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The Danger of False Teachers

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
2 Peter 2:1–3

There is an array of religious material and instruction available today. There are books, audio and video series, teaching programs, broadcasts, and online teaching on almost any topic you can imagine. Yet, when a vast quantity of those teachings are evaluated in light of God’s Word, it quickly becomes apparent that they do not match. In fact, our world is overflowing with false doctrine and false teachers.
This spread of heretical teaching should not come as a surprise because it is not new. There may be more forms of communication and availability of such teaching in our day, but warnings about false prophets are thousands of years old. The Apostle John warned, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
Each of us has a responsibility to be careful about the influences and teaching we allow into our hearts and minds. We cannot blindly accept a teacher just because he is popular or well spoken. Some of the most eloquent pulpiteers of history have been purveyors of heresy. While we must also be careful not to become critical and harsh, we must not allow anyone or anything to draw us away from the unchanged and unchangeable truth of the Bible.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Do not accept any teaching or teacher, no matter how eloquent, who contradicts the Word of God.

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But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. --John 20:31 The 20th chapter of John is an amazing conclusion to the final events of Jesus’ life on earth. In this single chapter we see Jesus resurrected from the dead, appearing to the disciples, and celebrating together with them. In publishing terminology, this is a great climax to an extraordinary adventure and a perfect close to the Gospels.                                                                                                                     Just look at the last verse of this chapter, John 20:31, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” This single verse captures the entire theme of the gospel. But the fact is, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John did not conclude his Gospel with chapter 20. He gave us an epilogue… a final word, if you will, to wrap up the story. Clearly, John wanted us to know the rest of Simon Peter’s story. And for this reason, you and I ought to thank God for John 21. We need to see how Peter moved beyond failing Jesus to becoming the leader of the newborn Church. Are you struggling to move beyond defeat? Jesus can restore you just as he did Simon Peter! Let Jesus add another chapter to your life. Let him restore you to himself and give you a new beginning. JESUS CAN RESTORE YOU JUST AS HE RESTORED SIMON PETER!

Look at the Source

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
Matthew 12:34–36

As part of his pioneering missionary work in Africa, David Livingstone spent time on his travels exploring so future missionaries would be able to work in the heart of Africa. As an explorer, he made major geographical discoveries at a time when the interior of the continent was largely unknown to the outside world. After making one of the first successful crossings of Africa from the Atlantic to Indian Oceans, Livingstone’s final great expedition was a search to verify whether Lake Victoria in Tanzania was indeed the source of the Nile River as earlier explorers had speculated. Although Livingstone didn’t reach Lake Victoria, he was correct that it was the source of the great Nile River.
Just as understanding the source of the Nile would shape Europeans’ understanding of the continent of Africa, so it is for us when we understand the source from which our words and actions flow—which is our hearts. It is what is inside, rather than outward circumstances and events that dictates our responses. When people speak harsh and biting words, or respond with a lack of compassion and love toward others, it shows that there is an internal problem. Too often we make excuses for ourselves or others, saying things like, “I didn’t really mean that.” Yet Jesus taught that our words are the overflow of our hearts.
If we are focused on changing our behavior by changing our surroundings, we are doomed to failure. The only way we can make the outside what it should be is to first fix what is on the inside. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). When we love God and love others as we are commanded to do, it will impact our words and deeds.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

If you want your words and actions to be right, you must first make sure your heart is right.

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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 until you’ve done something for someone who cannot pay you back.”

Something Worth the Risk

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Acts 15:24–26

On November 19, 1863, almost by accident, President Abraham Lincoln gave what is probably the most famous speech in American history. He was not the main speaker when he gave what is remembered as the Gettysburg Address. But in his few words, Lincoln managed to capture both the purpose of the war and the American spirit. Recognizing the courage and spirit of those who had fought at Gettysburg, Lincoln said, “But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.”
The debt that we owe to those who have risked and given their lives for home and country is huge, and those sacrifices are fully worthy of honor and remembrance. Those who are willing to take on a great and dangerous task do so because they have found a cause that is worthy of sacrifice. It is not by accident that the Bible often uses the metaphor of warfare for the Christian life. Just as soldiers defend our country for a great cause, Christians are called to fight and sacrifice for the truth. “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3).
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

We should remember those who have sacrificed (many of whom have paid the ultimate price) for us.

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Standing Guard

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”
Acts 20:28–30

Shepherds, especially in the Western states of the US, face a real threat from predators. Wild animals like coyotes can devastate a flock in short order. Many methods to protect sheep have been tried, but one of the most effective is to introduce a guard llama to the flock. A single llama will bond with the sheep, and become intensely and fiercely protective. Studies show that using a guard llama reduces loss of sheep to predators by two-thirds. The llamas are not afraid of the attackers, and thus their mere presence can be a deterrent to attacks. When necessary, they will use their hooves as effective weapons to defend the sheep.
God’s people are under attack in this world. The Bible uses the metaphor of shepherds for the role of the pastor, and those who lead churches are charged with a special level of care for those in the congregation. But whether we are in full time ministry or not, each of us have a responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Many times a simple word of encouragement or caution from a friend is all that is needed to prevent great sin and suffering.
If our hearts are knit together as part of the body of Christ as they should be, we will care deeply about the needs of others, and do our best to strengthen and protect them from danger. “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Our fellow believers are under assault, and we need to do all we can to encourage and defend them from danger.

I Quote

No matter how wealthy you are, good looking you are, educated you are, if you are NOT a believer of true Christ; you are nothing.

#I’m not impressed

Meg, 27 May 2018

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The Importance of Listening to God

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.”
Proverbs 1:24–27

I read the following account from a pastor about a conversation he witnessed between a father and his first grade son.
Dad: “Max! Why didn’t you answer me when I called you?”
Max: “I didn’t hear you, Dad.”
Dad: “What do you mean you didn’t hear me?” Max did not respond.
Dad: “How many times didn’t you hear me?”
Max: “I don’t know, maybe three or four times.”
The Bible is called “the Word of God” for a reason: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). God speaks to us through His Word, telling us what He wants us to hear and what we need to know. Our responsibility is to listen and not ignore what God tells us to do. Saying that we do not hear His voice does not excuse us from the necessity of obedience. Instead, we should quickly and promptly do whatever God commands.
Listening to God is primarily a matter of the heart. If we love Him as we should, we will not feel like we are being treated badly when we are told to do or not do a particular thing. “While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation” (Hebrews 3:15). If we do not listen to what God says and respond, we have no reason to expect that we will escape the consequences of disobedience.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

A soft heart toward God is eager and ready to hear His Word and obey what it says.

Be Prepared

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For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. --Hebrews 12:11   When you face adversity, you have two choices. You can choose bitterness or you can choose happiness. But you can’t choose both. You can choose to allow the trails in your live by God’s grace to make you better…or to make you bitter. In Psalm 105:18, the Darby Translation says of Joseph, “They afflicted his feet with fetters; his soul came into irons.” I love that! Joseph was being developed as God was putting iron in his soul. God knew difficult days would lie ahead for Egypt, and that it would require Joseph to have a durable and doable faith. There in prison, God taught Joseph wisdom and courage and character and perseverance and endurance as his fetters produced faith and his chains produced character! God steeled Joseph’s soul without Joseph hardening his heart. And as a result, he became a veritable velvet covered brick – soft on the outside, but strong on the inside. And you know, God is looking for some strong and steely saints today…believers with iron in their souls! I know there are some who teach that life is a dream if you’re a Christian. That all you need to do is name it and claim it and you’ll be healthy, happy, and all the rest. But that kind of teaching isn’t biblical teaching. And it produces wimps instead of warriors for God. And in these uncertain days, we need Christians who have steel and iron in their souls! But be prepared, as God uses adversity to bring about that kind of maturity. As today’s verse says, you are trained into righteousness…and problems and pressure and adversities and trails are God’s gifts to you to make you stronger…to make you better in your faith and your walk with Him!   GOD IS LOOKING FOR SOME STRONG AND STEELY SAINTS TODAY. WILL YOU RESPOND TO HIS CALL?

The Power of Rewards

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”
2 John 1:6–8

For many years Reader’s Digest has published first person accounts of humorous happenings. In 1994, they ran a story from Marion Gilbert: “One morning I opened the door to get the newspaper and was surprised to see a strange little dog with our paper in his mouth. Delighted with this unexpected ‘delivery service,’ I fed him some treats. The following morning I was horrified to see the same dog sitting in front of our door, wagging his tail, surrounded by eight newspapers. I spent the rest of that morning returning the papers to their owners.”
There is enormous power in rewarding good behavior, and that is the way God has created us. In fact, God Himself offers us rewards for our service on earth. “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible” (1 Corinthians 9:25). Our greatest reward will be to hear our Lord say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
Recognizing the power of rewards, it is very important for those of us who lead—parents, teachers, bosses, and influencers in any venue—to review the behavior we are encouraging. Our words of praise or tangible rewards will encourage others to continue the behavior that gained them. Yet many times we do not realize that we are rewarding the very things we want to stop. Instead, we should be sure that we are using the power of rewards to encourage the right actions.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Be sure that the things you are rewarding are the things you actually want to have happen.

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But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, --John 1:12 There is power in the name of Jesus! You know, we hear that phrase so much that we might become immune to what those words really mean. Miraculous things happen when we pray in his name and in his power. What happened to the lame man at the temple when Peter told him to arise in the name of Jesus? The man stood up! And not only that, the Scripture says he began to leap and dance and praise God. I love that! Later in the temple, Peter testified about the man this way, saying, “Look at this man, he stands before you whole and strong in the power of the name of Jesus.” And that’s exactly what Jesus does for us, too. In the name of Jesus, our bondage is broken and we are set free. In the name of Jesus, those who were once broken and downtrodden are able to stand up and testify to the grace of Christ Jesus in their lives! Is the power of Jesus at work in your life today? It can be. Just reach out and touch Jesus. Take a leap of faith and live for him! Repent of your sin and he’ll give you a new life to live in the power of his name. TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH AND LIVE FOR HIM!

A Prepared Heart

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”
Ezra 7:8–10

Through Moses and a number of prophets who followed, God warned the Israelites what would happen if they turned away from Him and began worshiping idols. They did not listen. One king after another led the people further and further astray. Things got so bad that a wicked king named Ahaz adopted the heathen practice of sacrificing his own son to a false god. “But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel” (2 Kings 16:3).
So just as God had said, the people were conquered by foreign armies. The God who had once defended Israel and given them victory in battle allowed them to be defeated. It was a judgment they deserved. But even in those days of judgment, God did not forget His people. When the seventy years of the Babylonian captivity ended, and the Israelites returned to the land, God sent a special teacher named Ezra to guide them to do what was right. Before Ezra was equipped to teach and lead Israel, he first had to prepare his own heart. It was not primarily his natural talent or his training that made Ezra effective. It was his love and devotion to God and His Word that made him a powerful influence on those around him.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

We will not be able to effectively minister to others until our own hearts are fixed on God.

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“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”   --Ezekiel 36:26 Jesus is in the business of changing your heart and mine. It’s absolutely true! Let me give you an amazing example. A couple of years ago, I asked Lee Strobel to share his testimony at our church. Lee of course is the bestselling author of The Case for Christ and former award-winning legal editor of the Chicago Tribune. You see, before Lee met Jesus, he was a skeptic of the highest order, a self-proclaimed atheist. But when his wife gave her life to Jesus, Lee was determined to use his Yale education and investigative skills to determine if Christianity’s claims were true. Well, after a two-year search, Lee said the evidence was so overwhelming that it would have required more faith to remain an atheist! And he gave his life to Jesus. In the months that followed, Jesus transformed Lee’s life. The “drunken, angry” skeptic was gone. And after seeing how God changed her daddy, his five-year-old daughter said, “Mommy, I want God to do for me what he’s done for daddy.” And she also became a follower of Jesus! Do you wish Jesus would change your life like this? He will! Jesus can work miracles in your life if you’ll surrender to his love. Let him give you a new heart and a new life today. JESUS CAN WORK MIRACLES IN YOUR LIFE IF YOU’LL SURRENDER TO HIS LOVE.

Grace Building Christians Up

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”
Acts 20:29–32

There is no doubt that grace is one of the most misunderstood doctrines in all of Scripture. People have many different ideas, and often they conflict with what God actually said. Grace is not a license to live in any way we choose. Instead, it is a powerful teacher and tool that molds and shapes the decisions, choices, and actions that make up our lives. Grace is a builder—a power given to us by God to help us become more like Jesus.
Before the world was created, God had a purpose and plan for our lives. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). The Lord could certainly have saved us and taken us to Heaven at the moment of our conversion. All of the things necessary for us to enter His presence are settled and accomplished the moment we trust Him.
But God has more in mind for us. Dr. Curtis Hutson had a sermon he often preached called “Salvation Is More than Being Saved.” The same grace that offers us entry into God’s family stays with us to accomplish our sanctification. Through the process of God’s grace being applied to our daily lives, we become more and more like His Son.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Grace is never content to leave us where we are—it works to build us up into Christlikeness.

A battle worth fighting for

 

 

 

His Story Your Story

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The Need for Thorough Cleansing

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.”
Psalm 51:6–9

Those who have been in the military or attended a school with strict requirements for cleaning know what is meant by a “white glove” inspection. It is easy to put a few things away, run the vacuum over the middle of the floor and call a room clean. But that kind of cleaning won’t pass white glove. In the literal sense of the phrase, the person doing the inspection would put on a pair of gloves before checking whether the room was actually clean. Those gloves would quickly reveal whether a thorough cleaning had taken place, or whether the occupant had done just the minimum to make things look good on the surface.
God looks at our lives and measures them against a standard of perfect holiness. He does not overlook sins just because we think they are small or insignificant. In fact, most of the major tragedies of character, the devastating public sins that seem to be so sudden, begin with small sins allowed to linger rather than being dealt with. Charles Spurgeon said, “Dread sin; though it be never so small, dread it. You cannot see all that is in it. It is the mother of ten thousand mischiefs. The mother of mischief, they say, is as small as a midge’s egg; and certainly, the smallest sin has ten thousand mischiefs sleeping within its bowels.” If we treat sin casually, it will not be long before we find ourselves enslaved to it. If we bring them to the Lord in repentance, He will cleanse us and help us walk in freedom from them.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

If you allow small sins to linger in your heart, it will not be long before they are joined by larger sins.

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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed…. --Romans 12:2 Has Jesus changed your life? I know that seems like an obvious question. But how has he changed you? Something amazing happens when Jesus comes to live within us. Think for just a minute about Peter and John that day they encountered the lame man at the temple. It’s entirely possible that Peter and John had seen this man begging for alms many times. After all, the man had been a beggar at that gate for decades. So what made this day different from all the others? Well, the day was no different at all, but those two men had changed! Pentecost had come, just as Jesus promised, and Peter and John had received the Holy Spirit along with all the others at that great outpouring. And now they were seeing through different eyes… seeing the world as Jesus saw it! And on this day, the hearts of these rough-hewn fishermen had been softened by the love of Christ in their lives and that love compelled them to stop and reach out to this man in need. So let me ask you again. Are you changed as a result of knowing Jesus? Are you seeing the wounded and hurting and being moved with compassion? If so, then move in the power of the Holy Spirit. Reach out today in the name of Jesus and watch what he will do through you! ARE YOU CHANGED AS A RESULT OF KNOWING JESUS?

JESUS ALWAYS EXCEEDS WHAT YOU AND I ASK OF HIM.

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But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” --Acts 3:6 Did you know that Jesus never does anything half way? It’s true. Jesus always exceeds what you and I ask of him. I’ll show you. There’s a remarkable story in Acts 3 that I want us to consider. The Scripture says there was a man who was born lame and had never walked. In fact, for 40 years the friends or relatives of this man had carried him to the gate outside the temple so he could beg for handouts. One day on their way to worship at the temple, Peter and John saw the man begging and stopped to talk to him. When they said, “Look at us,” no doubt the man looked up expectantly hoping for money. But what he got was so much more! Peter said, “We don’t have money, but what we do have, we give to you. In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk!” And he did. You see the lame man would have been happy with money, but when Peter reached out his hand, Jesus completely healed him! So let me ask you? What are you hoping Jesus will do for you? Look to Jesus expectantly to do more than you dream. Let your faith rise within you and stand in his name and his power. JESUS ALWAYS EXCEEDS WHAT YOU AND I ASK OF HIM.

Guard Who Influences You

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Psalm 1:1–3

It is no surprise when liberal professors of religion deny the truth of God’s Word. We have come to expect it from what are regarded as the leading educational institutions in our country, despite the fact that some of those very schools were founded with the primary purpose to train preachers for the ministry. So when someone like Bart Ehrman, who teaches at the University of North Carolina said, “God, if He exists, cannot be Jesus Christ, or the God of the Bible” Christians are not shocked. What is shocking is that Ehrman grew up in church and described himself as a “born-again fundamentalist” at one point in his life. Whether he had been truly born again or not, I cannot know. But I do know that during his college and graduate training that his faith was undermined by the attacks of his professors, and today Ehrman calls himself an agnostic atheist.
There is no faith so strong that it cannot be overwhelmed if the influences in our lives all work to undermine that faith. We can keep faith in hostile cultures that speak out and work against it—just as men like Joseph and Daniel did—but we cannot keep faith if we allow those negative influences to direct our lives. No matter how gifted a teacher may be, if he does not believe the truth, he will not influence you toward God. As our society becomes more anti-Christian than ever, it is vitally important that we listen most to those who believe and speak the truth.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Be extremely careful about those you allow to influence your heart and your mind.

My Playmate =)

Who’s in Charge?

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Galatians 5:22–25

Evangelist D. L. Moody was one of the most famous preachers in the world during his lifetime. His conferences in Chicago and Northfield, Massachusetts, drew guests from many nations. Moody was known for having God’s power on his ministry, and it made an impact on those who heard him. But many did not understand how the process worked. It is said that at one conference Moody was approached by a pastor who said, “I have come a hundred miles to get some of Moody’s spirit.” Moody replied, “You don’t want my spirit. What you need is the Spirit of God.”
Every day, we as Christians face the choice of who is going to be in charge of our lives. We can live, work, and act in our own strength and wisdom, or we can walk under the control of the Holy Spirit of God. When we insist on going our own way, we should not be surprised by the negative consequences that follow. God will not share control. He is the Lord and King, and He demands what He deserves—total surrender of our lives. The Christians who accomplish great things for Him do not do it on their own; they rely on His power and follow His leading. The Holy Spirit is given to every child of God, not to be an observer, but to direct our steps. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

The devil destroys many Christians who refuse to yield control of their lives to the Holy Spirit.

Stunning!

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The World Is Always Watching

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
Colossians 4:3–6

I read about a pastor who was building a wooden trellis to support a climbing vine he had planted by his house. As he pounded away, he noticed that there was a little boy who was watching him intently. The youngster didn’t say a word, so the pastor kept on working, thinking the boy would get bored and eventually leave, but he didn’t. Finally the pastor asked, “Well, son, are you trying to pick up some pointers on gardening or construction?” “No,” the boy replied, “I’m waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer.”
Whether or not we’re aware of it, all of us are being watched. Whether it is by children, co-workers, neighbors, friends, or strangers, they are forming an opinion of us—and more importantly of Jesus—based on what they see in our lives. There is never a time when we are not teaching others about our faith. Over the years I’ve heard many people share disappointment over ways they knew their testimony had negatively influenced others—whether it was their own children, or co-workers, or someone else. In the moment, they simply hadn’t realized the impact their behavior would have on those who were watching.
None of us are perfect. But we should be careful that nothing we do would be a hindrance to someone else believing the gospel. Though each individual is responsible for his decisions, we do not want to be the cause of someone stumbling through how we live.
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Realizing that we are having an influence on others will help us respond properly in every circumstance.

Reflection

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Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. --Galatians 6:7 One of temptation’s great allures is the question, “Who’s going to know?” It’s true, isn’t it? Satan is good about coming in secret to tempt us with a sinful thought. He comes when no one else is around and no one is watching. This was certainly how he tempted Joseph. There he was, a slave in Potiphar’s house, with Potiphar’s wife doing all she could to seduce him. Who would know? The Scripture says they were alone in the house. Potiphar’s wife certainly wasn’t going to tell her husband what she did. Joseph didn’t have to tell anyone. But in spite of the secretive nature of the temptation, Joseph resisted and literally fled from the woman’s presence. Now, you need to see this. The truest test in a person’s life is what a person does when no one is looking. Satan’s suggestion that “no one will know” is a lie. There is no such thing as a truly secret sin. Jesus himself said those things that are done in secret will be brought to light and shouted from the housetops (Luke 12:3). But Joseph’s life is testimony that there is power over temptation through God. When faced with temptation, watch for a way of escape and take it, just as Joseph did. You can have power over temptation in Jesus. THE TRUEST TEST IN A PERSON’S LIFE IS WHAT A PERSON DOES WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING. Blending In by Dr. Paul Chappell “Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.” 1 Thessalonians 2:10–12 Though not all of the more than two hundred different kinds of chameleons can change colors, that is the trait we most associate with these small lizards. Through complex layers of skin and chemicals, they are able to regulate the way different wavelengths of light are reflected. Among the colors they can produce are basically all the colors of the rainbow, including combinations of pink, blue, red, orange, green, black, brown, yellow, turquoise, and purple. This is done for many reasons, including communication with other chameleons, as well as regulation of body temperature. But the main reason we think of when it comes to their ability to change colors is for camouflage. By blending in with their surroundings, chameleons are hard for predators to see, and it keeps them safe. This is an astonishing miracle of God’s creation work, but it is not a good model for His children. We are not called to fit in or blend into the background. We are called to stand out—to be worthy of the example of the Lord who saved us. The temptation to lower our standards and deny our association in an effort to stay out of trouble has been around for a long time. Peter fell victim to it when Jesus was arrested. “And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew” (Matthew 26:73–74). Even if it is costly, our colors must remain clear.   Today’s Growth Principle:  Our lives should not blend in to the world around us, but should reveal that we walk with and serve Christ.