Quote of the day =)

Overcoming worry in your life

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Life Together   CURRENT TV SERIES All In: The Family

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 I heard about a man who worried all the time. But finally, there came a time in his life he just put aside all of his worrying. And people began to notice how much calmer and more peaceful this man was. One day he was sitting in a barber chair and his barber noticed the change in his behavior. So he asked him, “What happened to you? Why don’t you worry about things like you used to?” And the man said, “Well, I’ve hired a professional worrier.” “A professional worrier?” the barber replied. “That’s right!” He said, “He worries about my bills, worries about my business, and worries about my family. He just worries about everything that worries me so I don’t have to. And he only charges a thousand dollars a day.” So the barber shot back, “You can’t afford that!” And man said, “Let him worry about it.” Wouldn’t that be great if we could just hire a professional worrier to take away all of our cares? Well, the Bible says that because you and I are in Christ, we can be free from anxiety. We just have to give it over to God. So when it comes to the worries in your life, hand them over to God, trusting fully that He’ll give you exactly what you need!    HAND YOUR WORRIES AND CARES OVER TO GOD BECAUSE HE’LL ALWAYS GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED!

First Lines

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.”

Genesis 1:1–4

The beginning of a book can often tell you a great deal about what you can expect when you read it. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens opens with this sentence: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” For those who prefer a shorter introduction, the first sentence of Moby Dick by Herman Melville is just three words: “Call me Ishmael.”

The Bible starts with the declaration that God preceded everything. The reason that statement comes first is because it is the foundation for everything that follows. God did not get anyone’s permission to create the world. He did it because it was part of His plan and purpose. God did not have to act in response to anyone or anything else. He acted for His glory. “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:7). The role of God as the sole mover in creation makes Him the ultimate authority. And the reason so many people try to deny creation is that they do not want to answer to Him. But one day, everyone will.

Today's Growth Principle: 

God is the source and creator of everything, and as such has complete authority to order our lives.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Smart Homes, Wise Families   CURRENT TV SERIES All In: The Family

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 One thing that I firmly believe and always share with others is that salvation is a free gift of God and is accomplished on our part only by trusting in Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. But there’s a difference between accepting the free gift of grace and what I call ‘easy believe-ism’. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the great Christian leader who stood against Hitler in Nazi Germany, wrote, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.” And I think Bonhoeffer was exactly right! Jesus himself said that following him would require for each of his followers to “deny himself and take up his cross and follow” him. What the church needs today is the challenge of the cross. If you’re going to follow Jesus, there’s a decision to make and there’s a charge to keep. It’s not an easy road to follow Jesus Christ. It’s a road of commitment, conviction, and many times, death. To truly know Jesus Christ is to give all that you have to him; to exchange all that you are for all that he is. That’s salvation and that’s what it means to be a follower of Jesus!   THE SAVING GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST IS FREE, BUT GOD CALLS US TO MUCH MORE THAN SALVATION. HE CALLS US TO LIVE OUR LIVES FOR CHRIST EACH DAY. Stop Complaining Monday, May 20, 2019 by Dr. Paul Chappell “And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.” Numbers 21:4–6 For hundreds of years the Israelites cried out for deliverance from their bondage in Egypt. They longed for freedom from their cruel taskmasters. Yet when God answered their prayers and Moses led them out of Egypt, they were anything but happy. Over and over they complained and murmured and criticized Moses—and, by implication, criticized God—for not providing everything the way they wanted it. The freedom they had sought for so long was not enough when they got it. The reason people complain is not that they have less, but that they appreciate less. When we evaluate the role God’s grace plays in every good thing we have which is all a gift from Him, we begin to understand why He hates complaining so much. It is a slap in the face to God to tell Him that what He has chosen for us in His perfect wisdom does not match what we think should happen. Charles Spurgeon said, “Shall a living man complain? There are some who do little else but complain. They complain of the times, of the weather, of the government, of their families, of their trade; if, for once, they would complain of themselves, they might have a more deserving subject for fault-finding. Praising and blessing God in life, practically by obedience, and heartily with gratitude,—this is the rent which is due for the house in which we dwell.” Today's Growth Principle:  When we complain, we are declaring that we know better than God what should happen.

“Whom shall I Send?”

Sunday, May 19, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”

Isaiah 6:6–8

After twenty-five years in India as a missionary, Alexander Duff returned home to Scotland in broken health. As he was addressing a church gathering in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the need for more missionaries, he fainted. The doctors told him he might die if he tried to finish his message, but Duff insisted. In a wavering voice, he looked out over the crowd and said, “Fathers and mothers of Scotland, is it true that you have no more sons to send to India to work for the Lord Jesus Christ? The call for help is growing louder and louder, but there are few coming forward to answer it. You have the money put away in the bank, but where are the laborers who shall go into the field? When the sovereign wants men to volunteer for his army in India, you freely give your sons. You do not talk about their losing their health, and about the trying climate. But when the Lord Jesus is calling for laborers, Scotland is saying, ‘We have no more sons to give.’”

God’s plan to reach the world today is the same as it has been since Jesus sent His disciples out to preach. “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:7). Those of us who have the truth are obligated to share it with those who have not yet heard it.

Today's Growth Principle: 

God is still looking for men and women who are willing to make the sacrifice to take the gospel to the world.

The God Who Meets Our Needs

Saturday, May 18, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.”

Luke 1:49–53

After Mary received the life-changing news that she would give birth to the Messiah, she went to see her cousin Elisabeth who was expectant with John the Baptist. As the two rejoiced in God’s goodness, Mary offered a song of praise and gratitude to God. One of the things she focused on was the great things God had done for her and her people. It was vital for her to remember, knowing the hardships that lay ahead, that God would always be faithful.

Hudson Taylor, who founded the China Inland Mission and did so much to spread the gospel, kept a plaque in his home with two Hebrew words on it: Ebenezer and Jehovhah Jireh. The first comes from the life of Samuel, where the prophet set up a memorial honoring God’s deliverance from the Philistines. He said, “Hitherto hath the LORD helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12). The second comes from Abraham when God provided a ram to offer in place of Isaac on Mt. Moriah as he said, “In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen” (Genesis 22:14).

It is important for us to look both backward in gratitude to be reminded of God’s faithfulness, and look forward in faith to be reminded of God’s promises. No matter what challenges we may face, God has promised to meet all of our needs. Just as we have trusted Him in the past and proved Him faithful, we can confidently trust Him for the future.

Today's Growth Principle: 

No Christian who relies on the promises of God has ever been let down.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Smart Homes, Wise Families   CURRENT TV SERIES All In: The Family

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 One thing I’ve noticed in talking to people who aren’t saved is that many see Christians as part of an exclusive club that only a few people can enter. And in general, people don’t like things that are exclusive because there is a feeling of being ostracized when something is exclusive and you are left out. But whether we like it or not, exclusivity is a way of life. As a Caucasian male, I’ll never be a Hispanic woman! That’s an exclusive group that I can never join. In the same way, I’ll probably never be in the book of Guinness World Records. That’s an exclusive group that only a select few with extraordinary abilities can join. So while we like to have a dream that we’re all the same and we can just hold hands and sing Kumbaya, the reality is that we’re not all the same. So when Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” he was making a very exclusive statement. Whether we like it or not, Jesus is the only person who can restore our fellowship with God and bring us into his Kingdom. And while that’s an exclusive statement, he invites everyone to receive him and receive his gift of salvation.   JESUS CLAIMED TO BE THE ONLY WAY TO THE FATHER, BUT HE INVITES EVERYONE TO RECEIVE HIM. SO EXTEND THAT INVITATION TO OTHERS BY LOVING THEM AND SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH THEM. Truth in the Tongue Friday, May 17, 2019 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 On January 15, 1919, an unprecedented disaster struck Boston, Massachusetts. The massive storage tank at the Purity Distilling Company, which held more than 2 million gallons of molasses, collapsed. The surging wave of molasses rushed out, destroying buildings and sweeping people away. When the rubble was cleared, 21 people had been killed, and another 150 injured. It was one of the worst industrial disasters in American history. The molasses that flowed from the destroyed tank was what had been contained within it. In much the same way, what we say reveals what is within our hearts. Many times people say something unkind or demeaning, or perhaps something that is cruel or critical. Those words do not arise in a vacuum. They are the overflow of what is in the heart. While we may be able to hold our tongues for a time, eventually what is on the inside is revealed by what comes out of our mouths. The key to controlling the tongue is not found in the mouth, but in the heart. And this is a task which depends on our control of our thought lives. The focus of our thinking flows out in our speech. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). Today's Growth Principle:  The key to speaking the right words is having the right heart attitude toward God and those around us.

CURRENT RADIO SERIES Going the Distance   CURRENT TV SERIES All In: The Family

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” --Matthew 7:12 I read a survey a few years back where people were asked to name their favorite saying of Jesus. One of the most popular answers was “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Now, that’s a pretty good paraphrasing of Jesus’ teaching here, commonly referred to as the ‘Golden Rule’. Contrary to what many may believe, this saying didn’t originate with Jesus. In fact, cultures all over the ancient world had some kind of rule of reciprocity when it came to how others should be treated. These all said essentially the same thing: treat others like you want to be treated. Now, the funny thing is that it so rarely happens. While so many cultures, religions, and peoples claim this as their guiding moral principal, you don’t have to read much history to know there’s a difference between what they practice and what they preach! The problem is that, apart from Christ, the Golden Rule is a pipe dream. It’s impossible for a selfish person to treat others with respect because, well, they’re selfish! But when Christ gives us new life, we have the ability to put others first and truly fulfill the Golden Rule!   WHILE THE FLESH CAN ONLY BE SELFISH, A LIFE LIVED IN CHRIST CAN BE CHARACTERIZED BY PUTTING OTHERS FIRST. SO SHOW CHRIST TO THE WORLD BY FOLLOWING THE GOLDEN RULE! The Power of Scripture Thursday, May 16, 2019 by Dr. Paul Chappell “And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:” Deuteronomy 17:18–19 Long before Israel ever had a king, God gave Moses instructions for how the kings should live. There were things they were forbidden from doing, and things they were required to do. One of those requirements was for the king to write out a copy of the law, which he would keep and read day after day. That would have been a laborious and time-intensive process, requiring commitment and diligence. This devotion to Scripture was the key to obedience to God’s commands. They needed to be known and read repeatedly and emphasized so that they would be followed. I remember the first Bible I was ever given. Inside the front cover were written these words: “Sin will keep you from this book, or this book will keep you from sin.” That was true thousands of years ago when Moses taught it. It was true when I was told it as a young boy. And it is true today. The Bible is the only source of power given to us through which we can triumph over temptation and sin.  John tells us, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Paul gives us the source of faith, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). We must be diligent in our relationship with the Bible if we want to be what God calls us to be. Today's Growth Principle:  A close relationship with God’s Word is the best protection we have against temptation.