Unashamed: SHARE IT

We are called to live with confidence in the face of opposition but most of us are living in fear and shame, apologizing for our beliefs. But the gospel gives us the ability to live with boldness in a world that opposes everything about God. Today, I want to look at the fourth response to the gospel, which give us confident hope and assurance in Christ.

4. SHARE IT
If we know and believe the gospel to be true, why would we not share it? Once we gain forgiveness through the gospel, we have a responsibility to share it with others. With a sense of urgency, we are to make the most of every opportunity to share the gospel. We are to live on mission by serving and giving of ourselves and our resources.

Romans 15:15-21 KJV
15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, 16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. 17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: 21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.
What keeps us from sharing the Gospel?I don’t know what to say, I don’t have Scripture memorized…
  - If you’ve got a personal relationship with Christ you know what to say. Bare minimum you can share your experience and how you got saved.

I don’t have time to go share, I’m too busy…
  - Most of us during our jobs have casual conversations throughout the day. You don’t have to be a door-to- door salesmen, knocking on doors when you share the Gospel, some of the best witnessing is in casual conversations where there is no pressure on you or the individual.

That’s the Pastor’s job…
  - Actually we are all called in Matthew 28 to Go and Make disciples.

The main issue most Christians have today with sharing the gospel is no sense of urgency. We know that Christ is coming soon, but we don’t act like it. Regardless if you feel uncomfortable with what to see or not, if the matter was urgent enough we’ve find the words to say.

What if today was the last day?

Think some of your closest friends and family that you know aren’t saved. What if you knew today was the last day and Jesus was coming tomorrow and if they didn’t accept Him right now they’d miss out. Do you think you’d act so ashamed? Would you be so reserved? No, we’d be knocking down their door to give them Jesus before it’s too late.

I challenged my students with this same material: To Know it, Embrace it, Live it, and Share it. Now I'll challenge you, not just to know it and embrace the Gospel, but to go the extra mile and live it and share it.

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

Unashamed: LIVE IT

We are called to live with confidence in the face of opposition but most of us are living in fear and shame, apologizing for our beliefs. But the gospel gives us the ability to live with boldness in a world that opposes everything about God. Today, I want to look at the third of four responses to the gospel, which give us confident hope and assurance in Christ.

3. LIVE IT

Does the gospel impact how you live your life throughout the week? It isn’t just for Sunday mornings and is more than beliefs and words. It must be lived out. The grace and mercy God has shown us through salvation should ignite in us a desire to live daily for Him. Living out the gospel isn’t a one-time deal; it’s a lifetime of growth and service. My pastor has told the story about if we truly have someone as big a God living in us, wouldn’t He be seeping out of us constantly? Being unashamed of the Gospel takes more than just knowing it and embracing it, we must be ready to live it out day to day.

Romans 12:1-2 KJV

1 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. 2 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.

We are to be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, and to live a transformed life, which allows us to be able to discern God’s will. Note the subtle difference between transforming and conforming in VERSE 2.

Transform: to make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character.
Conform: to behave according to socially acceptable conventions or standards. Give in to social norms.

Conforming is just giving in, following the crowd. Is that not what we do in our daily walk, try to match our steps with other people in our lives? Why, because we want to be accepted. I’ve been told I talk differently around some co-workers because I know their style, so I conform to their standards and habits to fit it. This isn’t all bad until you begin to let your faith and beliefs waiver and conform.

Conforming can be as simple as no longer speaking up for what you believe among friends and co-workers. No longer sharing your belief because it’s not the popular thing to do. We as a nation of believers have conformed to be “politically correct” to the point we have legal abortions, legal same sex marriages, and transgender bathrooms in schools.

Paul states in Romans to be TRANSFORMED by renewing your mind, getting refocused on the main thing, Christ. In that we are only truly transformed if there is a thorough (maybe even dramatic) change in our mind, actions, and hearts.

Once we’ve experienced that transformation this final part should flow naturally. Again, we will discuss this fourth response: SHARE IT, next week.

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

Unashamed: EMBRACE IT

We are called to live with confidence in the face of opposition but most of us are living in fear and shame, apologizing for our beliefs. But the gospel gives us the ability to live with boldness in a world that opposes everything about God. Today, I want to look at the second of four responses to the gospel, which give us confident hope and assurance in Christ.

2. EMBRACE IT
Try to think back to the first time you heard the gospel preached. For many of us we were probably so young we can’t recall it. Now try to think back to the day you embraced the gospel, accepting Christ. There’s a big difference in hearing it and embracing it.

There comes a point when:
- simple church answers won’t be enough...
- we won’t be able to just go to church, follow the rules, & believe because our parents did.

We must have a faith of our own. Once we’ve heard the gospel and believe it to be true, we must embrace it as our own and be willing to live in the glory of the grace to which we have been given access, a grace that will carry us through this world and the next.

What does it take to embrace the gospel? Faith.

Romans 5:1-5 KJV
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

- Because of that faith we are able to glory in tribulations,
- Knowing tribulations bring about patience,
- And that patience will lead to experience,
- Which leads to hope.

This hope is secure because of the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. The main point is that the act of embracing the gospel equates to dying to flesh and living by the Spirit.

Romans 8:12-18, 31 KJV

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us...31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

In able to fully embrace the gospel, we just reject ourselves and live for God. Which leads to the third response which we will discuss next week: LIVE IT.

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

Unashamed: KNOW IT

What does it mean to be unashamed? Well to best understand that, we must know what it means to be ashamed. Being ashamed is being closed off, acting with guilt or embarrassment. So naturally unashamed is just the opposite: “Expressed or acting openly & without guilt or embarrassment.”

Often times we as Christians won’t say we are ashamed of the gospel of Christ, but the lives we live tell a different story. We act boldly in the comfort of our pews each Sunday because we are among like-minded people. But when we step out into the real world, we freeze up, tense up, and act embarrassed about our faith.

We are called to live with confidence in the face of opposition but most of us are living in fear and shame, apologizing for our beliefs. But the gospel gives us the ability to live with boldness in a world that opposes everything about God. Today, I want to look at the first of four responses to the gospel, which give us confident hope and assurance in Christ.

1. KNOW IT
Before we can act we must have knowledge. We must know the truths of the gospel because we cannot afford ignorance about our faith and recognize there is a difference in simply knowing and allowing it to become who we are. But what is the gospel?

Romans 3:21-26 KJV
In the simplest terms, the Gospel is the good news (message) of Jesus Christ. But more specifically the Gospel consists of three elements:

a. We all stand as sinners before a holy God.
As we just discussed, the gospel literally means good news. But what about the above state sounds good? "We are all sinners..." Doesn't sound so great. Well think of a jeweler presenting a beautiful diamond and white gold necklace. What type of backdrop does the jeweler use to enhance the beauty of the necklace? Black velvet. The beautiful diamonds look great alone, but even better against the dark background. Similarly God tells us the bad news first to show how great the good news of Gospel really is. The bad news being we have all sinned, sometimes in ignorance, but often knowingly.

But here comes the good news. Seeing our weakness & inability to alleviate our condition, God did the ultimate for us. “6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6–8).

Because there was no other way to satisfy the righteous demands of God, because of our inability to improve ourselves (much less save ourselves), because we faced a future in hell because of our sin, God, in His great love, sent His own Son to come down from heaven and to die on the cross in our very place. Paul personalized this by saying, "[Christ] loved me and gave Himself for me"(Galatians 2:20).

b. Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father
The gospel is not about what you or I did to please or reach God. Rather, the gospel is about how God reconciled Himself to us through Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). The apostle Peter echoed those words in Acts 4:12 saying "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Paul also says the same thing "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).

If we, as Christians, were to say that God could be reached through any other means, we would be guilty of misrepresenting the gospel. For on that cross, some 2000 years ago, all the sin of the world was poured upon Jesus Christ as He became the sin sacrifice for us. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

c. The Cornerstone of the Gospel is Christ's Death & Resurrection
Jesus' final words on the cross were "It is finished!" These three words are so simple yet pack so much meaning. Those three words can be translated/interpreted to mean several things.
1. It is made an end of. An end of our sins & the guilt that accompanied them.
2. It is paid. The price of redemption.
3. It is performed. The righteous requirements of the law.
4. It is accomplished. The work that God had given Jesus to do.
5. It is finished. Satan's stronghold on humanity.

Paul puts the gospel in a nutshell: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). But to fully understand the Gospel we must be aware of the false gospels. Most of which fall into one of two categories:

The Watered-Down Gospel
- It offers God's forgiveness, telling you that all you must do is believe, without any mention of repentance.
- It presents Jesus Christ as though He were some mere additives to make one's life a little better.
- It tells you about heaven, but leaves out the message of hell.

The Rule-Laden/Overly Complex Gospel
- It strips the true gospel of its simplicity and power.
- It comes laden with rules & regulations that we must keep to find forgiveness.
- It is so complex that no one can unravel it.

It's extremely important to know the Gospel of Christ so we can discern the true Gospel from the false gospels. But's there's more to being unashamed, we can't just simply know the Gospel, we must allow it to become part of who we are.

Next week we will look at the second response to the Gospel of Christ, EMBRACE IT.

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

How to Destroy a Church: Hypocrisy (1 Peter 2:1c)

"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander" (1 Peter 2:1).

"If he gives you the grace to make you believe, he will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward." -Charles H. Spurgeon

Indeed, the same grace that saved us is the same grace that sanctifies us daily. God saved us by His grace, and by the same grace, He continually cleanses us from sin and helps us overcome it. Cleansing is what Peter calls for in this verse. We have seen already that the sins listed in this passage are sins that can destroy our fellowship with other Christians. Knowing that we should, through God's grace, be cleansed of malice and deceit - the third of these in the list is hypocrisy. 

Put simply, we cannot live double lives. That's what it means to be a hypocrite. We are called instead to live authentic and sincere lives that are faithful to Scripture. Because hypocrisy is the opposite of this, it's no surprise that the language used in the Bible to describe it is quite harsh. Jesus says that hypocrites receive no reward from God (Matt. 6:1); Paul says hypocrisy is detestable and disobedient (Titus 1:16); James says your religion is worthless if you live in hypocrisy (James 1:26; 2:14-26); and the apostle John warns that hypocrisy renders you nothing more than a liar (1 John 4:20). 

I don't think it is a mistake that Peter names hypocrisy right after deceit in this list - they go hand in hand. Deceit and hypocrisy are two branches of the same sinful weed that should never be growing in the life of one who abides in the True Vine (John 15:1-4). We must be honest about our faults and shortcomings when we have them. We must ensure that our behavior in the church and our behavior at home or in the workplace is consistently the same. This happens through a heart that is continually refreshed and transformed by God's empowering grace. So we must put away hypocrisy from among ourselves.

Seeking Christ,

Bro. Brandon G. B.

Bro. Brandon is the Associate Pastor

of Ohio Valley Baptist Church. His 

sermons, podcasts, book reviews, 

and other free ministry resources

can be found on Brandon's Desk.

Being With Jesus

When someone has been working out in a tobacco field all day you know where they've been because you can smell it on their clothes. When I walk through the door my wife can instantly tell if I've eaten Mexican, because she can smell in on my clothes. We don't have to announce where we've been because people can tell. Not always by smell but in how we act, what we're wearing, how we're talking. I posed this question to my youth and now I'll pose it to you. Have you ever met someone and without them telling or you asking, you  just KNEW they were a Christian? If so, what about them made you feel so confident that they were a Christian? Perhaps it was their constant happiness/joy, their attitude, friendliness, way they spoke, people they hung out with, or other things they did. Now think of a person you've met that you'd be extremely surprised if you discovered they were a Christian. What about them led you to believe they couldn't be a Christian? You probably have met one or both types of people in your life.

Now evaluate yourself. I know most of us (self included) like to think we are perfect Christians and that anyone who sees us sees Jesus Oozing out of us...but let's be real. We all mess up (it's called sin). The chances of a perfect Christian are ZERO. So I ask that in evaluating yourself that you be honest, no one will know your result, there's no one keeping score, this is just to help you grow.

Have you ever noticed yourself doing or saying some of the things you described about the non-Christian? Perhaps your language was foul, you had a soul attitude, etc. It happens. It's hard to be happy all the time, but we have to realize that we are walking, talking, testimonies for Christ (both good and bad). Regardless where we are at, what we are doing, who we are with, people should be able to at a single glance say "Hey, that person has been with Jesus!"

Look at the Scripture for today:

Acts 4:13 NKJV
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

When the Sanhedrin came upon Peter and John they immediately noticed that Peter and John were different. They had a special BOLDNESS that stood out. These men didn't go to seminary, didn't have weeks of witnessing training, they didn't have Gospel Tracts to go by, they were uneducated and untrained. Yet the Sanhedrin could tell that they had been with Jesus. Not because they asked, or because Peter and John told them, but because of their actions, their boldness, and who they lived for.

A lot of times we feel like in order to witness or share the Gospel with someone we have to have a degree from a seminary, follow a Gospel Tract, or say the "right" words. But really, if we model our lives after Christ's, our lifestyle should do the witnessing for us.

If you attended church yesterday (Sunday), your friends should be able to see that you've been with Jesus. Just as plainly as someone smelling like tobacco walking in from a tobacco field. If not, I encourage you to rediscover your relationship with Christ. He loves you and never left. He still waits with open arms.

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

Give Us Clean Hands

As a few of you may know I work at a bank full time. I deal with tons of germy people and germy money. So every teller window always has a heavy supply of hand sanitizer that we all use religiously. I constantly find myself turning to it to grid myself of the filth and germs I constantly come in contact with. Well today while I was trying to think of what I wanted to post as a devotional for Inflamed I caught myself starring at my bottle of Purell Hand Sanitizer. How is it that I can barely make it 5 minutes at work without getting another dose of sanitizer, but seemingly can go hours, days, (and let’s get real and honest, months) at a time without feeling the need to cleanse myself spiritually?

If you’ve been a born again, child of God for any length of time you probably understand what I mean when I say backslidden. We all from time to time fall back into sin and distance ourselves from God, not meaning to. It always seems to go this way (for me atleast), just when I’m my closest with God, Satan does everything in his power to knock me down and distance me from God. He knows exactly which sins I struggle with most and always seems to push the right buttons. Before I know it I can’t even feel God’s presence anymore. I need sanitation, but not for my hands, but Purell for the heart.

James 4:7-10 NKJV
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

In order to clean up your heart and purify your spirit you must realize that there’s nothing you can do on your own power. The only individual who can cleanse your soul is the same God who has saved your soul. Therefore we must submit/give in to God’s leadership. As you submit to God and allow Him to lead, you’ll soon realize how much easier it is to resist Satan (because it’s God acting through you). James also says that we must return to God, drawing near to Him. The beautiful thing about that is that God never left, He is stationary, never leaving us. If we are distanced from God it’s because we ran in the opposite direction. And when we do decide to turn back and draw near to God, He doesn’t stay stationary; He says that He will draw near to us, meetings us in the middle each time with open arms. (DISCLAIMER: Don’t mistake this “meeting in the middle” as Him compromising with us and giving in to us…that’s not what is meant here.) Yes He will run towards us and welcome us with open arms because He is a gracious and loving God. But He is also a just God. Meaning that we may endure some “growing pains” due to our sin and disobedience, but I can testify that each time Satan tore me down, when I came back to God, our relationship was stronger and more stable each and every time.

So the next time you feel filthy due to any germs, dirt, or grime and go to reach for that favorite bottle of hand sanitizer, think of your heart and your current relationship with God. Maybe you’ll notice that your heart needs just as much sanitation as your hands do…

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

The MATT 18:22 Principle

I’ve heard a definition of forgiveness stated this way: forgiveness is “giving up my right to hurt you, for hurting me.” (reference). When I first read it took me by surprise. When I choose to forgive someone do I really think of it as me giving up my right to hurt them back?? Is that really how we think? Although I’d love to disagree but at some level it’s true. Albeit it may be a very innate thought for some of us, we still have that mentality. Someone has hurt me and the only way to make things right,is to get even and hurt back. Or we can choose to take the high road and forgive the individual that wronged me, giving up that opportunity to hurt them back. Now we’ve all heard the question and answer “How many times am I to forgive someone?” “Not just seven times, but seventy time seven (meaning always).” That is not what this devotion is about (no need to drive that point into the ground). We all know we should always forgive, yet we still have trouble in the execution. But before we dive in head first let’s look at the Scripture.

 
Matthew 18:21-35 NKJV
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Now I’m going to assume that none of us deal in talents and denarii on a regular bases and may not know the US dollar equivalents. The ten thousand talents owed to the king was worth several million dollars. Whereas the one hundred denarii equates to two thousand dollars, still a large sum of money, but nothing in comparison to several million dollars. How is it then that the king could show forgiveness to the servant for millions of dollars in debt, but that same servant held a grudge and demanded payment over two thousand dollars in debt? Some would argue that millions to the king wasn’t as much as a couple thousand to the servant. But I’d disagree. I think the dollars and cents are important to see how much more difficult forgiveness would’ve been for the king versus the servant. But regardless, I don’t think the dollar figure was the key to forgiveness.

What is the main difference between the king and the servant? Don’t think of social status, power, etc. Just consider their responses. At first the king had the same response as the servant. But what changed? Look back at verse 27: “Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.” The key to forgiveness is compassion. It’s because of the king’s compassion that he forwent his “right” to get even or hurt the servant. You’d think the compassion the king showed the servant would translate and the servant would then also show compassion in the same way to his fellow servant. Sadly that’s not always the case, as is proven in this example. Because of how the servant treated his fellow servant, the king withdrew his compassion, Verse 32-34: “Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.” If someone forgives you, remember those who have wronged you…shouldn’t you forgive them as well?

We should always forgive others. In order to do that we must have compassion for them and their situation. Compassion is something that comes from the Lord, and something that we can only truly understand once we’ve entered into a relationship with Him.

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

I Am Jonah: Part 5 - Bonus Devotion

This is a continuation of previous devotions. If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to read the previous devotions.

I Am Jonah: Part 1 - The Runner
I Am Jonah: Part 2 - The Prayer
I Am Jonah: Part 3 - The Message
I Am Jonah: Part 4 - The Reaction

During these past four weeks I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my personal life vs Jonah’s. I’ve looked at our similarities and differences to see how true the statement “I AM JONAH” is. As much as I’ve declared that statement I realize that I don’t want to be Jonah. Yes Jonah was amazing Prophet who did some great things, but when you think of Jonah you don’t think of the good, you think of the bad. I’ve asked myself this week, if we were still in Biblical times and someone was going to write a book of the Bible based on my life (The book of Austin) and my decisions how would I want it to read? What message would I want to leave readers with? How would I ultimately want my story to end.

I could end with a Question Mark (?)
Look at the final few verses in Jonah 4:

6 And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” 10 But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” (Jonah 4:6-11 NKJV)

Jonah’s story ends with him angry and fighting with God. We as readers are left with no resolution to their conflict, Jonah’s heart condition is still in limbo. Although Jonah did great things, his story ends with uncertainty. If my life story were to come to an end now, would my relationship with the Lord best be described and punctuated with a question mark?

I could end with a Period (.)
If my story were to end right now would I peace in my heart knowing I was secure in Christ? Would people who read my story be able to tell my heart condition based off my actions and the life I lived? Ending a story with a period shows certainty, security, and a knowledge that all things have been resolved. Image how Jonah’s story could’ve ended:

1 And it pleased Jonah exceedingly, and he became filled with joy. 2 So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, I knew you were able to save them; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, I offer this sacrifice to You as an offering of praise, worship, and thanksgiving.” 4 Then the Lord said, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
*All underlined portions show where the story was changed.

If Jonah’s story had ended like this, how do you think people would remember Jonah? Probably as the guy who ran at first, but after a time of repentance turned back to God and served Him whole-heartedly. What an example and testimony that would be for all of us. Wouldn’t we all be pleased to have our story end on a positive note, with our relationship with God not in question, but for everyone to know our heart condition and want to model their lives after us, the “Biblical Hero.”

I could end with an Explanation Mark (!)
Most of you are probably thinking, “I’d be pleased with the Period, why go any further?” Because I don’t just want to “squeak by, or barely pass the test.” I want to leave this word having “Aced the Test!” No none of us are perfect, but if my story were to end now I’d want to be on such a Spiritual High that there’d be no other way to describe it than with an explanation mark! Instead of the story not truly ending (like with the question mark), or ending on a good note (with the period), I’d want to go out with a bang (like with an explanation mark)! To have that we must be on fire for God. Meaning we must cleanse ourselves of worldly things and ideals, by constantly filling ourselves with God’s Word. This isn’t a result you get by just choosing God, or just going to church. This isn’t even a one day, one week, one year decision. I’ve had some amazing revival week “explanation mark” experiences in my life…but that’s the problem. It was just one week. It’s not enough to get on fire for God when your local church declares “revival.” You must take it upon yourself to allow God to take control and constantly fan your spiritual flame. Is it easy? Of course not. Is it possible? Only with dedication, determination, and God’s help.

Let’s turn the tables. What would you do if today 2016 were still Biblical times and someone was going to record your life story for the Bible? How would your story end if you were to die today? Would your story end on fire for God with an explanation mark (!)? Or would your story conclude in a positive tone, reassuring readers that you lived a good life with a period (.)? Or are you like Jonah. Are you currently wrestling with God, attempting to push your will above God’s? Would readers see your lifestyle and choices and question your heart condition? Would your story end with an unsure question mark (?)?

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

How to Destroy a Church: Deceit (1 Peter 2:1b)

"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander" (1 Peter 2:1).

It's full of tears and rips. It has oil and food stains all over it. It doesn't fit you anymore. Do you have a shirt like that? I know I do. And where should that shirt be? In the garbage. That’s what you do with old clothes—you take them off and put them in the garbage. That’s what Peter says to do with the sins listed in the verse above—to renounce them, to put them away from you, to stop wearing them, to be rid of them all together.

We've seen already that these sins are those that affect relationships with people, namely people in the church. These are not in random order, but he lists these here because they are sins that will harm our fellowship with other Christians. And renouncing these sins are absolutely essential to our sanctification—because sanctification cannot be done alone. 

The first in this list is malice, which we've seen already.

The second in this list is deceit.

Deceit is speaking or acting with a motive for deception. It is lying or living in a manner that is deceptive. We cannot live our lives together lying to one another, and we cannot live lives that are deceptive and untruthful. We must tell the truth in love, no matter how much it hurts. We must keep our word with other Christians. We are to be those who present God’s truth to each other and to the unsaved, both by our words and actions—we are to be lovers of truth, not deceitful. We must renounce and put away deceit far from us.

"No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes" (Psalm 101:7).

Do you have an issue with deceit? Do you live a truthful life? Are you honest with others when you mess up? Do you know a brother or sister in Christ that has a problem with deceit? Confront them in love and grace, but always examine yourself first. Pray that God would create in you a clean heart.

Seeking Christ,

Bro. Brandon G. B.

Bro. Brandon is the Associate Pastor

of Ohio Valley Baptist Church. His 

sermons, podcasts, book reviews, 

and other free ministry resources

can be found on Brandon's Desk.

I Am Jonah: Part 4 - The Reaction

This is a continuation of previous devotions. If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to read the previous devotions.

I Am Jonah: Part 1 - The Runner
I Am Jonah: Part 2 - The Prayer
I Am Jonah: Part 3 - The Message

Again I have also provided a study guide and answer key for this week's devotion.

I Am Jonah: Part 4 - Study Guide
I Am Jonah: Part 4 - Answer Key

As we discussed in the last devotions, Jonah was a Prophet of the lord, he travelled and preached God’s message to different communities. This time Jonah was called to go to Nineveh, an evil and wicked city that hated God and God’s people. Jonah’s response was to run in the opposite direction which put him in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights. In order to be released from the fish Jonah prayed and repented. Jonah was given a second chance and this time Jonah chose to go and preach to Nineveh. Nineveh was quick to turn from their sins, repent, and accept God’s warning. Today we will look at how Jonah reacts to Nineveh’s response.

Let’s look into the scripture:

1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” 4 Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5 So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. 6 And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” 10 But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” (Jonah 4:1-11 NKJV)

Jonah never ceases to puzzle and entertain us. He is so real. Most prophets would rejoice at people repenting. Not Jonah. He became exceedingly displeased. What's even more amusing is that he accuses God of being "merciful, compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in faithful love". This is ironic considering the fact that Jonah would still be in the fish if not for these qualities of God. Hence we see the root of all Jonah's problems. He had unconsciously taken the mercy of God as something that should apply to him, and maybe people like him, only.

Jonah had already passed judgment on the people of Nineveh. He had concluded that they did not desire nor deserve God's mercy. He had completely overlooked the fact that he himself was a product of the mercy of God. Have you ever fallen into the same mistake as Jonah? Have you ever concluded that some people are not worthy of the mercy of God?

Jonah had a real attitude problem. He is one of those people who make up their minds about something and find it difficult to change. This kind of attitude borders closely on pride. Jonah offered to die rather than see Nineveh spared (verse 3). He went to sit outside the city watching to see what would become of it. It's as if he were daring God to show them mercy after all the effort he (Jonah) had put in to see their hasty destruction. Jonah hoped to see Nineveh’s destruction despite God’s most recent promise.

The story of Jonah closes with God using a beautiful life example to get the truth across to Jonah. God prepares a plant to give Jonah shade from the harsh weather. Jonah was very grateful (verse 6). This alone reveals a lot to us about Jonah. At one time he is exceedingly angry (verse 1) and another very grateful (verse 6). His moods seem to swing from one extreme to another quite rapidly. It's fair to say that Jonah was a very emotional person.

Our emotions can often affect our judgment negatively. When God uses a worm to destroys the plant we see Jonah take yet another extreme mood swing, becoming angry (and probably depressed) to the point of desiring to die (verse 9).

God then points out to Jonah the contradictions in his judgments. The death of a plant had caused Jonah such anger while the destruction of a whole city had been his desire. Jonah's emotions had definitely clouded his judgment. God used a living drama to point this out to him.

What things are clouding your judgments and walk with God. Jonah might seem a funny character, but he is a good reflection of us today?

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

How to Destroy a Church: Malice (1 Peter 2:1a)

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander" (1 Peter 2:1).

Every Christian undergoes a holy cleansing that takes place from conversion all the way to when he is at home with the Lord. This process of "holy cleansing" is known as sanctification. A fuller definition of sanctification would be "the process of God’s grace by which the believer is separated from sin and becomes dedicated to God’s righteousness."

In this passage (2:1-3), Peter wants his readers to live sanctified lives. And he writes about three ways in which the believer can live a continuously sanctified life. The first of these he takes up deals with renouncing and putting away sin. Hence, you have Peter beginning this passage with the verse above, “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.”

He begins this passage on the believer's sanctification by commanding his readers to put away sin from their lives. They are to abandon sin, reject sin, and put it far from them.

And as you can see here, he gives a list of five things to put away, The kind of “putting away” he is referring to is putting something away for good. In the Greek, the command “put away” denotes something like “taking off and laying aside old clothes.” So Peter is picturing Christians taking these sins “off” like you would with old clothes, and then casting them far away.

That’s what you do with old clothes that are no longer wearable—you take them off and put them in the garbage. That’s what Peter says to do with these sins—to renounce them, to put them away from us, to stop wearing them, to be rid of them all together.

But what is it about those that Peter names in this verse? Why does he say that these sins are those that we should cast away? Well, notice that the sins Peter says we should cast away are sins that affect relationships with people, namely people in the church. Peter isn’t listing these here in random order, or just because he thinks these are worse than say, adultery or stealing. He lists these here because they are sins that will harm our fellowship with other Christians.

And renouncing these sins are absolutely essential to our sanctification—because sanctification cannot be done alone. Sanctification is meant to be done in the Christian community, the church! If we have these sins present in our lives, we are hindering our own sanctification and the sanctification of others. These are sins that will wreck and destroy a local fellowship.

The first of these in the list is malice. 

Malice is best defined as “the intention or desire to do evil.” It is like premeditated murder—it is planning on committing sin. Malice is a grave sin because it is the intention and desire to commit sin before we even do (which by the way, is committing sin already).

If we intend to gossip about a church member, or say something along the lines of "Man the next time I see them, I’m gonna . . .” Or if we intend to mistreat someone and disrespect them in the church, then we have a problem with malice. If we intend to speak harshly with someone in the fellowship, or desire to say things to them that would not build them up, we have an issue with malice. This intention to do evil to another member of the body of Christ should not be even named among the redeemed, for it was from this sin (and many others) that we were redeemed (Col. 3:7-8). Malice is a force that can destroy Christian fellowship. We must put it away and cast it far from us.

So what about you? Do you happen to notice even slightly that this sin may be present in your life? Does malice currently affect the way you view others? Pray now that God would help you to value others as He does, and that God would create in you a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within you.

Seeking Christ,
Bro. Brandon G. B.

Bro. Brandon is the Associate Pastor

of Ohio Valley Baptist Church. His 

sermons, podcasts, book reviews, 

and other free ministry resources

can be found on Brandon's Desk.

I Am Jonah: Part 3 - The Message

This is a continuation of previous devotions. If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to read the previous devotions.


I Am Jonah: Part 1 - The Runner
I Am Jonah: Part 2 - The Prayer

Again I have also provided a study guide and answer key for this week's devotion.

I Am Jonah: Part 3 - Study Guide
I Am Jonah: Part 3 - Answer Key

As we discussed in the last devotions, Jonah was a Prophet of the lord, he travelled and preached God’s message to different communities. This time Jonah was called to go to Nineveh, an evil and wicked city that hated God and God’s people. Jonah’s response was to run in the opposite direction which put him in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights. In order to be released from the fish Jonah prayed and repented. Will he make the same mistake and run? Or will he turn to God and follow His guidance? Let’s find out.

Let’s get to the scripture:
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. 4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6 Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? 10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. (Jonah 3:1-10 NKJV)

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. He didn't deserve to be used by God yet God used him. Our serving God is not a right but rather a privilege. A fact we should never forget.

Jonah entered the city of Nineveh proclaiming its destruction. Notice his message does not include any call for them to repent (verse 4). Whether this was purposely omitted or never included by God is not clear. Would you trust Jonah to include it?

The responses of the people to the message definitely shocked and disappointed Jonah (3:10, 4:1). The people of Nineveh believed God and repented. The King decreed a fast throughout Nineveh. Even the animals were included.

We should never conclude that people would not respond to the preaching of the gospel. Indeed one of the several reasons why we Christians often find it hard to share our faith with others is fear that they will not be interested. How wrong can we be? It is our job to preach the gospel and God's to save souls. Let's keep to our side of the deal and God will keep His. Outward appearances of evil sometimes hide inward desires for a turn around.

God wanted to touch the people of Nineveh. Jonah's message was simply His means of doing it. God knew their hearts. He knew they would repent if given the chance. It's evident from the passage that they repented almost immediately after they heard God's word. What willing hearts were there hidden behind those actions.

How will Jonah respond to Nineveh's repentance now that he has been obedient to God's Plan? Will he be joyful or angry with the outcome? We'll find out next week!

Bro. Austin Chapman is the Youth Minister

at Sugar Creek Baptist in Murray, KY and founder

of Inflamed Church Ministries.

Reaching the Unsaved Requires Prayer (Matt. 9:38)

"Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38).

Jesus stated a problem in the previous verse. He says, "The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few" (9:37). We know that this statement from Jesus is a metaphor which describes the work of evangelism. It is likened to a harvest that is ready to be reaped. And according to Jesus, souls are being prepared by God to be brought into the barn of God's kingdom, but the problem is that there are not enough laborers to work and reap the harvest. 

So is there anything that can be done about this problem? It would seem that the solution to the problem is to either get the the laborers to do their work, or get more laborers. But that’s not what Jesus says to do. He doesn’t despair or say that there needs to be more laborers. He doesn't even say, "Therefore go out and labor!"

His answer? "Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Jesus’ answer is pray earnestly! To pray with great intention, with purpose and effort. That’s what it means to pray earnestly. He even goes as far as to tell the disciples what they should pray earnestly for: "[that] the Lord of the harvest [would] send out laborers into his harvest."

Jesus commands His disciples, and us today, to pray earnestly that the Lord would sent out workers into His harvest. Notice that Jesus does not say we should pray things such as, “Lord please save the lost,” or “Lord, please save my neighbor,” or “Lord, please save my coworker.” He says to pray for laborers.

So you start praying, “Lord, please send a laborer to share the gospel with my neighbor,” or “Lord, please send a laborer to share Christ with my coworker,” and you know what happens when you start praying that way? Pretty soon you’re going to say to yourself, “Maybe it’s me that ought to share the gospel with them.” You'll come to this realization: Why am I praying for someone else to share the gospel with this person that I have daily contact with? For the disciples, they would be the answer to their own prayer because in Matthew 10, Jesus sends them out to work in the harvest by their preaching and healing.

So when you pray for someone to share Christ with the person you know needs to be saved, then you take the obvious answer that it is you that should be going to them—and the strength, motivation, and drive to go to them starts in the place of prayer.

What’s God saying to you about that person you know is lost? Is He saying “Go to them and by My laborer?” And which do you pray most often: "God please save them," or "God please use me as Your laborer in their life?" Pray to the Lord of the harvest, that He would send you into His harvest that is ready to be reaped.

Seeking Christ,
Bro. Brandon G. B.

Listen to this sermon below:

Bro. Brandon is the Associate Pastor

of Ohio Valley Baptist Church. His 

sermons, podcasts, book reviews, 

and other free ministry resources

can be found on Brandon's Desk.