Devotion - January 25, 2017

God Still Speaks

18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.

19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.

22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.

23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.

24 Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.

I don't know about each of you, but I want God to speak to me on a daily basis. As I sit before Him daily with an open Bible and pray for a clean heart.  I am ready to hear Him.  Whether He speaks to me through His word, through Godly people, or through His still, small voice, it is like thunder in my spiritual eyes.

As I read this passage, I find that David wanted the same , and just as God did on Sinai, He spoke to David loudly and demonstrative.  With His thunderous voice heard from his creation, God answered David and delivered him when he seemed to be drowning in the depths of the ocean of death.

God's voice is heard today through His Word.  Open up your Bible and let the Lord speak to you.  God's deliverance is yours through the battles of life.  We must yield to the Holy Spirit daily.  You will never be the same.

Set a time that you can hear from the Lord.  It will be in your favor to sacrifice time to be with the Lord.

Take every opportunity in this New Year!

Beckley Praise Church

250 Elm Street (PO Box 863), Beckley, WV 25802

www.beckleypraisechurch.org

304-252-5120 (Church) 304-573-4009 (Pastor)

January 23, 2017

Dear Friends & Family,

We have been given another opportunity to go, work, share and tell.  On March 22 – April 3, 2017, we will join other men and women within the Appalachian Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and make our way to South Sudan/Kenya, Africa. 

South Sudan is a harsh environment where the people have endured civil war and drought.  However, their deepest need is Jesus!

This mission project will be to construct a new church building on the HOPE4SUDAN compound in Kapoeta.  The old church building is inadequate and will be used for the school that is now ministering to over 200 children a day.  Along with construction, we will take a medical team who will meet, greet and provide basic medical needs of the people in South Sudan.

We are excited about the impact this opportunity will have in our lives and in other people’s lives through this ministry.  We do, need your help.  Anything you can do to help Pastor Paul Chapman, Stephen Mullens and Kurt Gillispie will be greatly appreciated.

Your giving will make a huge impact on the people in South Sudan and in Kenya Africa.  Please be part of this awesome opportunity, for I know that you too will be blessed.  Thank you and God bless.

In His Service,

Paul, Steve and Kurt

J. Paul Chapman, Pastor

Stephen Mullens and Kurt Gillispie

If you would like to help with this trip monetarily - please contact Pastor Paul.  Thank you!

Devotion - January 24, 2017

Psalm 17King James Version (KJV)

17 Hear the right, O Lord, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.

11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth;

12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

13 Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

We are living in a time that we must pray and trust in the Lord.  When we don't pray what we are saying is that we depend upon ourselves.

In the previous chapter (16), David is declaring that his trust is in God alone and we too should declare by praying that our trust is in the Lord.  Here we find in this chapter (17) David is facing trials and situations that he cannot control, and so he is declaring that his trust is in the Lord.  David was declaring his trust because he need God to protect him from the assaults on life.

We too should pray today.  We must choose prayer.  WE must pray on a daily basis.  When we pray and do not know what to say, pray the Word of the Lord.  Pray Psalm 17.