Love Worth Finding

How You Can Be Sure (1253)Acts 10 tells the story of a Roman army officer named Cornelius. Cornelius was also a Gentile. Up until this time, the Gentiles had not been added to the Christian church (the early believers were Jewish). Yet, Cornelius was hungry to know God and he was hungry for faith in Jesus Christ. Supernaturally, God brought Cornelius and the apostle Peter together. As he is presenting the Gospel to Cornelius, Peter claims three indisputable witnesses who testify that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. By believing them, we, like Cornelius, can be sure of our salvation as well.The first was a personal witness of the saints. The apostles standing before Cornelius had literally walked with Jesus during his ministry. The disciples were a diverse group of young men who lived with Him, ate and fellowshipped with Him. They personally witnessed His life, death and resurrection. And though a wide mixture of characters, the disciples’ recollection of Jesus is unanimous: He is the resurrected Son of God.The second was the prophetic witness of the Scriptures. Every page of Scripture is about Jesus, if not explicitly, then prophetically. Even in the Old Testament, before Jesus walked the earth, prophecies the salvation He would bring to mankind. The Bible has one hero, which is Jesus; and it has one message: Jesus saves. Adrian Rogers says, “The Bible was not written primarily to give us the history of Israel. It's not written primarily to tell us about ceremonies and rituals; the Bible was written to tell us that Jesus saves.”Lastly, the Holy Spirit acted as the third witness. After he was saved, Cornelius immediately received the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues. This was the outward evidence of the internal work of God in the hearts of these new believers. God was expanding the church to include the Gentiles right before their eyes. Jew and Gentile became one body, by witness of the saints, the Scripture and the Spirit.Apply it to your lifeAre you sure of your salvation and do you believe the three indisputable witnesses at hand?

All Things New (1251)2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Adrian Rogers says it this way, “A Christian is not just somebody who has become nice; he’s become new.”Acts 9 tells the story of the conversion of the Apostle Paul. His early name was Saul and he was a persecutor of Christians. Yet, in this passage, he becomes Paul, the greatest missionary and evangelist the world has ever known. He was changed by the grace of God, so much so, he even changed his name! There are five markings of this man made new, found in Acts 9:17-22.First, Saul had a new Lord. The first question Saul asked when confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus was, “Lord, what would you have me do?” Jesus had become his Lord; immediately, he was under new management. The Bible calls Jesus, Lord 433 times. And Adrian Rogers says, “You cannot have what He gives, salvation, unless you receive what He is, and that is Lord.”Second, Paul had a new life. When you receive Jesus as Lord, you receive a new life, and a new spiritual sight. You’re able to see things you’ve never seen before.Third, Paul had a new liberty. God put His power within Paul. The Christian life is what God does in us and through us. He’s the one who gives us that liberty.Fourth, Paul had a new love. A few days before his conversion, this man was threatening the church. His heart was filled with bitterness and malevolence toward those who were called Christians. And those he once loathed he now loves. If you love Jesus, you will love what He loves.Finally, Paul had a new labor. Saul’s mission was to destroy the church. Paul’s mission was to build the church. The markings of a new life in Christ is that he shares it with others.And what God did for Saul, God wants to do for us, all.Apply it to your lifeHave you been made new in Christ? Does your life show that you have a new Lord, life, liberty, love and labor?

The Devil's Religion | Part 1 (1249)Is the devil for or against religion? He is very much for religion, but only if it opposes the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this message, Adrian Rogers presents the vital warnings against the devil’s religion, so that we may be free from its bondage and bitterness.

The Devil's ReligionContrary to popular belief, the devil is very much for religion; in fact, he uses religion to oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Book of Revelation, the Bible prophecies that in the Last Days, there will not be a lack of religion; there will be more than ever. Men will have religion without reality; they will not know God, and yet they will be very religious. It is vital that we recognize the warnings and refute the devil’s religion, lest we fall into its deception. • Beware of the devilish power of false religion. • Beware of the devilish pride of false religion. • Beware of the devilish pretense of false religion. • Beware of the devilish poison of false religion.In Acts 8, a man named Simon was practicing what the Bible calls “sorcery.” He had tapped into a devilish, unholy, supernatural power so great, it left his city in awe.We must remember that the devil is a deceiver, and he often uses miracles and signs to deceive even those who believe they are Christians.Acts 8:9 says, “But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one.”Simon was inflated with ego. The hallmark of false religion is pride. Remember: It was pride that made the devil, the devil.There are two kinds of believers described in Acts 8:12-13: possessors and pretenders.The difference is in the object of their belief. Simon the sorcerer was interested in power that he could get hold of. When he saw the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, laying their hands on people and giving healing and restoration, he wanted it.Adrian Rogers says, “Because false religion is egocentric, it is always rooted in what I can get and not in what I can give.”False religion poisons everything it touches. It can’t make a person free; you are ensnared and undelivered from sin and temptation, left unfulfilled and unsatisfied, bitter and in bondage.The only remedy to false religion is repentance of sins of the spirit. Receive the Holy Spirit through a relationship with Christ.Apply it to your lifeHave you been ensnared by the dangers of false religion? Do you need to repent of the sins of the spirit? Repent; stand on the word of God.

Wherever He Leads I'll Go | Part 2 (1247)We, as Christians, have been sent on a mission to share the Gospel anywhere and everywhere God calls us to go. In this message, Adrian Rogers conveys what it means to say in our hearts, “Wherever He leads, I’ll go.”

Wherever He Leads, I'll Go (1247)We, as Christians, have been sent on a mission to share the Gospel anywhere and everywhere God calls us to go. Where is anywhere and everywhere for you? Have you ever said in your heart, "Wherever He leads, I'll go"? We should be able to say this and mean it, without fear or hesitation.God has a plan for us and God will use us if we will let Him. How can we know where God wants us to go?First, we must perceive the call of God. God has many ways to speak to us, through prayer, the Holy Spirit, angels and others. We must get rid of our selfishness, our pride, our ambitions, and be ready to be filled by God. And what God fills, He uses.We must preach the Gospel, simply and clearly, as according to Jesus Christ. Adrian Rogers says, “The Gospel is simply glorious and gloriously simple.” The Gospel, simply put, is three statements:“I am a sinner.”“Christ died for my sins.”“I am saved by grace, through faith.”Finally, we must practice the commands of God. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 says, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”Baptism is our way of showing our salvation. A true baptism follows a true salvation. Adrian Rogers says, “If we are real missionaries, we're going to receive the call of God, preach the Christ of God and practice the commands of God.”Apply it to your lifeAre you willing to say to God, “Wherever you lead, I’ll go”? If there was ever a time we ought to say it, it is now.

How to Turn Problems into Possibilities (1243)

How to Turn Problems into Possibilities (1243)Being a Christian means seeing opportunities in every difficulty. In Acts 6, the early church was experiencing some growing pains. By understanding how they dealt with their difficulties, we can learn how to turn our problems into possibilities.We know what it’s like to experience growing pains, physically, mentally and spiritually. With that understanding, there are four things to keep in mind when our churches undergo this grueling process of maturity.First, remember that where there is life, there is growth. If your church is growing, it is important to remember this is a good thing. Anything that grows has pains. Growth is not easy or automatic. We have to plan, pray and work for it; we have to cultivate and water something if we want it to grow. Even still, it is God alone who gives growth. Churches can be big or small, each one unique and designed to maintain different capacities. No matter what size the church may be, if it is surrounded by lost people and still not growing, there’s something wrong. Our mission is to reach souls for the Lord Jesus Christ. If we’re not reaching them, we’re not doing what we were told to do.Where there is growth, there are problems. Anything that moves makes friction. However, many times, churches divide moreover incidentals than fundamental things. Adrian Rogers says, “When God sets out to multiply, the devil sets out to divide.”Where there are problems, there are solutions. A mature Christian is going to be deeply spiritual and intensely practical. In Acts 6, there was murmuring over neglected widows in the congregation. So, God demonstrated His practical love through the church leaders as they, themselves, waited tables for widows. These high-powered spiritual men were willing to minister in the small and mundane things. As a result, the church began to grow and the murmuring stopped.Where there are God-give solutions, there is even greater growth. It seems that every time the devil attacked this early church, their problems simply became springboards for greater possibilities. Adrian Rogers says, “All hell can’t stop a church that’ll keep its eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ.”Thank God for a growing church!Apply it to your lifeAre you or your church experiencing some growing pains? Embrace it; turn your problems into possibilities for growth. Acknowledge the issues and pray for God-given solutions.

The Experience of Obedience (1241)Being a Christian is a joyous thing. The reason we are not filled with joy in this Christian life could be a matter of disobedience. Adrian Rogers says, “Obedience is the missing ingredient in so many Christians’ lives.”What does it mean to truly obey Christ? What is the expedience of obedience?In Acts 5, Peter and the other apostles have caused quite a stir by preaching about Jesus Christ. The religious authorities are trying to stop a revival they began. They command the apostles to stop preaching. Verses 29-32 says: “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”In this text, we are first given the reason for obedience. When God tells us to do something, we don’t have any other reasonable choice because He is a sovereign God. He has every right to instruct His children, no refusal or rebuttal about it. He is also a saving God, who suffered and died for us. Why do we obey Him? We owe it to Him.What are the requirements for obedience?Understand first, we can’t obey unless we know what it is that God wants us to do. Once we know God’s will, we must be intentional about obeying it, and do so immediately. We will be held accountable for what we know. When He speaks, we must answer Him, regardless of circumstances. Only then can we see the supernatural rewards of our obedience:Power in our livesJoy in our heartsVictory in the church.When we obey God rather than men, we will see great multitudes of people come to Jesus Christ.Apply it to your lifeWould you like to obey, to be happy in Jesus? Would you like to have victory in your life? Know the will of God for your life and do it immediately, inflexibly and passionately.