Love Worth Finding

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.

Lifestyle Evangelism (1240)Acts 5:42 says, “And daily in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” Publicly and privately, the early church did not stop preaching and teaching about Jesus Christ; it was a daily experience.In our own way and opportunity, each of us is called, ordained and equipped to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, if you are a Christian, evangelism is supposed to be a lifestyle. Adrian Rogers says, “God has called you to witness. A Christian who is not witnessing is not merely missing a blessing, he is guilty of high treason against heaven’s King.”If you are not witnessing, you are disobeying God. In the Book of Acts, the conversion of three men reveal why it is so important to witness to others.In Acts 8, the conversion of the Ethiopian man shows us that all people have a common hunger to know God, even if we don’t understand it yet.In Acts 9, the conversion of Saul—who later became Paul, apostle of Christ— reminds us that all people have a common heartache. All the intelligence and money in the world couldn’t buy the satisfaction that is found only in Christ.In Acts 10, the conversion of Cornelius tells us that all people have a common hope—Jesus.Back-to-back, we are shown by Scripture that the hope of Africa is Jesus, the hope of Asia (Paul the Apostle) is Jesus, the hope of Europe (Cornelius) is Jesus. All people need the same help. The hope of the world is Jesus.God took Phillip, Annanias and Peter, with their availability, expendability, adaptability, and used them to share the Gospel with men who would carry it even further, to the uttermost ends of the earth.We all have the same heartaches and hunger that are only satisfied through our common hope in Jesus Christ. And remember: Jesus will save anybody who is willing to come to Him.They may not even know that it is God who they are searching for, but each and every man needs to know him. It is our job, as a Christian community to help them.Apply it to your lifeAre you available, expendable and adaptable, ready to be used by God? There’s somebody that needs you desperately.All men need the same help—they need somebody to tell them about Jesus and that somebody is you.

God's Warning to Pretenders (1239)In Acts 2, nearly a million Jews were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. However, 120 disciples of Jesus Christ were at the center of attention as they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They were a church aflame; an early Christian church that made an impact on their community in a mighty way. What are the ingredients of a church aflame?The first is Supernatural Power. God demonstrated the power He had promised the disciples in Acts 1:8. This power was visualized by wind and fire. John 3:8 explains that the wind symbolizes the Holy Spirit because it “bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth.” The sight of fire over each of the disciples’ heads also symbolizes the Holy Spirit, as fire spreads and consumes, just like our Lord wants to consume our lives for His glory. This power was vocalized by the speaking of tongues and vitalized by the Holy Spirit. When we become Christians, we are baptized by the Holy Ghost, indwelled by the Holy Spirit and sealed into Christ. From there, we can choose to be filled with the Holy Spirit through surrender and faith. Then, there’s the anointing of the Spirit: the special touch for a specific task.The second ingredient of a church aflame is the spiritual preaching. Peter preached the Word of God to the disciples with boldness.The third ingredient of a church aflame is a saved people; those who understand what salvation truly is. Adrian Rogers says, “Real salvation is not merely a crisis act that you look back to, it is a present experience.”The last ingredient of a church aflame is the spiritual program. The church must study the Bible together in fellowship and worship as one Body. Each member must participate as they should.When each member is active in the church, the church will grow and catch the flame of the Spirit.Apply it to your lifeAre you an active member of a church aflame? Remember, as Adrian Rogers said, “God doesn’t want us to do anything for Him, He wants to do something through us.” Let Him use you in your local church.

How to Put Power in Your Prayer (1237)]The need of the hour is power in prayer—not merely to pray, but to pray with power.In Acts 4, there was trouble in the early church. There was opposition against the Gospel of Jesus. Christians’ lives were being threatened. This was the catalyst for this great prayer meeting. It was not just any prayer that they needed. No rhetoric, eloquence, music or beauty would do. They needed power; and they received it. How do we put power in our prayers?First, we must understand the confidence of their mighty prayer. Acts 4:24 says, “...they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, Lord thou art God which hath made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is...” When facing opposition, it’s necessary to gain the right perspective: to look beyond the visible to the Invisible. To look beyond the creature to the Creator. We will find that nothing has happened that God does not control. We will find the conquering God still on His throne. We can be confident that we are praying to a God who is the creator, controller and conqueror of all things.Notice also the commitment of a mighty prayer. The reason that many of our prayers are not answered is that we’ve not made that commitment to the Lord. Prayer is the means of bringing the power of heaven into our lives. As servants of God, we must express His word, extend His hand and to exalt His Son. When we commit to doing so, then we will see power in our prayers.Finally, we must be ready for the consequences of a mighty prayer.The Spirit is received—a fresh filling of God’s Holy Spirit.Unity is achieved; Adrian Rogers says, “Prayer, more than anything else, unites the church.”Then, the Gospel is believed.Adrian Rogers tells us, ”Our first duty is not to preach the gospel, but to be ready and worthy to preach it through prayer.”Apply it to your lifeDo you want to put power in your prayer? Have you made yourself available to Jesus, a vessel for Him to work through and accomplish His mighty works? Submit totally to God.