Daily in the Word - Daily in the Word

Two Reminders in Giving

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Friday, July 30, 2010

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"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. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."

Romans 12:1-8

There's not a more rewarding way to spend your life than following God's will and being part of His plan.

Statistics of charitable giving in America show surprising trends. According to the results, giving is not tied to a person's amount of income, as most people had suspected. Mississippi, the union's 49th poorest state, ranked second in giving per household ($4,070). On the other hand, Massachusetts, fourth in per capita income, ranked as the union's 49th most charitable state, giving just $2,645 per family last year.

The mindset toward giving in our country is not what it should be. We should all be willing to give of our bounty to help others. Not only is this a good practice socially, but God has commanded it. God's desire is for Christians to give to His work through His local church. When approaching giving, keep in mind the following two commands God's given.

We must first give ourselves. More than God wants your finances, He wants your life. As He says in Romans 12:1, "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."

God owns all the riches in the world. If He wants to accomplish something, He can do so without you. But He wants you to surrender your life and be part of the work He's doing in the lives of others. There's not a more rewarding way to spend your life than following God's will and being part of His plan.

We must learn the joys of giving. If you're like me, you enjoy opening presents on Christmas morning not to see what you got, but to see the reaction of those who open what you got them. Giving to others usually brings more happiness than getting from others.

The same is true when giving to God's work. The joy of seeing a soul saved and knowing you had a part through giving is a joy that cannot be matched. God describes the joys of giving in Proverbs 11:24-25, "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." Those that give will receive more than they ever had.

God has given us a plan for how to be a part of the joys of His work and it includes giving to Him through our local church. But before you give financially, make sure you've given yourself to God. He wants to use you, but He's waiting for you to willfully give yourself to Him.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 51-53 | Romans 2

Involved through Giving

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Thursday, July 29, 2010

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also."

2 Corinthians 8:1-7

God wants to touch lives and see people changed through your church, but He wants you to help.

The flight pattern of geese is an interesting study. If you've ever seen them flying, you'll notice they travel together in a V formation. There are four major practices the geese perform while flying to help each other:

-They rotate their leader. When the lead goose gets tired, it moves to the back of the formation and another goose flies point.
-Each goose creates an updraft for the goose behind them. The V formation creates an air current by the way each goose flaps its wings. It's estimated that by flying in formation, each bird gets seventy-one percent more flying range than if it flew alone.
-If one goose is sick or wounded, two geese fly down with it and stay beside it until it's well enough to fly again.
-When flying, the geese in the back honk to let the lead goose know that things are fine in the rear.

Geese work together to make sure everyone in the formation makes it to the destination safe and sound. They don't think of their own desires or destination, but form one body by working together. By doing so, they have greater success than flying solo.

Just as geese come together and give of themselves to form a stronger body, so the habit of the church has been-for all to join together to benefit the cause of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul talks about the church at Macedonia and how even in their poverty they gave willingly unto God's work. "For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves." Even beyond what they could physically give, they were willing to give as much as they could.

As members of a church, we have a responsibility to do all we can to help promote God's work through our church. One way God wants to use us in His work is through our giving. Christ is working through the church in our day, and as we see other churches close their doors due to struggles, we must be more faithful than ever in our giving.

God wants to reach people through the bus ministry, but He wants you to help by supplying funds for the busses through giving. God wants to see children saved and learn of Him while they're young, but He wants you to help provide coloring pages, snacks, and Bibles for them through your giving. God wants to help young couples ground their marriage on His Word, but He wants you to help provide books, materials, and retreats through your giving. God wants to touch lives and see people changed through your church, but He wants you to help.

Will you help God make a difference in your church by faithfully giving back to Him what He's given you? As you commit to giving to God, look around at the people being helped by your church and thank God He allows you to be a part of His work.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 49-50 | Romans 1

Everyone Involved

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

Ephesians 4:4-12

Teamwork makes the dream work.

The story is told of a performer who was asked to come to a program put on for soldiers coming home from overseas. The performer wrestled with whether or not he could make the program. He wanted to attend, but his schedule was so tight he'd only have time for a brief appearance. Deciding he could make it work, he promised to come as long as everyone was fine with the understanding he'd only perform one monologue then leave. He'd be on stage for ten minutes at the most.

The night of the benefit came and soldiers and families came from near and far. All wanted to see the performer and enjoy the concert, especially the soldiers who had been through some of the toughest fighting the war had seen. The performer took the stage, and went through his routine. After his last joke, he planned to leave, but as the applause grew louder, he decided to stay just a few minutes longer. Soon ten minutes turned into twenty minutes then thirty minutes, until finally after forty-five minutes he walked off the stage to laughs and thunderous applause.

Once backstage, his agent hastily approached him, "What are you doing? We have somewhere to be! Why were you on stage for that long?" The performer replied, "I meant to come off, and planned to after my last bit, but as everyone was clapping, I looked down at the first row of soldiers." Pointing to the crowd the performer continued, "That's why I stayed." The manager followed the performer's point and saw two soldiers sitting in the front row clapping. The two had obviously been in some sort of explosion, as both were missing an arm-one a right arm, the other a left arm. But by sitting together, they were able to use their remaining arms to clap for the performer.

Someone once said, "Teamwork makes the dream work." That was true about the wounded soldiers, and it also applies to churches today. Many Christians approach church as a service to attend each week, but truth is, much more goes into church than a simple service. God desires for all His children to be involved in church in one way or another.

Your church needs your help to minister to others. They need someone to help in the nursery, teach Sunday school, work a bus route, greet guests, keep the bathrooms clean, minister to the widows and hurting, and perform a variety of tasks. If you'll ask your pastor, there are a number of ways you can help around your church.

Paul tells the Ephesian church that they are one body with one mind and one goal. As a church, you should have one goal in mind-reaching unsaved people with the Gospel and ministering to Christians. How can you help accomplish that goal in your church?

You may not be in a position to work in certain areas of the church, but perhaps by praying for your pastor, sending encouraging notes to hurting church members, or visiting church members in the hospital; you can be a blessing to others.

If you aren't involved in your church, ask your pastor or a staff member how you can get involved. Obey God's command to work together for the furtherance of His Gospel.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 46-48 | Acts 28

Honoring through Trust

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD. And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them. Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD's offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it. And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair. And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses."

Exodus 35:20-29

The more passionate your faith, the more consistent your giving.

Moses stood before the hundreds of thousands of Israelites he had led through the desert and knowing the ups and downs he'd faced with them, he told them of the Lord's will for them to give of themselves, of what they had, of the few possessions they carried with them, to the Lord's tabernacle. Moses didn't know what would happen or how much the people would give. But one by one, the Israelites opened their hearts, and responding to God's working in their lives, they brought what they had and offered it to God. When asked to give to God's work, they willingly opened their hearts and gave sacrificially.

God is honored when His people give back to Him what He has given to them. As we've seen, the possessions we have are not ours, but simply entrustments from God. To show our love and honor for God, we give them back to Him.

First, we bring our tithe. The starting place for giving is found in Malachi 3:10, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse...." Because God has prescribed a base proportion of ten percent, tithing is not truly giving; it is bringing God what already belongs to Him. Biblical giving begins when one gives above the tithe.

Second, we give our offerings. Offerings are amounts we give above and beyond the tithe God asks for. While tithing is a show of obedience, giving is a show of love.

The word "offering" is found 724 times in Scripture. Stories are recorded of people who gave sacrificially, willingly, and abundantly. Not all gave large amounts, but every person who gave sacrificially honored God, for God counts sacrifice. Jesus pointed to the sacrifice of the widow who gave two mites and said that she gave more than the large offerings of the Pharisees (Luke 21:2-4).

The more passionate your faith, the more consistent your giving. God doesn't care about the size of your gift, but about the willingness of your heart. Do you trust God enough to make His work a priority in your giving? Step out by faith and trust that as you are faithfully, obediently, and sacrificially giving to God, He will bless you by providing for your needs.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 43-45 | Acts 27:27-44

Trusting God's Prosperity

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Monday, July 26, 2010

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. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish."

Psalm 1

God prospers those who desire to honor Him with both their lives and their resources.

Christian author Randy Alcorn once wrote concerning a Christian's relationship to possessions, "If God was the owner, I was the manager. I needed to adopt a steward's mentality toward the assets He had entrusted-not given-to me. A steward manages assets for the owner's benefit. The steward carries no sense of entitlement to the assets he manages. It's his job to find out what the owner wants done with his assets, then carry out his will."

Many Christians turn aside from living for God due to finances. Some people struggle with understanding their relationship to finances, but God shows us that we are the stewards of what He owns. It is our responsibility to wisely use what He has entrusted to us.

Sometimes we look at our bank account, the size of our home, or our material possessions, and comparing them to others, we wonder why we don't possess more. Our world models that in order to be happy, one must amass much wealth. That mindset of self-created prosperity can cloud us from God's truth.

We don't have to rely upon ourselves to provide enough for our family. We aren't the ones who gain possessions and material wealth. Prosperity comes from the Lord. Notice two attributes of God's prosperity.

God prospers the righteous. God blesses those who are faithfully walking with Him and obeying His commands. As He says in Psalm 1:1-2, "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."

Imagine if you had spent the day with your child, planning to have some quality parent-child time, yet all they did was act up the whole day. They complained about where you took them to eat, griped about having to be away from their friends, and had a bad attitude all day long. That night if they asked you for some money for a new outfit, would you feel benevolent and loving toward giving them some money? Not at all! Their disobedience and bad attitude would hamper your giving. While God's love for us never changes, He does bless those who are obediently walking with Him.

God prospers the givers. All too often we regard stewardship simply as a matter of our giving to God, but this aspect is secondary. Before we can give, we must possess, and before we possess we must receive. Therefore, stewardship is, in the first place, receiving God's good and bounteous gifts. And once received, those gifts are not to be used solely for our own good. They must also be used for the benefit of others, and ultimately for the glory of God, the Giver. The steward needs an open hand to receive from God and then an active hand to give to God and to others.

Ask yourself two questions: Am I following God's will? Am I using the resources I have to help others and glorify God? God provides for those who desire to honor Him with both their lives and their resources.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 40-42 | Acts 27:1-26

Trusting His Provision

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Sunday, July 25, 2010

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah."

Psalm 24:1-6

Often, our selfishness and value on possessions stems from a lack of trust in God's provision.

Award-winning author Marjorie Holmes once took time to reflect on her attitude toward possessions, and wrote the following as a prayer to the Lord:

Help me not to put too much stock in possessions, Lord. I want things, sure. But life seems to be a continual round of wanting things-from the first toys we fight over as children to our thrilled unwrapping of wedding presents to those we buy in our old age. Our concern is not primarily love and friends and pride in what we can do, but things.

Sometimes I'm ashamed of how much I want mere possessions-things for my husband and the house and the children. Yes, and things for myself, too. And this hunger is enhanced every time I turn on the television or walk through a shopping mall. My senses are tormented by the dazzling world of things. Lord, cool these fires of wanting.

Help me to realize how futile is this passion for possessions. Because-and this is what strips my values to the bone-one of my best friends died today in the very midst of her possessions. She was in the beautiful home she and her husband worked so hard to achieve, the home that was finally furnished the way she wanted it with the best of everything. She was surrounded by the Oriental rugs she was so proud of, the formal French sofas, the painting, the china and glass, the handsome silver service...She had been snatched away while silently, almost cruelly, THEY remain. Lord, I grieve for my friend. My heart hurts that she had so little time to enjoy the things that she had earned and that meant so much to her. But let me learn something from this loss; that possessions are meant to enhance life, not to become the main focus of living. Help me remember that we come into the world with nothing and we leave with nothing.

How do you treat possessions? Often, our selfishness and value on possessions stems from a lack of trust in God's provision. God promises to provide for us, but do we trust that He will provide? Our attitude toward possessions shows our trust in God.

Psalm 24 puts possessions in perspective: "The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Very simply, everything on earth is God's-He created it! Anything you own or anything you wish to own are already God's.

A correct perspective of material possessions would be to realize that God is the owner and we are the stewards. The things we call our own are in fact God's. Just as God trusts us to properly steward the possessions He gives us, so we must trust that He will provide for our every need.

Do you trust God for your provision? If we have a correct perspective of our possessions, we would trust that what we have is enough for what God wants us to accomplish. Don't fall into the trap of jealously desiring more possessions, but trust that God is in control of what you do and don't possess. He will provide for your every need.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading Schedule
Psalms 37-39 | Acts 26

Trust

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Saturday, July 24, 2010

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil."

Proverbs 3:1-7

The more you place your trust in God, the more you'll see He's worthy of your trust.

Deciding to accomplish some fun activities, an older woman once signed up for skydiving lessons. Her friends warned her she was crazy, but she didn't care. She was a stubborn woman anyway, and had a reputation for having a pessimistic outlook on life. But whatever the case, she decided to try skydiving.

As she sat in the airplane before her first jump, the instructor went over the process of the jump. "First, you pull the big cord. If it doesn't work, you pull the little cord. There will be a red pickup truck waiting for you when you land." The woman got her gear together and when her instructor gave her the signal, jumped out of the plane.

She enjoyed the flight at first, but when she grabbed for the big cord and pulled it, nothing happened. Following instructions, she pulled the little cord, but nothing happened. Mumbling to herself about the irresponsibility of the skydiving company, she said aloud, "That's just great. Now I suppose the red pickup truck won't be there either."

Sometimes we feel like this woman. We place our trust in someone or something and when it doesn't come through we wonder who or what else we can trust. Trust is a prized character trait. If you have absolute trust in someone, you know they'll come through for you. But on the other hand, if you can't trust someone, the lack of trust puts a strain on your relationship.

Most of us know Proverbs 3:5-6 by heart, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." But is it more to us than a Bible verse? Trust is not only necessary in your relationship with other people, but also in your relationship with God. Do you trust God?

Reading through Scripture shows repeated instances of people trusting God and God coming through for them. God promised Moses a way out of Egypt, and He provided it by softening Pharaoh's heart. God promised Gideon victory, and He provided it even with few soldiers. God promised Daniel safety, and He provided it by shutting the lions' mouths.

God has proven that He is trustworthy. But you must trust Him. Trust may not come easy for you. You may have been betrayed before or burned badly when you trusted someone. Don't allow your mistrust for other human beings reflect on God. People aren't perfect and will let you down sooner or later. But God, your Heavenly Father, has proven time and again that you can place your complete trust in Him and rest assured that He will make good on His promises.

Don't allow Proverbs 3:5-6 to become just another memorized Bible verse, but take to heart its command to trust God and not yourself. The more you place your trust in God, the more you'll see He's worthy of your trust.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 35-36 | Acts 25

Loose Gravel

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Friday, July 23, 2010

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

Colossians 2:8–9

Avoid the loose gravel of the world’s philosophies.

Author A.W. Tozer once said, “We have gotten accustomed to the blurred puffs of gray fog that pass for doctrine in churches and expect nothing better. From some previously unimpeachable sources are now coming vague statements consisting of a milky admixture of Scripture, science, and human sentiment that is true to none of its ingredients because each one works to cancel the others out. Little by little Christians these days are being brainwashed. One evidence is that increasing numbers of them are becoming ashamed to be found unequivocally on the side of truth. They say they believe, but their beliefs have been so diluted as to be impossible of clear definition. Moral power has always accompanied definite beliefs. Great saints have always been dogmatic. We need a return to a gentle dogmatism that smiles while it stands stubborn and firm on the Word of God that lives and abides forever.”

Sadly, many times well-meaning Christians can be so eager for truth, they look in the wrong places for that truth. Many “faiths” abound in our world, and although some would even call themselves “Christian”, their beliefs do not line up with what the Bible teaches.

Once you enter the freeway (salvation) and merge to the flow of traffic (establish a daily relationship with God), you must be aware of loose gravel and other unsettled material that could hurt your journey toward a closer relationship with God. Today let’s look at a few lose gravel teachings that can hurt Christians.

The philosophy of pluralism. Pluralism is a popular belief system of many people in our world. They say it’s fine for you to believe what you want, as long as you don’t segregate the different beliefs of others. Basically, no one way to heaven or spiritual enlightenment is correct; all roads lead to the same destination.

Just as silly as it’d be to claim that a motorist can take any California freeway they choose and expect to end up in Los Angeles, so the idea of all religions leading to the same destination is false. Jesus says very plainly in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” There is no other way to heaven except through Christ.

The philosophy of polytheism. Some people will accept Christianity as their faith, yet still hold onto other faiths and beliefs. They don’t believe in one faith, but embrace all faiths and trust that their multiple faiths will grant them passage to Heaven.

God doesn’t want to be added to your collection of faiths. He wants you to trust Him alone for salvation. As He says in Isaiah 43:10, “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” God is the only way to Heaven, and to accept His salvation, you must leave behind all other beliefs and solely trust in Christ.

The philosophy of humanism. Sadly, many people in our world believe the lie of humanism—the belief that man is the supreme being of nature. These people believe they are their own god.

God teaches us in Romans 1:21–22, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Many people look only to themselves for salvation.

Don’t be fooled by the philosophies of the world. Jesus is the only way to Heaven, and He will not share His glory with other gods. While our world preaches tolerance and acceptance, stand strong in your faith. Remember, if you aren’t sure about a teaching, research it in the Bible. If it’s not in the Bible, it’s not from God.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 33–34 | Acts 24

Merge

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Thursday, July 22, 2010

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."

Colossians 2:6-7

Just as a car must merge to the flow of traffic, so we must grow in our journey by merging to Christ's leading.

A car was once driving down a major highway at just twenty-six miles per hour. Causing a commotion and many frustrated motorists, the car was eventually pulled over by a highway patrolman. "Is there something wrong, officer?" asked the driver. "You were going twenty-six miles per hour. There is a law against that," said the patrolman. "You must be going at least fifty miles per hour." The driver rebutted, "But officer, when I turned onto the highway, the sign read '26'." After suppressing a laugh, the officer replied, "This is Highway 26. Twenty-six isn't the speed limit." Relaxing at the news, the driver sat back in his seat at which point the officer could see a passenger beside the driver. The passenger's eyes were wide open and she was holding onto the door for dear life. "What's wrong with her?" asked the patrolman. The driver replied, "I don't know. She's been like that ever since we got off Highway 160."

Sometimes our journey through life can leave us hanging on with all our might. Have you ever tried to merge onto a major highway during rush hour? The process of looking over your shoulder, making sure the lane is free, slowly merging, and speeding up to the flow of traffic is enough to fray anyone's nerves.

Just as a car must merge to the flow of traffic, so we must grow in our journey by merging to Christ's leading. How can we merge onto His path? How can we give up our own direction or destination and follow His leading?

First, we must be rooted in Christ. Colossians 2:6-7 states, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him." Once we've received Christ and taken the freeway entrance, we must merge into our relationship with Him, but being rooted in Christ.

Second Peter 3:18 tells us that in order to root ourselves in Christ, we must grow in our relationship with Him: "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." Growth is the product of hearing, studying, and consulting God's Word. It comes from daily taking time to listen to the Lord and to His direction. As you daily make time to delve into His Word, you'll grow more strongly rooted in Christ.

Second, we must be established in Christ. Colossians 2:7 goes on to say, "and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught." Becoming established in the faith happens as a result of repeated time with God. Establishing yourself comes from learning the principles of God's Word, developing godly friendships, and setting up biblical standards in our personal lives.

Third, we must abide in Christ. It's not enough to merge into traffic, but you must continue along with the flow of traffic for as long as you travel the road. Even so, it's not enough to begin Christianity by rooting yourself in Christ; you must continue abiding in Him.

As Colossians 1:23 says, you must continue in the faith you now have, "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister."

Are you rooted and established in your faith? Have you developed a daily routine of spending time with Christ, and are you applying the principles you've found in God's Word to your life? Also, remember to continue the faith you've established as you seek to journey further in your relationship with God.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 31-32 | Acts 23:16-35

The Journey

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 07:00:01 +0000

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

1 John 5:11–13

Just because you’ve made a mistake doesn’t mean God won’t forgive you.

This past year, my youngest son Matthew asked his girlfriend Katie to marry him. On the day of his engagement, he had everything planned out perfectly. My wife, daughters, and daughter-in-law took Katie on what she thought was simply a trip to have a special lunch time together. Matt had planned ahead to be waiting for Katie when she arrived.

Throughout that special day, as Matt prepared to drive to the conference room where he would meet Katie, he called me several times to reaffirm the directions I had given him. He and I had already traveled there before, but he never had to worry about directions—Dad took care of that. This time, however, he was making his own journey, and everything had to be just right.

People make many journeys in life. Perhaps you and your family have already or will soon make a vacation journey this summer. As someone once said, “The journey is half the fun.” Being together with family can lead to a memorable journey. But wrong turns and wrong directions can cause havoc on a journey.

Whether physical journeys or spiritual ones, each lead to a certain destination. Having the wrong directions can lead to an unpleasant end, both spiritually and physically.

On any journey, it’s a wise idea to follow the road signs as they guide the traveler safely to their destination. Similarly, we would be wise to follow the road signs on our spiritual journey. Over the next few days we’ll look at some spiritual road signs that will point us to move closer to God.

First though, before you can begin your journey, you must heed the “Freeway Entrance” sign. How many times have you known where you needed to be, but couldn’t find the right road to take you there? Oftentimes we all find ourselves looking for which road or freeway to get on.

Spiritually, you cannot reach your destination (relationship with God) without first entering the highway (salvation). If your goal is a relationship with God, the Bible gives one road to get there: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

You cannot get to God unless you first realize your need for a Saviour and trust Christ for salvation. Before you can begin your journey through life, you must enter the freeway of Christianity. To learn more this entrance, visit our website and read of how Jesus gave His life so you could know Him and know that you have eternal life.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 29–30 | Acts 23:1–15