What’s at the Heart

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Have you ever gone to a sawmill and watched them process timber? They take a big log out of the woods that may have bumps and knots on it, and they lay it on a cradle, running it through a saw, cutting off one side. Then they bring it back, turn it, and run it through again to cut off another side. When they’re finished, if you stand and look down it, it’s perfectly straight. But if you look at the end of it, the heart is still crooked. That’s the way it is with some individuals who are outwardly living the Christian life. But Jeremiah 17:9 warns the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. We need regeneration. We must be born again.

ACTION POINT:

Read Psalm 19:14— “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”

Pray it from your heart—that today you would desire with everything within you to be pure in thought, word, and deed.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Treasure We Have in Jesus Christ

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Many years ago, the Spanish Armada was sailing off the coast of Florida. A hurricane struck, and the ships laden with gold and silver ingots sunk to the bottom. People knew the treasure had been lost and believed one ship went down near Vero Beach in Fort Pierce, Florida. Fishermen fished over that spot, sometimes doubtless hanging a hook on a lump of gold.

One day some explorers went diving, and there it was in the shallow water. In fact, the water was so shallow that any of us could have swum to the bottom and brought up millions of dollars. In the same way, I believe there are many of us yet to discover the full treasure we have in Jesus Christ.

ACTION POINT:

Have you plunged your heart deep into the treasure of the Lord? Or are you living life in the shallow end, wondering if the treasure will ever come to you?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

The Master Designer

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:18

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

How did it happen? How did the Bible get written apart from divine inspiration?

Suppose we decided to build a monument to all 50 states in Washington, D.C., and use native stone from each state. We would hammer out the stones from individual quarries in each state.

Then ship them.

Uncrate them.

Then fit the stones together.

As the stones were assembled, we discovered that there was not one stone too many. Not one stone too few. When completed, we had a magnificently symmetrical monument.

The only explanation for this perfection is that there was a master architect who designed everything. In the same way, you cannot explain the unity of the Bible apart from divine inspiration.

ACTION POINT:

Praise God for His Master Design of the universe—of the stars, the planets, the skies, the seas...and you!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Put on the Righteousness of Christ

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” Colossians 3:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Sometimes people will ask if I’m a preacher.

How do they know I’m a preacher before I’ve said anything “spiritual”? 

I don’t want them to know that I am a preacher by the way I look. Now, I’m not ashamed that I’m a preacher, but I think a preacher ought to dress and act so that nobody will suspect he’s a preacher. We ought to be transparent vessels of the Lord’s anointing.

We’re not posturing, posing, or somehow going through life trying to look holy or trying to act holy. We just simply are what we are by the grace of God.

ACTION POINT:

What does your outer appearance say about who you are in Christ? Dress in His robes of righteousness and His countenance of glory today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Lesson of Prayer

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Some time ago I was invited to preach in another state, but my schedule was such that I couldn’t arrange it. When they offered to send a private plane, I could do it.

As we flew over Arkansas, the pilot asked me if I wanted to try my hand at flying the plane, and I said, “Yes!” 

Of course, he was sitting right next to me. He could fly the plane without me, but I couldn’t fly it without him. He had his hands on his controls all the while, and he allowed me to participate with him.

That’s the way prayer is. God can do it without you, but God enables you to have fellowship with Him and teaches you a dependency upon Him through prayer.

ACTION POINT:

Meditate on 1 Chronicles 16:23-36. Glory in His presence: 

23Sing to the LORD, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. 24Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. 25For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods. 26For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

“Why Doesn't God Obliterate Evil?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine.” 1 Chronicles 29:11

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t obliterate the devil and eradicate all sin? If God destroyed evil, God would destroy every opportunity for choice. And if God were to destroy every opportunity for choice, then God would destroy every opportunity for love. Therefore, God would destroy the highest good. For God to destroy evil would be evil.

God doesn’t destroy evil, instead God defeats evil. How? Calvary and the resurrection! God turns every hurt into a hallelujah. Every defeat into victory!

ACTION POINT:

Spend some time today thinking about heaven and the glorious reunion you’re going to have with Him one day.

 LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Blessed before God

Psalm 84

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! 

2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. 

3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. 

4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah 

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 

6 As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 

7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. 

8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah 

9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! 

10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 

11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 

12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! 

for the Psalmist Then...

It was a blessing to work in the temple. 

He longed to be in God’s presence.

Where the humble find a home.

Where the restless find a refuge. 

He loved to sing God’s praise.

God is the covenant keeping Lord.

God is the commander of heavenly hosts.

God is the living God.

God is my King.

God is my God.

God is the only God.

God is the faithful God.

God is a source of life and light to His people.

God is a shield of protection and provision for His people. 

God showers His grace upon His people.

God shares His glory with His people.

God shows His goodness to His people.

It was a blessing to journey to the temple.

Hope in God brought strength amidst weakness. 

Hope in God brought joy amidst weeping.

It was a blessing to trust in God.

for The Christian Now...

It is a blessing to be the temple.

It is a blessing to journey to heaven. 

It is a blessing to trust in Christ.

Then, the psalmist prayed for God’s favor on an earthly king.

Now, the Christian enjoys God’s favor through our eternal King.

Thanks Pastor David!