Revealed to Shepherds, Hidden from Herod

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into Heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.” Luke 2:15.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What is the great need in the world today? Is it information? We’re drowning in a sea of information. If information is what we need, God would have sent an educator. Is it technology? If technology had been the need, God would have sent a scientist. Is it money? Do you think your problems would be solved if you had more money? If money were the need, God would have sent an economist. Is the need more leisure? Maybe God should have sent an entertainer. 

No. Our great need is salvation. And so God sent a Savior. 

I’m amazed (and blessed) that He sent the message to humble shepherds. Old Herod, the King, never did quite get it. He never did understand. But humble shepherds understood the message. Why? Because “God has hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and has revealed them unto babes” (Luke 10:21). 

ACTION POINT:

Do you want to understand who Jesus Christ is today? Then lay your intellectual pride in the dust, come to Him and say, “Lord, reveal this truth to me.” Sing it and follow it: “O come let us adore Him, Christ the LORD.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Wonder in His Name

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“…and his name shall be called Wonderful…” Isaiah 9:6.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What is in the name of the Lord Jesus? There is wonder in His name. Do you stand in awe of the Lord Jesus Christ? Or have you become complacent? Do you not get excited when you think of Jesus? If you don’t, you’ve lost the wonder. You have calluses on your soul. 

Oh friend, Jesus is wonderful. Wonderful in His birth. Wonderful in His life. Wonderful in His teaching. Wonderful in His miracles. Wonderful in His death. Wonderful in His resurrection. And yes, wonderful in His second coming. His name is wonderful. 

I heard of a man riding on a train one time, looking out the window. He was saying, “Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful”. And the man sitting next to him asked, “Why do you think everything is wonderful?” He answered, “I’ve been blind and just had surgery. I’m seeing things I had long since forgotten how beautiful they are. And they are wonderful to me.” 

ACTION POINT:

Friend, if Jesus is not wonderful to you, open your spiritual eyes. See just how wonderful Jesus is. There is wonder in His name.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Lord of All? Or Not at All?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power…” Romans 1:3-4.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

May I ask you a personal question? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord? 

You do? Then may I ask you another question? Is He your Lord? 

Let’s be more specific. 

• Is He Lord of your tongue? 

• Is He Lord of your time? 

• Is He Lord of your treasure? 

• Is He Lord of your talents? 

• Is He Lord of your testimony? 

• Is He Lord in deed as well as word? 

Is He truly Lord? Now, don’t answer too quickly. 

ACTION POINT:

Think about it: It’s one thing to sing “Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all.” It’s another thing to mean it. Crown Him “Lord of all” in your life today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

His Unquestioned Lordship

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 “Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:36.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Can you imagine what it meant to Mary to hear the angel say to her, “Thou shalt call His name Jesus”? Or for those Jewish shepherds the night of his birth to hear the angels say, “…born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”?

What does that word “Lord” mean? What did it mean to these shepherds? It meant “Jehovah” to them. Jehovah, God Almighty. When the angel said, “a Savior which is Christ the Lord,” the angel was saying He is co-equal, co-eternal with the Almighty.

Jesus Christ is called “Lord” far more than He is called “Savior.” He’s called “Lord” 747 times in the New Testament. He is Lord. Every so often someone says, “Well, I decided to make Him Lord.” Too late for that. He is Lord.

ACTION POINT:

You cannot “make” Him Lord; He already is. Can you receive Him as Lord? Yes. You can bow your knee to Him and say, “O Lord, You are the King. Therefore, I yield my heart to You.” Receive Him today as your Lord. Will you submit to His Lordship?”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Faces Of Evil

Evil hides behind many faces.

It can be crime!

It can be religion!

It can be race!

It can be illegal drugs.

It can be mental illness.

But make no mistake, it is driven by Satan!

His ultimate goal is to bring down all who follow Christ and His commands!

Satan will destroy your family!

Satan will convince you to do evil!

He knows your every weakness and he will dig in that wound until it festers and becomes an open sore full of poison!

Evil takes on human form but is driven by a spirit of evil, Satan is his name, he's bent on destruction!!

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 6:11-12

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-

3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. - Ephesians 2:1-3

They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon. - Revelation 9:11

Satan's mission!!

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. - 1 Peter 5:8

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.

7 The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." - Job 1:6-7

I Am A Sinful Man, O Lord

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." - Luke 5:8

God's Mighty Forgiveness:

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 

12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 

13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. 

14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 

15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 

16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 

17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, 

18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 

19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.  - Psalm 103:11-19

Have you fallen on your knees and begged for mercy from Jesus?

You must repent from sin!

But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he said to the man who was paralyzed-"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home." - Luke 5:24

Jesus has been given the authority from God the Father to forgive you!!

31 And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." - Luke 5:31-32

We all have sin and are in need of a Savior!

The only way is through Christ the Lord!!!

His Sovereign Nobility

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“…And the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6b.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Jesus was born a king. Scripture says “…the government shall be upon His shoulder.” In verse 7 of this chapter, this is fleshed out. “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.”

How is this going to happen? “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” This little baby was born a king and He is a King. We didn’t elect Him and, friend, we’ll not impeach Him. He is King. He is Lord.

ACTION POINT:

Some people say, “Have you made Him the Lord of your life?” Too late for that. God has already declared Him Lord. This is His sovereign nobility. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. If you miss that, you miss the meaning of Christmas. You have to take the cradle, the cross, and the crown together, or you don’t have the true story of Christmas.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers