A Moment of Hope

by Marilynn Chadwick Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  (James 5:16 NIV) Confession. It's good for the soul. And according to James, it's good for the body, too. He shows a link between the confessing of our sins and the healing of our sickness. Another form of prayer, confession, is simply admitting our sins to God and to our fellow belie...

by Marilynn Chadwick If one of you is having troubles, he should pray.  (James 5:13 ICB) Trouble. What's your reaction to times of trouble? James gives a simple prescription: Prayer. But instead of being our first response, prayer is often an afterthought. We remember to pray only after we've exhausted ourselves trying to fix the trouble—if we remember at all. The word for trouble in the Greek lan...

by Marilynn Chadwick We count as blessed those who have persevered.  (James 5:11 NIV) "Better not pray for patience," a friend once warned. "The Lord will be sure to send you some trouble!" I'm not sure I agree with her theology. Rather, I believe tough times come because we live in a fallen world where hardship and pain are simply a reality. Jesus himself warns, "In this world you will have troub...

by Marilynn Chadwick Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7 NIV) Learning how to resist the devil is the key to victory in spiritual warfare. God's Word is fundamental in our fight. It's also crucial to pray. But James reminds us that we can't beat the devil unless we resist. To  resist  is "to exert force in opposition." Spiritual victory requires...

by Marilynn Chadwick Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another…who are you to judge your neighbor?  (James 4:11,12 NIV) Slander. It's an ugly word. Slander, or defamation of character, used to be considered a crime. Nowadays, it's more like a contact sport. Runaway slander fuels reality shows, tabloids, and especially social media. James gives us a hard-hitting warning about the dangers of...

by Marilynn Chadwick You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. ( James 4:2 NLT) "But Mommy, all I want is what I want when I want it," came the whine from three-year-old Molly. The story brings a chuckle every time her mother retells it. But aren't we all a bit like Molly? All we want is what we want when we want it. What's so bad about that? James challenges this inborn prop...

by Marilynn Chadwick But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving.  (James 3:17 NIV) Do you want to be wise? King Solomon sure did. And God blessed him mightily. If we lack wisdom, we should ask God. It's a prayer he loves to answer. But James warns us about the dangers of what he calls "earthly wisdom." He contrasts it with heavenly wisdom in two short, power-pack...

by Marilynn Chadwick But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison.  (James 3:8 NIV) Poison! It's both a word and a warning. We label and lock up poisons, alert to their danger. We guard our children from poisonous substances. But do we guard them against poisonous speech? James gives a strong caution about the dangers of the tongue. He calls it "a restless ev...

by Marilynn Chadwick But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt...  (James 1:6 NIV) Following Christ gets complicated when we try to live by the standards of this world: Work hard. Dream big. Solve life's problems with good sense and hard work. Measure your worth by your success. But James points us to another reality—a different power source. A God who cares. Who answers prayers. Who does f...

by Marilynn Chadwick In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. (James 1:11 NLT) Faded jeans. Faded furniture. Faded memories—mental images grow dim over time. Let's be honest. Life here on earth fades. Time tricks us, tempts us, promises what it can't deliver. So, we humans buy the lie and exhaust ourselves—chasing after that which fades. Riches. Achievements. Beauty...

by David Chadwick This past week, we have been talking about overcoming people-pleasing. Let me remind you where we have been: People make lousy gods. Only God can meet the deepest longings of your heart. Don't worry about what other people think of you. It keeps you ensnared. Besides, they're most likely only thinking of themselves. No one has ever erected a statue to a critic. Choose to embrace...

by David Chadwick How do we overcome the temptation to live as people-pleasers? First, remember that people make lousy gods. Secondly, don't worry about what people think about you. They are too busy thinking about themselves. And today - remember that no one has ever erected a statue to a critic. Statues have typically been erected to people who have carried significant roles in history. To heroe...

by David Chadwick The first step to overcoming people-pleasing is to realize that people make lousy gods. Here's the second tip. Don't worry about what other people think about you. It's a trap. My dad used to say this phrase to me all the time. Then he would add, "The truth is, they aren't thinking about you at all. They are too busy thinking about themselves." People-pleasing is an endless cycle...

by David Chadwick This week we are going to spend time looking at some of the crippling effects of people-pleasing. To put it bluntly, people-pleasing is idolatry. It puts someone else on the throne of your heart other than the Most High God. How do we overcome people-pleasing? Today's tip is to remember that people make lousy gods. Seeking people's approval in order for life to be enjoyed to the...

by Marilynn Chadwick This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down.  John 21:24 (NIV) Let's take a minute to consider the written word. Think about how different your life would be if you could not read or write. And how would our beliefs even exist if no one had captured the Scriptures in written form? We complete our 21 Day Experiment with a reading of John's final c...

by Marilynn Chadwick These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ.  John 20:31 (ESV) "Seeing is believing," says the old adage. It is much easier to believe when we can see the evidence. Yet sometimes faith is the belief in the unseen —otherwise, it wouldn't be called faith. Much like the t-shirt I saw recently with this bold slogan emblazoned across the front: BELIEVING IS S...

by Marilynn Chadwick He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.  John 19:35 (NIV ) I noticed the well-worn Bible sitting on my bedside table and the collection of prayer journals stacked below. They were reminders of the times I'd seen God move in my life. Answered prayers, healings, even a few miracles. A testimony to my close walk with the Lord. Suddenly, it...

by Marilynn Chadwick My kingdom is not of this world.  John 18:36a (NIV) Welcome to day 18 of our 21 Day Experiment. We're near the finish line—so hold on tight! Jesus talks a lot about his heavenly kingdom. This kingdom, he said, dwells within us. I've heard the caution that we shouldn't become "so heavenly minded that we're no earthly good." Yet Jesus tells us to set our mind on things above. To...

by Marilynn Chadwick My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.  John 17:15 (NIV) Ever feel like you're not of this world? I know I do. Shouldn't come as a surprise. What the world believes is often opposite to the principles in Scripture. Just another reminder that this place is not our home. So why don't we Christians just gather up all thos...

by Marilynn Chadwick If I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.  John 16:7b (ESV) Spirit. What comes to mind when you hear the word spirit? There's a lot of talk these days about what it means to be "spiritual." And confusion about the Holy Spirit—the One Jesus calls the "Spirit of truth." For starters, the Holy Spirit is not an "it." Or a ghostlike...

by Marilynn Chadwick Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  John 15:7 (NIV) I often go to God with big prayer requests. Prayers for my family, friends, and people who need help. I believe God answers prayer. The Bible encourages us to ask God for what we need—to go boldly with our heartfelt desires. To bring our "big ask" to him. But in John 15, Jesus calls us to a relationship with...

by Marilynn Chadwick I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6 (NIV) "No way!" My older son used to exclaim to his younger brother when something amazing or unexpected had just happened. To which his little brother would answer back, "Way!" The word "way" describes a course of action. Or directions to a destination: "What's the quickest  way...

by Marilynn Chadwick By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  John 13:35 (NIV) New! Don't you just love the sound of that word? New songs, new homes, new seasons, new beginnings. Each kind of new carries its own special magic. New comes with a promise to erase the past. New comes without baggage or wear and tear. New seems so...well…easy. That is, at first. T...

by Marilynn Chadwick For they loved human praise more than praise from God.  John 12:43 (NIV) Who doesn't like to be affirmed? I know I do. And I have yet to meet a child who doesn't respond better to praise than criticism. But the desire for praise can be a liability when it comes to our faith. My commitment to follow Jesus often brings me face-to-face with a hard choice. Will I speak and act in...

by Marilynn Chadwick It is for God's glory, so that God's Son may be glorified through it.  John 11:4 (NIV) Believe. To believe means to accept something as true. What you believe impacts your thoughts, feelings, actions—and ultimately, the course of your entire life. "What do you believe?" just might be the most important question you'll ever answer. If you're with us for the 21-Day Experiment, y...