The Legacy of a Godly Life

“And she said, ‘O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord.’” 1 SAMUEL 1:26

 

PONDER THIS

Abraham Lincoln said, “All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” I talked and prayed with the past President of the United States, George Bush, about his personal salvation, his relationship with Christ, and he looked me in the eyes and said, “I want to tell you, my mother was the most godly person I’ve ever known.” He told me about the influence his mother had on his life. Augustine, that great believer and theologian, was a renegade boy, but he could not escape the prayers of his mother, Monica. John and Charles Wesley, out of whose hearts and minds came the Methodist church, had a mother whose name was Susanna. If you want to know who the mother of Methodism is, it was Susanna. She raised those children for Jesus Christ. And I’ve read what Dr. Billy Graham had to say about his godly mother.

There is nothing greater than raising a baby for Jesus Christ. Never underestimate the power of a mother.

What is the most significant impact your mother has had on you?

What impact might you be having on those closest to you, whether or not you are a mother?

PRACTICE THIS

Take time in prayer to thank God for your mother or someone else in your life who pointed you toward Him.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Most Precious Words

Savior 

Living Sacrifice 

Blood of the New Covenant 

Forgive

Faith

Paradise 

Conquer 

Justified 

Sanctified 

Redeemed

Spoken to the Shepherds who were searching for the Christ

Luke 2:11

[11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Spoken to the apostle and all souls who eagerly await the return of Christ for salvation 

Hebrews 10:3-10

[3] But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. [4] For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

[5] Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, 

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

        but a body have you prepared for me; 

    [6] in burnt offerings and sin offerings

        you have taken no pleasure. 

    [7] Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,

        as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

 [8] When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), [9] then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. [10] And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Told to one of the criminals on the cross next to Jesus

Luke 23:43

[43] And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Spoken to believers all over the world

Revelation 2:7

[7] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

Spoken to the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus and every believer 

Luke 7:50

[50] And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Spoken to all believers 

Revelation 21:7

[7] The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Spoken to all believers 

Revelation 21:3-6

[3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. [4] He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

[5] And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” [6] And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

Spoken to Sinners and Saints

1 Corinthians 6:11

[11] And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Spoken to all the saved souls

Job 33:28

[28] He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’

Trading Truth for Trends

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” JUDGES 17:6

 

PONDER THIS

The Book of Judges is not only about what God has said in the past but also what God is saying to us today. The people were forgetful; from one generation to the next, they forgot the Word of God.

The Book of Judges has an underlying theme, found in today’s verse. Everybody was choosing his or her own way to live. Everyone was following his or her own desires instead of following the way of the Lord. There was no fixed standard of morality.

Does that sound familiar? We are seeing the same thing today. We’ve gone from authority to relativism. We have moved from truth to pragmatism. No longer do we ask if it’s true; we ask if it works. People choose religion to produce health, wealth, and happiness. It’s Man-centered rather than God-centered. Sin is no longer the enemy; sorrow is. The number one priority is to feel good about yourself. This is the culture we are part of. We need to consider how this culture has impacted us. How has this made us elevate ourselves? How has this caused us to forget our Lord?

What are some ways you are forgetful in your relationship with God?

What are some ways our culture has influenced you?

PRACTICE THIS

Start praying for God to show you how you have been influenced by the culture around you and what you have forgotten about Him.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Religion Is Not Enough

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

COLOSSIANS 1:15-16

 

PONDER THIS

To explain Jesus is impossible, to ignore Jesus is disastrous, and to deny Him is fatal. We need to understand who Jesus Christ is. My speech is too limited, my mind is too finite, and my heart is too small to tell all I want to tell about the Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:19 says, “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell.” Jesus is not to be prominent in our lives; Jesus is to be preeminent. Jesus doesn’t just show the way; He is the way. Jesus doesn’t just give life; He is the life. He doesn’t just tell the truth; He is the truth.

God Himself is invisible. God in His essence is Spirit. God is unseeable, unknowable, and unapproachable unless we have some way to come to Him. We need someone to bring us to Him. Reason is not enough. Religion is not enough. Ritual is not enough. Jesus Christ is the One who makes the invisible God knowable. He is the image of the invisible God. You can never fully know God the Father unless you know God the Father through God the Son. It is through Jesus that you have access to God. You can’t make yourself better so you can go to God. Come broken to Jesus, and He is the way that will lead you to God.

What are some of the ways you have tried to get to God?

What is different between Jesus showing us the way and Him being the way? Why is that difference important?

PRACTICE THIS

Spend time reading the gospels, the Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Reflect on who Jesus is. Consider what it means to live rightly with Him and how that differs from the way you are living now.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are We Salty Disciples?

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” MATTHEW 5:13

 

PONDER THIS

Salt penetrates. You take just a pinch of salt and put it in a jug of water, and the entire jug will be instantaneously salty. We need to be salty disciples. But the problem with many of us is that we’ve allowed our churches to become holy saltshakers while we sit inside and salt the salt. Jesus said we “are the salt of the earth.” He didn’t say we’re the salt of the Church. We need to be separate from sin, but not isolated from sinners.

However, salt can lose its saltiness. Most of the salt in Bible times came from the Dead Sea. They would take it from the Dead Sea, and the sun would shine on it. If it rained on that salt and stayed too long that way, the salt would leach out and leave noxious chemicals. It had no flavor, and it was actually dangerous. If you put it on the fields, it would kill the crops. If you put it down a well, it would poison the water. But they found one good use for that salt: they could put it on the roads, and it would absorb the moisture. That damaged salt was good for nothing but to be trampled underfoot. Jesus said if we lose our spiritual saltiness, we’re not effective disciples.

What does it look like to live as the “salt of the earth”?

Who are some friends or neighbors you are being salt to? Who are some people you could be salt to?

PRACTICE THIS

Show your love for a neighbor or friend and be salt in his or her life today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are You Sharing the Whole Truth?

“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.” ACTS 24:14

 

PONDER THIS

I was reading about a terrible accident that transpired in England on an unfinished road. Some people traveling that road got into a wreck and were killed. The matter was brought to court. The prosecution said the road was not properly marked as dangerous, and the defense said it was marked and had a red flag up warning people. When they went to get the flag and produce it for the evidence, they realized the elements had weathered it. Rather than being a red flag of warning, it was pale pink, and nobody paid any attention to it. This is the danger of watering down the Gospel.

Thank God for the Apostle Paul, who preached clearly even when it was difficult. He faithfully proclaimed God’s standard of absolute righteousness. The only righteousness we can have comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a sinner by nature, by birth, by practice, and by choice. But the time is now to repent and be made new. As you do so, righteousness, temperance, and judgment will come. The message was clear: here’s what God demands, here’s what you are, and there’s a judgment coming. You’re going to face God. Paul spoke the Word of God clearly. He didn’t water it down or change it for the approval of Man.

Do you know how to communicate the Gospel clearly?

What are some ways you may be tempted to water down the Gospel message? Why might you be tempted to do this?

PRACTICE THIS

Practice sharing the Gospel with a trusted Christian friend.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

God’s Truth Cannot Be Compromised

PRAY OVER THIS

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:3-5

 

PONDER THIS

There are a lot of people who don’t want sound doctrine. Paul warned Timothy about those with “itching ears.” What does that mean? It means these people turn away from the truth; they don’t want sound doctrine. Do you know what the word sound means? Sound is the word we get the word hygiene from. They don’t want spiritual hygiene. They don’t want sound doctrine. They want to hear a more convenient message, one that is customized to their desires and wishes. They want a preacher to tickle their ears, to scratch their ears, and tell them what they want to hear.

There’s a whole movement of church growth in America today that says, “Don’t stand up on Sunday morning and tell people they’re sinners. They won’t come back. Scratch and tickle their ears and say smooth things to them, and you’ll build a crowd.” So what? Jesus won’t be your best friend until He becomes your Savior and you’re born again. No, it’s not fun to stand up and tell people they’re lost. It’s not fun to preach the Word of God, but it is the truth that will set you free. (See John 8:32.)

Do you listen to others, even when it isn’t what you want to hear? Why or why not?

When was the last time someone spoke a word of wisdom you needed to hear but didn’t like? How did you respond?

PRACTICE THIS

Talk to a trusted friend and ask if there is any area in which you have itching ears to hear only what you want.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are You a Truth-Teller?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.”

Ephesians 4:25

 

PONDER THIS

Christians are called to lead by example. For parents, that means confessing and asking for forgiveness when you’ve done wrong. Let your children know you are a truth speaker.

You can fail in many ways and still come out fairly good with your children. But if you fail to keep your word, to keep your promises, or to tell the truth to your children, I promise you that your home is on the road to disaster. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for parents to tell the truth.

Do your children know you tell the truth? Do you ever teach children to lie for you? If we teach them to lie for us, we should not punish them when they lie to us. I actually heard about a mother who told her son, “Johnny, if you don’t stop lying, there’s a green man that lives on the moon who’s going to catch you and make you pick up sticks the rest of your life.” Why would we expect our children to tell the truth based on the threat of a lie? Simply live the Word of God. Moms and dads, tell the truth and keep your word.

How has a lie affected your perception of someone? How did it shape your relationship?

How can you prioritize truth-telling in your life?

PRACTICE THIS

Pray and ask God to help you value truth and keep your word to others. Consider anywhere you have lied and what you might do to rectify that.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Why Don’t You Ask Me?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“I am a stranger in the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me”... (Psalm 119:19)

 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

One man loved to study the Bible, but every time he came to something he couldn't understand, he thought of his friend Charlie. Charlie was a great student of the Bible. The man would go to him and say, "Charlie what does this verse mean?" Or, “Charlie, tell me about this." One day in his Bible study, the Holy Spirit said to him, "Why don't you ask Me? I'm the One who taught Charlie!"

I thank God for Bible students and Bible scholars and people who can teach, but the same God who teaches them is the God who wants to teach you. As you study the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in His truth.

ACTION POINT:

The Word of God will be dynamite in your life. But to make that happen it, you need to verbalize it. Start speaking the Word of God. Speak it clearly, speak it courageously. You'll discover as you verbalize God's Word, as you share God's Word, as you quote God's Word, as you sing God's Word, as what is in your heart finds its way to your lips, it will mold your mind in a way you never knew before. It will become vital in your heart and in your life.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers