Our Devotionals come from Love Worth Finding, the ministry founded by Adrian Rogers who has since graduated to Glory. These are so relevant even today!

Storms Will Blow TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 31, 2025 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” MATTHEW 7:26-29 PONDER THIS There are millions of people sitting in churches that are going to die and go to Hell because there has never been a change in their lives. Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” When you have that sturdy building and firm foundation, you can expect a stormy blast. It is coming. Jesus says the storm fell upon both houses. The rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house. Which house? The house built upon a rock and the house built on the sand. When you get saved, does that mean there will be no storms in your life? No, storms come to every life, saved or lost. The storm is going to show whether you have a strong foundation. There’s going to be sickness, suffering, persecution, heartache, and difficulty. But these things cannot ruin the one whose life is built on the rock. What are some hard things you have faced? How was your faith tested during that time? Who are some people you know that are struggling now? How can you encourage them in Christ? PRACTICE THIS Reach out to support a friend who is struggling with the storms of life.

Rock Builders vs. Sand Builders TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 30, 2025 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” MATTHEW 7:24-25 PONDER THIS There are two things necessary for a firm foundation: hearing and heeding the Word of God. That’s where we begin to separate the rock builders from the sand builders. Suppose the devil were to ask to join your church. Someone sits down with him and asks, “Mr. Devil, we want to know if you are orthodox or not. Do you believe in one God? Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Do you believe He was born of a virgin? Do you believe He died on the cross? Do you believe He walked out of the grave?” He would answer all those things correctly, saying yes to each one. They might then ask how he feels called to serve. I imagine he’d be glad to do anything you ask. He’ll be an usher. He’ll sing in the choir if you want him to. He’ll be glad to preach. He’ll be glad to get into that organization and work. But there should be one final question. “Are you willing to bow your knee to the lordship of Jesus Christ?” And he will not do that. Many people think just because they give a mental assent to the facts of the Gospel and just because they are working in the church in some way, they are going to Heaven. But they have no more faith than the devil himself because they have never surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ. What does it look like to live out your faith? What does it look like to ascent to the facts but refuse to bow to the Lordship of Jesus? Where is it difficult for you to surrender to Christ’s lordship? How can you submit this area of your life to Him? PRACTICE THIS Ask a trusted friend how he or she has seen you live out your faith and ask for honest feedback on where that person has seen you struggle to live out the Word.

The Captain of Camouflage TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 29, 2025 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” MATTHEW 7:15-17 PONDER THIS Satan is the captain of camouflage. He is the master of deceit. Again and again, the Bible warns us of false prophets. Some say the Bible is not true, the Bible is a bundle of blunders, or the Bible is a book of lies. But even in their attempts to dismiss the Bible, they do not point out falsehood—they authenticate the Bible. If there were no false prophets, the Bible would not be true. The Bible says they’re coming and to beware. These things confirm and authenticate our faith. There are many today trudging to churches, but they do not hear salvation by Jesus’ blood preached. But many will not call those who neglect this teaching false prophets. I don’t care how great of a speaker he is. I don’t care how many good works he does in the neighborhood. If the Gospel of Jesus is not the center of all things, it is false teaching. People can be fooled by a nice building, but God knows the sincere places of worship, the places that seek Him over a name for themselves or the desires of their hearts. What are some ways to discern if the teaching you hear is true or false? What are some things that distract us from seeking discernment? PRACTICE THIS Write down some of the reasons you are part of your church. Consider whether those reasons point to Christ.

No Cost Too High TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 28, 2025 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” MATTHEW 7:13-14 PONDER THIS It costs to serve Jesus. It costs every day. It costs every step of the way, and there is no fine print in the contract. Many of us have settled for cheap grace, an “easy believism.” There is, necessarily, a discipline to the Christian life. Take a river and just let it meander, and it has no power. But dam it up, and it makes power that can light up a city. A few years ago, a young African was martyred for the cause of Christ. But before he died, he wrote a poem of commitment and resolution to serve God no matter the cost. Compare that with the Christianity we see today. We are often looking for a cheap way, an easy way, a lazy way to serve Jesus. There is no such thing. We are called to follow Him, be changed by Him, and surrender daily to Him because the cost will be worth it in the end. What comes to mind when you think of the cost of the Christian life? What does it look like to be disciplined in your faith daily? PRACTICE THIS Talk to a trusted Christian brother or sister about the ways you are seeking growth in the discipline of following Christ.

Is Anything Too Small for God? TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 27, 2025 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” MATTHEW 7:7-11 PONDER THIS Often, we are so full of care and worry because we’ve not truly learned how to pray. By prayer and supplication, we are to ask God for everything we need. Pray about anything. Don’t divide your life up into the secular and the sacred. Don’t believe there are certain things you can pray about and certain things you can’t pray about because God’s not interested in those things. Can you imagine Jesus living that way? To a Christian, all things are sacred. Every day is a holy day. You may respond, “What about the little things? I just pray about the big things.” Can you imagine anything that’s big to God? Or can you imagine anything too small for God to be interested in? Yes, pray about the big things. Yes, pray when your child is sick, but pray for the small things too. God is a God who is over all. God knows your needs. Even in wrong and shameful things, God already knows you want a wrong thing. Tell Him you want a wrong thing and ask Him to change your heart. Pray about all things. What things are hardest for you to talk about with God? What are some things you neglect to bring to God in prayer? PRACTICE THIS Talk to God and bring Him all the things that are on your mind.

Take a Look Inside TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 26, 2025 “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” MATTHEW 7:3-5 PONDER THIS Many times, the hypocrite does not know he’s a hypocrite. As I considered this passage, I had to do some genuine heart-searching. I had to ask, “Is there some hypocrisy in me? Is there a little Pharisee in me?” We all need this type of self-examination. Here are some questions to consider: Have you ever failed to obey God because you wondered what other people would think about it? Have you ever failed to praise God because you were wondering what others would think? Is your private life consistent with your public image? Are you defeated and discouraged by the hypocrisy of another? Jesus knew there were hypocrites. One of the twelve apostles was a hypocrite. There will always be hypocrites. Our focus is to remain on God, who is never false, and on our love for Him. This is the way we avoid hypocrisy. How have you struggled with hypocrisy? Are there any parts of your life that are not consistent with the Gospel you share? Explain. How do you respond to other people’s hypocrisy? How can you trust God in those times? PRACTICE THIS Search your heart for any ways you may be struggling with hypocrisy and repent.

A Dependent Partner TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 25, 2025 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” JOHN 15:4-5 PONDER THIS Why do I speak to God in prayer? God has given me the privilege to fellowship and partnership with Him. Prayer is one of the greatest acts of love and kindness that God has extended because God enables you to join with Him in the ruling and administration of the Universe and the affairs of men. Some time ago I was on a private plane to go to a speaking engagement and the pilot asked, “Do you know how to fly an airplane?” I said, “No, I don’t.” He asked, “Would you like to try?” I said, “Yes, I would.” He instructed me how to hold onto the controls, and he let me fly the plane. Of course, he was sitting right next to me. He could fly it without me, but I’ll guarantee you I couldn’t fly it without him. He had his hands on the controls. I had my hands on the controls. We were having fellowship, and he was allowing me to participate with him where he didn’t need me, but I needed him desperately. It was a delightful experience. God enables you to be one with Him, and God teaches us a dependency upon Him and a fellowship with Him. We aim toward this in prayer. What is your typical purpose for going to God? What are some reasons we might go to God outside of fellowship and dependency? How is the level of dependency we have on God connected to the frequency with which we go to Him? PRACTICE THIS Pray and seek fellowship with God in prayer.

God Sees the Angel in the Marble TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 24, 2025 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” MATTHEW 7:1-5 PONDER THIS Many times, we’re quick to judge and condemn those God wants to save. We have to be careful with condemning words and judgmental attitudes because the yardstick we use is going to become a boomerang that comes right back to us. Our Lord is full of compassion where we are often judgmental. God does not rejoice in judgment. But we often look at other people and quickly deem them unworthy. Michelangelo, the sculptor in Florence, was walking past the marble quarry, and he saw an ugly and misshapen piece of marble. The workers had discarded it. Michelangelo looked at it a while and he said, “I want that piece of marble.” They responded, “Sir, it’s no good.” He said, “There’s an angel in that piece of marble; I can see him, and I'm going to set him free.” And he used it to make the sculpture of a beautiful angel. Now, we often see people as unworthy and fit to be discarded, but God doesn’t love us for what we are. He loves us for what we can be in Him. God doesn’t change us so He can love us. He loves us, so He changes us. Who do you have a hard time loving as Christ did? How can you change your focus to see people as God does? How might that change the way you live? PRACTICE THIS Pray and ask God to help you view others the way He does.

Drop the Anvils TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 23, 2025 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” MATTHEW 6:25-27 PONDER THIS Many of us believe living the Christian life means doing the best we can with God’s help. The problem is, that isn’t the Christian life. Our Lord does not want a place in your life. He doesn’t want prominence in your life. He demands and deserves preeminence. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Before you tell me it won’t work, I’m going to ask, have you tried it? Don’t tell me it won’t work if you are not a person who has obeyed the Lord. Your Father in Heaven knows what you need. Our Lord is saying, “Seek me, and I’ll take care of all of these things that are bothering you.” God is more than able to take care of the things in your life. I heard one story about a man who fell through his boat into the muddy river, so he cried “Help!” He went under a second time, came up and yelled, “Help!” He went under the third time and came up and said, “If somebody doesn’t come help me, I’m going to have to drop one of these anvils I’m holding!” I think some of us are like that. We’ve got a load of care under one arm, and a load of care under the other arm, and we’re wondering, “Why am I sinking?” He is ready to take care of every need and worry when you come to Him. What are some worries you are carrying? How has worry affected you? What would it look like to seek God in all things, including the things you worry about? PRACTICE THIS Talk to a Christian you look up to, asking how he or she has grown in trust in God.

A Safety Deposit Box in Heaven TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 22, 2025 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” MATTHEW 6:19-20 PONDER THIS Do you want to know how wealthy you are? Add up everything you have that money can’t buy and death can’t take away. Then you’ll know. Quit treasuring earthly treasure. The investments we make on Earth are not under safe keeping. Moths can eat them, rust can corrode, thieves can get them. Our Lord is saying you better have a safety deposit box in Heaven, where the foul breath of decay, the gnawing tooth of time, and thieves cannot get what belongs to you. Those heavenly investments are unfading. No fees, no court costs, no taxes, and no inflation can take your lasting away. It is reserved in Heaven for you if you would only make that investment. That’s pretty good treasure. Would somebody be pointed to Jesus Christ by looking at your bank statement? Would somebody know where your treasure is if they looked at your calendar? What really matters to you? All the things we think are treasures will be gone one day and only the investments in Heaven will stay with us as we cross into eternity. What are some examples of eternal investments? What are some of the things you are investing in right now? What are some eternal investments you want to begin or grow in? PRACTICE THIS Make an eternal investment today.

Too Many Words TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 21, 2025 “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” MATTHEW 6:7 PONDER THIS Too often, we approach prayer wanting to impress God, so we use formal language or try to say the right thing to Him. But it’s not the logic of our prayer, and it’s not the language of our prayer that impresses God. You don’t have to be a poet to pray. Have you ever heard anybody say, “Oh, I can’t pray?” My question back to them is, can you talk? Can you talk to another human being? Can you not talk to God? Do you think you have to be Shakespeare to pray? When my children were small, suppose I came home and my daughter said to me, “Hail, yon eminent pastor. On thy sojourn home from yon Bellevue Baptist Church, I beseech thee, that thou would grant to thine second daughter Janice monies that I may sojourn to yonder apothecary and procure some cosmetics for my face.” I’d say, “Well, Janice, would you say that again, honey?” And she would say “Daddy, can I have some money? I need to get some makeup.” Wouldn’t that be a lot simpler? Do you think I’m going to be impressed by the fact that she uses this kind of language? Jesus was saying, “You don’t pray to impress God. It’s not the language of your prayer. And it’s not the length of your prayer. You’re not heard because of much speaking.” How do you typically talk to God in prayer? How often do you talk to Him? Does your time in prayer feel like a formality or a friendship? What is the gift in our being able to talk to God freely? PRACTICE THIS Spend time talking to God, as you would a friend, about what is going on in your life.

Full Showroom – Empty Warehouse TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 20, 2025 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” MATTHEW 6:1-2 PONDER THIS Our word hypocrite comes from the Greek word, hypokrites, meaning a play actor. The Greeks had actors who not only used makeup but also literally wore masks. To show they were happy, they put on the happy face. If they wanted to be sad, they put on the sad face. When they wanted to be angry, they put on the angry face. If they wanted to be menacing, they put on the menacing face. There is nothing genuine in hypocrisy—it is all a show. The greatest argument for Christianity and the greatest argument against Christianity is the life of a Christian. In the Gospels we find the Lord Jesus Christ dealing with sinners, thieves, harlots, prostitutes, tax gathers, and so forth. Jesus had nothing but words of compassion, forgiveness, and love for these people. As a matter of fact, one of the main grievances against Jesus was He was a friend of sinners. On the other hand, our Lord reserved His most severe words for those we call hypocrites. He called them wolves in sheep’s clothing. He said they were like white-washed tombs on the outside but on the inside full of dead men’s bones. The biggest offenders were those who had everything on the showroom floor but nothing in the warehouse. How have you been hurt by hypocrisy? Why is it so dangerous? How have you recognized hypocrisy in your own life? PRACTICE THIS Pray and confess the ways in which you have spoken or acted hypocritically.

Find Healing after Divorce TODAY'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL January 19, 2025 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” MATTHEW 7:24-25 PONDER THIS There is a dangerous precipice called divorce. Our job as a church is to build a wall as high as we can, as thick as we can, as strong as we can, and say to our kids, “Don’t fall over that precipice. It’s dangerous. It’s destructive. Don’t do it.” But that’s not all. For those who have had that experience of divorce, we’re going to keep an ambulance ready to minister to them and show them the love and the grace of God every one of us has received. If you’re divorced and you know it was your fault, ask God to forgive you and help you be reconciled to your partner. As much as is in your power and is appropriate, go to that person and make every wrong right, extend forgiveness, and receive the forgiveness of God. If you have been divorced against your will, ask God to take the bitterness out of your heart and forgive that person, even if he or she won’t repent. Have the same the spirit of forgiveness as Jesus when He prayed from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Then, take the remainder of your life and give it to God. God is not finished with you. How we relate with our family, stay committed to our family, and love our family sacrificially is a beautiful testimony of Jesus. Let your home be a light where Christ shines. Don’t build on sand; build your house on the rock. Who in your life has experienced divorce? How can you love and care for them? How have you been hurt or wounded by a broken relationship of any type? How have you allowed Christ to heal those wounds? PRACTICE THIS Make a meal or show generosity to a person or family you know is hurting.