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For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. Romans 7:18-20 Every person has experienced a decision or a time in their lives when they’ve just been torn. Both choices have their benefits and their drawbacks, but deep down you always feel there is one that is better than the other. It has been debated whether in today’s passage the apostle Paul is describing believers or unbelievers torn between obedience and sin. But the most popular, and I think correct, view is that Paul is, in fact, talking about believers who are struggling with disobedience. Now, I’m going to be completely honest with you. Sin has its benefits. If you’re in a position where you can lie to get rich, then the sin of lying will reap the benefit of financial gain. Because of that, even believers fall into sin, just as Paul is describing here, when they make decisions in their flesh. But don’t ever be under the impression that sin is still your master. The same person who wrote this also wrote, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). Though you will surely struggle with sin, understand that your sin has been nailed to the cross and you can have victory over it by the Spirit of God inside of you!   THOUGH BELIEVERS WILL ALWAYS STRUGGLE WITH SIN, YOU CAN HAVE VICTORY IN THOSE BATTLES THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF GOD INSIDE YOU. Hearing the Call Wednesday, May 15, 2019 by Dr. Paul Chappell “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.” Acts 16:9–10 James Chalmers was a young boy in Sunday school in Scotland in the 1840s when his teacher read a letter from a missionary. He challenged the boys to consider serving God by taking the gospel to foreign lands. Chalmers determined he would answer that call. After training, he set out for New Guinea, which at the time was largely populated by cannibals. Fearlessly and faithfully he preached the gospel. A rainmaker name Kone heard the message and asked Chalmers to tell him how to be saved, which he did. Chalmers went on to the next village, and when he returned a few months later, found that Kone was dead. A rival tribe had attacked, and Kone had deliberately stepped in front of a spear thrown at a man who was not yet a Christian. With his dying breath Kone prayed, “Great Spirit of Love, I come to Thee; save me for Jesus’ sake.” The missionary call is often thought of as requiring a trip to a foreign country and perhaps learning a new language. But the need for the gospel is not restricted to other lands. Even here in America there is a great and growing number of people who are completely oblivious to eternity and their need of a Saviour. They need us to reach out to them, even if they don’t know it. God is calling every one of us to be a witness to those around us. We are all “called” to be missionaries, some in foreign lands, but most right where we live. There is no shortage of people who need to hear the gospel. Today's Growth Principle:  We need to open our eyes and ears to the lost who are around us every single day.