Believing In the Living God

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son.” 1 John 5:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I’ve been asked, “Pastor Rogers, do you expect me to believe in Jesus Christ just because your book says that He lived? That’s not enough for me.”

I agree. You need something else. If you want to know who Jesus Christ is, ask the Holy Spirit.

God says, “If you want to believe, I will help you to understand and to know that these things are true.”

Don’t tell me that you cannot believe. You may refuse to believe, but I will tell you this. If you want to believe in Jesus Christ and if you seek Truth, God the Holy Spirit will speak to you and confirm to you that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Read Deuteronomy 4:29—

“But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”

ACTION POINT:

Do you want to know the living God? He is there if you seek Him with all your heart.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

What’s at the Heart

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Have you ever gone to a sawmill and watched them process timber? They take a big log out of the woods that may have bumps and knots on it, and they lay it on a cradle, running it through a saw, cutting off one side. Then they bring it back, turn it, and run it through again to cut off another side. When they’re finished, if you stand and look down it, it’s perfectly straight. But if you look at the end of it, the heart is still crooked. That’s the way it is with some individuals who are outwardly living the Christian life. But Jeremiah 17:9 warns the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. We need regeneration. We must be born again.

ACTION POINT:

Read Psalm 19:14—

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

Pray it from your heart—that today you would desire with everything within you to be pure in thought, word, and deed.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Treasure We Have in Jesus Christ

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Many years ago, the Spanish Armada was sailing off the coast of Florida. A hurricane struck, and the ships laden with gold and silver ingots sunk to the bottom. People knew the treasure had been lost and believed one ship went down near Vero Beach in Fort Pierce, Florida. Fishermen fished over that spot, sometimes doubtless hanging a hook on a lump of gold.

One day some explorers went diving, and there it was in the shallow water. In fact, the water was so shallow that any of us could have swum to the bottom and brought up millions of dollars. In the same way, I believe there are many of us yet to discover the full treasure we have in Jesus Christ.

ACTION POINT:

Have you plunged your heart deep into the treasure of the Lord? Or are you living life in the shallow end, wondering if the treasure will ever come to you?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Master Designer

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:18

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

How did it happen? How did the Bible get written apart from divine inspiration?

Suppose we decided to build a monument to all 50 states in Washington, D.C., and use native stone from each state. We would hammer out the stones from individual quarries in each state.

Then ship them.

Uncrate them.

Then fit the stones together.

As the stones were assembled, we discovered that there was not one stone too many. Not one stone too few. When completed, we had a magnificently symmetrical monument.

The only explanation for this perfection is that there was a master architect who designed everything. In the same way, you cannot explain the unity of the Bible apart from divine inspiration.

ACTION POINT:

Praise God for His Master Design of the universe—of the stars, the planets, the skies, the seas...and you!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Put on the Righteousness of Christ

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” Colossians 3:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Sometimes people will ask if I’m a preacher.

How do they know I’m a preacher before I’ve said anything “spiritual”? 

I don’t want them to know that I am a preacher by the way I look. Now, I’m not ashamed that I’m a preacher, but I think a preacher ought to dress and act so that nobody will suspect he’s a preacher. We ought to be transparent vessels of the Lord’s anointing.

We’re not posturing, posing, or somehow going through life trying to look holy or trying to act holy. We just simply are what we are by the grace of God.

ACTION POINT:

What does your outer appearance say about who you are in Christ? Dress in His robes of righteousness and His countenance of glory today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Grudges Forgiveness Judgement

Are you holding a grudge?

Do you have anger toward a friend or family member?

We all have had hurts that lead us to hold a grudge!

Even in our churches, we have splits due to hurt feelings.

All these things are evil and against God's teaching!

People being sinners are due God's wrath.

But God being rich in mercy gave us forgiveness through Jesus!

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. - Ephesians 4:32

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,

15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. - Matthew 6:14-15

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. - Leviticus 19:18

19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

20 To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:19-21

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. - James 1:19-20

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." - Matthew 18:35

You, Your Problems and How God Will Use Them and You To Minister ToOthers

Problems, problems everywhere!!!

Small problems which are just nuisances!

Deep, soul jerking problems that make you weak in the knees!

If you are breathing, you will have problems!

God alone will deliver you!!

Will you live out your faith by trusting God?

Will you minister in the face of trouble?

Or will you crumble?

The big question is" will you yield to sovereign God to use you to minister to the suffering and the lost?

Afflictions will come!

Embrace them knowing that God will never forsake you!

Fall on your knees for strength, peace, joy, eternal security and eternal hope!!!

2 "Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it-the LORD is his name:

3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. - Jeremiah 33:2-3

15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. 

16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."  - Psalm 91:15-16

A servants petition:

6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.

7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.

8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"

9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. - 1 Samuel 1:6-10

Merciful God gives a blessing:

12 As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth.

13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman.

14 And Eli said to her, "How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you."

15 But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.

16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation."

17 Then Eli answered, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him."

18 And she said, "Let your servant find favor in your eyes." Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.

20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked for him from the LORD." - 1 Samuel 1:12-20

17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 

18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.  - Psalm 34:17-19