The Devil’s Most Prized Tool

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord…” Psalm 25:15.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There’s a story about the devil auctioning off his tools. He had a high price on pride, laziness, arrogance, hate, envy, and jealousy. But there was one tool that had a sign under it, “Not For Sale.” 

Someone said, “What is that tool and why isn’t it for sale?” 

“Well,” he said, “I can’t afford to get rid of that one. It’s my chief tool, discouragement. With this tool, I can pry open a heart, and once I get in I can do most anything I want.” 

Do you want me to tell you why you get discouraged? I’ll give it to you in a nutshell—you’ve taken your eyes off God! 

ACTION POINT:

Are you discouraged? If not, praise God! And find someone who is so that you can give them the encouragement they need in Jesus Christ. Maybe it’s your next-door neighbor, maybe it’s a coworker, maybe it’s your spouse.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Hope Even In Death

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.  - Psalm 4:8

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. - John 6:63

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,

28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 

29 "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 

30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 

31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."  - Luke 2:25-32

For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.  - Psalm 33:9

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. - Hebrews 11:3

as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. - Romans 4:17

It's different when a Christian dies.

I mean the dying part is the same because when a human body gives up its spirit, the earthly body ceases it's life.

I'm speaking of a hope that continues even after death. 

That hope is Jesus Christ!

His promise of eternal life through His death and resurrection for all who trust Him gives a hope and joy that death can't destroy!!

So even in the midst of the greatest sorrow of death, we have hope in Christ!!!

Death is the great unknown!

We only have our faith in Christ and God's written word to comfort us!

Death is a great mystery but a bigger mystery still is life after death.

Do you believe you will have eternal life through Christ? 

Or do you believe death is the end?

I pray you will seek God while you have breath!!

The one and only true God is not a religion.

He is sovereign God, who was and is and is to come!!!

He has no beginning, no end and reigns eternally!!! 

Out of invisible things, He made the world, everything in it and the universe!

He spoke and there it was!!!!

Your Invitation 

Christ said "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." - John 12:32"

Your Forgiveness 

13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,

14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. - 

Colossians 2:13-14

Your Response???

In the Face of Discouragement and Ridicule

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“…He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

One evening I overheard my father and a friend of our family talking. 

“What’s Adrian going to do when he gets out of high school?” 

My dad replied, “Well, he wants to go off to college and study to be a preacher.”

That man just laughed and said, “He won’t make it. He’ll never stick it out. He’ll quit.” 

This was a man that I admired and respected very much. I almost felt like crying. That’s what the world says about Christians, “They won’t stick it out. They won’t make it.” You see, the devil hasn’t changed his tactics. He’s still mocking and throwing cold water on our walks with the Lord. Get ready. If you don’t feel the flames of ridicule now, just wait.

ACTION POINT:

Have you ever told someone that they wouldn’t amount to anything? Has anyone ever told you? Send those lies back to the pit of hell and rest in the promises of His Word that you are deeply loved and bought with the price of the Savior’s own blood.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The First Step to Setting Things Right

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The Lord Jesus said, “Moreover if thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault” (Matthew 18:15). 

You say, “He’s the one that did wrong. If he wants forgiveness let him come and ask for it.” 

But Jesus said, “No, you go to him.” 

Whether you are in the right or whether you are in the wrong, as a child of God, you are to go to that individual. Isn’t that what God did in the Garden of Eden? Adam and Eve sinned against God and the Bible tells us that God came looking for them: “Adam, where art thou?” That was not the voice of a detective. That was the voice of a God Who pursues us to forgive us.

ACTION POINT:

Stop right now and ask God to show you if you have an unforgiving spirit toward someone. Then, in His power and strength, call that person and ask his/her forgiveness. It’s going to be impossible in your strength, but remember, God does the impossible.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Imperfections or Infirmities

Labels! These definitely hurt others but the facts are; we all have labels applied to us.

Male or female, boy or girl, black or white, skinny or chubby, red or black hair, Christian or non-believer, etc.

Judgement of others!

Perception of judging, such as pointing out sin.

There can be physical or mental imperfections.

Definition of imperfection:

Flawed

Here are some synonyms of imperfection:

Scarred, defect, deformity, disfigurement etc 

Physical imperfections, you were most likely born with them but not always. Sometimes your actions or the action of others cause them. Sovereign God has allowed them.

Mental imperfections, you can be born with one but sometimes they are directly caused by your actions of alcohol consumption, or perhaps some would argue environmental poisons and most definitely drug abuse.

As we age, we can have dementia or Alzheimer's.

We can be injured. 

What if: 

The child with autism holds the keys to cure cancer?

The old person with dementia could soothe the ache of loneliness that orphans have.

The wounded soldier creates some wonderful invention that changes our lives for the better. 

We want perfect people in an imperfect world! God created this world to be a paradise and Satan has corrupted it! So, what can we do? Trust God! Trust Him to change you. Trust Him for salvation! 

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. - Genesis 1:31

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love - Ephesians 1:4

Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. - 1 John 3:2

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. - Philippians 3:20-21

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope

21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. - Romans 8:18-25

Our Hope

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." - Revelation 21:1-4

God's Provision In Your Life

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

A philosopher once said, “To whom little is not enough, nothing is enough.” 

I know what I want and I know what you want. I want to have some money in the bank and I want to have something there so that when tomorrow comes, then I don’t have to worry about it. Isn’t that what you want? We call that security. 

Question: is that really security? Who is more secure – the man who has a warehouse full of stale bread that the rats or thieves can get, or the man who has a father who is a very, very rich baker?

ACTION POINT:

Begin your prayer time today with the Lord’s Prayer and ask Him to help you be content. Bow before Him in humble adoration of His provision in your life. Then share the Bread of Life with someone who is hungry today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Faith Without Works Is Dead

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26 .

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When you ask God for something, do you just sit back and do nothing and say, “Well, I’m going to show my faith by doing nothing.”? To the contrary, you will show your faith by doing something. For faith without works is what? Dead! (see James 2:20) 

Do you want a house? Pray for it. Then say “Amen” with a hammer and saw. 

Do you want a wife? Pray for one. Then go shave, put on some cologne, learn some manners, and learn how to be thoughtful and loving.

ACTION POINT:

What have you been praying earnestly about the last week? What is your heart’s desire? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you can put feet to that prayer. Then, walk the talk!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers