Growing In God's Grace

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Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”I Peter 5:5

Living a godly life and having a good testimony are possible because of the inner working of the Holy Spirit. This work of grace causes us to initiate ministry where we already see God at work and to wait when there are no orders from God. It enables us to forgive and to love when, in our flesh, we are inclined to harbor resentment. Each of us demonstrates a proclivity for building our lives from the ground up (our way) rather than seeking the heart of God in every situation. In fact, most can recall instances of failure that, if explored, could be tracked to a lack of growth in grace.

The good news is that we serve a God who is the Author of second chances. Because grace is the inner working and development of the Holy Spirit, only those who have been born again by the Spirit of God can attain the privilege of SERVING our Saviour. This service begins with worship, and ministry to others is merely an extension of our worship of Him. Growth in the discipline of God’s grace is the rock upon which spiritual Christians build their lives. When growth in God’s grace is absent from our lives, it is impossible to exhibit His love before a world that has no concept of what it means to live a holy life.

The Scriptures charge us that, in addition to growing in grace, we should become established in it. In Hebrews 13:9, we are admonished to avoid being “carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” The established life of grace rejoices in times of sorrow, forgives in the company of deceit and presses forward when reminded of past failures. How is this possible?

It is a fact that the Spirit of grace develops the fruits of grace in the life of the Christian who lives by grace. Donald G. Barnhouse asserts that these fruits of grace partner to produce one fruit: love. It does not matter if we have “the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge;…[and exercise] all faith, so…[we] could remove mountains”—if we do not love, we are nothing. Mr. Barnhouse clarifies his point in the following way:Joy is love singing,

Peace is love resting,
Long-suffering is love enduring,
Gentleness is love’s true touch,
Goodness is love’s character,
Faith is love’s habit,
Meekness is love’s self-forgetfulness, and
Temperance is love holding the reins.

These are the gifts and their manifestations that the Spirit of grace develops in the servant of grace. A spiritual Christian realizes that he can go only so far and for so long apart from God’s grace before his life and ministry will be negatively affected by his neglect of the Holy Spirit. We will know if we have ceased to grow in grace only by way of self-examination. Onlookers will eventually notice the lack of grace, but wise is he who continues learning to hear that still small voice of God and obeys His every impulse.

by Dr. Paul Chappell
(Lancaster Baptist Church-California)

Are You Ready for Battle?

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Ephesians 6:6-12“Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”


If trials won’t get a Christian off track, then oftentimes temptations will. Ephesians 6:10 and 11 say, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Satan has many tricks or cunning devices to destroy a marriage, a testimony, a life. God has mercy and can redeem, but Satan wants to hurt the testimony of anyone who calls himself a Christian. He wants to bring havoc into that life so that the name of Christ will be brought down and the work of God hindered.

I’m amazed when I see a husband and wife bickering with each other or Christians speaking ill of each other. A mature believer will realize that arguing and gossip are not what they appear to be on the surface. It’s spiritual warfare. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Do I believe that demons exist? Absolutely yes! Satan is a fallen angel, Lucifer, who took one third of the angelic kingdom with him. He and his demons are busy fighting against God’s people at this very moment with wicked thoughts and with intentions to hurt, harm, or smear. The Bible says that some—even within the religious realm—have the outward appearance of religion, but their empowerment is not of God but of Satan. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says. “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

There is one true Light of the world and that is Jesus Christ. Christians must be aware that there are many false lights that blind the eyes of potential believers from seeing the truth of Jesus Christ. We need to wake up each morning with the realization that the Christian life is a battlefield, and there is a real devil that wants to destroy, tempt, and trick God’s people into stumbling and falling.

Spiritual warfare is something that you’ve got to be prepared for every day, and God has provided the weapons and protection that you need in His Word. It’s up to you to take the time to tap into that resource so you can “be strong in the Lord” and fight the battle “in the power of his might.” Satan wants to devour you and ruin your testimony. Are you prepared to do battle today?

By Dr. Paul Chappell
(Lancaster Baptist Church - California)

My God Is So Big!

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Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Today, I’d like to encourage you with a thought that keeps me going at times when I may feel down or when I feel like I’m in over my head. I have a BIG God! There’s a children’s song that says, “My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty. There’s nothing my God cannot do!” While the words are simple, the truth is powerful!

Our strength is not found in people. It’s not found in committees. The strength of a church is not in its facilities or its pastor. In our text today, we see that our strength can be found in the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God—limitless and abundant! In 1 Corinthians 2:3-4, the Apostle Paul explains, “And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”

What a powerful, mighty God we serve. The Gospel is the power—it’s our strength—and the Gospel reveals the power of God. The fact is, the greatest and strongest of this world just can’t compare to my God.

The Gospel—power of God—also rescues people from a Christ-less Hell. In John 9, Jesus gave a blind man sight. In this passage, the Pharisees approach the blind man and say, “…Give God the praise: we know that this man [Jesus] is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”

They called Jesus a sinner! Next time you face discouragement, just remember, they called Jesus a sinner… But the blind man replies, “All I know is I was blind, but now I see! I used to be on my way to Hell, now I’m on my way to Heaven!”

I’m thankful that I’m sealed unto the day of my redemption. When everything else fails, the love of God and the power of the Gospel lifts you up. It’s not in people or programs; it’s in the message of Jesus Christ! If we’ll keep preaching the Gospel, trusting in His power, He’ll take care of the rest.

Are you seeking to strengthen yourself in the praise of others or through your own efforts? God didn’t put us on this earth expecting us to survive that way. He has equipped us with His Gospel, which reveals His power. I encourage you today to draw on His power. Let Him lift you up today. Take joy in knowing that His power has saved you from destruction and that one day you will spend eternity with Him!

by Dr. Paul Chappell
(Lancaster Baptist Church - California)

Elihu on God's mighty strength and wisdom

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Shouldn't we make the effort to fully understand God's action?

Job 36:26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

There is nothing wrong with wanting answers. We must, however, remember the inherent limitations in trying to understand the ways of God.

God is infinite, we are finite. God is wise; our wisdom is limited. God knows everything, and we only know little. God sees all of time and eternity and we can only see the present. Sometimes when we don't understand what is God doing, we must trust that God is good.

If things in our lives get so complicated and we're not able to understand why? Ask God for the wisdom, the strength and endurance to keep trusting Him in all circumstances, even when He seems to be silent.

God knows and He cares for every part of His creation, especially His people - He cares about you.

Remembering God

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“For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.”
Joshua 23:9

In verse eight of this passage, Joshua encouraged his people to cleave to God. How do we cleave to Him? One important way is to remember all that He has done for us. When we reflect on all He has done, it draws a person closer and closer to the Saviour. We are encouraged in God’s Word to remember what God has done because we as humans are prone to forget.

Deuteronomy 5:15 says, “And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.”

We need to remember God’s power in the past. What has He done for you? Has He given you salvation, health, a restored marriage, children, a home, food, a church, a victory? How many prayers has He answered for you? Where has He brought you from spiritually? Take some time to reflect on what He has done for you right now!!

Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”

Not only can we remember what God has done for us in the past, but we need to remember that He gives us power for the present. He wants to work in your life today, just as He did for the Israelites as they traveled in the wilderness. He gave this promise to His church, “…the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Why did the Lord institute the Lord’s Supper? Why do we have Memorial Day in America today? So that we can remember and be thankful for what has been done. Do some remembering today…it will cause you to cleave to God.

By: Dr. Paul Chappell
(Lancaster Baptist Church - California)

Successful Farming

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“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”Romans 6:11-12

In order for a farmer to have a good crop, he must put in some key ingredients. A farmer must first sow the seed. There will be no harvest if there is no seed sown. A farmer must sow his life and his time into the land if he is to have a bountiful yield.

Psalm 126:5-6 states, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Likewise, Christians must sow the seed of the Word of God. We must be willing to give up some of our time to go out and tell others about Jesus. We must be willing to talk to someone about the Lord so that fruit would come forth.

A farmer must also die to self. Getting up at 3 a.m. is not fun! It requires discipline. It requires a willingness to tend to the needs of the farm. In the Christian life, we must die to ourselves daily for the work of Christ to get done.

A man went to see his doctor in an acute state of anxiety. He said, “Doctor, I think I’m dying. I have pain everytime I touch anything. I touch my head and it hurts. I touch my leg and it hurts. I touch my stomach and it hurts. You have to help me!”

The doctor, after giving him a thorough examination, told him, “Mr. Smith, I have good news and bad news. The good news is you are not dying. The bad news is you have a broken finger!”

Oftentimes, we’re consumed with ourselves, our schedules, our needs.

John 12:24 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

A kernel of grain must die in order for germination to take place. There is no new life without the old life dying first. Are we willing to adjust our schedule to minister to others? It’s a tragedy that, according to a poll, 72% of Americans don’t even know their next-door neighbors. We’re too busy living our own lives and satisfying our own needs that we don’t even know the name of the guy next door, much less know if he’s on his way to Heaven!

We ought to be consumed by the needs of the lost and try to introduce them to our Saviour. Let’s seek to invest in other people’s lives by sowing seed today.

by Dr. Paul Chappell
(Lancaster Baptist Church - California)

Trust in God to Meet Our Needs

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Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Today many fears fill our lives. We fear poverty, sickness, loneliness, death. We always have this fears in our heart to face danger of the night and the pressure of the day.

Why?

I do believe that the only way to release that fears is to "trust the Lord". David says in Psalms 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

If you put your faith in the Lord that will replaced fears. Freedom from fear is the result of confidence and trust in God. We may be in the place of "helpless", but God is not. When trusting God, there is nothing to afraid of.

Faith is more than believing what God can do. It is trust in the Person of God Himself. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Story: One day a father discovered his little boy had climbed an old tree. The climbs were beginning to break under the boy's weight. The father help up his arms and called, "Jump! I'll catch you." The little son considered the offer for a moment. Then, as more limbs began to break, he said, "Shall I let go of everything, Daddy, and "trust you?"

God wants you to let go everything, and trust Him. He wants you to start trusting Him and see His promises for you - A promise that will never fail.

In what ways have you "let go of everything" and put your trust in God to meet those needs? Pray and write your psalm of trust to God.

God loves you. God is always ready to answer your needs. Praise Him for His faithfulness to you!

Take God's Light into the World

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Think about what it means to be salt and light in the world today. What kind of lifestyle shines as a light to the world and shows people how to be saved? How do you need to changed your life in order to be the salt and light God wants you to be.

Psalms 10:1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Psalms 10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

Psalms 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.