Richard Rogers

6 d

A God We Can Depend Upon (December 30, 2025)

“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 15:5)

As part of our prideful human nature, we tend to try to take charge and assume complete control of our lives. Asserting their own free will, many individuals seek to manipulate their life circumstances and other people to promote their personal aspirations and agendas. Individually, we seek, as the classic song says, to do it “My Way.” Obviously, modern society glorifies independent-mindedness and self-sufficiency. On the other hand, Almighty God, who is in sovereign control of all creation, wants us to trust and rely upon Him to direct our lives according to His perfect will and divine plan designed to bring about the best and most beneficial outcomes possible. God desires that we humble ourselves and allow Him to have His way, recognizing His lordship over our lives and our dependency upon Him for the provisions of life!

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

Moved by a sacrificial love that exceeds our understanding, the LORD created each of us with a purpose that only we can serve, thereby honoring and glorifying Him. In our own strength, however, we cannot bring God’s plan for our lives to fruition and reap the rich blessings reserved for those who love and trust in Jesus Christ. We must yield our hearts to God completely and permit His Holy Spirit to rid us of selfish pride and cultivate within us the selfless, godly love that enables us to put others above ourselves and make the LORD our highest priority. Gradually our desires are aligned with God’s will and we realize the ultimate freedom that only comes through complete surrender to Him. By depending upon God and not ourselves, we allow Him to use us mightily to accomplish His will and to eternally reward us for His good works through us!

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

1 w

What Christmas Is All (December 25, 2025)
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

This Christmas, let’s keep firmly in mind that the Son of God Jesus Christ was sent into the world as God incarnate, both God and man, on a mission of mercy. During the course of His three-year earthly ministry, Jesus performed many miracles that demonstrated His deity. Christ also taught powerful lessons of love, forgiveness, and compassion to guide humanity in our relationships with each other. And our LORD set the supreme example of how to live in ways that please God and magnify His glory. As we celebrate Jesus’ humble birth in Bethlehem, let’s praise and thank God the Father for the gift of His Son to be mankind’s Savior. That’s love, and that’s what Christmas is all about!

Above all, Jesus, by and for whom all things were created, came into the world to pay the price for our sins and free us from the penalty demanded by a gracious and loving, but just and righteous God. We are not saved by Jesus’ miracles, His teachings, or by following His example of doing good deeds. We are saved by the grace of God through faith in the historical facts that Jesus died on the cross under the weight of our sins, was buried, and was resurrected on the third day in triumph over sin and spiritual death. Our risen LORD died sacrificially so that every believer can have God’s priceless gift of salvation, eternal life, and an ultimate home in heaven. That’s love, and that’s what Christmas is all about!

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31).

1 w

Christmas Is “Wonderful” (December 23, 2025)

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given…And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

We all have different perspectives, and if you ask folks what Christmas means to them personally, you’re likely to get a wide variety of responses. Putting aside its commercialism and maddening frenzy, Christmas is a season of wonders. Enduring symbols of this time of wonderment are beautifully-wrapped gifts, brightly-illuminated trees, carefully-prepared feasts, well-rehearsed church plays and cantatas, awe-inspiring nativity scenes along with cheery expressions of goodwill among men. Dearly beloved Christmas traditions help to preserve the past and give rise to precious new memories. Above all, our focus at Christmas should be to honor and adore Jesus Christ, our glorious Redeemer whose most exalted name, among many, is called “Wonderful.”

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Christmas is a world of wonders that make the Yuletide season so joyfully endearing to the heart, unforgettably memorable to the mind, and vitally refreshing to the soul. But we must make sure that Christ is the center of our Christmas celebration and the highest priority of our lives year- round. The greatest of Christmas wonders is the abounding love that a gracious heavenly Father poured out to mankind through His beloved Son whose humble birth we joyfully celebrate. As we savor the wonders of Christmas, let’s heartily express our praise and gratitude for the greatest blessing ever bestowed, God’s gift of a Savior who was born to die sacrificially so that by the grace of God through faith in our risen LORD we could live eternally! Most wonderful is Jesus Christ, our Immanuel, Almighty God who is with us and within us as believers!

“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

3 w

Christianity: Relationship, Not Religion (December 16, 2025)

“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” (James 1:26)

Many people who’ve never genuinely sought to live by faith in Jesus Christ think that the Christian lifestyle would be boring, restricting, and lacking in excitement. They are under the mistaken impression that following Christ is all about adhering to a set of stale religious rules, rituals, and regiments. However, Christianity is not about religion; it is about a relationship! True Christianity is the joyful pursuit of a fulfilling, faith-based, intimate personal relationship with the Creator of the universe and the Savior of mankind, Christ the LORD, God incarnate whose humble birth we celebrate next week! What a joy it is to be led by Jesus on an exciting journey each day as He rewards our faithfulness in awesome and surprising ways and gives us an abundance of life, now and eternally!

“For I desire mercy (steadfast love), and not sacrifice…” (Hosea 6:6). “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…” (1 Samuel 15:22).

Christianity has nothing to do with going through the motions of religious customs and traditions. It has everything to do with reaping the rich rewards of knowing and growing in the likeness of Jesus, experiencing His love and saving grace, and receiving the supreme satisfaction that comes from honoring and glorifying Him through service to humanity. As our fellowship and communion with Christ deepens day by day through trusting obedience, our desires are conformed to His will and our hearts develop a passion to worship the one true God rather than passing worldly idols such as wealth, pleasure, and fame. Full of hopeful expectancy and excitement and freed from the bonds of sin and spiritual death, a personal relationship with Jesus is the glorious adventure of a lifetime, now and eternally!

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27)

4 w

Resist the Thievery of Worry (December 9, 2025)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Sometimes it is fascinating to observe the facial expressions of people as they go about the business of their everyday lives. The countenance of one’s face is often an accurate indicator of a person’s mood, emotional state, and even character. As Christians, our faces should be aglow with joyfulness that reflects the presence of Jesus Christ in our hearts and the eternal hope of salvation that is the result of a faith-based personal relationship with the LORD. Much too often, however, even among believers, the look on our faces reveals an underlying tension or unease that is the manifestation of worry and fear that can inundate our faith if not kept in check by humble dependence upon God’s power rather than our own strength.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

Worry is a greedy thief that can steal the peace that Jesus gave His life to secure for everyone who will accept by faith God’s saving grace and His free gift of everlasting life. Someone more insightful than I once said, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” Worry can become a wasteful, destructive practice that Satan encourages to hinder our spiritual growth. As children of God, however, we share in the victory over evil and the conquest of the world that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection made possible. In Christ, even in our hardships and trials, we are freed from worry, liberated from anxiety, and enabled to rest in the power of our mighty Savior whose perfect love overcomes every nagging fear!

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:18-19)