We Killed Jesus

Sinner, you and I killed Jesus. 

The sin of man was the cause. 

Sin entered into God's perfect design, perverting perfection and forever creating a separation between Creator and creation. 

Because of our sin, God's wrath towards you and I had to be satisfied.

But praise God, He had a plan!

He sent His only Son to ransom wicked sinful man.

Without Christ, we had no acceptable means by which we could be reconciled to God!

And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,  - Revelation 5:9

Learning to Love, Learning to Hate

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 97:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

This may come as a surprise to you, but just because you’re a Christian doesn’t mean you’re supposed to love everything. 

Now, we hear that Christians are to be a people of love, and that is true. But did you know that if you’re a Christian, not only must you learn to love, but you also must learn to hate?

If you love God, then you are to hate what God hates. It is true in every realm. If you love flowers, you hate weeds. If you love health, you hate germs. If you love God, you hate evil. It is just that plain.

Romans 12:9b tells us in even stronger terms to “abhor that which is evil.” A hypocrite, something none of us want to be, is someone who says he loves God, but then he doesn’t hate sin.

ACTION POINT:

Don’t tell others you love God if you don’t hate that which nailed His Son to the cross.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Impending Great Tribulation

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” - Matthew 24:21

General Omar Bradley said this about our generation:

We know more about war than about peace.

We know more about killing than about living.

This is our 20th Century’s claim to progress – knowledge of science outstrips capacity for control.

We have too many men of science, too few men of God.

The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience.

We are a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants.

I think he said a mouthful. Jesus said there’s coming a time like never before seen in history – the Great Tribulation – when all our progresses and advances will come down to one thing – Jesus Christ.

Where will you be on the day of Tribulation?

Where do you want to be?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

What Are You Afraid Of?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In Matthew 25, we read the parable of the talents. When the master who had distributed the talents came to see the stewardship of those talents, one man had taken his talent and hidden it in the ground.

You may have a buried talent, but you’ve been covered up by the sinister minister of fear, who keeps you from achieving your dreams. You say, “But what if I fail?” You can be so afraid of making a mistake that your entire life will be a mistake. The fear of failure keeps so many from competing that they never even get in the race. They just lose by default!

ACTION POINT:

Sir Walter Scott was called a “dunce” by his teachers. Napoleon Bonaparte was next to last in his military class. Walt Disney was fired as a cartoonist because the newspaper said he couldn’t draw! It’s not bad to fail. We all will fail. But may God deliver you from the spirit of failure, which is a spirit of fear.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Is Courtesy a Way of Life for You?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation: and Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great.” Psalm 18:35

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you know what our churches could use a little bit more of? Courtesy among the brethren—love in the little things, love that says “please” and “thank you,” love that steps back and gives the other person first place. The gentleness of our Lord.

It never ceases to amaze me how people so quickly lose their religion when they leave church on Sunday morning. They go to their cars in the parking lot, then cut people off in traffic. And don’t ever take someone’s “regular” seat in church. You’re seen as stealing their “rightful” place in the worship service!

ACTION POINT:

May God cleanse our churches of self-righteousness and pride. May He purify us from anything that seeks to elevate self over others. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Ready to Make an Honest Confession?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What does it mean to “confess your sins”? It doesn’t mean to simply admit your sin. There are a lot of people who have admitted their sins, who have never confessed their sins.

I’ve spoken to people many times and asked, “Do you know that you’re a sinner?” And they respond, “Yes, I know. We’ve all sinned.” But those people aren’t confessing; all they’re doing is admitting. There is a difference. 

The word “confess” is a compilation of two words, “con” and “fess,” which mean “to agree with.” To confess your sins is “to say with” God what God says about them.

ACTION POINT:

As you go before the Lord in prayer today, rather than just admitting you’ve sinned, agree with God about your sin. Then ask for His grace to overcome. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Welcome to the Priesthood

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Christians are a kingdom of priests, so in order to understand what that means, let’s look at what someone had to do to become a priest in the Old Testament.

The first thing the priest did was bathe from head to toe. This symbolized that he was saved (see Titus 3:5). When we are saved, we are bathed from head to toe in Christ’s cleansing blood.

After his bath, the priest received a linen garment, which symbolized the righteousness that is provided by our Lord. 

Then he was anointed with oil, which is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

How encouraging to discover God’s Word flowing from the Old to the New Testament to describe such essential details of the believer.

ACTION POINT:

Have you been bathed in the cleansing blood? Are you aware you’re wearing a robe (the righteousness of Christ)? The Holy Spirit lives within you. As you go through your day today, be ever mindful: you are a priest—chosen, royal, holy, set apart for Him. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers