Happiness vs. Joy

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Happiness comes from outside circumstances. Joy comes from within. So it’s cruel to say to people who are in sorrow, “Smile and be happy.” Better to come alongside and mourn with them than to try to force the square peg of happiness into a round hole of sorrow. 

The human life is a life of tragedy, sorrow, heartache, and pain. Yet in every difficulty, you can find joy. Happiness is an outside job. Joy is an inside job. 

ACTION POINT:

There is someone in a nursing home that longs for that joy. Find some time this week to bring the joy of the Lord to them. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

When It Comes to the Devil…How to Think

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There are two mistakes people make about the devil. One, they get into demonology—always studying, wondering, and talking about demons. Their focus rests on Satan rather than on the Lord Jesus. The Bible says we’re to resist the devil; it doesn’t say we’re to chase him. 

On the other hand, there are those who are flippant about the devil. They have nicknames for him and think he’s a cartoon or fantasy. 

The truth is, we have a powerful adversary, the devil. Peter likens him to a roaring lion! A mature Christian recognizes that he has an enemy. He respects the power of the enemy. Then he clings to the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to overcome this great adversary. 

ACTION POINT:

Is the lion prowling around your life? Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and break free from his jaws of destruction. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Carrying Our Own Burdens

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.” Psalm 55:22

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

A man was carrying a heavy load of grain down a country road. Another man in a wagon being pulled by a horse saw the man walking and said to him, “Mister, you need a ride?” And so the man got in the wagon. But he kept the load of grain on his shoulder. The wagon driver said, “Man, put that down and relax!” The rider said, “Oh no. It’s enough for you to carry me without having you carry this too.” 

Have you ever done that to the Lord? You say, “Lord, I’ll let You save me, but I’ll carry my own burdens.” How foolish we are to do this with the God who hung the stars and planets. 

ACTION POINT:

If you can trust God to save you from hell, don’t you think you can cast your burden upon the Lord right now? 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

One Body in Christ

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” Romans 12:5

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

My left hand is a member of my body. So is my right hand. The right hand cannot direct the left hand and vice versa. But both hands can receive instruction from the head. If one hand is connected to the head and the other hand is connected to the head, then it simply follows that our hands are going to submit one to another. They’re not going to fight one another. 

It’s the same way in the Body of Christ—the church. Who is the head of the body? The Lord Jesus Christ. Who are the members of the body? You and I. God put us in the church together that we might have a spirit of submission in the fear of the Lord. 

ACTION POINT:

Is there someone in the church with whom you’re having difficulties? Submit yourself to the Lord and allow Him to give you grace to submit one to another. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

How Do I Get More Light?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” Psalm 119:34

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Is God righteous? Yes! How is the righteousness of God revealed? “From faith to faith.” How does that work? God gives you truth…you believe that truth…God gives you more truth. 

The more you obey the light, the more light you get. 

The reason some of us don’t understand the Bible any more than we do is because we have not been living up to the light God has already given us! If you want to understand the part of the Bible you don’t understand, begin to obey the part you do understand and you’ll understand what you didn’t understand. Do you understand?

ACTION POINT:

Ask God for faith that will reveal to you the hidden truths of His Word that are hard for you to understand right now.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Your Virtual Reality—Newness of Life!

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“We are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I was in an airport one day looking for something to pass the time. I saw a virtual reality motorcycle ride. I sat down and buckled my seat belt as instructed. The screen came on and I couldn’t believe it. I felt like I was riding a motorcycle, but I was just sitting in a room! 

Sometimes our mind tells us something is true when it’s not true. Other times when something is true, we fail to believe that it is true! 

How critical it is for us to focus on the truth! Jesus died for you. He lives for you. You died with Him. You live for Him. Day by day, you need to take those facts and turn them into faith.

ACTION POINT:

Tell yourself this truth today. Write it down. Post it all around you! You are buried with Him. You rose with Him. You can walk in newness of life!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

You Are Not a Speck—You Are Cherished!

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“. . . the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The Lord sees you. He knows all about you. And I guarantee you on the authority of the Word of God, that He loves you. 

This is amazing when you realize that we are just specks on a globe that’s about the size of a grain of sand or less compared to the size of the universe. 

There’s no more reason that the Lord of Glory should be interested in us then we should be interested in an ant floating on a piece of cheesecake in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. And yet our Lord looks down and He sees us as cherished individuals that He loves one by one. 

The great God that runs the universe is concerned about you as though that were His only goal.

ACTION POINT:

When was the last time you counted the hairs on your head? Can you trust a God who has them numbered?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers