Thursday, December 27, 2018

Don't Give Up on People

by Dr. Paul Chappell

Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

2 Timothy 4:9-12

After being thrown out of school at age nine for throwing a desk at his teacher and being sent to juvenile detention at twelve after threatening to kill his mother and brother, the future seemed to hold little for Ryan Green. But there were people who believed in his potential and refused to give up on him. When he was exposed to the world of opera for the first time, a dream took root in Ryan's heart. He devoted himself to studying music and preparing his voice. He won several competitions and performed major roles in operas in concert halls around the world. Today, he is a member of the Vienna State Opera in Austria and continues to travel and sing in major roles.

As we work with people, we will face the temptation to give up—to decide that they are a hopeless case and there is no use spending any more time or energy or resources on trying to help them. But God does not give up on us, and we should not give up on others. Paul and Barnabas took Mark with them on their first missionary trip, but he abandoned their work at one point and went home. Later, Paul refused to take Mark with him because of that failure, which led to the breakdown of his long partnership with Barnabas. Yet, in the final years of his life, in his last letter to Timothy, Paul asked for Mark, because “he is profitable to me.” Barnabas never gave up on Mark, and it made a difference.

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Do not give up on the people you are trying to help—a major change may be just around the corner.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES A Life of Purpose   CURRENT TV SERIES Home for the Holidays

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” Matthew 25:21 Awhile back, a Christian economist told me that in the church-at-large in America, 15 to 20 percent of the people give 90 percent of the money. Now, I’m sure that number varies from church to church, but the overall statistic is simply staggering! It’s always been incredible to me that so many people give so little, because when you and I come to know Christ as Savior and our lives are transformed, our love for Him ought to be so powerful that we say, “Lord, here is my life. Everything that I have belongs to You.” But instead, people say things like, “I thought just the 10 percent belongs to God.” Well, yes God owns the 10 percent, but He also owns the other 90 percent as well! When it comes to giving, it’s not just about giving a certain percentage and doing what you want with the rest. No, giving to God’s purposes ought to be one of your greatest joys, and you should give or spend every single penny for the glory of God. So whether you have a little or a lot, be faithful with what you do have so that one day you’ll hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”   NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE, GOD WANTS YOU TO BE FAITHFUL WITH THE RESOURCES HE’S GIVEN YOU. SO GIVE AND SPEND EVERY PENNY FOR HIS GLORY!

I Quote =)

If you feel down and miserable, remember to be grateful because you are not blind that cannot see, you are not deaf that cannot hear, you do not have a tongue that cannot taste, you do not have a nose that cannot smell, you do not have a skin that cannot feel. It simply means you are healthy and strong. The fact that there are thousands of people dying every minute wanting to get a glimpse of another day, isn’t it be good enough to say thank you Lord for your grace. I have a choice. I am alive.  =)

Meg, 27 Dec 2018

Fear vs Fear Not =)

Traveling alone is risky yet fulfilling. 12 hours inside the plane can be very uneasy and inconvenient. However, the life well spent in every moment like appreciating the nature, looking at the blue sky, touching the tallest trees, breathing the fresh air, meeting new and old friends and experiencing that I am fully alive are something to be grateful for… truly rewarding and worth remembering. =)

Meg, 2018

PS. I am ready for the next =)

Quote of the day =)

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

God Offers New Beginnings

by Dr. Paul Chappell

And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Genesis 22:1-2

Though Abraham is called the “father of the faithful” and believed God for impossible things, there were times when even his faith failed. When many years passed without the arrival of the son God had promised, Abraham and Sarah took matters into their own hands. As a result, Ishmael was born, and a lasting division was created within the family. Though some of the consequences of sin may remain, when we seek God's forgiveness, He provides it, and removes the sin from our record forever.

Thus, when it came time for the great test of Abraham's faith, when God instructed Him to offer Isaac on Mount Moriah, God referred to Isaac as his “only son.” The consequences of Abraham's sin lingered, but the guilt and condemnation were removed, and taken away forever. God does not partially forgive those who seek His pardon and grace. He completely forgives. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:17).

Doubtless there are things about the year that is ending that you would like to forget. There are sins and failures and shortcomings—all of us have them. Although, God does not hold grudges. Instead, He graciously offers a new start and freedom from guilt and shame. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Do not live in shame or regret over past sins you have forsaken and confessed to God.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES A Life of Purpose   CURRENT TV SERIES Home for the Holidays

“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” --Psalm 103:10 Sin is a serious subject with God. And the Bible has a lot of straight talk about sin, its consequences, and the damaging affect that it has on our souls. But the Scripture also tells us that because of the cross, you and I are forgiven! You see, some people have this idea that God is some ogre who got up on the wrong side of the bed about 10 million years ago, and he’s been in a bad mood ever since. But here’s the truth. The Scripture says that God loves you with an everlasting love. So he does not deal with us according to our sins, but out of his love! And here’s the deal: God dealt with your sins and mine on the cross.  Second Corinthians 5:21, says, “He made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus didn’t die for some people’s sins. And he didn’t die for part of your iniquities and part of mine. On the cross, Jesus took upon himself all of our iniquities – past, present, and future. And ALL of our sins are gone! All the other religions of the world are focused on man and the required actions of man to know God. They require that man do things to seek God’s approval. But Christianity is not about man. In fact, there is nothing that any person can do to save himself. The Christian faith is completely and totally about the work of God and Jesus Christ. It is completely about the work that Jesus finished on the cross for you when he died for us. And that is how you and I receive forgiveness. I want you to embrace this precious and amazing gift from God right now and never take it for granted. And remember this: God doesn’t love you because you are somebody who deserves to be loved. No, you are somebody because God has chosen to love you. He has crowned you with his steadfast love and mercy and you are his!    THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY ABOUT THE WORK THAT JESUS FINISHED ON THE CROSS FOR YOU WHEN HE DIED FOR YOU.

Reunited =)

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Christmas Time is Here   CURRENT TV SERIES Home for the Holidays

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” --Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus clearly states in the Scripture that believers in Him “are the light of the world.” So my question for you on this Christmas Day is this: Are you letting the light of Jesus shine through you? Far too often, followers of Christ forget that they influence other people. Whether it’s for good or for bad, we do influence others! And as believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to shine the light of Jesus Christ in any circumstance in which we find ourselves. You and I are called to influence others for Him! It might seem overwhelming at first to shine the light of Christ into such a dark world, but you have nothing to fear! You don’t have to be afraid of the dark anymore because Jesus Christ has already overcome it. He will make a path for you and light the way. You just need to trust and follow Him. As you gather with friends and family today, it’s my prayer that you would take the light of Jesus Christ to those who don’t know Him. Be responsible with the light God has given you… and help others live in the light like you do!   AS BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE CALLED TO SHINE THE LIGHT OF JESUS CHRIST IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE IN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES. Tuesday, December 25, 2018 Room for Jesus by Dr. Paul Chappell And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6–7 One of the most poignant moments of the Christmas story is the arrival of Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem to find that there was no place for them. Even Mary's advanced pregnancy was not enough to convince anyone to open their doors to the desperate couple. Yet that was only the beginning of a pattern that would follow Jesus in His ministry. Again and again he was asked to leave or threatened with death if He stayed. Harry Ironside said, “I suppose hundreds of people were crowding into Bethlehem. The wealthy would make reservations ahead and preempt the good places to stay. You can imagine there would not be much attention paid to this poor carpenter. One cannot but wonder, however, whether the innkeeper himself ever realized what a wondrous Guest he had failed to find room for. Surely he must regret now that he did not make it possible to entertain them, no matter how crowded the inn might have been.” Before we critique the people of Bethlehem for not making room for Jesus, we must look at our own lives. Do we have room for Him in our time, our finances, our conduct and our worship? Or do we try to squeeze Him in whenever other priorities lessen and we have spare time? “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). Christmas is a special day to remember Christ’s willingness to come for us. As we thank Him today for His sacrifice, may we renew our commitment to make Him the center of our lives all year long. Today’s Growth Principle:  Make sure that Christ is the center of your life and there is room for Him, not just on Christmas but every day.