Run

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2

The New Testament authors portray the Christian life as a race - not a sprint but a marathon.

We run the race through a grace-empowered pursuit of repentance and faith.

Repentance: "Let us run... laying aside every weight and sin". (vs. 1)

Can I identify consistent areas of temptation and struggle? 

Am I fighting against sin on a daily basis?

Are there weights which need to be laid aside-things that may not be sinful in themselves-that are keeping me from a fuller enjoyment of God?

Am I humble enough to invite others to help me cultivate a life of repentance?

Faith: "Let us run...looking to Jesus. (v.2-3)

Is my Christian faith fixated on my failures or successes?

Do I tend to live by a list of do's and don'ts?

Do I find it difficult to respect Christians or churches who don't see things as I see them?

Am I taking ten looks at Christ for every one look at self?

Thanks Pastor Matt!!!

What You Leave Behind

Life, physical life, has a time limit!

Life, spiritual life, is eternal!

Both are God given!

The really big question is, what are you leaving behind when your physical time is up?

Will your legacy be one of never ending benefits to those you know?

Do you stand on God's word?

Do you pass that word of hope through Christ on to those who seek Him?

There is no hope without Christ!!!!

God had ordained Him Lord of all!!!!

Tell the world!!!

11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?

12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.

13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.

14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,

16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.

17 For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." 

18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

20 And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,

21 but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'" 

22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,

24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.

25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. - Hebrews 7:11-28

How Do I Get More Light?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” Psalm 119:34

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Is God righteous? Yes! How is the righteousness of God revealed? “From faith to faith.” How does that work? God gives you truth…you believe that truth…God gives you more truth.

The more you obey the light, the more light you get.

The reason some of us don’t understand the Bible any more than we do is because we have not been living up to the light God has already given us! If you want to understand the part of the Bible you don’t understand, begin to obey the part you do understand and you’ll understand what you didn’t understand. Do you understand?

ACTION POINT:

Ask God for faith that will reveal to you the hidden truths of His Word that are hard for you to understand right now.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Your Virtual Reality—Newness of Life!

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“We are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I was in an airport one day looking for something to pass the time. I saw a virtual reality motorcycle ride. I sat down and buckled my seat belt as instructed. The screen came on and I couldn’t believe it. I felt like I was riding a motorcycle, but I was just sitting in a room!

Sometimes our mind tells us something is true when it’s not true. Other times when something is true, we fail to believe that it is true!

How critical it is for us to focus on the truth! Jesus died for you. He lives for you. You died with Him. You live for Him. Day by day, you need to take those facts and turn them into faith.

ACTION POINT:

Tell yourself this truth today. Write it down. Post it all around you! You are buried with Him. You rose with Him. You can walk in newness of life!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

You Are Not a Speck—You Are Cherished!

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“. . . the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The Lord sees you. He knows all about you. And I guarantee you on the authority of the Word of God, that He loves you.

This is amazing when you realize that we are just specks on a globe that’s about the size of a grain of sand or less compared to the size of the universe.

There’s no more reason that the Lord of Glory should be interested in us than we should be interested in an ant floating on a piece of cheesecake in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. And yet our Lord looks down and He sees us as cherished individuals that He loves one by one.

The great God that runs the universe is concerned about you as though that were His only goal.

ACTION POINT:

When was the last time you counted the hairs on your head? Can you trust a God who has them numbered?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

One Burning Focus

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you know what the problem with many of us is? Our faith is something tacked onto our lives. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters…” (Matthew 6:24). Do you believe that? You are to have but one goal in your life, and that is to know Jesus Christ personally, powerfully, passionately, and preeminently. Everything else will flow out of that.

You say, “But wait a minute. I’ve got other things to do! I’ve got a job. I’ve got to rest. I’ve got to have recreation. I’ve got to have friends. I can’t just narrow my interests to one.” When you bring your life into a burning focus, all of these other things will contribute to the main thing.

ACTION POINT:

What is the burning focus of your life? Make it Jesus, and you’ve made it!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Failure Is Not Final

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “O love the Lord, all ye His saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful.” Psalm 31:23

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth were two of the greatest baseball players of all time. Ty Cobb was known for his record number of stolen bases, and Babe Ruth was known for his record number of home runs. What you may not know is that Ty Cobb was also thrown out more than any other man in baseball trying to steal bases. And Babe Ruth struck out more than any other man in baseball! These fellows didn’t let their failures stop them, and neither should you!

Fix your goal.

Face your faults.

Forget your failures.

Failure in the Christian life is not final.

ACTION POINT:

Maybe you or someone you know is feeling discouraged today. Remind them or yourself of the promise in Philippians 4:13.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Charting Our Course by His Word

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But whoso keepeth His word, in Him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.” 1 John 2:5

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The word “keepeth” in 1 John is a derivative of a word that sailors used years ago to refer to their practice of steering their course by “keeping” the stars.

This did not mean, of course, that a sailor would not be blown off course or that he might not over-steer. It didn't mean that he might not nod at the wheel or somehow be distracted, or fail to keep a perfect chart. But the goal, the aim, the desire, and the controlling principle in his life were those stars. He knew that in them he could find direction to his destination.

In the same way, John says God’s commandments are to be the standard by which you and I chart our courses in life.

ACTION POINT:

What is determining your steps today? God’s Word? Or your word?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Running for the Soul Winner’s Crown

"For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?For ye are our glory and joy.” - 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

Here’s what Paul was saying to those in Thessalonica: “When Jesus comes, my crown is going to those that I’ve led to Him.” Now that’s a crown that doesn’t corrupt. When you die and go to heaven, are you going to take somebody with you, or are you going to heaven alone? “Must I go and empty-handed, must I meet my Savior so; without one soul with which to greet Him, must I empty-handed go?” Now I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I’m concerned because most people in church are not active soul winners. That’s tragic.

You say, “But, Pastor, I give my money.” I don’t care how much money you give. If you’re not endeavoring to bring souls to Christ, you’re not right with God. You say, “Well, I teach.” I don’t care how eloquently you teach.  If you’re not trying to bring souls to Jesus, you’re not right with God. You say, “Well, I attend faithfully.” I don’t care how much you attend. If you’re not trying to bring souls to Jesus Christ, you are not right with God.

Andrew Murray said, “There are two classes of Christians: soul winners and backsliders.” You are one or the other. If you don’t have a passion to see people come to the Lord Jesus Christ, I wonder if you know the Jesus I know.

My dear brother, my dear sister, there is a crown to run for. It’s the soul winner’s crown.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Penetrating Power of the Word of God

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I have found that when you don’t apologize for the Bible but accept and teach the Bible, it goes through the devil’s lies like a white-hot cannonball through a crate of eggs.

There is power in the Word of God, and Satan does not want you to understand the authority of the Word of God. He doesn’t want you to get the power that will divert his fiery attacks away from your heart — his prime target. When the Word of the Lord and the Lord of the Word become your authority, then Satan and all of his demonic forces will flee, and you are going to have authority for your life.

ACTION POINT:

How is the Word of God penetrating your heart? Are you even allowing it to do so? Take a few minutes and ask God to begin a mighty work in you through the power of His Word.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Enduring Word of the Lord

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“The grass withers, and the flower thereof falls away: But the word of the Lord endures forever.” 1 Peter 1:24-25

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Many centuries ago there was a Roman emperor named Diocletian who was known for his hatred of Christianity. He hated the Bible so much that he took a Bible and burned it. Then on top of that burned Bible he erected a monument.

Chiseled on that monument were these words:

“Extincto nomini christianorum” — “The name of Christian is extinct.”

Over the years many like Diocletian have sought to eradicate the Bible and Christianity, but for naught. The Bible is the incorruptible Word of God, and the foul breath of time and the gnawing tooth of decay cannot destroy the Word of God!

ACTION POINT:

Purchase a Bible this week for the sole purpose of giving it away. Then ask God to find that special someone for you to give it to.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Jesus Paid It All

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved). Ephesians 2:5

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Suppose your best friend offered to buy you a new car. You tell him that you can’t accept it outright and offer to help pay for the car. Then you say, “Here’s a quarter. Thank you!”

Now you’re driving around, and somebody compliments you on your new car. You say, “Thanks! My friend and I bought this car.”

Wouldn’t that be ridiculous? Well, that’s what we’re doing with God when we add our two bits-worth of self-effort to His grace. If you do that, you take the glory from Almighty God. When you get to heaven, all you’re going to be able to say is, “Jesus paid it all.”

ACTION POINT:

Spend some time reading Ephesians 2 today and praise God for His divine plan of salvation.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Bringing Up Godly Children in an Ungodly World

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared Thy wondrous works.” Psalm 71:17

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Satan is on a killing spree—he wants to kill our memory and set us awash in the sea of forgetfulness without any recollection of our Christian heritage as a nation.

Tragically, he’s aiming his artillery at our children, and particularly in the place where they used to grow in the knowledge of good things—the public school. Prayer is out. Police are in. Bibles are out. Values clarification is in. The Ten Commandments are out. Social engineering is in. Creation is out. Evolution is in. History is out. Revisionism is in. God says we need to remember the generation to come.

ACTION POINT:

You have an important job—to influence the lives of those who will come after you. Teach them to walk in the ways of the Lord and against the tide of the world.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Strong Faith Glorifies God

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” Psalm 18:2

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you know the greatest thing you could do to give God glory? It’s not to give a million dollars. It’s not to give your body to be burned. It’s not to go overseas as a missionary.

The greatest thing you could do to glorify God is to believe God. Faith says, “God, You are trustworthy.” Don’t just sing about your belief in a great God or pray about your belief in a great God or even read about your belief in a great God. You must believe Him. A strong faith glorifies God!

ACTION POINT:

Meditate on the names of God today: Prince of Peace, Lamb of God, Bright and Morning Star, Dayspring, The Good Shepherd, Messiah, Alpha and Omega.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

From Your Heart

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." - Matthew 18:35

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,

15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. - Matthew 6:14-15

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.  - Proverbs 21:13

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

24 for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 

25 but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.  - 1 Peter 1:22-25

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:15-23

Fear the Lord!!

Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord GOD of hosts.  - Jeremiah 2:19

Forgotten and Forgiven

The world will not let your sin go!

They will try to bury you deeper.

There is not much grace and mercy offered to sinners with people.

But praise God alone for He is rich in mercy and forgiveness!

But brother and sister, through Christ, God does forgive you, and you can believe it, it is forgotten.

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah  - Psalm 32:5

23 If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him, 

24 and he is merciful to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom; 

25 let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor'; 

26 then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. 

27 He sings before men and says: 'I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. 

28 He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.'  - Job 33:23-28

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. - Romans 3:21-26

A Chain of Ten Links

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

So many people have the idea that God is going to grade on the curve. We say to ourselves, “We’re bad, but we’re not as bad as so-and-so.”

But God doesn’t grade on a curve. He grades on an absolute standard of holiness. Can anybody say that they’ve kept all of God’s Ten Commandments? Of course not. But let’s suppose you had only broken one. What would happen? Well, let me illustrate. If a man was dangling over a fire by a chain of ten links and nine of those links were made of forged steel and one was made of crepe paper, what would happen?

ACTION POINT:

Use this illustration with someone today as a testimony of God’s mercy in sending His Son for the salvation of all mankind.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

This Scarlet Cord: The story of the prostitute named Rahab

18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household.

19 Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.

20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear."

21 And she said, "According to your words, so be it." Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. - Joshua 2:18-21

There is forgiveness for all who repent!

Rehab was a sinner. 

Rahab was a woman who made her living selling her body to men.

The men were lost in sin.

The people of Rehabs town had heard about God parting the sea for the Israelites to cross and the victory the Israelites had against the Amorites.

When the Israelite spies came, Rahab realized they were sent by Almighty God.

Rahab was afraid!

9 and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.

10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.

11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. Joshua 2:9-11

What the bible says about sexual sin among men and women.

12 "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be dominated by anything.

13 "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"-and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.

15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two will become one flesh."

17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Jesus lineage 

and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, - Matthew 1:5

The Truth of Salvation

For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:13

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:1-10

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, - Titus 3:5

Grumbling Or Grateful?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

One day a preacher was riding on a train. He saw a well-dressed man and magnificently dressed woman with expensive jewelry. The woman was complaining about everything—the train ride, the weather, the news, the food, the service.

The preacher decided to engage this couple in a conversation. He asked the man what kind of business he was in and the man told him. Then he asked, “And what does your wife do?”

The man replied, “Oh, she’s in the manufacturing business. She manufactures her own unhappiness.”

You know, there are a lot of people like that today. They manufacture their own misery because they fail to be grateful. Only Christ can turn our lives around and stir up a grateful heart within us.

ACTION POINT:

Go through the alphabet and thank the Lord for something beginning with each letter and choose to be grateful.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Doubting Our Salvation

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

A woman told the great evangelist Dwight L. Moody, “I’ve been saved twenty-five years, and I’ve never had one single doubt.”

He responded, “Madam, I doubt you’ve been saved.”

That would be like a couple saying they’ve been married 50 years and never had an argument. I’d say, “I doubt you’ve been married.”

We all have doubts. You see, doubt is to your spirit what pain is to your body. It is a signal that something is wrong. And just as you seek to find a remedy for your pain, you should seek to find a remedy for your doubts. Jesus is your remedy. Get into His Word and know the assurance of your salvation. It’s not you, it’s Jesus that makes it possible.

ACTION POINT:

Are you doubting your salvation? Then run to Jesus. Soak yourself in these truths from God’s Word:

Romans 10:13

Ephesians 2:1-10

Titus 3:5

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Fire of Affliction

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

God wants to build spiritual steel and rock-solid faith into you. And the way He will do this is through the fire of affliction. Why? To test you. The faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted.

The times I have grown the most were not when everything was going fine. The times when we go through sorrow, pressure, and trouble are the growing pains of our lives with Christ. Isn’t that true?  Someone wrote these lines,

“I walked a mile with pleasure, she chatted all the way.

But left me none the wiser, for all she had to say.

I walked a mile with sorrow and not a word said she.

But oh the things I learned from her, when sorrow walked with me.”

ACTION POINT:

Are you in the fire of affliction? Trust that He will see you through and make you stronger when the test is over.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

In Collusion or Collision?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Romans 8:16

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

A farmer and his farmhand went duck hunting. The farmer said to his friend, “You’re always talking about fighting with the devil. I’m not a Christian, and I never have to fight with the devil.”

The farmhand answered, “Boss, if you and I shot two ducks, one was wounded and one was dead, which one would you go after first?”

The farmer said, “Well, I guess the wounded duck.”

“That’s right. The devil knows you’re a dead duck.”

If the devil doesn’t bother you, it’s because he doesn’t have to bother you since you and he are traveling in the same direction. If you turned around, you’d have a collision with him. Right now, you are in collusion with him.

ACTION POINT:

Are you a child of God? Then praise Him that He has given you the power over Satan and placed you on the pathway to see Him face to face!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

An Easy Way for Parents to Lead Family Worship

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 11:18-19

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When your children are little, it’s always good to have family worship, to start the day with the Word of God. Now, my wife and tried all kinds of things with our kids for family worship. I want to give you one of the simplest, easiest forms of family worship. I don’t know why I didn’t discover it a long time ago. It is such a blessing. We still do it with our grandchildren, and with our grown children at breakfast when they’re there.

We just let one of the little children who are old enough to read take the Bible and choose a proverb. They can choose it at random. Or, since Proverbs has 31 chapters—basically the same as the number of days in the month—choose a proverb from the corresponding day. If it’s the seventh, choose from the seventh chapter of Proverbs, and read a proverb, just one. And let that child explain what he thinks that proverb means.  Then everyone else just talk about it for a few moments.

It is so simple. But when your children are learning those proverbs and having to think about what they mean, you are giving them distilled wisdom, a nugget of truth that they can carry with them to school and to work.

ACTION POINT:

Give your children and grandchildren wise instruction, but let that instruction be joined with training. Train up a child.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

You Are Valuable—Because You Are Loved!

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Grace is the most beautiful word in the Bible other than Jesus. Grace is why God loves us when there is nothing lovely about us. We are not loved because we are valuable. We are valuable because we are loved. 1 John 4:10 says, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” That, friend, is God’s amazing grace. We are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. I love Him for His grace. It is all Jesus. It’s not the church. It’s not good deeds. Amazing grace is in the Lord Jesus Christ. He loves you. He died for you.

ACTION POINT:

Thank God for the justification you have through Jesus Christ. Thank God for the grace He has abundantly given you.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Restore Such a One

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

As a young boy in Florida, I loved to collect coconuts and sell them. One day while up a tree, I was using my right hand to disconnect a coconut when the palm frond let go. I fell on the grass, but my left arm fell on the sidewalk. It was a bad situation. My brother was there, and he saw what happened to me.

As I was lying there, having fallen, what did I need? Well, I didn’t need a lecture. I didn’t need my brother to go around to the community and say, “Did you hear about Adrian?” I didn’t need for him to come along and shoot me to put me out of my misery. What I needed was restoration.

ACTION POINT:

Do you have a brother or a sister in Christ who is overtaken with a fault? If so, go and restore him; restore her.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Forgiveness of the King

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” Romans 4:7

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There was a king who asked slaves on a ship, “Why are you in chains?” One replied, “I don’t know. I was in a crowd when a crime was committed. I am innocent.” He asked another who said, “I am not guilty but a victim of false witnesses.” The king proceeded to ask each man the same question and each had a reason why he was innocent. That is, until one man responded, “I am here because I deserve to be here. I have sinned against my God and against my king. And now I am paying the penalty.”

The king stepped back and said, “What are you doing here among so many honest men? Guards, release him!”

ACTION POINT:

Not until we admit our sin are we going to know the mercy and forgiveness of the King. Bow before Him today and admit you are lost without Him.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Real Faith: What It Is—What It’s Not

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

It’s faith that enables us to live the Christian life. In order to know what faith is, let me tell you what faith is not.

Faith is not a hunch.

Faith is not positive thinking.

Faith is not responding to emotions, feelings, or icicles up and down your spine or miracles, signs and wonders.

Faith is not believing that God can do something.

Faith is knowing that God will. Faith is taking God at His word. Real faith dies to doubt. It is deaf to discouragement. It is blind to impossibilities. Now this is the kind of faith we need.

ACTION POINT:

What kind of faith do you have? Do you have the faith that is small as a mustard seed, but can move a mountain? Ask God for it today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Ready to Give an Answer

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Sometimes during an interview a reporter may ask me, “Do you think a Jew without Jesus is lost?” If I say, “Yes,” then I will look like a racist or a bigot. If I say, “No,” then, I have dishonored the Lord Jesus Christ who died for the sins of all people. So, how do I answer?

I say, “Friend, I believe that one of my own children without Jesus would be lost. It doesn’t matter whether he’s a Jew or a Gentile. You see, God demands absolute perfection and none of us can provide it. That’s why we need the gospel. We need Jesus. We need the righteousness of God that comes by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.”

ACTION POINT:

What would you say if someone asked you that question? Ask the Lord to prepare you.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Not Allowing Past Sins to Silence Our Witness

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

A young preacher was called out of a life of sin to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. While in the pulpit one day, he received a note in which someone had written all his past sins. In addition it read, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? And you’re up there telling people to get right with God!”

Do you know what the young preacher did? He read that note, bowed his head in prayer, stood up and said, “Ladies and gentleman I have received a note, and here is what it says.” Then, in front of that whole crowd, he read every one of those sins. Then he said this: “Yes, I am ashamed of myself, but I am not ashamed of my Savior!”

ACTION POINT:

What are some past sins in your life that are holding you back from fully proclaiming God’s power to others? Confess them and bury them in His sea of forgetfulness.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Chance To Repent

This week much evil was done.

Many lives were taken by a single man who set himself up as judge.

While the lives of us all are filled with sin, God in His mercy, has given man a chance to repent.

We only have this second, the next may be taken and you will forever lose your chance to repent.

Sin separates you from a Holy God!

If you die in your sin, you go to Hell.

There is no way to be forgiven other than through the blood of Christ!

There are many false teachings on this matter!

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." - Matthew 3:2

the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned."  - Matthew 4:16

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. - Mark 1:4

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. - Romans 3:23-25

2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. - 1 John 2:2-3

10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. - Matthew 3:10-11

yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. - Galatians 2:16

19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. - Galatians 2:19-21

Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. - Matthew 3:8

Are You in the Secret Service?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Romans 1:16

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Are you ashamed to put a Bible on your desk at work? Are you ashamed to bow your head in the cafeteria? Are you ashamed to invite people to Jesus Christ? Are you ashamed of the One who died for you?

A little boy had a dog, and someone asked him what kind of dog he was. He was just a mongrel, but the little fellow said, “Well, he’s a police dog.” The friend said, “He doesn’t look like a police dog.” The little guy replied, “He’s in the secret service.”

I’m afraid there are many of us who are in the secret service. We ought to be open and bold for the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

ACTION POINT:

Ask God to lead you out in strength and boldness today to live for Him and proclaim His love to others.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Eternal Truth

Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.  - Proverbs 23:23

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. - John 17:17

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. - John 14:17

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, - Ephesians 1:13

if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. - 1 Timothy 3:15

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. - 3 John 1:4

Remission Of Sin

There is no forgiveness of sin except through the blood of Christ!!

Remission definition:

Forgiveness 

for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. - Matthew 26:28

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. - Colossians 1:13-14

46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,

47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. - Luke 24:46-47

And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. - Acts 2:38

22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own,

26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. - Hebrews 9:22-28

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. - Leviticus 17:11

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he then said to the paralytic-"Rise, pick up your bed and go home." - Matthew 9:6

Only One Life Ever Lived to Perfection

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” Revelation 4:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There has never been a man like the Lord Jesus. I was deeply stirred by these words, written by John Phillips about Jesus:

“He never uttered a hasty, unkind, untrue, or frivolous word. He never entertained an impure thought. His talents never debased for selfish ends. His influence, never bad. His judgment, never wrong. He never had to apologize for anything that He did or retract a single word He said. He was never too late or too soon, never upset, never insipid, never shallow or afraid. . . He had absolute victory from the moment He drew his first breath in that Bethlehem barn until the moment He closed His eyes in death on the cross of Calvary.”

ACTION POINT:

If you’re looking for a hero, let me suggest mine. His name is Jesus.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Just Like You

In the beginning, we are all the same.

Sinners!

Sin is in our genetic makeup!!

It started in the Garden of Eden when man first sinned. 

It can be different!

You can escape sins hold!

Trust Christ for forgiveness, repent from sin and become a new creation in Christ!!

What happens is called Grace!

You don't deserve it!

I don't deserve it!

It all boils down to mercy!!!

This precious Grace comes when you accept Christ as Lord over you!

10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

12 But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." - Matthew 9:10-13

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-

6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:4-10

Surrender First

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“. . . now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.” Romans 6:19
 
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
After a splendid victory at sea, Lord Nelson confronted the French admiral who was surrendering. Dressed in all his regalia, the admiral approached Nelson to surrender.
With his sword swinging by his side, the admiral put out his hand to the British commander.

Lord Nelson stepped back and said, “Your sword first.”

There are a lot of people who think they can walk up and glad-hand the Lord Jesus Christ.  He says, “Your sword first.” Surrender first! Jesus is not an appeaser, and He will never make a truce with sin. Never! We have to abdicate the throne. We have to surrender.

ACTION POINT:
Read Romans 6. Count the number of times the word “yield” is written. What does Paul want us to yield?

Jesus Lives Forevermore

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.” Revelation 1:18

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I went to see Lenin’s tomb when I was in Moscow. He is sealed in a crystal case. You can see his waxen face and his trimmed beard, and on that tomb these words are written: “He was the greatest leader of all peoples of all countries of all times. He was the lord of the new humanity. He was the savior of the world.”

Do you notice it’s all past tense? He was. Jesus is alive. He is the great I AM. It is an encounter with the living Christ that makes the difference in our lives. We serve a Savior who is alive and listening to our every prayer. He is bottling every tear and rejoicing with every victory.

ACTION POINT:

Thank God for His plan of love that sent His Son to die for you. Praise Him that Jesus lives forevermore!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Weeds

37 He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,

42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. - Matthew 13:37-43

Which will you be?

47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.

48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous

50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. - Matthew 13:47-50

Evil or righteous?

Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." - Matthew 9:13

Sinner, how can you ignore such great compassion?

Sinner, how can you deny Christ and His gift of salvation?

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. - Matthew 9:35-36

Repent!

She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction. She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God.  - Zephaniah 3:2

America in Crisis

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Jesus answered and said...if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.” Matthew 21:21

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When a nation loses its ability to discern morality, it embarks on a slippery slope toward self-destruction, especially when it comes to basic sexual morality.

When a nation turns its back on the commands of God, He will say, “That’s the last step. I wash My hands. You asked for it. You got it.”

America is in a crisis, and unless we have a moral rebirth, we will join the graveyard of the nations—it’s time to wake up. Time is passing—it’s time to look up. Jesus is coming—it’s time to sober up. Satan is working—it’s time to pray up. Mountains need moving.

ACTION POINT:

Ask the Lord to heal our land, forgiving the iniquities of the wicked by bringing salvation to their souls.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Remembering Our Spiritual and Political Heritage

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.” Psalm 78:7

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

On June 8, 1845, Andrew Jackson said, “The Bible is the rock upon which our Republic rests.” Just a few years prior, in 1820, another of our forefathers, Daniel Webster, said, “Let us not forget the religious character of our origin.” In the days of our founding fathers, people didn’t quibble about the Bible’s importance. Our forefathers brought hither their high veneration for the Christian religion, being journeyed in its light and labored in its hope. They sought to incorporate, listen to, and infuse its influence through all their institutions: civil, political, and literary.

ACTION POINT:

American heritage is important, but so is your personal spiritual heritage as a believer and as a family. Why not take some time this week to write down the spiritual heritage of your family?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

This World Is Not My Home

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

First Peter 2:11 says that we are aliens and strangers in this world. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. We are twice-born in a world of once-born people, and we’re going to find ourselves going against the tide most of the time.

It’s like a deep sea diver who is underwater and outside his natural environment. He could not live if he weren’t linked to his life supply above. That’s the way we need to live. If we are to survive, we must stay linked to Jesus who is our life.

The Bible says we’re not to set our affections on things beneath, but on things above where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father. (Colossians 3:1)

ACTION POINT:

It’s time to check your lifeline...are you trusting in anything in this world? Are you making friends with the things of this world?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Absent from the Body, Present with the Lord

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

A man named Solomon Peas died. His tombstone in London reads:

“Beneath these clouds and beneath these trees

Lies the body of Solomon Peas.

But this ain’t Peas - it’s just the pod.

Peas shelled out and went to God."

I like that. That’s what your body is. It’s just a pod. What happens to a child of God who has trusted Christ as his personal Savior? When he closes his eyes in this life, he opens them in the next. Jesus did not say, “After two or three thousand years, you’ll be with Me in paradise.” Jesus said, “Today, truly, you’ll be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

ACTION POINT:

Are you confident that if you died today you’d be with Jesus in paradise? If not, then confess your sins and believe upon His name to save you. Now, go and tell someone!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers