Sacred Motives Quotes

“And perhaps the most refreshing trait of a growing Christian is a humility that acknowledges the need to grow. Paul expressed this spirit in Philippians 3:12–14: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Consider the profound privilege and the sacred responsibility it is to be “called of God.” Even as you chose Him at salvation, so He has chosen you to labor with Him—to carry out His purpose through your life.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Recently, Mr. Barack Obama became the first sitting president to advocate same-sex marriage. Politicians will do many things to please their “base,” but godly Christians seek to please God. We must not forget that the Creator who has given rights has also given laws.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“I believe Nehemiah’s purpose statement can be found in Nehemiah 2:10: “…to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.” This man was motivated by the need for revival—and that motivation moved him to action in serving and leading. Nehemiah’s primary concern was the people’s spiritual welfare, followed by their physical welfare. He didn’t journey to Jerusalem to pass out food stamps or birth control; he desired for his nation to return to God and restore their relationship with Him. Even so, the greatest need of our land is not better government or more effective social programs. More than anything else we need more obedient churches. We need Christians who will personally and faithfully engage in local church ministry.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“To Nehemiah, the need was so great that he agonized. He wept and mourned before the Lord. R.A. Torrey observed, “We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power. We have a great deal of activity but accomplish little. Many services but few results.” When Nehemiah saw the spiritual state of his home, he was moved to fervent prayer. He was motivated to respond spiritually and biblically—and God honored that response. James 5:16 says, “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Today, we need the kind of patriotism that Nehemiah of old embraced. Nehemiah’s nation was in desperate straits. The wall of Jerusalem was burned and broken down, and the enemies of the Lord mocked the city’s disgrace. But when Nehemiah heard of the travail of Jerusalem, he made a decision to give his life to the cause of revival. This is what we need today—godly men and women who, motivated by the need for revival, will wholly give themselves to the ministry.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Years ago when our kids were elementary age, Terrie and I planned a day to get away to have time to articulate the purpose of our family. After much prayer and Scripture reading, I took out a blank sheet of stationary and wrote these words: The mission of our family is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ through obedience to His written Word, and by edifying and exhorting one another as we grow to understand our diverse yet compatible personalities. After each of the children had read the new mission statement for our family, we each signed the bottom to pledge our commitment to live in accordance to it. Terrie and I often look back and remember that day as one of our most precious family memories. Each day as I leave our house, I walk past our written purpose statement.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“One of the greatest ways to invest and spend time together as a family is by serving God together. Perhaps you would partner with your child in reaching a soul for Christ or making a visit to someone enduring a trial. Perhaps you could minister together in some weekend program or ministry. There’s no better place to raise up the next generation than around Bible-believing, God-honoring Christian friends and ministry.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Time spent with our children is an investment—not a waste. Too often we sacrifice our children on pagan altars. We invest our lives into career advancement, ministry needs, and personal pursuits—to the neglect of our family. This idolatrous priority structure brings with it a terrible cost. But it doesn’t have to be that way. One of the greatest motivators in my life is to think of my children and grandchildren. In a day when so many children choose to reject Christ because of parental example, I pray that my family would choose to live for Christ because of my example.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Somewhere in our society there has developed a disconnection between generations of families. Perhaps this is due to sin and disappointment of various kinds. But all too often, it is due to a lack of motivation on the part of parents and grandparents to purposefully and lovingly lead their families in the ways of the Lord.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“How easy it is to be motivated by earthly success—by money, status, career advancement, and personal pleasure. How easy it is, amidst our busyness and insatiable thirst for more, to forget that the eyes of Manasseh are upon us. The next generation is watching us—examining our faith, testing our lives, and determining whether or not our God is true.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“One of the great costs of the present-day hedonistic lifestyle is the sacrificing of the next generation. Much like the children of Israel in the Old Testament defiled themselves with idolatry and sacrificed their children upon the pagan altar of Molech, today’s adults are sacrificing the next generation on the altars of hedonism, fornication, and lasciviousness.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“As I reflect on the memories of my own children and the young people of our church who are now grown, one truth remains certain in my mind: we never regret the investments we make into the next generation. Whether we make a difference for our own children or for the children in our church and community, the time, prayer, and labor we invest in young lives will reap great dividends as we stay faithful to the Lord.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Thirteen Reasons I Don’t Go to Sporting Events Anymore 1. Every time I went, they asked me for money. 2. The people sitting in my row didn’t seem very friendly. 3. The seats were very hard. 4. The coach never came to visit me. 5. The referees made a decision I didn’t agree with. 6. I was sitting with hypocrites—they only came to see what others were wearing! 7. Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home. 8. The marching band played some songs I had never heard before. 9. The games are scheduled on my only day to sleep in and run errands. 10. My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up. 11. Since I read a book on sports, I feel that I know more than the coaches anyway. 12. I don’t want to take my children because I want them to choose for themselves what sport they like best. 13. I can play sports anywhere, I don’t need to go to a stadium. Do these reasons sound familiar? Have you lost your passion for local church ministry? Are you treating Jesus’ bride like a social club or an extra-curricular activity?”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“The local church, as it functioned in the New Testament, is still alive and well. It doesn’t need to be reinvented or re-engineered. It simply needs to be revived. God’s pattern of local church ministry is as effective today as it was in the first century.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“The local church embodies God’s process of communicating truth to human hearts—His way of helping every individual know how to live, how to have joy, and how to know Christ. Through the local church, the Word of God is connected to needy hearts. Men and women become children of God. Husbands and wives discover how to love and care for each other as Christ does the church. Dads and moms discover how to nurture and train up their children in the ways of Scripture. Young men and young ladies grow up in the knowledge of Christ, established upon the strong foundation of His truth. Without the church, these things just don’t happen anywhere else in today’s culture.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Truly, “…the love of Christ constraineth us…” (2 Corinthians 5:14). One glimpse of the cross is enough for a lifetime of motivation. When we struggle for a reason to press on, a reason to do right, a reason”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Apart from the love of Christ, lesser motivations leave our Christian walk and service both empty and pointless. We find ourselves aimlessly repeating religious routines and offering sentimental sacrifices that amount to nothing but sounding brass and tinkling cymbals (1 Corinthians 13:1). A loveless Christian life is no life at all.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Love is one of the purest and greatest motivators in all of life. When you love someone, you are highly motivated to express that love. When you know someone loves you, you are highly motivated to honor that love.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Are you allowing God’s priceless Word to be replaced or undermined by other influences in your life—internet philosophy, apathy, distraction, neglect? When you have a serious question about life, do you think “Google” before you think “Bible?” Seeking and understanding God’s truth should be our first thought in all of life’s questions.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“God’s Word has the power to stir, to change, and to motivate like no human device can. God Himself speaks to us through its pages—breathing fresh truth, courage, strength, and hope into our souls. And every time we open God’s Word, we avail ourselves of the very presence and power of God—it is a living, breathing book “which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“When God’s grace—as opposed to our need for acceptance— becomes our motivator for service, everything changes. We serve because we are accepted rather than to gain acceptance—and it makes all the difference in the world.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Duty may compel you to attend a weekly visitation meeting and hand out tracts once a week—to fulfill your obligation. Compassion will motivate you to witness to others any time any where, simply because the love of Christ stirs your heart for the lost.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“One benefit of praying for this need is that it reminds us to personally labor in the harvest fields. It’s difficult to pray very long for dedicated soulwinners without being compelled to win souls ourselves. Another benefit is that praying on the behalf of a lost world stirs your own heart for their need. It reignites your passion and rekindles your motivation.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“soulwinners with hearts of compassion for the lost? One benefit of praying for this need is that it reminds us to personally labor in the harvest fields. It’s difficult to pray very long for dedicated soulwinners without being compelled to win souls ourselves. Another benefit is that praying on the behalf of a lost world stirs your own heart for their need. It reignites your passion and rekindles your motivation”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Charles Spurgeon emphasized the urgency of the harvest with these words: “If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap into Hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“When we lose our perspective on the lost world around us, we lose the very purpose for ministry—the purpose for the local church.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“Today’s systems around the world—from the educators to the Hollywood producers to the fashion designers to the musicians—are not concerned with glorifying God at all. In fact, as a whole, they “willingly are ignorant” of God (2 Peter 3:5). Even in Christian ministry, there is much popular teaching about promoting self, building a brand, and developing a personal platform. But for those of us who know God, and who have received Christ, our hearts’ desire and purest passion should be to glorify Him—to make the Lord Jesus Christ more clearly known before men.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“We are commanded not to serve with “eyeservice, as menpleasers” (Colossians 3:22). In other words, we are not to be motivated by the need for appreciation, recognition, or praise of men. Affirmation is an odd and unpredictable blessing. Sometimes when you expect others to notice and comment on your work, their silence is discouraging. Other times, when you least expect it, you find reward or recognition for something you didn’t even do.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God

“A duty-bound spirit always struggles to radiate the joy and grace of the Christian life, the love of Jesus, and the presence of God.”
― Paul Chappell, Sacred Motives: 10 Reasons To Wake Up Tomorrow and Live for God