A Moment of Hope
Begin your day with a "Moment of Hope." This podcast is a compliment to David and Marilynn's weekday devotional - providing deeper insights and encouragement. Featuring Jenn Houston.
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From the Cross: Shame
08/26/2025
From the Cross: Shame
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 shame, you will find that depression, despair, anxiety and so many other strongholds can walk right through the door and reside in your heart! Shame is one of the first negative emotions mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 3:7). It came right after Adam’s and Eve’s fall. They felt guilty, but that quickly turned to shame as they became aware of their nakedness and felt the urgent need to cover themselves with animal skins. Did you know that “covered up” is actually the Hebrew word for atonement? Before the concept of atonement was fully realized, they killed an animal and used its skin to cover themselves, foreshadowing the need for the shedding of blood for the remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). I find it absolutely fascinating that long before Jesus ever came into this world, Adam and Eve immediately felt the need for atonement following their act of sin. Jesus came and shed his blood, not only to forgive your sins, but also to give you a new identity. His life, death and resurrection came to heal not only our actions and behaviors, but our entire personhood! His salvation covers both sins of omission and commission. The evil things that we do intentionally and the good things we fail to do. Jesus can release you from all shame, making you a brand new person. He adopts you into his family, where you become an inheritor of all he owns. Upon salvation, his perfect blood now pulsates through your royal veins! Your inheritance is now to live in HIS house, his dwelling place, forever. He is preparing that place for you right now for eternity. Shame wants you to forget this truth! Its purpose is to cripple your life. Satan uses shame to render you ineffective for ministry and to keep you shackled to your former life and ways. Jesus came to set us free (Galatians 5:1). He wants to crush the enemy’s lies (John 8:44) so that we are fully able to give our lives away (Mark 10:45). Dear friends, don’t live in shame. Walk in your new identity, new purpose, new hope! It’s the only way to live! It’s the only path to freedom.
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From the Cross: Guilt
08/25/2025
From the Cross: Guilt
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 actually talks about moral law in Romans 1 in the context of the existence of God. Paul emphasizes that where there is a moral law - decisive commitments to what is right and wrong - there must be a moral law giver, God himself. Guilt comes as a result of the Fall in Genesis 3. No guilt existed in the Garden of Eden pre-Genesis 3. Adam and Eve operated in perfect union with God. They always obeyed God and followed his will. They were instructed to eat from the tree of life, but to stay away from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God warned Adam and Eve that if they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would be deviating from God’s moral law. Adam’s and Eve’s intentional, willful, and sinful decision to eat of this tree sent mankind on a terrible trajectory bent toward making decisions based on personal desires and will rather than God’s will. At that moment, all of humanity assumed the responsibility for determining what was good and evil. This is a responsibility we were never supposed to have! Adam’s and Eve’s decision took them away from the true life that God originally offered them. Because of this, God said they would surely die - both physically and spiritually. Guilt is one of the strongest evidences of the spiritual death that entered our world through sin. Without Jesus, mankind lives under permanent condemnation, especially from the devil. Even for Christ followers, Satan loves to taunt us with jeers that God could never love someone like us. He reminds us repeatedly of how worthless we are for rebelling against God and leaves us soaking in one thing: guilt. How can we untangle ourselves from this guilt? Go to Jesus! He came to earth to pay for our sins, but also to eradicate and eliminate guilt from our hearts. Jesus absorbed all of our guilt on the cross. We are now forever forgiven! Did you know there is now NO condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)? Jesus washes your sins away and will never come back and remind you of them. When you feel guilt and condemnation as a follower of Jesus, it’s never coming from Jesus! It’s from the enemy. When guilt tries to sneak up on you, use it to your advantage. Let it drive you to the cross where your guilt is replaced by Jesus’s grace. And be set free!
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From the Cross: Selfishness
08/22/2025
From the Cross: Selfishness
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 3:3). That is what Jesus said so clearly. You are incapable of experiencing the bounty and beauty of the kingdom of God unless you have been born again. Your selfishness must die and be crucified on the cross with Jesus. Then, and only then, can you be raised to a new life that commands a pursuit of living a life that is bent toward serving Jesus and others. It is a supernatural event. It’s something that only the Holy Spirit can do. But it CAN be done. It really IS possible. The journey toward SELFLESSNESS is a process. Remember, dying on the cross took several days. Sometimes we forget that everything is not a quick fix. But as we daily choose to die to self and daily choose to live for Christ, our self becomes weaker and Jesus becomes stronger in us. Selfishness dies and serving rises! That’s what Paul meant when he said in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that when we are in Christ, we are a new creation. This means we have been born again in the Spirit! The old has passed away. It’s dead. Crucified with Jesus on the cross. And the new has come! Jesus’s resurrection life is now inside of us and has made us new. This new life changes our hearts, gives us a new vision for God’s kingdom, and invites us to play a significant role in his story as a new creation! God’s antidote to selfishness is being born again! And when the entire created order has been born again, the kingdom of God will have come back to earth from heaven! It will happen one day! Begin to prepare yourself now for the new heavens and the new earth by ridding your life of selfishness! From selfish to servant. Free from self to serve. That is the result of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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From the Cross: Broken Marriages
08/21/2025
From the Cross: Broken Marriages
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 (Malachi 2:16), is an unfortunate reality in our world. Let me see if I can tenderly share some reminders for those of you who have experienced a broken marriage. First, let me quickly interject here that your first step in being able to move forward after a divorce is to remember that while God hates divorce, he does not hate divorcees. He loves you deeply! In fact, the Bible calls us to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). God is a God of compassion and I can promise you that he hurts with you and for you in your pain! As do I! Secondly, please know that divorce is not the unpardonable sin. God knew it would happen in this broken world. His loving, forgiving grace is available to all. Remember that because of Jesus, God sees you as a new creation. He puts your past in the past. He draws near and heals the brokenhearted, binds the wounds of those who are hurting, and gives new hope to all who trust in him. Third, learn what you need to learn from your divorce. What did you do wrong? What could you have done better? Then, as you are walking out some of the pain from your own loss, find a way to give your life away. Healing will come as you give your life away (Isaiah 58:10). Maybe you will even figure out a way to take what you have learned and help others walking through divorce (2 Corinthians 1:4). Finally, learn what it takes to “divorce proof” your marriage. How? State your vows to one another regularly. Spend time together. Become one another’s best friend. When you do, you’ll find that while it is easy to leave your spouse, it’s impossible to leave your best friend. In fact, the divorce statistics for couples who practice these disciplines is practically nil! Remember, God brought you together. Work hard to stay together! And as many of you have heard me say, always keep the back door locked from the outside!
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From the Cross: Prodigal Sons and Daughters
08/20/2025
From the Cross: Prodigal Sons and Daughters
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 connected to them by a covenant. 1 Corinthians 7:14 speaks to the mysterious grace that comes to a home with a believing spouse. Because of your faith in Jesus, you should have every expectation that God is chasing down your children as much as you long for them to be chased down. As I have jokingly said from time to time to those wandering in the faith, “If you have a praying and believing mom, you might as well go ahead and give up. You’re toast! You can either choose to believe in Jesus now or it will inevitably happen down the road.” Secondly, keep modeling your faith to your children. Let them know how important Jesus is to you in both your words and actions. It could be that you send them a Bible verse from time to time or let them know you are praying for them. Or it may be that you let them see how you serve others or give your money or life away. It could even come through a warm cup of coffee you share with them when possible. I always say that faith is more often caught than taught, especially by children. Let them see Jesus in and through you. Finally, don’t give up. Remember what Yogi Berra said, “It’s not over til it’s over.” Your job is to keep scattering seeds of faith. Keep praying. Keep persevering. Keep modeling your faith to them. And keep believing that one day Jesus will arrest their hearts so you can spend eternity with them. After all, you’re in sales and God’s in management. Trust him with the outcome and in the meantime, keep practicing the art of faith! After all, faith is the atmosphere of heaven! And true faith always leads to freedom.
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From the Cross: Future Uncertainty
08/19/2025
From the Cross: Future Uncertainty
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 nailed this to the cross right before Easter, 2025. I believe Jesus knew this would be hard for people, which is why he taught his disciples to pray like this, “Give us today our daily bread.” He knew that there was no point in worrying about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). Tomorrow would have enough worries of its own and wisdom would call us to simply ask the Lord to meet us day by day. We must trust God for all that we may need today. He will provide it! He promised that he would! Developing this confidence in the Lord and learning how to trust him with our future should leave us confident in the most uncertain circumstances… yes, even death! Some psychological analysts have estimated that 90% of all problems are rooted in fear, especially the fear of death. But death holds no power in the life of a believer in Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:55-58). When our lives are in Christ, what happens to him happens to us! Because he died and was raised to a new life, we, too, will be raised to a new life! As someone once said, “We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future.” Our lives are in the Father’s hands. He holds every second of our lives in his majestic, celestial hands. In him alone we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). Therefore, we need to fear nothing…especially the future! Now enjoy today to the full!
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From the Cross: Inability to Forgive
08/18/2025
From the Cross: Inability to Forgive
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 you, but those around you. It contaminates relationships and robs you of purity. See Hebrews 12:16, which says, “It’s ultimately for YOUR benefit to forgive! So how does this look? What steps need to be taken to forgive? You may need to practice forgiveness over and over again toward the person or persons who have hurt or betrayed you. Usually, forgiveness is not a one time practice. Can you understand more why Jesus taught Peter to forgive 70 times 7? It is because it often takes a repetitive, daily outpouring of God’s grace on you toward the person who has hurt you. Take a moment. Picture your offender or the offensive situation. I know this can be really painful, but pause for a moment and try. Now, picture Jesus. The nails through his hands. The crown of thorns on his head. The mockery toward him. The pain he endured. Now take the grace that he showed you and imagine pouring it out on your offender. Over time, bitterness will become weaker and eventually abate! Finally, remind yourself that Jesus forgave his offenders from the cross (Luke 23:34). While he was dying for our sins, preparing to take his last breath, he chose to forgive those who had placed him on the cross. Yes, it’s very hard to forgive those who have hurt us, but it is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. You can’t do it in your own strength, which is what makes it all the more powerful. We must allow Jesus to forgive through us! The One who forgave his offenders now resides in those of us who believe. Let his supernatural, forgiving power flow through you! Walk in freedom, no longer chained by bitterness. Live as Jesus has called you to live! And finally be set free. After all, forgiveness is primarily for your benefit!
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From the Cross: Family Conflict
08/15/2025
From the Cross: Family Conflict
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 keep reading the rest of Genesis. Conflict between Ishmael and Isaac, a brawl between Jacob and Esau, and then between Jacob and his sons. How about Joseph with his brothers? More conflict! And that is just in the book of Genesis! If you keep reading through Exodus, you’ll see Moses’s tension with his brother Aaron, at times his sister Miriam, and even with his wife! This is not a new problem, so don’t be surprised! Second, you must recognize that family conflict is rooted in sin. The Bible says that the heart is deceitful above all (Jeremiah 17:9). As much as possible, live at peace with one another (Romans 12:18), but realize that sometimes sin patterns keep that from happening. You don’t get to pick your family like you do your friends. While you can’t control others, you can control yourself and you can determine how you are going to interact with and respond to unhealthy people. It’s okay to distance yourself from sinful dynamics that are detrimental to your own health or the health of your family. It’s fine to distance yourself from destructive people. For instance, if a family member is an addict, you may need to examine yourself to see if you are being manipulated to remain codependent with them at the expense of your own health. Sometimes in unhealthy familial dynamics, the healthy individual ends up carrying the burden and weight of the situation. You become the problem when you’re trying to solve the problem! You must guard yourself against that! In all things, you must choose love. Even when it feels someone is an enemy, remember that Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Before coming into the faith, we, too, were enemies of God and while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:1-11). You can never go wrong when you operate in love. Just make sure your love is not being manipulated for someone else’s gain, which only leaves you in more pain. Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove the effects of family conflict and replace it with LOVE (1 Corinthians 13) and CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD (Proverbs 14:26).
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From the Cross: Health Issues
08/14/2025
From the Cross: Health Issues
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 Jesus, we must hunger after shalom, which means wholeness or peace, in every area, including physical health. Nagging physical problems are very prevalent in our society. Joint pain, inflammation, brain fog, coughs, colds, and so forth. In facing ailments, we must first recognize that God has designed our bodies to be incredibly resilient and to be able to heal themselves if we give them the proper context to do so. So, practically speaking, give your bodies the best opportunity to heal. Look at what you are eating and drinking. Are you eating real foods or food-like products? Are you drinking enough water or consuming nothing but sodas and alcohol? Are you staying away from foods that cause inflammation? Then, make sure you are moving your bodies. Find ways to get your heart rate up, to stretch, and to strengthen yourself. Some of the “experts” I have read say that 20-30 minutes of walking per day can go a long way in keeping the body healthy. After taking inventory of your rhythms, we must all realize that sooner or later, each one of us will die. The statistics are concrete. 1 out of 1 person will die! So you must walk confidently in Christ, believing that your sins are forever forgiven and death holds no power over you. Paul said that to live is Christ and to die is gain. You will conquer death and walk in victory if your life is in Christ and Christ is in you! You will live in a perfect resurrection body, forever healed, and forever glorifying your Savior. So you should never fear death (1 Corinthians 15)! Now, live in peace. Pursue shalom. Enjoy every second with family and friends. Live every moment in Christ, the lover of your soul. Forgive quickly. Love deeply. Then, as this body ages and becomes weaker, you will simply find yourself looking forward to your eternal resurrection body! Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove fear of health issues and replace it with SHALOM…wholeness for my health (John 14:27).
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From the Cross: Financial Problems
08/13/2025
From the Cross: Financial Problems
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 Proverbs? Clearly God knew that we would need guidance in this area. As a side note, if financial management is something that you are struggling with, I would strongly encourage you to seek out people who are trained to help in this area. Our church offers this kind of financial help through one of our elders, Michael Ballard. I know many other churches who offer this as well. Here are a few practical tips. First, you must be aggressive in budgeting and self-control. List your income and assets. Then your debts. Be really honest with yourself. After that, create a plan to get rid of debt and start to build up savings. You may have to downsize some areas of your life like unnecessary shopping or dining out. You must determine not to let debt be your God! Secondly, giving helps! The tithe has been found to be an enemy of debt and financial mismanagement. Malachi 3:8-10 and Luke 6:48 seem to suggest that generosity opens the windows of heaven for GOD to supply you with his abundance as you attack the debt problems in your life. As my wife loves to say, “Sow a seed to your need!” Something happens when you sacrifice in your greatest place of pain. Surrender always paves the way for salvation and miracles. Here is the bottom line: God wants to be God in your life. When you feel a desire to be generous, God doesn’t want you to first ask the god of debt if you are allowed to be generous. Be persistent and remain committed to kill the god of debt in your life. It really can be done! We have seen it! It may take time, energy, and discipline but the end result of being out of debt makes the fight so worth it! Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove financial problems and replace it with ABUNDANCE to be able to freely give to those around me (Proverbs 11:24).
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From the Cross: Unresolved Anger
08/12/2025
From the Cross: Unresolved Anger
by David Chadwick Unresolved anger is our seventh burden that was laid at the foot of the cross during our Service of Darkness at Moments of Hope Church. This is a big one. Hurts and pains over the years can pile up and greatly impact the human heart. When things happen in our past that aren’t yet solved or resolved, they can haunt us. So what do we do? For me, I have learned that I must begin with the fact that God allowed or permitted the pain to come to me. He is bigger than my circumstances! Even Satan in Job 1 had to ask permission from God to attack Job, who was God’s special servant. Satan is a creature. God is the creator. Nothing can happen outside of God’s control and perfectly ordained plan. Look at Luke 22. The same truth applies. Satan had to ask Jesus for permission to sift Peter like wheat. And Jesus granted it. This can be a hard truth to grapple with, but if you sit in it long enough, I believe you will find solace that there is a sovereign hand forming and shaping each step of the story for our good and God’s glory. God’s providence rules all. So, with painful memories and unresolved hurt, I often ask Jesus things like, “Why did you permit this? What are you trying to show me? What do I need to learn? How do you want to conform me more to your image and likeness?” I go on to look for areas of confession and repentance. I may ask him, “Do I need to confess arrogance or pride? Are there places in my life that need to be submitted to you once again?” Then I seek to search my heart for times in my life when I may have hurt others the way that I am feeling hurt. I become reminded of when Jesus flooded my heart with his undeserved grace and mercy to heal my sins. Then I try to extend that same grace and mercy to others. Finally, I try to see the good that’s come out of the situation or hurt. And then thank God for it all. Healing grace, over time, helps heal unresolved anger. Did you know that only one consonant, the letter “d” separates anger from danger? As we learn to release our anger to God, we become enveloped by the love and safety of the Father. For the sake of our eternal souls, we must release all of our pain and unresolved anger into the hands of our loving, gracious, kind, and merciful and good Daddy in heaven. Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove the danger of unresolved anger and replace it with the safety of FORGIVENESS (Matthew 6:14).
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From the Cross: Stress
08/11/2025
From the Cross: Stress
by David Chadwick Stress is one of the most common emotions mentioned in our society. Everyone seems so stressed out these days. Our modern society runs at a pace that often feels frantic, chaotic, and overly busy. The pressures of life pile and pile until people feel paralyzed by the weight of the world. They come at us from all directions: job, finances, family, and friends, etc. Let me share with you one of the statements that has guided me through so many stresses over the years: God is God and I am not and most of my problems come when I get those two things confused. In fact, Twila Paris sang a song back in the 90s called “God is in Control.” I would encourage you to go listen to it and remind yourself of this truth! Only when you truly understand the sovereignty of God can you fully release the stress in your life. He really is in control. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This is step one. Hush. Be still. Quiet yourself. And really pause and KNOW that God is God. Not only is this verse true, but all of the verses in Scripture are active and alive and available to you today (Hebrews 4:12). God loves you and is in complete control of HIS world. Why start to worry now? Memorize Scripture so that when the stresses of life come, which they inevitably will, you can repeat back to yourself what is true as dark thoughts begin to creep into your mind. Finally, cast all of your cares back onto Jesus! 1 Peter 5:7 says that we are to cast our cares on the Lord because he cares for us. Then, contemplate the cross. It’s the most compelling evidence of God’s love. When stressful thoughts try to invade your mind, identify them, take them captive and make them obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). After that, you must cast any stress back onto Jesus’s strong, mighty, sovereign shoulders. Remind him that he promised to carry all of these burdens for you (Matthew 11:28-30). And then pause and feel the weight come off of you as the peace that surpasses understanding guards your heart and mind. You are meant to have a load that is easy and a burden that is light. He is the one who promises to carry all of our problems! Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove my stress and replace it with PEACE (Colossians 3:15). ___________ 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 .
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From the Cross: Depression
08/08/2025
From the Cross: Depression
by David Chadwick 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! ____________ 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 .
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From the Cross: Pride
08/07/2025
From the Cross: Pride
by David Chadwick Pride is today’s sin that some of our congregation brought forward to lay at the foot of the cross last April during our Easter Service of Darkness. Pride is the belief that we are the master of our own destiny. It is the belief that we know better than God. The most important verse in the Bible about pride may be Proverbs 16:18 which says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Sin is sin, but THE major sin of all may be human pride. It is what caused Adam and Eve to rebel against God. Pride caused the devil to become the devil (Isaiah 14:13-14). It is the one sin that is unforgivable and will send you straight to hell. Pride is the ultimate dismissal of grace because it makes you think that you can earn your salvation through your own good works and human efforts. Pride keeps you from seeing your own sin and receiving the grace of Jesus because you never think you need it. The antidote to pride is humility. A teachable spirit. Where I know God is God and I am not and most of my problems come when I am not discerning the difference between the two extremes. So, how do you know if you’ve conquered pride once you lay it before Jesus at the foot of the wonderful cross? Generally, you’ll have great thanksgiving in your heart. You will look around you and recognize that only God could have established such a beautiful creation. We are the ones who have messed it up. It’s our sin that has contributed to a less than perfect order. You’ll find yourself surrendered and aware that it is an absolute privilege to be a part of God’s story and to be able to experience the gifts that exist in his creation even in the midst of sin and brokenness. Your perspective changes when pride is broken. You will begin to love to worship the Lord. You will be glad for every opportunity you have to sit at his feet, to gather with other believers, to pray, to worship corporately with other believers in the house of the Lord (Psalm 122:1-2). You will love to sing to him and praise him for creating you, giving you life, and awakening you to salvation! You will begin to see that all of life is a gift. Eternal life is a gift. When this happens, you will know that pride has been eliminated from your life! Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove pride and replace it with HUMILITY (James 4:10).
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From the Cross: Fear
08/06/2025
From the Cross: Fear
by David Chadwick If the definition of anxiety is the belief that something bad MAY happen to you, then fear is the belief that something bad WILL happen to you. Today’s topic is fear. It’s another stronghold that plagues this broken world. The same studies about anxiety apply to fear as well. 90% of all fears will never actually happen to you. Fear is a worthless emotion. According to the Bible, it’s an evil spirit as well. Paul says that God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity (2 Timothy 1:7). As a side note, some fear is valuable. The Bible encourages us to exercise fear of the Lord! A healthy fear can also lead you to prepare for or avoid potentially destructive situations. It can prompt you to make sure you have enough food and water before a storm comes. It can lead you to be cautious against things like robbery. This can be good. But relentless, demonic fears about things that will most likely never happen will rob your life of joy, peace, and meaning. And paralyze your soul. The Bible’s one continual antidote to fear is God’s presence. Only as you abide in his presence can you truly know that he is with you, in you, guiding you, fighting for you, and protecting you in every situation. Spend some time meditating in verses like Deuteronomy 3:22, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 23, Matthew 28:18-20, 2 Thessalonians 3:16, and Hebrews 13:5-6. There are well over 100 times in the Bible where God commands his people to “Fear not.” Peace comes into our hearts when we know that HE controls everything in the universe and our fears are robbing us of shalom, wholeness and peace. The bottom line question is this: What is your mind set on? Things above or things below. Are you focused on the size of your giant or the size of your God? Are you constantly thinking about the size of your mountain or walking in faith for your mountain to move? There are only two options. Either God is in control of everything - every atom, every second, every day, every month, every year, or he is not. Either you trust him like a child or you are full of fear. Which one is it? Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove fear and replace it with COURAGE (Joshua 1:9). _________________ For more insight on the topics of fear and anxiety, 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 .
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From the Cross: Anxiety
08/05/2025
From the Cross: Anxiety
by David Marilynn Chadwick Anxiety is today’s stronghold. The definition of anxiety is “apprehension, tension, or uneasiness, often stemming from the anticipation of danger, whether real or perceived.” It’s like a wire attached to a battery that slowly but surely drains all of the energy out of a person. Did you know there are studies that have been done that show that 90% of all of our worries NEVER end up happening. While anxiety feels very real to the person experiencing it, the anxious situation almost never happens and it ends up sucking the life out of the person who is experiencing it. Anxiety is mentioned throughout the Bible, and not positively. Jesus addressed it in Matthew 6:19-34, Paul did in Philippians 4:4-6, and Peter did in 2 Peter 5:7. Clearly, they knew this was a problem in our sin-infested world. So, what did they suggest in these passages of Scripture? Well, Jesus encouraged us to look at creation. Consider how God cares for the birds and grass. HOW MUCH MORE will he care for his children? The crown of his creation! Jesus encouraged childlike faith and a deep trust that our Daddy in heaven will care for us no matter what. Then, Paul said to turn our cares into prayers. He said to take our anxieties, worries, and cares to God in prayer. We are not to worry about anything! He said that if we don’t pray, we forfeit a lot of peace and we begin to carry needless burdens. Peter said to cast all of our cares on Jesus’s huge, broad, celestial shoulders. Did you know that the word “cast” here in the Greek is the same word Jesus used to cast out a demon? It’s a word of great force! Peter urged us to forcibly hurl our cares on Jesus because he cares for us! Do you know how much Jesus loves you? I mean do you really, really know? He wants to carry your burden so you don’t have to. He promises this to his children! Anxiety is a thief. It steals peace, joy, energy, and purpose. Anxiety looks at the size of Goliath instead of the size of our God. It focuses on the size of a mountain instead of the One who created the mountain. It gives power to the impossibility instead of believing that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37). Check your anxiety levels. If they are high, develop faith! Trust your Creator. Seek first his Kingdom and everything else in life falls into place (Matthew 6:33). Faith is the antidote to anxiety. How strong is your faith? Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove anxiety and replace it with FAITH that can move mountains (Hebrews 11:1). _________________ For more insight on the topic of anxiety, 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 .
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From the Cross: Doubt
08/04/2025
From the Cross: Doubt
by David Chadwick One of the things I love to do at our church is to invite people to come to the altar and place their burdens, hurts, hangups, and sins at the foot of the cross. The wonderful cross. This series is going to be very special and deeply personal. Over the next couple of weeks, we are going to look at the top 20 things that people wrote down on notecards at our Service of Darkness this past April. These are real anguishes that people inside of our local church anonymously laid at the foot of the cross during some of our ministry times. As you read along, I pray that God brings healing to some of the real needs that people are facing right now. I also pray that he will not only remove your sin or pain, but that he will replace it with something good! Let’s start with doubt. There is good doubt and bad doubt. Good doubt provokes people to find answers. Someone once said that good doubt can be the ants in the pants of faith. It motivates you to find meaning where you have questions, which, in turn, builds your faith. Look at Thomas as an example of good doubt in John 20. After Jesus’s death, his heart was filled with doubt. He ran from his community of faith. When he finally returned to be with the other disciples, he heard the news that Jesus had returned in resurrection glory, but he continued to walk in good doubt. He said that unless he could touch Jesus’s nail-pierced hands and sword-stabbed side, he wouldn’t believe it. But when Jesus appeared to him, the text says that Thomas immediately believed. His doubt finally led him to belief! And there’s no evidence he ever touched Jesus’s wounds. But bad doubt is a crippling tactic of the enemy. It lingers. It leads you into a pit where you never seek and never find answers. It makes you question God, his existence, the promises in his Word, the veracity of Scripture, or this really big one…his goodness. When Satan can get you to question the goodness of God, despair enters. Ultimately, it leads to unbelief, something that Jesus rebuked repeatedly throughout Scripture. He knew that a cemented unbelief always leads to a hardening of heart, a blaspheming of the Spirit, and an eternity in hell. James 1:6-8 says that doubt without answers is like someone caught in a wave, being tossed to and fro. So how do you overcome not only doubt but all of the issues we will look at in this series? First, you must totally commit your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing confidently that you are not your own but bought with a price by the blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:20). Secondly, you must choose to believe. Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “Blessed are those who walk by faith and not by sight.” Could it be that the greatest antidote to doubt is the childlike willingness to believe all God’s promises without having seen them? A willingness to take him at his word and know that his promises are true? A desire to use faith to conquer doubt? Yes, these are the ones who will truly be blessed. Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove doubt and replace it with BELIEF in the Lord Jesus, that I might be saved (Acts 16:31)!
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Hearing God’s Voice: Abide in Christ
08/01/2025
Hearing God’s Voice: Abide in Christ
by Marilynn Chadwick I’m always watching for signs of God at work. Looking for insights from his Word. Watching closely for his "fingerprints." I often ask God to open my eyes so I may see him more clearly. I am convinced that abiding in Christ’s Presence holds the answer to life’s problems. So why do I sometimes race around looking everywhere else for solutions? My commitment to abide in Christ has been made stronger by recent conversations with friends. Each confided they were overwhelmed by the same problem. Anxiety. They were consumed with worry about frightening events in the news. Admittedly, the world can be a scary place right now. Wars and rumors of wars abound. Random acts of violence hit close to home. Persecution of Christians is at an all-time high. Some say it’s the most dangerous time in history to believe in Jesus. It has always been dangerous to follow God. The Bible is full of examples of believers facing persecution. John the Baptist met a gruesome death at the hands of the evil ruler Herod. John had confronted Herod on his adulterous relationship with Herodias, his brother's wife. Herod wanted to kill John but feared the crowd. Look at what happened next: But at Herod's birthday celebration, he got his chance. Herodias’s daughter provided the entertainment, dancing for the guests. She swept Herod away. In his drunken enthusiasm, he promised her on oath anything she wanted. Already coached by her mother, she was ready: “Give me, served up on a platter, the head of John the Baptizer.” That sobered the king up fast. Unwilling to lose face with his guests, he did it—ordered John’s head cut off and presented to the girl on a platter. She in turn gave it to her mother (Matthew 14:6-12 MSG). Notice the reaction of Jesus to the death of his dearly loved cousin. The Bible tells us he went away by himself to be alone with God. Though he was God Incarnate, Jesus was fully human. We must assume he needed time to process the tragedy, to pour out his heart, to be healed and strengthened by his heavenly Father. But while on the way, he is intercepted by a crowd of needy and hurting people. Moved with compassion, he heals their sick and even performs a miracle of feeding the 5000. I'm sure Jesus was exhilarated. But notice: He still needed time alone with God. As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night. Matthew 14:22,23 MSG Jesus withdrew to pray, to heal, to grieve, to seek renewed strength. To abide. If Jesus needed to be alone with his heavenly Father when walking through a valley, how much more do we?
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Hearing God’s Voice: Sharpen Your Hearing
07/31/2025
Hearing God’s Voice: Sharpen Your Hearing
by Marilynn Chadwick Consider the miracle of speech. Our voice sets us apart from the animals. It allows us to communicate with each other. It connects us to God. A voice is a powerful tool. I believe our most important task is to train ourselves to hear God's voice. Jesus gives us a beautiful description of his role as the "good shepherd." He proves his love by "laying down his life for his sheep” (John 10:11). What a stark contrast with the "hired hand." This false shepherd cares only for himself—when he sees a wolf coming, he cuts and runs to save himself leaving the sheep defenseless. Whose voice is most familiar to you? I can easily recognize my husband David’s voice. When he calls, he doesn't have to identify himself. My sensitivity to his voice comes from our relationship. So it is with Jesus. If we are one of his followers, we recognize his voice. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27 NIV). Listening to the right voice can be the difference between life and death. Ponder God's sober warning to the children of Israel: "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings, and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him..." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NIV). So many voices compete for our attention. We can tune our hearts to hear God’s voice by spending time in his Word (Romans 10:17). Here are a few tips on how I sharpen my hearing: I carve out time in the morning for God's Word and prayer. It's my priority. I call this my "morning launch." I also have a favorite spot for my quiet time. I often use a Bible reading plan along with my Study Bible, journal, and prayer list. I try to pray “without ceasing,” sometimes while folding clothes, driving across town, or on an afternoon walk. Praying throughout the day keeps my connection with God flowing and sharpens my hearing. It also helps me keep watch for answers! I hope you, too, will learn to sharpen your hearing of God’s voice. Learn about his nature and character. Train yourself to get close enough to him to understand how he would lead you.
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Hearing God’s Voice: A Spiritual Spam Filter
07/30/2025
Hearing God’s Voice: A Spiritual Spam Filter
by Marilynn Chadwick Have you discovered that every voice in your head is not from God? The enemy of our soul often tries to sneak in his lies, sometimes disguised as our own voice. So how do we recognize when it’s really God speaking to us? Jesus tells us, “My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). Your most important job is to train your heart to hear God’s voice. Get to know him. Spend time with him. When David calls, I easily recognize his voice—because I spend a lot of time with him. God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us discern truth from lies. Among other descriptions of the Holy Spirit, he is called the “Spirit of truth.” It’s worth repeating. Not all voices are from God and not all spirits are the Holy Spirit. That’s why we need a “Spiritual Spam Filter.” God has provided us with several guardrails to bring clarity to our hearing: The Word of God; the inner witness of the Holy Spirit; the character of God as revealed in Scripture; the testimonies of other believers, both now and throughout the ages. Before Jesus went to the cross, he encouraged his disciples to eagerly anticipate the “Spirit of truth” that would soon come their way (John 16:13). “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). This same Helper, Jesus promised, was “the Spirit of truth” who would guide them (and us) into “all truth” (John 16:13). “The Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you” (John 14:26 AMP). Did you catch that? Jesus said the Holy Spirit will even help us remember what he has spoken to us. Good news as we are learning to discern the voice of God!
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Hearing God’s Voice: When God Seems Silent
07/29/2025
Hearing God’s Voice: When God Seems Silent
by Marilynn Chadwick "What do I do when God seems silent?" The question came from a good friend and a sincere follower of Jesus. We were on a weekend retreat where I had just delivered a message about learning to hear God's voice. Her question hit a chord. How do we handle those times when we have prayed and prayed? Perhaps we have even sensed God's promise to fulfill a hope or dream. But the answer is so slow in coming. I thought back to my own time of what I call “wait training.” In our early years of marriage, David and I had looked forward to the day we'd have children. Imagine our dismay when hopes for a baby stretched into six months, a year, two years, and eventually four years—forty-eight straight months—of drugs, surgeries, tests, and more tests. And still no baby. We eventually had our daughter and two sons. But the years of waiting proved to be a good time to seek God and to wait on him. Strength came as I rested in the Lord, studied his Word, held fast to his promises...day after day after day. I learned what Jesus meant when he encouraged believers to "abide" in him (John 15:5). I also found surprising comfort as I stepped out of my own pain to serve others. I discovered that if I would give my life away to help someone who was hurting worse than I was, a mysterious joy would spring forth. By seeking God and serving him wholeheartedly, I learned that times of waiting can give birth to a larger purpose. Turns out not getting what we want when we want it may be one of the best tools to sharpen our hearing of God's voice. We may also discover that our seasons of waiting—those times we thought were barren—can become our most fruitful.
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Hearing God’s Voice: Will You Listen?
07/28/2025
Hearing God’s Voice: Will You Listen?
by Marilynn Chadwick God is always speaking. The question is, “Will you listen?” It’s a question I ask myself every day. Will I take the time to listen in our busy, noisy world? I have discovered that if you truly commit to listening to God, amazing things can happen. David and I have shared over four decades of marriage and ministry (I once vowed that I’d never become a Christian, and most definitely, I would never marry a minister. Funny how things turn out, isn’t it?). Along the way, we have discovered that listening to God is not just about hearing his voice. It’s also about doing his will. My life, I realized one day, was either a “so what?” or a “so that!” If listening to God took me no further than my own little world, then so what? The point of hearing his voice is so that I’ll do his will. So, I told God that I would give my whole heart to listening to him. And I committed to pray, starting with my own family right at home, but with an eye for the needs of God’s larger world. What happens when you begin to take seriously the call to listen to God’s voice? That’s when the adventure begins! You could end up traveling to genocide torn regions in Africa as David and I did. Or you might come face to face with the needs of your neighbor next door. You just might meet people and go to places you never knew existed—starting within your own community. Everyone's journey will look different. You can read more about my experiences in Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars: Learning to Hear the Voice of God. The book started out as simply a memoir of my own adventures in prayer. But friends kept urging me to add some practical content to this journey—some footsteps— so others could follow along. I firmly believe that if you will listen to God daily and watch for him at work right where you are, your ordinary days will no longer feel ordinary.
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Power in Prayer: Embrace your Weakness
07/25/2025
Power in Prayer: Embrace your Weakness
by Marilynn Chadwick Not getting what you want when you want it may be one of the best training tactics for sharpening your prayers. Notice I didn’t say not getting what you want at all. I find that people are more easily able to dismiss their heart’s desire altogether than to wait for it. It is easier to give up in defeat and walk away from a dream than to stand on God’s promise, clinging to the hope God has placed in your heart. That’s why waiting on God is such an incredible test of faith—I refer to this time in my life as “wait training.” When my husband and I endured many grueling years of infertility, I fed myself on the promises of God’s Word about healing—too many to count—day after day, month after month. During those days of waiting, I learned to hear God’s whispers of encouragement and trust his character. In short, I learned the secret of what the apostle John calls “abiding in Christ” (John 15:7). The lessons during those days of weakness and waiting trained me to hear God’s voice. I learned to stay yoked to him through faith, rest, and humility when my own strength fell short. Humility is a constant companion when you are desperately waiting for something. Dependency on God makes you realize just how small you really are. Strangely, I found that it brought freedom. It also gives strength in the spiritual battles that come daily. The apostle Paul discovered this same aspect of God’s grace during his own times of trial. He had pleaded with God to take away what the Bible calls a “thorn in the flesh,” some weakness or affliction that Paul said tormented him. But the Lord comforted Paul with these words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul eventually got to the point that he welcomed weakness and hardship and could even say, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). As a wise friend once remarked after weathering multiple family tragedies, her faith still strong, “Control is just an illusion.” And despite all my tools, tips, personal disciplines, and strategies for prayer, I keep learning the same lesson—some of God’s most amazing work occurs when I am flattened by life. What does that have to do with our power in prayer? Just this—our times of weakness don’t repel God or wreck our prayers. In fact, God’s grace shines brightest through our broken places. If you have crash landed into the end of your own strength and have nothing to bring to God but your broken places, give thanks. For you just may discover that his strength really does work best when you are weak. Like Paul, you may experience your greatest spiritual victories. This time of brokenness could be the most valuable thing you bring to your personal journey in prayer. You may be on the brink of seeing your mess become your miracle. For it’s when we are broken that we’re most likely to hear God’s whispers and experience his greatest power.
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Power in Prayer: Be Vigilant
07/24/2025
Power in Prayer: Be Vigilant
by Marilynn Chadwick I echo nineteenth-century, Yale-educated scholar and theologian R.A. Torrey when he said, “There is a devil. That’s why we pray.” And if you ask me why it’s important to bring order and discipline to our lives for the purpose of prayer, I would add, “Because we are in a spiritual war.” The Bible admonishes us to live daily as sober-minded and watchful, because “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV). Anyone with combat experience will tell you that alertness and preparation, along with mindfulness to details, can make the difference in victory or defeat, life or death. Our oldest son attended a military academy in Virginia for one year after high school to play for their top-ranked prep basketball team. He and his teammates banked on the fact that though it was sure to be tough, this experience would help them become bigger, faster, quicker, and stronger ball players. The school’s success in launching Division One college players spoke for itself. But life at a military academy is not what you’d call fun. Our son would never tell you he liked being in full dress, at attention, and ready to march by 6 A.M. Nor did he enjoy the strict discipline and freakish attention to detail. His shoes had to be lined up to an exact inch from the wall. The sink could have no toothpaste traces, and his bed had to be made with absolutely no wrinkles—all before the sun came up. Some cadets even slept on top of the already made beds, and threw an extra blanket over them at night, rather than face an imperfectly made bed, subsequent demerits, and the hours of marching around the “bull ring” that were sure to follow. Oh, and did I mention the “buzz cuts?” At the year’s end, our son headed off to fulfill his dream of playing Division One college basketball. Other cadets headed for West Point or the Naval Academy, and eventually to combat. Over its one-hundred-plus year history, the school has sent scores of young men off to fight, and some to die, defending our nation’s freedom. A sign on their campus wall prominently displays this Revolutionary War quote, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” The Bible encourages us to be similarly vigilant in guarding our spiritual freedom. We are told to always be alert and to “pray without ceasing.” Yet life moves at such a fast pace—sometimes we forget to guard that line of communication with God. A person who decides to follow Christ will face struggles with the world, the devil, and our own human nature or what the Bible calls “the flesh.” Paul knew that the battle had to be fought on all sides. Our human body is still earthbound and subject to all kinds of desires and propensities to get off track. We must take charge of it, so it doesn’t control us. I’ve discovered that some of my toughest spiritual battles have been the battles with myself. That’s why the Bible teaches that self-discipline is important to the believer who wants to win at spiritual war. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful,” the writer of Hebrews tells us. “Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11 NIV). As someone wisely said, “Peace, like war, must be waged.”
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Power in Prayer: Lean Upon Friends
07/23/2025
Power in Prayer: Lean Upon Friends
by Marilynn Chadwick There are some spiritual battles that leave us so weak that we must lean on the help of a few good friends. It was one of those times for the paralytic in Luke 5. We don't know the man's ailment or all he had suffered. We do know he was helpless and unable to get to Jesus by himself. A few friends carried him on a mat to see the Master. Their way was blocked by the crowds. So, they ingeniously climbed on the roof, hauled up their sick buddy, cut a hole in the roof, and lowered him through the tiles—right in front of Jesus! Instead of rebuking them, Jesus (perhaps with a smile), commended their faith. Right then and there, he healed their friend. Let’s reflect on this remarkable scenario: “And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven" (Luke 5:17-20 NIV). Notice that Jesus saw the faith of the sick man's friends. He forgave the man's sins and healed his infirmity! I wonder what it was about the faith of a few friends that ignited this miracle. Their persistence? Their audacity? Their willingness to step outside the customary bounds? Or just maybe it was their love for their dear friend. I like to think that these guys had suffered with their buddy. Prayed for him. Refused to give up on him. They did whatever it took to get him to Jesus. Ultimately, they believed in the power of Jesus to set their friend free. These guys were true intercessors. I once had a friend who wrestled with a cruel and long-standing addiction. Complicated by a history of childhood abuse and a host of serious medical problems, she reached the point of exhaustion and hopelessness. She even considered ending her life. And then, in stepped a few good friends. Together, they did battle to find a place of recovery for my friend and the means to get there. Grace and mercy in action. And how they did pray! I watched this little team of friends demonstrate the power of persistent prayer and loving action. They "carved a hole in the roof" to place their friend at the feet of Jesus. Isn't this our calling as believers? It was Jesus himself who reminded us that there is no greater love than to lay down our life for our friends. We are called to be vessels of the same mercy we've received from the Lord. I'll leave you with my favorite definition of mercy: “Mercy is the willingness to enter the chaos of another person's life.” Lord, make us willing to become your vessels of mercy.
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Power in Prayer: Praise as a Weapon
07/22/2025
Power in Prayer: Praise as a Weapon
by Marilynn Chadwick I once saw an old Tarzan movie in which the ape man was peering at a droplet of water through a microscope. The instrument had been brought to Africa by Jane’s father, Professor Porter. Tarzan was quite shaken to see that the water he drank daily was teeming with all kinds of organisms, invisible to the naked eye. Similarly, the Bible reveals that our spiritual atmosphere is filled with unseen enemies—the source of our spiritual battles. “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT). I wonder how we’d react if we could catch a glimpse of the spirits in the invisible heavenly places. Like Tarzan, I imagine we’d be shocked. The Bible doesn’t spend a lot of time describing this spiritual realm. It does, however, give us instructions on how to do battle. We’re given a detailed list of spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:10-20. One of my personal favorite battle tactics is found in James 4:7 (NET): “Submit to God…resist the devil and he will flee from you.” But one of the most powerful weapons to deal with the powers of darkness is the weapon of praise. Praising the Lord, while also giving thanks, fights our enemy in ways we don’t fully understand. Yet this tactic is surprisingly powerful, so it’s worth emphasizing. I have an 80-year-old friend who has been a powerful Bible teacher for over 50 years. She recently shared with me that she considers praise to be the strongest weapon in her prayer arsenal. The New Testament is filled with stories which illustrate the power of praise. We see Paul and Silas singing and praising God in a Philippian jail—their chains fell off, the jailer accepted Jesus, and his whole family became believers (Acts 16:22-34). The Old Testament, too, tells stories of praise and its mighty power. King Jehosophat and the people of Israel were being attacked by their enemies. Defeat looked certain, but Jehosophat sought the Lord. “After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: ‘Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!’ At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves” (2 Chronicles 20:21-22). Perhaps you’re facing a fierce spiritual battle. You’ve resisted, and prayed, and fought the good fight. But you’re exhausted. Why not take a lesson from King Jehosophat? This may be your strategic moment to simply thank God and praise him for his goodness. Let him fight this battle. Rest in his power—even if you don’t fully understand. Remember how the devil and his minions hate praise. So, if you can just stand firm and continue to praise and thank God in the middle of your trouble, I believe you will ultimately see the devil flee. After all, he is allergic to praise.
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Power in Prayer: Wait for the Second Voice
07/21/2025
Power in Prayer: Wait for the Second Voice
by Marilynn Chadwick Continued from Friday… Elijah was known as a man who listened to God. Repeatedly in the Bible, we read that “the word of the Lord came to Elijah.” He saw miracle after miracle as he stepped out in obedience to God’s voice. Elijah has plenty to teach us about how to pray during a time of crisis. The prophet had faced his own personal battle with terror. After an enormous fight of faith in which he defeated a demonized mob of over four-hundred prophets of Baal, Elijah was the target of a death threat by the wicked Queen Jezebel. Elijah’s deliverance came as he ultimately learned to hear God, not in the earthquake, wind, or fire, but in a gentle whisper. After the turmoil and fear that followed the shocking terror attack on 9/11, I was desperate to listen to God, too. Not in the fiery drama in the world around us, but rather in “the still, small voice” of the heart. Somehow, I just knew that if God were to give me instructions about how to pray, it would not be in the first voice—the tumultuous roar I heard in my head, with its temptation to panic—but rather in the second voice, a voice of calm. I had seen a statue of the prophet Elijah when visiting Israel years earlier. The sinewy, fireball of a man looked more warrior than prophet. After praying for God to bring drought as judgment upon faithless Israel, he gave a whipping to the evil mob of 400 pagan prophets in his own “Super Bowl of faith.” The feisty prophet then climbed to a mountain-top to pray for rain—and ran the distance of a full marathon to beat Ahab back to Jezreel in time to await the downpour (you can read the full story in 1 Kings 18:22-40). Yet, after all that, when faced with retaliatory death threats from Ahab’s wicked wife, Queen Jezebel, Elijah had a serious meltdown. “Terrified,” we’re told in 1 Kings 19:3, Elijah “ran for his life.” This self-described zealot for God, the steely, iron-man-triathlete of faith had exhausted himself into what we would call today a clinical depression. “I am ready to die," he told God. He felt alone and utterly defeated—as broken down as the rest of Israel. But herein lies the secret: When Elijah broke, he knew where to run. Elijah ran to Mount Horeb—the place where he knew he would encounter God. And what did God do? Fed him, put him to sleep, fed him again. Only after this period of intensive rest and refueling did the Lord speak to Elijah. This time, God was not in the earthquake, wind or fire, but rather in a gentle whisper. And in this intimate conversation—humbled yet renewed after his time of utter brokenness—Elijah saw a new side of God, and probably a new side of himself. Though fervent in faith and mighty in strength, Elijah had discovered the full extent of God’s great love for him during his time of greatest weakness. When you break, where do you run? It’s during these times of absolute breaking that we become most receptive to God’s voice.
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Power in Prayer: Pray with Precision
07/18/2025
Power in Prayer: Pray with Precision
by Marilynn Chadwick Precision is important in spiritual as well as earthly battles. A turning point in World War II weapon technology was the development of precision bombing. Through a somewhat crude forerunner of the Global Positioning System (GPS), precision bombing enabled the United States to focus on bombing German military sites, and especially artillery arsenals, decreasing the civilian casualties. I once heard the story of a young WWII bomber pilot who wrote to his family, “I consider myself a pacifist. Nothing in me wants to harm the German people. But when I remember Hitler and the horror inflicted by the Nazis, I am compelled to destroy the evil.” Precision bombing allowed our fighter pilots in WWII to focus their attack on the enemy and, as much as possible, avoid the innocent. After the shocking events of September 11, 2001, I began reading from 1st Peter, a letter addressed to early Christians who were facing great danger and persecution. Peter shares survival secrets for what to do when times look darkest. “The end of all things is near,” he writes. Therefore be “self-controlled and alert” so that you can pray (1 Peter 4:7, GNT). His encouragement was not to have passion or power as a starting point, but rather self-control and alertness. In order for prayer to be as powerful as the Bible promises, it needs to include precision, skill, and discipline. I envisioned a brain surgeon enduring years of education, training, and practice to develop the necessary precision to operate in the delicate minefields of the mind—knowing just where to cut. I was eager to learn more about just how and where to precisely focus my prayers. In the quiet of my car that day as the events of 9/11 swirled around us, I purposed then and there that I would begin to pray with more practice and precision. And although I wasn’t a soldier, I decided to sign up for my own version of a tour of duty, to be available to God in prayer. Not just for my own needs and worries, but for the worries of the world. And since I hadn’t a clue as to what this should look like, I asked God to guide me. But how could I hear the voice of God amidst all the chaos and turmoil in my head after the terrorist attacks? I continued to search the pages of the Bible. There I discovered a prayer mentor in the prophet Elijah. Elijah is described in the book of James as “a person just like us” (James 5:17). Yet Elijah “prayed earnestly” that it wouldn’t rain for three-and-a-half years and it didn’t. Then he reversed his prayer, praying for rain—and “the heavens gave rain.” His prayers had impact on an entire nation. The prayers of even one righteous person, James tells us, are “powerful and effective.” The Bible teaches us that no one is “perfectly righteous.” Let’s remind ourselves of the only solid footing for prayer—the righteousness that comes by faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22, 23). This understanding is crucial to our confidence in prayer. To be continued on Monday…
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Power in Prayer: Listen Closely
07/17/2025
Power in Prayer: Listen Closely
by Marilynn Chadwick Thomas Edison tried unsuccessfully over ten thousand times before his final breakthrough invention of the electric light bulb. The Wright brothers experienced hundreds of crashes before their breakthrough in flight. And countless scientists performed endless experiments before breakthroughs in DNA research. Breakthroughs in any endeavor require perseverance. Especially in the spiritual realm, when we seem to crash headlong into a formidable yet unseen enemy again and again. If we want to experience power in our prayers, we can learn a lesson from the Psalmist and warrior-king David. Years earlier, he had conquered the Philistine giant Goliath. But here he is again, facing the Philistine army not far from the very site of his famous face-to-face encounter with the giant. This time, the Philistines waged their attack in the Valley of Rephaim, which means "the valley of giants" or "the valley of trouble." Though a seasoned warrior, David pauses to pray, asking God for his marching orders. So, David asked God, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied, “Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you.” So David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “God did it!” David exclaimed. “He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So they named that place Baal-perazim, which means “the Lord who bursts through” (1 Chronicles 14:10, 11 NLT). The Philistines abandoned their gods and fled. However, they soon returned to raid the valley one more time. Even with the memory of the first victory still fresh in his mind, David prays to the Lord and listens for his strategy: Once again David asked God what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” God replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, go out and attack! That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.” So David did what God commanded, and they struck down the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. David’s fame spread everywhere, and the Lord caused all the nations to fear David (1 Chronicles 14:14-17). Good thing David was listening carefully, for God's strategy this time required a very different response. I'm reminded of the Lion Aslan's comment to Lucy in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia series: "Things never happen the same way twice." God may act very differently than we experienced in our last challenge. Persevere in your battle, my friend. Pray to God for guidance. Then, listen carefully for his instructions. Pause and really listen. You might be surprised at his answer. Then obey immediately. Seek God every time, before every battle. Approach him for wisdom daily. Humility is the mark of a good soldier. And remember, he rarely does things the same way twice. I pray that your "Valley of Trouble" becomes the very place where you encounter Jesus, your "Lord of the Breakthrough."
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Power in Prayer: Train Daily
07/16/2025
Power in Prayer: Train Daily
by Marilynn Chadwick I’ve always loved sports—so it naturally follows that I love athletes. I am married to a former basketball player and mother to a volleyball player, a basketball player, and a swimmer. There is much to be learned about our spiritual life from observing the personal discipline of athletes. The Apostle Paul must have loved sports, too. He likens the hard work of training for a sport to his own life of faith. “I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step,” he writes. “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should so that after preaching to others, I will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:26 NLT). Instead of “discipline,” some translations use the word “buffet,” a word which means “to treat roughly.” The word buffet came even more alive for me one summer when I watched our youngest son along with hundreds of highly ranked swimmers compete in their national championship meet. After the grueling hours of practice, these athletes were “buff” in every way. Finely chiseled muscles bore witness to hours in the pool, hours with weights, hours of running, all for the love of the sport. With a body builder, the goal is a muscular body. But for a swimmer, the body is simply a tool to use for the sport. Their sculpted physique is not for show—rather it enables these athletes to swim incredibly fast. Sports provide a great metaphor for the training necessary to develop the habit of continual and effectual prayer. It’s not that prayer itself is always hard. Often, it’s like breathing. But to stay alert, mindful, available to listen—this kind of prayer can be hard in our fast-paced world. And getting up early to carve out time to read God’s Word and pray takes discipline and commitment. Persistence in prayer when we are in pain, when all we can see with our “natural” eyes looks hopeless, and when answers are slow in coming can be grinding. No wonder Paul tells the church in Colossae about his friend, Epaphras. Paul told them that behind the scenes, this guy was continually “laboring” in prayer for them (Colossians 4:12,13). The Greek word for “labor” is agonizomai, from which we get “agony.” For a swimmer, practice can be repetitious, exhausting, even agonizing. There are competitions when athletes feel stuck. There seems to be no progress—personal times don’t budge. But then there are breakthrough races when times are shattered, records broken. These are the rewards for all the work and daily practices. Why do swimmers train, and train, and train some more? Simply for the love of the race. I hope you will develop such a love for God’s Word and an expectancy of answered prayer that it’s worth it to train day after day. You may not see immediate answers, but God has promised to reward your faithfulness. Remember—God is “a rewarder of those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). I truly believe there are mountain-moving answers and breakthrough races of faith in store if you put your whole heart into prayer.
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