Biblical Hope, a Firm Certainty

BIBLE MEDITATION: “For Thou art my hope, O Lord God: Thou art my trust from my youth.” Ps.71:5 DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: What does the word “hope” mean in the Bible?  It doesn’t mean “maybe.” We may use it that way in modern English, but that’s not what the word “hope” means when used in Scripture.  “Hope” means certainty, but not just any certainty. When the Bible says “hope,” it means a rock-ribbed assurance with anticipation, based on the Word of God. When I was a little boy, my dad would take us out for a ride on Sunday afternoon. We kids would be in the back seat, getting into squabbles. If things got too heated, my dad would turn around and say, “When you boys get home, I’m going to whip you.” With my dad, I knew this was a rock-ribbed truth! We could anticipate it, but not with gladness! Our hope, however, our rock-ribbed assurance, comes with glad anticipation! ACTION POINT: Share the hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ with someone today. Maybe there’s someone at the hospital who needs a word of hope. Maybe it’s a member of your family! LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Wake-Up Call

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” Ron.13:11
 
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Do you know what Napoleon said about China? “There lies a sleeping giant, and let him sleep, because if he awakens, he will shake the world.”

I believe the devil says that about the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I believe the church is just that: a sleeping giant. We’re asleep because we have been chloroformed by the spirit of this age.

We’re bombarded on every side by all kinds of amusement. Do you know what amuse means? It’s a combination of two words. Muse means to think, and the alpha prefix in front of it means “not to.” We are a generation that is amusing ourselves into oblivion. And it’s time to wake up!

ACTION POINT:
Are you taking the Christian life seriously? If this were your last day on earth, how would you spend it? In amusement? Or in evangelism?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

He Is...

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And God said unto Moses, I AM that I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” Exodus 3:14

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Have you ever noticed that the title God chose to describe Himself is an incomplete sentence? Now, most people would finish that sentence, “I am… [something].” But not our Lord. He purposefully did not complete the sentence “I AM.” He is.

Are you hungry? He is the bread. Are you in the dark? He is the light. Are you searching? He is the truth. Are you lost? He is the way. Are you in need? He is your Shepherd.

ACTION POINT:
What are you looking to God to meet today? Trust Him right now to meet you there.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Making Your Bible Come Alive

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Why is it that sometimes when we read the Bible, we leave our common sense at the door? You don’t just pick up a book, open it at random, and start reading in the middle of a paragraph. The book wouldn’t make any sense! In order to understand and get the full appreciation for the book, we read it sequentially and in paragraphs or units.

When you read the Bible, read for quality not quantity. Don’t see how much of the Bible you can read. See how much of the Bible you can assimilate and apply! Maybe what you need to do is spend a week studying one verse.

ACTION POINT:
In your Bible reading today, stop and ask yourself, “What is God telling ME?” Not “What does this say?” But “What is God saying to me?” Then seek to put that into practice today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

He Has Overcome the World

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you. His power is ever-present in your life as His child.

If I could have been there in the days of His flesh, I would have wanted to see Him walk across the sea and calm the waves. I can just see that kingly form with the wind in His hair, putting His footsteps on the sea, His garments billowing back. Smiling at the storm.

When the disciples saw Him walking on the water what was their biggest problem? The water. Jesus, in essence, was saying, “What looks like is going to be over your head, is already under My feet.”

ACTION POINT:

What are some problems that are drowning you in fear, in discouragement, in sadness today? Give them to Jesus. Remember what is over your head is under His feet.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Are You Too Uncomfortable to Have a Quiet Time?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Psalm 66:18

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you know what quiet time is? Fellowship with a holy God. The reason some folks do not have a quiet time is they feel uncomfortable. The reason they feel uncomfortable is that they don’t want to look God in the face. The reason they don’t want to look God in the face is because they have sin in their life.

What did Adam do after he had sinned and God came walking in the Garden? Adam fled. Before that, Adam had quiet time with God, didn’t he? They had boundless, unending fellowship. But when there was sin in Adam’s life, he did not want to look God in the face.

ACTION POINT:

Are you reluctant to have a quiet time? Maybe it’s because there is sin in your life. Ask God to shine His light into you. Then wait for His answer so you can repent.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Meet Him In The Morning

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up.” Psalm 5:3 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Christianity is a love relationship. You cannot love someone that you do not know. And you cannot know someone that you don’t spend quality time with. 

To know Jesus is to love Him. 

To love Him is to trust Him. 

To trust Him is to obey Him. 

To obey Him is to be blessed. 

It begins with a quality, daily communication with the Lord. Why is it best to spend time with the Lord in the morning? Because you are getting ready to go on a road trip through life. You don’t take the trip and then read the map, do you? 

ACTION POINT:

How are you starting your mornings? With a cup of coffee and the paper? Or with the pure milk of the Word and the light of His presence?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers