I vividly remember the day my stubbornness was tested in quite an unusual way. I was sitting one evening at my desk in my room, having my alone time with God. It was where I had always had my devotions :my Bible and my journal all laid out in front of me. That day, as I began to pray, something strange came over me.
5 Points for Praying God’s Word
Have you ever listened to yourself pray? You should try it sometime. It’s amazing how self-absorbed we are as we lecture God about all we need and want, as if God doesn’t already know. We use so many common Christian phrases that if we ever addressed another human being in the same fashion, we may just get a blank stare.
Stop Reading Your Bible; Pray It!
I recently grabbed one of my newer Bibles off my desk and started thumbing through the pages out of pure curiosity. I found something that I had written in the fly-leaf...
Flee from Idolatry – I Corinthians 10:14
Let’s be frank—When we think of idolatry, we don’t usually think of ourselves, do we? We think, “Idols are those things that pagans and sinners worship!” Or we think of the absolute worst sins such as adultery, murder, abuse, drug addictions, etc… But sin is just the product of an idolatrous heart. Idolatry can even be found in the hearts of God’s children.
How to Fight Three Common Enemies of the Soul – Paul Chappell
We easily name the world, the flesh, and the devil as the three primary enemies of the Christian life—and rightly so. Ephesians 2:2–3, 1 John 2:15–16, and dozens of other passages deal with these three enemies of the soul. But rarely do these present themselves unveiled in the heart of a Christian. Satan doesn’t show … Continue reading How to Fight Three Common Enemies of the Soul – Paul Chappell
How Can I Bless the God Who Has It All?
How could I as a feeble man benefit a God who has it all? He owns “the cattle on a thousand hills” and holds the sea in the palms of his hands.
Seven Tools to Pursue Excellence in Ministry – Pastor Paul Chappell
Of course, it’s easy to say, “We care about excellence.” But do we actually practice excellence? Do we strive for it? Here are seven ways we work to strive for excellence in ministry:
The Fear of Being Empty
As we have learned in the last article being empty of our selfish ways is not at all fun. But the end of us is the very beginning of all God is. Why is it so hard to put our dreams and aspirations aside? Why do we struggle with the thought of throwing our opinions and plans out the window?
Running on Empty? Good.
Oh no. That sound. You know it can’t be good. The engine ‘putters’ louder and louder as you firmly grasp the stirring wheel. You try not to panic as the car vibrates abruptly.
The Path of Peter
Being bashed because of your faith is not fun, is it? No Christian likes to be teased for their seemingly weird convictions or standards. It is uncomfortable, awkward, and uncertain. But there is a way to escape this gruesome conflict and persecution as a Believer. There is a way to never have to suffer for being a follower of Christ.
