Your Daily Devotion for April 27, 2009

The Significance of Salt

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

 

Matthew 5:13

 

 

Christians are more influenced by the world than the world is influenced by Christians.

 

Have you ever wondered why some salt sticks to foods and some doesn’t? A catalyst is applied that causes salt to crystallize with small triangular “hooks” that allow it to cling better to your food. So if you pour salt on your fries and it falls off and pools at the bottom of the plate, you probably have unrefined salt. If your salt clings to your fries, coating them like delicious crunchy snow, then probably you have refined salt that has been engineered to stick to your food.

 

Salt is a staple to human life. It is a dietary mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride that is essential for animal and human life. Salt flavor is one of the basic tastes, an important preservative and a popular food seasoning. Salt is so vital to our bodies that a section of our tastes buds were designed just to taste salty items. Just as salt is vital to the health and growth of a human being, so Christians are to be the salt of the world, elements of growth and change in the world.

 

Our verse today gives us a short command: “Ye are the salt of the earth.” As Christians, we are the salt or the preserving agent of the earth. We saw that our purpose statement should be to show Christ through all we do, but our duty is to slow the corruption of the world by staying faithful to the Lord.

 

We can help preserve others through our testimony. Your testimony right now is either helping people come to Christ or it is turning them away from the Gospel. You’re either preserving others or spoiling them. God’s plan is that the church be a preserving agent, opposing the spread of evil in the world by being a beacon of light. Are you helping preserve others?

 

God’s command to be salt is more about a lifestyle than about mere actions. God uses the word are to describe our preservation efforts. We are to guard ourselves from the spoilers of this world and be the preservers God desires.

 

Sadly, today Christians are more influenced by the world than the world is influenced by Christians. Many Christians have lost their “savour” or testimony. Remember Lot? He moved into the heart of sin and rather than having a mighty preserving effect, he allowed sin to affect him. He lost his savour.

 

Has your testimony been preserving others or spoiling them? You are affecting the people around you. They see your testimony and are changed by the way you live. Do they see the effects of the world in your life or do they see your affect on the world? Be salt today. Don’t allow the world to steal your savour, but act as God’s preserving agent in the lives of those around you.

 

 

To find out more about Pastor Paul Chappell visit his blog or follow him on twitter.

  

 

Daily Bible Reading

1 Kings 1-2 • Luke 19:28-48

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Your Daily Devotion for April 25, 2009

Deliver Us from Evil

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

 

Matthew 6:13

 

 

The choice to either give in to temptation or to run away from it will affect your life forever.

 

John Paton was a missionary to the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men with you there?” Paton knew no men were present, but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station. 

 

God promises His children that He will protect them from evil. Just as Missionary Paton was protected as he prayed, so we can be protected from evil and temptation when we seek God through prayer.

 

The last portion of the Lord’s Prayer deals with the subject of temptation. Why does temptation come to God’s people? Is God to blame for it? Many unsaved people blame the bad things of the world on God. They question how a loving God could allow such tragedies. Yet as Christians we know that temptation comes from the devil.

 

James 1:13 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” God does not lure people into sin. The Bible also says in James 1:14, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” No matter how much people would blameshift their own sin on God, God has promised that He stands ready to deliver us from evil, not draw us into it.

 

First Corinthians 10:13 shows us that God is willing to help us escape evil, “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.” Everything we experience, Christ has already experienced while He was on earth. He endured temptation and escaped, and He will help us escape temptation as well.

 

Too often we view temptation as a nuisance or a weak ploy made by the devil. Make no mistake; the devil’s temptations are nothing to take lightly. The devil is a powerful being, bent on destroying lives. As Christians, he cannot keep us from Heaven, but he can keep us from serving God. Therefore, we must take every temptation seriously and ask God’s help to flee from it.

 

How do you view temptation? Do you take the devil’s subtle enticements lightly or do you flee them immediately? While the Lord showed His pattern for prayer, He made a point to remind us to flee temptations. God is willing to help you avoid temptations but you must daily ask Him for protection. You cannot face the devil alone; you need God’s help. Take a moment right now to seek God’s protection from the devil. Each time you face temptation, remember the choice to either give in or run away will affect your life forever.

 

 

To find out more about Pastor Paul Chappell visit his blog or follow him on twitter.

 

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org.

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Samuel 21-22 • Luke 18:24-43

 

 

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Your Daily Devotion for April 24, 2009

A Prayer of Forgiveness

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

 

Matthew 6:12

 

 

Our job isn’t to get revenge, but to follow God’s pattern of forgiveness.

 

When the first missionaries came to Alberta, Canada, they were savagely opposed by a young chief of the Cree Indians named Maskepetoon. But he responded to the gospel and accepted Christ. Shortly afterward, a member of the Blackfoot tribe killed his father. Maskepetoon rode into the village where the murderer lived and demanded that he be brought before him. Confronting the guilty man, he said, “You have killed my father, so now you must be my father. You shall ride my best horse and wear my best clothes.” In utter amazement and remorse his enemy exclaimed, “My son, now you have killed me!” He meant, of course, that the hate in his own heart had been completely erased by the forgiveness and kindness of the Indian chief.

 

Have you ever wondered why forgiving someone is so difficult? Forgiveness is free, it doesn’t cost us anything, and it helps us feel better. Yet forgiveness is probably one of the hardest commands for people to obey. As the Lord was giving His guideline for our prayers, He made a note to include forgiveness. He desires that seeking His forgiveness and forgiving others would be a part of our daily prayer time.

 

First, God desires that we would seek His forgiveness. Our relationship with God relies on pure hearts, and harbored sin can hinder our communication with Him. He desires that as we seek Him, we would pray for forgiveness.

 

When we were saved, we were pardoned from eternal punishment. God paid the price for our sins. Yet, we will still sin because we are human beings, and God desires that when we do sin, we seek His forgiveness right away. Nothing hinders prayers more than hidden sin. Before God will hear our prayers, we must make sure our hearts are pure before Him.

 

Second, the last part of our verse shows us that God desires we would show forgiveness to others. Christ mentions forgiving others again in verse 14, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” God’s desire is that we would forgive those who wrong us, even as He has forgiven our wrongs against Him. Because He has forgiven us, we can forgive others no matter what the offense.

 

Forgiveness isn’t always easy. Our human nature desires revenge, yet God commands us in Romans 12:9, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Our job isn’t to right the wrong, but to follow God’s pattern of forgiveness.

 

Who do you need to forgive today? Don’t harbor unforgiveness against someone, no matter what they may have done to you. You cannot know peace with God unless you have forgiven those who have wronged you. Make things right with others today and allow God to bless you because of your forgiveness.

 

 

To find out more about Pastor Paul Chappell visit his blog or follow him on twitter.

 

To hear Daily in the Word, the daily radio broadcast of Dr. Paul Chappell, or to subscribe to the daily podcast, please visit dailyintheword.org.

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Samuel 19-20 • Luke 18:1-23

 

 

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Your Daily Devotion for April 23, 2009

Prayer Requests

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

 

Matthew 6:11

 

 

Depending on God for our daily supply keeps our trust in the Lord.

 

A missionary to Zaire once told the following story. “A mother at our mission station died after giving birth to a premature baby. We tried to improvise an incubator to keep the infant alive, but the only hot water bottle we had was beyond repair. So we asked the children to pray for the baby and for her sister. One of the girls responded, ‘Dear God, please send a hot water bottle today. Tomorrow will be too late because by then the baby will be dead. And dear Lord, send a doll for the sister so she won't feel so lonely.’ 

 

That afternoon a large package arrived from England. The children watched eagerly as we opened it. Much to their surprise, under some clothing was a hot water bottle! Immediately the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to dig deeper, exclaiming, ‘If God sent that, I'm sure He also sent a doll!’ And she was right! The heavenly Father knew in advance of that child's sincere requests, and five months earlier He had led a ladies' group to include both of those specific articles.”

 

During His earthly ministry God took time to show His disciples how to pray. In Matthew 6, He gives us an example of a “model prayer” or a guideline for how we ought to pray. First, He tells us to reverence and respect His name. Second, He tells us to pray for His will to be done. Now, as we see in our verse, the Lord tells us to approach Him with our request.

 

We all have daily requests. Whether we need strength to get through the day, patience to deal with someone, physical provisions, or spiritual protection; we all need God’s help to make it through each day. God knows we have needs and has provided to meet them as He says in Psalm 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” God promises that as we are faithfully following Him, He will provide for us.

 

Let’s take each word of our verse today and see what it means. The word give means “to grant.” It asks God to grant our wish, desire, or prayer. The word us means “to us, not to me only, but to others in common with me.” The requests we take to God can be requests from those we love and know. Also, the words this day speaks of daily renewing the desire of our hearts toward God. It may take daily persistence in prayer before God answers our requests. Next, the words our daily bread represent all the needs and requests we have in life. Whether spiritual, physical, or emotional, God desires to hear our petitions and pleas daily.

 

E. M. Bounds once said, “What the church needs today is not more or better machinery, not new organizations, or more novel methods; but men whom the Holy Spirit can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer.” Prayer makes the difference between a mediocre Christian and a Christian God will use. And God desires that during our time of prayer, we openly lay before Him our petitions and the petitions of others.

 

For what do you pray? Do you have a list of requests you bring before God each day? Christ shows that He desires to hear your requests. He wants you to daily depend on Him for your spiritual and physical sustenance. Take time now to seek God in prayer. Open your heart before Him and let Him know you are completely dependent upon Him today. Depending on God for our daily supply keeps our trust in the Lord.

 

 

To find out more about Pastor Paul Chappell visit his blog or follow him on twitter.

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Samuel 16-18 • Luke 17:20-37

 

 

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Your Daily Devotion for April 22, 2009

Praying for His Will

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

 

Matthew 6:10

 

 

As you obey God’s written will He will reveal His personal will for you.

 

Gen. William Nelson, a Union general in the Civil War, was consumed with the battles in Kentucky when a brawl ended up in his being mortally shot, in the chest. He had faced many battles, but the fatal blow came while he was relaxing with his men. As such, he was caught fully unprepared. As men ran up the stairs to help him, the general had just one phrase, “Send for a clergyman; I wish to be baptized.” He never had time as an adolescent or young man. He never had time as a private or after he became a general. And his wound did not stop or slow down the war. Everything around him was left virtually unchanged—except for the general's priorities. With only minutes left before he entered eternity, the one thing he cared about was preparing for eternity. He wanted to be baptized. Thirty minutes later he was dead. 

 

The desire of every believer should be to serve and prepare for the day the Lord calls us home. General Nelson was not prepared and I’m sure had regrets as he was dying. Compare that to the young Confederate soldier who, as he was dying, broke out in singing, “Great Jehovah, we adore thee, God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, joined in glory on the same eternal throne: Endless praise to Jehovah, three in one.”

 

Being ready to meet the Lord when He comes means praying for His will and accomplishing it today. The second part of Christ’s “model prayer” shows us how to pray for His will, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” In the context of this time period, this petition references the doctrine which Christ preached at this time—the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. God desires that we would be ready for His return by praying for His will to be done.  

 

God’s will for your life is the task He has designed specifically for you to accomplish to aide in the furtherance of His work on earth. It is your piece of the puzzle of His plan. Have you ever thought about the fact that when God designed His plan for reaching the world He included you? He wants you to be a part of that plan!

 

In order to be prepared for God’s return, you must faithfully follow God’s will for your life. What is God’s will for you? It is different than any one else’s path, but it includes God’s general will—basic Bible commands such as reading God’s Word, praying, attending church faithfully, giving, and telling others of Christ. Just by reading this devotion, you are obeying God’s command to spend time with Him! While you may not know the specifics of God’s will for you right now, you do have His general will which you can obey.

 

Are you prepared for Christ’s return? Do you pray for His will to be done not only in the world, but in your heart personally? Each time you meet with God, take time to ask for His will to be accomplished in your life. Seek to follow the path He has prepared for you so that others will come to know Him. And as you seek His will for you, faithfully obey His general will. As you continue to obey God’s general will He will reveal His specific will for you.

 

 

To find out more about Pastor Paul Chappell visit his blog or follow him on twitter.

 

To learn more about Pastor Chappell's books, Sunday school curriculum, and spiritual leadership resources, please visit strivingtogether.com.

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Samuel 14-15 • Luke 17:1-19

 

 

 

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Your Daily Devotion for April 21, 2009

Respecting His Name

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

 

Matthew 6:9–10

 

 

God’s name is above all names, so treat it as such!

 

Clark Clifford shares this reminiscence of his former boss, Harry S. Truman:  Every morning at 8:30 the President would have a staff meeting. One day the mail clerk brought in a lavender envelope with a regal wax seal and flowing purple ribbons. Opening it, the President found a letter in protest of the admission of Jews to Palestine from King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, whose salutation began, “Your Magnificence.” “Your Magnificence,” Truman repeated, laughing. “I like that. I don't know what you guys call me when I'm not here, but it's okay if you refer to me from now on as ‘His Magnificence.’” Not feeling the same way as King Saud, Truman sent a message to the United Nations supporting the admission of 100,000 Jews into Palestine. Soon afterward he received a second letter from King Ibn Saud. This one began: “Dear Mr. President.”

 

Many times respect is faked in order to gain something. Like King Saud, people pay obeisance to someone in authority to get what they want. But true respect is not said from the lips, but felt in the heart.

 

As Christians, we should show respect in every area of our lives. God shows us this principle when He says, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). We should be kind and respectful to everyone we meet.

 

But taking that further, God desires us to be respectful in our prayer life. Notice God’s pattern of prayer, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:9). The word hallowed means “To make holy, consecrate, sanctify.”

 

God’s name is to be revered and respected for whom it represents. Too many times the name of God is taken lightly, said flippantly, or attached to ungodly things—not only in cursing but in everyday speech as well. Have you ever said the name of God offhandedly about something? Maybe you jokingly attributed something to God that was not His. God’s name is holy and consecrated. His name should be more than a joking reference to us; it should be an honored name, used in reverence and respect.

 

How much do you respect the name of God? In Bible times, scribes respected His name so much they would bathe and put on new clothing before writing the name of Jehovah. God’s name was so honored to them that they wanted to make sure they were clean before writing it.

 

God desires that you would treat His name with respect and honor whenever you mention it—prayer, conversation, singing. He said in Isaiah 42:8, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” Make sure that whenever you mention the Lord’s name, you say it in reverence and respect. God’s name is above all names, so treat it as such!

 

 

To find out more about Pastor Paul Chappell visit his blog or follow him on twitter.

 

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org.

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Samuel 12-13 • Luke 16

 

 

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Your Daily Devotion for April 20, 2009

Pray in Thanks

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.”

 

1 Chronicles 16:8–11

 

 

God’s goodness does not depend on your outward circumstances but on your position as one of His children.

 

William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth Colony and a devout believer, made this proclamation to the early settlers of America:

 

“To All Ye Pilgrims: Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now, I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November ye 29th of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor, and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings. “

 

Governor Bradford realized the reason they were alive was a result of the protective hand of God. He ordered that everyone show God their thanks through gathering together and lifting up their voices to Heaven in praise.

 

If the Pilgrims—who faced religious persecution in England, storms and sickness on the Mayflower, and bitter cold and death during the first winter—could praise God for His goodness, we should so much the more!

 

God’s goodness does not depend on your outward circumstances but on your position as one of His children. If you are saved, you have been blessed with eternal life. No storm of life or trial can ever take that away. You should thank and praise God each day for salvation alone.

 

You have so much to be thankful for, and God wants to hear you thank Him. Each time you meet with Him in prayer, He desires that you would take time to praise and thank Him for His goodness. Rather than always asking from Him, why not give praise to Him?

 

How is the “thanksgiving” part of your prayer life? Do you daily spend time reflecting on His goodness and praising Him for it? God has been so good. Take time to look around and reflect back on what He’s done for you. Spend time in prayer right now simply thanking God for all He’s done. When you’re focused on how good He’s been to you, you’ll find that life’s trials do not compare to His goodness.

 

 

To find out more about Pastor Paul Chappell visit his blog or follow him on twitter.

 

To hear Daily in the Word, the daily radio broadcast of Dr. Paul Chappell, or to subscribe to the daily podcast, please visit dailyintheword.org.

 

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Samuel 9-11 • Luke 15:11-32

 

 

 

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