Life Is a Mystery to be Lived

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Have you ever stood and watched a painter paint a picture? He starts putting his colors on canvas. He’s just splashing on the colors, mixing this one and that. You can almost hear him thinking, “A little more yellow here….” 

And we say, “He’s so good—how does he do that?” Then suddenly he’ll get some colors and go swoosh! across the canvas. We say, “Oh, you ruined it! You’ve really messed up. Let’s see how you get out of this!” And then all of a sudden it just comes together. It’s a masterpiece! 

Sometimes we look at what God does as God puts His colors on the canvas and say, “Lord, you’re really doing well.” Then all of a sudden God goes swoosh. “Lord! You’ve messed things up! How did You let this happen?” Have you ever felt that way?

Now it doesn’t make sense to me when I watch that painter. It doesn’t make sense to me, but it makes sense to him. And just because things are not making sense to you, do not think that they don’t make sense. In Acts 12 we see Herod’s ungodly power, James’ death, then Peter’s release. Yet all of these things are working together. We call that the sovereignty of God, the providence of God. 

ACTION POINT:

In Acts chapter 12 in your Bible, write in the margin Romans 8:28, “And we know, we k-n-o-w, that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

How Do You Handle A Crisis?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And he [Herod] killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.” Acts 12:2-3

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

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What do you do in times of crisis? One thing we all must do, before we panic or sin against God, is respect the mystery of God’s providence.

Throughout the pages of His Word, you’re going to see the hidden hand of God...working in mysterious ways, in inexplicable ways. God is in the shadows arranging things, moving things people cannot see. That may be true in your life right now. God is working, but you cannot see Him working. 

You may be in the middle of chaos right now. Nothing seems to be making sense. Everything you thought you had nailed down is coming loose, and the devil is pulling nails.

Just because it doesn’t make sense to you doesn’t mean it doesn’t make sense. Many of us have questions. As we look at Acts chapter 12, we say, “Well, how could God let a rascal like Herod be the king anyway? Isn’t God, God? If I were God, I’d turn him into a frog. And why should James be killed and Peter released? Does God have favorites? Has God lost control?” 

ACTION POINT:

We do not live by explanations. Life is not a problem to be solved; it is a mystery to be lived. Sometimes we must back off and simply see what I call the hidden hand of God. Just because today you cannot see the hand of God working doesn’t mean God is not working.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

What Did You Pray For This Morning?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. And…he proceeded further to take Peter also…. And…he put him in prison….Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him….And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him….And the angel said unto him, “Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals…and follow me.”… And…he came to the house of Mary the mother of John…where many were gathered together praying….Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.” Acts 12: 1-5, 7-8, 12, 16

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Peter was in prison and the church was praying. They had no other recourse. They couldn’t petition the government to release him. They had no political influence, no money to bribe Herod. But they could pray. The world might have laughed, but friend, the devil didn’t laugh. 

Someone wisely said, “The devil trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.” They offered focused prayer to God, and God controls the universe. 

Notice that “Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (v. 5). They prayed for Peter not only with intensity but with specificity.

What did you pray for this morning? Many of our prayers, like “Lord, save the lost,” are so vague, if God were to answer them we wouldn’t know it, and if God didn’t answer them we wouldn’t have to admit it. 

ACTION POINT:

Stop praying vague, general prayers. Get specific. When they prayed for Peter and the answer came, they knew it was an answer to prayer.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

What You Might Miss Out On

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Isn’t it wonderful to know that the works of God are perfect? That God’s ways are perfect? And that His will is perfect? Now, someone reading this may think, “But I don’t know about God’s will. I don’t want to give myself completely to Him or He might send me to a remote desert as a missionary.”

Let’s set the record straight. God’s will is not so much something that you surrender to as it is something that you get in on. God will choose for you what you would choose for yourself if you had enough sense to choose it!

ACTION POINT:
Let your prayer today be, "Help me, Lord, not to fear what I'll miss if I do Your will; help me to fear what I'll miss if I don't."

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Putting Down the Weights

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” 1 Corinthians 6:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There are certain weights that an athlete must choose to lay aside. They are not bad for other people, but they are bad for the athlete. In the spiritual realm, it is the same for Christians.

Paul tells us, “all things are not expedient.” The word “expedient” is similar to the word “expedition.” You see, Christians are going somewhere, and if something doesn’t speed us along the way, then it is excess baggage and we need to get rid of it.

ACTION POINT:

Ask God today, “Are there legitimate, lawful things in my life that are keeping me from running the race?” It might be a hobby, friendship, recreational sport, or a cabin in the mountains. It is not bad; it just keeps you from maximizing your life for the Lord Jesus Christ. You must lay it aside.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Will You Receive the Blessing God Sets Before You?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day.” Deuteronomy 11:26-28

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

God is setting before you this day a blessing and a curse. What determines whether you receive the blessing? If you obey. What determines whether or not you are going to receive the curse? If you disobey.

There are six blessings God wants to give you today in exchange for your obedience: plenty (Isaiah 1:19-20), peace (Jeremiah 26:13), protection (Exodus 23:22), power (Acts 5:32), purity (1 Peter 1:22), and perception (Psalm 119:100).

ACTION POINT:

Do you want Jesus to be real to you so that He’s not just someone that you know or read about? Maybe you want to do more than just “pray” to Him; perhaps you want to talk to Him, and you want to relate to Him. Then read John 14:23 and obey Him.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Returning to Your First Love

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent.” Revelation 2:5a

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When my wife Joyce and I were on our honeymoon, we were driving south of Daytona Beach back to West Palm Beach. I was so in love that I had two eyes on her and no eyes on the road.

A policeman hailed me over and told me I had broken the speed limit of 35 mph. I was surprised because I hadn’t seen a sign that changed the limit from 55 to 35. He said, “All right young man, here’s what I want you to do. Turn around and drive back about three blocks. Look at the sign and go on.” That was my punishment.

The officer made me go back before I could go on. 

ACTION POINT:

That’s exactly what our Lord is saying to us when He tells us to return to our first love, a passionate love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers