Willing To Be Thought A Fool

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” 1 Corinthians 3:18

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

One day, the great preacher of yesteryear Harry Ironside was traveling with friends on a ferry. They were having a glorious time singing praises to the Lord when someone critically interrupted them saying, “Who are you people? What are you doing?”

Dr. Ironside replied, “We’re just some Christians having a good time praising the Lord.” And the heckler replied, “You’re a bunch of fools!” Ironside said, “You’re right! We’re fools for Christ’s sake.”

ACTION POINT:

The way of the Christian is sometimes foolishness in the eyes of the world. When was the last time you made a fool of yourself for Christ’s sake?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Do You Only Have A “Prayer Life”?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

You are to pray when you are adding up prices in the grocery store line. You are to pray when you are changing a tire. You are to pray when you are singing a song. You are to pray when you are teaching a little one how to read.

We are commanded to pray all the time. But how do we do this? Think of a mother who has a child who is ill with a fever. Finally, the fever breaks and the mother and child settle down for some much-needed sleep. Not a noise from the television, from the street, or from the phone could awaken that mother. But one whimper from her child and she’s awake, right? That’s because even when she is asleep, she is in tune with that child—just as we are to be with God…constantly communing and attuned to His voice.

ACTION POINT:

Prayer to us should be as natural and continual as breathing. Jennifer Kennedy Dean asks an important question: “Do you ‘have a prayer life’—or are you living a praying life?” Think about the difference.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Truth In Tragedies

It's OK and normal to grieve.

You have to grieve thoroughly before you can move on.

We are emotional beings.

We hurt.

Jesus wept. - John 11:35

Jesus grieved Lazarus. 

He loved Lazarus.

Even in the midst of the knowledge that He, fully God and fully man, would raise him from death, He wept.

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;  - Ecclesiastes 3:4

Tragedies will happen in this life.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.

17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. - 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips. - Job 2:10

Don't withdraw.

Stay connected.

This is one of Satan's best ploys. 

Get you isolated so he can attack you in his subtle ways.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.

10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?

12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him-a threefold cord is not quickly broken. - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

God is for you.

King Jesus stands with you.

Lean into God for He will be there.

In the midst of trials, worship the King!

Focus on your direction not your destination.

Keep your eye on heaven.

There you will find your hope.

Enjoy this day!

13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"-

14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. - James 4:13-17

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. - Matthew 6:34

God cares about your pain.

The enemy will say if God loves you why did He let this happen?

casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:7

the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.  - Jeremiah 31:3

Thanks Pastor Kevin!!

Apply To Your Heart

17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, 

18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. 

19 That your trust may be in the LORD, I have made them known to you today, even to you. 

20 Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge, 

21 to make you know what is right and true, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?  - Proverbs 22:17-21

Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.  - Proverbs 23:12

Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.  - Proverbs 23:19

6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, 

7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 

8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. 

9 They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.  - Proverbs 8:6-9

Read your bible daily!

Study the words, dissect them like they are meat, for they are food that will give life to your soul.

Study how you can apply this knowledge to your heart.

Keep these words of life on your lips to teach others.

Thanks Pastor John!!

The Battle Between Faith and Worry

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Do you ever worry? Don’t look around and point your finger at someone else. Do you ever worry—even the least little bit? And yet the Bible so clearly tells us not to worry about anything but to pray about everything.

There are really only two classes of things for which we ought not to worry: those things we cannot do anything about and the things we can do something about. The best thing you can say about worry is that it is useless. The worst thing you can say about it is that it dishonors God.

ACTION POINT:

Worry is the opposite of faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

What Do You Make Time For?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

 “For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.” Acts 22:15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What is more important in your life today? Seeing your daytime soap opera or asking an unsaved neighbor over for a chance to love them to Jesus? Joining your buddies for a round of golf, or visiting your unsaved father? Going shopping with your friends, or taking the time to read the Bible to a lost person in a nursing home? Someone wisely observed, “We managed to make time during the day for what’s really important to us.”

Friend, the time is running out. We will not be witnessing in heaven. This is our earthly duty and privilege now. None of us knows how many hours we have left. We must seize the golden opportunities that God gives us daily to witness.

ACTION POINT:

A line from “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” is our challenge: “Oh, be swift, my soul to answer Him! Be jubilant, my feet! Our God is marching on.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Why Is a Question We Cannot Answer—Yet

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” Isaiah 50:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

We can endure almost anything if we know why it is happening. Wouldn’t you agree? But we don’t always get the luxury of knowing why things happen.

You can’t be a pastor as long as I have without having heartbroken questions asked of you. “Why did my baby die?” “Why did I lose my business?” “Why am I so sick?”

Job felt this way. He said, “I deserve an answer why this is happening to me! The bottom has fallen out of my life. And I don’t know why.”

ACTION POINT:

Have you ever been plunged into darkness? Don’t get the idea that if you’re right with God, you’ll have all the answers. Never doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers