By Your Good Works, They May Glorify God

BIBLE MEDITATION:

"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. Having your conversation [behavior] honest among the Gentiles [unsaved]: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 1 Peter 2:11-12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The unsaved love to bad-mouth the church, and if you're a Bible believer, they especially love to lampoon and ridicule you. You are to live a righteous, godly life. There is to be in your heart and life none of what the Bible calls here “fleshly lust.” Renounce and abstain from everything that is wrong. Then you must embrace everything that’s right.

Certain things war against the soul. The word “war” here is not the idea of hand-to-hand combat, but speaks of a strategy, a conspiracy.  There is a conspiracy born in hell, my dear friend, that wars against your soul, the soul of your family, the soul of your church, the soul of this nation. We are at war with unseen forces from the very pit of hell, and to be prepared for the battle, first of all you must be absolutely and totally clean. A child of God ought to be pure and clean as the driven snow.

ACTION POINT:

Be mindful every day to live such a pure, godly, clean, righteous, honest, forthright life, that even grudgingly those who hate you will have to admit there is a difference.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

That By Believing You May Have Life In His Name

The mind blowing powerful word of God!!!

O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.  - Isaiah 25:1

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. - John 20:31

11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. - 1 John 5:11-13

31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." - Matthew 14:31-33

42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." - Acts 10:42-43

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,

10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." - John 11:25-27

I leave you with these words of our Lord:

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." - John 20:21

What Would Jesus Do?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Did you know that the best argument for Christianity and the best argument against Christianity is…your life? That’s right. Not only are you to be a witness of and for Jesus, you are to be a part of the evidence of His reality. What would happen if every Christian began to walk as Jesus walked, talk as Jesus talked, and love as Jesus loved? The world would take notice.

ACTION POINT:

Before you say or do anything today, ask yourself, “What Would Jesus Do?”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Understanding Kingdom Authority

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

A police officer weighing 160 pounds may effectively stand before a tanker truck and with an uplifted hand say, “Stop, in the name of the law.” The police officer certainly couldn’t stop the truck with his physical force. He is appealing to an authority greater than himself — the law — to back him up. Your authority over Satan is the same way. Your authority does not rest in your strength. You cannot overcome Satan with your power but rather with Kingdom Authority from God. And you have that as a child of the King. You have His authority to overcome every attack of Satan.

ACTION POINT:

Sing of the power of the Lord. Find a hymnal and sing or meditate on the verses of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Giving Thanks Always

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There are four types of people. There are those who are constantly complaining and grumbling.  Have you met any of these folks? I mean, they can brighten up a room just by leaving it. That’s the lowest level. Then there are others who live lives of ingratitude. They don’t complain, but they never thank God for His obvious blessings. That’s a little better, but not much better. Then there are people who thank God for obvious blessings. When something good happens, they’re grateful. That’s a better level. But the highest level is to be grateful for all things at all times. That is the secret of a happy and productive life.

ACTION POINT:

On the basis of our Scripture today, go before the Lord and begin to think about difficult circumstances you’re facing. Now, thank Him for each one.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Cleansing, Healing Work of the Holy Spirit

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise.” Jeremiah 17:14

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

There are two kinds of wounds to the human psyche. One is sorrow; the other is guilt. Sorrow is a clean wound. Somehow your heart will heal as the Holy Spirit applies His healing balm. He will pour in “the oil of gladness.” Time and the grace of God will heal. But guilt is dirty and will never heal until it is confessed and cleansed by the antiseptic of Calvary. A slave only fears his master’s whip, but a son fears his father’s displeasure.

ACTION POINT:

Are you suffering under a load of guilt? Allow the Holy Spirit to expose your sin. Then confess it and experience the joy of forgiveness in Christ.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Thankful When You’re Counting Pennies

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Colossians 3:15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

If worry is the opposite of faith, then thanksgiving is the expression of faith—in fact, the highest expression. You say, “I don’t know if I have as much to thank God for as some other people.” Well, the apostle Paul was in a filthy Philippian jail waiting to possibly be beheaded when he wrote, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

I’ve noticed that unthankful people are never happy people. They’re filled with bitterness, fear, negativism, selfishness and self-pity.

You see, God has blessed you.  You may not think so because you’re measuring blessings by the barometer of health, wealth, and happiness. 

My friend, let me tell you what blessings we have.  “Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits…” (Psalm 68:19).  God has loaded your wagon.  How often?  Every day! “It is of the LORD’S mercies we’re not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning…” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Every day you wake up to blessings.

ACTION POINT:

Thank Him for spiritual blessings and thank Him for simple blessings: good, clean water. Enough food. Shelter. The simple things. We are so blessed. Refuse to worry, but carry everything to God in prayer. Rejoice in the presence of the Lord.  Rely upon the power of the Lord. Reflect on the provision of the Lord.  Rest in the peace of the Lord.  Do everything with thanksgiving. 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers