Where Character Shows

Saturday, February 21, 2015

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?”

Luke 16:9–11

F. B. Meyer said, “The supreme test of goodness is not in the greater but in the smaller incidents of our character and practice; not what we are when standing in the searchlight of public scrutiny, but when we reach the firelight flicker of our homes; not what we are when some clarion-call rings through the air, summoning us to fight for life and liberty, but our attitude when we are called to sentry-duty in the gray morning, when the watch-fire is burning low. It is impossible to be our best at the supreme moment if character is corroded and eaten into by daily inconsistency, unfaithfulness, and besetting sin.”

Just like a tree can look healthy outwardly but inside be slowly eaten away, a Christian can attend church services, sing the hymns, and give a testimony outwardly appearing to be in good spiritual condition while harboring inward sin. If we allow our character to be destroyed a little at a time, we are on the path to destruction. Each seemingly small concession to the devil, each little transgression that we decide to tolerate, undermines the strength and health of our spiritual life.

In truth there are no little sins or white lies or small offenses. God is perfectly holy, and while we cannot achieve perfection, we must not set a course that makes exceptions to what we know is right and wrong. Disaster awaits every person who cedes ground to the enemy a little bit at a time.

Today's Growth Principle
Every action you take today has a long-term impact on your future and should be wisely considered.

Old Testament Reading

Numbers 1-2

CHAPTER 1

¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ² Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; ³ From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. ⁴ And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers. ⁵ And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur. ⁶ Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. ⁷ Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab. ⁸ Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar. ⁹ Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. ¹⁰ Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. ¹¹ Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni. ¹² Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. ¹³ Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran. ¹⁴ Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel. ¹⁵ Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan. ¹⁶ These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

¹⁷ And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names: ¹⁸ And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls. ¹⁹ As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai. ²⁰ And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ²¹ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred. ²² Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ²³ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. ²⁴ Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ²⁵ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty. ²⁶ Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ²⁷ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. ²⁸ Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ²⁹ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred. ³⁰ Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ³¹ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. ³² Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ³³ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred. ³⁴ Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ³⁵ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. ³⁶ Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ³⁷ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred. ³⁸ Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ³⁹ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. ⁴⁰ Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ⁴¹ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred. ⁴² Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; ⁴³ Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

⁴⁴ These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers. ⁴⁵ So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; ⁴⁶ Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.

⁴⁷ But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them. ⁴⁸ For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, ⁴⁹ Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: ⁵⁰ But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. ⁵¹ And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. ⁵² And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. ⁵³ But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. ⁵⁴ And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

CHAPTER 2

¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ² Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.

³ And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. ⁴ And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. ⁵ And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar. ⁶ And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred. ⁷ Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun. ⁸ And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. ⁹ All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall first set forth. ¹⁰ On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur. ¹¹ And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred. ¹² And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. ¹³ And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. ¹⁴ Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel. ¹⁵ And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty. ¹⁶ All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank. ¹⁷ Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards. ¹⁸ On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud. ¹⁹ And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred. ²⁰ And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. ²¹ And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. ²² Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni. ²³ And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred. ²⁴ All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies. And they shall go forward in the third rank. ²⁵ The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶ And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. ²⁷ And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran. ²⁸ And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and one thousand and five hundred. ²⁹ Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan. ³⁰ And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred. ³¹ All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards. ³² These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty. ³³ But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses. ³⁴ And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.

New Testament Reading

Mark 3:1-19

¹ And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. ² And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. ³ And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. ⁴ And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. ⁵ And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. ⁶ And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. ⁷ But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, ⁸ And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him. ⁹ And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. ¹⁰ For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. ¹¹ And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. ¹² And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

¹³ And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. ¹⁴ And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, ¹⁵ And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: ¹⁶ And Simon he surnamed Peter; ¹⁷ And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: ¹⁸ And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, ¹⁹ And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 21

¹ The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. ² Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. ³ To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. ⁴ An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. ⁵ The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. ⁶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. ⁷ The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment. ⁸ The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right. ⁹ It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. ¹⁰ The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes. ¹¹ When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. ¹² The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. ¹³ Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. ¹⁴ A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. ¹⁵ It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. ¹⁶ The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. ¹⁷ He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. ¹⁸ The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. ¹⁹ It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. ²⁰ There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. ²¹ He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. ²² A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. ²³ Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. ²⁴ Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. ²⁵ The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. ²⁶ He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. ²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? ²⁸ A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly. ²⁹ A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way. ³⁰ There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. ³¹ The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.