A Moment of Hope

by David Chadwick I am handing you your final key today. We are wrapping up a three week study of the key doctrines of the Christian faith. You should now have a deeper understanding of the timeless truths and beliefs that set apart the Christian faith. Each of these 15 keys is meant to unlock truths on which you can stand no matter what is thrown at you. Today's final key: eschatology. The doctri...

by David Chadwick There are so many key doctrines that uphold the historical message of the Christian faith. These are the truths that differentiate a cultural Christian from those whose lives are yielded fully and have an allegiance to Jesus. The Trinity. That's today's key. It's a term never mentioned in the Bible, but has been historically used to explain the Godhead. Though never mentioned, th...

by David Chadwick Every foundational doctrine of the Christian faith lays the groundwork for a strong and secure faith that should be able to stand against the resistance we will inevitably meet until Jesus returns. Take each of these keys and use them. Today's key: ecclesiology, the church. The ekklesia in Greek (ecclesia in Latin). The "called out" people of God. The Bride of Christ. The body of...

by David Chadwick Learning the key doctrines of the Christian faith is a crucial part of maturing in the faith. James 1:4 speaks to the importance of enduring trials to become perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. I believe these doctrines are important in helping us develop a strong core that can withstand life's trials and ultimately reach maturity. Continuing on with our next key is this: t...

by David Chadwick This week, I will give you five final key doctrines of the Christian faith. These truths are foundational to our faith. They are essentials. We cannot add to them or take away from them. Today we focus on glorification – the final step in our redemption after justification and sanctification (Romans 8:29-30). It's when we all receive our eternal, material, perfected, glorified bo...

by David Chadwick We are wrapping up week two with our tenth key doctrine of the Christian faith. I pray these keys continue to build you up with revelation, wisdom, knowledge and discernment. The doctrine of holiness, also known as sanctification, is today's key. If you remember, justification is the doctrine of forgiveness, when Christ's sacrifice made it "just as if we had never sinned." But it...

by David Chadwick Bibliology. Theology. Christology. Pneumatology. Anthropology. Hamartiology. Soteriology. Incarnation. If any of these words mean something to you, you've probably been journeying with me through some of the key doctrines of the Christian faith. I'd urge you to go back through and learn along with me. Today we pick up our ninth key: justification – the doctrine of forgiveness. Ga...

by David Chadwick Without physical keys, you are unable to get into a locked car or a locked house. Well, without these spiritual keys, I believe you are vulnerable to deception and may not be able to unlock truths that could set you eternally free. Study these doctrines. Learn them. Use them to gain perspectives you may not have had before. Today's key: incarnation – the doctrine of Jesus coming...

by David Chadwick Each key doctrine of the Christian faith is meant to provide a strong and solid foundation on which we can stand. Matthew 7:25 reminds us that the house founded on the rock will stand through life's rain, floods, and winds. I want anyone who hears these words to build such a solid doctrinal foundation that you will be able to stand through anything. Today's key doctrine of the Ch...

by David Chadwick We are starting week two of looking at 15 key doctrines of the Christian faith. I am handing a new key to you each day. My prayer is that you will keep these keys in your possession and use them to stand for truth. In the last days, we are told there will be times of difficulty (2 Timothy 3:1), scoffers (2 Peter 3:3), those who follow ungodly passions (Jude 1:18), and those who d...

by David Chadwick Today, we wrap up our first week's exploration of some of the key doctrines of the Christian faith. These foundational truths are meant to help followers of Jesus stand confidently against the wiles of the enemy. The doctrine of humanity, also referred to as anthropology, is today's key. We know from Genesis 1:26-27 that humans were created in the image of God. Different and uniq...

by David Chadwick Each day over the next few weeks, I am handing you a key. Each key represents one of the key doctrines of the Christian faith. My prayer is that you will use each of these keys to unlock places of your heart to understand truths you may not have learned before. Additionally, I pray you will use each key to lock up any places that have left you susceptible and vulnerable to believ...

by David Chadwick More and more, we are finding ourselves in days where the bride of Christ must be equipped with truths to stand in the midst of a depraved and declining culture. There are many key doctrines of the faith that we must know. Today we will look at Christology. The doctrine of Jesus. Jesus is the second person of the Godhead. You see this hint in Genesis 1 when God said, "Let us crea...

by David Chadwick Over the next few weeks, I am going to be handing you a different key each day. Each key represents one of the key doctrines of the Christian faith. These are the foundational principles and beliefs that guide us as followers of Jesus. I pray you use these keys to open up doors you may have never walked through before now. And as you do, I pray you will be strengthened and edifie...

by David Chadwick Over the next three weeks, I am going to take you on an in depth journey to explore many key doctrines of the Christian faith. We will look at 15 key tenets of what we uphold to be true as followers of Jesus. For those of you who have asked where I stand theologically on certain issues, you will see it clearly laid out here over the next few weeks. In our Western civilization, wh...

by Marilynn Chadwick My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth...  (James 5:19 NIV) Does your mind ever wander? Mine does. I sometimes need reminders to stay alert—especially when it comes to listening to God. Too many voices clamor for my attention. Human nature can be weak and unpredictable. Eighteenth century hymn writer, Robert Robinson, must have felt the same way wh...

by Marilynn Chadwick Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly... ( James 5:17 NIV) Elijah prayed earnestly. The phrase "prayed earnestly" comes from two words meaning "to pray" and "prayer." Elijah "prayed with prayer." This unusual expression indicates intensity. Elijah prayed  hard . He got results. When Elijah prayed, things happened. Elijah prayed that God would give a wak...

by Marilynn Chadwick The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  (James 5:16 NIV) I work hard at prayer because I believe prayer works. Or rather I should say God works in response to prayer. The tension between how God's sovereign will and my prayer work together is a mystery. But James is clear. Prayer is to be our first response for all of life's situations. Prayer is about a r...

by Marilynn Chadwick Is anyone among you sick? He should call in the church elders (the spiritual guides). And they should pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord's name.  (James 5:14 AMPC) Sick. Worn out. Weighed down by sin? James prescribes prayer for life's troubles. Funny how our hearts turn to God when we're desperate. The most often-prayed prayer to reach heaven is probably, "Help...

by Marilynn Chadwick You boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.  (James 4:16 NIV) Boasting. It's practically a national pastime. American as apple pie. Our athletes swagger. Our politicians crow. Bumper stickers flaunt our favorite teams, super kids, or alma maters. Think about it. Our talents, treasures, and triumphs win us bragging rights. At times, we all like to toot our ow...

by Marilynn Chadwick Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  (James 3:13 NIV) Humility. It's the virtue that gets lost in the speed of our fast-track living. From the Greek word,  prautes, humility means "gentleness, not born in weakness, but in power." I've heard humility often referred to as "bridled pow...

by Marilynn Chadwick In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?  (James 2:25 NIV) Rahab the prostitute becomes Rahab the righteous. How can this be? A common harlot turned hero in Joshua's battle at Jericho. A most unlikely name in Matthew's genealogy of the Messiah (Matthew...

by Marilynn Chadwick Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  (James 2:17 NIV) Action. Movement. Progress. Results in life matter. James challenges us to consider our results—the bottom line of our beliefs. What we believe impacts how we live. But can our actions ever make us good enough for God? Does the salvation of our souls depend upon how well we live out the commandment...

by Marilynn Chadwick Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. (James 1:27 NLT) "I got religion" was the folksy expression I sometimes heard growing up in the deep South when someone accepted Jesus. As for me, I spent most of my high school years running  away  from religion. And from Go...

Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  (James 1:22 NIV) To execute is to translate ideas into actions. For any business, the ability to execute is critical to the bottom line. In spiritual matters, we execute when we live out the truths we've learned in Scripture—we put feet on our faith. The book of  James  exhorts believers to execute—to be  doers  as well...