Do you need some excitement in your life?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Revelation 7:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I heard about a man who got a little excited in church and kept shouting, “Praise the Lord!”

One day, some of the brethren called on him while he was plowing his fields. When they were finished talking, he hung his head and said, “I know it’s the truth. I have disturbed the services, but you know, I sit there and think what the Lord has done for me…how He died in agony and blood for me upon the cross…how He’s forgiven all of my sins…how He’s filled me with the Spirit… and…and… Here—hold this mule while I shout!”

If being a Christian and going to heaven doesn’t excite you, then you have calluses on your soul. It’s exciting to know the Lord Jesus Christ!

ACTION POINT:

When was the last time you raised your hands and shouted “Praise the Lord!” Maybe right now is a good time!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

What Does God Expect of Me part 3

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?  - Micah 6:8

Act justly.

Love mercy.

Walk humbly.

1. Walk humbly.

Humble - not weak but strength under control

Jesus was a mans man, strong, humble, willing to take a stand for what is right.

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.

15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.

16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."

17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

18 So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?"

19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

20 The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"

21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. - John 2:13-22

Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD. - Jeremiah 7:11

saying to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers." - Luke 19:46

Humble, being gracious, thoughtful and kind.

Pride will ruin you but humility will elevate you.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.  - Proverbs 11:2

Ways to Walk humbly:

Do not draw attention to yourself.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. - Philippians 2:3

Encourage others!

Bless others because God has blessed you.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.  - Proverbs 3:27

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." - 1 Peter 5:5

Humility comes from within but it is expressed on the outside.

Worship is us wanting God, for His glory.

There is no God but God.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Draw attention to God not yourself!

likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, - 1 Timothy 2:9

Focus on God.

2. Take the high road.

Avoid conflict.

1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,

2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. - Titus 3:1-2

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. - Romans 12:17-18

Troublemaker or peacemaker?

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. - Matthew 5:9

Honor others.

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, - 1 Peter 1:22

Love deeply.

Reach out to others.

Faith, family and friends.

These are the important things.

In these we glorify God.

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. - Romans 12:10

Honor those who will give you nothing in return.

Thanks Pastor Kevin!!

The Soul’s Final Feast

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)

God is not unresponsive to the contrite longing of the soul. He comes and lifts the load of sin and fills our heart with gladness and gratitude. “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” (Psalm 30:11–12).

But our joy does not just rise from the backward glance in gratitude. It also rises from the forward glance in hope: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (Psalm 42:5–6).

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope” (Psalm 130:5).

In the end, the heart longs not for any of God’s good gifts, but for God himself. To see him and know him and be in his presence is the soul’s final feast. Beyond this there is no quest. Words fail. We call it pleasure, joy, delight. But these are weak pointers to the unspeakable experience:

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4).

“In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

“Delight yourself in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4).

John Piper 

Is your name is on this invitation list?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let him that heareth say, “Come.” And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

God chose the analogy of a wedding to describe the moment when we, His followers, His church, become one with the Lord Jesus Christ for all eternity. We’ll know Him in a more intimate way than we know Him now, and God calls that “the marriage of the Lamb.” Being swept up to meet the Lord in Glory face to face is so fulfilling, the Bible likens it to the consummation of a marriage. I don’t mind telling you, that really excites me!

All of history points to Jesus. At the wedding of the Lamb, everyone will worship Him. He is the groom, and He is to be glorified. He is faithful — the things He said He would do, He has done. The things He said would be true have proved true. Instead of worrying about dates and the time of His coming, we fall on our knees and praise Him for the fact that it will happen. At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

We say with the hymn writer,

“Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll.

The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.”

ACTION POINT:

Examine your heart. Does the Lord’s Second Coming make your heart pound with excitement? Do you long for His return and reign?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Calling the Generations from the Beginning

Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.  - Isaiah 41:4

22 Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come. 

23 Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified. 

24 Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you. 

25 I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, and he shall call upon my name; he shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay. 

26 Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know, and beforehand, that we might say, "He is right"? There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed, none who heard your words.  - Isaiah 41:22-26

7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." 

8 Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! 

9 All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true. 

10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. 

11 I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior. 

12 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and I am God. 

13 Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?"  - Isaiah 43:7-13

6 Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. 

7 Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. 

8 Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any."  - Isaiah 44:6-8

12 "Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. 

13 My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together.  - Isaiah 48:12-13

4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 

5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 

6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." - Revelation 1:4-8

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,

18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. - Revelation 1:17-18

11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy."

12 "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." - Revelation 22:11-13

The Only Enduring Happiness

You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” (John 16:22)

“No one will take your joy from you” because your joy comes from being with Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus means that you will never die; you will never be cut off from him.

So two things have to be true if your joy is never to be taken from you. One is that the source of your joy lasts forever and the other is that you last forever. If either you or the source of your joy is mortal, your joy will be taken from you.

And oh, how many people have settled for just that! Eat, drink, and be merry they say, for tomorrow we die, and that’s that (Luke 12:19). Food doesn’t last forever, and I don’t last forever. So let’s make the most of it while we can. What a tragedy!

If you are tempted to think that way, please consider as seriously as you possibly can that if your joy comes from being with Jesus, “No one will take your joy from you” — not in this life, nor in the life to come.

Not life or death, or angels or principalities, or things present or things to come, or powers or height or depth, or anything else in all creation will be able to take our joy from us in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:38–39).

Joy in being with Jesus is an unbroken line from now to eternity. It will not be cut off — not by his death or ours.

John Piper 

Jesus has given you His promise ring…

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. Revelation 19:7

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

When I was in college, I took my childhood sweetheart to jewelry stores all over the city, looking for the perfect engagement ring. When we found it, I made payments until I could present it to her. I still remember opening and closing that box time after time as I waited to give it to her one Christmas Eve.

When you and I were saved, we became espoused to Christ, and an espousal is stronger than an engagement. An engagement is a promise to marry, but an espousal is a promise that you belong to this person even though the marriage has not yet been consummated.

Jesus gives us something better than an engagement ring. He gives us the Holy Spirit as His promise that we already belong to Him. The Holy Spirit is His guarantee of our future inheritance in Him.

Christ loves the church and gave Himself for it “that He might sanctify and cleanse it, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:26-27). As believers, we are to prepare for that blessed day, the marriage of the Lamb.

ACTION POINT:

Read Revelation chapter19, then spend a few moments worshiping and thanking Him. For “He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love” (Song of Solomon 2:4).

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers