Praying from the Heart—Not on Auto-Pilot

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Matthew 6:7

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

It was a very long, tiring day. I had preached three sermons and dictated a stack of letters. And at the close of each letter I ended it, “In Jesus’ name, Adrian Rogers.” 

A man came to me at the end of a service and said, “I must see you. I have a severe problem.” I was bone weary but I said, “Very well, come on back and let’s talk.” 

We talked and I listened. My heart was moved with compassion. I said, “Let me pray for you.” And when I finished I said, “In Jesus’ name, Adrian Rogers.” And then I thought, “Oh my! Did I say that? Did he hear me say that?” How easy we slip and rattle off our prayers.

ACTION POINT:

Do you find yourself using repetitive phrases in your prayer life? Today, just talk with God. Don’t think too much about your words. Follow your heart.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Character—It’s An Inside Job

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.” Proverbs 20:7

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

This world says if we could just arrange conditions where we never have any sorrow, pain, or hurts, then we could change men. If we can change conditions we can change character. But the Bible teaches just the opposite. 

The world puts the emphasis on condition—God puts the emphasis on character. Someone has well said you can’t purify the water by painting the pump. And yet that’s what we try to do. We think that if we can change the exterior or make conditions such that we never have any hurts, then we’re going to be okay. But, Jesus put the emphasis upon character. Upon what you are, not what you have.

ACTION POINT:

Is there someone in your life you admire? Someone who is a person of integrity? Praise God for His work in that person’s life and give him or her a word of encouragement.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Jesus, the Bridge Spanning the Great Divide

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.” Ephesians 2:16

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Up in heaven is the holy God.

Down below is the sinful man. 

And sin is the dividing rod that separates. 

Without God, man has an empty void in his life he knows he must fill, so man is constantly trying to reach God. But he keeps rebounding off the sin barrier. 

Then God, moved in mercy by the pitiful plight of sinful man, said, “I will do something.”

God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to make a way. And upon the rough-hewn timbers of a cross, Jesus gave His life so you and I could live forever and live forgiven. Jesus built a bridge between man and God. It’s a bridge man could never build. And a bridge that man can never take away.

God made a way that we couldn’t make . . . for me . . . and for you.

ACTION POINT:

Since Jesus built a bridge of love for you to be reconciled to God, it’s your turn to build a bridge of love to someone who is lost and searching.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Remembering Our Heroes

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place.” Exodus 13:3

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Each year, Americans remember those brave-hearted souls who fought and gave their lives so that you and I would have the rights and privileges of living in a free country. 

Remembering is important. In fact, God instructs His people on many occasions in the Old Testament to remember from whence they came and to remember His providence.

It is by the mighty hand of God that we are saved, we are protected, and we are free to live in the Land of the Brave. Never take that freedom for granted, my friend. It is a precious commodity for which the world hungers. And it is a powerful charge for you and me to protect.

ACTION POINT:

Do you know of someone in your life who has served in the armed forces of this country? Make a point this week to express to them your gratitude for their service.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Secure in the Arms of Jesus

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

A Christian is not somebody who merely believes that Christ died for his sins. The devil believes that. A Christian is somebody who has repented of his sins and invited Christ into his heart to be his Savior and Lord. 

You can intellectually believe that an airplane can fly, but in order to fly you must try out its wings. In the same way, when you give your heart to Jesus Christ, He takes control of your life and begins to make you into the person He wants you to be. 

Your life doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect for you to go to heaven. At the moment you trust Christ as your personal Savior, you are eternally saved, eternally secure, and God begins to work on you.

ACTION POINT:

A Christian is not somebody who merely believes that Christ died for his sins. The devil believes that. A Christian is somebody who has repented of his sins and invited Christ into his heart to be his Savior and Lord. 

You can intellectually believe that an airplane can fly, but in order to fly you must try out its wings. In the same way, when you give your heart to Jesus Christ, He takes control of your life and begins to make you into the person He wants you to be.

Your life doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect for you to go to heaven. At the moment you trust Christ as your personal Savior, you are eternally saved, eternally secure, and God begins to work on you.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Putting the Emphasis on the Eternal

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Sometimes people in large churches get a lot of grief from “the world” because of the great expenses of building and maintaining their church. I’ve heard, “Why didn’t they take that money and feed the poor?”

Here’s my answer, “People need Jesus.” The social gospel thinks all men need is food. If I had five billion dollars and bought everybody on earth a meal, in several hours they’d all be hungry again. 

There’s nothing wrong with feeding the poor. We ought to do that. But the social gospel puts an emphasis on what is temporary. The true gospel puts the emphasis upon what is eternal. Folks need more than soup and soap, they need salvation.

ACTION POINT:

Think about ways that you can get involved with the need to feed, clothe, and house the homeless. Then find the open door to feed them with the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Are You Looking Through the Right Eyeglasses?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

People join churches today with wrong expectations. They think church membership guarantees blessings and no burdens. Some think that God is just a heavenly cafeteria. And if it doesn’t work out as they wish, they say, “Well, it’s not paying off! I thought if I gave my heart to Jesus, then He would supply everything I want. And I’d have no more worries.” 

People fall away because their expectations are not met. Let me tell you what real faith is. Real faith is not just receiving from God the things you want. Real faith is accepting from God the things He gives.

ACTION POINT:

How are your spiritual eyeglasses? Are you looking at life with the eyes of the Lord? And trusting that He will provide, not necessarily what you want, but what you need?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers