No Bad News

April 29th, 2025

SCRIPTURE: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God,” Ephesians 2:8

“When I wake up in the afternoon, which it pleases me to do; Don’t nobody bring me no bad news. Cause I wake up already negative and I’ve wired up my fuse. So don’t nobody bring me no bad news.”

Imagine waking up everyday already negative and wired up. Imagine how the rest of your day will be if it starts off that way. In the movie, The Wiz, Evilene- the Wicked Witch of the West spent her waking moments angry and negative and yet she did not want any negativity/bad news brought to her. I guess that makes sense since she is already filled with negativity. Now imagine if she was told “The Good News”. Imagine if she was told that Jesus loves her so much that He gave His life for her (John 3:16). That any bad deeds in her past can be forgiven by accepting Christ as her personal savior and that forgiving the past deeds of others can free her (Ephesians 4:32). That information is life changing. Imagine her getting bad news but knowing she has a Savior to lean on. If Evilene had been told that she could cast all her cares on the Lord because He cares for her (1Peter 5:6-7) oh how her life could have been different.

Bring some message in your head or in something you can’t lose.
But don’t you ever bring me no bad news,
If you’re gonna bring me something, bring me something I can use,
But don’t you bring me no bad news!

Oh, what better news can you bring a person than the knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. And it is useful for all who accept it. There is no better news than telling a person of the redemptive power of Jesus. What better news is there than knowing that when you accept Christ all sins are forgiven and that no one is better than you because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 8:28). And let’s not forget that the gift of salvation is free. Our sins were nailed to the cross with Christ. His blood literally covered our sin debt. And when we verbally acknowledge that we are sinners, believe in our hearts that Christ died for us and rose from the dead, our slate is wiped clean and our spot in heaven secured (Romans 10:9). There’s no better news than that. So, don’t bring anyone bad news instead bring them the Good News!

Prayer: “I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within sinking to rise no more. Then the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry. From the waters lifted me now safe am I.” Lord, thank You for Your saving grace. What greater news is there than that? When all looks bleak, when we choose to be negative, hateful, and unhappy there is a Savior just waiting to snap those chains of depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and despair. The Savior is waiting to do what nothing or no one else can do and that is give you peace in all situations and eternal life through the redemption love of Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord, for the resurrection power that frees us from sin. In the matchless name of Jesus, Amen.
Sis. Pat Towns (Lyrics from The Wiz, “No Bad News” by Charlie Smalls) (Lyrics to “Love Lifted Me” by Kenny Rogers / Howard E. Smith / James Rowe)