God’s Providence

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land.” Psalm 37:34

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

We talk about providence, but what is providence? 

Providence means to see ahead of time and to make provision. This is what God does. He sees events before they ever get here and moves everything toward the goal that He has in mind. 

Now there is a lot of evil in the world, so don’t get the idea that everything that happens is God’s will. Rape is not God’s will. Murder is not God’s will. Racial hatred is not God’s will. Adultery is not God’s will. Sodomy is not God’s will. 

Man has a will and man has an evil heart. And in God’s grand design, He gave man a free will. Even when man does evil, where God does not rule, God overrules.

ACTION POINT:

Read Psalm 37. Find a brother or sister in the Lord and discuss the presence of evil in this world and the providence of God in the lives of His children.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Longing For His Return

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“...we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Is your heart longing for Jesus to return? Are you looking for Him? I am. The coming of Jesus is really the only hope for this world. 

And when will that be? I don’t know. It may be at morning when the clouds break open with sunlight and shadows of night recede from the sky. It may be at noon when the world is hustling and bustling. It may be at dusk when the birds are singing their evening song. Or at midnight, when the stars will dim by the blaze of glory when He descends from the heavenlies. 

What joy fills my heart! Does it fill yours as well to think of that moment? Are you ready?

ACTION POINT:

Look up into the skies today and think about His return. Can you imagine the sound of the trumpets and the voice of the angels announcing His return?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

What Is Success?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

You’ve heard it said, “The one who dies with the most toys wins.” Is that success? Having your dreams come true? Getting all you want? Earning enough money so that you never have to work again? 

May I tell you what success is? And I say this without equivocation. Success is the progressive realization of the will of God for your life. That’s what it is. 

It’s not how much money you have. It’s not how famous you are. It’s not how healthy you are. It’s not how many friends you have or how many toys you have acquired. Success is nothing more, nothing less, than the progressive realization of the will of God for your life.

ACTION POINT:

Do you want to know God’s will? Do you want your heart’s desire to come true?

Read Micah 6:8. What does God require of you? 

Micah 6:8

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? 

Read Psalm 37:4. What is God calling you to do?

Ps.37:4

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Living by Promises Not Explanations

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye 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 

What Is Justification?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “…and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” Romans 8:30

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What does it mean to be justified? It means to be declared righteous. 

Justification is not being good, though being good gives God glory. When you put your faith where God put your sins—on the Lord Jesus Christ—then God stamps “righteous” over your name in His “Book of Life.” 

It’s not because of what you have done or ever can do, but because of His justification. 

No court on earth can justify anybody. But what God does is take a guilty person and not only give that guilty person a pardon, but He makes that guilty person just as if he had never sinned. That’s justification.

ACTION POINT:

If you lived every moment believing in the justification that God has given you, how would your faith be strengthened? Would you be more vocal about the gift of God’s love?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Hallelujah!!

Today a sweet friend had her first grandson born. She shared that this date, 20 years ago, had a deep hurt attached to it. This was the birthday and death day of her baby daughter. Then she made this statement about that hurtful day "I gave her back to God who made her". Do we even think about those words? God made you and me! He is the giver of life and death!

Job1:

20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.

21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

God is to be praised in all things.

1 Peter 5:

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:7

for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

James 1:

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Ephesians 5:20

giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thessalonians 5:

16 Rejoice always,

17 pray without ceasing,

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Job 2:10

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

To Be “in Christ Jesus

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What does it mean to be “in Christ Jesus?” First, think about what it was for Noah to be in the ark. The ark was waterproof. How do we know it was? Well, God told Noah, “put pitch on the inside and on the outside” (Genesis 6:14) The word “pitch” in the Hebrew is kapar, and it is exactly the same word translated as "atonement." You see, we are in Jesus as Noah was in that ark. Just as the storms of God’s wrath beat upon that ark, the storms of God’s wrath beat upon the Lord Jesus. But we are on the inside, and not one drop of judgment can come through.

ACTION POINT:

Read Romans 8:35-39. Reflect on the things that Paul says will never separate you from God’s love. Give glory to God that your sins have been atoned for by the righteous blood of the Savior.

 LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers