Right Isn’t Decided by the Crowd

“Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, ‘Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.’ Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul.” ACTS 27:9-11

 

PONDER THIS

The question arose regarding whether to continue or not. Those leading the ship said, “What does everybody want to do?” Now there was a crowd on that boat, and Paul was outvoted. Despite Paul’s warning, they said, “Let’s sail.” But we should recognize that majority support doesn’t make a thing right. Morality is not set by the majority, but by God.

Twelve spies went out to spy out the land in Joshua’s day. Ten said, “It can’t be done.” Only two said, “It could be done.” The ten were wrong, and the two were right. Later, the people of Israel didn’t have a king and they wanted a king. They should have been a theocracy, ruled by God, but they wanted a monarchy. They said, “How many of you want a king?” And they all voted for a king. They got Saul. God gave them what they wanted, but after a while, they didn’t want what they got. The majority was wrong. What is most important is what God is calling us to do, not what gains the most favor.

When was a time you felt led to go against the crowd in God’s name?

What makes this so difficult?

PRACTICE THIS

Consider today where God might be calling you to go against the crowd for His sake. Take action toward faithfulness in this area.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Mercy for Today

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22–23)

God’s mercies are new every morning because each day only has enough mercy in it for that day. God appoints every day’s troubles. And God appoints every day’s mercies. In the life of his children, they are perfectly appointed. Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). Every day has its own trouble. Every day has its own mercies. Each is new every morning.

But we often tend to despair when we think that we may have to bear tomorrow’s load on today’s resources. God wants us to know: We won’t. Today’s mercies are for today’s troubles. Tomorrow’s mercies are for tomorrow’s troubles.

Sometimes we wonder if we will have the mercy to stand in terrible testing. Yes, we will. Peter says, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14). When the reviling comes, the Spirit of glory comes. It happened for Stephen as he was being stoned. It will happen for you. When the Spirit and the glory are needed, they will come.

The manna in the wilderness was given one day at a time. There was no storing up. That is the way we must depend on God’s mercy. You do not receive today the strength to bear tomorrow’s burdens. You are given mercies today for today’s troubles.

Tomorrow the mercies will be new. “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

John Piper 

Faithfulness Outlasts Feelings

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” EPHESIANS 5:31

 

PONDER THIS

It is not your love that sustains your marriage; it is your marriage that sustains your love. Marriage is a commitment. The Bible says you are to be joined. A “no-fault” divorce is an impossibility. What happens many times is that 10 percent of a marriage is in trouble, and the other 90 percent goes down the drain because of a lack of commitment.

Somebody says, “I owe it to myself to be happy.” What do you mean you owe it to yourself to be happy? When you were at the marriage altar, you made a vow. You owe it to God to keep your vow. You owe it to your spouse, and you owe it to your children. The one-flesh union of marriage must go beyond our personal preferences.

If you are married, what kinds of sacrifices have you had to make for the sake of your spouse? If you are not married, how have you witnessed married couples make these types of sacrifices?

How are all followers of Jesus called to sacrifice for the sake of others?

PRACTICE THIS

Consider an area in which you need to lay down your rights and preferences this week. Take steps to sacrifice to serve someone else.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

When God’s Brushstrokes Don’t Make Sense

“Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.” ACTS 12:1

 

PONDER THIS

Have you ever watched a painter put his colors on canvas? He’s splashing the colors on that canvas, and he’s mixing this. He says, “I think a little more yellow, yeah.” And you watch, and you think, “Man, that guy’s so good; how does he do that?” But then he will reach in, and he’ll get some colors, and he’ll go, “Shoosh!” And you think, “Oh no, you ruined it!” He put some big old splashy thing on it, and you think, “Mister, you really messed up—let’s see how you’re going to get out of this.” And then, suddenly, it just comes together. It’s a masterpiece!

Sometimes we look at what God does, as He puts His colors on the canvas, and we say, “Lord, you’re really doing good.” And then suddenly God just goes, “Shoosh!” And we think, “Lord! You have messed things up.” Have you ever felt that way? That may have been how the Early Church felt when Herod began his attack. “God, how did You let this happen?” Just because things are not making sense to you, do not think that they don’t make sense. And just because you can’t see God working doesn’t mean He is not.

Do you remember a time you felt like God was not working but later recognized that He was?

How can these moments, both from our own experience and as recorded in Scripture, help us to remain faithful to God when it is hard to see how He is working?

PRACTICE THIS

Write down an area in which you are looking for God to work, but you’re not seeing it yet. Take time to pray over this, asking the Lord to give you continued faithfulness as you wait for Him.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Why God Says ‘No’ Before He Says ‘Go’

“And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” ACTS 5:32

 

PONDER THIS

God is not going to give spiritual power to rebels. Why should God release the anointing power of the Holy Spirit upon your life when you’re not living in obedience? The Holy Spirit is there to get His work done. Have you ever taught a teen to drive an automobile? If so, one of the first things you likely pointed out was the brake pedal. Now suppose that teen said, “I am not interested in the brake. Show me how to make it go. I’m not interested in how to make it stop. I want to go!” You’d take the keys back, put them in your pocket, and say, “You’re not ready yet.” In the same way, you will never know the release of the Spirit until you know the restraint of the Spirit. You will never know the “go” till you know the “no.” God gives the power of the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him.

Where have you experienced the restraint of the Holy Spirit in your life?

How does the Holy Spirit lead us to change our lives? Why does this include doing some things and not doing other things?

PRACTICE THIS

Spend time in reflection, asking God to reveal to you the areas in which He is calling you to obedience. Ask Him to lead you to faithfulness in those areas beginning today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Passionate for God and Truth

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” (Romans 3:3–4)

Our concern with truth is an inevitable expression of our concern with God. If God exists, then he is the measure of all things, and what he thinks about all things is the measure of what we should think.

Not to care about truth is not to care about God. To love God passionately is to love truth passionately. Being God-centered in life means being truth-driven in ministry. What is not true is not of God.

Ponder these four sets of texts on God and truth:

1) God Is the Truth

Romans 3:3–4 (God the Father): “What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar.”

John 14:6 (God the Son): Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 15:26 (God the Spirit): “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.”

2) Not Loving the Truth Is Eternally Ruinous

Second Thessalonians 2:10: The wicked will perish “because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”

3) Christian Living Is Based on Knowledge of the Truth

First Corinthians 6:15–16: “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! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her?”

4) The Body of Christ Is Built with Truth in Love

Colossians 1:28: “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

May God make us passionate for him and for truth.

John Piper 

Who’s Holding On to Who?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” Jude 1:24

 

PONDER THIS

Jude began and ended this book by talking about the eternal security of the believer. If he didn’t do this, when you read what’s in between, you may start thinking that Jude was talking about people who had lost their salvation. An apostate is not somebody who has lost his or her salvation. An apostate is someone who has received the truth, rejected the truth, ridicules the truth, and literally tries to replace the truth. But this person has never been saved. He or she is like Judas, who was never born again. But people who are truly born again, true children of God, can never again be lost souls—not because they hold onto God, but because God holds onto them.

How does it encourage you to remember that it is God who keeps you faithful and not your own effort?

How does this reality provide more motivation for faithfulness to God?

PRACTICE THIS

Write out a list of specific ways God has held onto you and refused to let you go throughout your life.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Is the Majority Always Right?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, ‘Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.’ Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul.” Acts 27:9-11

 

PONDER THIS

The question arose regarding whether to continue or not. Those leading the ship said, “What does everybody want to do?” Now there was a crowd on that boat, and Paul was outvoted. Despite Paul’s warning, they said, “Let’s sail.” But we should recognize that majority support doesn’t make a thing right. Morality is not set by the majority, but by God.

Twelve spies went out to spy out the land in Joshua’s day. Ten said, “It can’t be done.” Only two said, “It could be done.” The ten were wrong, and the two were right. Later, the people of Israel didn’t have a king and they wanted a king. They should have been a theocracy, ruled by God, but they wanted a monarchy. They said, “How many of you want a king?” And they all voted for a king. They got Saul. God gave them what they wanted, but after a while, they didn’t want what they got. The majority was wrong. What is most important is what God is calling us to do, not what gains the most favor.

When was a time you felt led to go against the crowd in God’s name?

What makes this so difficult?

PRACTICE THIS

Consider today where God might be calling you to go against the crowd for His sake. Take action toward faithfulness in this area.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Coming Back to God

PRAY OVER THIS

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” Hebrews 11:20

 

PONDER THIS

Isaac loved God in his youth but got away from God. He messed up his family, and then came back to God. There are two lessons here. Number one: Never mistake the moment for the man. This is what we see with Isaac trying to bless the wrong son. This was not the true Isaac. The true Isaac was the one we read about in Hebrews 11. When God came to write about his life, God did not write about his life through the lens of his failures. Aren’t you glad God remembers our iniquities against us no more? Aren’t you glad God does not mistake the moment for the man? God knew Isaac loved Him, and Isaac came back to God. That can happen to you too. You can be a person of God and get away from God and mess up your family, but you can also come back to the will of God. Where is He calling you back today?

What are some moments from your life that you hope aren’t taken as “the whole story” about you?

Where is God calling you back to Himself today? How will you respond?

PRACTICE THIS

Take some time to journal about a low moment in your life that God used as a means of redemption over time.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

7 Ways to Be Faithful to Each Other

PRAY OVER THIS

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12

 

READ THIS

The way this world will know Jesus is through the Church; there is to be no disunity; instead, we have a common purpose, function, and goal. We are to remain faithful in our friendship with one another. There can be no arrogance or envy, no rivalry or self-sufficiency; we are charged to care for one another. (See 1 Corinthians 12:25.)

There are seven ways in which believers in the Church demonstrate our faithfulness to one another.

Love one another

Receive one another

Greet one another

Submit to one another

Forbear one another

Confess to one another

Forgive one another

Are you a member of a church body that exhibits love, reception, greeting, submission, forbearance, confession, and forgiveness?

CONSIDER THIS

Which of these demonstrations of faithfulness stands out to you most? Why?

How should this list change our relationships with one another?

DO THIS

Consider who God is prompting you to “one another” with this week and act in obedience.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How Will You Get Through Today?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:38

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

In a day such as ours, we will have to live by faith. Put your faith in the fact that God is the King Eternal, as Paul wrote to Timothy: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17).

Faith in the King Eternal is the way you’re going to live in this day because faith keeps us going in dark days. Faith sees beyond the physical to the spiritual. Faith sees beyond the present to the future. Faith sees beyond the temporary to the eternal. Faith does not judge by the appearance of the hour.

Don’t lose your faith. Listen to me. Sin cannot win. Faith cannot fail. Faith is the only message that will see us through, and it’s the only force that can change anything. Let me say that again. Faith is the only message that will see us through. It’s the only force that can change anything.

ACTION POINT

If we want a better land, we have to live better lives. The government cannot make us better; only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can. Decide today: “I will live by the Gospel. I will not lose faith. I will see with the eyes of faith. I will share the Gospel.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

What does God want from me?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in that which is much. Luke 16:10 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In order to be commissioned as a missionary, a man had to appear before the superintendent of missions. His appointment was set for five in the morning. It was a snowy morning, but he was there. He waited until eight o'clock.

Finally, the superintendent came and asked him two simple questions. Then he said, “Thank you. You're dismissed.” The aspiring missionary said, “Thank you for your time.” In his report, the superintendent wrote, “This man will make an excellent missionary. He came at an early hour without a murmur; that shows self-sacrifice. He was there on time; that shows character. He waited without grumbling; that shows patience. He answered very simple questions in a straightforward manner; that shows humility.”

ACTION POINT:

Faithfulness, lack of grumbling, patience, self-sacrifice, humility, those are some of the character traits God wants to find in you. And when He asks you to do something, it may not make sense or seem important, but let God determine what's important.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Mercy for Today

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22–23)

God’s mercies are new every morning because each day only has enough mercy in it for that day. God appoints every day’s troubles. And God appoints every day’s mercies. In the life of his children, they are perfectly appointed. Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). Every day has its own trouble. Every day has its own mercies. Each is new every morning.

But we often tend to despair when we think that we may have to bear tomorrow’s load on today’s resources. God wants us to know: We won’t. Today’s mercies are for today’s troubles. Tomorrow’s mercies are for tomorrow’s troubles.

Sometimes we wonder if we will have the mercy to stand in terrible testing. Yes, we will. Peter says, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14). When the reviling comes, the Spirit of glory comes. It happened for Stephen as he was being stoned. It will happen for you. When the Spirit and the glory are needed, they will come.

The manna in the wilderness was given one day at a time. There was no storing up. That is the way we must depend on God’s mercy. You do not receive today the strength to bear tomorrow’s burdens. You are given mercies today for today’s troubles.

Tomorrow the mercies will be new. “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

John Piper 

A 3-cent pat of butter cost him a promotion…

BIBLE MEDITATION:

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Luke 16:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I heard about a man who was an executive in a company. They were going to move him up and make him one of the chief executives. The Board of Directors had talked it over, and it was a done deal. It was a monumental advancement. But in the company cafeteria one day, the owner of this company just happened to be behind this man in the cafeteria line. Unbeknownst to him, the CEO saw him take a pat of butter costing about 3 cents, then put a slice of bread over the butter so the cashier couldn’t see it. The CEO went back to the Board and told them they had the wrong man—he didn’t have integrity. And for 3 cents, the man lost a monumental promotion and multiple thousands of dollars!

If you have integrity, how much more will your heavenly Father be able to bless you! But if you live like this almost-executive, your Father must say, “I can’t bless him. He doesn’t have integrity in the small things.” God help us to be faithful.

Be faithful in the small things, the secret things. What you are in secret is what you are, nothing more, nothing less.

ACTION POINT:

Are you faithful in the little things? Let this be the beginning of a new day of faithfulness in your life. Remember the little things. God is watching to find you faithful.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are you needy or greedy?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

After this manner therefore, pray ye: ”Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread…” Matthew 6:9-11

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you see the order? First comes God’s name, God's kingdom, God's will, and then our need. If you don't get that priority straight, you'll never have power in prayer.

God is not a bellhop, running around Heaven to meet your needs. Prayer is not a place where man gets his will done in Heaven. Prayer is the way God gets His will done on earth.

“Our daily bread” is important because we must have bread to live. It’s also symbolic of any need you may have. This verse can also be translated, “Give us this day bread sufficient for us.” God will “supply all our need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). God will meet our need, not our greed.

ACTION POINT:

These days it seems almost everyone is struggling with financial problems. 

Are you having financial woes? Do you know someone who is? Share with them the Good News of God’s provision and faithfulness. You may be asking, “What good can possibly come from my financial problems?” They are wonderful opportunities to trust your Heavenly Father for your daily bread. Who is more secure? The man who has a warehouse full of stale bread or the man whose father is a rich baker? Which had you rather have? God delights to meet your need.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

If He Calls, He Keeps

The Lord] will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:8–9)

What are you depending on to ensure that your faith will last until Jesus comes?

The question is not, Do you believe in eternal security? The question is, How are we kept secure?

Does the perseverance of our faith rest decisively on the reliability of our own resolve? Or does it rest decisively on the work of God to “keep us trusting”?

It is a great and wonderful truth of Scripture that God is faithful and will keep forever those whom he has called. Our confidence that we are eternally secure is a confidence that God will do whatever is necessary to “keep us trusting!”

The certainty of eternity is no greater than the certainty God will keep us trusting now. But that certainty is very great for all whom God has called.

At least three passages put the call of God and the keeping of God together in this way.

“The Lord will sustain you (keep you) to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:8–9).

“May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24).

“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you” (Jude 1–2). (See the same reality in Romans 8:30, Philippians 1:6, 1 Peter 1:5, and Jude 24.)

The “faithfulness” of God guarantees that he will keep safe forever all whom he has called.

John Piper

Success In The Kingdom

Success is faithfulness.

Faithfulness to God and Jesus.

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. - Acts 20:24

18 And when they came to him, he said to them: "You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 

19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;

20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,

21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there,

23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. - Acts 20:18-23

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? - Mark 8:34-37

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. - Colossians 3:1-3

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. - 2 Timothy 4:7

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

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. - 1 Corinthians 15:58

15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." - Acts 9:15-16

30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him,

31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. - Acts 28:30-31

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?"

61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this?

62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

64 But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)

65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. - John 6:60-66

8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

9 "'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.' - Revelation 2:8-11

Faithfulness 

1. Selflessness 

Christ gave His life on the cross so that you may receive forgiveness. 

2. Steadfastness 

So that you may finish your race with joy

Yearn for knowing the Lord.

Yearn for obedience.

3.  Service

The ministry I received from the Lord.

Carry the gospel to the world.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Make disciples.

Men love your wives and children by loving Jesus and being faithful to both.

Wives love your husband by loving Jesus and being faithful to both.

Thank you Pastor Madison!!!

God's Faithfulness To Us

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.  - Psalms 23

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every one-to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  - Isaiah 53:6

even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Matthew 20:28

1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.  - Isaiah 43:1-2

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. - 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. - Genesis 50:20

"The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. - Deuteronomy 28:7

Be so confident in God's faithfulness!

How can I see God's faithfulness to me?

God is your Defender.

God is our Shepherd.

We are His sheep.

We are weak and try to follow our own way.

We fail, but God is ever faithful!

Christ has laid down His life for us, His sheep.

God is sufficient.

We lack nothing!

He supplies our every need.

He is, He was and He will be!

God is your Deliverer. 

Valleys are not permanent.

He is with you during your struggles.

You will have hard seasons.

Satan tells you your troubles will never end, but we know different for our faith is in Christ. 

God the Creator will deliver you.

Shadows can't hurt me.

Death is a shadow.

Even death can't hurt you.

Death can't keep you.

Death is our beginning if you know Jesus as Lord.

We have victory over the grave!

God is your Destroyer.

We have victory over our enemies.

God is for us!

God is able!

Jesus has conquered death!!!

Thank you Pastor Kevin!!!

Faithfulness, Not Miracles

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” Matthew 24:45-46

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

It is sinful for us to ask God to prove Himself by a miracle or sign, though I guess we have all done it.

When I was at Stetson University as a young boy having my quiet time in the prayer room, I asked God to move a chair from one side of the room to the other. I told him, “I already believe You and I don’t want to insult You, but what a confirmation it would be to my heart and life if You would just do this small miracle.” Isn’t that dumb?

I am so glad that God didn’t let the devil nudge that chair across that room and get me hooked on some kind of hocus-pocus. Jesus said that asking God for a sign, like this, is evidence of an evil, adulterous heart (see Matthew 12:39). Oh, that God would find us not looking for miracles but faithful in all we do in His name.

ACTION POINT:

Singer/songwriter Steve Green has sung, “May all who come behind us find us faithful.” Are those coming behind you looking ahead and finding an example in you? Are you faithful?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

A Source that Will Never Dry Up

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you know what Lamentations 3:22-23 means? It means that God never runs out of compassion.

Have you ever gone to Niagara Falls and watched the water rampaging with torrential force? I’ve thought, “Surely the water is one day going to dry up.” But it hasn’t. Friend, greater than Niagara is the compassion of the Lord. His compassions fail not.

In 1923, Thomas O. Chisholm wrote one of the greatest hymns of all time and this stanza is the refrain of this truth, “Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.”

ACTION POINT:

God is faithful. What are you facing today? Dear friend, lean upon Him and His faithfulness. He will never, no never, leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers