Evaluating True Riches

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:17

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you want to know how rich you are? Add up everything you own that money cannot buy, that death nor disaster cannot take away, and then you’ll know just how rich you are. What did you discover? Hopefully, you discovered that it’s time you started laying up true riches. Because all the rest will burn away. If you are putting all of your labor in this world, it’s like rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship.

ACTION POINT:

Read Matthew 6:19-21. Where is your heart? Where is your treasure?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Trade In: Your Weakness for His Strength

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”- Isaiah 40:31

What does it mean to “renew” your strength? It literally means “changed,” as if you changed clothes. You remove your rags of weakness and put on God’s royal robes of strength. God promises to exchange our strength with His strength.

You see, the Christian life is not just simply a changed life, it is an exchanged life.

God doesn’t just change us from what we were to something better. He exchanges His life with us. He takes our sin. We take His holiness. He takes our weakness. We take His strength. He takes our anxiety. We take His peace.

Sounds great. But, what’s the problem? We get tired of waiting for the change.

Friend, don’t give up. The wait is never too long when God is in charge.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

God Keeps the Score

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I read something that deeply touched my heart about a PGA golfer named De Vicenzo. As he was leaving a golf course with his winnings, a woman approached him and said, “I have a baby who is dying.” Moved with compassion, he endorsed the check and gave it to her saying, “Take this, and try to buy some happiness for yourself and your child.”

A week later he was in the clubhouse having lunch, and one of the PGA officials came up to him and said, “Did you know that the woman who approached you last week didn’t have a baby dying of an incurable disease!” And De Vicenzo said, “There’s no baby dying? That’s the best news I’ve heard all week!” What an attitude!

ACTION POINT:

Do you ever feel like people are going to take advantage of you? Be thankful today that God keeps the score.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Abiding in the Vine

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

You’ll never see a fruit factory. Now, you’ll see factories for making clothing, cars, and computers, but not a fruit factory. Instead fruit is grown in an orchard. It is dependent upon life.

There is no fruit without life. The only way that fruit is going to ripen and grow is in the right climate and with the right nutrients. Just like we can’t grow bananas in Alaska, we can’t grow and produce the fruit of the Spirit unless we’re in the place where the Spirit can produce His fruit in us. And that place is walking and abiding in the Spirit.

ACTION POINT:

Read Galatians 5:22-25 today and ask God to help you abide in the Spirit to produce the fruit He desires in your life. 

LWF Adrian Rogers

The Trying of Faith Works Patience

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What does God want out of you? He wants you to experience the fullness of Christ. And the way to this is through trials and tribulations. Can you be patient during this process? If you’re like most people, probably not. We become like children who don’t know the difference between “No” and “Not yet.” If you say, “Wait a while,” to them that is, “No.” They want it now. But God is interested in maturing you. A Danish proverb says, “Give to a pig when it grunts and give to a child when it cries, and you will have a fine pig and a bad child.” Tribulation brings patience, and patience makes us mature.

ACTION POINT:

What are you waiting for? What are you struggling with? Give it to Jesus. Trust in His timing and His provision.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Peace in the Midst of the Storm

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Colossians 3:15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In Florida where I was raised, we had a lot of hurricanes. Even as a child I learned that in the center of the worst hurricane, there’s a calm called the “eye” of the storm. When the storm passes over, there is a calm like a mill pond on a summer evening.

Friend, in your storm today there is a center that is calm. It’s the heart of God. He is there. He is the “I AM” in the midst of your storm.

As someone has well said, “God gives peace that the world can’t take away.” It is supernatural peace.

ACTION POINT:

Do you have the peace of God in your heart? Claim the promise of Psalm 29:11, Isaiah 26:3, and Romans 5:1 today.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Happiness vs. Joy

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Happiness comes from outside circumstances. Joy comes from within. So it’s cruel to say to people who are in sorrow, “Smile and be happy.” Better to come alongside and mourn with them than to try to force the square peg of happiness into a round hole of sorrow. 

The human life is a life of tragedy, sorrow, heartache, and pain. Yet in every difficulty, you can find joy. Happiness is an outside job. Joy is an inside job.

ACTION POINT:

There is someone in a nursing home that longs for that joy. Find some time this week to bring the joy of the Lord to them.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers