Making a Covenant with Your Eyes

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” Psalm 57:7

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When I was in college, I kept a motto on my desk that said, “He who would not fall down ought not to walk in slippery places. Keep yourself clean. Keep yourself pure. Watch what you set before your eyes.” There needs to be discipline.

Job said, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look upon a maid” (Job 31:1). If we are to have a walk of purity in obedience to God, we must determine ahead of time what our course of action will be. One big decision will take care of a lot of little ones.

ACTION POINT:

Are you going on a trip alone any time soon? If so, make the decision right now to keep your walk pure and holy for God’s glory.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Satisfies The Longing Soul

For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.  - Psalm 107:9

Are you satisfied? 

When you are alone, I mean really alone, are you at peace?

You may have many earthly possessions, things you have pursued with all your being!!

These things you possess have, by satan's cunningness, led you into thinking they are your reason for peace and happiness! 

You may have a job that many would want, seemingly with much security!

But security only comes from faith in Christ!

This is the only security that is forever!!!

Christ bought this for YOU!!

He paid the ultimate price, His life for your forgiveness before Almighty God!

Repent!

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." - Acts 4:12

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. - Ecclesiastes 12:7

What life really is, who God really is!!!

He alone deserves your praise and obedience!!

1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! 

2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 

3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 

4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. 

5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 

6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; 

7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; 

8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. 

9 The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.  - Psalm 146:1-9

For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:13

You Supply the Will, God Supplies the Power

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Are you one of those people who believes “Put off until tomorrow what you could be doing today”? This is one of those times when the fingers pointing back at me outnumber the one that’s pointing to you! What am I talking about? Procrastination.

Did you know that procrastination is a sin? I say that because sin is not merely doing wrong, it is failing to do what you ought to do. Procrastination and disobedience are just different shades of the same sin. I heard a quote once that said it well: 

               “When you have a job to do,

               Begin this very hour.

               You supply the will,

               God supplies the power.”

That is the will power we need to instantly obey!

ACTION POINT:

Has a certain task been hounding you? Confess your procrastination as sin. And act now. Don’t hesitate. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow may never come. Today is the day!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Jesus Was Perfect

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:14

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What an amazing life the Lord Jesus lived. Do you realize that Jesus never corrected, withdrew, or amended any statement He ever made? I wish I could say that! Jesus Christ never apologized for anything He ever did or said. Jesus Christ never sought advice from anyone, never had to ask for forgiveness.

Jesus Christ doesn’t have any strong points. For Him to have strong points, He would have to have weak points. Robert Clark has rightly given this assessment of his character:

“There was meekness without weakness, tenderness without feebleness, firmness without coarseness, love without sentimentality, holiness without sanctimoniousness, lowliness without lowness, truth without error, enthusiasm without fanaticism, passion without prejudice, heavenly‑mindedness without forgetfulness, carefreeness without carelessness, service without servility, self‑exaltation without egotism, judgment without harshness, seriousness without somberness, mercy without softness.”

What a person was the Lord Jesus Christ!

ACTION POINT:

The greatest question that can be asked was the question Pontius Pilate asked the crowd when Jesus stood before him:  "Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?"  Now I'm going to ask that question of you.  What will you do with Jesus?  No greater question could be asked.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

By The Will Of God

20 "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,

21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. - John 17:20-21

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. - 1 Corinthians 1:9

9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

10 and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. - Deuteronomy 7:9-10

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. - 1 Corinthians 1:17

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. - 1 Corinthians 2:2

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

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. - 1 Corinthians 2:14-15

Surprising Qualities of a Peacemaker

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I remember reading about a preacher boy who was in a class in a liberal college, and the professor said, “Christians ought never to have any enemies. We ought never to be controversial.” Then he said, “What we need to do is to follow the example of Jesus.”

The boy lifted his hand and asked, “If Jesus Christ was so beautifully tactful and diplomatic, how did He manage to get Himself crucified?”

Peace is not appeasement. It is a right relationship with God that leads to a right relationship with self and guides us into right relationships with others. Literally, peace is a fruit of righteousness. It is the righteousness of God ruling and reigning in your heart.

ACTION POINT:

Read Hebrews 12:14. Are there conflicts which you can resolve by becoming a peacemaker? If so, confidently place your hand in His and bring peace.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Difficulties Suffering and Thanksgiving

What?

Are you nuts?

How can you have thanksgiving while suffering or going through difficult times?

Well, let's see!

Immediately, I know when I suffer, I am humbled.

Suffering causes us to call on God for help!!

Brokenness brings humility, driving you straight to your knees!

Suffering reminds us that our time is limited.

We immediately praise God when we are delivered.

We can relate to others that we've been through that struggle.

A 90 year old family member of mine died recently.

He was a kind and caring man of God. 

He was a Pastor, teacher, friend and servant.

As I sat at his funeral, I saw brief sadness, but most of all, I saw extreme joy that he had gone to be with Jesus!!!

For months he suffered, frail in body, bedridden and not lucid a lot of the time. 

This was never God's plan for man!

Sin changed everything.

It caused us to have a temporary body, one that will decay!

But God rich in His mercy, created us with a part that will not decay.

It is our eternal soul!

That's is why salvation in Christ is urgent!

The reality of eternity is Heaven or Hell!

Faith, in Christ alone, will change that!!

He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and comes not again.  - Psalm 78:39