• Category Archives Devotional

  • Connected With God’s Grace

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

    “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. (Heb.13:9)”

    God’s writer for the above verse warns us that it is possible for our heart i.e. our intellect, emotions, and volition, to be carried from one strange and foreign doctrine to another. How can this be? I am a child of God! Every real child of God knows deep within that only God’s rich grace presented and permitted us to partake of His precious salvation! “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph.2:8-9)” To many, I am afraid, that God’s grace is only associated with salvation. Certainly, we must and should frequently praise our Lord for His benevolent act of personally meeting and bestowing His wonderful gift of redemption upon us but does grace end there! My dear friends this is only the beginning! IICor.1:22 proclaims that salvation is merely the down payment (“earnest”) for what is to follow. Perhaps it is time we all hang our heads and deeply examine where we stand spiritually. Maybe we can only remember the love and zeal we used to have.

     

    The “carried about” in Heb.13:9 introduces a scary thought. If we become passive, in our walk and talk with the Lord, we give permission to outside influences to rule us, in spite of our Biblical knowledge and the occasional interaction. In a world filled with multitudes of anti-God ways, we must assume the responsibility, with fear and trembling, of scanning our own lives. Never forget that God has daily grace for each of us – first, for salvation (Rom.10:13) if we are void of it, and ,secondly, He ever so desires to meet with ever child of His for daily strength that He might see and hear our daily praises for His movements and comfort.

     

    To the church of Ephesus and to our souls today God says through Paul,

    “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

    Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: (Eph.1:6-9) 

    God ever so desires to connect His grace with us. Are we willing?

    R.L.

     

     

     

     

     

     


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  • The Secret of Adoration

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

         

    “Take time. Give God time to reveal Himself to you.  Give yourself time to be silent and quiet

    before Him, waiting to receive, through The Spirit, the assurance of His presence with you,

    His power working in you. Take time to read His Word as in His presence, that from it you

    may know hat He asks of you and what He promises you.  Let the word create around you,

    create within you a holy atmosphere, a holy heavenly light, in which your soul will be refreshed and

    strengthened for the work of daily life.”

    by Andrew Murray

     

     


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  • What about Christmas?

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

         Over the years, believers have watched as the world’s system annually emphasis Christmas as being about feeding the flesh, feeding lust of the eyes and the pride of life. The gospel writer, John, informs us that this is not the way of God but rather the way of the world’s system that is supernatural and religious in its core elements. “For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1Jn 2:16)”

        The late Adrian Rogers reminds us, “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14.
    The educated man is ignorant, the strong man is weak, and the wealthy man is poor who doesn’t understand the true meaning of Christmas.
    What good does it do us to put a man on the moon if we can’t get God in our hearts? What good is it to know astronomy, how the heavens go, and not know Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star, and how to go to Heaven? What good is it to know botany and the study of flowers and not know Jesus, Heaven’s sweetest rose, the Rose of Sharon, who can perfume any life? What good is it to know the events of history, yet not know that history is His story? What good is it to know geology and the ages of rocks and not know Jesus, the Rock of Ages? “For it is in Him we live and move and have our being.”
    Jesus was not just another child. He was not just the Galilean peasant, the great teacher. He was supernatural.
     You won’t understand Christmas until you understand that this child was born of a virgin. This child is the very Son of God. Never forget this. Read the words of Isaiah 9:6-7. Let his prophecy about this child speak to you today.

     Even though the first paragraph reminds us of the norm for the unsaved, we must be aware that a faction of that vast number does very well in blending in for the season then departing for another year. On the other hand, if believers neglect personal bible reading, personal prayer, and personally fellowshipping systematically with other believers, one day they may very well shamefully discover that their Christian life has reflected themselves more than that of their Saviour!

        Rather than experiencing another ho-hum Christmas season, it does us well to examine ourselves. Perhaps some may see the need and accept Him as the real Christmas gift, transforming from the inside to the outside in this marvelous new birth! The rest of us may   benefit greatly by handing the reigns back to Him, trusting fully in His leadership from this day forward!

        Always remember that true Christmas is 100% centered in Christ! Let Jesus set the standard and watch what happens!

     


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  • The Contrary Desires of the Flesh and the Spirit

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

    sheep#10aThe Contrary Desires of the Flesh and the Spirit
    For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Gal_5:17)
    Every believer in Christ has had the frustrating experience of wanting to do what pleases the Lord, but being unable to actually accomplish such. We are told here a spiritual struggle is behind that failure. “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” The Spirit of God dwells within our lives. He is the “Spirit of holiness” (Rom_1:4). He desires that we be “partakers of His holiness” (Heb_12:10) and thereby walk in godliness. However, the flesh (natural humanity) is also present in our lives. These natural desires of man are not toward holiness, but rather toward self-indulgence and self-sufficiency. Thus, what the Spirit desires and what our flesh craves are set against each other. “These are contrary to one another.” The consequence of this internal conflict is “that you do not do the things that you wish.” Even though godly desires develop in us as new creatures in Christ, we find ourselves unable to implement these new longings by our good intentions.
    The Apostle Paul gave testimony to his own failure in this battle. “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Rom_7:19). The problem was that Paul’s personal resources (the flesh) were not adequate to produce the desired results. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find” (Rom_7:18). Yes, Paul had some godly desires. “For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man” (Rom_7:22). Nevertheless, there was a problem that he could not resolve on his own. “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (Rom_7:23). A tendency to sin that dwelt in Paul’s human members (his body, his brain) pulled him down to defeat. He needed help.
    Access to that necessary divine rescue was through a humble cry for a deliverer. “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom_7:24). This appropriate confession of the spiritual bankruptcy of his flesh led to another confession of certain victory. “I thank God [it is] through Jesus Christ our Lord! ” (Rom_7:25). This humble turning from self to Christ allows one to walk in the Spirit (Romans 8), living by His victorious resources. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom_8:2).
    Dear Jesus, Mighty Deliverer, I humbly admit that I am not able to implement by my best efforts the godly desires that are developing in me. I need You, Lord. So many times I have had holy intentions that ended up in carnal defeat. So, Lord, I cry out to You to deliver me from my present struggles, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, Amen.

    (The above was written by Bob Hoekstra)

     


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  • “A know-so salvation”

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

    Candle_7“To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.” (Eph.1:6)

    “Do you have a ‘know-so’ salvation? What I mean is, do you know that you are saved and have the assurance that if you died tonight, you’d spend eternity with the Lord in heaven?
    Many folks don’t have that assurance, and in some cases it is not a spiritual problem. It is a psychological problem. They cannot accept the fact that God has accepted them.”

    “Charlotte Elliott penned these words to a timeless hymn of assurance:
    ‘Just as I am, without one plea,
    But that Thy blood was shed for me,
    And that Thou biddest me come to Thee,
    O Lamb of God, I come, I come!’
    You are accepted just as you are. It is all grace.”

    “Find the hymn ‘Just As I Am’ and sing it to the Lord. Make it your song throughout the day when Satan tries to make you doubt God’s love and eternal gift of salvation.”
    (Adrian Rogers )


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  • Just For Pilgrims And Others -180 – “Just how contagious is our faith?”

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

    “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” (Heb.11:13)
    All of us have made promises that, at one time or another, we failed to keep them. On the other hand, how far superior are the promises of God! In the passage, preceding the above verse, we discovered that God promised Abraham and his descendents a land but was that all. Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.” (Jn.8:56)
    God’s promises to Abraham were miraculous in themselves! One would think that most would have been content by grabbing a chunk of land but not so. The impression of God’s words to Abraham were so strong that not only did he look for God’s city (vs.10) and the Messiah but also they had the same affect on his descendants for the rest of their lives. My dear friends, that is something! Secondly, God’s promises changed everyone’s view of themselves. They mirrored that they were “strangers” and “pilgrims” i.e. they viewed themselves as not being a natural born citizen of the land and could live along side of the inhabitants without becoming part of them.
    In summary, consider the work of Christ, “But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”(Heb. 8:6) Although Abraham’s convictions were highly contagious, how much stronger ours should be! True Christians have encountered the Messiah and the eternal indwelling Spirit assures us of arriving in His celestial city one day!
    We all need to examine ourselves – just how contagious is our faith?

     


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  • “What Drives Us”

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

    (Heb.11:8-10) “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.”
    In Hebrews we find a short overview of the “by faith” in Abrahams life. Less than a minute to read the verses reflect a lifetime to be lived. Some optional thoughts pop out to us. Abraham so clearly heard from God at the beginning that Gods presence and promises led him until his dying day. In addition, his endurance and obedience reflected the God he believed was the one and only true God.
    The above verses give us insight that Abraham was a true pilgrim on a journey. Although he and his family spent a lifetime wandering in God’s Promised Land, Abraham died never finding the one thing God promised – “…a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.” The moment Abraham passed from life he walked through a gate of God’s city!
    My dear friends, all of us know people that are knowledgeable of our lives but please keep in mind, as time passes the crowds grow smaller and their knowledge diminishes. Just like Abraham, we should desire that until our dying day, people, strangers or friends, should see in us our obedience to God, our individual devotion to Him, and the assurance that, we too, just like Abraham, will enter God’s promised and prepared city for us! What drives our lives is far more important than what we acquire in life. With Abraham, it was his relationship and fellowship from God, and that city.   What drives us?


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  • Want to Be In On What God Likes?

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

    The little book of Esther is another reminder of how God can protect, provide, and pronounce victory over the enemy, bring Glory to Himself, joy to His people, and touch others.
    The era was during the reign of Ahasuerus – the mighty Persian King that ruled from India to Ethiopia, over one-hundred and twenty provinces. His conquering of Babylon brought with it all the captive Jews. Eventually the evil Mordecai manipulated the King into decreeing extermination upon all Jews throughout the land. The brave Mordecai knew that God could use Esther, if she was willing, but to intercede before the king could be instant death. In spite of all risks, listen to Mordecai talking to Esther, “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, [then] shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for [such] a time as this?” (Est: 4:14) Courageous Esther risking it all stood before the great King and was granted permission to write whatever decree she desired and to seal it using the king’s seal. Once again, God spared the Jews.
    Notice very closely the results when faith and courage unite before God to accomplish His will. (Est: 8:17) “And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.”
    Thus, we learn that when the highest level of faith and courage stand together, God gloriously accomplishes His will for His people and for others! What a day it would be if just a small group of God’s people were so joyful and festive that fear would fall on the outsiders, resulting in many of them receiving redemption and joining us!
    What about you, or perhaps you and another?

     


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  • Just For Pilgrims And Others -180- “Real Diversions That Have Potential of Pulling Us Away ”

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

    According to Eph. 6:12, Christians have, and will continue to deal with, a highly structured devilish military with a two-fold objective – either pulling us away from Christ or keeping others from accepting Him. Scripturally, Paul pens this anti-God military in the plural and highly structured – “principalities.” Even though these “principalities” cannot separate God from loving us (Rom.8:38), believers who have strayed from walking closely with God have fallen prey to seeing their feelings and situations as being such.

    Although the following passage is rich in many Biblical truths, try reading the passage through the above glasses.
    (Heb 10:28-39) “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
    29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance [belongeth] unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 [It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. 34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

    Truths to glean:
    1. During the Old Testament era under the Mosaic law, it took only two witnesses to have a violator put to death without any mercy from the legal system. Please keep in mind the same source of that law declares that He bears witness to any, and will deal with accordingly, believer, or someone who teaches around the value of the blood of Jesus being necessary for salvation and holiness in God’s eyes. Even though the enemy tries to season a soul with works instead of maintaining a strong focus upon Christ’s blood, God warns against it in every age – including ours! Stay mentally secure with God!

    2. The readers are to remember an earlier time when they were new believers and suffered ridicule from unbelievers and some believers had even switched sides and found fault with new believers themselves. As a young lad, I can remember hearing news of a new conversion followed by joy from some and others saying, “Give him a week or so and then rejoice.”
    Stand strong in the eyes of God for new believers!

    3. Many believers can remember when they were on fire with the Lord and instantly were ready to sacrifice anything for any believer’s benefit, knowing that the best is always ahead with Christ, but now their fire has all but died out – lukewarm at best. Godly commitment and adventure have become past tense. Many could testify of the past but so few anymore can testify of today. Outside pressures and inward mind games prevail.
    God says to them wake up! Stop submitting. Have you ever considered that God might be behind what enemy forces are calling God’s chastisement or, perhaps, you are receiving what you deserve?
    Permit me to explain. If God so desires, He can permits unpleasant things to come our way to bring out the Good in us. On the other hand, our enemy desires for us to see otherwise. Remember, if we always look for bad in things the devil will gladly point it out and there we stay until next time. On the other hand, when something goes haywire, pause and focus on the fact that God may be teaching us something so we will be more equipped to please Him! We all require a precious essential grace needful for doing the will of God and receiving God’s best. This God sent blessing is simply having more patience with God than with others like themselves and even unbelievers. Remember, “tribulation worketh patience.” (Rom. 5:3)

    Let me encourage you today to stay mentally secure with God, stand strong in God’s presence for new believers, and stare in God’s direction for the best interpretation of circumstances and feelings, especially self pity.

    May God bless you with the best day ever!

    Roger

     


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  • God’s Omnipotence in Creation

    Posted on by Roger Luther Comment

    “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
    An eloquent preacher said, “God stepped from behind the curtain of nowhere and stood upon the platform of nothing and spoke a world into existence.”

    God is the creator of all that your hand can touch, your eye can see, your ears can hear, and your nose can smell. If you see a watch, I hope you assume there’s a watchmaker. And if you see the precise atomic flux of the universe, I hope that you don’t believe that happened by chance.

    Evolutionists believe that if you take billions of years and add time plus chance, that you can turn frogs into princes. In school they call that fairy tales. In the laboratory they call it science.

    God spoke your life into existence. His Word sustains your breath. His Word can silence your breath. Thank Him for your life today!
    (commentary by Adrian Rogers)

    Genesis 1:1,eloquent preacher,nowhere,into existence,watchmaker,atomic flux,evolutionists,fairy tales,science,the Word sustains,Him

     


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