From the Cross: Shame
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Shame is the negative feeling of worthlessness. It fuels thoughts like, “I am of no value. I am worthless. I am a bad person. I will never amount to anything.” First, let’s take note of the difference between guilt and shame. Guilt, yesterday’s topic, believes, “I have done something wrong.” Shame believes, “I AM wrong.” If guilt wants to plague you because of your actions, shame wants to destroy your entire identity. You could even think of it like this: guilt provides the building blocks with which shame can build the house. Once you find yourself living in...
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From the Cross: Guilt
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Guilt is a stronghold that many people bring to the foot of the cross. Guilt is the stomach churning feeling that you have done something wrong. Christian apologists deduce that this negative emotion is one of the main emotions that helps to prove the existence of God. In order for there to be guilt, there must be a moral law within a human being that he or she thinks has been broken. “Conscience” is another word people use to describe this tension that exists between guilt and innocence. And everyone worldwide possesses this conscience at some level or another. Paul...
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From the Cross: Selfishness
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Selfishness is engrained in the heart of every human being. We are all selfish in one way or another. Isn’t selfishness at the heart of all sin? A bent toward self. A desire to want what we want when we want it. What happened in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve rebelled against God and his authority, was rooted in selfishness. I tend to think selfishness and pride are synonymous. A need to be #1. Always needing to be right. A belief that the world revolves around me. It is a mindset that leads to destruction! The solution to selfishness is this: You must be born again (John...
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From the Cross: Broken Marriages
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Broken marriages are plaguing people both inside and outside of the church. Divorce statistics are staggering, even among those who call themselves Christians. There is no greater pain in the hearts of Christians than a marriage that falls apart. No one walks down the aisle on their wedding day and thinks to themselves, “One day, we will end up divorced.” Most every couple truly believes that they will remain together “until death do us part.” Unfortunately, we live in a broken world with broken people who have broken wills and desires. Divorce, though hated by God...
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From the Cross: Prodigal Sons and Daughters
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick One of the greatest heartaches that I hear from congregants is concern for their wayward children. Many people have prodigal sons and daughters who either don’t know Jesus or have run far from God. Parents fear for their children’s eternal salvation. A wandering child who has rejected the faith leaves a believing parent in so much angst. If this is your story, what should you do? First, keep believing! Keep praying for the salvation of your prodigal son or daughter! There is something extraordinarily powerful about a parent’s prayers for a child. Remember, you are...
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From the Cross: Future Uncertainty
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick No one knows the future except God. He controls all (Psalm 24:1). The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness of it all! Genesis 1:1 reminds us that with one word, he created the world and began to write his story! And one day he will end his story (Revelation 22). One day, all of time will be fulfilled and God will make his new heaven and new earth, a home without sin or blemish. This is God’s world. He created it. He controls it. He knows everything…including the future! Uncertainty of the future is another sin pattern that hangs people up. Many in our congregation...
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From the Cross: Inability to Forgive
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Personal offense. The inability to forgive someone who has hurt you. This hangup can keep people in shackles for a lifetime! The first step in breaking free from personal offense is to recognize that it is going to happen in life. We live in a broken world with broken people. Inevitably, we will step on each other’s toes. Only when we truly come to grips with the reality that we owe a billion dollar debt because of our sins can we freely forgive the debt of someone who has hurt us. To escape the prison of bitterness is the ultimate prison break. Bitterness not only defiles...
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From the Cross: Family Conflict
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Family conflict is our next burden that was brought up and laid at the foot of the cross. Few live this life without it! It could be with a sibling, an absent or abusive dad, a controlling mom, a crazy cousin, or a demanding aunt or uncle. So, how do we handle this? First, realize that family conflict has been going on since the beginning of time. Right after the Fall in Genesis 3, do you remember what happened? A family conflict! Cain hated his brother so much that he murdered him. For starters, you can count your blessings that your situation has not resulted in death! Now...
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From the Cross: Health Issues
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Health issues are another thing that many people in our church brought up to lay at the foot of the cross last Easter. This is such a big and nagging problem. We have found ourselves living in a world that is full of sickness and brokenness. We all have only one body that is given to us on this side of eternity. We are one person with three parts: body, soul, and spirit. We must care for all three parts of our being as we live in this broken world. I believe care for the temple is one of the most overlooked and under taught topics in the western church. If we believe in...
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From the Cross: Financial Problems
A Moment of Hope
by David Chadwick Financial problems are another real angst in people’s lives. I would say that financial problems are typically what I would call a fruit issue more than a root issue. Usually the problems arise because of something going on at a deeper heart level. It could be worry, bad stewardship, lack of personal responsibility and discipline, fear, laziness, or just a pure attack from the enemy. Whatever the root issue is, debt and financial tensions can really overwhelm the human heart! Did you know that financial problems are mentioned in the Bible—especially in the book of...
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Depression. Feeling of despondency and dejection. Hopelessness and despair.
What causes depression? Many factors. Usually it comes from a severe disappointment in life. Things like a painful rejection from a spouse, getting fired from a job, the death of someone you love. Generally, the severity of the pain in depression is commensurate with the loss. In other words, the greater the loss, usually the greater the pain. The perfect storm of depression often leads people to wrestling with self-image and asking the question, “What’s wrong with me?”
A great biblical example of this is Elijah. He had just conquered 400 godless prophets on top of Mt. Carmel. Elijah had great expectation that the Israelites would take this monumental victory and lead a righteous rebellion to overthrow the evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. But the people did not rise up to finish the conquest and in turn, Jezebel put out a declarative order to have Elijah killed within 24 hours.
Elijah went from expecting to see a royal overthrow by the people of Israel only to find out that his neck was in a royal noose. So, he fled. Elijah ran and ran for miles and hours until he finally collapsed under a broom tree where he begged God to take him home. He wanted God to take him out of his misery. Friends, this is true depression.
God, in his grace, began to restore Elijah by putting him to sleep, awakening him to feed him, giving him water, putting him back to sleep and then commissioning him back into his calling as a prophet of God. Notice God cared first for his body, then his soul (1 Kings 18,19).
There are times when we shouldn't over spiritualize cures for depression. Sleep, eating right, lots of water, and more sleep can greatly help depression.
But especially don’t forget the last step…God called Elijah to get back to work.
Read and reread Isaiah 58:10. If you’re depressed, go serve the poor. Give them food. Hand out hope. Give someone a blessing. Watch as your depression lifts like the noonday sun. There are so many people out there who are worse off than you are. GO and give your life away and watch as you become free! It’s a promise of God’s Word.
Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove depression and replace it with HOPE (James 4:10). And find a place where I can go serve someone else in need. And give them HOPE!
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For more insight on today’s topic check out Moving Beyond Anxiety by David Chadwick. In his book, David shares 12 ways you can overcome life’s fears and worries—all of which come straight from Scripture.
Order or download your free PDF by clicking here.