Sunday with Spurgeon, December 31, 2023 Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”   Several times in the Scriptures the Lord hath said this. He has often repeated it, to make our assurance doubly sure. Let us never harbor a doubt of it. In itself the promise is specially emphatic. In the Greek it has five negatives, each one definitely shutting out the possibility of the Lord’s ever leaving one of His people so that he can justly feel forsaken of his God. This priceless Scripture does not promise us exemption from trouble, but it does secure us against desertion. We may be called to traverse strange ways, but we shall always have our Lord’s company, assistance, and provision. We need not covet money, for we shall always have our God, and God is better than gold, His favor is better than fortune.    We ought surely to be content with such things as we have, for he who has God has more than all the world besides. What can we have beyond the Infinite? What more can we desire than Almighty Goodness.    Come, my heart; if God says He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, be thou much in prayer for grace, that thou mayest never leave thy Lord, nor even for a moment forsake His ways.       Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest

Saturday Poetry, December 30, 2023 Psalm 37:5, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”   Trust equals commitment. There is no commitment apart from trust. To trust God, no matter what, means that we are committed to Christ, no matter what. It is worth noting that the Hebrew word translated “commit” – galal – is more often translated “roll,” as in roll on or with something. Ever heard the phrase “Roll with it”? Depending on your company, that may or may not be sound advice, but when it comes to Christ, trust Him and be committed to His Word. God will act on your behalf and for His glory. Roll forward with that. Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest

Friday, December 29, 2023 Joshua 6:20, “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”   If you are saved, you are a soldier of the cross, and you are engaged in a war where many enemy strong holds need to be conquered. They are everywhere: in your world, your nation, your church, your family, and, yes, in ourselves. These ancient outposts of our enemy are strategically placed, heavily fortified, and well defended. The way to victory is through obedience. God has given us the victory, but we must fight. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. We are to put on the armor of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, as shoes for our feet, the gospel of peace. On our head the helmet of salvation. In one arm the shield of faith, and in the other the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and soaking everything in prayer (Eph. 6:10-18).   If you are not saved, do you understand that you are also a soldier, only you stand against the Lord Jesus, and that only leads to destruction. Would you consider Rahab the harlot? She was spared. She was saved because she trusted God’s promise. The only wall left standing at Jericho was the one in which she lived, the one from which the scarlet cord hung from the window, the sign of God’s promise to her (Josh. 6:17, 22-23).   Faith is taking God at His Word and living accordingly. That was the only difference between the Israelites and the Canaanites. The people of Israel were not morally superior to the people of Canaan. The Jews were every bit as sinful as the people of Jericho. The only difference was that the Jews faithfully followed the one true God. The people of Jericho, except for Rahab and her family, would not.   Do not let past failure keep you from presently moving forward behind God. The only way to gain victory is to do this one thing. Forget those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before and press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (see Phil. 3:13-14). Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest

Thursday, December 28, 2023 Joshua 6:12-15, “And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.”   Joshua and the Israelites’ victory at Jericho is a prime example of obeying all the way through. Israel did not just march around the city one day or every other day. They did not wait until the seventh day and then march around the city thirteen times. They did not rotate tribes for the march. They faithfully followed God’s Word every step of the way. Silent march after silent march, all the way until God did what He said He would do. This is how we move forward, trusting God’s promise with perseverance and persistence.   Our natural expectation is for God to do for us, and for Him to do for us now. That is especially true in our consumeristic culture of immediacy. Who wants to wait? Who wants to persevere? Not many people today, and that often is true in our churches.   We need to learn, or be reminded, that not only is there no substitute for complete obedience to God, but we are to obey day after day, in every situation and for every circumstance. When God does not act as quickly as we think He should or according to our preconceived notions of how He should act, we are still not justified in pulling back or adopting an alternative procedure. A.W. Pink wrote, “Seeming failure did not warrant them in adopting other measures; they must adhere to the divine directive unto the end.”   Trusting God over the long haul, faithfully moving forward according to His Word every day, who has the patience for that? Those who see strong holds pulled down in their life. That’s who. Let’s be faithful all the way through to the end. Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest

Wednesday, December 27, 2023 Joshua 6:10, “And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.”   Did you notice Joshua’s command of absolute silence as they marched? What a difficult thing for people to do. Silence is a test of self-control. Ever play the quiet game? “Let’s see who can go the longest without making any noise.” If you have children, you may play that game with them to gain a little peace and quiet, but all the while it is testing the players’ self-control.   That’s actually an excellent lesson to learn, especially from a young age. People who cannot control their tongues are essentially out of control (see James 3:3-5), and do you know what undisciplined soldiers are good for? Good for nothing. If you’re saved, do you know what you are? A soldier of the cross. Are you a disciplined or an undisciplined soldier? All anyone has to do is listen to what comes out of your mouth and how much comes out of your mouth to know the answer to that question. “There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak;” (Ecclesiastes 3:7), and wise is the child of God who knows the difference. Jesus exemplified this (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 26:62-63; 27:14; Luke 23:9), and so too must those who will move forward in faith behind Him. Nothing will halt an individual’s or a church’s progress like undisciplined, unholy speech. Be quiet before the Lord after you’ve poured out your heart to Him, and let God speak through His Word. Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest

Tuesday, December 26, 2023 Joshua 6:3-5, “And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.”   Jericho sat on an elevated position. The city was most likely 8-9 acres in diameter and was fortified by double walls of mud-brick and stone that were several feet thick, and probably spaced 12-15 feet apart. To attack such a city meant charging up the embankment, attempting to breach the walls, all the while being shot at from their top. The tactician’s textbook would have suggested starving them out and building siege ramps to eventually attack. But the Captain of the LORD‘s host (Joshua 5:15) thought otherwise. The whole point of this strategy is to publicly demonstrate both to God’s people and those who oppose them, that God is doing this. Their obedience to this strategy was a public declaration of the congregation’s dependence on God rather than their own resources to deliver the city.   Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). Obedience is simply faith in action. Which is why we read in Hebrews 11:30, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” God is not honored by the exercise of natural talents, abilities, or by appearances. Many people have squandered their talents and their abilities by their disobedience to God’s Word, and appearances are not always what they seem (1 Sam. 15:22). Saul was a great physical specimen. He stood head and shoulders above his countrymen, and while he started well, he finished poorly. The reason is because he only sort-of obeyed. Instead of running God’s play He called an audible.   Faith in Christ is the victory that overcomes the world because Christ has overcome the world, and the only way we may be overcomers is through obedience. Faithfulness equals obedience, not good intentions, or quick starts, or big plans, or spectacular skills, or charismatic personalities, but faithfulness to Christ. Does that describe you? Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest

Monday, December 25, 2023 Luke 2:25-32, “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the law, Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”   The Christmas story is so familiar that taking it for granted comes easy, but there is nothing common about God the Son being made flesh. Our familiarity with Christmas may cause us to miss the mystery of the event, yet the Apostle Paul wrote, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16a). Think about it. God was made flesh! The Creator of the universe became a baby! It seems unbelievable to think that a man could actually hold God in his arms, and yet that is what happened when a just and devout man named Simeon took up the baby Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem.   The trappings of Christmas are fantastic, but let’s be sure to not get trapped with the trappings. The surest way to a merry Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus our Lord like the man who held Jesus. Neither you nor I will ever hold God in our arms, but we will one day stand before God face to face. If we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness, then that shall be a glorious day. The glory of Christmas is the glory of God’s Son, and that glory is endless. Do not wait to open your heart to the Christ that Simeon once embraced in his arms. Trust Him right now by grace through faith, and then move forward behind Him every day. Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest

Monday, December 25, 2023 Luke 2:25-32, “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the law, Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”   The Christmas story is so familiar that taking it for granted comes easy, but there is nothing common about God the Son being made flesh. Our familiarity with Christmas may cause us to miss the mystery of the event, yet the Apostle Paul wrote, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16a). Think about it. God was made flesh! The Creator of the universe became a baby! It seems unbelievable to think that a man could actually hold God in his arms, and yet that is what happened when a just and devout man named Simeon took up the baby Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem.   The trappings of Christmas are fantastic, but let’s be sure to not get trapped with the trappings. The surest way to a merry Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus our Lord like the man who held Jesus. Neither you nor I will ever hold God in our arms, but we will one day stand before God face to face. If we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness, then that shall be a glorious day. The glory of Christmas is the glory of God’s Son, and that glory is endless. Do not wait to open your heart to the Christ that Simeon once embraced in his arms. Trust Him right now by grace through faith, and then move forward behind Him every day. Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest

Sunday with Spurgeon, December 24, 2023 Acts 1:11, “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.”   Many are celebrating our Lord’s first coming this day; let us turn our thoughts to the promise of His second coming. This is as sure as the first advent, and derives a great measure of its certainty from it. He who came as a lowly man to serve will assuredly come to take the reward of His service. He who came to suffer will not be slow in coming to reign.    This is our glorious hope, for we shall share His joy. Today we are in our concealment and humiliation, even as He was while here below; but when He cometh it will be our manifestation, even as it will be His revelation. Dead saints shall live at His appearing. The slandered and despised shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Then shall the saints appear as kings and priests, and the days of their mourning shall be ended. The long rest and inconceivable splendor of the millennial reign will be an abundant recompense for the ages of witnessing and warring.    Oh, that the Lord would come! He is coming! He is on the road and traveling quickly. The sound of His approach should be as music to our hearts! Ring out, ye bells of hope!       Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest

Saturday Poetry, December 23, 2023 Psalm 103:11-13, “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him.”   Sinful is the default condition of mankind. Thankfully, everyone does not behave as wickedly as is possible, but regardless of how “good” one may be, our righteous deeds, according to the prophet, are like a filthy garment, and we will all wither like a leaf (Isaiah 64:6). But there is Good News! While our sin is great and beyond our capacity to fix, God’s love and mercy is immeasurable and limitless for those who fear Him. Do not think that fearing God is cowering in the corner, shielding yourself from a potential blow. To fear God is to love Him and to draw near to Him by His grace through faith. Think about this. Jesus Christ gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from the penalty of our sin and purify us a people who will serve His glorious purposes. If you have chosen to follow Jesus, if you have believed, if you fear Him, then you are the recipient of his matchless, limitless love. Your sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. This means that when God forgives your sin, your shame is gone forever, and your guilt is pardoned forever and your debt has been paid forever! He truly is a good, good Father, and His grace, love, and mercy motivates those that fear Him to be zealous for good works. Verse of the Day is a ministry of Rodgers Baptist Church  … Read the rest