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A Matter of Responsibility

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”
Luke 12:47–48
In his speech to the Harvard graduating class in 2007, Bill Gates revealed the impact his mother had on his life by encouraging him to do good for others. Gates said, “A few days before my wedding, she hosted a bridal event, at which she read aloud a letter about marriage that she had written to Melinda. My mother was very ill with cancer at the time, but she saw one more opportunity to deliver her message, and at the close of the letter she said: ‘From those to whom much is given, much is expected.’”
Whatever we have is a gift from God. He has graciously given us life, talents, abilities, and resources to use in His Kingdom. These gifts, however, come with a requirement and an expectation—that we will put them to use. In the parable of the talents, Jesus talked about the condemnation that came to the servant who hid what he had been given to ensure it would not be lost. “His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed” (Matthew 25:26).
God expects and has a right to demand a return on the investment He has made in our lives. Every one of us has opportunities to do things for Him that no one else does. You were uniquely created and gifted by God for His purposes, so put everything you have to work for Him.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Rather than wishing you had more resources, focus on using whatever God has given you for His glory.

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“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”   --John 15:13 John Bunyan, the author of the classic book, Pilgrims Progress, said, “You haven’t lived today until you’ve done something for someone who cannot pay you back.” That is such a powerful truth, and few people in America understand its meaning as well as those who serve in the U.S. military. Since America’s struggle for independence from Britain to today’s global war against terrorism, countless men and women have answered duty’s call. They have performed a tremendous service that cannot be repaid. And untold numbers have made the ultimate sacrifice… giving their life’s blood for the cause of freedom. Maybe you are the loved one or a friend of one of these who has died for our country. If so, you, too, have made a sacrifice that many cannot even imagine. But Jesus recognized just such sacrifice in John 15:13 when he said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” This Memorial Day, let’s remember the courageous men and women who have given their lives to ensure our freedom… or to give the precious gift of freedom to another nation. May their patriotism and their love for God and country inspire us to do something selfless for our fellow man. “You haven’t lived today until you’ve done Something for someone who cannot pay you back.”

Come as a Little Child

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Faithful Where We Are

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.”
Luke 12:42–44
Charles Spurgeon was the most famous preacher of his generation, regularly speaking to crowds of thousands each week in his church in London. His sermons were reprinted in the newspapers, and for many services, tickets were required for those who wished to attend. Yet he did not start out that way. Instead Spurgeon began his ministry in small and obscure villages, speaking to a handful of people at a time. Spurgeon said, “I am perfectly sure that, if I had not been willing to preach to those small gatherings of people in obscure country places, I should never have had the privilege of preaching to thousands of men and women in large buildings all over the land.”
Often we say that if we had more money we would give more, or if we had more time we would do more. Yet in reality, the test of our stewardship and faithfulness is not what we would do with greater resources and opportunities, but what we are doing right now with what we already have. A person who is selfish and stingy with a little would not change if he suddenly became wealthy. A teacher who does not prepare for a class of six would not automatically become diligent for a class of sixty or even six hundred. Rather than seeking more, we should realize that we will give an account to God for our stewardship of what He has given us, and seek to use every day to the fullest to accomplish as much as we can for Him.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

God sees the faithfulness that man may not notice, and He always rewards those who are true to Him.

Come as a Little Child

by Joyce Meyer - posted May 29, 2016

And He called a little child to Himself and put himself in the midst of them, and said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven...
—Matthew 18:2-3
One thing children are not complicated. Children have no trouble letting you know what they want, running into your arms when they are afraid, or giving you a big generous kiss, sometimes for no apparent reason. They are not sophisticated enough to hide their hearts or feelings very well, and as a result, communicating with them can be easy and refreshing.
That's the way God wants us to be when we talk to Him. We need to approach God with childlike simplicity and faith. Just as children are naturally inclined to trust their parents completely, we also need to be guileless, pure, and free from doubt as we trust God. Then we can experience God's miracle-working power and see things change.
We do not want to be childish in our relationships with God; we want to be childlike. The Lord is not looking for complicated relationships. He is looking for sincere hearts and childlike faith. He wants us to approach Him as little children approach people they love. He wants us to let Him know what we want (see Philippians 4:6) and to run to Him when we feel threatened or afraid (Psalm 91:1-7). He wants us to show our affection for Him, sometimes for no apparent reason (see Psalm 34:1) and to share our hearts openly with Him (see Psalm 62:8).
Love God Today: “Lord, help me to have a pure, simple, childlike faith and love for You.”

Overpowering the Enemy

Overpowering the Enemy

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
Luke 12:39–40
As the Allied forces prepared for the invasion of Europe in 1944, they realized that the chances of success would be much higher if they could cloak the actual intended landing zones so that the Nazis would be forced to defend the entire coast. An elaborate operation known as Operation Bodyguard was devised to sow confusion among the German high command about both the Allied strength and their intended target. They utilized double agents, allowed false-coded messages to fall into enemy hands, and even staged plywood tanks and planes. The operation was so successful that for weeks after the Normandy landing, Hitler refused to commit full reinforcements, believing that it was only a diversion and that the real attack was yet to come.
The awesome power of God is so great that He does not need to deceive the enemy in order to defeat him. It does not matter what Satan does, He cannot stop God’s plan from being fulfilled. Satan tried throughout history to destroy the Jewish people. When the time came for Jesus to be born, the devil intensified his efforts, but all to no avail. We are on the winning side! “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). We do not need to understand everything about God’s plan for the future to understand that it will take place. All we are commanded to do is to be faithful and prepared. The rest we can safely leave up to God.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

There is nothing Satan or his minions can do to stop God from accomplishing His purpose in your life.

Help!

by Joyce Meyer - posted May 28, 2016

For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you!
—Isaiah 41:13
No matter how well we may think we run our lives, the truth is that we need help with everything. We need all kinds of help in our everyday lives. Often, realizing how much help we need takes a long time. We like to believe we can do whatever needs to be done independently and without assistance.
However, the Lord sent us a Divine Helper; therefore, we must need help. Jesus Himself continually intercedes for us as He sits at the right hand of God (see Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34), and that tells us that we continually need God's intervention in our lives. We are actually very needy and totally unable to handle life properly on our own.
Although we may seem to manage ourselves and our lives well for awhile, sooner or later something happens and things begin to fall apart if we are living in our own strength instead of receiving divine help.
Many times, we do fine until trouble comes. It may come in the form of a broken marriage, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or something else that is important to us. But eventually, we all reach a point where we have to recognize our neediness.
If we want to live life the way God intended—filled with righteousness, peace, and joy (see Romans 14:17), we have to admit that we need help and we have to receive it from the Holy Spirit, the One God sent to help us.

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We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain. --Hebrews 6:19 I think Hebrews 6:19 is one of the grandest statements in the Bible. I love the picture of hope as the anchor of our souls. A ship’s anchor holds it steady even when the winds are blowing hard and waves are crashing all around. This kind of hope is what helps us cope with the reality of disappointment.  Mary Magdalene in Scripture is a good example of this truth. The Bible tells us that Mary was possessed by seven demons when Jesus first met her. After He cast them out, Jesus continued to love Mary despite her sin and failures. So she was understandably very disappointed and distraught when Jesus was crucified and then buried in the tomb (John 20). He had done so much for her, and now all she could do was weep bitter tears for Him. But then the resurrected Christ appeared to Mary, and her hope was instantly restored. That’s what true hope…the hope found only in the resurrected Christ…can do for anyone who is overcome by disappointment and tragedy. No matter how devastating the circumstances, the hope found in Christ can overcome the pain. Is your soul anchored in the hope of Jesus Christ? If so, you have an anchor that can hold you fast despite any storm! Hope in Christ is an anchor for the soul. Is your hope anchored in Him today? Ready for His Return by Dr. Paul Chappell “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.” Luke 12:35–37 President John Kennedy was fond of historical anecdotes that he used to illustrate his speeches. One of his favorites dated back to the American Revolution. In 1780, with the fate of the country still hanging in the balance as the war with England continued, the Connecticut House of Representatives meeting was in session. Suddenly the sky darkened ominously, even though it was the middle of the day. Some feared it was a sign of coming judgment and called for the body to be adjourned. But the Speaker of the House, Colonel Davenport, rose and said, “The Day of Judgment is either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought.” The reality that Jesus is coming back is one of the most powerful motivations that we have to do right and serve God. John wrote, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2–3). The fact that Jesus has not yet returned does not change the fact that it could happen at any moment. Today’s Growth Principle:  Every day we should live with the reality that Jesus is coming back, at the forefront of our thinking.

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. --1 Peter 1:3 Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman once wrote a song entitled “Heaven in the Real World,” in which one of the repeated lines is, “Where is the hope? Where is the peace?” Those are great questions because I think those are the questions many people are asking every day. How I praise God that we have the answer! There is hope and there is peace for this world.  But that hope and peace is found only in Jesus Christ. You see, when you and I accepted Christ, we were born again to what the Bible in the verse above calls a “living hope,”…a hope that is not wishful thinking, but a hope that is based on the reality of God Himself evidenced in the power of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. This living hope means we can persevere through trials, rough spots, and even pain. This living hope means we may stumble and fall, but we will not falter completely because we are in Jesus Christ. And this living hope means we have a future that is sure and that we aren’t alone today. The peace God gives us when we accept Jesus is a peace that the world could never know.  It means that we can enjoy serenity of heart no matter what happens to us.  Why?  Well, Jesus said it best in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." Where is the hope? Where is the peace? In Christ! My prayer is that you will experience that hope and peace in your heart today…and everyday. In Christ, you have the hope and peace that can endure any storm. Where Is Your Treasure? by Dr. Paul Chappell “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:31–34 In the 1980s, workers renovating the old Lexington Hotel in Chicago, which had once been used by the gangster Al Capone for his headquarters, discovered a series of secret tunnels and passageways under the building. In addition to an underground shooting range, they discovered a sealed vault. Immediately there was great speculation regarding what riches might be hidden inside. Some thought that there might be bodies hidden there. In April of 1986, millions watched on live television as the vault was opened. But when the cameras were taken inside, all the vault contained was some garbage and a few empty bottles. There was no treasure in Al Capone’s vault. All around us people are hard at work laying up earthly treasures. While there is certainly nothing wrong with wise and careful planning for the future, we must never forget that this world is only a temporary stop and that we are meant to care about what is eternal. Trusting in God rather than in what we are able to accumulate brings peace and frees us from fear. Spending our lives and our treasure on what is eternal ensures that when we reach Heaven we will not go empty handed. The world cares about stuff in the here and now, but God wants to present us with eternal rewards. In fact Jesus said it was God’s “good pleasure”—something in which He takes great delight. Today’s Growth Principle:  If our resources are only spent on our own interests, it shows that our love for God is not what it should be.

The Power of Spiritual Engagement

The Power of Spiritual Engagement

The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

--Genesis 3:14-15

With the entrance of sin into the world, there also came the need for salvation.  Sin had created enmity, or hostility, between God and sinful humanity. Sin had separated the human race from God, and it created the need for a Savior.

And with the verse above, we get the first words of eternal hope written in the pages of Scripture.  In them, God Himself promises that His sacrifice for sin would one day crush Satan.  And this promise was fulfilled when Jesus’ body was bruised, when He was beaten beyond recognition, and His blood poured out for us.

While Satan thought He had fully crushed Jesus when Jesus died on the cross, Jesus did not stay crushed! He rose from the dead in triumph, and as we are told in Romans 16:20,Christ will ultimately crush Satan in the end.  When that happens, the devil will stay crushed for all eternity!

What a hope Christ gives us.  And our hope is sure because our salvation does not come through our own sinful hands or worthless payments, but through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the very Son of God!

This is why the chorus rings throughout heaven, “Worthy is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

So today, take time to thank God for His gift of salvation. Thank Him that Jesus was crushed for your sins…and that Satan will be crushed for eternity!

Praise God for the hope you have of eternal life.

How Great God’s Love for Us Really Is
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.”

Luke 12:28–30

Maybe you’ve heard the story of a teacher in math class presenting one of her students with this question: “Suppose your mother baked a pie, and there were seven of you—your parents and five children. What part of the pie would you get.” The boy replied, “One sixth.” “I’m afraid you don’t know your fractions yet,” the teacher said. “Remember that there are seven of you.” “Yes,” the boy said, “but you don’t know my mother. She would say she didn’t want any pie and cut it in six pieces.”

There are times when a parent’s love exceeds available resources and they are not able to do everything they would like to do for their children. That never happens with God. He never sees a problem or need in our lives that He is not able to meet. While He allows us to experience difficulties and struggles as part of our process of becoming more like His Son, nothing that happens to us takes Him by surprise or taxes His resources.

The world around us is filled with examples and illustrations of both God’s power and His concern for even the smallest animals and plants that He made. When we think we are alone and must care for ourselves without His help, we are living just like the lost do. Instead, we should confidently trust that He will do what is best for us.

Today’s Growth Principle:
Because God is both all loving and all powerful, you can always trust Him to do what is best for you.

The Power of Spiritual Engagement

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The Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”    --Genesis 3:9 In Genesis 3:9 we find a very fascinating verse…when God called out to Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” Obviously, God wasn’t ignorant of where they were or what they were doing. Instead, I believe He wanted Adam and Eve to realize what they had done and come to grips with it I also believe God is asking you the same question today:  “Where are you?” He is asking, “How are you doing spiritually?”…not for His own sake, but for yours.  He wants you to realize where you are and what you’re doing. And He is asking this question because He loves you too much to let you stay put in your faith and become either sinful or stagnant. Too many times we go through our day or week and don’t take a spiritual assessment. And when we do stop and assess where we are…and we’re honest with ourselves…we must answer, “I’m not where I’m supposed to be.” Let me encourage you today to listen carefully to the voice of the Holy Spirit within you.  He is gently probing and asking you the important questions, to jar you back into reality. So, “Where are you?” God is asking, “Where are you?” What will your answer be today? Worry Doesn’t Make You Taller by Dr. Paul Chappell “And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Luke 12:25–27 Just about every little boy who dreamed of growing up to be a basketball player wanted to be taller. They looked up to those they saw on the court and realized that almost all of them were above average in height. But there are exceptions. Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues had a long NBA career as a professional basketball player, despite the fact that he stood only five feet three inches tall. His rookie year, one of his teammates was Manute Bol, who, at seven feet seven inches, was twenty-eight inches taller than Bogues! Despite his lack of height, Bogues developed a complete game that kept him in the league for fifteen years. Whether we are tall or short, one thing is certain—worrying about it won’t change it even a fraction of an inch. The right course to take when we have a challenge is to trust in the love and goodness of our Father in Heaven, and believe that He will do what He has promised to care for us. The world is filled with examples and illustrations of God’s goodness in the way that He has provided for the needs of all His creatures. Yet too often we think that somehow we are exceptions to His care, and must figure things out on our own. But as the old saying goes, worry is like a rocking chair. You may move back and forth and use up energy, but you aren’t getting anywhere. Worry doesn’t change things—it only takes away our strength. Today’s Growth Principle:  Choosing to worry, rather than trust God, only robs us of peace and joy without making things better.

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Don’t Worry

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?”
Luke 12:22–24
After Abraham Lincoln was elected president but before he took office, he was interviewed by the famous newspaper editor Horace Greeley. Greeley wanted information about the future and the looming threat of the Civil War. Lincoln responded with a story from his days as a lawyer. Lincoln said that he traveled on horseback from one court to another, and once after particularly heavy rain, found it difficult to cross the flooded streams. Nearing the Fox River, he stopped for the night. As he sat at supper, his dinner companion was a Methodist circuit riding preacher. Lincoln asked what he thought about crossing the Fox River in time of flood, and the old circuit rider replied, “I have one fixed rule regarding the Fox River—I never cross it until I come to it.”
So much of our lives are spent worrying about the future. People fret over health, money, politics, environment, relationships, and more. Yet worry has never made any situation better. You will never see a stressed out bird making an appointment with a therapist. They trust their Maker, and He feeds them. And even though we intellectually realize God’s care for even the smallest of animals, too often we fail to apply that same care to ourselves. The promises of God have not lost their power. He still stands ready and able to back up every promise. Still we act as though we have no source of help and must figure everything out on our own.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Every time we worry we insult our loving Heavenly Father and deny His promises are true. 

Only God Can Change You

by Joyce Meyer - posted May 23, 2016

The Lord will sustain, refresh, and strengthen him on his bed of languishing; all his bed You [O Lord] will turn, change, and transform in his illness. I said, Lord, be merciful and gracious to me; heal my inner self, for I have sinned against You.
—Psalm 41:3-4
Don't obsess over your faults, or you will never enjoy the life that Jesus died to give you. Only God can change you, so talk to Him about your desires. The Word says that those who wait on the Lord will change (see Isaiah 40:31).
Meanwhile, quit taking your flaws so seriously. Don't let discouragement or depression rob you of your energy and make you angry. If you do, you may take that anger out on other people and miss the blessings God has in store for you today. Enjoy yourself, and lighten up! Take the right steps today toward the change you want to make by asking God to help you all day long.

Faith & Grace: Working Together

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Time to Give an Account

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:20–21
In 1989, during filming for the television detective show B. L. Stryker, production assistants secured permission from the residents of a house in West Palm Beach, Florida, to stage a crash scene in front of the house. They warned the people that there was a possibility that there could be some damage to the lawn and the landscaping as a result, but were told to go ahead. At the last minute, a phone call from the irate owner of the house—who lived out of state in New York—halted their plans. The people living in the house were just renters, and did not have the right to authorize destruction of the property.
Everything that we have belongs to God. And one day we will face Him to give an account of how we have handled what He has entrusted to our care. This world is not meant to be our focus. All that we have will be left behind. As the old saying goes, “There are no pockets in a shroud.” We never see the funeral hearse followed by a U-Haul truck. The life that is focused only on this world is a foolish life, and it will not produce eternal rewards.
The rich fool in the parable believed he was thinking about the future as he planned to store up resources and enjoy a life of ease and comfort. But in reality his thinking was deceitfully short term. He had no thought of eternity, but found that his life was over before he expected it to be. We need to live each day with a consciousness of what truly matters and act accordingly.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

When God calls us to give account, we should be ready to do so gladly because we have used our lives well.

Faith & Grace: Working Together

by Joyce Meyer - posted May 22, 2016

For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God.
—Ephesians 2:8
Let me give you an illustration of the way that faith and grace work together to bring us the blessings of God. In my meetings I often take along a large electric fan that I set up on the speaker's platform. I call up a member of the audience and have her stand in front of the fan, telling her that I am going to cool her off. When the fan doesn't run even though I turn it on, I ask the audience, "What’s wrong? Why is this fan not running?"
Of course, the audience sees right away what's wrong: "It's not plugged in!" they yell. "That's right," I say, "and that's exactly what's wrong many times when our prayers are not answered." I explain that we get our eyes on faith (the fan), expecting it to do the work, but we fail to look beyond the fan to its source of power, which is the Lord.
Jesus had faith all the time He was suffering. He had faith while in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had faith before the high priest and Pilate. He had faith when He was being ridiculed, abused, and mistreated. He had faith on the way to Golgotha. He had faith while hanging on the cross. He even had faith while His body lay in the tomb; He had absolute faith that God would not leave Him there but would raise Him up, as He had promised. But do you realize that for all His faith, nothing happened until the power of God came forth to bring about the Resurrection?
His faith kept Him stable until the Father's appointed time for His deliverance. We can have all the faith in the world; but it will avail us nothing until it is "plugged in" to the source of power, which is the grace of God. Keep your eyes on God to deliver you—not your faith.

The King, The President, The Rulers in common

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Disappointed? Get Reappointed

by Joyce Meyer - posted May 21, 2016

Man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. How then can a man understand his way?
—Proverbs 20:24
This Scripture has stabilized my emotions many times when I was in a hurry to get somewhere and found myself at a standstill in traffic on the highway. Initially, I get a sinking feeling, then I get aggravated, and then I say, “Well, since my steps are ordered by the Lord, I will calm down and thank God that I am right where He wants me.” I also remind myself that God may be saving me from an accident farther down the road by keeping me where I am. Trusting God is absolutely wonderful because it soothes our wild thoughts and emotions when things don’t go the way we had planned.
I learned long ago that with God on our side, even though we will experience disappointments in life, we can always get “reappointed.” If you or I have a doctor’s appointment and he has an emergency and has to cancel, we simply make another appointment. Life can be that way, too. Trusting that God has a good plan for us, and that our steps are ordered by Him, is the key to preventing disappointment from turning into despair. How do you react when you get disappointed? How long does it take for you to make a transition and get reappointed? Are you acting on the Word of God or merely reacting emotionally to the circumstance? Are you controlled by what is around you, or by Jesus, Who lives inside you?
Trusting God completely and believing that His plan for you is right is infinitely better than trusting your own plan. It is impossible to be mad at someone you really believe has your best interest in mind. And God is always for us, never against us. He is the only One Who can help you and truly comfort you; therefore, it is much better to run to Him in your disappointment than away from Him.
Trust in Him: Trust God to reappoint you—when you do, it will calm your thoughts and emotions.

The Peril of Prosperity

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”
Luke 12:16–19
In his book Money for Nothing, Edward Ungel recounts the results of his investigation into the lives of people who won large jackpots playing the lottery. He tells the tragic story of Abraham Shakespeare, who won $30 million in 2006. Shakespeare was hounded by relatives and acquaintances for money and found himself surrounded by new friends who offered to help him. One of them, Dorice Moore, convinced him to transfer his assets to her to “protect” them, not long before she ended his life. A few weeks before he was killed, Shakespeare told his mother that he wished he had never won.
While many people dream of getting rich, they fail to understand that wealth does not take away problems and temptations; it simply changes their nature and scope. In fact, while great wealth is often viewed as a blessing, it can be the means of destruction for those who refuse to heed the wisdom and instruction of God. “For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them” (Proverbs 1:32). Money is not evil, and having money is not wrong. It is simply a tool that we should use for eternal purposes. The danger comes when our focus is taken away from the eternal by the temporal resources so many try so hard to obtain.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

If our trust is in God rather than our own resources, money will not have an unhealthy hold on us.

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CURRENT RADIO SERIES The Power of Prayer   CURRENT TV SERIES LifeWorks

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.   --1 Corinthians 10:13 Over the years, as I have read Genesis 3, I have often asked myself a very obvious question. Why was Eve just hanging around and talking to the serpent? I’m not really sure why she was there, but hanging out by the forbidden tree was not the place to be that day! When Satan tempts you and me, the Bible is very clear as to what we are supposed to do:  Run!  The Bible says to flee the devil and his temptations. We shouldn’t try to debate him. We just need to get out of there! Getting into a debate or discussion with Satan is a losing proposition. We aren’t smart enough or powerful enough to outwit him. And Eve learned that the hard way! It really comes down to personal choice. The devil will always come at us with the same lies. And God knows that we are weaker than Satan, and that’s why He gives us a “back door” of escape in every temptation.  And it’s our choice whether we resist him or engage him. But unfortunately, we can sometimes let our pride get the better of us and we end up doing things our way. I encourage you today, when Satan throws temptation your way, turn to God and ask Him to show you that way of escape.  And when He does, take it and run as fast as you can from that enemy of your soul! Don’t try to outwit Satan because that’s a losing battle.  What Makes a Life by Dr. Paul Chappell “And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Luke 12:13–15 In his classic story “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” Tolstoy tells of a greedy man who wanted a vast estate. He is offered what seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. For a small sum of money, he can have all the land he can travel around in one day’s time. Beginning early in the morning, Pahom sets out, determined to claim the best land he finds and as much as he can. He stops to rest and eat only reluctantly, and pushes himself to cover more and more ground. Finally he makes a desperate rush to return to the starting point before sundown so that he does not forfeit his money and his land. He reaches the hill just as the sun sets and falls dead from exhaustion. Tolstoy concludes, “Pahom was dead! The Bashkirs clicked their tongues to show their pity. His servant picked up the spade and dug a grave long enough for Pahom to lie in, and buried him in it. Six feet from his head to his heels was all he needed.” All of us face the temptation to be covetous and to give our energy and attention to acquiring the things that we think will bring us happiness and contentment. But no amount of acquisition can substitute for peace in the heart. And the things of this world are only temporal. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (1 Timothy 6:7). Today’s Growth Principle:  A life focused only on the things of this world will never make a real impact for eternity.

How much are you worth?

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A short parable about self-confidence

Once, a youth went to see a wise man, and said to him:
’I have come seeking advice, for I am tormented by feelings of worthlessness and no longer wish to live. Everyone tells me that I am a failure and a fool. I beg you, Master, help me!’
The wise man glanced at the youth, and answered hurriedly: ’Forgive me, but I am very busy right now and cannot help you. There is one urgent matter in particular which I need to attend to...’ — and here he stopped, for a moment, thinking, then added: ’But if you agree to help me, I will happily return the favour.’
’Of...of course, Master!’ muttered the youth, noting bitterly that yet again his concerns had been dismissed as unimportant. ’Good’, said the wise man, and took off a small ring with a beautiful gem from his finger.
’Take my horse and go to the market square! I urgently need to sell this ring in order to pay off a debt. Try to get a decent price for it, and do not settle for anything less than one gold coin! Go right now, and come back as quick as you can!’
The youth took the ring and galloped off. When he arrived at the market square, he showed it to the various traders, who at first examined it with close interest. But no sooner had they heard that it would sell only in exchange for gold than they completely lost interest. Some of the traders laughed openly at the boy, others simply turned away. Only one aged merchant was decent enough to explain to him that a gold coin was too high a price to pay for such a ring, and that he was more likely to be offered only copper, or at best, possibly silver.
When he heard these words, the youth became very upset, for he remembered the old man’s instruction not to accept anything less than gold. Having already gone through the whole market looking for a buyer among hundreds of people, he saddled the horse and set off. Feeling thoroughly depressed by his failure, he returned to see the wise man.
’Master, I was unable to carry out your request’, he said. ’At best I would have been able to get a couple of silver coins, but you told me not to agree to anything less than gold! But they told me that this ring isn’t worth that much.’
’That’s a very important point, my boy!’ the wise man responded. Before trying to sell a ring, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to establish how valuable it really is! And who can do that better than a jeweller? Ride over to him and find out what his price is. Only don’t sell it to him, regardless of what he offers you! Instead, come back to me straightaway.’
The young man once more leapt up on to the horse and set off to see the jeweller. The latter examined the ring through a magnifying glass for a long time, then weighed it on a set of tiny scales. Finally, he turned to the youth and said:
’Tell your master that right now I can’t give him more than 58 gold coins for it. But if he gives me some time, I will buy the ring for 70.’
’70 gold coins?!’ exclaimed the youth. He laughed, thanked the jeweller and rushed back at full speed to the wise man. When the latter heard the story from the now animated youth, he told him: ’Remember, my boy, that you are like this ring. Precious, and unique! And only a real expert can appreciate your true value. So why are you wasting your time wandering through the market and heeding the opinion of any old fool?’

The Work of the Holy Spirit

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”
Luke 12:10–12
Charles M. Alexander, who was the song leader for many of R. A. Torrey’s great revival campaigns told of attending a service in Tennessee where people were praying for God’s power on their lives. One of those who was loudest in prayers was known in the church for continual backsliding and going away from God. Alexander said that once, as that man prayed for “the filling of the Holy Spirit,” a woman who was sitting nearby watching, knowing his pattern of hot and cold living prayed aloud, “Don’t bother filling him, Lord. He leaks!”
The Holy Spirit who indwells our lives from the moment of salvation is given to us both as a guide for our lives and as a seal that God will never forsake us. But we must walk according to His guidance if we are to benefit from it. Paul wrote, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). This is a direction—not for a one-time event, but for a continuing action. We all “leak” and need to yield ourselves to Him to be filled again and again.
The Holy Spirit only guides and teaches those who are listening. Through our obstinance and refusal to obey, however, we can hinder His work in our lives and disappoint and sadden Him: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).

Today’s Growth Principle: 

A Christian who does not walk in the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit will find that his walk is not pleasing to God.

Be a Lifetime Learner

by Joyce Meyer - posted May 19, 2016

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…
—Ecclesiastes 9:10
Over the years we have released several great people from the ministry because they did not continue with their training, even when we offered it to them, so they could go into the future with us. It has always amazed me how some people will be aggressive and obtain whatever training they need to be all they can be in life, while others do nothing but complain because nobody is dropping opportunities in their lap.
We don’t deserve a promotion and pay raise just because we sit in a company chair for another year. We must be willing to be more valuable to our employer, and the only way we can do that is by taking more responsibility or doing the job we do better than we have done it in the past.
Be a lifetime learner. Read, listen, and learn. Go to school or take special classes to keep up with advancing technology in your field. If you make an investment, you will reap a reward. The more you know about what you are doing, the more confidence you will have. The more confidence you have, the more confidence others will be able to place in you. If you get prepared now, you will be promoted later.
Lord, I don’t want to be left behind in my life because I was too lazy or inattentive to get the training I need to stay current and relevant. Help me to invest in the right things that will reap a reward. Amen.

Thank God today that he has a plan for your life.

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CURRENT RADIO SERIES The Power of Prayer   CURRENT TV SERIES LifeWorks

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.   --Jeremiah 29:11 God has a good plan for you, and He has had it right from the beginning! That’s right; even before He laid the foundation of the world; God wanted your life to accomplish something wonderful for Him. God believed in the plans He had for you so much that He sent His Son to die on a cross, so that you may be able to succeed for eternity. Because of that sacrificial gift of love, you can live your life according to the great hope and joy that He has planned for you. None of us are perfect, and we will fall short from time to time.  But we can always get back on the road that the Lord wants us to be on. God has a wonderful plan for you…and a wonderful destination.  But you must choose if you want to fulfill those plans. Make the choice today to live for Christ and walk down whatever path He takes you. And when you run off the path, stop, look to God for guidance, and get back on the right path. God has great and unimaginable plans for you.  Plans for a future and a hope!   Thank God today that he has a plan for your life. The Great Shame of Being Ashamed of Jesus by Dr. Paul Chappell “Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8–9 In 1765 Joseph Grigg published a hymn that was taken from a poem he had apparently written as a ten-year-old boy. It began: “Jesus! and shall it ever be! A mortal man ashamed of Thee? Scorn’d be the thought by rich and poor; O may I scorn it more and more!” In our society, it is becoming less and less socially acceptable to declare allegiance to Jesus Christ and to follow the teachings of the Word of God. We still have the historical veneer of a generic and vague religiosity, but to stand and say that Jesus is the only way to Heaven is sure to spark protests and objections. The more our culture turns its back on Jesus, the more important it is for us to take a clear, uncompromising, and determined stand that we are His followers and that we proudly bear His name. The early church faced opposition because of their insistence on preaching Jesus. The high priest insisted that they stop using His name. “Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us” (Acts 5:28). More than anything else, the religious leaders did not want Jesus’ name proclaimed—but that is exactly what the disciples preached. What our world needs is not better methods, but the original message. Our wisdom and philosophy will not change the world, but the Saviour will. “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ” (Acts 5:42). Today’s Growth Principle:  The name of Jesus that we carry is an identifying mark we must never be ashamed to claim before the world.