Which Category Are You In?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might humble thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end.” Deuteronomy 8:16

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There are three categories of people reading this: those who are in trouble; those who are just getting out of trouble; and those who are going into trouble. Job 14:1 says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” 

The Spanish have a proverb: “There’s no home without its hush.” Sooner or later, we will all know sorrow, heartache, and trouble. What we need to know is that troubles are not a sign that things have gone wrong or things have gotten out of hand. We are often in trouble by the providence, plan, and purpose of Almighty God.

When the Israelites were delivered from Pharaoh’s army through the Red Sea, they went into the wilderness. Had God lost control? No. God led them there by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 

ACTION POINT:

In the unfailing providence of God, we are often led into a place of trouble. The wilderness is God’s proving ground for your faith. How are you doing?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Giving the Devil Plenty to Mourn About

BIBLE MEDITATION:

"Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead." Colossians 2:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

People often ask me, "Why do Baptists immerse people—put them fully under the water—when a new convert to Christ is baptized?" Because that’s what God’s Word teaches. When you go under the water, that is a picture of your death and burial. When you come up out of the water, that is a picture of your resurrection. "Buried with Him." "Risen with Him."

If I died and you took me to the cemetery and sprinkled a few granules of dirt on my head, have you truly buried me? No. The very word "baptism" means to immerse. 

ACTION POINT:

Your baptism is a funeral service: Dead to the old life. Raised to newness of life. And the devil doesn’t like that. The baptismal is a liquid tomb, and the mourner who comes to that funeral is the devil. Let’s be sure he has plenty to mourn about.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

God Is Invested in You!

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.” Deuteronomy 20:4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you remember the miracle God performed when He brought the Israelites through the Red Sea, when they were being hunted down by Pharaoh’s army? It was incredible. 

Now let me ask you: What happened three days later? The Israelites began grumbling because there was no water! 

Do you think God would invest such a miraculous deliverance in them, then abandon them just days later? Absolutely not!  But what happens to us when we are down in the dumps and wondering where God is taking us? We become just like the Israelites! 

And yet God did something more for you than He did for them! He sent His precious and only Son to die on Calvary’s tree for you. God redeemed you. 

More than God bringing you out of a watery grave, He delivered you from eternal damnation into glorious communion with Him forever! God saved you! What more could you possibly want?

ACTION POINT:

Are you down in the dumps today? Do you feel like the victim of a bad situation? Do you feel like God has abandoned you? Then write down Deuteronomy 

20:4 on a piece of paper and meditate on it until you believe it.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Steadfast Love

Definition of steadfast:

Firm in belief, unwavering, dutifully firm

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.  - Hosea 6:6

In mercy, God has pursued you!

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. - Luke 15:7

In love, He has provided a Savior to rescue you from Hell.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? - Romans 8:31-32

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died-more than that, who was raised-who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. - Romans 8:34

He doesn't want you to follow Him for the sake of traditions.

5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"

6 And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 

7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' 

8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."

9 And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! - Mark 7:5-9

He wants your commitment!

He wants His word written on your heart, in your mind and for you to obey!

He wants you to share His word with others!

The sickness of sin leads to eternal sorrow.

12 But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

13 Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." - Matthew 9:12-13

Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." - John 9:39

And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." - Mark 12:33

Would You Turn Down a Pardon?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26:28

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In 1829 George Wilson was adjudicated guilty and given the death sentence for murder. But Wilson had some friends who petitioned President Andrew 

Jackson for a pardon. 

Jackson granted the pardon, and it was brought to prison and given to Wilson. To everyone’s surprise, Wilson said, “I am going to hang.” 

There had never been a refusal to a pardon, so the courts didn’t know what to do. Discussion went all the way to the Supreme Court, and Justice John 

Marshall gave this ruling: “A pardon is a piece of paper, the value of which depends upon the acceptance by the person implicated. If he does not accept the 

pardon, then he must be executed.” 

God loves you and wants to pardon you, but if you refuse Him, you will die and go to hell. Cast yourself upon Him completely, and receive the free gift of His 

forgiveness today.

ACTION POINT:

Have you repented of your sin and believed upon the atoning work of Christ’s blood on the cross? Being good doesn’t get you to heaven. It is only Jesus.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Soul Winners, God's Spiritual Warriors

They are many in number!

They come from all walks of life!

Rich men, poor men, wounded in spirit, and some with broken bodies but they all have a common trait!

They worship a risen Savior, Christ the Lord!!

Some we are blessed to know! 

Others we will only meet in Heaven!

While all WERE born sinners, most of us come from loving parents that taught respect and the consequence of a sinful life!

While others come from a background of challenge, from an insurmountable amount of sin all around them and the truth be told, if we had walked in their shoes, we could have very well crumbled under the weight of sin!

Praises and shouts of worship to a merciful Most High God for the gift of unmerited grace and the blessing we received through Christ for the forgiveness of sin!

I'm saying this to say, every once in a while there comes along a man, just a good ole country boy, who never missed an opportunity to speak of the love Christ showed sinful man and the effect it will have on his eternity!!!

His mission was to tell you and I that without Christ, we are doomed to Hell for eternity!

The man of whom I speak died last week!

As with all Christ followers, he wanted no accolades!

He lived his life knowing praise and worship only belongs to God for He alone is worthy!!!

He lived life TOTALLY resting on Christ for salvation!!

His family and friends mourn his passing but we know by his repeated words of faith that salvation comes through the blood of Christ alone!!!

Friend, did know that Christ is pursuing you? 

He died for you!!

Grace and faith are marvelous gifts that should not be ignored!!

Where you spend eternity depends on it!!

Bow before the blood stained Cross of Christ for salvation, regeneration, forgiveness, restoration, and redemption!!!

Be that person who is assured that the last breath here on Earth will be followed by your first breath in the presence of our sweet Savior, Jesus!!!

Hallelujah, our God reigns forever!!!

12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:12-17

Lord, speak to the hearts of those who are not searching for You, forgive them, open their eyes to hope that comes from Christ alone. Amen

Purchased at a Precious Price

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” - 1 Corinthians 6:20

Matthew 26:28 says, “For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” 

The word “testament” is from the Greek word diatheke, which means “covenant.” Christ has purchased us with His blood. We have entered into a covenant with Him. The church is the bride, He is the bridegroom. We are betrothed to Him in a covenant bought with His blood.

Samuel J. Stone wrote these powerful words in a hymn we sing in our church,

“The Church’s One Foundation.”— “From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.”

Let this powerful truth sink deep into your heart today. Meditate on what it meant that Jesus came and sought you, then bought you with His blood.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers