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Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.       --Isaiah 45:22 It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, or where you’ve been, no one is too far gone for Jesus. I think that statement’s important enough that it’s worth repeating: No one is too far gone for Jesus.  No one!  And there’s no better evidence of this than the woman that Jesus met at the well. When Jesus meets this woman she has been used and abused.  She has been divorced five times and was living with her boyfriend.  She was a mess!  At least, she was a mess to the people around her.  Even so, Christ reached out to her with the living water of eternal life.  And her life was transformed instantly and eternally! This woman…a woman who had been ravaged by regrets and failures and brokenness…this wasted, burned out woman…was made brand new because of the power of Jesus Christ which began to change her!  She wasn’t too far gone for the Lord Jesus! And the application in your life and my life is clear.  No one around us…no matter how wasted, burned out, or strung out they may seem…is too far gone for Jesus Christ. And you know what else?  Neither are you! In John 4:13, Jesus says, “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever.  The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Jesus says whoever drinks of the water that He gives will have eternal life!  Like I said before, it doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, or where you’ve been.  None of us is ever too far gone for Jesus Christ. It’s my prayer that no matter what your past may hold, you will turn to God today! No one on this earth is too far gone for Jesus.  The Basis of Rewards by Dr. Paul Chappell “Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.” Luke 19:16–19 There is an old story about a missionary returning to America by boat after many years of faithful service in Africa. When the boat pulled into New York harbor, there was a huge crowd at the docks to welcome it. On that same vessel was former President Teddy Roosevelt, returning from his famous African safari. The crowds cheered and the band played as the people welcomed Roosevelt home. The missionary said that at first he was somewhat disappointed to see the recognition given to the President while he received none, but then he had this thought: the President is home—you are not. The world may never notice what we do for the Lord. In fact, the more faithful and diligent we are about His business the less popular we are likely to be. Yet God is not interested in whether we become famous and well-liked by the world. Instead He is watching to see whether we have made the most of the talents, resources, abilities, and opportunities He gives to us. In God’s eyes, small actions done out of love and service for Him matter a great deal. Nothing escapes His notice. Jesus said, “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42). Though we think of a drink as being a small thing, the Lord sees even those “little” things and marks them down on our record for when we stand before Him. Today’s Growth Principle:  God is looking for faithfulness, not notoriety, when it comes to determining our rewards.

WOW! =)

Relentlessly pursue Jesus Christ

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But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  --Matthew 6:33 In Matthew chapter 15, we see how the Canaanite women relentlessly pursued Jesus…how her faith in Christ was daring…desperate…and determined. Which leads me to the question, what does your faith look like today?  How relentless are you in your pursuit of Jesus Christ? Think about that Canaanite woman for a moment.  Think about all the obstacles she had to overcome to get to Jesus.  She was a social outcast.  The religious people of her day had turned their backs on her.  More than likely, she was responsible for her daughter being possessed by a demon.  And not only that, Jesus didn’t respond to her the first time she called out to Him! Yet she still came to Jesus.  She still pursued Him.  She still sought His blessing in her life.  And as a result, Jesus said, “O woman, great is your faith!”  And forever she is an example in God’s Word of a person of relentless faith. Maybe today, your kids have turned their backs on you or on God.  Maybe your parents are far from God…with no desire to know Him personally.  Maybe your friend doesn’t know the Lord and is making all the wrong decisions in life.  And maybe Satan is saying to you, “It’s a lost cause!  Give up!  I’ve got them now!” Don’t you believe a word of it!  Keep running relentlessly to Jesus!  Keep crying out to the One who said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  Literally, keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking! Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  Trust in this promise today…as you relentlessly pursue Jesus Christ! Relentlessly pursue Jesus Christ with a daring, desperate and determined faith.    Time to Give an Account by Dr. Paul Chappell “But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.” Luke 19:14–15 George Bernard Shaw is widely regarded as one of the most influential writers of the English language. His dozens of plays and books made a huge impact on society. But Shaw had no use for God or religion, choosing instead to go his own way. It is said that near the end of his life, he was interviewed by a reporter who asked, “Mr. Shaw, if you could live your life over and be anybody you’ve known, or any person from history, who would you be?” “I would choose,” replied Shaw “to be the man George Bernard Shaw could have been, but never was.” All of us will one day stand before God to give an account of our lives. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). We will be measured not by comparing our lives to what others have done, but by how fully we have lived up to the potential that God entrusted to us to use in His work. God does not give us talents and abilities solely for our own benefit. Each of us have different levels of gifts and resources, and there is coming a day when we will answer to God for how we have used the time and treasure that are His gifts. We are not free agents but servants and stewards. Today’s Growth Principle:  If you live today in light of the coming accounting to God, you will not be ashamed when you stand before Him.

Satan's Lie and God's Truth

My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness =)

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Working till Jesus Comes

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.”
Luke 19:12–13
Harry Ironside’s father died when he was a young boy, so he went to work at an early age to help support the family. He got a job with a shoe cobbler who was a devout Christian man. Ironside’s task was to pound the leather for the bottom of the shoes after they were soaked and cut to shape so they would dry. It was a long and tedious task. There was another cobbler in town who skipped that step, using wet leather for the soles. Once Ironside asked him about it, and he pointed out that though the quality was less, it created return business because his customers had to come back for repairs.
When Ironside suggested this measure to his boss, he rejected it—not for financial reasons but for spiritual ones. Ironside wrote, “Mr. Mackay stopped his work and opened his Bible. ‘Harry,’ he said, ‘I do not cobble shoes just for the four bits and six bits that I get from my customers. I expect to see every shoe I have ever repaired in a big pile at the judgment seat of Christ, and I do not want the Lord to say to me in that day, ‘Dan, this was a poor job. You did not do your best here.’ I want Him to be able to say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”
God has commanded us to be diligent in our work. This is true whether we are at work in the church, on the job, or at home. Every task is worthy of our faithful labor. While the world has devalued diligence and effort, God still sees and rewards those who work faithfully.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

All of our work in every part of life is meant to be done to bring glory to God.

Catch it Early

by Joyce Meyer - posted August 28, 2016

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
- 1 Peter 5:8-9
In the United States, there is an over-the-counter medication advertised as the medicine to take at the first indication of a cold, to keep it from getting worse and becoming full-blown. I take a lot of vitamin C if I have a scratchy throat or a runny nose because it often keeps me from getting worse. Catching something before it goes too far is wisdom.
I recommend that anytime you even begin to feel fearful about anything that you immediately begin to pray and confess, "I will not live in fear." You will see amazing results. When we pray, God hears and answers. When we confess His Word, we renew our own minds and come into agreement with His plans for us. No matter what God wants to do for us, we must agree with Him in order to receive and enjoy it (see Amos 3:3). We must learn to think like God thinks and talk like He talks—and none of His thoughts or words are fearful.
This thought—I will not live in fear—will help you become courageous rather than fearful. Call it to mind the instant you begin to feel fear, and meditate on it even during the times when you are not afraid.
By doing this you will be even more prepared to stand against fear when it does come. Remember that it will take time; be committed to stick with it until you see change. I still say, "I will not live in fear." Say it as soon as you feel fearful about anything, and you will be able to keep fear from controlling you. You may still feel fear, but you can move beyond it by realizing that it is merely the devil's attempt to prevent you from enjoying life or making any kind of progress. Do what you believe you are supposed to do even if you have to "do it afraid."
Trust in Him: What can you do to "catch it early" and not let fear control you? Trust that God does not want you to live a life of fear.

Matthew 7:21-23

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God’s Schedule or Ours?

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.”
Luke 19:11
George Matheson experienced great hardship in his life. He showed enormous academic promise as a young man and was preparing for the ministry when he lost his eyesight. His fiancée was unwilling to marry a man who was blind and broke their engagement. Matheson never married, but he faithfully pastored for many years in Scotland and preached for Queen Victoria when she visited her castle at Balmoral. Today he is best remembered for a poem he wrote on the day of his sister’s wedding which we know as the hymn “O Love that Will Not Let Me Go.”
Matheson wrote, “We commonly associate patience with lying down. We think of it as the angel that guards the couch of the invalid. Yet there is a patience that I believe to be harder—the patience that can run. To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength; but I know of something that implies a strength greater still: it is the power to work under stress; to have a great weight at your heart and still run; to have a deep anguish in your spirit and still perform the daily tasks. It is a Christ-like thing! The hardest thing is that most of us are called to exercise our patience, not in the sickbed but in the street.”
One of the main reasons that many people rejected Jesus as the Messiah was that He had not come to establish an immediate earthly kingdom. They had no interest in waiting for the timing that God had ordained—they wanted deliverance immediately. Too often we fail to submit our will to God’s timing for our lives.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

When we are impatient, we are declaring that we think we know how our lives should go better than God does.

Calm in Adversity

by Joyce Meyer - posted August 27, 2016

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity....
– Psalm 94:12-13
According to Exodus 13:17, When Pharaoh let the people go, God led them not by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer (emphasis added). There was a shorter route, but God took the Israelites the long, hard way on purpose because they were not ready for the battles they would face. He continued to work with them during forty years of wandering, waiting for them to get to the point where they could praise Him in their adversity.
God will continue dealing with us until we learn how to stay peaceful in the storm. Nothing shows our spiritual maturity more than staying calm when our circumstances are not calm. Stability is a sign of maturity, and the more mature we are, the more God can trust us with His power and blessings.
Power Thought: I have the power of God to remain calm in adversity.

Grace

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And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.   --John 1:16 As human beings, you and I sin. We mess up. In fact, you’ve probably already messed up today! But the Scripture contains an amazing promise for you and me. It’s found in today’s verse. Do you know what “grace upon grace” means? It means that as believers, God’s grace keeps flowing into our lives like the waves of the sea that just keep coming again and again and again. It’s grace upon grace upon grace upon grace upon grace upon grace! It’s not as though we received God’s grace five years ago and we’re still trying to hang on to that grace. No. We keep receiving grace, grace, grace, grace and more grace… His marvelous grace. We never run out of the grace of God because His grace is infinite! God gives us His grace the moment we’re saved… and He continues to give us His grace each day… for daily strength and endurance to face the trials and temptations of life. Lamentations 3:21-23 promise us, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” God’s grace is new every morning! And it’s my prayer today that you’d be encouraged to know you have this daily grace as a follower of Jesus Christ. Walk in this light today… and every day… as you faithfully follow Him! God gives us his grace to face the trials and temptations we face each day.

Walking with Jesus Pursuing Sinners

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Luke 19:9–10
Alice Knight told the story of an elderly lady in New York City in the 1800s who made her living washing clothes. She was known as Sophie the Scrubwoman, and everyone who met her soon knew that she loved Jesus. She was often seen going about witnessing to those she met. One day she was seen witnessing to a wooden Indian that stood outside a cigar store. When someone pointed it out to her, she replied, “I didn’t know I was talking to a wooden Indian about Christ. My eyesight is very bad. But talking to a wooden Indian about Christ is not as bad as being a wooden Christian and never talking to anybody about the Lord Jesus!”
If we are going to truly be followers of Jesus, we must shape our lives and priorities in the same way that He did. His constant purpose, always at the front of His mind and actions, was to bring the message and hope of salvation to those who were lost. It did not matter if they were rich or poor, spiritual leaders or pagans, Jesus told people about salvation everywhere He went. He shared the truth of the gospel with those who were respected and those who were despised. It was His overwhelming passion and purpose, and it shaped everything that He did.
Because Christ was perfect, every trait of His is worthy of our following. But what was most important to Him must also be our priority if we are to walk in His steps. If we can ignore the urgent need of the lost and dying world around us, our heart is not in tune with His.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

It is impossible to truly be like Jesus without a pressing burden for reaching those who are lost.

Building Wealth =)

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There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.   --Romans 8:1-2 In the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, we see a remarkable story about a madman who was set free by the Lord Jesus Christ from the evil that tormented his life. And it’s a great reminder of what Jesus has done for you and me!  Without Christ, we’re madmen who are addicted to sin…broken and bruised…self-destructive…hurting ourselves, our families, and our friends. But when we ask Jesus into our lives, He doesn’t just clean us up.  He sets us free and gives us a brand new heart! We read what God does for our hearts in Ezekiel 11:19-20 when He says, “I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them.  I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them.  And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” You see, being a Christian isn’t about getting cleaned up and then trying to hang on for dear life!  No, coming to Christ means you have the power of Jesus to overcome your habits, your addictions, and your sins.  You’re no longer on your own! The apostle Paul reinforces this in 2 Corinthians 5:17 when he says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” It’s not just getting the evil out.  It’s getting the power of God in!  That’s what changes you. When Christ comes to live in you and clothes you with His brand new righteousness…the righteousness of God Himself…then the love of sin is replaced with a love of God!  The love of sinful passion and sinful pleasure is replaced with a love for holy purposes and passions that honor God.  The old you passes away…and the new you takes its place! I pray this glorious promise encourages your heart today…and that you will take time to thank God for the incredible and powerful work He has done for you! In Jesus Christ, you are a new creation… free from the bondage of sin Salvation Changes Things by Dr. Paul Chappell “And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” Luke 19:7–8 Though we are told almost nothing about Zacchaeus and his life, what we know from history and the culture of the time tells us that he was a man to whom money was very important. The Romans often used local citizens to collect the taxes they imposed on conquered nations. This made those who chose to be publicans hated by their countrymen who saw them as collaborators with the enemy. Even worse, because they worked on what was basically a quota system and were allowed to keep all that they collected above that amount, many of them were corrupt and extremely wealthy. Money mattered to them more than loyalty to their country or fairness to their people. Yet when Zacchaeus met Jesus, he immediately underwent a remarkable transformation. He did not, of course, get saved by giving away money. But, as an expression of his gratitude for what he recognized Jesus was offering him and an indication of his new priorities, he publicly declared a very generous offering to meet the needs of the poor. Further he was willing to go the extra mile in making things right with anyone he had taken advantage of in his office as publican. Meeting Jesus truly changed the life of Zacchaeus. When a person trusts Christ as Saviour, things change in their life. The change is not always as obvious as it was with Zacchaeus, but change is always the result of salvation. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Today’s Growth Principle:  Our lives should give clear evidence to the fact that we have truly experienced God’s transforming salvation.

Trust and Faith =)

Choose to follow Jesus Christ

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And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security. --Job 11:18 I want you to think about Jesus’ words, “Follow Me” for a moment.  They were written in Matthew 9:9 as an imperative…a command. Jesus didn’t ask Matthew to follow Him if he felt like it.  No.  Jesus said, “Follow Me.  Start today…and follow me for the rest of your life.  Don’t ever stop following Me.” But I want you to notice too that the words Follow Me actually mean “to walk along side the road with me.”  Jesus, the great God of the universe, told Matthew…a social outcast…to walk with Him! And you know what?  Jesus says the same thing to you today!  The great God of the universe is saying to you, “Follow Me.”  Not “Walk way behind Me,” but “Walk with Me.”  God wants to be your friend! “But Pastor,” you say, “there are things in my past…things that God could never forgive me for.  It’s too late for me.” I’m here to tell you today that Jesus Christ is passing your way.  And He’s calling your name and saying, “Follow Me”!  This is a great deal!  You can leave your sin and your past and walk into a brand new life and a brand new future with the Lord. Take Jesus up on His offer to follow Him today!  Your life will never be the same. Choose to follow Jesus Christ today and walk into a new life of joy, hope and peace A Saviour Who Seeks Sinners by Dr. Paul Chappell “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.” Luke 19:5–6 The defining characteristic of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ was His great burden for people. He felt a deep sympathy for them, and, even when others did not care, Jesus did. “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Jesus felt a compulsion to reach out to everyone, especially to those who were despised and looked down on. When He saw Zacchaeus perched in a tree, He called to him, even though as a tax collector Zacchaeus was hated by the people—but not by Jesus. He cared for the lost man, and offered him salvation. In his book The Soul Winner’s Fire, Dr. John Rice wrote about the evangelist Gypsy Smith who saw many trust Christ under his preaching: “A preacher’s heart is far more important than his head. It is heart preaching that has power, not head preaching. In Kansas City after the service an old preacher came into the room where the Gypsy was sitting. Thousands were being blessed and hundreds saved. The older minister placed his hands upon the evangelist’s head and felt about it. ‘I am trying to find the secret of your success,’ he said. ‘Too high! Too high! My friend, you are too high,’ Gypsy said. ‘The secret of whatever success God has given me is not up there but down here,’ and he placed his hand upon his heart! Gypsy Smith never had a day’s schooling from men, yet he preached to the multitudes for sixty years. As he preached, I saw tears course down his cheeks, and my own heart was stirred, warmed and blessed.” Today’s Growth Principle:  If we are truly to be like Jesus, then we must be motivated and driven to reach the lost with the gospel.

Satan's 3 Lies

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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. --2 Corinthians 5:17 If you walk into any bookstore today or browse an internet bookseller, you’ll find volume upon volume of self-improvement books…books about how to change and improve your life. So many of us fall into the trap of thinking that changing our jobs…changing our appearance…or changing our environment will make us happy.  But it just isn’t true! All of these external changes may temporarily improve your life…they may better your life for a time…but none of them can change your life.  You may move around.  You may change cars.  You may even change jobs.  But you know what?  Wherever you go, it’s the same old you, right? It’s not that your circumstances or your surroundings need to change.  It’s that your heart that needs to change.  It’s your heart that needs a new birth. The Bible is pretty clear when it talks about our hearts.  In Jeremiah 17:9, it says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick.”  The heart, according to the Bible, is not good! Which means your heart needs a spiritual transformation.  I’m not talking about a resolution…promising to be better, do better, or live better.  I’m talking about a revolution! It’s something so radical, so dramatic, that it’s like beginning life all over again!  It’s a new beginning!  It’s an inward change!  Your heart undergoes a spiritual transformation when God takes it and transplants it with His love and His heart. So my challenge to you today is…let God transform your heart.  Realize that no external change can truly make you joyful or fulfilled.  Only a heart transformed by God will.  So let Him create a new beginning in you today! A Desire to See God by Dr. Paul Chappell “And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.” Luke 19:1–4 In 2009 police in Utah received several phone calls reporting a car that was driving erratically. When an officer got close to the vehicle, the driver pulled to a stop, jumped out and ran inside a nearby house. The guilty driver was just seven years old! When police entered the home, the boy was explaining to his father that he had taken the keys and driven off in the car because he did not want to go to church that morning. There are times when our relationship with God is not what it should be and we have no desire for His presence. But when we are walking in fellowship with Him, there is nothing sweeter than the sense that He is near to us. The main thing that comes between us and intimate fellowship with God and with other Christians is sin. Whether it is a sin that we are clinging to and do not want to give up or whether it is guilt that we should no longer be carrying because we have confessed and forsaken a sin in the past, there is a real division that comes in our relationship with God because of sin. This has been true ever since the Fall in the Garden of Eden: “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:9–10). Today’s Growth Principle:  If our hearts are not eager for time spent with God and His people, it is a sign that something is wrong in our lives.

Quote of the Day =)

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Faith Impacts Others

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.”
Luke 18:42–43
The core of Napoleon’s army was an elite force known as the Old Guard. These veteran soldiers were selected from those who had shown the most skill and courage in battle. The members of “The Immortals” as they were known across Europe took great pride in their reputation that they had never lost a battle. The story goes that at one point when the enemy forces were gaining ground, Napoleon told his trumpeter to sound retreat. The young man drew himself up to his full height and replied, “I don’t know that bugle call!” Instead he played the charge. The men, thinking reinforcements were on the way moved forward with new spirit and won the battle.
We most often think of faith as a personal matter, and it is that. But it is more—our faith, or our lack of faith, impacts those around us in powerful ways. When one man refuses to give in to doubt, others are encouraged to believe. When one woman refuses to give in to temptation, others are encouraged to do right. When one church attempts to do great things for God in faith, others are challenged to renew their efforts to reach the lost and make disciples.
The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation. Paul reminds us, “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself” (Romans 14:7). Everything that we do has an impact on those around us. When we are faithful and see God work in our lives, it both honors and glorifies Him, and it serves as an inspiration and example to others of what He is able to do for them if they will walk in faithful obedience.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

By walking in faith, we not only please God with our lives, but we encourage others to do the same.

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Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.        --Philippians 4:6 To pray successfully, we must pray with conviction. What does it mean to pray with conviction? In Nehemiah 1:5-6, Nehemiah prays, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant….” In these verses, Nehemiah is praying with conviction because he knows that his God is in control. When it seemed like everything was out of control in Jerusalem, Nehemiah knew that God was still on His throne. Nehemiah knew that the Lord would answer his prayer because He was a great and awesome God. Because He was a wonderful God. Because He was a faithful God. Because He was a God who could meet all of Nehemiah’s needs! And in just the same way, God can handle any problem in your life. Do you believe that today? God is bigger… God is greater… than any situation or crisis in your life. And the first thing Nehemiah did is the first thing that you ought to do when you have a problem, a crisis, or a need: You need to turn it over to God. You need to give it to God, not as your last chance, but as your first choice! When you know that God is above all and that He has everything under control… and when you know that your place is surrendered under the lordship of Christ, then you can find your place and know your prayers will be answered! Trust that God can handle any problem in your life.

Quote of the Day =)

You're the Best =)

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What Do You Want Most?

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.”
Luke 18:39–41
As a young man, David Livingstone was challenged when he heard the missionary Robert Moffat talk of seeing the campfires of a thousand villages where the name of Jesus had never been heard. He committed his life to taking the gospel to Africa, and he became one of the greatest missionaries in history. Though Livingstone gained great fame as an explorer, he cared about reaching the lost above all else. After Livingstone died, his body was returned to England where it was buried with great honor in Westminster Abbey. But before they prepared his body for shipment, the people for whom Livingstone had given so much cut out his heart and buried it beneath a tall tree near his final camp. They said later that his heart belonged in Africa.
When Jesus asked the blind beggar what he most wanted the Lord to do for him, he did not need to consider or weigh his options. There was one thing that he desired above all else, and he plainly asked Jesus for it.
There is enormous power found in a focused life—where instead of dashing heedlessly from one thing to the next we are focused on something that truly matters. Paul was able to say, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14).

Today’s Growth Principle: 

When we love God more than anything else, our lives will be devoted to His service.

The Best Relationship You Can Have

by Joyce Meyer - posted August 21, 2016

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me.
- Revelation 3:20
We have the great privilege of developing a relationship with God and inviting Him to be a vital part of everything we do, every day. That starts with simple prayer—just talking to Him and sharing your life with Him as you go about the things you have to do. Be thankful that His presence is with you, and include Him in your thoughts, in your conversations, and in all your everyday activities.
When you let God out of the Sunday-morning box that many people keep Him in, letting Him invade your Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and all day Sunday as well, you’ll be amazed at what a difference it will make. Don’t try to keep God in a religious compartment; He wants to have free access to every area of your life. He wants to be involved in every part of your life. He desires an intimate relationship with you.
Prayer of Thanks: I thank You, God, that You love me enough to want to be in relationship with me. I want to share every part of my life with You. Help me to remember that You are with me every minute of the day.

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Blind Beggars Crying for Mercy

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”
Luke 18:35–38
If you’ve ever visited a third world country, you know how persistent needy beggars can be. They don’t take the first “no” for an answer. They follow you down the street, asking for help. And while a few of them may be professional beggars, using the kindness of others as a way to avoid work, many of them are truly in desperate need. That sense of desperation gives an urgency to their requests. They do not merely want help—they need it.
The blind beggar outside Jericho was not shy about making his needs known. He was calling out at the top of his lungs, begging Jesus to stop and help him. He knew full well that he was blind and that he had no hope apart from this miracle-working teacher he had heard so many people talk about as they passed his place by the side of the road. He received mercy because he knew his need and cried out for it.
Too often we fail to realize our utter dependence on God. We wrongly think we don’t need God’s help. The stern warning to the church at Laodicea includes this description of their self-deception: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17). As Christians, we need God’s grace, mercy, and strength to live for Him just as much as we did when we were lost and in need of salvation.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

When we see ourselves in desperate need of God’s grace and mercy, we will seek His face with intensity.