CURRENT RADIO SERIES Giving God Your Best   CURRENT TV SERIES Destiny

All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name. --Psalm 66:4 Today, I want to ask you, when God looks at your life, does He see genuine worship or does He see a counterfeit? Does He see something real or something phony? The bottom line is that each of us was made to worship God. And until we realize the true purpose in life… which is to worship Him and enjoy Him forever… we’ll always be floundering. We’ll always be frustrated because worship is the central purpose of life! It is impossible to be a productive, positive Christian without participating in meaningful, genuine worship! And I’m not just talking about corporate worship. Worship is something more than what we do… worship is a lifestyle. It is an attitude that we carry with us day by day. It is an activity and an attitude that reveals the inner heart and recognizes the value we place on God in our lives. That’s what worship is! So today, let me challenge you to make your life a life of worship… an exclamation of the glory of our God! EXAMINE YOUR LIFE TODAY...DO YOU HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF GENUINE WORSHIP? The Willing Sacrifice Friday, August 30, 2019 by Dr. Paul Chappell “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” John 10:15–18 Thomas Piggott went to China in 1879 as a missionary to work with Hudson Taylor in reaching the lost. In May of 1896, he wrote: “How shall we look on the investment of our lives and labour here, even from the near standpoint of one hundred years hence? I am, I can truly say, more grateful every day for the opportunity of serving Christ, and I believe this to be the only true and sober view of life s realities. The work pressed home now, will make all the difference a few years hence.” When the Boxer Rebellion broke out, Piggott refused to leave and was executed along with dozens of other missionaries. He gave his life for the gospel. Paul grounded his appeal for Christians to willingly serve God on the sacrifice that Jesus made for our salvation. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Jesus was not dragged to the cross by forces beyond His control. He willingly laid down His life for us, and we are called to do the same for others. A Christian who is unwilling to sacrifice will not make an impact for God. Today's Growth Principle:  Because of what Jesus willingly gave for us, we must be willing to give to Him and to others.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Giving God Your Best   CURRENT TV SERIES Destiny

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation…. --1 Peter 2:2 I want to remind you today that not only is the Word of God perfect, living, and abiding forever.  Not only is the Word of God unchanging and true.  Not only does it have a saving purpose.  But the Scripture also has the power to transform your life! Jesus said in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”  If you want your life to change, saturate your soul and nourish your heart in the Word of God. The Bible has power to save and sanctify, and it also has the power to strengthen.  In our verse for today—1 Peter 2, verse 2—the Word of God is described as milk to strengthen and grow us in our faith. Have you tasted the goodness of God from Scriptures?  Have you experienced the grace of God found in His Word? The Bible is not an ancient black book filled with theology about yesterday.  It is a book that satisfies the longing of the human heart.  The Word of God strengthens us every day and nourishes our spirit.  Our very life depends upon this Word and truth! So, let me leave you with some questions to consider.  Do you love God’s Word?  Are you obeying God’s Word?  If you love it, you will read it.  And if you read it, you will pray it… think it… live it… and share it. TAKE THE TIME TODAY TO STUDY GOD'S WORD AND MAKE IT AN EVERYDAY COMMITMENT! Abundant Grace Thursday, August 29, 2019 by Dr. Paul Chappell “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7 We live in a world in which much of life is dictated by scarcity and limits. There are only so many hours in a day, so much money in the bank, so many skills to apply to the task at hand; and as a result, there are often times when things we would like to see cannot be accomplished. It is hard for us to comprehend the meaning of God’s unlimited power, because nothing we know in this world is without limits. Nowhere is that more clearly seen than in the matter of salvation. God provides freely what we could never obtain on our own. The sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross provides salvation through grace for all those who believe. No matter how many people accept Him as Saviour, the saving grace of Jesus is never exhausted. No matter what sins a person may have committed, grace is able to cover them all. Grace abounds more than sin ever could. God’s grace is not just extended to us at salvation, but for every part of life. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). Grace is available to us for every challenge and trial and temptation we face. There is no possibility of the supply being exhausted. There is no danger of going to God for help only to find that He is no longer willing to provide for us. We have overflowing abundant grace from God. Today's Growth Principle:  God’s overflowing grace provides both salvation and victory for daily living.

What Worry Reveals

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”

Matthew 6:24–26

Worry seems to be a constant part of life in our world today. Surveys show people have all kinds of fears, some of which are about common things and others about things that are unlikely to happen. But we worry just the same. This is not new. Jesus instructed the people in His day not to worry in the context of teaching about the choice we make between loving and serving God and loving and serving money and material possessions. This is the “therefore” that leads into Jesus saying not to worry about the necessities of life.

While we should never be foolish and wasteful in handling our resources, we do not have to wonder if our needs will be met. Just as God cares for the birds and flowers and all of creation, He cares for us. When we worry, we reveal that He is not the center of our hearts, and that we do not really trust Him as we should. If He is in first place, the presence or lack of particular resources will not change our outlook on life. From a prison cell in Rome Paul wrote, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

Today's Growth Principle: 

Worry is an insult to our loving Heavenly Father who has promised to supply all of our needs.

Under His Wings

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Life in the Spirit   CURRENT TV SERIES Destiny

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. --1 Peter 2:1-3 Do you want to experience lasting change in your Christian walk? Of course you do. I do, too. This lasting change is ours when we discipline ourselves to consume God’s Word. You see, getting the Scripture inside us is essential to the miracle of transformation. So how do we do this?  Well, in the verse above, Peter tells us to make room for the pure milk of the Word of God by getting rid of the toxic sin in our lives. Peter mentions five specific sins: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Peter’s list here is suggestive of all the toxic stuff in our lives that needs to go. If you don’t get rid of the sin, it’s simply impossible to be a healthy, growing Christian. Spiritually, the process of consuming God’s Word is just like the process of developing a healthy diet, physically. You and I have to purposefully stop consuming junk food in order to consume the things that are good for us! And it does us no good to eat both. Lasting change is in your grasp, and God’s Word is the way to make it happen. So I urge you, don’t waste this precious gift. Let go of sin and fill yourself with God’s Word! STOP CONSUMING SPIRITUAL JUNK FOOD AND CONSUME GOD’S WORD INSTEAD.

Under His Wings

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.”

Psalm 17:6–9

David spent most of his early adult life on the run. King Saul was jealous of David’s popularity and favor with God, and tried to kill the man he feared would overthrow his kingdom. David went to great lengths to survive. When he talks about looking to God for shelter and protection, it is grounded in painful experience. If God had not delivered David, he would surely have perished at the hands of Saul. But God did deliver David, and He offers the same protection and shelter to His children today.

Dr. John Rice who grew up on a ranch in Texas said, “You city slickers would not know about it, but there is something especially sweet about a mother hen taking care of the little chickens. If there is just a shadow of a hawk flying over, she clucks and they run and get under Mamma’s wings. If it rains, they get under there and the rain falls on her, not on the little chickens. They’re cheep, cheep, cheep-comforted under there. Now, a Christian is to hide under His wings, under His feathers.”

Too often we try to create our own protection to shield us from the world. We trust in our financial resources, or our strength or our friends, only to find that they are unable to meet the challenges we face. Only God has the ability and resources to shield us from any attack. When we are under His wings, we are safe from any threat that may come.

Today's Growth Principle: 

In times of trouble, our first reaction should be to run to God for shelter.

Life in the Spirit

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Life in the Spirit   CURRENT TV SERIES Destiny

“… but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” --John 15:15 Today I want to talk to you about making a commitment to a local church. Now, I know you may think, “Pastor, I’m not really into institutions.” Well, I’m not either. But as friends of Jesus, you and I are also called to be friends with other friends of Jesus, and that’s his church. That’s why choosing a church is one of the most significant choices you will ever make in your life. But not just any church will do. You have to look for a church that’s committed to seeing people grow in Christ Jesus. Thriving and healthy churches have some important characteristics in common. So when you’re looking, you will want to look for a church where: Jesus is loved and celebrated. The Word of God is proclaimed, taught, honored, and believed. Service is not an option, but where every member is called to ministry. People are coming to Christ and lives are being changed. Friendships are nourished and families are strengthened. While there are no perfect churches, there are many that love Jesus and that are passionate about him and his call on their lives. That’s the kind of church we all need to be a part of as believers! So if you want to grow in Christ, ask him to help you commit yourself to a local church, and to the friends of Jesus who are there. And as you do, you will find that your friendship with God grows increasingly vital, healthy, and fulfilling. CHOOSING A CHURCH IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHOICES YOU WILL EVER MAKE. A Holy Temple Monday, August 26, 2019 by Dr. Paul Chappell “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:18–20 When Solomon set out to fulfill David’s dream of having a permanent building for the Ark of the Covenant, to replace the tent it had been kept in since the time of Moses, he left nothing to chance. Every detail was planned and prepared. The stone blocks for the walls and the wood beams for the roof were precut to fit, “So that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building” (1 Kings 6:7). The Temple was dedicated with massive sacrifices and thousands of singers praising the Lord. The reason they took such extraordinary steps was that they realized exactly what they were building—a holy Temple for the living God. “That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place” (1 Kings 8:29). There has not been a Temple in Jerusalem since the Romans destroyed it in 70 AD. But there is still a temple of God on earth in each of His children, and we must not forget who we are. And just as Solomon built that Temple to be solely for the worship of God, our temples must be kept holy as well. “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Corinthians 3:17). Today's Growth Principle:  Never forget how seriously God takes our personal commitment to holiness.

It’s Not Hopeless

Sunday, August 25, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

Romans 4:18–21

Abraham waited for some twenty-five years for the arrival of his promised son who would fulfill God’s promise to raise up a great nation. In that time, he had no human reason to expect a son would ever come. In fact, it was physically impossible for Sarah to bear a child. Yet in that long season when there seemed to be no reason for hope, Abraham still believed. And he continued in faith until the promised child, Isaac, was finally born. Marshal Ferdinand Foch, who commanded the French army during much of World War I said, “There are no hopeless situations: there are only men who have grown hopeless about them.”

The reason we can have hope in what may seem to others to be hopeless situations is that our hope is not based on our ability, resources, knowledge, or strength. Our hope is in the Lord who faithfully keeps every promise He has made to His children. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” (Psalm 42:11). Any other resource we could have can be exhausted or fail, but God never does. He is not only the source of the promises we have received, but the guarantee that they will be fulfilled.

Today's Growth Principle: 

When God is our hope, there is never a reason for despair.

The Focus of Worship

Saturday, August 24, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.”

2 Kings 18:4–6

Hezekiah was one of the few good kings the Jewish people had after the division of the nation. His father Ahaz was so wicked that the people did not bury him in state with the previous kings. Ahaz had introduced the worship of the Assyrian gods to his people, even defiling the Temple. When Hezekiah first took the throne, he set out to undo what his father had done. He began destroying false idols and places of worship, and had the Temple cleansed. But he did one more thing—he destroyed the brass serpent that Moses had lifted up in the wilderness so the people could be healed.

The Jewish people had begun to worship it rather than God, making sacrifices and burning incense. This wonderful reminder of God’s provision for the healing of the nation, and wonderful type of Jesus Christ, had been turned into an idol. God gives us good things because of His love and grace, but we must never let them become our focus. Instead, we should allow God’s gifts to point us to Him.

A. B. Simpson wrote:

Once it was the blessing,
Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling,
Now it is His Word;
Once His gift I wanted,
Now, the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing,
Now Himself alone.

All in all forever,
Only Christ I’ll sing;
Everything is in Christ,
And Christ is everything.

Today's Growth Principle: 

Rejoice and be grateful for your blessings, but worship God rather than what He has given you.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Life in the Spirit   CURRENT TV SERIES Destiny

…“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples….” --John 8:31 Do you know what the mark of a disciple, of a growing Christian, is? You can find it in today’s verse. If you are a disciple of Christ, you will abide, or stay, in God’s Word! There’s no end to what God’s Word does for us. It fills us with counsel, it corrects us when we get off the path, and it strengthens us for spiritual battle. And when we find ourselves walking through days of discouragement, God’s Word lifts and encourages us. In fact, Romans 15:4 tells us that through the encouragement of the Scriptures we have hope. That’s because when we open the Scripture, Jesus walks out of the Word and into our lives. We can taste the presence of the Lord and it encourages us. The Bible is life and it gives us life. There is no way that we can continue to grow in Christ without it. We need it to keep moving forward! But if you neglect time in God’s Word, you will stop making forward progress in your spiritual growth, and may even slip backwards. So today, I hope you see how important it is to abide in God’s Word. And I pray you will make it a point… every day… to make his Word your heart’s home. WHEN WE OPEN THE SCRIPTURE, JESUS WALKS OUT OF THE WORD AND INTO OUR LIVES.

The Day of God’s Wrath

Friday, August 23, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

Revelation 6:15–17

Many people in our day treat God as a punchline. They blaspheme Him and take His name in vain without scruple or remorse. If they think of God at all, it is usually as an old man with white hair sitting on a cloud. Nothing could be further from the picture painted in the Word of God. When Jesus came the first time, He came as a lowly Saviour. People came to Him gladly, finding comfort and hope. When He returns, however, His face will be set for judgment, and so frightening that people want to die rather than face Him.

A. W. Tozer said, “I am among those who believe that the judgments of God are certain. We do not know the day nor the hour. But God is indeed going to shake the earth as it has never been shaken before, and He will turn it over to the Worthy One to whom it belongs—Jesus Christ!” We do not need to worry about the final outcome of our world. It is already settled. And the day on which God’s wrath is poured out will be a tragic day for those who have rejected Him. It will also be a day of regret for us if we fail to warn those we can of this coming judgment. The world may mock, but we still have a responsibility to be faithful witnesses of the gospel.

Today's Growth Principle: 

The reality of coming judgment should motivate us to warn others before it is too late.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Life in the Spirit   CURRENT TV SERIES Destiny

“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.” --John 15:10 Friendships don’t just happen in our hectic lives. They take effort and discipline. And the same is true regarding our friendship with Jesus Christ. That’s why I want to share a few disciplines with you that will help you nurture your friendship with the Lord Jesus. Begin by reading the Bible every day. You see, when you and I open the Bible, God’s Word speaks to our hearts and into our lives. It sustains us and cannot fail us. Because it is inspired, inerrant, infallible, immutable, and it is unchanging! If the Bible is God speaking to us, then prayer is the way that you and I respond and speak back to him. So you need to pray to the Lord every day. As his friend, you have no secrets, so you can talk to him about everything. And here is one other discipline of friendship with Jesus. You must embrace a living community of faith. You see, a church is a gathering of the friends of Jesus Christ. And it’s impossible to love God without loving the friends of God. Purpose in your heart right now to be a good friend to Christ by reading his Word, praying to him, and embracing a community of faith, and you will find a friend, indeed. A GROWING FRIENDSHIP WITH CHRIST REQUIRES EFFORT AND DISCIPLINE. Firm Beliefs Thursday, August 22, 2019 by Dr. Paul Chappell “Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?” Romans 2:21–23 Frederick Winslow Taylor was one of the first efficiency experts in the world. Doing what came to be known as time-motion studies, Taylor worked to determine the most effective way to do specific jobs, and how long each job should take. His 1911 book The Principles of Scientific Management was one of the most influential books of the last century. But Taylor’s system with its demands on workers to become more and more productive came in for a great deal of criticism. One of the critics was Vladimir Lenin who called Taylor’s discoveries: “Advances in the extortion of sweat.” But when Lenin gained power in Russia after the Communist revolution he changed his tune. He announced, “We must organize in Russia the study and teaching of the Taylor system.” It is common for people to change their views when it becomes more convenient than sticking to them. But while it is good to change our views if we had previously been wrong, often these changes are not an improvement, but a capitulation to convenience. What this kind of change reveals is that the position we once held was not serious and genuine, but only on the surface level. Perhaps the greatest indication of our commitment to our beliefs is whether we actually practice what we say. A man who says his family is his priority but spends all his time at work or on the golf course doesn’t really have a firm belief of the importance of family. It is not enough just to say the right things, but we must put them into practice as well. Today's Growth Principle:  Never abandon a Bible conviction just because it is easier to do that than stand firm.