Faith Honors Him Whom It Trusts

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith giving glory to God. (Romans 4:20)

Oh, how I long for God to be glorified in our pursuit of holiness and love. But God is not glorified unless our pursuit is empowered by faith in his promises.

And the God who revealed himself most fully in Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our sins and raised for our justification (Romans 4:25), is most glorified when we embrace his promises with joyful firmness because they are bought by the blood of his Son.

God is honored when we are humbled for our feebleness and failure, and when he is trusted for future grace. That’s the point of Romans 4:20 where Paul describes Abraham’s faith, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith giving glory to God.”

He grew strong in his faith, thus giving glory to God. Faith in God’s promises glorifies him as supremely wise and strong and good and trustworthy. So, unless we learn how to live by faith in the promises of God’s future grace, we may perform remarkable religious rigors, but not for God’s glory.

He is glorified when the power to be holy comes through humble faith in future grace.

Martin Luther said, “[Faith] honors him whom it trusts with the most reverent and highest regard, since it considers him truthful and trustworthy.” The trusted Giver gets the glory.

My great desire is that we learn how to live for God’s honor. And that means living by faith in future grace, which, in turn, means battling unbelief in all the ways it rears its head.

John Piper 

When Obedience Feels Impossible

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. (Hebrews 11:17)

For many of you right now — and for others of you the time is coming — obedience feels like the end of a dream. You feel that if you do what the word of God or the Spirit of God is calling you to do, it will make you miserable and that there is no way that God could turn it all for good.

Perhaps the command or call of God you hear just now is to stay married or stay single, to stay in that job or leave that job, to get baptized, to speak up at work about Christ, to refuse to compromise your standards of honesty, to confront a person in sin, to venture a new vocation, to be a missionary. And as you see it in your limited mind, the prospect of doing this is terrible — it’s like the loss of Isaac, the only son who can be an heir.

You have considered every human angle, and it is impossible that it could turn out well.

Now you know what it was like for Abraham. This story is in the Bible for you.

Do you desire God and his way and his promises more than anything, and do you believe that he can and will honor your faith and obedience by being unashamed to call himself your God, and to use all his wisdom and power and love to turn the path of obedience into the path of life and joy?

That is the crisis you face now: Do you desire him? Will you trust him? The word of God to you is: God is worthy and God is able.

John Piper 

Possess Your Possessions

“Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.” JOSHUA 1:3-5

 

PONDER THIS

Remember that when the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they were going into Canaan; they were coming out of the land of bondage into the land of blessing. God told Joshua, “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you." Not “I will give it to you,” but “I have already given it to you.” God was saying to Joshua, “Every place you put your foot down is already yours.” But they had to possess their possessions. Like the Israelites, you have so much that God has promised that you have not yet possessed. There is God’s provision, but there must be your appropriation. And it doesn’t matter what God has done for you—if you don’t appropriate it, it won’t be yours.

How many of you have books in your library at home that you haven’t read yet? That’s the case for most of us. You’ve got books, but you haven’t read them all yet. Now is that book yours? Well, yes. But you haven’t possessed your possession. It’s doing you no good. It’s there; it’s your book. But you have not appropriated that which is yours. We have to choose to take up, and live in, God’s provision. He has provided; will you live like He has?

What are some things you have struggled with trusting God to provide?

According to Scripture, what are some things God has given you to possess? Have you taken hold of those things?

PRACTICE THIS

Take hold of the things of God you have struggled to possess. Live the day joyfully, with hope, sharing love with others, and being patient when things don’t go your way.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Three Christmas Presents

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. . . . My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 3:7–8; 2:1–2)

Ponder this remarkable situation with me. If the Son of God came to help you stop sinning — to destroy the works of the devil — and if he also came to die so that, when you do sin, there is a propitiation, a removal of God’s wrath, then what does this imply for living your life?

Three things. And they are wonderful to have. I give them to you briefly as Christmas presents.

Gift #1. A Clear Purpose for Living

It implies that you have a clear purpose for living. Negatively, it is simply this: don’t sin — don’t do what dishonors God. “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin” (1 John 2:1). “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

If you ask, “Can you give us that positively, instead of negatively?” the answer is: Yes, it’s all summed up in 1 John 3:23. It’s a great summary of what John’s whole letter requires. Notice the singular “commandment” — “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” These two things are so closely connected for John he calls them one commandment: believe Jesus and love others. That is your purpose. That is the sum of the Christian life. Trusting Jesus, loving people the way Jesus and his apostles taught us to love. Trust Jesus, love people. There’s the first gift: a purpose to live.

Gift #2. Hope That Our Failures Will Be Forgiven

The second implication of the twofold truth that Christ came to destroy our sinning and to forgive our sins is this: We make progress in overcoming our sin when we have hope that our failures will be forgiven. If you don’t have hope that God will forgive your failures, when you start fighting sin, you give up.

Many of you are pondering some changes in the new year, because you have fallen into sinful patterns and want out. You want some new patterns of eating. New patterns for entertainment. New patterns of giving. New patterns of relating to your spouse. New patterns of family devotions. New patterns of sleep and exercise. New patterns of courage in witness. But you are struggling, wondering whether it’s any use. Well, here’s your second Christmas present: Christ not only came to destroy the works of the devil — our sinning — he also came to be an advocate for us because of experiences of failure in our fight.

So, I plead with you, let the fact that failure will not have the last word give you the hope to fight. But beware! If you turn the grace of God into license, and say, “Well, if I can fail, and it doesn’t matter, then why bother fighting sin?” — if you say that, and mean it, and go on acting on it, you are probably not born again and should tremble.

But that is not where most of you are. Most of you want to fight sinful patterns in your life. And what God is saying to you is this: Let Christ’s covering of your failure give hope to fight. “I write this to you that you might not sin, but if you sin you have an advocate, Jesus Christ.”

Gift #3. Christ Will Help Us

Finally, the third implication of the double truth that Christ came to destroy our sinning and to forgive our sins is this: Christ will really help us in our fight. He really will help you. He is on your side. He didn’t come to destroy sin because sin is fun. He came to destroy sin because sin is fatal. It is a deceptive work of the devil, and it will destroy us if we don’t fight it. He came to help us, not hurt us.

So here’s your third Christmas present: Christ will help overcome sin in you. First John 4:4 says, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Jesus is alive, Jesus is almighty, Jesus lives in us by faith. And Jesus is for us, not against us. He will help you in your fight with sin in the new year. Trust him.

John Piper 

Faith Honors Him Whom It Trusts

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith giving glory to God. (Romans 4:20)

Oh, how I long for God to be glorified in our pursuit of holiness and love. But God is not glorified unless our pursuit is empowered by faith in his promises.

And the God who revealed himself most fully in Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our sins and raised for our justification (Romans 4:25), is most glorified when we embrace his promises with joyful firmness because they are bought by the blood of his Son.

God is honored when we are humbled for our feebleness and failure, and when he is trusted for future grace. That’s the point of Romans 4:20 where Paul describes Abraham’s faith, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith giving glory to God.”

He grew strong in his faith, thus giving glory to God. Faith in God’s promises glorifies him as supremely wise and strong and good and trustworthy. So, unless we learn how to live by faith in the promises of God’s future grace, we may perform remarkable religious rigors, but not for God’s glory.

He is glorified when the power to be holy comes through humble faith in future grace.

Martin Luther said, “[Faith] honors him whom it trusts with the most reverent and highest regard, since it considers him truthful and trustworthy.” The trusted Giver gets the glory.

My great desire is that we learn how to live for God’s honor. And that means living by faith in future grace, which, in turn, means battling unbelief in all the ways it rears its head.

John Piper

Are You Ignorant or Indifferent to God’s Truth?

PRAY OVER THIS

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:36-39

 

PONDER THIS

There is a story of a man who asked another man on the street, “Do you know what the two biggest problems in the world are today?” The man said, “I don’t know, and I don’t care.” The story reflects those two great problems: ignorance and indifference. There are some things we cannot and should not be ignorant of and dare not be indifferent to. One of them is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Noah was a preacher. He preached with the wrath of God in the foreground and the ring of hammers in the background. A near contemporary was a man named Enoch. The preaching of these ministers in that day did not penetrate the hearts of the people. Why? The people were marrying and giving in marriage, eating and drinking. Their technology, art, culture, and entertainment distracted them. They had eaten of the fruit of the tree of knowledge and saw themselves as rich and increased with goods and needing nothing.

Can you imagine what the newspaper columnists of our day would have done had they gone out to interview Noah? What a field day they would have had. Our generation has been warned. There has been so much faithful preaching, and the last days are going to be marked by solemn preaching and people who will not listen.

What are some things that distract you from the gravity of God’s truth?

How have you learned to apply what you receive from preaching and from time in God’s Word?

PRACTICE THIS

Identify some distractions in your life and take a fast from them. Share with a friend to help keep you accountable.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Trust and Believe in Jesus

PRAY OVER THIS

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10

 

PONDER THIS

One time I was praying with a woman in the hospital, and I heard somebody down the hall call, “Come see me too.” So, I went there, and there in that hospital bed was a precious lady. Pain was on her face. Despair was in her heart. I could tell that she had very little time to live. She said, “I’m not ready to meet God. Can you help me?” I said I could, and I told her about Jesus. I told her, “If you’ll trust Him, He’ll save you.” She asked for my help, so I asked her to pray with me, repeating my words, “Dear God, I know You love me. I know You want to save me. Jesus, I believe God raised you from the dead. I open my heart, and I receive You now as my Lord and Savior. Amen.”

She repeated every word and when I opened my eyes, I expected to see peace on her face, but I saw a tortured look. She asked, “How can just saying that do any good?” And I said, “You’re right. It is more than words. It is believing and truly trusting in Jesus that saves you. Now, let’s pray it again and this time, put your faith in Jesus.” We prayed it again and she said, “Lord, I really trust you.” And I saw the peace of God come over that precious woman’s face.

That’s what miracles are about. Believe in miracles, but trust in Jesus.

When was a time you received encouragement that didn’t feel sincere? What was that like?

Have you ever read a promise in Scripture and just agreed without absorbing the full meaning? Have you found the Word of God to penetrate more when you reread a passage, giving it your full attention?

PRACTICE THIS

Ask a friend to speak to an area of your life where you may be saying the right words but not trusting God with a sincere heart.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are You Experiencing Darkness?

PRAY OVER THIS

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3

 

PONDER THIS

What is darkness? Darkness is merely the absence of light. The only way there can be darkness is for the light to be withdrawn. Who is the light? God is the light. But sometimes God may just back off and leave His servant in darkness. If you read biographies of great Christians, almost all of them will talk about something they call the dark night of the soul. They’re serving God, they’re loving God, and then things come, perplexities they can’t understand.

There’s going to come a time when all your theology will go upside down. There will be a time when you won’t understand where God is and you’re going to be in such darkness you won’t see your hand in front of your face. What do you do then? Isaiah says stay upon your God; trust Him.

Have you experienced a “dark night of the soul”? What was this like? How did God work and move in your life during and around this time?

Why is it important to stay with God in these times?

PRACTICE THIS

Do you know anyone who is facing a dark night of the soul currently? Pray for that person and reach out to encourage that person today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Faith Honors Him Whom It Trusts

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith giving glory to God. (Romans 4:20)

Oh, how I long for God to be glorified in our pursuit of holiness and love. But God is not glorified unless our pursuit is empowered by faith in his promises.

And the God who revealed himself most fully in Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our sins and raised for our justification (Romans 4:25), is most glorified when we embrace his promises with joyful firmness because they are bought by the blood of his Son.

God is honored when we are humbled for our feebleness and failure, and when he is trusted for future grace. That’s the point of Romans 4:20 where Paul describes Abraham’s faith, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith giving glory to God.”

He grew strong in his faith, thus giving glory to God. Faith in God’s promises glorifies him as supremely wise and strong and good and trustworthy. So, unless we learn how to live by faith in the promises of God’s future grace, we may perform remarkable religious rigors, but not for God’s glory.

He is glorified when the power to be holy comes through humble faith in future grace.

Martin Luther said, “[Faith] honors him whom it trusts with the most reverent and highest regard, since it considers him truthful and trustworthy.” The trusted Giver gets the glory.

My great desire is that we learn how to live for God’s honor. And that means living by faith in future grace, which, in turn, means battling unbelief in all the ways it rears its head.

John Piper 

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 

Are You a Woman of Virtue?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10

 

PONDER THIS

A diamond catches and reflects light, but a ruby has an inner glow. The beauty of a ruby is on the inside. And that’s what God is talking about when He speaks of the value of a virtuous wife. Look at Proverbs 31:30, and you'll see what He’s talking about: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” Now there’s nothing wrong with beauty, but virtue far exceeds beauty. The word virtue here really means moral strength. The Bible says that because of her moral strength, her husband can trust her. Proverbs 31:11 says, “The heart of her husband safely trusts her.” What does that mean? It means she’s going to be honest, she’s going to be wise, she’s going to be loyal, and she’s going to be prudent.

Who comes to mind when you think about godly women in your life?

How do they exhibit the qualities of godly virtue?

PRACTICE THIS

Take time today to reach out and encourage the women you know who exhibit these qualities regularly. Make a phone call or send a text message to let them know.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Faith Honors Him Whom It Trusts

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith giving glory to God. (Romans 4:20)

Oh, how I long for God to be glorified in our pursuit of holiness and love. But God is not glorified unless our pursuit is empowered by faith in his promises.

And the God who revealed himself most fully in Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our sins and raised for our justification (Romans 4:25), is most glorified when we embrace his promises with joyful firmness because they are bought by the blood of his Son.

God is honored when we are humbled for our feebleness and failure, and when he is trusted for future grace. That’s the point of Romans 4:20 where Paul describes Abraham’s faith, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith giving glory to God.”

He grew strong in his faith, thus giving glory to God. Faith in God’s promises glorifies him as supremely wise and strong and good and trustworthy. So, unless we learn how to live by faith in the promises of God’s future grace, we may perform remarkable religious rigors, but not for God’s glory.

He is glorified when the power to be holy comes through humble faith in future grace.

Martin Luther said, “[Faith] honors him whom it trusts with the most reverent and highest regard, since it considers him truthful and trustworthy.” The trusted Giver gets the glory.

My great desire is that we learn how to live for God’s honor. And that means living by faith in future grace, which, in turn, means battling unbelief in all the ways it rears its head.

John Piper 

Do You Have These Motivations?

 

PRAY OVER THIS

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

2 Corinthians 5:9-11

 

READ THIS

If we want to bring people to Jesus, to “be soul winners for the cause of Christ,” the Apostle Paul offers six mighty motivations in 2 Corinthians 5. Today, we will consider the first three.

First, we see the soul winner’s compulsion (2 Corinthians 5:9). Our goal is to please God; if we are not endeavoring to bring souls to Christ, we are not acceptable to God.

We also recognize our compensation (2 Corinthians 5:10). We will be compensated for our soul-winning work at the judgment seat of Christ. And whatever reward He gives us will never see corruption—it won’t fade or tarnish!

Third, remember the soul winner’s conviction (2 Corinthians 5:11). Paul reminds us of what it means for a soul to die unredeemed, destined for Hell; he understood the terror of the Lord. The Christian does not want others to suffer spiritually either now or in eternity.

CONSIDER THIS

How much do you desire to bring others to know God? What might this reflect about your own relationship with Christ, whether good or bad?

Which of the three motivations we considered today is most compelling to you—a compulsion to share the Good News, the compensation of God’s “well done” as you work to bring people to Him, or your conviction about the eternal destiny of those who don’t know Jesus? How is God calling you to respond to these promptings from His Word?

DO THIS

Reflect on the soul winner’s compulsion, compensation, and conviction. Develop a plan to share your faith and act in obedience based on these motivations.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Where To Place Your Trust

There is a health crisis!

We go to a physician.

God has given man ( the doctor) a small bit of His wisdom and knowledge.

They do heal by the power and knowledge of God.

The doctor performs test. 

He may say I concur with the test and make a plan for treatment or he may say based on my knowledge and what I've witnessed, I disagree.

In spite of the fact the test looked at the cells of biopsy under a microscope.

The doctor is going with what he thinks based on past experiences, over the fact of a biological test which has been looked at under the microscope. 

He is acting on the unknown and not relying on scientific knowledge.

It's a tool they need to use.

We are left to wonder what to do!

I'm here to tell you that there is One who sees everything.

He is the great Physician. 

He has all knowledge.

He has all wisdom.

He alone is Who we should go to first.

Out trust should be in Him!

You can believe He will not leave you alone.

He can heal, restore, forgive, and change your heart.

He is the justifier, the reconciler, and the One Who guarantees your salvation.

He is Christ the Lord!  

Philippians 4:6-7

[6] do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Mark 2:16-17

[16] And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [17] And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

1 Timothy 2:5

[5] For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Psalm 32:1-5

A Maskil of David.

    [1] Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,

        whose sin is covered. 

    [2] Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity,

        and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

    [3] For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away

        through my groaning all day long. 

    [4] For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;

        my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

    [5] 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

Acts 2:24

[24] God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Colossians 2:13-14

[13] And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, [14] by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Do you bow before the Lord Jesus?

1 John 1:9

[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Are You Listening to God?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders....” Psalm 29:3

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Some people think it’s a waste of time to simply sit at God’s feet and listen. It is not a waste of time to wait on God any more than a woodsman is wasting time when he sharpens his ax.

In his booklet “Tyranny of the Urgent,” Charles Hummel wrote,

“When we fail to wait prayerfully for God’s guidance and strength, we are saying, with our actions if not our lips, that we do not need Him. ...Prayerful waiting on God is indispensable to effective service. Like the time-out in a football game, it enables us to catch our breath and fix new strategies. …The need is not the call. The call must come from the Lord, who knows our limitations.”

ACTION POINT

Read Psalm 29. Count how many times the phrase “voice of the Lord” is repeated. Spend at least that many minutes listening for His voice and trusting He will speak His will to you.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Open the Windows of Your Heart

A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench. (Isaiah 42:3)

Probably the most encouraging words I have heard in weeks came from a prophecy in Isaiah 42:1–3 about how Jesus will use his spiritual power.

Do you feel like “a bruised reed” — like one of those big top-heavy Easter lilies whose stem has been squashed so that the flower flops to the ground and gets no sap? Do you ever feel like your faith is just a little spark instead of a flame — like that little red dot at the end of the wick after you blow out the birthday candle?

Take heart! The Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of encouragement: he will not snap off your flower; he will not snuff out your spark.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me . . . to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18). “The sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2). “[He is] gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).

It may be a grief to us that we are only a spark instead of a flaming fire. But listen! And be encouraged: Yes, there is a big difference between a spark and a fire. But there is an infinite difference between a spark and no spark! A mustard seed of faith is infinitely closer to being a mountain of faith than it is to being no faith.

Open the window of God’s promises and let the Spirit blow into every room of your heart. The Holy Wind of God will not break or quench. He will lift up your head and fan your spark into a flame. He is the Spirit of encouragement.

John Piper 

Living by God’s Promises

BIBLE MEDITATION

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:8

 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

According to an article, Henry Ford asked some engineers to box the transmissions for his Model-T Fords in certain sized boxes. He gave meticulous dimensions and material instructions for these boxes. The builders were confused, but they did as they were told.

When the transmissions were delivered, the factory workers took apart the boxes and used them for the floorboards! Mr. Ford was thinking ahead!

That’s what God does. He knows what we need even before we ask Him. We may not understand all of His ways, just like those workers who were boxing up the transmissions did not understand.

We do not live by our understanding; we live by His promises.

ACTION POINT

Is there something happening in your life right now that you don’t understand? Read Proverbs 3:5-6 and trust in the promise that He will direct your path.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

God’s Ways Are Not Ours

BIBLE MEDITATION

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Sometimes we say, “Now if I were God, I would have done it this way.” But we just don’t understand the ways of God. God put this world together the way He wanted it.

If you ever learn this secret to getting into the ways of God, it will open up so many things to you. The Bible says “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). Psalm 103:7 says “He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” There is a significant difference. A lot of us just see the acts of God, but we don’t understand the ways of God.

When the Israelites were in the wilderness, being bitten by the fiery serpents, I imagine they were saying, “God, kill the serpents!” But He didn’t do that. Instead, He told Moses to put a fiery serpent upon a brass pole, and whoever looked at it would live—a foreshadowing of His only Son lifted high upon a cross to save all mankind.

People ask, “Why doesn’t God kill the devil? If there’s a God, and the devil’s so bad, why doesn’t God just kill him?” God doesn’t kill the devil. God puts His Son on the cross. We need to understand the ways of God.

ACTION POINT

Some things you’ll never understand until you reach Heaven. One of the greatest promises in the Bible is Romans 8:28. Stop trying to figure it all out. In faith, trust Him to form you into the vessel He wants you to be.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers