Of all the people in the world, we should be the ones having the best time. After all, we know we aren’t going to live forever and we know where we’re going when we die. So have a blast while you last.

"Firm as the earth thy gospel stands, My Lord, my hope, my trust; If I am found in Jesus' hands, My soul can ne'er be lost." Isaac Watts

"God will put on us more than we can bear, but He will not put on us more than He can bear." Adrian Rogers

"Sin cannot hold a candle to grace." Robert Farrar Capon

"From all blindness of heart, from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness, Good Lord, deliver us." Book of Common Prayer

"It is well worth being the chief of sinners to have such a Savior." Alexander Whyte

"The Bride eyes not her garment, but her dear Bridegroom’s face; I will not gaze at glory but on my King of grace. Not at the crown He giveth but on His pierced hand; The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land." Anne R. Cousin

"The Gospel reminds me the mistakes I make don't define me. I am defined In Christ Alone. Mistakes are just information for getting better." Hugh Freeze

"If all men are offended because of Christ, let them be offended; but where is the sense of their being offended at something that is not Christ and is nothing like him? We do him singularly little honor by watering down his personality till it could not offend a fly. Surely it is not the business of the Church to adapt Christ to men, but to adapt men to Christ." Dorothy Sayers

“Anything under God's control is never out of control.” Chuck Swindoll

The skill of the shepherd is seen not in the sunlight but in the dark valleys.

Pray Until Something Happens

“God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through.” Francis Chan

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.” G. K. Chesterton

The truth is, our potential is very limited and the only untapped resources are the ones we discover when we come to the end and admit that we are limited but God is not.

Jesus’ appeal is always personal. He never says, “Come and join the church” or “Come and give money.” He simply says, “Come to me.”