You Are Called By the Name of the Lord

And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. - Deuteronomy 28:10

Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.  - Isaiah 61:9

24 The LORD bless you and keep you; 

25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 

26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.  - Numbers 6:24-26

14 It is not with you alone that I am making this sworn covenant,

15 but with whoever is standing here with us today before the LORD our God, and with whoever is not here with us today. - Deuteronomy 29:14-15

38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." - Acts 2:38-39

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. - Ephesians 2:13-16 

Everything Under Sin

But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. - Galatians 3:22

29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,

31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.

32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! - Romans 11:29-33

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,

10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 

11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." 

13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips."  - Romans 3:9-13

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring-not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. - Romans 4:16-17

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,

40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear,

41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." - Acts 10:38-43

What Happens When You’re Backed into a Corner?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Where are the courageous children of God who will speak on their Father’s behalf—speak of His Truth, His mercy, His love? Psalm 119:46 says, “I will speak of Thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.”

They have a saying in the country: “What’s down in the well comes up in the bucket.” What happens when you are up against a wall? Do you back down and deny your faith? Or do you stand firm despite the verbal assault on your beliefs?

ACTION POINT:

1 Peter 3:14-17 has the prescription for a fearful heart:

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Holy? Or Just “Holier Than Thou”?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Leviticus 11:44

  

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Some people think that to be holy means to be odd. No, we’re to be different. We have too many Christians doing unbiblical things who claim to be holy when in reality they are just odd.

Holiness is not achieved by what we wear, where we sleep and eat, or how many spiritual things we do. It is not primarily a matter of dress or style of hair. And we don’t become holy if we live in a commune, monastery, or convent. There is no holiness in a hole.

ACTION POINT:

God makes us holy by the blood of His Son. And in return for this great love, we endeavor to live holy lives because we love Him. “Holy” is a state of being, not doing. It is a God-induced, God-developed character trait that grows in us as we grow in our love relationship with God.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

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