Your defense attorney is the best…

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The best way to start dealing with your sins is for you to confess – that is, begin agreeing with God as to what He says about your sin. Then you’ve got to confidently deal with your sin.

Now, what do I mean by “confidently”? What guilty person goes before a judge confidently?

First, you have your own attorney when you face the judge for adjudication. According to God’s Word, you have an Advocate, which is another name for attorney.

Here are the principal players in this scene when you are in God’s court of justice:

• God the Father is the presiding Judge.

• The devil is the prosecuting attorney, pointing his accusing finger, saying, “Look at him/her!”

• Jesus, your defense attorney, stands by you (the accused) saying, “But Father, look at Me. I shed My blood for him.”

Because Jesus died, our debt is paid. Hallelujah! “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him” (Ephesians 3:12). “Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Though our sins are as scarlet, He will wash them white as snow!

ACTION POINT:

Praise God—your defense attorney is the Judge’s Son!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Ladies and Gentlemen: This Is A Bible

We must be reminded of this.

The Bible is God's Word.

It is the basics on which we learn about God.

Bible comes the Latin and Greek word meaning book.

There are 66 books.

There is an Old Testament and a New Testament.

There are books of law, historical ones, poetry ones, prophecy ones, biography ones, and formal letter ones.

There are around 40 authors who were inspired by God to write.

The Bible was written over a period of 1500 years.

Among the writers were kings, fishermen, priest, farmers, doctors, government officials and shepherds.

This diverse group wrote in unison with God

to make His word know.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, - 2 Timothy 3:16

For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. - 2 Peter 1:21

The OT is the story of a nation.

The NT is the story of a Savior.

But both are totally about Jesus Christ.

The old prophecies about Jesus.

The new details Christ life, death, resurrection and His salvation.

It's alive!

There is power in it!

His word changes lives.

1 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel.

2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month.

3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood.

6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places.

8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. - Nehemiah 8:1-9

5 Images the Bible uses to describe itself

1. Lamp/Light

Gives security, direction, show the way

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  - Psalm 119:105

2. Fire

Purifies, intensifies 

Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? - Jeremiah 23:29

3. Hammer

Breaks pride, destroys anger, shows sin giving us conviction 

Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? - Jeremiah 23:29

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. - Ezekiel 36:26

4. Mirror

Reflects the truth, God sees you as you are

The word causes you to reflect

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.

24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. - James 1:23-24

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. - James 1:25

5. Sword

Cuts or convicts but also protects

Offense but also defense

Words for when you are under Satan's attack

He will deliver you

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. - Hebrews 4:12-13

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

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. - Genesis 50:20

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  - Isaiah 26:3

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. - Matthew 10:30

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  - Psalm 139:13

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, - Ephesians 6:10-17

For nothing will be impossible with God." - Luke 1:37

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.  - Isaiah 40:8

Thanks Pastor Kevin!

He Knows Your Need

“Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matthew 6:31–32)

Jesus wants his followers to be free from worry. In Matthew 6:25–34, he gives at least seven arguments designed to take away our anxiety. One of them lists food and drink and clothing, and then says, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Matthew 6:32).

Jesus must mean that God’s knowing is accompanied by his desiring to meet our need. He is emphasizing we have a Father. And this Father is better than any earthly father.

I have five children. I love to meet their needs. But my knowing falls short of God’s knowing in at least three ways.

First, right now I don’t know where any of my children are. I could guess. They’re in their homes or at work or school, healthy and safe. But they might be lying on a sidewalk with a heart attack.

Second, I don’t know what is in their heart at any given moment. I can guess from time to time. But they may be feeling some fear or hurt or anger or lust or greed or joy or hope. I can’t see their hearts. They don’t even know their own hearts perfectly.

Third, I don’t know their future. Right now they may seem well and steady. But tomorrow some great sorrow may befall them.

This means I can’t be for them a very strong reason not to worry. There are things that may be happening to them now, or may happen tomorrow, that I do not even know about. But it is totally different with their Father in heaven. Our Father in heaven! He knows everything about us, where we are, now and tomorrow, inside and out. He sees every need.

Add to that, his huge eagerness to meet our needs. Remember the “much more” of Matthew 6:30, “If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you?”

Add to that his complete ability to do what he is eager to do (he feeds billions of birds hourly, around the world, Matthew 6:26).

So join me in trusting the promise of Jesus to meet our needs. That’s what Jesus is calling for when he says, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.”

John Piper 

What does “take up your cross” mean?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:27

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Jesus’ death upon the cross not only saves us, but it continues to sanctify us.

Have you read where Jesus said, “Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34b)?

Many people think that this means that our “cross” is a sickness, an unsaved spouse, or a cruel boss. However, a cross is not something that is forced upon you, over which you have no choice. A cross is something you willingly take up.

Jesus willingly laid down His life. He calls us to do the same.

ACTION POINT:

Your cross is when you willingly die to yourself. You do this by saying no to sin and self, and yes to Christ.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

The Giver Gets the Glory

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12)

It is very good news that God designs his glory to be magnified through the exercise of his grace.

To be sure, God is glorified through the power of his wrath (Romans 9:22), but repeatedly the New Testament (and the Old Testament, for example, Isaiah 30:18) says that we should experience God’s grace so that God gets glory.

Ponder how this works in the prayer of 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12.

Paul prays that God would fulfill our good resolves.

How? He prays that they would be done “by [God’s] power.” That is, that they would be “[works] of faith.”

Why? So that Jesus would be glorified in us.

That means the giver gets the glory. God gave the power. God gets the glory. We have faith; he gives power. We get the help; he gets the glory. That’s the deal that keeps us humble and happy, and keeps him supreme and glorious.

Then Paul says that this glorification of Christ is “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus.”

God’s answer to Paul’s prayer that we rely on God’s power to do good works is grace. God’s power to enable you to do what you resolve to do is grace.

That’s the way it works in the New Testament over and over. Trust God for gracious enabling, and he gets the glory when the help comes.

We get the help. He gets the glory.

That’s why Christian living, not just Christian conversion, is good news.

John Piper 

What’s the hardest miracle?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no Savior.” Isaiah 43:11

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

It takes more of God’s power to save a soul through the cross of Jesus than it does to do any other thing. God had no difficulty creating the universe. He simply spoke, and it was so, the Bible tells us. But when God wrote salvation’s story, He went to great difficulty. Let me illustrate.

What if I held a service and had the power to straighten the legs of someone who couldn’t walk? Or I could bring sight to the blind? The next service would be standing room only. Now I certainly want God to heal, but let me suggest a different scene.

What if I held a service and a little girl walked down the aisle and gave her heart to Jesus? That is a greater miracle than opening the eyes of the blind, because the Son of God had to hang on a cross in agony and blood to purchase her salvation! He didn’t speak salvation into existence, He died for it! Jesus did not come as a great healer or teacher, He came as a Savior.

ACTION POINT:

Ask God today to give you the heavenly view—the viewpoint of Heaven—for the angels in heaven rejoice each time one lost person receives eternal life. This is the greatest miracle.

 LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Are you faithful—or looking for a “sign”?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over His household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when He cometh, shall find so doing.” Matthew 24:45-46

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

It is sinful for us to ask God to “prove Himself” to us by some miracle or sign. But I guess we’ve all done it at some point or other.

When I was at Stetson University as a young boy having my quiet time in the prayer room, one time I asked God to move a chair from one side of the room to the other. I told him, “I already believe You, and I don’t want to insult You, but what a confirmation it would be to my heart and life if You would just do this small miracle.”

Isn’t that dumb?

I’m so glad God didn’t let the devil nudge that chair across that room and get me hooked on some kind of hocus-pocus. Jesus said that asking God for a sign, like this, is evidence of an evil, adulterous heart (see Matthew 12:39). Oh, that God would find us not looking for miracles but being faithful in all we do in His name.

ACTION POINT:

Singer/songwriter Steve Green has sung, “May all who come behind us find us faithful.” Are those coming behind you looking ahead and finding an example in you? Are you faithful?

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers