Your Daily Devotional for December 31, 2006

 

December 31, 2006

 

 

Starting Off Right

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

 

Lamentations 3:22-23

 

 

As we enter a new year tonight, many people are making resolution. Some will promise to lose weight, others will determine to spend more time with their family, and some will resolve to read more books. But as we enter this new year, let’s look at the resolutions of one of the Great Awakening’s leading preachers, Jonathan Edwards.

 

These resolutions were written in his personal diary:

“Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God, and my own good, profit, and pleasure, in the whole of my duration; without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence.
Resolved, to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general.
Resolved, never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.
Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.
Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.
Resolved, never to speak evil of any one, so that it shall tend to his dishonour, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive, myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.
Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
Resolved, always to do that which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. Let there be something of benevolence in all that I speak.”

 

What great resolutions! We would all do well to apply these in our own lives. Notice our verses for today, “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” The Lord’s mercies are new every day! Even if we fail God in some way today, if we ask for forgiveness, He gives it to us! He wipes the slate clean, and we can start over again!

 

What a great promise! We are all sinners, but God promises His mercy to us every day! Take time today to sit down and evaluate your spiritual life. How have you grown closer to God in the last year? What good habits have you formed that help you become more like Christ?

 

Then see what you could do to improve your Christian life. In what areas have you failed God? What areas do you need to work on so that you can draw closer to God this coming year? Make a list of things you would like to accomplish in your spiritual life this year. Then take time alone with God and commit this list to Him. Ask Him to help you in the areas you need to work on, and commit to drawing closer to Him this year.

 

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Your Daily Devotional for December 30, 2006

 

December 30, 2006

 

 

Faithful in the New Year

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

 

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

 

 

One of the most tragic events during the Reagan Presidency was the Sunday morning terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, in which hundreds of Americans were killed or wounded as they slept. Many of us can still recall the terrible scenes as the dazed survivors worked to rescue their trapped brothers from beneath the rubble.

A few days after the tragedy, an extraordinary story was told of one of the injured soldiers. Marine Corps Commandant Paul X. Kelly visited some of the wounded survivors in a Frankfurt, Germany hospital. Among them was Corporal Jeffrey Lee Nashton, severely wounded in the incident. Nashton had so many tubes running in and out of his body that a witness said he looked more like a machine than a man, yet he survived.

As Kelly neared him, Nashton, struggling to move and racked with pain, motioned for a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote a brief note and passed it back to the Commandant. On the slip of paper were but two words "Semper Fi"—the Latin motto of the Marines meaning "forever faithful." With those two simple words Nashton spoke for the millions of Americans who have sacrificed body and limb and their lives for their country—those who have remained faithful.

As Christians, we should have the goal of being faithful for Christ until the end of our lives. If we are to be found faithful, there are some things we must do—our duty. First, we must fear God. Psalm 112:1 says, “Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that

delighteth greatly in his commandments.” God wants us to fear Him. Fear can be described as “concern or anxiety” but in regards to fearing God, the word fear is described as “reverential awe.” God wants us to be in awe of Him or respect Him. We should respect Him so much that we serve Him.

 

If we don’t fear or reverence God, we will not keep His commandments, which is the next part of our duty. He commands us to love one another. (John 15:12) None of us are perfect! But God does want us to love Him and to serve Him (John 12:26). Do you love others? Are you serving Him?

 

As we end this Christmas season and look forward to 2007, remember that God wants us to be faithful to Him until the end of our lives. As people are making resolutions for the new year, commit to remain faithful to God. Ask Him for the strength to stay faithful to Him throughout the new year and until His return.

 

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Your Daily Devotional for December 29, 2006

 

December 29, 2006

 

 

God Loves You

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

 

John 3:16-17

 

 

 

It was once said that if God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If God had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. When you want to talk, He listens. He could live anywhere in the universe, yet He chose your heart. And don’t forget the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem!

 

God loves us so much! He waits for us to talk to Him every day, and He wants to give us so many blessings! God showed His love by sending His Son to die on Calvary. He paid the ultimate price when He gave up His only Son to come to earth and to die on a rugged cross for us. Philippians 2:5-8 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

 

No other sacrifice would have met the requirements to pay for sin. Because God is holy and just, He demanded a perfect sacrifice. The only perfect sacrifice was Jesus Christ. He was the only one who could pay for the sins of the world.

 

By paying for this sin, He not only provided forgiveness for our sins, but also a home in Heaven for eternity. Revelation 22:1-2 says, “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

 

Heaven is a wonderful place. But even more than providing a home in Heaven for us, He also saved us from eternal separation from Him in the Lake of Fire. Revelation 20:15 says, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

 

God loves us so much that He offers to spare us from eternal torment and separation from Him. We deserve to be punished for disobeying God and sinning against Him. We deserve whatever punishment God demands! Yet, Christ came and died so we do not have to go to Hell. We can spend eternity with Him in Heaven if we accept His gift of salvation! What a loving God!

 

Friend, God loves us so much that He does not want us to go to Hell. If you are saved, thank Him for sending His Son to die in our place. Also, we should have that same love for those who have not accepted Christ. We should tell them of Christ and warn them of the punishment for sin! If God loved us so much that He was willing to send His only Son, we should love others enough to tell them of God’s free gift of salvation.

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Your Daily Devotional for December 28, 2006

 

December 28, 2006

 

 

A Patient Witness

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“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.”

 

Luke 2:25-32

 

The great New England preacher Phillips Brooks was noted for his poise and quiet manner. At times, however, even he suffered moments of frustration and irritability. One day a friend saw him feverishly pacing the floor like a caged lion. "What's the trouble, Mr. Brooks?" he asked. "The trouble is that I'm in a hurry, but God isn't!" Haven't we felt the same way many times?

Some of the greatest missionaries in history devotedly spread the seed of God's Word and yet had to wait long periods before seeing the fruit of their efforts. William Carey, for example, labored seven years before the first Hindu was brought to Christ in Burma, and Adoniram Judson toiled seven years before his faithful preaching was rewarded. In western Africa, it was fourteen years before one convert was received into the Christian church. In New Zealand, it took nine years; and in Tahiti, it was sixteen years before the first harvest of souls began.

Thomas A. Kempis described that kind of patience in these words: "He deserves not the name of patient who is only willing to suffer as much as he thinks proper, and for whom he pleases. The truly patient man asks (nothing) from whom he suffers, (whether) his superior, his equal, or his inferior...But from whomever, or how much, or how often wrong is done to him, he accepts it all as from the hand of God, and counts it gain!" 

Simeon could be called a patient man. The Holy Spirit had appeared to him earlier in his life and had promised him that he was not going to die until he had seen baby Jesus. I’m sure that Simeon was initially excited but as the years passed by with no sign of Christ, he may have begun to doubt that promise. Yet, even as he grew older, he continued to stay faithful to God and served God in the temple.

 

Have you ever asked God for something but didn’t receive an answer right away? Don’t get discouraged! Be patient. Remain faithful to God’s work and don’t stop serving Him! Many times Christians get discouraged and want to give up. Imagine the tremendous blessing Simeon would have missed had he given up! Ask God to help you remain patient today.

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Your Daily Devotional for December 27, 2006

 

December 27, 2006

 

 

God Showed His Love

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.”

 

Hebrews 1:1-2

 

 

On Thursday, November 27, 2003, with extraordinary secrecy, President George W. Bush paid a surprise visit to Iraq. His purpose was to thank U.S. troops for “defending the American people from danger.” While there, the President served up a Thanksgiving dinner to 600 stunned soldiers in a mess hall at Baghdad’s airport.

 

Regarding this Thanksgiving visit to the soldiers far from home, Bush said, “It’s got to be lonely for them. I thought it was important to send that message that we care for them.” The unannounced visit not only brought wild cheers from battle-worn soldiers, but also stunned the nation and even surprised the President’s parents, who had been expecting him at the Thanksgiving table at his Crawford, Texas ranch.

 

In a similar manner, God, who had formerly delivered his message through others (as we see in our text today), made a personal visit to the world on that first Christmas. John 1:14 says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” When God wanted to show a sinful world that He cared, He came in person.

 

John 1:29 says, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The great cost to our redemption was blood atonement. Sin requires a payment and that payment was death. From the first sin, God has required a spotless lamb to be sacrificed to pay for the sin. God gave the lamb skins to Adam and Eve when they sinned in the Garden of Eden. Abel offered a lamb for the atonement of his sins. The ram was offered by Abraham in place of his only son Isaac on Mount Moriah. The Passover lamb was killed, and its blood sprinkled on the door posts in Egypt to protect the Israelites from death. A lamb was offered daily for almost 1400 years under the law and the offerings of the Jews. One final Lamb came that took away the sin of the world when He died on Calvary!

 

When a young woman’s mother got a fax machine at her office, the daughter suggested sending their correspondence by fax instead of using the post office. Although she told her many times that it was a faster and less expensive way to communicate, her mother continued to send her mail by weekly letters. At Christmas, however, her mother showed her full grasp of technology when she faxed her a $100 bill with the note: “Merry Christmas, darling. You’re right—it is cheaper to fax than to mail. Love, Mom.”

 

Instead of merely telling us how much He loved us, Christ showed us His love by dying on Calvary. He made His message of love and redemption personal when He came to earth to die for us. How often do we neglect to show love to those around us? How many times have we passed someone by without stopping to share Christ’s love? Make it a point to show love to those around you today.

 

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Your Daily Devotional for December 25, 2006

 

December 25, 2006

 

 

The True Meaning of Christmas

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

 

Luke 2:8-11

 

 

Today is Christmas Day! By now, the decorations are all up, the presents are wrapped, families are gathering together, and kids and adults alike wait in anticipation to open their gifts. On this joyous, sacred, and holy day, let us take a moment to remember the first Christmas celebration.

 

As we see in our text today, after Mary had given birth to baby Jesus, the angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds who were in the fields. The angel announced Christ’s birth and told the shepherds to go see the Child. Then we see in verses 13-14, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

 

Suddenly, the sky was filled with angels who were singing praises to God and glorifying His name. This was an exciting occasion! How beautiful it must have been to listen to a host of angels singing praises to God!

 

This “first Christmas” was filled with praises to the Lord! While getting gifts and spending time with family are a special part of the celebration, decide to keep Christ as the focal point of your Christmas and celebrate the true meaning of this holiday season.

 

Two women who were having lunch in an elegant hotel were approached by a mutual friend who asked the occasion for the meal. One lady replied, "We are celebrating the birth of my baby boy." "But where is he?" inquired the friend. "Oh," said the mother, "you didn't think I'd bring him, did you?" What a picture of the way the world treats Jesus at Christmas!

 

Amidst all the excitement of family and presents, remember and give thanks to God for sending His Son to die for us. God’s Word says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” What wondrous love was shown toward us when God gave His most precious gift—His Son—to die and pay sin’s price for us so that we might spend eternity with Him! We should praise Him and thank Him for His wonderful gift!

 

Take time today to read Luke 1-2, the Christmas story, and spend time with your family reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas—the birth of Jesus Christ. Then, thank God for offering His Son—the greatest gift that was given! Have a Merry Christmas!

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Your Daily Devotional for December 24, 2006

 

December 24, 2006

 

 

Pass It On

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

 

 

Luke 2:9-14

 

 

In our passage today, we see the angel of the Lord announcing the birth of Christ to the shepherds. This was not an ordinary angel but was the Lord Himself. The angel of the Lord would come to earth when something special was about to happen. In certain cases as in Abraham’s time, it was the angel of the Lord that called unto Abraham to stop him from killing Isaac as we see in Genesis 22:11 “And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.”

 

In Joshua 5:13-14a, it was Christ who appeared to Joshua as the captain of the Lord’s army. “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come.”

 

The message the angel brought to Mary was not just another announcement—it was the birth of Christ! God sent His highest angel to tell the world of Jesus’ birth. God passed this message on to the angel and the angel passed it on to the shepherds who passed it on to everyone they knew.

 

Throughout the years, this message has been passed from generation to generation. Some have tried to stop it, but they have not succeeded. This is a message of love and redemption: the message that God wants to save the world from their sin.

 

At age sixteen, Andor Foldes was already a skilled pianist and received a visit from one of the most renowned pianists of the day. Emil von Sauer was famous not only for his abilities; he was also the last surviving pupil of the great Franz Liszt. Von Sauer requested that Foldes play for him. Foldes obliged with some of the most difficult works of Bach, Beethoven, and Schumann. 

When he finished, von Sauer walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. "My son," he said, "when I was your age I became a student of Liszt. He kissed me on the forehead after my first lesson, saying, 'Take good care of this kiss—it comes from Beethoven, who gave it to me after hearing me play.' I have waited for years to pass on this sacred heritage, but now I feel you deserve it."

God Himself has given us the incomparable privilege of passing the message of His Son to others! Have you been passing on the message of Christ’s birth to those you know? Find someone today who doesn’t know the true meaning of the season and share with them the story of Christ’s birth. Then tell them of God’s love and sacrifice for them. Pass on God’s gift this Christmas season!

 

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Your Daily Devotional for December 21, 2006

 

December 21, 2006

 

 

Worshipping Christ
by Dr. Paul Chappell

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."
Matthew 2:10-11

A few days before Christmas, two men in Florida decided to go sailing while their wives went Christmas shopping. While the men were out sailing a terrible storm arose. They had great difficulty keeping the boat under control, and as they maneuvered their way back to land their boat became grounded on a sandbar. They had to jump overboard and push with all their might to get the boat into deeper water. As they did, the wind was blowing terribly, the waves were rushing up on them, and they were soaking wet and knee deep in mud. One of the guys looked at his buddy and said, "You know, this sure beats Christmas shopping."

While many view Christmas as a time for shopping, we must keep in mind that Christmas is not all about shopping and buying things but about worshipping God and thanking Him for sending His Son to die on Calvary for us.

The shepherds, who came soon after Christ’s birth, sang praises and worshipped Him. The Bible tells us that when the wise men came to Christ, they fell down and worshipped Him and presented unto Him gifts. They understood the magnitude of this occasion and immediately praised and worshipped Christ.

The word worship means to "ascribe worth toward." There are many different ways to worship Christ. One way is by singing. Luke 2:13-14 says, "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Even the angels as they were announcing the birth of Jesus were singing praises to God!

Another way we can worship Christ is by serving Him. God is pleased when we serve Him. Our service to Him shows our love for Him. So how can you serve Him this holiday season? Maybe you know of someone who will be alone this Christmas and you could take time out of your schedule to visit that person. Christ says in Matthew 25:40, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." When we serve others, we are serving Christ!

We can also worship Christ by giving to Him. When the wise men came to greet Jesus, they brought Him gifts. After unwrapping all of her presents, a little girl was asked, "Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?" She thought a moment and said, "No. But then, it’s not my birthday."

Don’t forget that Christmas is in celebration of Christ’s birthday! Take time this holiday season to worship Him through singing praise, serving, and giving to Him.

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