Thankful When You’re Counting Pennies

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places.” Habakkuk 3:17-19

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In Habakkuk’s day, there was an economic recession. There were no cows in the barn. “Yet…” he writes. Oh, how I love that “yet” in verse 18. “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation.” Where was his joy? In the Lord, not circumstances. 

If you depend on circumstances, you can’t say “rejoice always,” because circumstances change. You lose your job. You lose your health. You lose your friends. You lose your prestige. If that’s where you’re getting your joy, and that changes, you can’t say, “Yet will I rejoice.” But Habakkuk said, “Yet will I joy in the God of my salvation.”

Where are you getting your joy? From the Lord? I hope you are. There’s one way we can find out. If you’re getting your joy from your job, we can take your job and see if you still have your joy. Maybe you’re getting your joy from your health. You say, “No, it’s from the Lord.” If your health fails, see if you still have your joy. 

ACTION POINT:

The only joy anyone can have is in the Lord, because He never changes. Your joy can be threatened if you get it anywhere else. It’s not wrong to joy in your health or your job. But that kind of joy that can be threatened. You need a joy which supersedes that. Psalm 16:11: says, “Thou will show me the path of life; in Thy presence is fullness of joy.” Rejoice in the Lord always.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Thanksgiving: The Highest Expression of Faith

BIBLE MEDIATION:

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Colossians 3:15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

If worry is the opposite of faith, then thanksgiving is the expression of faith—in fact, the highest expression. You say, “I don’t know if I have as much to thank God for as some other people.” Well, the apostle Paul was in a filthy Philippian jail waiting possible beheading when he wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” 

I’ve noticed that unthankful people are never happy people. They’re filled with bitterness, fear, negativism, selfishness and self-pity.

You see, God has blessed you. You may not think so because you’re measuring blessings by the barometer of health, wealth, and happiness. 

My friend, let me tell you what blessings we have. “Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits…” (Psalm 68:19). God has loaded your wagon. How often? Every day! “It is of the LORD’S mercies we’re not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning…” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Every day you wake up to blessings. 

ACTION POINT:

Thank Him for spiritual blessings and thank Him for simple blessings: good, clean water. Enough food. Shelter. The simple things. We are so blessed. Refuse to worry, but carry everything to God in prayer. Rejoice in the presence of the Lord. Rely upon the power of the Lord. Reflect on the provision of the Lord. Rest in the peace of the Lord. Do everything with thanksgiving. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Within the Holy of Holies

BIBLE MEDITATION: 

“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” Hebrews 6:19-20 KJ

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The Old Testament temple had three parts: the outer court, the inner court, and the innermost court. The innermost court was called the “inner sanctum” or the “Holy of Holies.” Only the priest could go in there. 

Once a year, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the people. He would lift up a corner of the heavy veil and slip under. Then, he would sprinkle blood upon the Mercy Seat. If anyone went in without the blood, there was sudden death.

When the veil of the temple was torn at Jesus’ death, it was torn from top to bottom so no one would think a person did this. By His death, Jesus was saying that there were no more animal sacrifices necessary. Now, every believer can enter the Holy of Holies. 

ACTION POINT:

Have you been there today?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Do You Have a Difficult Boss?

BIBLE MEDITATION: 

“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God.” Colossians 3:22

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you work for a difficult person? 

“Yes! That slave driver, penny pincher, bully!” 

Well, let’s see what the Bible says about that slave driver.

“Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward [harsh]” (1 Peter 2:18). 

“You mean I’m supposed to submit to that two-legged devil?” 

That’s right. And you are to serve him.

ACTION POINT:

You can shut the mouth of criticism and bring that one to Jesus Christ when you practice the mightiest force upon the face of the earth—submission through obedience.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Be an Encourager

BIBLE MEDITATION: 

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Someone has well said that discouragement is a darkroom where the negatives of fear and failure are developed.

Some people are encouragers and others are discouragers. Have you ever met a discourager? They’re like a drink of water to a drowning man. They can brighten up a room by leaving it. They leave you drained and depressed. 

But an encourager leaves you full and refreshed. God has cornered the market on encouragement. All encouragement comes from God. You’re never more like God than when you’re encouraging people and never more like the devil than when you are discouraging people.

ACTION POINT:

Find a needy person and enrich him; a lonely person and include him; a misunderstood person and affirm him; an undiscovered person and develop him; a failing person and restore him.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Random Acts of Kindness

BIBLE MEDITATION: 

“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great.” Luke 6:35

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I’ve seen bumper stickers that exhort us to “show random acts of kindness.”  I think that’s a good thing. And what is kindness?  It’s love in the little things. 

A woman came down the aisle of a church to give her heart to Christ, and the preacher wanted to know what had impacted her life for Christ. 

She said, “You did.”

The pastor said, “Well, I’d be interested to know what it was that I said that brought you to Christ.” 

She said, “It was nothing you said. It was something you did. I was standing nearby when somebody criticized you very unfairly. I saw the kindness with which you responded, and I knew that your faith was real.”

ACTION POINT:

What random act of kindness can you do today that will demonstrate that your faith is real?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Power In Suffering

We don't like it!

We try to avoid it!

Actually, the thought of suffering brings terror to our hearts!!

But, is that biblical?

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

These verses say, there is power from the Lord gained through suffering! Why? To keep us aware that our weakness is made perfect through His grace. That's so powerful to hold onto as you age or as you walk through a crisis. As our body begins its journey to death, then every-lasting life with Jesus for those who trust Him for salvation, we comfort each other with His words!!

We all know that the minute trouble, illness, disaster or a host of other calamities hit, we call on God.

Even the ones who ignore His grace, cry out to Him.

So, even deep in our souls, we know that He is able!!!

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 

29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 

30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 

31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  - Isaiah 40:28-31

so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 2:5

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 

3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.  - Isaiah 43:2-3

As Christ followers, we know Satan is defeated and Christ is King!!

Let us cling to that knowledge in a trials!!!