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Featuring the Real Story "Hero's Welcome: Chapter 2" and special guests Domonicque Tatum, US Army Infantryman; and Matt Randle from Vets4Vets.

This is the Real Story of Domonicque Tatum, a young veteran who has struggled with homelessness and PTSD. It was featured on "In Their Boots" Episode 6. See more at InTheirBoots.com.

This is the Real Story of Domonicque Tatum, a young veteran who has struggled with homelessness and PTSD. It was featured on "In Their Boots" Episode 5. See more at InTheirBoots.com.

Updated David Weekley 1-Story In The Heart Of The Woodlands. This Versatile Floorplan Offers A 4th Bdrm Near The Master That Would Be A Great Study Or Nursery! The Split, Open Floorplan Has A Great Kitchen Hardwood Floors In The Entry, Den & Halls, New Frieze Carpet & New Paint Inside & Out! Great Backyard W/Wood Deck & 2-Car Detached Garage. All Of This Combined W/A Great Location & Feeding Into Excellent Schools Make This One You Will Not Want To Miss!

My first mma fight Author: Echappell145 Keywords: MMA Evan Chappell Roseburg Oregon Added: May 15, 2008

Harvest Outreach, local church in Virginia Beach, sings praise and worship on Easter Sunday, April 13, 2008, led by Pastor Chap Chappell Author: harvestoutreach Keywords: Harvest Outreach Virginia Beach choir easter praise worship Pastor Chap Chappell Added: April 28, 2008

secon fight in Washington. Author: Echappell145 Keywords: MMA Evan CHappell Washington keslers bar Added: April 23, 2008

You asked the questions, now Crystal answers your questions!

This Charming Royce Home Is Move-In Ready W/2in Blinds, Fridge, Washer & Dryer Included! Home Boasts Wonderful Open Floorplan Making It Perfect For Everyday Living & Entertaining! The Large Kitchen Has Built-In Microwave & Huge Pantry. Open Den W/ Beautiful Art Niche, Wonderful Dining Room with Lovely Light Fixture. Spacious Master Suite & 3 Nice Sized 2ndary Bedrooms. Great Fully Fenced Backyard W/Plenty Of Room For Entertaining! Great Location Close To 2 brand new schools, Shopping and Hwy 59. http://www.thechappellteam.com

Author: BrianChappell Added: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:46:17 -0800 Duration: 1770Drupal in my opinion is the most search engine friendly, out of the box, solution in existence today. This is a short clip on how to ensure Drupal SEO success in under 5 minutes.

You asked the questions, now Crystal answers your questions!

Wordpress vs Drupal. Which CMS should you use for your website? Brian Chappell goes into detail explaining the pluses and negatives for each content management system.Author: BrianChappell Tags: drupal wordpress cms brian chappell compare content management system construction kit plugins themes modules Posted: 31 January 2008 Rating: 0.0 Votes: 0

Author: BrianChappell Added: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:00:45 -0800 Duration: 151This is a simple how to guide on setting up a basic meta refresh to enable tracking of RSS subscribers via google analytics, for sites that use services like feedburner. It is a great method to track where your sub s are coming from.

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Tuesday 23, 2007 God’s Purpose by Dr. Paul Chappell “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.” Ephesians 1:7-9 Forty-five years ago, Hugh Morehead began a hobby of writing to famous philosophers, scientists, and authors asking them, “What is the purpose of life?” He is now the chairman of the Department of Philosophy at Northeastern University in Illinois. The responses he got back were depressing at best. Isaac Asimov wrote back, “As far as I can see there is no purpose to life.” Karl Jung, the Austrian psychiatrist, wrote, “I don’t know what the meaning or the purpose of life is, but it looks like as if there were something meant by it.” And Albert Ellis, the psychiatrist who invented RET therapy said, “As far as I can tell, life has no special or intrinsic meaning or purpose.” Edward Gorny replied, “I doubt if there is one.” So many people today are searching for the meaning of life and yet are not finding it. They see life as mere existence, void of any purpose or meaning. But as Christians we know that God has a purpose for our lives. He doesn’t want us to merely exist, but to fulfill His will for our lives. Solomon indicated in the book of Ecclesiastes that if we do not understand the purpose of life, life will seem useless, tiresome, and unfulfilling. Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 says, “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?” God tells us that when we live without purpose and without God’s will, it is all vanity! Today let’s see that one purpose God has for our lives is that we be good witnesses of Him. We must be good witnesses of Christ first of all, by the way we live. Many times we can be told that people are watching us, but do we truly believe that? Do we realize that people are forming their views of Christianity based on our lives? Even when it seems as if no one is around or no one cares what you do, there are others watching our testimony. What we do reflects on Christ. The early believers were given the name “Christians” because, as the name means, they were “little Christs.” When people saw how they lived and their purpose for living, they associated them with God. They witnessed through their testimonies to others around them. We must also witness for God through soulwinning. We must designate a time each week that we go out and tell others of God’s gift of salvation. Second Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” God desires that the world would hear the Gospel and come to Him for salvation. His purpose in seeing that fulfilled is that we would be faithful witnesses of Him through our soulwinning. Are you fulfilling God’s purpose for your life in the area of witnessing? God wants us to be lights to those around us by the way we live. He also desires that we spend time each week telling others of His salvation. Ask God now to help you become a better witness for Him. Also, fulfill God’s purpose for your life by living for God and telling others of Him today. Daily Bible Reading Jeremiah 1-2 • 1 Timothy 3

Monday 22, 2007 When We Wander by Dr. Paul Chappell “And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.” Exodus 14:7-9 Golf immortal Arnold Palmer once recalled a lesson about overconfidence: “It was the final hole of the 1961 Masters tournament, and I had a one-stroke lead and had just hit a very satisfying tee shot. I felt I was in pretty good shape. As I approached my ball, I saw an old friend standing at the edge of the gallery. He motioned me over, stuck out his hand and said, ‘Congratulations.’ I took his hand and shook it, but as soon as I did, I knew I had lost my focus. On my next two shots, I hit the ball into a sand trap, then put it over the edge of the green. I missed a putt and lost the Masters. You don't forget a mistake like that; you just learn from it and become determined that you will never do that again. I haven't in the 30 years since.” Sometimes in life we can lose our focus. We can become distracted by all the things around us that we fail to stay on the path God wants us to follow. Over the past two days we have seen how when Moses was weak, God strengthened him. When Moses wondered, God gave Him a miracle. Today, we will see that even when Moses wandered, God gave him a path to follow. As we see in our verses today, Moses had just led the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. I’m sure there was much singing and praising God as they had just seen Him perform many miracles and had delivered them from slavery. But as the Israelites approached the Red Sea, they faced their first time of trial. With the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptian army behind them, the Israelites soon began to wander. They forgot the great blessings God had performed for them in Egypt and they forgot the miraculous way God had released them from bondage. All they could see was an impossible situation and they began to doubt God. This can happen in our lives if we are not careful. We could have just experienced a great victory in our lives and had seen God work in a mighty way, yet one small problem can distract our focus and cause us to wander. We must be careful that we keep our focus on God when problems come into our lives. We must set our eyes on Him and follow His path for our lives. God’s path always involves going forward. Many times the devil will try to get us to look back to our past or around to others near us. We must not look back or around but set our eyes on Christ. As we are focused on Him and are moving forward on our path, He will help us stay on track and not wander from His will. Had Moses and the Israelites not trusted God and continued to move forward, they would not have been able to see God’s blessings. You don’t want to miss God’s blessings because you wandered away from His path for your life. Are you on the right path? Or have you lost focus and wandered from God? Make sure you are focused on God and His will for your life. Let Him lead and guide you and you won’t miss the awesome blessings He has in store for you! Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 65-66 • 1 Timothy 2

Sunday 21, 2007 When We Wonder by Dr. Paul Chappell “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand.” Exodus 4:1-4 When the Gerber baby food company first started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as here in the United States with the cute baby on the label. Later they found out that in Africa, companies routinely put pictures on the label of what is inside since most people cannot read. Many times we can be confused or wonder about something. Maybe it is through a time of uncertainty that comes into our lives or when God asks us to do something we don’t think is possible. Whatever it is, there are probably times when we all wonder about what God is doing in our lives. When God spoke to Moses through a burning bush in the desert, Moses’ first response was fear. He worried about his failures and weaknesses, but God promised to be with Him and to show Himself strong through Moses’ life. Then Moses answered God in Exodus 4:1, “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.” The first word Moses said was “but.” This is a coordinating conjunction that ties two phrases together. It is as if Moses was saying, “Lord, I know you promised to be with me and to work through me, and I know you are able to, but I am still worried if the people will believe me or not.” Many times we can respond the same way to God’s commands. We can oftentimes become afraid or doubt the promises God has given us. We can wonder if God will be able to help us personally. Let’s see how God answered Moses’ wondering. First, God asked Moses a simple question, “What is that in thine hand?” (Exodus 4:2). Many people wonder how God can use them or what they have to offer Him, yet God asks a simple question. God doesn’t ask us to do the amazing or the impossible. He simply asks us to give Him the time, talents, and resources we already have. God is asking you today, “What do you have in your hand?” What do you have that you can offer God? One little boy only had two fish and five loaves of bread, yet God worked through him because he willingly gave what he had. It is not the amount of what we have but our willingness to give it to Him that matters to God. Also, we see that God performed an amazing miracle. Exodus 4:3-4 says, “And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand.” God performed a great miracle because Moses was willing to give God what he had and obey His commands. We should not worry and wonder about how God will use us or how He will work in our lives. We must simply give Him what we have and let Him use it to His glory. What do you have today that you can give God? A talent, some time, or a resource? God doesn’t ask that you have the most talent, the longest amount of time, or the greatest resources; all He asks is that you give Him what you have. Spend time with God now and give Him what you have. Do not spend time wondering how He could use you, but rather give Him what is in your hand today! Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 62-64 • 1 Timothy 1

Saturday 20, 2007 When We Are Weak by Dr. Paul Chappell “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.” Exodus 3:10-12 Joe Scriven was a missionary from Ireland to Canada, working among the Iroquois Indians. He was joined by his fiancé who was also from Ireland. Just before the wedding, she was killed in an ice accident. Joe buried her with his own hands, and a broken heart. A year later, in a letter to his mother, he reflected, "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer." Every one of us faces challenges that seem to overwhelm us. There will be days when we feel as if the devil is winning in our lives. We must not let the devil discourage us. There is still hope in Christ. When the devil attacks us and we are weak, we must turn to God for strength. As we see in our verses today, Moses was in a time of weakness. He had spent forty years in the desert, faithfully herding his uncle’s sheep. Now the Lord had visited him and had commanded him to lead Israel out of bondage in Egypt. Like many of us would do, Moses became afraid and focused on his weaknesses. But God gave Moses comfort in two areas. First, God promised to be with Moses. Exodus 3:12 says, “And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.” When Moses was worried, God reassured him of His presence. Friend, even in our darkest days, God is still with us. Even when the devil is attacking us and we can’t see a way out, God promises to be near us. He tells us in the last part of Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” That isn’t simply a Bible truth but an everyday reality! No matter where we are or what we are going through, we can look to God for help. Also, God promised to show Himself strong through Moses. Exodus 3:20-21 says, “And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.” Even though Moses felt inadequate, God promised to work through his difficult situation. God is faithful to us no matter what fears we have. As we remain faithful to Him and obey His commands, He will work through our situation for His glory. Many times God brings a difficulty into our lives to show His strength to those around us. We must faithfully serve God even when we are weak so others may see His power. Moses made many excuses for not obeying God, yet God answered all His fears with promises. Those promises that He gave Moses are still good for us today! When we have fears or weaknesses, we must look to Christ for power and we must remain faithful so He can work through us. Are you in the midst of a difficult situation today? Do you feel fear and weakness as the devil attacks? Just like Moses, we can many times provide excuses instead of trusting God. We must not be overwhelmed by our difficulties, but we must turn to God and seek His power. Spend time with God right now and seek His power in your life. Ask Him to help you overcome your weaknesses. Continue to faithfully serve Him so He may show Himself strong through your life today. Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 59-61 • 2 Thessalonians 3

Friday 19, 2007 Edifying Our Family by Dr. Paul Chappell “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29 There was once an elementary school math teacher who loved teaching children, but she did not necessarily like teaching math. One little boy who had done poorly in math the year before had greatly improved since being in her class. When she asked him why, he said, “Because I like myself better in your class.” As we saw yesterday, we must encourage our children each day. God commands us not to hurt our children or provoke them to wrath. We must daily seek for ways to praise them for something they have done. Today we will see how we can edify our entire family through encouragement. First, we can edify our family through praise. No one likes to be told they are wrong, yet it is necessary to grow. On the other hand, most people like to be praised and encouraged, and praise is also a vital necessity in our lives! This is not an optional thing in our lives. We cannot choose to simply ignore our responsibility to encourage our family. Someone can ignore their children or spouse and think they aren’t harming them because they are not yelling at them or verbally abusing them, yet ignoring our families and failing to encourage them is just as harmful. We must seek ways every day to uplift and edify our family. Your family should view home as a safe haven. Many times people at work or school can degrade or belittle the members of your family. They should never have to worry if that is going to happen at home. They must feel that home is a place of love and acceptance. We must be careful not to make fun of each other or point out each other’s faults. We must edify our family through praise and encouragement. Also, we must edify our family with God’s Word. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” God’s Word can cut through any doubt or discouragement and help edify the members of our family! There are several ways you can help edify and encourage your family through God’s Word. You could leave a small note or 3x5 card on their dresser or somewhere they’ll see it with an encouraging verse on it. Maybe you know they are going through a difficult time. Pick a verse that deals with God’s help during trials. Also, spend time together in God’s Word with your family. A daily time of family devotions helps the family focus on each other and on the Bible. As you open the Scriptures, look for ways to apply the truths of His Word to your family. Make it specific and give your children ways they can practice the principles of His Word in their lives that day. Our families are the most important things in our lives. Aside from our walk with God, nothing could be more important than raising a godly family who loves the Lord. We must daily encourage and edify one another through our actions and with God’s Word. Are you edifying your family each day? Do you show them your love through your actions? Also, are you sharing Scripture with each other? Many times a loving note or a helpful Bible verse can help someone who is discouraged or struggling. Ask God to help you see how you can effectively edify the other members of your family. Take time now to write an encouraging note to a member of your family. As we take time to edify our loved ones, God will help us stay close to Him. Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 56-58 • 2 Thessalonians 2

Thursday 18, 2007 Encouraging Your Children by Dr. Paul Chappell “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 The Duke of Wellington, the British military leader who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, was not an easy man to serve under. He was brilliant, demanding, and not one to shower his subordinates with compliments. Yet even Wellington realized that his methods left something to be desired. In his old age a young lady asked him what, if anything, he would do differently if he had his life to live over again. Wellington thought for a moment then replied. “I’d give more praise,” he said. As we saw yesterday we are to have biblical order in our homes. We must adhere to God’s plan of authority in our homes. One order we saw was that of fathers. We saw that fathers are to be the head of the house and lead the family spiritually. We also saw that it is the wives’ responsibility to submit to her husband and lovingly support him. Today we will see that God desires parents to encourage their children as well. We must be careful not to hurt our children through our actions. The first part of our verse today says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.” The phrase “provoke not” means not to exasperate or anger. God does not want us hurting our children verbally or non-verbally. Verbally we can sometimes become angry or upset and yell at them which hurts a child’s spirit. Non-verbally we can ignore them by focusing on work or our hobbies. Either way, we are hurting our children and disobeying God’s command of encouragement. Parents, we need to see our children as God sees them—a human being created in His image; someone for whom God’s son, Jesus, died. Yes, our children will disobey us and sometimes hurt us, but we are all human! Even the best child has disobeyed his parents at one time. God’s love to us is unconditional and our love to our children should be unconditional as well. We should not provoke them to anger but should encourage them by loving them at all times. A Christian counselor and his wife once adopted a little boy from a Korean orphanage. They loved him unconditionally and encouraged him each day. One day they asked him, “Would you like to go back to Korea?” He replied, “No, because here I am somebody special.” Our goal should be that our children feel like someone special at home because of our love for them. Also, we must bring up and nurture our children. The other half of our verse today says, “but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” The idea of nurturing is the process of education through love and discipline. Proverbs 29:15 says, “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” Nurturing takes time and love. Many times children can develop wrong attitudes in their hearts before it is visible on the outside. But as we are nurturing our children in godly discipline, the Lord will help us see those attitudes and be able to lovingly correct them. Parents, we should do all we can to nurture and encourage our children. It is our duty and our responsibility but there is no greater privilege than raising our children! God has given us our children to raise for Him and we must not overlook our responsibility in encouraging and nurturing them. Are you encouraging your children each day? While there are times we must apply discipline and correction, there must also be times we show love through encouragement. Take time today to praise your child for something they did. Whether they cleaned their room, did well in a sports game, brought home a good test score, or helped around the house, find something for which you can praise them. Also, make sure you are nurturing your child through godly discipline. Your child should respect you and your role of authority in their lives. Ask God for help in nurturing and encouraging your children today. Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 53-55 • 2 Thessalonians 1

Wednesday 17, 2007 Order in the Home by Dr. Paul Chappell “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1-4 We are living in a society that not only has misplaced family values, but also has a diminishing respect for the family in general. The media seems to downplay the family and portray that happiness is found in a single, party-like lifestyle. The truth is that happiness is found in God’s will! We must not neglect the teaching of God’s Word regarding children and the family. Psalm 127:3 says, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” We must remember that God has given us a great gift in our children and He desires that we would steward that gift wisely. Today we will see how we can honor God and raise our children for Him by setting order in our homes. Much of Ephesians 5 deals with the order of the home. Ephesians 5:17 shows us that Christ is the head of our homes, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” We must understand His will and follow Him. Ephesians 5:18 also shows us that the Holy Spirit is the director of our home, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” We must let Him fill us and guide our lives. Also, we see in Ephesians 5:25 that the husband is to be the loving leader, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” We are to lovingly guide and direct our families as Christ guides and directs the church. And Ephesians 5:22 tells us that wives are to be loyal supporters of their husbands, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” We also see in our verses today the role of children in the order of the home. Ephesians 6:1 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” While the parents are to guide and lead the family, children are commanded to support their parents through obedience. If a child will obey, a parent must establish boundaries of authority. Many of today’s parents seek to be their children’s friend rather than their parent. Your child needs loving correction and guidance more than they need another buddy. God desires that you would set up biblical authority in your home to help your children obey. A parent should offer a child love, acceptance, and guidance in the home, but we must not minimize the importance of authority in the home as well. Dr. John R. Rice once said, “The best way to get rid of criminals is to stop raising them.” It is sad but many parents are failing to raise their children for the Lord because there is a lack of godly authority in their family. There is no biblical order in the home. God has promised us that as we set order in our home and exert biblical authority, He will help us raise our children for Him. Proverbs 22:6 promises, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” God wants to help us in raising our children! We must seek His help in setting biblical authority in our homes. Is there order in your home today? Is there a healthy balance of love and guidance? God desires that we help train our children through guidelines and authority. Take time today to ask God to help you establish order in your home. Ask Him to help you and your children respond correctly to biblical guidance and authority. Also, spend time with your children today. Show them that you love them but that there will also be a loving authority in their lives to help guide them. As you seek God each day, He will help you establish order in your home. Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 50-52 • 1 Thessalonians 5

Tuesday 16, 2007 Victory over Setbacks by Dr. Paul Chappell “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” First Corinthians 15:57-58 During quail season in Georgia, an Atlanta journalist met an old farmer hunting with an ancient pointer at his side. Twice the dog ran rheumatically ahead and pointed. Twice his master fired into the open air. When the journalist saw no birds rise, he asked the farmer for an explanation. “Well,” grinned the old man, “I knew there weren’t no birds in that grass. Spot’s nose ain’t what it used to be. But him and me have had some wonderful times together. He’s still doing the best he can—and it’d be mighty mean of me to call him a liar at this stage of the game!” As we saw yesterday, we all have setbacks and imperfections in our lives. Yet we shouldn’t let these setbacks keep us from following God’s will for our lives. The devil seeks to use these imperfections to discourage us from serving God, yet we must realize that God has made us who we are and He desires to use us. Today we will see a few ways we can have victory over the setbacks in our lives. First, we must present ourselves to the Lord. Romans 12:1 says, “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.” If we are to have victory over the imperfections in our lives, we must give ourselves to God each day and let Him fill us. Second, we must be transformed by the Lord. Ephesians 4:23 says, ,em>“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” God desires to renew and transform us into Christians He can use. Even with failures and setbacks, we can be used by God if we will let Him transform us. It has been said that our thoughts are the autopilot of our lives. Many times someone will say, “I could never teach a Sunday school class” or “I could never work on a bus route.” These thoughts dictate their behavior and prevent them from serving God. What is your autopilot today? What have you been making excuses for to avoid doing? God can use any of us if we will surrender to Him and let Him transform us. Third, focus on victory one day at a time. Many times we can get discouraged when we think of having complete victory over a large setback in our lives, but we must realize that we cannot do it on our own. We must focus on God and ask Him for victory each day. I would challenge you to make a list of the setbacks or imperfections in your life—areas that need change. After you have made your list, take it before God in prayer and pray over each one separately. Tell God your thoughts and feelings about that area and pray for His help in overcoming the setback. Take this list to Him each day and ask for victory in your life. Last, we must memorize Scripture to gain victory over the setbacks in our lives. God’s Word is our guide and protection in life. As we are memorizing Scripture and applying the truths of His Word in our lives each day, God will help us have victory. Are there some areas in your life in which you struggle? Are there some setbacks or imperfections over which you need victory? None of us are perfect and we all need God’s help each day. Take time each day to meet Him in prayer. Present yourself to Him, ask Him to transform you, focus on victory one day at a time, and memorize and apply God’s Word in your life. As you seek His help each day, He will help you gain victory over the setbacks in your life. Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 47-49 • 1 Thessalonians 4

Monday 15, 2007 Used by God 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.” Romans 12:1-2 A young man excitedly told his mother that he had fallen in love and wanted to get married. He said, “Just for fun I’m going to bring over three ladies to see if you can pick which one I’m going to marry.” The next day he brought them over and said, “Ok Mom, go ahead and guess.” She immediately said, “The one in the middle.” “That’s amazing Mom. How did you know?” “I don’t like her!” None of us are perfect and we all have setbacks. Yet God has made each of us individually and He desires to use us. Some people feel they are inadequate or unqualified to be used by God, but God shows us that He can use anyone! Moses had a speech impediment, yet God used Him to lead the nation of Israel out of captivity. Rahab had lived a sinful life, yet God used her to hide the spies and save her family from the destruction of Jericho. Jonah had run from God, yet he was used to see the entire city of Nineveh converted to Christ. No matter what limitations we have or how inadequate we feel, God desires to use us! One reason we might feel inadequate to be used by God is because the devil accuses us. Have you ever thought about past sins or failures and come to the conclusion that God could never use you? The devil constantly brings past sins to our minds to distract us from serving God. Don’t believe him. The devil desires to distract you from God’s plan for your life. The devil is a liar! John 8:44 tells us, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” Do not believe him when he tells you God could never use you. Do not let him keep you from attempting great things for God! Another reason we may feel inadequate is because we are not seeing victory in our lives. Many Christians fall away from God when things don’t go the way they had planned. When their prayers don’t get answered right away or they don’t see a spiritual victory, they think God is not working in their lives. This is another lie from the devil! When things don’t go our way, he will cause us to blame God. Friend, don’t let the devil discourage you when unexpected circumstances come into your life. Simply trust God and continue following Him. Don’t turn from God, but turn to Him and He will give you victory. Do you often find yourself feeling inadequate to be used by God? None of us are worthy of God’s plan for our lives! Even the best preachers and the most godly people have setbacks and imperfections. Don’t let the devil keep you from serving God and following His plan for your life. Seek Him right now and ask Him for strength in overcoming your setbacks as you serve Him today. Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 45-46 • 1 Thessalonians 3

Sunday 14, 2007 The Holy Spirit by Dr. Paul Chappell “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:4-6 My first real memories of driving a car are from my teenage years as a missionary’s son in Seoul, South Korea. Learning to drive in Korea was a frightening experience. The Korean drivers were reckless and loved to use the horns on their cars. Probably the most frightening place to drive was in the areas called “traffic circles.” This was an area where several major roads meet and drivers had to drive around a center point to get to the next street. The irony of traffic circles is that you are supposed to quickly get to your street and yield to incoming traffic at the same time. Sometimes our lives are like being on a traffic circle. We continue to go faster and faster yet fail to yield to those around us. Many times we fail to step back from the hectic pace of life and yield to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit desires to fill us and use us but He can’t if we do not yield to Him. A yielded Christian is led by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” If we desire to live a fruitful Christian life, we must be yielded to the Holy Spirit and filled by Him. The Holy Spirit desires to lead us off the traffic circle of spiritual death and onto the road of peace and life as we allow Him to lead us. Today we will see three ministries the Holy Spirit has in each of our lives. First, the Holy Spirit regenerates us when we call on Him. John 3:5-6 says, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” When we call upon the Lord to save us, the Holy Spirit regenerates us and we become one of God’s children! Second, the Holy Spirit intercedes to the Lord for us. Romans 8:26-27 says, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” The Holy Spirit speaks to God on our behalf! Last, the Spirit illuminates us. Many people claim that the Bible is hard to understand, and it is true that we cannot understand all of it on our own. But God has given us the Holy Spirit to illuminate and enlighten us as we read His Word. He reveals truth to us and applies the Scriptures to our lives. The Holy Spirit desires to lead us and help us in our Christian life, yet we must be yielded to Him. The Holy Spirit came into each of our lives when we accepted Christ and He desires to help us live for God. He regenerated us, intercedes for us, and illuminates us. We must be yielded to Him and seek His help in our lives. Are you yielded to the Holy Spirit? Do you seek His help in your life each day? Before you read God’s Word today, ask the Spirit to help you apply the truths you learn to your life. Ask Him to help you understand and live out God’s Word. Also ask Him to intercede for you before the Lord. The Holy Spirit desires to help us, but we must first be yielded to Him. Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 43-44 • 1 Thessalonians 2

Saturday 13, 2007 Analyzing Our Priorities by Dr. Paul Chappell “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Luke 12:27-31 Someone once said that there are two ways in which a Christian may view his money. "How much of my money shall I use for God?" or "How much of God's money shall I use for myself?" As we saw yesterday, God desires that we would place a high priority on Him and His work. While the world tells us that money buys power and satisfaction, God shows us in His Word that true joy comes from Him and investing in His work. It can sometimes be easy to focus on material possessions and goods rather than Christ, but we must seek God rather than money. It would do us all well if we analyzed our priorities today by asking ourselves four questions. First, ask yourself, “Am I trusting God with my finances?” Luke 12:30 says, “For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.” Those who do not know Christ often worry about their future and seek to control their finances. But God desires that we would trust Him to take care of us. He knows what we need and He will provide for us! We must not worry about our financial future, but place a priority on God’s work and trust Him. Second, we must ask ourselves, “Am I seeking His kingdom first?” Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” God promises that as we seek Him first, He will provide for our needs. As humans we can sometimes worry about our finances, but God wants us to trust Him. If He lays it on your heart to give to Him, do not try to figure out how it will work. Simply trust Him. As you continue to seek Him first, He will provide for your every need. Third, we must ask, “Am I placing treasure in His work?” Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Our hearts are affected by where we place our treasure. When we decide to pursue earthly treasures and material possessions, our hearts will be pulled away from God and to the pleasures of this world. We must make sure we are placing a priority on God’s work and investing in it. Last, we must ask ourselves, “Am I preparing to give an account?” One day we will all give an account before God. Romans 14:10 says, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” The spiritual man is not focusing on what someone else gives or doesn’t give, He focuses on what Christ would have him to give. We must make sure we are using every opportunity God has given us to give to Him. Someone once said, “We exist temporarily through what we take; we live forever through what we give.” God desires that we would place a high priority on His work and on giving to Him. It can be easy to sometimes focus on worldly possessions rather than on God. We must take time to analyze our priorities and focus on God. What are your priorities in life? Is God’s work at the top of the list? When we place God and His work as a priority in our lives, we will have no problem obeying His commandment to give to Him. Take time right now to ask yourself these four questions. Analyze your priorities and see where your heart lies. Spend time with God and ask Him to help you place Him as your priority today. Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 41-42 • 1 Thessalonians 1

Friday 12, 2007 A Heart that Prioritizes by Dr. Paul Chappell “And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.” Luke 18:18-23 Most of us have probably never heard of Oseolla McCarty. I certainly never knew who she was until a few years ago. You see Oseolla was an 88 year old widow in Mississippi who had dropped out of school after the seventh grade. She worked as a seamstress in relative obscurity until July 26,1995, when she walked into her bank, withdrew her “nest egg” of $150,000, and gave it to the University of Southern Mississippi. A media frenzy ensued. The New York Times interviewed her and Harvard gave her an honorary Humanities degree. She received more publicity than she ever imagined. Why? Because it is rare when anyone handles their money in this way! It is rare when someone works steadily, budgets carefully, saves consistently, invests wisely, and gives generously. It is also rare when a person prioritizes their life around others and around the kingdom of God. It is an uncommon thing in the day in which we live to see commitment and priorities like this lady’s. Not many people today place such high priorities on planning and saving. Even so, not many people place high priorities on the Lord’s work. While God commands us to give to His work, many people today place a false priority on the money they have. Many people place a priority on wealth because it gives them a sense of power. As we see in our verses today, there was a rich young ruler who asked Christ the way to have eternal life. This young ruler had much wealth and loved the possessions he owned. They were a priority in his life. When Christ suggested he sell all he had, the ruler left in sorrow because he was not willing to part with his wealth. The world has set the image that those with money are powerful. They have material possessions, social influence, and economical prosperity. Yet God shows us that those who give to Him and to His work have true joy. The wealthy may have power and influence in this world, but those who give to God’s work have an impact on eternity. Also, many people place a priority on material wealth because it brings them satisfaction. If we are not careful, we all can get caught in the trap of seeking money or possessions for joy and satisfaction. First Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Seeking money and material wealth can distract us from seeking God. We must look to Him to be the source of our joy and satisfaction. While others prioritize money and material possessions, we must place a priority on God and His work. Never let the things of this world hinder you from obeying God in giving to Him. Remember that God honors and blesses those who willingly give to Him. Have money and material possessions become a priority in your life? It’s not wrong to have nice things, but when we focus on gaining earthly things more than we focus on serving God, it becomes wrong. We must place a priority on God and willingly give to Him. Take time now to meet with God. Make sure He is the priority of your heart and that you are seeking Him for joy and satisfaction. As we set our hearts on Him and obey Him, we will have all the wealth we need! Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 39-40 • Colossians 4

Thursday 11, 2007 The Results of Your Trial by Dr. Paul Chappell “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” James 1:5-6 Horatio Spafford was a wealthy developer in Chicago during the 1860s. As a Christian, he grew in Christ under the ministry of D. L. Moody. In 1871, his faith was tested during the great Chicago fire that destroyed many of his assets. In 1873, He sent his wife and four children to England aboard the Villa De Harve and promised to follow later. In mid-ocean, they collided with another ship and Mrs. Spafford was saved alone. Mr. Spafford boarded a ship to meet his wife in England. One evening, the captain of the ship said to Spafford, “We are now passing over the spot where your daughters perished.” Mr. Spafford went to his cabin and wrote the words to the song “It is Well with My Soul” which read, “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, ‘It is well. It is well with my soul.’” God brings trials into all our lives to test us and grow us closer to Him. The devil desires for us to get upset or bitter at God for these trials. As we have seen over the past few days, God has a reason for each trial and He desires that we would surrender to Him during these times. We will see today that there are also results that we will see in our lives as we remain faithful to God during trials. First, trials will reveal our need for wisdom. Psalm 111:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.” We are more apt to gain real wisdom during a trial than at any other time. It is often during a trial when I find myself more on my knees in prayer and reading the Bible more. Trials reveal our need for wisdom and our dependence upon God for help. Charles Spurgeon once said, “The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.” When we come before God with the realization that we are in desperate need of His wisdom, He will give us wisdom. Second, not only will we see our need for wisdom, but we will gain that wisdom through God’s Word! It’s one thing to ask for wisdom but it’s another thing to receive it! Second Corinthians 12:9 says, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Paul said that he would gladly endure the trials so he could draw closer to Christ. As we gladly endure trials and see our need for wisdom, God will give us wisdom. We can only receive this wisdom as we are spending time in prayer and Bible-reading each day. As we receive this wisdom, God will help us make right decisions and become more like Him. Last, as a result of enduring trials and keeping our focus on God, we will mature spiritually. First Thessalonians 5:23 says, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The God of peace will establish, sanctify, and mature us as we remain faithful to Him during trials. Friend, are you going through a difficult time today? Is there some trial in your life for which you cannot see God’s purpose? We must remain faithful to God during these times. As we focus on Him we will see our need for wisdom and will receive His wisdom through His Word. Also we will mature spiritually and grow closer to Him. Spend time with God right now. Ask Him to help you remain faithful during your trials so you may become more like Him. Daily Bible Reading Isaiah 37-38 • Colossians 3

Wednesday 10, 2007 The Path of Your Trial by Dr. Paul Chappell “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:3-4 In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn't a technology problem like radar malfunction or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship's presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late. As we saw yesterday, God has a reason for the trials that come into our lives. Even when we cannot see God’s purpose or understand His reason, He knows what is best for us and desires to draw us closer to Him. Not only does God have a reason behind every trial but He also has a path He wants us to take during that trial. God desires that we would surrender to Him during times of trial and learn from Him. As we saw in our story earlier, sometimes human nature can get in the way and not want us to surrender or give in. But God can only work in our lives as we surrender our wills to Him. We must first surrender our past. Philippians 3:13 says, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.” Paul encourages the believers at Philippi to forget those thi