Faith is Not Positive Thinking

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have so much faith, others have weak faith, and some have no faith at all? Is God unfair? No, God is no respecter of persons (see 2 Chronicles 19:7). He has given to every man a measure of faith (see Romans 12:3).

And so, what is faith? Let me first say what it is not. 

Faith is not positive thinking or optimism. It is not a feeling that you can do something. It is not a hunch or looking on the sunny side of the street.

Faith is getting a word from God and acting upon it. You see, you can get a word from God and believe that word. That is belief. But when you act upon it, that is faith. Faith is belief with legs on it. 

ACTION POINT:

Today is the day that you put your foot of faith upon the promises of God and say, “That promise is mine!”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Coming Through as Pure Gold

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

In order to refine gold, a goldsmith places gold over a fire until it bubbles and glows. He skims off the impurity from the top and knows that when he can see his reflection, the gold is pure.That is what the Lord is doing when you go through trials. When He can see His likeness reproduced in your life, He’ll know that you have become gold fit for His use and for His glory.But the fire is hot! Yes, but God controls it. No jeweler is more careful with his gold than a father with his children. He knows what He is doing.

But what about those things He is burning out of my life? You don’t need them. If you needed them, your loving Father would make sure you kept them.

ACTION POINT:

Anything that comes into your life today, whether good or bad, has had to pass through the grid of God’s sovereignty and His permission. Look to Him, for He is not only your refiner, but also your redeemer and a loving Father. He already sees the finished product He’s working on and perfecting in your life.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Held Safe in His Hand

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:5

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Believers are “kept” by the power of God. This word “kept” in 1 Peter 1:5 is a military term. It literally means to be garrisoned about as soldiers around a fort.

Think of the power of God as a fortress and you are on the inside. Now how do you feel? Pretty secure, right? So many people get the idea that we keep ourselves safe. Friend, He keeps us.A father was crossing a street with his son. The son had hold of his daddy’s hand, then the light changed and the cars surged forward.  The father grabbed his son’s chubby little hand and almost lifted his son across the street to escape the oncoming traffic. That is the way God holds us. 

ACTION POINT:

Psalm 37:24 promises, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with His hand.” As you go through your day, place your hand in His and say, “Father, carry me across this day You have given me.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Handling Untrue Criticism

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” 1 Peter 3:16

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Have you ever been criticized? Maybe blamed for something you didn’t do? Or been unjustly slandered? You are not alone. Jesus was the whipping boy of much criticism and slander in His day. Was He worried? No. 

ACTION POINT:
You too must not worry when others speak falsely. Just give that to the Lord. Author/Pastor Peter Lord told me one day, “When anybody says anything bad about me, I just say, ‘Thank God they don’t know any more.’”  Jesus tells us, “When they criticize you, just roll that over onto Me. I understand and I am in charge. You just trust in Me.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Not by Your Works—Only by Grace!

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
There are some people who think you can lose your salvation once you have it. I have one truth that will dispel that idea. Whether or not you can lose your salvation depends upon how you got it.If you were saved by your good works, then you can lose your salvation by your bad works. But God’s Word is very clear on this point. Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”

How is someone saved? By grace. And if it is by grace, then you’re kept by grace. Salvation is not rooted in the merit of man, but in the mercy of God.

ACTION POINT:
Rest secure today in the knowledge that the Potter has you safe in His hands. He’s not about to drop you.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Waiting is Hard, But We Must Learn to Do It

BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” Psalm 37:7
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
We don’t like the word “rest,” do we? We’re always running around pulling up our radishes by the roots to see how they’re growing, and then cramming them back into the ground.

Yet Isaiah tells us, “And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for Him” (Isaiah 30:18).

ACTION POINT:
You’re not going to hurry God because He is not interested in time. He’s interested in timing. Lean back, watch, wait, and trust. He knows what He is doing.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Light of God’s Countenance

“Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.” - Psalm 4:6

How easy it is to be deceived when we are not walking in the light of God’s Word. Charles Lindbergh tells about the time he was flying in a dense fog over Newfoundland. He noticed moisture beginning to freeze on the wings of his plane and thought, “This great adventure is going to come to an untimely end. What shall I do?” Then, he had a moment of inspiration. He pulled his plane up and out of the fog and burst into the dazzling sunlight. Have you ever felt like you were living in a fog? Friend, He has a word of encouragement for you. You can get near to the heart of God. His light can shine even in the darkest corner of your heart.

Ask God to shine His light into the darkness of your heart. Ask Him to reveal your doubts and fears. Ask Him to reveal your sin that lies covetously in your heart. Then get ready for a blessing. Draw up close, because when you repent, He’ll reach in with healing forgiveness.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers