Sunday, February 7, 2016

Just As I Am

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Ephesians 1:6.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you have a “know-so” salvation? What I mean is, do you know that you are saved and have the assurance that if you died tonight, you’d spend eternity with the Lord in heaven? 

Many folks don’t have that assurance, and in some cases it is not a spiritual problem. It is a psychological problem. They cannot accept the fact that God has accepted them. 

Charlotte Elliott penned these words to a timeless hymn of assurance:
“Just as I am, without one plea, 
But that Thy blood was shed for me, 
And that Thou biddest me come to Thee, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!”
You are accepted just as you are. It is all grace. 

ACTION POINT:
Find the hymn “Just As I Am” and sing it to the Lord. Make it your song throughout the day when Satan tries to make you doubt God’s love and eternal gift of salvation.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Defining Your Personal Value


BIBLE MEDITATION:
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you try to be the best or do you simply try to do your best? The perfectionist has to be the best. He has to be #1. He can’t accept himself. 

The grace of God exalts a man without inflating him, and it humbles a man without debasing him. The person who strives for excellence says, “I am what I am by the grace of God.” 

Do you value yourself by what you do or by what you are? You have a choice. You can either choose to see yourself as God sees you, or you can choose to see yourself as the world sees you. Whose opinion will you listen to today? 

ACTION POINT:
Is there someone in your life whose opinion matters deeply to you? Instead of defining who you are by their opinions, measure yourself by God’s standard in His Word.


LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Perfection Found In Jesus Alone


BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
A perfectionist in the church is a miserable person. And not only that, but he makes everybody else miserable, too. The fellowship is never sweet enough. The teacher is never prepared enough. The music is never spiritual enough, and on and on it goes. 

Jesus supplies the only perfection that we will ever attain until we get to heaven. 

It is not perfection that God is looking for in His children; it is excellence. 

God is working in you to achieve His purpose for His glory. 

ACTION POINT:
Memorize this statement, “I am worthy apart from my performance because Christ died for me and gave His life to me. My life is hidden in Him. Jesus loves me.”


LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Perfectionism Is A Thief


BIBLE MEDITATION:
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Did you know that your performance doesn’t make you any more or less acceptable in God’s eyes? 

If you think that God is going to accept you on the basis of your quiet time, your Bible study, or your service, you will fall into a trap of never knowing if you’ve done enough. You’ll never truly feel accepted. 

Perfectionism is a thief. It promises rewards, but it steals both joy and satisfaction. Why? Because perfection is an unattainable goal! If you are a perfectionist, you’ve set an impossible goal for yourself, and therefore you will constantly be faced with frustration and failure. 

Two things about you are true, without your “performance”—
You are forgiven in Christ. 
You are righteous in Christ.


ACTION POINT:
Are you a perfectionist? Ask the Holy Spirit to free you from the fear of failure. Now make a conscious decision that you can be less than perfect and still be loved by God.


LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

With Fear and Trembling


Christ alone is the hope for man!!
Do not listen to anyone who speaks a different gospel!!!


Obedience and will!!!
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. - Philippians 2:12-13


Salvation through Christ alone!!!
And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, - Hebrews 5:9


Jesus is our gift!!
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,
31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.
32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. - Romans 11:29-32


Seek God and repent!!
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 
11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."  - Romans 3:9-12


Fear God!!
"There is no fear of God before their eyes."  - Romans 3:18


Conviction!!
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. - Romans 3:20


By mercy alone!!!
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-
22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. - Romans 3:21-26

15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."
16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
19 You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?"
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" - Romans 9:15-20

Faith in Christ!!!
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' - Acts 26:18


Justice, Mercy and Grace


BIBLE MEDITATION:
“...the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
There are three words that came together at Calvary:
justice 
mercy 
grace
Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. 

But wait a minute; grace is more than that! It is grace that gives at great cost to the giver. It is not cheap. Grace cost the life of God’s Son. Jesus gave freely of Himself in agony and blood. 

Did you know that grace has to chase us down? If God didn’t run faster than us, we would never be saved! Grace seeks to give to vile and wicked people that which they don’t deserve and can never deserve. 

ACTION POINT:
Are you a grace-giver? Find someone today and do a favor for them – something for which they couldn’t possibly repay you. Perhaps it will even be for a stranger you will never see again.


LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Monday, February 1, 2016

God’s Grace Takes the Initiative


BIBLE MEDITATION:
“We love Him, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
When I was in the sixth grade, I wrote a love note to Joyce Louise Gentry. Then she became my bride and my beloved. Do you know, she still has that note? From that time on she began to take an interest in me. Do you know why? Because I first loved her. 

Do you know what the Bible is? It is God’s love letter to you. It is God saying to you, “I have set my eye upon you. I love you!” 

You’re not saved by doing good works. You’re not saved by joining a church. You are saved by the grace of God that said, “I love you” first. 

ACTION POINT:
When was the last time you wrote a love letter?
When was the last time you received one? 
Spend some time today and write a love letter to the Lord.


LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers