Your Daily Devotional for June 30, 2006

 

June 30, 2006

 

Living an Approved Life

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

 

Philippians 1:10-11

 

Back in the mid 80s and early 90s, there were a lot of books on excellence. Sports teams adopted that motto and began striving toward excellence. In verse 10, we see that God wants us to approve things that are excellent. The word approve means “to test with the sense of approval or to assay material.”

 

Just as the California gold miners in the 1800s took their rock of gold to the assayer and he would determine the value of it, so the Bible says that we are to have that same spiritual exercise. We are to approve things that are excellent. In this ever-changing culture, we must constantly examine the decisions we make.

 

We must also be careful in the exercise of our individual soul-liberty. Yes, we have liberty to enjoy stuff in this life, but we need to understand that as the culture changes, the Word of God does not change. The standard for approval is still at the same level as it was 2000 years ago.

 

God didn’t say to just make sure things are good. He didn’t even say to make sure that they are better than most things. He said to prove that which is excellent. We need to ask God to show us what is excellent, and what is just good.

 

There are definite things shown in the Scriptures that are right and wrong, but you are going to find that there are some things that the Bible doesn’t discuss. We need to discern these things. We need to sit down and prove whether these things are excellent. We shouldn’t want to live as close to the world as we can.

 

How can you know what is excellent? Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Take whatever you are contemplating and put it through this list and see if it passes God’s spiritual test of excellence.

 

We must live an excellent life in order to be ready when Jesus comes! Sincere, in verse 10, means “examine by holding to the sun.” In Bible days, when shoppers would consider a vessel to buy, they would hold that vessel up to the sun. The sun would shine through and show any flaws or cracks, thus lowering the value of the vessel. The Bible says that we should prove things that are excellent so we can be a vessel of honor, void of cracks or flaws, unto God when He returns.

 

If God were to return right now, would He find you doing excellent things? There will be no excuse when we see Him! Why not start aiming for the excellent things instead of the okay things? Determine right now that you are going to prove everything that you do to make sure that it is excellent.

 

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 29, 2006

 

June 29, 2006

 

God’s Faithfulness

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.”

 

Psalm 119:90

 

Have you ever gotten mad at someone and really lost your temper? Afterwards, did you realize that you were wrong and wonder if that person would forgive you? I’m sure that has happened to most of us, but I know someone who is often wronged but will always forgive us. It’s God!

 

Our God is always faithful to us. Colossians 1:17 says, “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” The word consist in that verse means that everything that is in this universe is held together by God. James 1:17 says “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

 

God will keep His Word; He does not change with the seasons. Even the best technological systems that we have will fail us, but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our judgment will fail us, but our God will not fail us. We see in Hebrews 1:12, “…but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.” God is always the same.

 

God is faithful even when we are not! Sometimes, we fail God by sinning, but God still loves us! All we have to do is ask Him for forgiveness and He will forgive us and receive us back into His presence. God is faithful to keep His promise of forgiveness even when we fail Him!

 

He is faithful in times of trial. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

 

When we are going through trials, the devil likes to plant seeds of doubt in our minds concerning God’s faithfulness, but even in times of sickness, sorrow, and bereavement, God is faithful. A lot of times when we go through those tough times, we are going to find out if we are focusing on the Lord or if we are focusing on ourselves. God will help us through our trials if we focus on Him and rely upon Him for our help. He promises to help us in times of trials and He is faithful to keep that promise!

 

Some of the most inspiring songs that we sing as Christians were written by Christians who found God to be faithful in time of need. Perhaps, the most famous of all those songs is “It is Well” by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873. During the great Chicago fire, Mr. Spafford lost all of his assets. A few months after that fire, he sent his wife and four daughters to England ahead of him to restart their life. As they were on that vessel, a British ship crashed into them causing many to die including all of Mr. Spafford’s children. His wife was spared and wired a message back to him some days later telling him of the tragedy. After losing everything that he owned and his children, that man of God sat down and wrote the words that say, “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrow like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.”

 

Friend, no matter what your burden, whether physical, financial, or spiritual, 1 Peter 5:7 still says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” God is always faithful to us. Will you be faithful to Him?

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 28, 2006

 

June 28, 2006

 

A Godly and Courageous Man

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”

 

Daniel 6:10

 

Few men in all of Bible history have the testimony of Daniel. Daniel was a man who refused to let anything deter him from his desire to live for the Lord. His surroundings could not change him, peer pressure could not change him, and even the conspiracies of his enemies could not change him.

 

Even though Daniel was captured from his home at a young age and forced to be a slave in enemy land, he remained faithful to God. Because he remained faithful, God set him in a place of leadership in the kingdom; he became the Prime Minister. When the king signed the decree into law making it illegal to pray to anyone but him, Daniel was faced with a choice. Would he continue in his daily prayer time with God or would he cower in the face of this present threat?

 

Daniel knew the penalty of disobeying this law, yet he deliberately obeyed God. This was the obedience of a courageous man. Nehemiah 6:11 says, “And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.” Daniel didn’t flee in the face of adversity. He stood for what was right and continued to pray.

 

I read a prayer one time that said, "Lord, I am willing to receive what you give; to lack what you withhold; to relinquish what you take; to suffer what you inflict; to be what you require. And, Lord, if others are to be your messengers to me, I am willing to hear and heed what they have to say. Amen."

 

When the king found out about this and threw Daniel in the lion’s den, the king could say with the prophet Isaiah, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

 

A man took his small son with him to town one day to run some errands. When lunchtime arrived, the two of them went to a familiar diner for a sandwich. The father sat down on one of the stools at the counter and lifted the boy up to the seat beside him. They ordered lunch, and when the waiter brought the food, the father said, “Son, we’ll just have a silent prayer.” Dad got through praying first and waited for the boy to finish his prayer, but he just sat with his head bowed for an unusually long time. When he finally looked up, his father asked him, “What in the world were you praying about all that time?” With the innocence and honesty of a child, he replied, “How do I know? It was a silent prayer.”

 

Friend, how are you doing in your Christian life? Are you cowering because someone is mocking you? Do you wait and pray at home when no one is looking for fear of being pointed out? Do you pray a quick and muttered prayer when out to eat so no one will notice? Daniel prayed even when his life was threatened! Even Jesus as He was about to die, took time to pray in public! Never be afraid to pray and commune with God. Take time right now to talk to Him!

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 27, 2006

 

June 27, 2006

 

Getting Involved

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

 

Hebrews 10:25

 

On our church’s annual Men and Boys’ Campout, we go to the mountains of central California and have a fun time camping. We usually build a big bonfire at night to help keep warm. One night, as I was watching that fire, I noticed that as the coals fell away from the center logs, the fire began to grow weaker until it eventually went out.

 

God has established the local church to be a place of participation and ministry for the believers. Just as when the coals fall away from logs the fire goes out, so it is with the local church. When believers stop participating in the various ministries of the church, the church begins to die out. We need to get together and participate collectively to reach the common goal: winning souls for Christ!

 

Not only does God want us to participate collectively but He also wants us to participate with a sense of urgency. Notice the last part of our verse today, “…and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” The Lord is going to return to take us believers home with Him so we need to get involved right now!

 

Hebrews 10:37 says, “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”  This isn’t the time to slack off, but we should be even busier as we see the Lord’s return getting closer. You may wonder what you can do to help out in your church. You could sing in the choir, help out in nursery, teach a Sunday school class, drive a bus, or even just help clean the church. There is always something to be done and it won’t get done unless the members of the church come together and work as a team to help accomplish it.

 

Have you ever wondered why geese fly in a V-formation? There are a few reasons why this helps them fly better. First, those in front rotate their leadership. When one lead goose gets tired, it changes places with one in the wing of the V-formation and another flies point. Secondly, by flying as they do, the members of the flock create an upward air current for one another. Each flap of the wings literally creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. One author states that by flying in a V-formation, the whole flock gets 71 percent greater flying range than if each goose flew on its own. Next, when one goose gets sick or wounded, two fall out of formation with it and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with the struggler until it’s able to fly again. Lastly, the geese in the rear of the formation are the ones who do the honking. I suppose it’s their way of announcing that they’re following and that all is well. For sure, the repeated honks encourage those in front to stay at it.

As I think about all this, one lesson stands out above all others: it is the natural instinct of geese to work together. Whether it’s rotating, flapping, helping, or simply honking, the flock is in it together which enables them to accomplish what they set out to do. Friend, we can’t do everything by ourselves. We need to come together and work as a team. As we are getting closer to the Lord’s return, we all need to get involved in different areas of our church. What can you do to help out your church today?

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 26, 2006

 

June 26, 2006

 

Our Reason for Living?
by Dr. Paul Chappell

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”?
II Corinthians 5:14-15

It is obvious that the life of the Apostle Paul included two great motivating factors that kept him going in the Christian life.  These two biblical imperatives gripped his soul and constantly reminded him of what life was all about as a Christian.  The first imperative was that Paul never got over the fact that the Son of God had personally died on the cross for his sin.  He says in verse 14, “For the love of Christ constraineth us...” 

Undoubtedly, there are people who have gotten over it.  There was once a time when their lives were lived for Christ, but now the focus has become pleasure or a career.  No longer is there a compulsion from within to serve with joy.  It has become mundane.  If that is where you are, you should ask the Lord, as the psalmist once did, to restore the joy of your salvation.  Paul’s life never failed to reflect the joy he still had for his salvation.  He was compelled to hazard himself, because he loved Jesus Christ.  He never felt as though he had to do certain things.  He just had a desire for the Lord Jesus Christ.  An understanding of God’s love and grace had not caused him to live carelessly but to live very zealously for the Lord Jesus Christ.  Do you remember the day you were saved?

Another thing Paul never got over was that once he had been saved, God had given him a personal ministry.  God gave him a reason for living.  If all we have to live for is a job or possession, we are living for ourselves.  This becomes a very empty life.  When someone accepts Jesus Christ as Saviour, he has something really big to live for in the Lord Jesus Christ.  That is what Paul is talking about when the Spirit of the Lord inspires him in verse 18 to say, “and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”  Have you come to the place in your life where you have recognized that God has given you the ministry of reconciliation?  I am afraid that many Christians have forgotten their purpose for being born again.  It is not merely to get fire insurance out of Hell.  Our purpose should be to glorify Christ by letting Him work in us and through us.

I once heard of a primary age girl that would go to school every day, trying to be important by having special things in her purse.  She kept Kleenex and other small things that she had gathered form her house, and yet the other girls at school always seemed to have more important things in their purses. One day after school, she decided that she was going to get some really important things to put in her purse.  She went to her mother’s desk and began to look around.  As she began to put things into her purse like pens and pencils, a document caught her attention.  It looked important, and she could read her name on it.  It was her birth certificate.  Folding it up, she put it in her purse to show her friends at school.

The next day as she walked to school, she opened her purse to make sure the certificate was still there.  She was so excited to show her friends at recess!  While she was looking at her birth certificate, a gust of wind blew it out of her hand.  She chased it across the parking lot.  The faster she ran, the further away it seemed to blow ahead of her.  Finally, the wind lifted it up and took it over the fence of the school playground.  She stood at the fence and began to cry.  After a little while, the school janitor came over to her and asked her why she was crying.  Despairingly, she looked up at the man and said, "I just lost my excuse for being born!"

I am afraid that many Christians have lost their excuse for being born again.  They have forgotten the reason that they were saved in the first place. Paul never forgot the reason he was born again! Paul says in I Timothy 1 “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” He said “For this cause I obtained mercy.” Why? “That in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”

Pray today that God would show you His plan for your life and for what cause you obtained mercy. God might want to use you in full-time Christian service, as a pastor, evangelist, missionary or a Christian school teacher. Maybe, the Lord would just have you faithful to church and giving of your time and resources. Whatever God has planned for you, it will be better than you ever imagined, for he promises in Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 25, 2006

 

June 25, 2006

 

The Life Changing Message
by Dr. Paul Chappell

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
I Thessalonians 2:13

What a wonderful blessing to know that now, some 2,000 years later, we as Christians are still hearing the same message that the Apostle Paul preached, in the same way; the same Gospel, the same Jesus, the same Word of God preached. Did you ever think that God has given us more of His Word than He gave to the Apostle Paul? Paul would never see a completed compilation of 66 books bound together in one leather-bound cover, but God has preserved it for us. I love the part where it says “effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica in the Greek language and where we read “effectually worketh”, Paul used the Greek word “energeo”, which is where we get our English word energy! The Word of God is an energy inside of us that believe. The question is what are we going to do with it?

Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” It is a powerful, life-changing message. The Bible says in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Hebrews 4:12 tells us “… the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
 

The Bible says that this word “pierces” even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.” The Word of God will do what music, counseling, psychology, or propaganda cannot do! The ability for lives to change today is found in the power and authority of the Word of God.  That is why Paul said to Timothy in II Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

I have never failed to be in awe as I have watched the Gospel change someone’s life.

I remember going out soulwinning one particular Saturday with my daughter, Danielle. We followed up on a particular family that had visited our church a few weeks prior. As we knocked on the door, I could hear loud rock music playing. The door was opened, and the lady invited us to come in. We went in, sat on the couch, and I began to talk and discuss the church with her and her husband.

 

After a little while, the lady turned the rock music off. I began to talk to the husband. He had long hair and a couple of earrings and just looked rough. I asked him, “Sir, if you were to die today do you know for sure that Heaven would be your home? Would you go to Heaven? Would you go to Hell? Or do you know?”

 

He said, “You know, I’ve been thinking about that very issue. I’m not sure that I really know where I would go.”

I said, “Would you mind if I took the next few moments to show you how that you could know for sure that Heaven is your home?”

 

He said, “I’d like that very much.”

About 30 minutes later he prayed and accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. That next Sunday he and his wife came and identified with the Lord in believers’ baptism. Sunday night they came to church. After the service was over, as we gathered out in the lobby, I talked with him and asked, “John, would you like to come with me tomorrow night? I’ll be preaching down in the Los Angeles area, and I’d love to have you travel with me there. You can hear some of the songs and the preaching and get a feel for the Christian life.”

He said, “You want me to go with you to another church?” I said, “Sure, John, I’d love to have you go with me.”

Well, he said he’d like to go and I agreed to pick him up at about 5 o’clock the next afternoon. I pulled up in front of his house and saw a man I did not recognize come out of the doorway. This man came out and where the earrings used to be, there were no earrings. He had on a three-piece suit and a sharp haircut. As he got into the car he said, “Hi, Pastor. I got a new Bible today. It’s the King George version. Did I get the right one?”  

How did his life take such change? It was by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by the presence of the Holy Spirit of God. People that you think are beyond hope are not beyond hope. The people you think cannot be reached, can be reached by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What does God consider a successful Christian or a successful church? One that lifts up the light of the glorious Gospel so men and women might be saved and so lives might be changed for the glory of God. May God use all of us to serve Him with the right passion in this day. Let us remember to follow a biblical pathway and pattern for ministry even as the Apostle Paul modeled in Thessalonica.

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 24, 2006

 

June 24, 2006

 

Wait on the Lord
by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.”

Psalm 25:5

 

Joshua was chosen and was able to be used of God because he was a patient man. He had learned how to wait on the Lord and on the man of God. Joshua learned that the harder the course was, the more rewarding the triumph. Joshua remained faithful throughout the course of his life. In Exodus 24:18 the Bible says, “And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.”

 

The Bible says in Exodus 32:15 that while Moses was meeting with God and receiving the commandments, Moses turned and went down. Joshua was waiting for him and heard the noise in the camp. While Moses was communing with God, Joshua was somewhere at the foot of the mountain waiting patiently for the man of God—forty days and forty nights of waiting. I do not know about you, but sometimes I struggle with patience. When I want something, I want it right now. That is probably a true reflection of our culture at large. We want instant coffee, instant copies, instant marriage, instant divorce. We live in an instant day. In God’s economy, not everything is instant.

 

Several years ago we were getting ready for our family vacation. I told my wife to make sure everything was packed and ready. My plan was to leave by 4:00 A.M. so we could reach Barstow by 6:00 A.M. and Flagstaff by 2:00 P.M., in order to miss the desert heat. My sweet wife began to pack and get things ready. I preached Sunday morning and Sunday night. We went home and got into bed about midnight. We were all ready to leave for vacation that next morning at 4:00 A.M. as I had instructed the family.

 

There was only one problem—we did not wake up until 8:00 A.M.! We rushed everybody to the car, some still in pajamas. I threw some bags into the car, and we hit the road, somewhat frazzled! After a while, I asked, “Where are my sunglasses?”

 

My wife said, “They are in the blue bag.”

 

I called to the back seat and said, “Danielle, could you get the blue bag for me? I need my sunglasses.”

 

After a few minutes she said, “Dad, there is no blue bag.”

 

I calmly said to my wife, “Sweetheart, what blue bag are you talking about?”

 

She said, “The one that was at the top of the stairs that I told you to get as you were locking the house.”

 

“Oh, that one…”

 

If you are ever out West, it may be helpful to know that there is a Wal-Mart in Flagstaff, Arizona. We spent a good amount of money there that first night of our vacation—for one reason: we struggled with patience.

 

Oftentimes, there is waste in the work of God and in our spiritual lives because we do not wait on the Lord. We fail to be patient as Joshua was. We fail to remember that our present choices many times will determine our permanent outcome. When we fail to wait on the Lord, we will make mistakes every time. Psalm 27:14 simply says it this way: “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 23, 2006

 

June 23, 2006

The Purpose of the Storm

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.”

Luke 8:22-25

 

When I was growing up, my grandfather loved to tell me his fishing stories. He once told me about a fishing trip he took in the Gulf of Mexico. While they were fishing for yellow tail in their small, 24 foot boat, a storm came. The waves rose, the rain pelted down, and the little boat bobbed around like a cork in the ocean. After several minutes passed, my grandfather finally went to the captain, from whom they had chartered the boat, and asked if he had ever been in such a storm. The man replied, “Yes, but in a much bigger boat.”

 

As we see in our text, the disciples were in quite a storm of their own, but they would soon learn that it doesn’t matter what size the boat is: if Jesus is on board, you have nothing to fear. In verse 25, we see the beginning of this lesson: as soon as the wind and the waves ceased, Jesus turned to his disciples and asked, “Where is your faith?”

 

The Lord has a purpose for allowing every trial to come to pass, and He uses this storm as a test of the disciples’ faith. As the contents of a tea bag are revealed when it’s placed in hot water, what is inside a Christian is revealed when he is placed in a fiery trial. It is during the difficult hour, that we find where our faith truly is.

 

As Jesus lay asleep in the boat, we see that He was 100% man. Jesus got tired just as we do! When He calmed the storm by His spoken word, we see that He was 100% God. He had power over even the winds and the waves. The Bible says of Him in Colossians 1:15-17, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: or by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

 

Like the disciples, when we have trials in our lives and the storms rage, tossing us to and fro, we can learn the awesome power of God expressed in Psalm 89:8: “O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? Or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.”

 

The Lord is the creator of the universe and has power to calm any storm; He is able to bring peace, not only to the sea, but in the heart of those who trust Him. I heard a Vietnam veteran say at a memorial service, “The last battle ended decades ago, but if the end of a war is peace, we’re still waiting for it.” If it is peace you are seeking, you don’t have to wait for it. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

Peace with God through Christ: that is the greatest lesson the disciples learned that day on the Sea of Galilee. Have you discovered the purpose of the storm? Have you found peace in your heart through faith in Christ? Give your struggles to Him, trust Him to guide you, and experience His refreshing peace today!

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 22, 2006

 

June 22, 2006

The Deception of “Religion”

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

Romans 10:2-4

 

Throughout the world today, false religions abound and men and women display a zeal for God without truly knowing Him. Whether it is in the Philippines, where some men are nailed to crosses in an attempt to atone for their own sins, or at the Basilica in Cebu City, where men and women crawl on calloused, bleeding knees across hard stone floors to make penance for their trespasses, people need to hear that true righteousness is available through Christ alone.

 

Paul is all too familiar with the religious zeal mentioned in these verses, and his heart breaks for the people of Israel as they ignore the salvation that is available through faith in Christ. The religious zealots that Paul speaks of were probably keeping a score card of their own, but Paul said, “I bear them record.” What a shock it will be when they see the real record kept in Heaven! Instead of seeing their high marks and impressive piety, they will see their zeal without knowledge, their ignorance of God, and their righteousness without Christ.

 

One of the greatest examples of zeal without knowledge took place during a football play in the early 1970’s. The play was made by Jim Marshall of the Minnesota Vikings. Marshall made an outstanding interception, broke through tackles, knocked people down, zigzagged across the field, and triumphantly spiked the ball into the end zone. The only problem was that he went the wrong way and scored for the other team. He had great zeal but lacked knowledge.

 

How impressive is the scorecard of someone who does not know Christ? Consider the testimony of one of the most religiously zealous people who has every lived:

 

“…If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:4-7).

 

Paul came to the place where he realized that his religious assets were liabilities: he took them off the profit side of his balance and counted them as loss. Though he was sincere in his efforts, without the saving knowledge of Christ, his works would profit him nothing.

 

While in Singapore several years ago, a local missionary took me to see a Hindu temple. As I observed the crowds, I saw a priest standing with a small group gathered around. The priest took into his arms a little baby that had been crying night after night. After examining the child, the priest determined that the cause of the sickness was an evil spirit in the child, and placing the hands of that little baby over an open flame, he attempted to force out the spirit. I heard the baby scream and scream as his little hands were blistered in a vain show of his parents’ religious zeal that profited nothing.

 

Whether Paul saw empty religiosity in Jerusalem or false idol worship on Mars Hill, his response to false religion was always the same: he gave them the Gospel. The Bible says, in 2 Corinthians 4:3, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” What a challenge for us to take the Gospel to every corner of the earth! Will your Gospel remain hidden from those that are deceived by “religion,” or will you reach the lost with the same passion demonstrated by the Apostle Paul?

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 21, 2006

 

June 21, 2006

Nurture and Admonition

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Ephesians 6:1-4

 

Fewer and fewer parents are committed to raising their children for the Lord. While in 1960 there were only 141,000 children in child-care and preschools, just 3 decades later there were 2,500,000 enrolled, an increase of over 1700%. Today, parents work longer hours and spend less time at home with their children and have turned over the care of raising their kids to schools and television. Whether you are a single parent or live with a spouse, raising your children is a biblical responsibility. In our text, God gives instructions to follow for every parent who desires to raise their children for the Lord.

 

God commands parents to nurture their children. The word nurture entails a teaching process. It means that parents are not just to tell their children how to live, but to model a godly lifestyle by caring for them and spending time with them. In order to nurture our children, we must demonstrate our love, and the best expression of our love is time. It is a time that has been robbed by misplaced priorities such as higher pay or a bigger house; it is a time of nurture and care for which America’s children are starving.

 

The role of both parents in a child’s life is undeniable. A New York Senator said, “A community that allows large numbers of young men to grow up without stable relationships to male authority gets chaos. There will be an unrestrained lashing out at the whole social structure.” Though this man’s religious and political persuasion might be different from mine, he has enough sense to realize the importance of fathers raising their children. A study showed that 70% of men in California prisons had no fatherly guidance in their lives. The answer is not abortion—that will only hasten God’s judgment on this land. We need more responsible living in this country. There needs to be a return to the Word of God in our homes.

 

God also instructs parents to admonish their children. Admonition speaks of a strong teaching or a warning. While permissiveness instills insecurity, warning instills love. God commands parents, not only to nurture their children, but to admonish them. In our homes, there must be a proper balance of love and discipline, nurture and admonition.

 

I remember a particular time that my dad told me to go to the barber shop. When I arrived at the shop, I had an idea of what kind of a haircut I wanted. I told the barber, “Just barely trim it in the back, and keep the sides thick.” When I walked into my dad’s office, he turned me right back around and said, “Son, I want you to get a man’s haircut.”

 

Telling me to get a haircut was just one way my father would admonish me. At the time, I was never appreciative of it, but Hebrews 12:11 speaks truthfully, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Today, I thank God for the time that my father took to demonstrate his love by correcting me.

 

What have you done to nurture a godly spirit in the heart of your child? Psalm 127:3 says, “Children are an heritage of the Lord.” If God has blessed you with a family of any size or type, than take great care to raise your children for the Lord. Spend time with them; they need it. Admonish them; they will thank you for it. You will never know when you are spending your last moment to speak to your child’s heart.

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1

Your Daily Devotional for June 20, 2006

 

June 20, 2006

Indications of the Last Days

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
2 Timothy 3:1

It seems like one of the most frequently asked questions I receive is, “Are we living in the last days?” Whether it is in the news media, or in a book, people are talking about the end times. Are there any indications that we are living in the last days? I believe we can see several from the Scriptures.

The Bible indicates that in the last days there will be wars and rumors of wars. Jesus said in Matthew 24:6-7, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”  

Christ also revealed that in the last days, the nation of Israel would return to their homeland. This prophecy is found in Ezekiel 36-37 and describes the dispersion and later return of the people of Israel. This prophecy has been fulfilled in part by the creation of the Jewish state on May 14, 1948.

 

False prophets will also be abundant in the last days, as Jesus says, Matthew 24:11, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” False prophets and false religions are abounding today, and millions are following the deception that these religions impose.

 

There will also be an increase of disease and earthquakes “And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven” (Luke 21:11). The word “pestilences” used in this verse means diseases. Whether it is HIV, SARS, the Bird Flu, or something else, disease will be rampant in the end times.

 

For the Christian, none of this is discouraging news! In the early church there was a great anticipation for the Lord’s return. Every writer of the New Testament gave some information about the Second Coming and the hope it brought to those in suffering and persecution. Many had lost loved ones and dear friends, so the hope of seeing them again was comforting.

 

Is there any indication that we are living in the last days? There are many signs in the Bible, but the clearest is found in Revelation 22:12: “Behold, I come quickly.” Knowing that His return is imminent, we don’t need to occupy our time with looking for signs; rather, we should be looking for the Saviour. Titus 2:14 says, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

 

Friend, do you nonchalantly go through your regular routine of your day? Is there no sense of urgency in your life? Do you pass by unsaved people without telling them of God’s gift for them?

 

Christian, Christ is coming soon! Yes, we should be encouraged, but we should also be motivated! We need to take every chance we get to tell those around us of salvation. Who can you think of today that you don’t want to see go to Hell? Don’t miss an opportunity to talk to them today, before it’s too late!

---

================================================
THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
================================================
Manage your online subscriptions at
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-login.aspx

To Unsubscribe from this list please follow this link
http://www.dailyintheword.org/email/user-unsubscribe.aspx?s=4159&l=1