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A
Testimony of FruitfulnessBy Paul Chappell
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Saturday, May 26, 2012
"Henceforth I call you not servants; for the
servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have
called you friends; for all things that I have heard of
my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen
me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye
should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit
should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the
Father in my name, he may give it you."
John 15:15-16
At my grandmother’s 90th birthday celebration a few
years ago, our family gathered to honor her lifetime of
service to the Lord and love for us. It was a wonderful
time of celebration and reminiscing as we talked about
the years she has been a powerful influence on our
lives.
One of the things that made the biggest impression on
me was hearing from adults whose lives she had touched
back when they were children. One man stood and said, "I
just want to give thanks that as a teenager back in
1957, I came into the Chappell home and had a wonderful
meal there with the family. Afterwards Edith [my
grandmother] said, 'Alex, can I speak to you over here
in the living room?' And I sat down with her and she
asked me, 'Alex, if you die today do you know you'd
spend eternity in Heaven?' And she opened the Bible and
showed me what it meant to be a Christian. In 1957, I
made the most important decision I've ever made in my
life to trust Christ as my Saviour."
There is nothing we can do in this life that is more
important than sharing the Gospel with others and
teaching them to be disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus
said that it was for this purpose that we were chosen
and called. Will you have anyone in Heaven because of
your life and witness? You can.
Today's Rooted Principle:
Invite someone today to join
you on the road to Heaven.
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Old Testament
Reading
1
Chronicles 28
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CHAPTER 28
1 And David assembled all the princes of
Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of
the companies that ministered to the king by course, and
the captains over the thousands, and captains over the
hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and
possession of the king, and of his sons, with the
officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the
valiant men, unto Jerusalem. 2 Then David the
king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my
brethren, and my people: As for me,
I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for
the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the
footstool of our God, and had made ready for the
building: 3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt
not build an house for my name, because thou hast
been a man of war, and hast shed blood.
4 Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me
before all the house of my father to be king over Israel
for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be
the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my
father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to
make me king over all Israel: 5 And of
all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he
hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the
kingdom of the LORD over Israel. 6 And he
said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house
and my courts: for I have chosen him to be
my son, and I will be his father. 7 Moreover
I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant
to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.
8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel
the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our
God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD
your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave
it for an inheritance for your children after you
for ever. 9 And thou, Solomon my son, know
thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect
heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth
all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of
the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of
thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for
ever. 10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath
chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be
strong, and do it.
11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the
pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of
the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers
thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the
place of the mercy seat, 12 And the pattern
of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the
house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about,
of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the
treasuries of the dedicated things: 13 Also
for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for
all the work of the service of the house of the LORD,
and for all the vessels of service in the house of the
LORD. 14 He gave of gold by
weight for things of gold, for all instruments of
all manner of service; silver also for all
instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of
every kind of service: 15 Even the weight for
the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold,
by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps
thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight,
both for the candlestick, and also for the
lamps thereof, according to the use of every
candlestick. 16 And by weight he
gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for every
table; and likewise silver for the tables of
silver: 17 Also pure gold for the fleshhooks,
and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons
he gave gold by weight for every
bason; and likewise silver by weight for
every bason of silver: 18 And for the altar
of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the
pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out
their wings, and covered the ark of the
covenant of the LORD. 19 All this,
said David, the LORD made me understand in
writing by his hand upon me, even all the
works of this pattern. 20 And David said to
Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do
it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God,
even my God, will be with thee; he
will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast
finished all the work for the service of the house of
the LORD. 21 And, behold, the courses of the
priests and the Levites, even they
shall be with thee for all
the service of the house of God: and there
shall be with thee for all manner of
workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of
service: also the princes and all the people will
be wholly at thy commandment.
CHAPTER 29
1 Furthermore David the king said unto all
the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath
chosen, is yet young and tender, and the
work is great: for the palace is not for
man, but for the LORD God. 2 Now I have
prepared with all my might for the house of my God the
gold for things to be made
of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and
the brass for things of brass, the iron for
things of iron, and wood for things of
wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set,
glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner
of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.
3 Moreover, because I have set my affection
to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good,
of gold and silver, which I have given to the
house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared
for the holy house, 4 Even three
thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and
seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the
walls of the houses withal: 5 The gold
for things of gold, and the silver for
things of silver, and for all manner of work
to be made by the hands of
artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate
his service this day unto the LORD? 6 Then
the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of
Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds,
with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly,
7 And gave for the service of the house of
God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand
drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass
eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand
talents of iron. 8 And they with whom
precious stones were found gave them to
the treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of
Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 Then the people
rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with
perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and
David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before
all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be
thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness,
and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the
majesty: for all that is in the heaven and
in the earth is thine; thine is the
kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.
12 Both riches and honour come of
thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand
is power and might; and in thine hand it
is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and
praise thy glorious name. 14 But who
am I, and what is my people, that we
should be able to offer so willingly after this sort?
for all things come of thee, and of thine own
have we given thee. 15 For we are
strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were
all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a
shadow, and there is none abiding.
16 O LORD our God, all this store that we
have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name
cometh of thine hand, and is all thine
own. 17 I know also, my God, that thou triest
the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me,
in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly
offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy
thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly
unto thee. 18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac,
and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the
imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people,
and prepare their heart unto thee: 19 And
give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy
commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to
do all these things, and to build the
palace, for the which I have made provision.
20 And David said to all the congregation,
Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation
blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down
their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.
21 And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the
LORD, and offered burnt offerings unto the LORD, on the
morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks,
a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their
drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all
Israel: 22 And did eat and drink before the
LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made
Solomon the son of David king the second time, and
anointed him unto the LORD to be
the chief governor, and Zadok to be
priest.
23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the
LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered;
and all Israel obeyed him. 24 And all the
princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise
of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the
king. 25 And the LORD magnified Solomon
exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed
upon him such royal majesty as had not been on
any king before him in Israel. 26 Thus David
the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27
And the time that he reigned over Israel was
forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and
thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
28 And he died in a good old age, full of
days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in
his stead. 29 Now the acts of David the king,
first and last, behold, they are written in the
book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the
prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, 30
With all his reign and his might, and the times that
went over him, and over Israel, and over all the
kingdoms of the countries.
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New Testament
Reading
John
9:24 |
24 Then again called they the man that was
blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know
that this man is a sinner. 25 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. 26 Then said they to him again, What did
he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27 He
answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not
hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye
also be his disciples? 28 Then they reviled
him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses'
disciples. 29 We know that God spake unto
Moses: as for this fellow, we know
not from whence he is. 30 The man answered
and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing,
that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he
hath opened mine eyes. 31 Now we know that
God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper
of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
32 Since the world began was it not heard
that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
33 If this man were not of God, he could do
nothing. 34 They answered and said unto him,
Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach
us? And they cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out;
and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou
believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and
said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both
seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he
worshipped him.
39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come
into this world, that they which see not might see; and
that they which see might be made blind. 40
And some of the Pharisees which were with him
heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye
should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore
your sin remaineth.
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Proverb of the
Day
Proverbs
26 |
1 As snow in summer, and as rain in
harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by
flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass,
and a rod for the fool's back. 4 Answer not a
fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto
him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own conceit. 6 He that
sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the
feet, and drinketh damage. 7 The legs
of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the
mouth of fools. 8 As he that bindeth a stone
in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a
fool. 9 As a thorn goeth up into the
hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth
of fools. 10 The great God that formed
all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth
transgressors. 11 As a dog returneth to his
vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
there is more hope of a fool than of him.
13 The slothful man saith,
There is a lion in the way; a lion
is in the streets. 14 As the
door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the
slothful upon his bed. 15 The slothful hideth
his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring
it again to his mouth. 16 The sluggard
is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that
can render a reason. 17 He that passeth by,
and meddleth with strife belonging not to
him, is like one that taketh a dog by the
ears. 18 As a mad man who casteth
firebrands, arrows, and death, 19 So
is the man that deceiveth his neighbour,
and saith, Am not I in sport? 20 Where no
wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where
there is no talebearer, the strife
ceaseth. 21 As coals are to
burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a
contentious man to kindle strife. 22 The
words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go
down into the innermost parts of the belly.
23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are
like a potsherd covered with silver dross.
24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips,
and layeth up deceit within him; 25 When he
speaketh fair, believe him not: for there
are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit,
his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole
congregation. 27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall
fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will
return upon him. 28 A lying tongue hateth
those that are afflicted by it; and
a flattering mouth worketh
ruin.
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