Who Owns You?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people.” Luke 1:68

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Fanny Crosby wrote, “Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; Redeemed through His infinite mercy, His child and forever I am.” Do you love to proclaim it? Oh, how I pray you do.

Isaac Watts wrote, “Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small: Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.” Have you given your soul, your life, your all to this Amazing Love?

ACTION POINT:

Jesus did not bathe this planet with His blood to have you serve the world, the flesh, and the devil. He died to make you holy. You are not your own. First Corinthians 6:20 says, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Age Of "Anything Goes"

We live in a world of "anything goes" but are still empty, still searching for that thing that would bring us happiness.

When man denies God, he can never have peace.

Man's emptiness can not be filled with the things of this world.

The expression of our moral decline.

For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. - Matthew 24:37

5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

7 So the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them." - Genesis 6:5-7

Where is our foundation of truth?

Porn is rampant.

The depravity of our mind is endless.

Depravity of our marriages.

The Supreme Court took it upon themselves to redefine marriage.

God has already defined marriage in the bible.

6 But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.'

7 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,

8 and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one flesh.

9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." - Mark 10:6-9

God ordained marriage as being between one man and one woman.

Depravity in our military.

Men and women of Faith are being told to be "politically correct". 

They are not to express Christian values.

Depravity in our medicine.

Doctors warn of same sex dangers and are fired.

Abortions are the norm.

Abortions are done a million times a year.

The explanation of our moral decline.

The historical explanation.

We have lost site of the truth.

We have lost knowing right from wrong.

God is irrelevant has become today's thought.

We have become our own god.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. - Romans 1:18-20

1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. 

2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 

3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.  - Psalm 14:1-3

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.  - Psalm 19:1

God is in charge.

God will send you to hell for your sin.

Ingratitude

Idolatry

Immorality 

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,

25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;

27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,

30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,

31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. - Romans 1:21-32

Decency has left us.

We are not all right without God.

We need His grace to cover our sin.

Thank you Pastor David Jeremiah! 

Joy or Sadness—You May Choose

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” 1 John 4:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In his book You Can Have Joy! Arnold Prater wrote about an Englishman named John Deckard who had an award-winning passion for roses.

One year, John grew a rose among roses to enter in the annual Garden Show. But before he got the rose, his son rushed in and exclaimed, “Daddy, look what I have for you!” And in his little hand was the prize rose. Visitors to the Garden Show were astonished when they saw John’s entry. For in the flowerpot was a photo of his son with the rose in his hands, along with an honorary blue ribbon.

Sometimes your plans may go awry, and sometimes your dreams may be crushed. But in their place, God sends His own Son, Jesus. And when that happens, nothing else matters but the love of His Son.

ACTION POINT:

What disappointment have you experienced this week? Did you choose joy or sadness? What can you learn from today’s devotional thought to apply to your life the next time a disappointment happens?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Loving People God's Way

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:13

God is a giving God.

Love is an action word.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. - James 1:17

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.  - Psalm 62:2

God owns everything you own.

God has given to you so that you bless His name with much thanksgiving.

Trust and obey God for blessings.

Pray for everyone.

10  Listen without interrupting.

Don't give your side.

  9  Speak without accusing.

Be humble.

  8  Share without pretending.

Be really interested.

  7  Answer without arguing.

Be calm, keeping your voice in a low tone.

  6  Enjoy without complaining.

We all can complain but we can keep it to yourself

  5  Give without sparing.

for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 

For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, - 2 Corinthians 8:2-3

  4. Trust without doubting.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. - James 1:5-8

  3  Promise without forgetting.

Keep your word.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.  - Proverbs 13:12

4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow.

5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. - Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

   2  Forgive without remembering.

bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. - Colossians 3:13

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 

12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.  - Psalm 103:11-12

He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.  - Micah 7:19

   1  Pray without ceasing.

pray without ceasing, - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Thanks Pastor Kevin!

Saved by Faith but Rewarded by Works

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:14-15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I believe salvation is attained by grace through faith. That’s not Baptist rhetoric. That’s Biblical doctrine. But do you know what some people do with that?

They say, “Hot dog! I don’t have to do a thing to be saved. I can just get in the top berth of a Pullman car and glide along until we pull into the New Jerusalem.” You know, just catch the next sleeper car to glory.

These people don’t like the idea that as Christians we are all going to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. And we are all going to give an account for how we used our time, our resources, and our faith.

We are not saved by works, but we are rewarded by works. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

ACTION POINT:

Read Romans 14:10-12. How do you plan to spend your day knowing this truth?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Who Are You When No One Else is Around?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

 “While I’m gone, I want you to be on your best behavior.” Has someone ever said that to you? This is what Paul means when he gives us the directive to work out our salvation even when he is not around.

A pastor is successful when he trains his flock to love the Lord, share their faith, and minister to others when no one else is looking. It is the true test of a person’s walk with God.

What happens when you are alone on a business trip and there are free movies in your motel room? How fast do you drive when the speed limit says 35 and you are late for a meeting? How much money do you leave for a tip when there is no one to impress?

ACTION POINT:

When was the last time you did something nice for someone who could never pay you back, from whom you had nothing to gain, and no one would ever know about it? Do you talk the talk or do you walk the walk?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Knowing His Ways

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Wisdom is not gained by seeing the works of God. It is gained in knowing the ways of God. When the Israelites were wandering in the desert, they could only see the works of God. But God allowed Moses to see His ways.

The Israelites were infatuated with God at first. But when troubles came, their love affair with God quickly died out. They began to murmur and complain. Moses saw the wilderness from God’s perspective, however, and approached God in humility and honor. As a result, God taught him to lead His people out of darkness into light.

ACTION POINT:

Do you know the ways of God? Have you learned to see life from His point of view? Or are you still trusting in your view of life to get you through the hard times? Bow before God and ask Him to ignite a vision for His glory, a bold desire to lead the lost to Him, and an unconditional passion to love Him.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers