Can Religion Fill Your Heart?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.’” John 4:13-14

 

PONDER THIS

Most people in America don’t need religion. We’ve got enough religion. What we need is a personal, vital relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and true salvation with joy. Will you draw water from the well of salvation? What a wonderful lesson there is for us here today.

Is that your experience? Is there in you a river bubbling up? Is there in you a satisfaction because you have drunk deeply of Jesus? But more than satisfaction, are you being a blessing? Is your life overflowing with blessing? It’s amazing to me how many people today are trying to find the answer. Some people think the answer is intellectual. They think if they can just learn more facts, if they can just learn more theology, if they can just learn more history, if they can just learn more of this or that, then they will be satisfied. So, they go from class to class and church to church with their heads getting fuller and their hearts getting emptier.

The Pharisees thought the answer to life was the way they lived, primarily noted by what they did or didn’t do. Does that sound familiar? I don’t do this. I don’t do that. They had religion, but they didn’t have reality. It’s time to stop enduring religion and start enjoying salvation. It is time that you come to understand what the great heart of Jesus longed for.

How would you describe the difference between religion and having a relationship with God?

What are some ways you have tried to find satisfaction with life?

PRACTICE THIS

Consider where you may be deferring more to religion than investing in a personal relationship with Jesus. Pray and repent about these things.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

The Lion and the Lamb

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” (Matthew 12:18–21, quoting Isaiah 42)

The Father’s very soul exults with joy over the servant-like meekness and compassion of his Son.

When a reed is bent and about to break, the Servant will tenderly hold it upright until it heals. When a wick is smoldering and has scarcely any heat left, the Servant will not pinch it off, but cup his hand and blow gently until it burns again.

Thus the Father cries, “Behold, my Servant in whom my soul delights!” The worth and beauty of the Son come not just from his majesty, nor just from his meekness, but from the way these mingle in perfect proportion.

When the angel cries out in Revelation 5:2, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” the answer comes back, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals” (Revelation 5:5).

God loves the strength of the Lion of Judah. This is why he is worthy in God’s eyes to open the scrolls of history and unfold the last days.

But the picture is not complete. How did the Lion conquer? The next verse describes his appearance: “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain” (Revelation 5:6). Jesus is worthy of the Father’s delight not only as the Lion of Judah, but also as the slain Lamb.

This is the peculiar glory of Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate Son — the stunning mingling of majesty and meekness.

John Piper 

Bible Study

Isaiah 49:10

    [10] they shall not hunger or thirst,

        neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,

    for he who has pity on them will lead them,

        and by springs of water will guide them.

Revelation 7:16-17

    [16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;

        the sun shall not strike them,

        nor any scorching heat. 

    [17] For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,

        and he will guide them to springs of living water,

    and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

John 7:38

[38] Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

John 6:58

[58] This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Are You Blind to the Suffering Around You?

PRAY OVER THIS

“‘So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?’ And he said, ‘He who showed mercy on him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’”

Luke 10:34-37

 

PONDER THIS

The English word compassion comes from two words, com, meaning with, and passion, which means to feel deeply. A person who has compassion sees people through the eyes of Christ. Compassion means with suffering, with feeling. The problem with so many of us is we just don’t see. We just don’t look! We’re so busy. We pay no attention. The suffering are all around us. Thank God that Jesus, the Good Samaritan, saw him.

A long time ago, back when they allowed smoking in airports, I was waiting for a flight. I needed to study so I spread out all my papers. After a while I felt the effect of people smoking around me, so I went to another gate to get a smoke-free space. After I got settled in a man followed me, took out a pack of cigarettes, and lit up. The old Adrian wanted to rise up, but Jesus said, “Down, boy.” As I was considering moving somewhere else, he said, “Don’t move, don’t move. I’ll put it out. Aren’t you Adrian Rogers? I need to talk to somebody. I need help. I’m hurting.” And I thought to myself, “Adrian, how blind you could’ve been that day. How obnoxious you could’ve been if you would have let your old nature take over.” I’m glad God overruled the old Adrian for a moment and let the new man come through because the suffering are all around us; they’re hurting, and they need help.

Who do you know that is hurting and needs help?

Have you ever felt God’s nudging toward compassion for someone else? What was that like?

PRACTICE THIS

Think about a time someone had compassion for you. Thank that person for being an example of Christ to you.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Church Growth God’s Way

It is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. (Romans 9:8)

Picture the Old Testament Abraham as a pastor. The Lord says, “I will bless you and prosper your ministry.” But the church is barren and bears no children.

What does Abraham do? He begins to despair of supernatural intervention. He is getting old. His wife remains barren. So he decides to bring about God’s promised son without supernatural intervention. He has sex with Hagar his wife’s handmaid (Genesis 16:4). However, the result is not a “child of the promise,” but a “child of the flesh,” Ishmael.

God stuns Abraham by saying, “I will give you a son by her [your wife Sarah]” (Genesis 17:16). So Abraham cries out to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” (Genesis 17:18). He wants the work of his own natural, human effort to be the fulfillment of God’s promise. But God says, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son” (Genesis 17:19).

But Sarah is 90 years old. She has been barren all her life, and she has already passed through menopause (Genesis 18:11). Abraham is 100. The only hope for a child of promise is stunning, supernatural intervention.

That is what it means to be a “child of the promise” — to be born “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). The only children that count for children of God in this world are supernaturally begotten children of promise. In Galatians 4:28 Paul says, “You [Christians], like Isaac, are children of promise.” You are “born according to the Spirit,” not according to the flesh (Galatians 4:29).

Think of Abraham as a pastor again. His church is not growing the way he believes God promised. He is weary of waiting for supernatural intervention. He turns to the “Hagar” of mere human devices, and decides he can “attract people” without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.

However, it will not be a church of Isaacs, but Ishmaelites — children of the flesh, not children of God. God save us from this kind of fatal success. By all means work. But always look to the Lord for the decisive, supernatural work. “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31).

John Piper 

Bible Study

Galatians 4:22

[22] For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.

Galatians 4:28-29

[28] Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. [29] But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.

Hebrews 11:11-14

[11] By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. [12] Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

[13] These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. [14] For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

Genesis 17:16-22

[16] I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” [17] Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” [18] And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” [19] God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. [20] As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. [21] But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”

[22] When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

How Should We Treat Our Enemies?

PRAY OVER THIS

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” Matthew 5:44-46

 

PONDER THIS

We are a peculiar people. As Christians, we are children of light. But the world is full of children of darkness. We live by the Spirit; they live in sin. We live by faith; they live by sight. We understand them; they do not understand us. So, what should you do when you’re persecuted? Surprisingly, Jesus said to release love to those who persecute us.

And this love is not mere sympathy; it means doing good. Notice Jesus said God makes it “rain on the just and the unjust.” Don’t say, “Well, I’m going to treat some people nicely because they’re good people, and other people wrongly because they persecute me.” Be like God and love them! Aren’t you glad God loves sinners? Where would we be if He didn’t love us? These people are blind. They don’t have life. They don’t understand. As a matter of fact, the Bible says in the Last Days those that kill us will think they do “God’s service.” (See John 16:2.) They are blind and need love; we need to treat them as God has treated us.

How do you stand out from the culture around you?

How do you typically treat people when they hurt you?

PRACTICE THIS

Ask a friend to tell you honestly how you react when people hurt you. Consider what it would look like to release love instead.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers