The Truth about Gambling from Adrian Rogers

Yesterday I listened to one of Adrian Rogers’s messages entitled “How to Measure a Man.” In that message he talked about gambling and why the Bible is against it. Here are some notes that I took from the message:

• “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” –Acts 20:35
•  Gambling is based primarily on covetousness.
• “Gambling is profit and pleasure at the cost of someone else’s loss and pain.” –Adrian Rogers
•  “No one can win at gambling without someone else losing.” –Adrian Rogers
• Gambling is the process of trying to get what someone else has without a fair exchange.
• “When you win at gambling, you lower yourself and you victimize your neighbor.” –Adrian Rogers
• I also threw in this quote from Roy Rogers: “The only kind of happiness you get to keep is the happiness you give away.”

This gave me some new insight that I did not have before about gambling. I hope this has been a help to you, as well.

You can listen to the entire message here.

Make of This What You Will...

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

Whether you are willing to acknowledge His presence or not, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this lady survived for a reason--God was and still is on her side.


http://www.wyff4.com/news/28600603/detail.html

The Touch of the Master’s Hand

This morning, we had a guest speaker at our church. About halfway through his message, music started playing and he started singing. It was different, to say the least—I had never seen a preacher do that before. However, as unusual as it was, it made me think.

The song he sang was a song entitled “The Touch of the Master’s Hand.” You know, we are so quick to focus on the outward appearance, aren’t we? The before. We never stop to think about what the after could be. We never take the time to think about how one’s life could be changed if he would come to know Jesus Christ as Lord of his life. We don’t to take the time to remember 2 Corinthians 5:17 which says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

People need the Lord. God has taught me that, if someone looks a bit disheveled, it is only because they are. A person’s outward appearance is a reflection of his heart. Now, there are exceptions to that rule, of course; however, for the most part, that is how it is. Therefore, I have learned to pray for God’s healing in the life of such people. And many times, that means praying that that person be born again.

Adrian Rogers described the fallen state of this world as a fever. Often, it is the fever that lets us know when something is really wrong. He said that sickness, death, the storms of life, all of those things are nothing more than a fever to let us know the severity of this illness called sin. Likewise, a person’s outward appearance lets us know how much they need the Lord.

So the next time you see someone who looks like he just crawled out of a gutter somewhere, know that that is most likely how he feels. And know that only one look, one touch from the Master is all it will take to bring healing. Friends, there is a healing. Why are we not sharing Him with this lost and dying world?

A Brief Look at Mormonism from Two Ex-Mormons

I recently ordered the "Mormonism" episode of The Way of the Master. I finally had the time to sit down and watch it yesterday. In doing so, I found out about Dennis and Rauni Higley. The Higley's are ex-Mormons who have been Christians for many years now.

Later on last night, I search the Higley's on YouTube to see if I could find out anything else about them. I found these two videos of Dennis and Rauni sharing about how they lost their faith in Mormonism and later gave their lives completely to Jesus Christ.

If you are a Christian who wants to learn a little bit about Mormonism, you really should take the time to watch these videos. Or if you are like me and just like learning about people, you will enjoy these videos, as well.

Video #1


Video #2

Cast into the Sea: Learning from Casey Anthony

Several days ago, the question was asked, “If Casey Anthony becomes a Christian, will she ever face any divine judgment for killing her daughter”? The answer is yes and no. If Casey Anthony does indeed realize that she is a sinner in need of a Savior and turns completely from all sin, every last one of her sins will be washed away and she will spend eternity in Heaven; yet, at the same time, justice will have been paid.

The above question was obviously asked by someone with a very poor understanding of the severity of sin. God does not see sin the way we do. We as humans want to condemn Casey Anthony because she took the life of her precious two-year-old daughter. However, we forget that 1 John 3:15 says, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” So someone who says that Casey Anthony would still be deserving of divine judgment is also saying that they most likely deserve divine judgment, as well. We see the outward appearance, but God sees the heart.

You see, the above question was also obviously asked by someone with a very poor understanding of salvation. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” It is commonly said that Jesus died for us; however, He really did much more than that. When Jesus died on that cross, He took our place. That is why I marvel at the cross, because I know that it should have been me. To say that Casey Anthony would still deserve some kind of divine judgment would be to say that what Jesus did on the cross was not enough. Justice was indeed paid on that cross.

When Jesus died on the cross, we died with Him. That is why Paul could say, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live” (Galatians 2:20). Second Corinthians 5:17 tells us that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Not only do I not participate in the same things that I did before I became a Christian, but God has given me a brand new heart and new desires, that I might live for Him. If Casey Anthony confesses Jesus Christ as Lord of her life, she will no longer deserve judgment because she will be made a totally new person. The old Casey will have died with Christ at the cross of Calvary, but then be raised to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

The Bible also strongly emphasizes that, once a person has been born again, God will nevermore hold their sins against them. Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Micah 7:19 tells us that God will cast all the sins of the forgiven “into the depths of the sea." The psalmist said, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). Too many people think of God as being someone like themselves. However, unlike us, when God forgives, He forgets.

Lastly, to say that Casey Anthony would deserve divine judgment after being born again, would be to say that what Jesus did on the cross was not enough. First John 3:5 says, “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” The key words there are “take away.” If Casey Anthony would still deserve judgment, that would mean that there would have to still be some sin there to judge. If that were true, it would mean that Christ did not do His job. Even more to the point, it would mean that God’s Word is not true. When someone says that Casey Anthony would still deserve divine judgment for killing her daughter, they are saying that God’s Word is not true, because His Word says that Jesus came to wipe away all sin.

If you are here today and you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, I want to assure you that Adrian Rogers was right when he said, “No one is so good that he need not be saved, and no one is so bad that he cannot be saved.” God has put me here to tell you today that there is no sin that can keep Him from loving you. If you will turn completely from all sin and trust Jesus alone to save you, He will save you today and keep you saved forever.

What a Testimony!

I just discovered this very special lady yesterday. She is battling terminal cancer; however, she is losing that battle very quickly. She knows that the moment that she will slip into eternity is coming very, very soon. But she is really quite alright with that. Click the following link to find out why:

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

By Faith...

The following quote was posted by a friend on facebook the other day. I thought it was well worth sharing.

By faith this mountain shall be moved and the power of the gospel shall prevail, for we know in Christ all things are possible for all who call upon His name — we will stand as children of the promise, we will fix our eyes on Him our soul's reward, till the race is finished and the work is done... we'll walk by faith and not by sight.