A Moment of Hope

by David Chadwick I wish I'd been smarter in this area. If so, I could have avoided a lot of pain. I stupidly ignored this reality. If I could redo one major part of Marilynn's and my marital life together it would be this one. I'd trust her gut more. I'd honor her intuition. It's happened not once, but on multiple occasions. Marilynn sensed something was wrong. Her spiritual antenna was high. It was receiving strong signals. She sensed something unknown. There was an inward, environmental stimulus without any accompanying reason. It caused extreme tightness and discomfort in her stomach area. She couldn't explain why she undeniably sensed what she did, but she did. She just knew something wasn't right. Something was out of whack. Something bad was about to happen. Her gut was twisted and nervous. There was a foreboding something on the horizon. And she was saying to me that I just needed to trust her gut. Too often I ignored her suggestions and plowed ahead with what I needed to do and thought was best. I'd give a polite nod. Or sometimes I'd argue back, saying she didn't understand the full picture. Or sometimes I was totally dismissive and I'd say she simply needed to trust me. Looking back, I often ignored her instincts to my own eventual chagrin and demise. Fortunately, she has seldom poured on guilt by saying, "I told you so." She's been gracious when I've later acknowledged her wisdom and my folly. But on many occasions I've gone to her and simply said, "You were right. I was wrong. I'm sorry. I should have listened to you." If there is one positive thing that's come from these excruciating experiences, it's that I learned great humility. Again, I wish I'd been smarter. In this area, hindsight truly is 20/20. Some people call it women's intuition. Others refer to it as a gut instinct. I'm not exactly sure of the appropriate term. But I know it's true. Women have something inwardly that men don't have. They receive insights on situations men tend to ignore. Through the years, I've learned that Marilynn is on my side. Like God, she is for me (Romans 8:31). She wants the best for me. She wants me to succeed. She desires for me not to step into stuff that will hinder me. If this is so, I must trust her gut. This series is adapted from David Chadwick's book, Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Wife. To download your free PDF copy of the book, please visit our website by clicking here!

by David Chadwick The word honor has become missing in action in the English vocabulary. Oh yes, sadly, we sometimes hear about an "honor killing." Most often, that's when a child rejects a certain faith tradition. The father feels he must kill the child for the sake of honor in his home. There is also "honor among thieves." They still seem to hold the word honor in high esteem. The Boy Scouts still begin their pledge with "On my honor, I will do my duty." Some schools still emphasize an honor code. But in reality, the word honor isn't much talked about today. The importance of the word honor has not been abated in the Bible. Children are to honor their mothers and fathers (Exodus 20:12). Rulers in the government (Romans 13:7) and the elders who preach, teach, and lead the church are to receive a double honor (1Timothy 5:17). Widows who serve others (1 Timothy 5:3) and friends who labor for us (Philippians 2:29) should also be  given honor because of their personal importance in our lives. Christians are to honor one  another, even above self (Romans 12:10). When Christians behave with honor, it should draw spiritual skeptics toward faith in God (1 Peter 2:12). And honor is supposed to be given by a husband to his wife (1 Peter 3:7). He is to honor her as one with enormous value. In this verse, Peter says that a wife is to be treated as a "weaker vessel." I don't think this idea expresses inferiority at all. I believe Peter used this phrase to describe a fine, delicate piece of pottery, like porcelain. The wife is supposed to be like a priceless vase in her husband's hand. He is to treat her with great care and gentle esteem, tenderly showing to her the enormous value she holds in his life. What does the Bible mean when it tells us to honor our wives? Let me put it in a way our culture can understand. She is a trophy—a person dearly prized. She is the husband's ultimate, permanent trophy bride! When you look at your wife, you can't believe she is a part of your life. You consider it a high privilege to be married to her. You want others to know the value she has in your life. You are honored she is your wife. This series over the next two weeks is a bite-sized overview of a book I wrote called "Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Wife." My wife, Marilynn, just completed two weeks of a series entitled "Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Husband" after the book she wrote. We both are trying to recapture the significance and importance of this word honor—especially in the marriage relationship between a husband and a wife. Join us as we explore God's design for marriage. This series is adapted from David Chadwick's book, Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Wife. To download your free PDF copy of the book, please visit our website by clicking here!

by Marilynn Chadwick A practical way to honor my husband is simply through the home environment I create. Our surroundings, daily routine, and health habits will either help build up my husband or weigh him down in defeat. Scripture instructs wives to be "keepers" of their homes (Titus 2:5 KJV). The word keeper can be translated as "guard." Not only do I pay attention to the physical surroundings of our home, but I am mindful of what happens here. What kinds of movies do we watch? What are our conversations about? Each family is different and so is each husband. Surroundings do matter. However, if you were to ask me what's the single most important thing you can do to honor your husband, I would simply say: Pray for him. Pray like you mean it. Pray like you believe God works through your prayers. And make prayer for your husband a priority. I have seen many wives' prayers encourage husbands who are already following Jesus. And I have seen prayer soften the hearts of men who have rejected God. I am mystified as to why prayer works when words fall short. I just know it does. My dear friend Jane prayed for years for her husband to accept Christ. He continued to resist the gospel. My friend was wise. She refused to nag. But she set aside 15 minutes to pray for her husband every morning. I don't remember how long Jane prayed for him. But, a couple years later, I watched in amazement as her husband walked forward to accept Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade in our city. During the invitation, I happened to glance to my right. I was startled to see this man who had stiff-armed God! There he was, wife by his side, resolutely heading to the front of the arena where he gave his life to Jesus Christ once and for all. The ripple effect of that one influential man's devotion to Christ was powerful. The impact he had on his family and community is evident to this day. All because of the quiet witness and faithful prayers of a strong wife. Like my husband always says, "If you don't love Jesus and you have a praying wife or a praying mother, look out—you're toast!" This series is adapted from Marilynn Chadwick's book, Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Husband. To download your free PDF copy of the book, please visit our website by clicking here!

by Marilynn Chadwick Over the years, I've discovered that honoring my husband begins in my mind. What I think about David determines whether my words and actions will honor him. Turns out there's some research to back up this observation. Author and longtime Gallup poll associate Marcus Buckingham surveyed thousands of married couples to discover the traits at the core of good marriages. He found something intriguing. The common thread running through happy marriages was this: In the most successful marriages, each partner rated the other person higher than that person rated him or herself. Buckingham's findings, emerging from volumes of data, got me to thinking. As a wife, it's important for me to value and respect David, believing in him even more than he believes in himself. I realized in that moment that I can choose how I think about my husband. Do I respect him? Appreciate him? Focus on his strengths and downplay his weaknesses? Do I take time to reflect on the many ways he sacrifices for our family? Am I there for him to support and strengthen him, especially when he feels weak? Do I believe the best about him? In short, am I thankful for him? Honor may be best expressed through words and deeds, but it begins in the mind. It greatly matters what we think about our husbands. What I think about David determines whether my words and actions will honor him. What we believe about our husbands can make or break our marriages. Over the years, I've noticed a common theme in the marriages I've grown to admire. The spouses seem to be intentional about interpreting each other in a positive light. The wives speak about their husbands with respect. The husbands find ways to honor their wives. It's clear they treasure and appreciate their partner. In short, they believe the best about each other, and it shows. God's word is filled with encouragement to honor our husbands, wives, and even families. Why not begin to explore practical ways to act this out on a daily basis. This series is adapted from Marilynn Chadwick's book, Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Husband. To download your free PDF copy of the book, please visit our website by clicking here!

by Marilynn Chadwick When we understand honor as a biblical concept, it sheds light on our God-given roles as husband and wife. In college, I was a spiritual skeptic with strong feminist leanings. After I became a follower of Christ, God's Word opened my eyes to his beautiful and somewhat mysterious plan for marriage. The Bible talks about Eve as Adam's helper. The word "helper," or ezer, means "to support." The word conveys strength and is closely related to the word for rock. I honor David when I'm strong like a rock in my walk with the Lord. As wives, we respond best to our husbands' spiritual leadership when we trust God and his design for our marriage. I hope you'll see that being a strong woman of God, while also submitting to your husband's spiritual leadership, go hand in hand. Everything God created was good. But he looked at Adam and said, "It is not good for the man to be alone." Something was missing. So God said: "I will make a helper suitable for him" (Genesis 2:18 NIV). God created woman from the very stuff of man—his same substance: "So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs …Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man" (Genesis 2:20-22). Marriage was God's gift to the humans. Eve was Adams's companion as well as his helper. In Hebrew, ezer is a combination of two roots: "to rescue or save," and "to be strong." Throughout the Old Testament, the word ezer most often refers to God as the helper, usually in times of danger or battle. When you grasp what it means to be an ezer, you begin to get an image of your role as a rock, not a doormat. Your challenge is to become strong so that you are a source of strength for a husband who will sometimes be weak. I've learned that an important part of showing honor to a strong husband like David is to be his "rock of support" when everything around him feels like it's crashing down. Think about what it means to be strong like a "rock" for our husbands, families, and communities. Lord knows we need more women who are willing to live strong as ezers in this hurting and broken world. This series is adapted from Marilynn Chadwick's book, Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Husband. To download your free PDF copy of the book, please visit our website by clicking here!

by Marilynn Chadwick The word honor calls to mind virtues like integrity and honesty. To honor someone is to treat them with admiration or respect. Over the next four weeks, David and I will explore honor from a biblical point of view. Plus, we will give practical tips on how you can begin to honor your husband or wife and create a culture of honor in your own home. Several years ago, David's beloved college basketball coach, North Carolina's legendary Dean Smith, passed away. Next to his own father, David says Smith was the most significant man in his life. Even superstar Michael Jordan called Smith his "second father." Along with great basketball, Coach Smith taught David about honor. When I first met my basketball player-turned-preacher husband, I was a University of Georgia girl and a die-hard football fan. Basketball, not so much. But I loved David, and I grew to love basketball. After David introduced us for the first time, Coach Smith sent me a handwritten note welcoming me to the "Carolina Family." He always remembered my alma mater and my college major. He even knew our children by name. Seriously. Who does that? David had the privilege of delivering the opening invocation in Coach Smith's public memorial service in the Dean Smith Center popularly known as the Dean Dome. Thousands of fans, students, faculty, and coaching colleagues, along with the roughly 200 former lettermen, gathered to pay their respects. Public reaction to Dean Smith's passing seemed to convey a nostalgic yearning for role models, for dads, and for men of honor. I was inspired to write an editorial honoring Coach Smith. I reflected on his impact and encouraged readers to appreciate the good guys in their own lives. A prominent defense attorney sent me a handwritten note reminiscing about how his dad had been such an honorable man. A former mayor, a federal judge, and a bank president each shared stories of the honorable men who had shaped their lives. Young moms wrote to tell me about their "amazing husbands" and vowed to be more intentional to honor them. Had I touched a nerve? Maybe it's because honor is lacking in our homes. Families today are in trouble. Studies show the majority of divorces are now initiated by women. Honor was God's idea in the first place—especially in marriage. No wonder we're thirsty for this forgotten virtue. Perhaps it's time for the church to spark a movement of honor in our homes, our communities, and our world. This series is adapted from Marilynn Chadwick's book, Eight Great Ways to Honor Your Husband. To download your free PDF copy of the book, please visit our website by clicking here!

by David Chadwick I hope you have enjoyed thinking about eternity and considering the realities of what is to come for followers of Jesus Christ. I want to close out this series by leaving room to truly reflect on this promised reality and embrace the glorious message of the gospel. As the famous Gospel artist Andrae Crouch sang, "Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King." Soon and very soon, we will live forever in a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21). Soon and very soon, God will remove all of the sin that has stained this earth! Heaven will have no sinful memories and no stench of Satan's presence! EVERYTHING will be perfect! What a glorious day this will be! C.S. Lewis once said, "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." That should be our attitude toward what will happen five minutes after we die. We will be living in the world for which we were always made! So many animals have homing signals to navigate a return to their home territory. The same is true for humans. A longing within the human heart for a permanent home with no more hurts, difficulties, trials, and tribulations is natural! I think even grief over the loss of a loved one is a homing signal from God that continually shouts to us that this place, in its present brokenness, is not our home. Heaven is our true home. Dear friends, we were created for unbroken communion with God in a perfect body in a special place… FOREVER! Please trust in Jesus today. Give your life to him. Know his forgiveness today and forever. And begin to look forward, with eager expectation, to the glorious reality that will happen when you die. It will be an adventure like no other. You should look forward to it! As David promised in Psalm 23, "And we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." To Jesus alone and always belongs all the glory!

by David Chadwick Death is a stark reality for every human being. You've heard me joke that the statistics are in: one out of one dies. But what happens five minutes after you do? What are you faced with after you take your last breath? The Bible says that while believers never face the Father's judgment seat, we will face his Bema seat. What is the Bema seat? It's the judgment seat of "works." Some people have a hard time embracing the tension between grace and works. If we are saved by grace, then why are we to be judged for our works (2 Corinthians 5:9-11)? Because faith in Jesus without works is dead (James 2:17). So while our salvation comes solely because of Jesus, we are expected to bear good fruit as his followers (Matthew 7:16-20). Think about the Olympics for a moment. There are three stands where the three top finishers receive their gold, silver, or bronze medals. In the Olympic days of the past, these three stands were called the Bema seat, or judgment, for the winners. They received their medal for all their hard work and success. Similarly, believers in Jesus will one day in heaven receive rewards for our good works here on earth. Biblically, these good works are also referred to as crowns of glory or crowns of righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; Romans 14:10-12). What will we do with those crowns when we get to heaven? We will throw them at the feet of Jesus because we will fully realize that our ability to do good works for him is only because of his grace. The grace he gave to us here on earth enabled good works given back to him. He alone deserves all the glory both here and in heaven (Revelation 4:10-11). Though we are not saved by our good works, we are saved FOR good works here on earth. Works prove what real faith really is. Jesus said that even something as simple as giving someone a cup of cold water will receive a reward in heaven (Matthew 10:42). Therefore, we should pile up good works upon good works here so that we will have crowns in heaven to offer Jesus there. We can't take anything with us, but we can send it ahead for eternal crowns. And not for an ounce of our own glory, but because we want to gather as much as we can to hold in our hands and throw right back at the feet of Jesus in worship to him. What a glorious day that will be!

by David Chadwick Our culture talks a lot about near-death experiences. Many people, even those who don't believe in Jesus, think a lot about death. I believe the topic of death gives many a wonderful open door to have conversations with people who do not believe in Jesus. Coming face to face with your own life's eventual departure and ending brings a level of humility and sobriety that few other topics bring. So what kinds of realities exist five minutes after you die? Let's keep exploring this topic together. What is today's topic in this heavenly adventure? Believers of Jesus will be given resurrection bodies! According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, it is my conclusion that the Rapture will occur. "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first." We will be on earth, and suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, we will be transformed into our eternal resurrection bodies just as Jesus was. This will happen in an instant. In the twinkling of an eye. More specifically, Jesus returns with the sound of a trumpet. All the saints who have died will return with him. We, who are still on earth, will be taken up to meet him in the air. Jesus will find each of our eternal DNA, wherever we were buried (on land or in the sea), and reassemble it to form new, perfect resurrection bodies for everyone who has been taken up to meet him and for all the saints who've died before us in the clouds. A perfect resurrection body is available to each one of us who love Jesus. What happened to Jesus will be what happens to us. Surely that is what Jesus meant in John 11:25 when he said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live." We who believe in Jesus will never die. We will be raised as he was raised. Wow! Can you even imagine? What a glorious reality we are all running toward.

by David Chadwick The Christian faith is full of both certainty and mystery. Because of Jesus, we can be certain of our eternal salvation if we put our faith in him. Because of grace, we can be certain that his Holy Spirit resides in us and empowers us in this life of faith. However, there are also mysteries that we must embrace. While the reality of heaven is a certainty, apparently there is somewhat of a mystery. So, we die. We are now in Jesus's presence. Then what? Evidently, there is an intermediate state. A place before Jesus's Second Coming where we are with him. John 14:2 says he has prepared a mansion for us. Other translations call it a "dwelling place." It is a place that Jesus has prepared for us. In this state, we will evidently have some kind of recognizable body, and we will be with our loved ones and others who have gone to be with the Lord. Next? We await the Rapture in heaven with Jesus, where we will finally receive our eternal resurrection body. According to 1 Thessalonians 4, Jesus will call forth from everywhere the DNA of our earthly bodies. First for those who have died, then for those left on earth, he reassembles our earthly bodies into eternal ones. Our intermediate bodies are replaced with these resurrection bodies. What will this be like? Someone once explained it like a promised trip to Hawaii, where we first must stop off at a glorious resort in California, where we will stay for a while en route to Hawaii. It's not quite as glorious as Hawaii, but it will be beautiful, fun, and meaningful. A resting place while waiting for Jesus to finish the battle. I really don't know much more than this. Except to say that both the intermediate state and the eternal resurrection body WILL be glorious, beautiful, and exciting. I choose to lean into the mystery and get excited to fully realize the beauty of heaven one day. As Christians, we should all be looking forward to this day! Like a perfectly planned trip for each one of us by our Lord. With him meeting our every need, supplying our every meal, overseeing every sightseeing adventure, and us being with those we love most in the world for this extraordinary trip. Should Jesus tarry in his return before we die, we can all eagerly look forward to this intermediate state with endless excitement and anticipation!

by David Chadwick Five minutes after you die, there are two very different realities that will take place depending on whether or not you are a believer in Jesus or an unbeliever. For believers, you will find yourself immediately present in paradise. As mentioned previously, just like for unbelievers, there will be immediate awareness and consciousness. Said another way, we will be fully aware! Our souls live forever, either in heaven or hell. For believers, death holds no power. This is clearly taught in 2 Corinthians 5:8, which says, "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." Said differently, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. As sons and daughters of God, this world is not our home. It's a temporary stop on our journey home. These bodies of ours are simple tents in which we reside while serving as ambassadors of a different kingdom. In Luke 23:43, Jesus looked at the thief on the cross and said to him, "TODAY you will be with me in paradise." The moment the thief died, Jesus promised that he'd be with him forever simply because he believed in Jesus. I can't wait to reach heaven one day and talk with this unnamed thief to hear his entire story! But unlike unbelievers, our souls will never face the judgment seat of Jesus! Why? Because the moment we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were judged by the Father as "not guilty" because we received the gift of eternal salvation from Jesus. Today's reality should allow every follower of Jesus to walk in perfect peace. Soon and very soon will come a day when we die. And we will be clothed in righteousness and perfect in paradise! Nothing can ever separate us from God's love demonstrated to us through Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). Our souls are secure. And no matter what may happen to us, we can confidently say, "It is well with my soul!"  

by David Chadwick What happens five minutes after you die? What are some of the most often asked questions about heaven and hell? Today, let's try to answer some of them. What happens to miscarried babies? Babies who die? Children who die before they reach the age where they could make a decision to follow Jesus? Jesus clearly said, "Let the little children come to me" (Matthew 19:14). He loves the little children. When they die, I believe they are rushed straight into the presence of Jesus. What about the topic of annihilationism? Some do not believe in eternal torment, but rather they believe that a soul that is eternally separated from God will eventually cease to exist and permanently perish. Some people find this belief comforting, as they believe eternal punishment is too gruesome for a loving God. The problem here is that Jesus taught that hell was "eternal," just like heaven is. If Jesus is God, and he says one thing, then I believe we can go no farther than he goes with our conclusions. What about universalism? This is the belief that all people are one day saved. People in this category believe that God is love and that he would never be able to let anyone be separated from him. This conclusion would mean that Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot, and every wicked leader will all be in heaven. All because God is love? That doesn't make sense. True love must exist in the presence of truth. Universalists believe hell is an eternal purgatory that will eventually burn off everyone's sin. The problem? Again, this is not what Jesus himself taught. Jesus taught a literal, eternal hell. Is Jesus God? If so, we can go no farther than he goes. Will we have conscious memories of loved ones who are in hell? The Bible says that in heaven, believers will not cry. No more sadness, no more shed tears. Scholars and others have speculated that perhaps our memories of those we love who are not there will be in our minds. That could be, but we have no biblical evidence for that. It could also be that we all love Jesus so much and are so fully aware of his perfect and pure judgments that we embrace all of his decisions without question. As believers, we must live knowing that hell exists eternally. Join us tomorrow to learn more specifically what this reality means.

by David Chadwick Today, we look at not just five minutes after death, but immediately after death, and specifically in the life of an unbeliever. After judgment comes sentencing. When an unbeliever meets the Creator of the Universe face to face, without the grace and mercy of Jesus, he or she is declared guilty. The unbeliever is cast into hell, a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42). Hell is continual rebellion against God, marked by eternal sadness and regret. If the beauty of Jesus's grace could not win you over during your time on earth, why would you think that a terrible thing would all of the sudden cause you to repent and accept grace? Beauty invites us into true and lasting transformation, whereas fear of punishment only creates momentary change. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a beautiful message, meant to set captives free. Hell is permanent separation from God. I know this sounds harsh to our world that loves nice, kumbaya messaging, but it's true. It's what Jesus said himself. The same word in the Greek that Jesus used to describe eternal (ainos) is the same word he used to describe eternal death (ainos). In Revelation 20:11-15, it's called the lake of fire. Jesus spoke more about the subject of hell than he did heaven. If it was true for him, it must be true for us, especially those of us who are pastors and teachers today. Warning unbelievers about the reality of hell must be a part of gospel preaching. Sin. Judgment. Hell. Repentance. Missing in action words from too many preachers' vocabulary. The bad news for the unbeliever needs to be shared as often, if not more so, than the good news of the forgiveness of sins by Jesus. Both messages are important to the gospel of Jesus Christ. But the story doesn't end with the bad news. God loves the world. He sent his son Jesus to die the death we deserved and to cover the penalty for our sins. Anyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). He is the resurrection and the life and if we believe in him we will never die (John 11:25) and we will live forever with Jesus. It's the best words the world can hear. Let's all preach it until Jesus returns.

by David Chadwick Many wonder what happens five minutes after we die. But more specifically today, as we look at the sobering reality of death for unbelievers, this question must be asked: what happens immediately after death? Yesterday, I asked you to consider which group you find yourself in: lost or saved? Selfish or surrendered? Saved by works or saved by grace? A son or daughter of God or a slave to sin? This question of which group you find yourself in has significant implications. Biblically speaking, there is an eternal judgment facing everyone, and eternal consciousness exists for all. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 16:26 that the most valuable possession anyone has on earth is their eternal soul. To gain the world and forfeit a soul is tragic. Though our bodies die, our souls live forever. This is clearly biblical. If you remember, Luke 16 talks about the rich man and the poor man, Lazarus, both of whom had eternal consciousness, one in Hades, the place of the dead, and one in the bosom of Abraham in paradise. Without Jesus Christ, that judgment seat bears eternal consequences of a life separated from God and spent in eternal damnation. Man dies once and then comes the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). It is a one-time event. No purgatory for purification before heaven. There is no reincarnation. No second chances. A soul that is unforgiven before a holy God is declared guilty of treason and rebellion. The penalty is separation forever in hell. Evidently, they will never repent. Hell is not remedial. It honors people's choice not to want to follow Jesus. This begs the most important question today: how is your eternal soul? It's your most valuable possession. Is it forgiven by Jesus? Or overseen by your own selfishness? Where will you spend eternity? With the Lord or separated from him forever? If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, which it is, I beg you to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Now. Today. Confess your sins. Accept Jesus's free gift of forgiveness. Be confident of the eternal security to live with him forever. And now live Jesus's abundant life to the full.  

by David Chadwick Let's continue to look at what happens five minutes after we die. More specifically today, what happens immediately after death? There are so many wonderful realities for a follower of Jesus when it comes to life after death. I want this series to inspire you, instill hope, and create a greater expectancy for the day when we meet Jesus face to face. But in order to understand the Good News of life after death, we must also embrace the reality of hell for the unbeliever. This will be our focus over the next three days. There are really just two groups of people: those who resist grace and those who embrace it. Those who are in Adam and those who remain in Jesus. Those who are lost and those who are saved. Those whose sins are not forgiven and those who are forgiven by Jesus. Those who approach God with a works-based righteousness and those who know that no amount of good works will ever make them right before God. So what happens after a person dies who does not put his or her trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior? Like anything, this question must be approached from a biblical perspective. The Word of God is true, and we must place our lives under the authority of Scripture. Isaiah 64:6 says that our good works are but filthy rags before a perfect and holy God. Romans 3:23 says that we have all sinned and fallen short of a holy God. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death, but the gift God has given us through Jesus brings eternal life. Let's pause here for today. If you are reading this or listening to our podcast, pause right now and ask yourself this question: which group are you in? Truly ponder the framework of your life. Do you spend your life trusting in Jesus for your eternal salvation? Or have you placed your trust in yourself, your good works, and your own righteousness? Your answer to that question and the ones that followed determines your eternal destination, which we will study in greater depth tomorrow. Keep asking yourself what will happen immediately after you die. It's the most important question any of us could ever answer.

by David Chadwick What will happen five minutes after you die? Today's topic is truly a sober warning. While there will be many wonderful things that take place after death for those who follow Jesus. There is also a sober reality of what death looks like for those who are far from God and have not put their trust in the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Solid, biblical preaching must always include a warning. A "woe," as it is sometimes called in the Bible. The prophets practiced it. As did Jesus. Jesus made it very clear in John 14:6 and other places that he is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through him, and outside of his grace, there is an eternal separation from God. When you awaken from death, it will be in heaven, where you will stand before the judgment seat of God (Romans 14:10). Please note this: for those who love Jesus, they will never experience the judgment of this dreadful seat, for our judgment has already been made secure through Jesus. Upon receiving Jesus as Lord, we are declared "not guilty" from all our sins. Christians please "Jesus" before the Father and are welcomed into heaven. But for those who have rejected Jesus or have been faux followers of him, pretending to be "religious" without a true, living, dynamic relationship with Jesus, these people will spend eternity in hell. The measure to which you do or do not embrace the fullness of the message of Jesus's grace will determine your eternal destiny. Look forward to heaven, believer in Jesus! But take seriously the call to warn those around you of what may be awaiting them. For those of us who have placed our trust in Jesus, the first five minutes after death will be glorious, beyond all description in beauty and splendor. But for those who don't accept his gift of salvation, may today serve as a loving but sober warning for you to get right with God. Please run to Jesus. Receive his forgiveness. Develop a personal relationship with him. If you do, you will never fear death again! Death becomes the entrance into Jesus's glorious presence and into eternal life with him and our loved ones who have gone to him before us.

by David Chadwick What happens five minutes after you die? You will have an immediate awareness of your surroundings. You will see Jesus face to face. You will experience eternal, perfect peace. It will be like awakening from a deep, restful sleep. What else? You realize it was worth it. What was worth it, you might ask? All that you walked through in this life! How? You will see the providence of God working in your life. You will find out why he let certain things happen to you. You will see the full picture. You will no longer see in part and know in part. You will fully understand and fully know the fullness of God and the glorious presence of fellowship with Jesus! This is so hard to comprehend on this side of eternity while we are still living in the midst of so much pain, uncertainty, hurt, and brokenness. When we are experiencing so much chaos, it's hard to even comprehend that it has a purpose. But the Bible says that God is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). I have often joked that I think the most often spoken word in heaven is "Oh!" as God reveals to each of us how he was working out his purposes in our lives for his glory. That is what Romans 8:18-24 means when Paul says that everything here that is groaning in pain will have it all alleviated in heaven. That our current sufferings pale in comparison to the glory that is coming. It's what Paul meant in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 when he said our present difficulties are "light and momentary" in comparison to the eternal glory of heaven. Think about it: our pain has tremendous purpose in light of God's eternal plan. God always has purpose in the pain. In the victories. In the trials. In the successes. In the tragedies. All things are working for our good and his glory in this world. In the first five minutes in heaven, we will say, "Oh! It was worth it! It was ALL worth it!"

by David Chadwick Peace is such a powerful word. It's not just the absence of chaos. It's wholeness in the midst of a storm. It's rest. Quietness. Tranquility. In fact, one of the biblical definitions for one of the Greek words for "peace" implies being exempt from the rage and havoc of war. What is something else that happens five minutes after you die? You will be in perfect peace! The Bible is very clear that in this world, we will have trouble (John 16:33). But in the same verse, he promises us peace. He promises undisturbed wholeness in the midst of the burdens, afflictions, tribulations, and anguish of this world. Our world throws us empty promises on a regular basis. Promises of temporary "peace" and comfort through carnal solutions. Take this medication. Eat this food. Buy this drink. Watch this tv show. Date this person. Land this business deal. Fill your immediate desires. But the peace that Jesus gives us is a very different peace than the world offers (John 14:27). The peace of Jesus exists outside of our earthly circumstances. It is untethered to this carnal world. It shines in the face of destruction. Jesus's peace is untouchable to the enemy's schemes. Someone once described it as, "joy in chaos. Peace that makes no sense." The peace that Jesus offers in this broken world is leading us to the ultimate, eternal peace we will find in heaven. That's what Revelation 21:4 clearly states when it says, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more." In an instant, all fear, heartbreak, and grief will melt away. They simply won't exist anymore. From the reality of perfect peace, I think we will move toward worship. Profound, unabashed, relentless worship. Did you know that right now, thousands upon thousands of angels are presently worshipping God? They cry out, "Holy, holy, holy" and "Worthy is the Lamb seated on the throne." As are the saints who have gone before us. We will join in on that chorus! Our worship will create extraordinary, eternal joy in our hearts. There will be no religion in heaven, just an eternal relationship with the King of kings and the Lord of lords, which will motivate more and more worship for all eternity. Heaven will resound with perfect peace.

by David Chadwick What happens five minutes after you die? You will have immediate awareness of your surroundings. Eternity is real. Both heaven and hell are real. The Gospel of Jesus is real! And because of that, do you know what else will happen? You will see Jesus face to face! When Stephen was being stoned in Acts 7:55-56, he looked into heaven and saw Jesus standing before the throne. It says that Stephen, "full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." Pause for a moment and imagine how powerful this vision must have been. I find Stephen's vision to be fascinating. It is almost as if Jesus were giving this faithful steward of the gospel a standing ovation for his courage and boldness during his final breaths. Let's look at some other Bible verses that also stir up a great anticipation of seeing Jesus face to face one day. 1 John 3:2 says, "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." Or how about 1 Corinthians 13:12? It says, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." Now try to imagine, as best you can, Jesus's face. Full of love. Tenderness. Mercy. Kindness. Compassion. His eyes locked in with yours. A gaze of tremendous intentionality. His smiling face. Arms reached out. You finally realize you are surrounded by perfect grace. The face of Jesus that greets us in eternity will be a face that shouts, "Welcome home!" And maybe a standing ovation like Stephen received? Dear friends, this world is not our home. Heaven is. 2 Corinthians 5:1 clearly states, "For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." May we all eagerly await the day when we see Jesus face-to-face and that becomes fully realized.

by David Chadwick Death is often people's greatest fear. But as followers of Jesus, who carry the hope of heaven, we need not fear death. 1 Corinthians 15:55 says, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Over the next couple of weeks, we are going to take some time to look at what happens five minutes after you die. People all over seem to be fascinated with near-death experiences and life after death, so let's take a look at this topic together. Each day, we will study one specific reality of what will happen after we die. Join me on this journey. Five minutes after you die, you will have immediate awareness of your surroundings. Please note here that this is assuming you are a believer in Jesus. In John 11:25-26, Jesus said that he is the resurrection and the life and that those who believe in him, though they die in the physical, they will never die. Never means never! This must mean that believers in Jesus will have some sort of immediate awareness of heaven and its surroundings. In Luke 16:19-30, Jesus talks about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The rich man cared about nothing other than himself, even though the poor man resided outside his gates every day. Both men died. The poor man was taken to Abraham's bosom, also known as paradise, but the rich man went to Hades. "Being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side" (Luke 16:23). Verse 26 describes a great chasm fixed between the two men. This passage clearly shows that both men, upon death, were immediately aware of their surroundings. With the thief on the cross, Jesus said that "today" he would be with him in paradise. This, once again, shows an immediate presence with Jesus forever in the glory of heaven. When our eyes close for the final moment here on earth and we breathe our last breath, it will be more like falling into a deep sleep and then awakening in heaven's glory. You will be beautifully aware of all that's going on around you. This is why, as followers of Jesus, death should not be feared! It's more like going to sleep and then awakening soon thereafter, with an immediate awareness of our Creator God! Please make sure you will awaken in Abraham's bosom, heaven, and not in Hades like the Rich Man!

by David Chadwick Today, we conclude our two-week study on heaven. The hope and majesty of this eternal reality is made known to anyone who puts his or her faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Work is important to the Lord. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." 2 Thessalonians 3:10b says, "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat." From the beginning of time, and even after the Fall, God has designed his children to work hard. Work here on earth can certainly be wonderful. It feels good to accomplish a task. Whereas Satan has taken God's intention for labor and made it arduous, exhausting, and destructive, God's original design was for work to be a good gift. Did you know that there will also be purposeful and meaningful work in heaven for us all? Isaiah 65 talks about how in the new heavens and the new earth, joy and gladness will be everywhere. Verse 21 says, "They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit." Clearly work will continue in heaven. The difference between work in heaven and work on earth will be the absence of thorns and thistles that make work toilsome and hard. What came as a curse to make work hard here simply won't exist in heaven. As Jesus walked this earth, he implied that those who do a good job overseeing his possessions here will be given an even larger responsibility in heaven. He even suggested in Luke 19 that we will help oversee cities in heaven! Isn't that interesting to think that there will be cities in heaven, stretched throughout his universe? There will be continued creativity, hard work, and a sense of lasting accomplishment as we joyfully serve and worship the Lord and sit under his eternal oversight. All that we enjoy here will be eternally enjoyed in heaven. Cling to the hope of heaven! Jesus is coming back soon!

by David Chadwick Eternal relationships and friendships will be a special part of the new heaven and new earth. Jesus implies in Luke 16:9 that we will have friends in heaven. Jesus basically tells his followers to use earthly riches to build relationships, knowing that it will form eternal bonds. All of our family and friends who love Jesus will be in heaven. We will also make new friends like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, and all of the kings and prophets in the Old Testament. We will befriend the saints and disciples like Peter, Paul, John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and others who have loved our Lord through the ages. The martyrs will become our friends. As will the millions upon millions of angels. They will never die. They will always be there, standing with us and for us. Never again will there be betrayal, treachery, slander, gossip, and hurtful actions. There will only be eternal love and acceptance among us. It's hard to even comprehend how perfect perfection will be. This world is so broken, and it is easy to become complacent and to forget what will happen on the other side of the squalor of this world. Might we be able to travel around the solar system together? Explore the vastness of God's newly created order? Share eternal memories with those we love the most? Who knows? But perfect joy and peace will be ever-present. The joy of the Lord will finally be our permanent strength (Nehemiah 8:10). One final thought: in heaven, we will worship forever before Jesus and relish in his gift of eternal life to us. The people surrounding us in this regular worship will be the people we love the most! It will be so wonderful.

by David Chadwick There will be a new heaven and a new earth. God's Word promises it. God says, "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind" (Isaiah 65:17). Revelation 21:1 says, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." Why is this interesting and important? Because it implies that our eternal home will be much like it is now, but all things will be new. There will be no hint of Satan's presence. None of his accusations that he has long whispered over our lives. Satan will have no power to rule, reign, or wreak havoc on us ever again. No sin embedded in the crevices of creation. Do you think the new heaven will be more expansive than it is now? Perhaps. And think about the new earth. Perhaps it, too, may be more expansive. Full of awe, wonder, and endless beauty. The earth will no longer have the curse of sin staining it. No more thistles and thorns. No more tornadoes or hurricanes. No volcanoes or tsunamis. Everything will operate perfectly. All will be restored. I looked up "all" in the dictionary. It means "all!" And here is another thing: The earth will be even more beautiful and glorious than it is now. Will there be new stars and galaxies more spectacular than those presently created? Do you think we will be able to move between these two dimensions whenever we want? Will we have a home in heaven (John 14:2) and here on earth? Will we be able to do things without any hindrance that our present bodies don't allow us to do? I can't speak for you, but I love new adventures, and this sounds like an extraordinarily wonderful adventure. I can't wait to experience the hope of heaven with my wife, children, grandchildren, family, and close friends. Heaven should be the most expectant part of our lives!

by David Chadwick Revelation 21:4 says that one day, in heaven, God will wipe every tear from our eyes, "and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Once and for all, pain and suffering go away! No more crying, mourning, physical pain, suffering, or death. No regrets about the past. No fears about the future. In fact, no fears or anxieties at all! We will live in the perfect presence and care of our Creator forever. Fully healed. Fully present with the Father. Fully aware of the victory of Jesus. Fully alive! Studies show that death is the number one fear that people experience and that all other fears come from this fear of death. But for people who have surrendered their lives to Jesus, death becomes powerless. Think about this for a moment: If, because of Jesus, there is no more death, then fear of death holds no power in a Christian's life. If the greatest fear is eradicated because of the Gospel, then all other fears can evaporate as well! Imagine living every day without fear of bodily deterioration and pain. Imagine living in eternity, where we remain the same age forever. Imagine being around our loved ones forever. Imagine a reality where you live forever and never die. That is heaven! Many ask what age we will be in heaven. No one really knows. Some have hypothesized that it will be around 33 years of age, for that is the age Jesus was when he died. Physiologically, this is also the age of peak performance for most athletes. From there on, their careers generally go down. We really don't know! But what we do know is that we will live in a perfect body in a perfect environment where there is no more pain and suffering. Praise God! Because of his great love for the world, he sent Jesus to die for all of our sins and to offer us eternal life, the hope of heaven!

by David Chadwick In heaven, there will be no need for the sun or the moon. But why? Revelation 21:23 says, "And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." The glory of the Lord will give us all the light we need! "And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 22:5). Psalm 27:1 says that the Lord is our light and our salvation. And Jesus said that he was the light of the world in John 8:12. Of course, this means that he guides us and our paths in this world. But could he have also been alluding to the light he will bring for all of eternity? According to these verses in Revelation, describing the Lord and Jesus as our light seems like it is not just a figurative description but a real one! He truly is a light! This begs the question: Will there be sleep in heaven? If there's no darkness, why will there be a need for sleep? This will be fun to find out in heaven. In heaven, there is no need for any natural light, electricity, light bulbs, or flashlights. No one will need anything else but Jesus. He will be our light for all eternity. Living in his presence will give us enough light for every second of every moment for all eternity. There will be a tree of life in the middle of New Jerusalem. When we eat from this tree, it will nourish our new bodies forever. It is hard to even comprehend with our finite minds how wonderful this will be. In Isaiah 55:9, God says, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." God has a perspective that goes so beyond anything we could understand, especially when it comes to eternity. This very idea of God being our light in eternity should cause all of us to pause and try to imagine the glory of heaven. Yearn to be there! Imagine its glory! Allow your childlike imagination to run wild as you await in full assurance the day when it will become your reality.

by David Chadwick There will be unimaginable beauty in heaven. Inextricable joy. Eternal wonder. The New Jerusalem is described as a magnificent and glorious city. Revelation 21:2 says that this new city will come "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." One day it will come down from heaven and be established on the new earth at the end of the millennial kingdom. What will New Jerusalem look like? The walls are jasper, the streets are gold, and the gates are made of pearls. I wonder if what we describe on earth as "precious metals" are simply common sources of construction in heaven. Here on earth we search far and wide to find gold, silver, pearls, and precious stones like jasper and emeralds. They are precious and valuable because they are scarce.  But in heaven, they are used in every basic part of the construction of the holy city! It reminds me of the joke of the man who decided to hide gold in his death suit, thinking that perhaps he could smuggle it into heaven and have some resources available to him in eternity. Upon arrival, St. Peter purportedly examined him and found the gold. He then jokingly asked the man, "Why in the world are you trying to smuggle street pavement into heaven?" What is valuable here will be common there. The beautiful things we cherish on earth will surround us in heaven. It will be splendorous. Beautiful. Unimaginably glorious. The reality of heaven should cause all of us who follow Jesus to exclaim, "I can't wait!" Are you one of his followers? Do you feel the anticipation swelling in your heart to go home one day? This should drive you to worship Jesus more and share him with others. When you are faced with the brokenness of this world, whisper to yourself, "I can't wait!" When discouragement settles in because the world is not yet restored, proclaim, "I can't wait!" And as you do, little by little, let hope arise in your heart for the most glorious reunion with your soon-coming King.

by David Chadwick Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life." The hope of heaven is the ultimate fulfilled desire for followers of Jesus. John 14:2 says, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you." Jesus went to heaven before us to build a place for us. This will be the place where you and I, his bride, his church will live forever. The earliest biblical translations have "mansions" to describe what Jesus will prepare for us. And the later translations have "dwelling places." No one is completely certain what a dwelling place is. Some have suggested it may be like an apartment. We really do not know for sure. But if you don't mind, I'm going to stick with the older translations of "mansions," as I'd like to think that my loving heavenly Father has prepared a magnificent dwelling place for me in which I'll live forever that closely resembles a mansion here. This is not to say that it has to be luxurious or lavish, but it will be marked with excellence and perfection. A permanent home where we all dwell together. A smaller dwelling place or a huge estate? Or something in between? None of us will know until we get there. All I know is that it will be wonderful. Magnificent. Glorious. And I think it will be something close to all my loved ones and friends. A place to spend time together. My Jesus is gracious and good. He is kind and generous. He loves to give good gifts to his children. That's why I lean toward a mansion. Either way, it'll be beyond anything we can imagine. Another reason to look forward to heaven! Just do me one favor: Make sure you belong to Jesus. Be sure that you have given your life to him and accepted his gift of salvation by his grace. And you are completely assured of this precious promise.

by David Chadwick Heaven brings an undeniable hope to followers of Jesus Christ. For those of us who put our faith in Jesus, we will one day, once again, see all of our loved ones who also put their faith in Jesus. For me, this will be my mom and dad, my big brother Howard, and many of my friends who have gone on before me. For some of you, it may be babies who were miscarried or died in infancy. Children or grandchildren. Aunts or uncles. All there. Reunited with Jesus and with one another. 1 Corinthians 13:12 says that right now we look through a mirror dimly. But soon we will see face to face. We will soon see both our Savior and our loved ones again—face to face! College football teams have homecoming games. Have you ever been to one? They are the highlight of the football season. Lots of gatherings. Parties. Food. Fun. Decorations. People who have not seen one another for a while come together. This is such a great picture of heaven. One grand reunion. Now imagine those times when you've been away from home for a while. I remember living overseas for a year, not having seen Mom or Dad for a while. Finally, it was time to return home.  I remember vividly how exciting those days were leading up to my homecoming! Getting to see loved ones and friends again, getting caught up, eating scrumptious meals, and laughing in fellowship with one another. Heaven will be even better than that! After being separated from family and loved ones for a season, we will finally be reunited with them in heaven. Just imagine the joy! The hugs! The conversations that will ensue after finally being reunited. Remember this: This world, in its present broken and sinful condition, is not our eternal home. The new heaven and the new earth, remade by God to its original intent, will be our home forever. Heaven will be the ultimate homecoming! Get ready!

by David Chadwick On the other side of this broken world is the hope of heaven. The throne is central in heaven. Where there is a throne, there is a king. And in heaven, it's not just any king. It is THE King of kings. Jesus Christ, our Lord. There are so many verses in the Bible that speak of this throne. Isaiah had a vision where he saw the Lord seated on the throne. It said the train of the Lord's robe filled the entire temple with all of his glory (Isaiah 6:1). It is hard to even comprehend this kind of majesty. I would imagine that we will always be able to see Jesus seated on his throne. Some other biblical descriptions of Jesus's throne are found in Revelation 4 and 5, immediately following all of Jesus's corrections of the various churches in Revelation 2 and 3. I find it even more profound to read the descriptions of heaven in Revelation 4 and 5 after reading the depth of brokenness the church has both succumbed to, endured, and tolerated due to sin: false teachers, Christians leaving their first love, perversion, and sexual immorality. But all of those who endure and who have ears to hear what the Spirit of God says will live in heaven! In direct contrast to this broken world, in heaven, all the saints and angels will regularly gather around his throne and worship the Lamb. Words seem inadequate when you read these verses. But they do give insights into just how glorious heaven will be. Now look at Revelation 22:1-3. Flowing from Jesus's throne, a crystal-clear, wondrously cascading river will flow all throughout the New Jerusalem. One day, Jesus will rule perfectly and righteously from his throne. All of his people will willingly obey his desires and follow his will. There will be no objection to his rule from his throne. Everything and everyone will be perfect, complete, and lacking nothing. And every glance at the throne will remind us all of the One who controls everything with perfect love, mercy, and grace.

by David Chadwick Join me as we take two weeks to remind ourselves of the hope of heaven. The coming realization of our eternity. One day, every person who has put his or her trust in Jesus Christ will have glorified, perfect bodies. This is the doctrine of glorification. In the twinkling of an eye, our bodies will be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52 says so! It will be a sudden, supernatural transformation. In that glorious moment, our aging, pain-filled bodies, which often groan for the day of redemption, will suddenly be made whole. The twinkling of an eye! That's faster than the speed of a wink, roughly between 0.1 to 0.4 milliseconds. It's hard to even comprehend the transformation that will take place on that day and in that moment. Right now, our bodies are perishable. You've heard the statistic. 1 out of 1 people will die. It is inevitable. No one escapes death. We are all born sinners, and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). But the verse doesn't stop there. It goes on to say the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. One day, our bodies will be perfect. Free from stain and the problems of sin. Never to die again. Free from temptation and desires to rebel against God. Only consumed with life and love. Every person in God's kingdom will have a perfect body. Can you even begin to imagine a place where no one ever fears or experiences death, pain, or suffering again? A place where everyone is fully capable of operating in perfect love. This, my dear friends, is heaven. And one day we will fully realize the kingdom of God on earth as it perfectly exists in heaven. Isaiah 65:17 says, "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered, or come into mind." I often like to say that God is an eternal amnesiac. "As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12). One day, we will fully live with him in this glorious state. No more tears, no more sorrow, no more sin. What a glorious day indeed.

by Marilynn Chadwick "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33 NKJV Giving thanks to God can diffuse even life's most difficult circumstances. Gratitude has a healing power all its own. I have seen this over and over in our decades of ministry as we have come alongside people during their times of trial. I've watched praise and thanksgiving rise up from those walking through the worst of tragedies—clear evidence that God is providing supernatural strength and comfort. Several years ago, I personally learned anew the value of giving thanks—this time in the trauma ward of our local hospital. I was not there as a caregiver but as a family member. My younger sister had sustained a traumatic brain injury in a fall and was fighting for her life. Some of you have walked through a similar journey. There's lots of watching, waiting, and praying at a time like this. During those nightmarish 40 days visiting the trauma unit, I decided to begin each difficult morning thanking God for what he was doing in this situation. I also began watching for evidence of his work, jotting down each little sign of hope—however tiny—in my journal. There were many. Like the kind custodian who assured me that "God was in control." Looking over at my comatose sister, he added, with conviction, "She's going to be all right." Or the beautiful chaplain with a Middle Eastern background who talked about how her family had smuggled Bibles into her closed country. What a special time of prayer we had together right there in my sister's hospital room. Or the beautiful garden I discovered behind the hospital—a nice spot to have lunch in the bright October sunshine. Then, there was the beautiful walking trail just outside the hospital; the friends who dropped by at just the right moment to pray for my sister. The list goes on. To the surprise of the medical team, my sister regained consciousness. She also retained much of her cognitive ability, though there were some physical limitations. We had a long road ahead of us. Over the next twenty-nine months, there were ups and downs, hard moments and bright moments before my sister eventually went home to heaven. But during that time, there were many reasons to have hope. Above all, I finally became assured she had accepted Jesus. And I was truly thankful. Gratitude had surely softened the suffering.

by Marilynn Chadwick "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 once saw an old Tarzan movie in which the famed 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 real 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). I wonder how we'd react if we could catch a glimpse into the invisible heavenly places. Like Tarzan, I imagine we'd be shocked by the creatures we saw. 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. Similarly, James 4:2 encourages us to "submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee." One of the most powerful weapons against the powers of darkness is the weapon of praise. Giving thanks helps us fight our spiritual foes. The New Testament is filled with examples of the power of thanksgiving. 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! The Old Testament, too, tells stories of the power of praise: "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 your own spiritual battle today. You've resisted, and prayed, and fought the good fight. But you're weary. This may be your strategic moment to simply thank God and praise him for his goodness. Let him fight this battle for you. Rest in his power—even if you don't fully understand how he works. Just remember: the devil and his minions hate praise. So, if you can stand firm and continue to thank God, I believe you will notice that the devil flees. After all, he is allergic to praise.

by Marilynn Chadwick Is it possible to offend God with the way we thank him? Apparently so—if our "thank you" comes from a self-righteous heart. Jesus told this story to a group of religious leaders who were confident in their own "goodness" and scorned everyone else: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Luke 18:10-13). The two men couldn't have been more different. The Pharisee was well-bred, well-educated, and well-off. He had an impressive religious pedigree. He had arrived. The tax collector, on the other hand, was a loser. To the Jews, he was an object of scorn—a pagan Gentile. A sinner, and easy to despise. He had no social standing, no prestige, and probably not many friends. Then as now—nobody much liked a tax collector. At first glance, it looks like the Pharisee is thanking God for his many blessings. But a closer look lets us in on the real truth. His "prayer of thanks" was just a way to boast that he wasn't like those "evildoers." He probably spoke loudly enough for the tax collector to hear him. That means his thanks to God was just an announcement of his own righteousness—a reminder to everyone in his hearing that he fasted and tithed. The Greek translation of this passage sheds even more light on the true nature of this man's prayer: "The Pharisee stood and prayed like this to himself" (Luke 18:11 MOUNCE). To himself. Did you catch that? The Pharisee's prayer went no further than himself. But the tax collector was stricken by his own sinfulness. He stood at a distance—not even daring to look to heaven as he uttered, "God have mercy on me, a sinner" (v. 13). Jesus spelled it out plainly: The tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified—righteous before God. His prayers were heard. A few reminders as we develop a thankful heart: First, true thankfulness is always accompanied by humility. Next, none of our acts of righteousness will ever make us righteous in God's sight—we all need grace and mercy, just like the tax collector. And finally, the ground at the foot of the cross is level.

by Marilynn Chadwick Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:2 ESV Thankful. Just one little word was printed in small letters across the front of the woman's t-shirt. But for some reason, it caught my attention. I think it was the period at the end of what wasn't even a sentence. Thankful. I guess you could read it this way: "Thankful, period." I would like that to be me. I'm thankful. Period. But I have to confess. Sometimes I am less than thankful. Perhaps it's because I'm not paying attention to all the blessings in my path. Or maybe I sometimes take God's benefits for granted. I was jolted out of this spiritual lethargy by something a minister from Africa once said when speaking to a church gathering. He was a genocide survivor from Burundi and had seen more death and destruction than I could comprehend. "Do you have all your arms and legs—your limbs?" he asked us. "Then you are blessed!" "Do you have your eyes, your sense of hearing, your ability to speak?" "Then praise God and give him thanks. Rejoice and count your amazing blessings!" he exclaimed. From his perspective, it was an incredible blessing simply to be alive. Healthy. Not maimed by war. Reasons to rejoice! Stop and think for a minute. Reflect on the many benefits you enjoy simply because you don't live in an area ravaged by war. Do you have all your limbs? Can you walk? Are you able to see and hear and talk? Then, as the African minister would say, "Rejoice at your great blessings!" Our congregation was deeply moved by the man's words and came alongside his organization to explore ways we could help rebuild their war-torn country. But there was a powerful, personal takeaway for me. His words made me want to become more intentional about being thankful to God each day for my many blessings. To resist complaining about petty annoyances. Next time we are tempted to grumble, let's pause and take a look at our hands and feet… and be thankful. Savor the ability to walk and see and hear. Let's be intentional to count the ways God has poured his grace upon us and "forget not all his benefits."

by David Chadwick "Do not say, 'I will repay evil'; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you." Proverbs 20:22 Today is the last day of our long journey through many of our favorite proverbs. We have learned so much! Proverbs 20:22 says, "Do not say, 'I will repay evil;" Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you." What a way to end our time in Proverbs! Because we have all experienced something evil! When we are hurt by someone, everything within our human nature wants to retaliate with equal and greater pain. In the Old Testament, it's called "lex talionis," the law of retaliation, which is where we get the idea of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." Gandhi once said that if everyone lived by this maxim, the entire world would be sightless and toothless! The problem with retaliation is that no one retaliates with equal force. The person offended always retaliates with greater force, which only causes even greater escalation when that other person retaliates again. An often overlooked fact is that when God instructed "an eye for an eye," he was actually trying to limit the escalation. One eye for one eye. One tooth for one tooth. No more and no less. But in this proverb, and in the teachings of Jesus, we are instructed not to retaliate at all (Matthew 5:38-42). Do not take vengeance in your own hands. Do not repay evil with evil. And then do what? Give it to the Lord. Trust him with the repayment. Operate in forgiveness and grace, in the same way that God has dealt with you (Colossians 3:13; Ephesians 4:32). It's Paul's profound teaching in Romans 12:19. Let God handle the vengeance. He does it better than we do. And the promise is secure: God will repay. It may not be on our timetable or our way. That's why we need to "wait on the Lord." But he will deliver us. He will carry out justice because he is a just God. That's his nature. He promises to not let anyone get away with anything. Following God's ways of justice means the world will keep a lot more eyes and teeth! It will have less destruction and more love. Thank you for sticking with me as we have studied through the book of Proverbs together. I believe the practical wisdom in this book will continue to serve you well in every area of life!

by David Chadwick "Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel." Proverbs 20:17 Today's proverb is also out of Proverbs 20, verse 17, which says, "Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel." Here is another powerful verse about the terror of deception. Titus 1:2 says that God does not lie. Truth is his nature and character. Deceit brings such pain. It is a tactic that leaves a wake of destruction. 1 Peter 2:1 says that we should rid ourselves of all malice and deceit. Leviticus 19:11 says not to lie or deceive one another. Even Jesus, in John 8:44, addressed those who opposed his message and described them in this way: "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." What a profound verse! Satan's native language is deceit, which means that if we lie, we are speaking the language of the devil, the diabolos, the divider. Imagine putting a bite of hot bread into your mouth, fresh out of the oven. Warm. Delicious. Mouth-watering. For the moment, it's worth having! Now imagine you got this bread in a dishonest way. Maybe you stole it and held a baker at gunpoint to get it. You swallow the bread and all of a sudden, your mouth feels like it's full of rocks. What a difference that would be! Both startling and gross. Here's the truth of this proverb. When bread is gotten by dishonesty, it may taste good for the moment, but later the mouth will be full of gravel. Really think about that picture! Gravel in your mouth. Yuck! What a terrible taste and sensation that would be. God knows that a person who gets something by dishonest gain, though it may taste good for the moment, will eventually be destroyed. Eventually judgment will come, and that person will reap what he or she has sown. God is the ultimate judge. He is a God of justice. Eventually he will judge all ill-gain, even though it may momentarily be delicious and satisfying.

by David Chadwick "Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners." Proverbs 20:16 There is a vast array of wisdom found in the book of Proverbs. Immense knowledge offered on a multitude of topics. Everything from family to money to interpersonal relationships to personal success. God clearly places a high value on practical wisdom and the importance of living responsibly. Today, we are going to look at another verse from Proverbs 20. Verse 16 is today's proverb: "Take a man's garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners." What is this saying? This verse is speaking to the importance of financial stewardship. Specifically times where you may be asked to put up a deposit or a pledge for another person's debt. You may ask to give "security," or "collateral," for another person's transaction, which means that if that person can't pay the debt, you must. This proverb is giving a very strong warning: "Don't do this!" If you put up security for a foreigner, especially someone you don't really know, you are inviting many potential problems into your own life. The message is clear: manage your finances well. Be smart about your pledges and investments. Know the people you are investing in. Don't become the security for someone who could end up leaving you in a heap of financial duress. This is wisdom. It should be embraced, desired, and applied to your life. Over time, you will find that your wise investments will yield a security of blessings for yourself and your family. Much like the miracle of compound interest—every seven years in the stock market, your investments most often double—the same holds true here. If you make wise investments, avoid taking on others' debts, and make good choices, over time, your future is blessed.

by David Chadwick "'Bad, bad,' says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts." Proverbs 20:14 Today's proverb addresses a financial exchange. A buyer of certain goods desires the purchase, but when bargaining for it, he derides the purchase and says that it is worth very little to drive the price down. Let's read it again together. "Bad, bad," says the buyer; but when he goes away, then he boasts" (Proverbs 20:14). The buyer starts off ridiculing the purchase. He scoffs at the cost and implies it is not valuable. After the purchase, however, the buyer's words change. He begins to boast about its value and brag to others about how he fooled the buyer and stole the deal. Subtly threaded through this verse is an insinuation of deception and hypocrisy. This buyer seemingly is handling his deal in a deceptive way and acting one way to the seller's face and another way behind his back. But what is interesting to me is that this proverb doesn't condemn the behavior; it just notes that it happens, often as part of business endeavors. But the warning is clear: Beware of people's words—especially when they want something you have. They may lie. They may twist your words. They may say one thing to your face and another behind your back. An old 1970's song by a band called The O'Jays says it well in their song "Back Stabbers." Take a look at these lyrics: "They smilin' in your face; all the time they want to take your place, the back stabbers." This perfectly explains the people who smile to your face to get what they want and then stab you in the back. What does all of this mean for us? How do we take the truths of today's proverb and apply them to our lives? We should seek to be people of integrity who are the same publicly and privately. We must be honest in our dealings and seek transparency. We should also make sure we carefully examine everyone's words to explore true motives, which will train us to make wise decisions.

by David Chadwick "Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread." Proverbs 20:13 This is our final week of study through some of our favorite proverbs in the Bible. I pray that our time studying these verses has helped you gain practical wisdom for how to grow and thrive in every area of your life. Proverbs 20:13 says, "Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread." Before we unpack today's verse, let me start by saying clearly that our culture is suffering from sleep deprivation. More and more studies are suggesting that we all need at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily for good health and to be able to function at peak capacity. As we age, this number jumps to 8 to 9 hours of sleep. Our culture does not value wholeness, and it is becoming increasingly evident. Nervous system dysregulation is rampant. We are pushing ourselves to work, work, work, with little to no rest. It is healthy and necessary to make sure you get enough sleep! But this proverb is addressing the fact that the more you sleep, the less time you have to work; and this attitude of laziness leads to poverty. A love for sleep rooted in health and wholeness is wonderful. A love for sleep because of laziness is sinful. As I so often say, "The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart." As followers of Jesus, we need to open our eyes to see opportunities to work hard. They are all around us. Then we must commit ourselves to hard work. As we do, God will reward our work. We "will have plenty of bread," as stated in today's proverb. In fact, Paul said to the Thessalonian church, as they waited for Jesus's return and did not work, that if they didn't work, they wouldn't eat. Hunger is the best motivator for working hard to provide for human needs. Let me sum it up simply. Work is good. Laziness is bad. Don't lazily sleep your way to poverty! And hard work rightly done most often leads to blessings.

by David Chadwick "Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination of the Lord." Proverbs 20:10 We continue our study through some of our favorite proverbs. I believe that practical wisdom is grossly underrated and undervalued. My hope is that the time we are spending in this book gives you tools for the everyday moments that we encounter. Don't underestimate the importance of stewarding our time in this book, as lengthy as it may seem. The book of Proverbs offers so much practical wisdom for areas like parenting, marriage, relationships, employment, and, as you saw yesterday and will see again today, government. Proverbs 20:10 says, "Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination of the Lord." Here is another purpose of government: specifically to ensure that equal justice happens before the law. In order for justice to take place, weights and measures must be equal and fair for all. This verse condemns dishonesty and rebukes double standards of any kind. It confirms the fact that justice should be blind and impartial. Through the ages, people have made unequal weights and measures to make more money, for personal gain, and to advance their selfish agendas. So often, the rich and powerful ones, with evil in their hearts, are the ones overseeing these weights and measures. Therefore, injustice occurs, and the rich become richer while the poor become poorer. According to today's verse, this type of inequality is an abomination of the Lord. Do you know what the word "abomination" means? It is something that is "intensely detested and loathed." Dear friends, this should break our hearts. If something is detested by the Lord, we should hate it too. Here is the bottom line: God hates the mistreatment of his children. He knows that no society can exist, much less prosper, unless there is justice running through its laws. Jesus loves justice. We, as his people, should as well. And we should desire having a government that loves justice too. Psalm 11:7 says, "For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face." When it comes to unequal weights and unequal measures, this should be our prayer. "Arise, Lord, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice" (Psalm 7:6).

by David Chadwick "Who can say, 'I have made my heart pure; I am clean from sin'?" Proverbs 20:9 A pure heart. Clean hands. A renewed and righteous spirit. These were the cries of King David's heart in Psalm 51:10. Solomon had a similar anguish in Proverbs 20:9 when he said, "Who can say, 'I have made my heart pure; I am clean from sin'?" He knew the value and importance of holiness. But he also knew that apart from God's grace we are inherently filthy. Remember, this is written in the Old Testament. The Messiah had not yet arrived. Solomon and his people were living with an awareness of a holy God but great anticipation for salvation that had not yet come. So they had a deep awareness that the atonement for their sins could only come through the shedding of blood through animal sacrifice. Solomon knew the answer to his own question. No one! No one can say, "I have made my heart pure. No one can say, "I am clean from sin." This proverb paves the way for a Gospel proclamation. This is the simple Gospel. Let's remind ourselves of it today. Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." All means all! Or as the psalmist in Psalm 14:1 said, no one is righteous, not even one. The wages of sin is death. We cannot, by our human efforts, be forgiven. There is no way out apart from the free gift of salvation through Jesus (Romans 6:23). These are all clear statements in God's Word. Our hearts can only become pure, and we can only become clean through the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus was beaten, bloodied, and tortured. He was persecuted and killed as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. He took all of our unrighteousness upon himself. The One who was perfectly righteous in every possible way and knew no sin became sin so that in him we might become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). THIS is the great exchange. Jesus took our sin. We receive his righteousness. We are now forgiven and made pure and clean by the grace and mercy of Jesus. Salvation is a gift from God by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). What a deal! Who wouldn't receive this? For this forgiveness is what gives us the entrance into heaven and a reason to live on this side of eternity. But first we must realize that we are sinners, like Solomon, and need a Savior.

by David Chadwick "A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes." Proverbs 20:8 Today's proverb is all about the importance of strong, godly leadership. We are going to look at what Solomon had to say about his "throne of judgment." Proverbs 20:8 says, "A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes." Let's take a look at the definition of the word "winnow." It means "to remove the unwanted parts of something or to narrow down a large list of options into a smaller, more desirable selection." Agriculturally speaking, "winnowing" is "the process of tossing harvested grain into the air so the wind can blow away the lightweight chaff, leaving only the heavy, valuable grain to fall to the floor." What a powerful picture! Solomon is essentially saying that one of his major responsibilities is to remove evil so that those under his leadership can prosper. This proverb teaches that one of the major purposes of someone in governmental leadership is to eliminate evil and to protect its citizens from any and all forces of darkness. Now take a moment and look at the end of this verse. Solomon says that this king "winnows evil with his eyes!" Somehow a righteous king is able, with a mere gaze, to expose evil and throw it to the ground. A Godly king, filled with the Holy Spirit, can often discern evil by looking at a person or situation. This is why we have a police force. To protect citizens from criminals. This is why we have a military force. To protect a nation from enemy invasions and forces. Much like kings, these are the ones who have been given authority to winnow evil from our midst. Many have joked through the ages that the best and most efficient form of government is a benevolent dictator. I'd add a benevolent, Christian dictator. One who functions by God's Word and makes immediate decisions for the good of the citizens and the nation. A deeper dive on the importance of biblical leadership within government can be found in Romans 13, where Paul dives deeply into God's original design for government. It is to serve its citizens and to protect its citizens–to winnow evil immediately whenever it's seen.

by David Chadwick "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed." Proverbs 19:17 Generosity is a mark of a follower of Christ. It shows a surrendered life and a yielded heart. A generous life is the fruit of someone who fully knows how much he or she has been given by Jesus and, in turn, greatly desires to give his or her life away. Proverbs 19:17 says, "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord; and he will repay him for his deed." I love this proverb! God wants his people to be generous to the poor. To "lend" to them like a bank lends to us for different things that we either want or need. This is a profound truth. Too often, we separate caring for the poor from the Gospel of Jesus. This separation is what has led to social justice movements where people care for the poor without preaching the Gospel. But according to God's Word, these two demonstrations are inextricably connected. Effective ministries to the poor must be Gospel-centered and Christ-exalting. Lending to the poor, which is lending to the Lord, brings about a repayment from the Lord. He always brings back a large return to whatever we give away. God is a God of abundance. He has more than enough to meet our every need. He can do exceedingly and abundantly beyond what we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Too often, we put God in a box. Our finite minds try to compute his infinite existence, and, in turn, we can force our carnal, human minds into an understanding of the Lord that is incorrect. His ways and his thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). Now, think again about the bank illustration. When the bank lends to us, it expects a return on investment. Interest rates allow the bank to get more and more money to be able to lend out more and more. When you give and lend to the poor, you should expect God to return a blessing to you. Expect a return on your investment! It's what today's proverb says. God will repay you for your deed when you give to the poor! And your lending will yield a return that is better than any bank in the world. God already owns everything. Everything is his! You're the steward. You manage his assets. And he loves it when his people are generous to the poor.

by David Chadwick "Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die." Proverbs 19:16 God gives us commands all throughout Scripture to guide us, lead us, and sanctify us. He knew that we needed clear instructions and boundaries in order to rightly live in his world. His commandments were never meant to control us but to offer us true freedom. Proverbs 19:16 is today's proverb. It says, "Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises his ways will die." This is a general life principle: the person who keeps God's commandments will live a good and worthy life. God has ordained certain principles into his universe that he desires all people to follow. As a general rule, living according to God's ways leads to experiencing God's blessing of life.  Said another way: We don't break God's laws. They break us. But if we despise God's ways and live in open rebellion against him, the result is death, both physically and eternally. A selfish life lived on our own inevitably leads to pain, hurt, and agony. How do you know what God's commands are? What are his commandments by which he expects us to live? The 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17) are a good place to start! They are a tremendous starting point to find God's ways and principles. A great discipline would be to memorize the 10 Commandments so that they are always in our hearts. From there, read God's Word on a regular basis. It is so important to know his Word and obey it. Obedience brings blessing. Disobedience brings discipline. This principle holds true in our everyday lives, but more importantly, in our relationship with God. It is also so important to teach these principles and commandments to our children so they, too, can learn how to live faithful and righteous lives for Jesus. Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). The only way to experience his abundant life is through a yielded life. A life committed to his ways, his truth, and his life! Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The Gospel is the most powerful force in the world. God created commands and sent Jesus to live them out in a perfect way. Where we would have fallen short, Jesus reigned victorious. He has now given us his Holy Spirit to empower us to model our lives after his and invite others to do the same. What grace! What love! What power!  

by David Chadwick "Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger." Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness. Defined as the "state or habit of being lazy, indolent, or inactive." According to the Bible, this behavior casts people into a deep sleep and leaves them hungry. Did you know that within Christian theology, the historical church actually came up with what is called the "seven deadly sins?" While all sin is horrific in the sight of a holy God, these are historically the worst of the worst sins that can cause the most harm to us and others. Here is the list of the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and… are you ready for #7? Sloth! Laziness. A bent toward apathy and a refusal to work. A lazy person is always too tired to work. Too exhausted to lift a finger. Or has excuses as to why they can't work. As laziness and slothfulness become more and more severe, poverty becomes inevitable. God created us to work. His intent was for work to be good and enjoyable. His original design was to invite us to participate with him in creating something, look at it, and say, "Well done!" There's no better feeling than to have accomplished a hard task. Hard work leads you to feel pride at an accomplishment. God knows that! Paul even said to the Thessalonian Christians, who were sitting around and not working at all, waiting every day for Jesus to return, that if they didn't work, they wouldn't eat (1 Thessalonians 3:10). Hunger is a great antidote to laziness! If someone gets hungry enough, he or she will work! My prayer is that those who profess Christ will learn the value of developing a strong work ethic. That we will have a high value for excellence and working hard! We must overcome laziness. Discipline your body to work hard and train yourself to see accomplishments. Make sure to teach your children, if you have them, the value of hard work. Try giving them an allowance and teaching them about generosity as well. In all you do, work for God's glory. Work with all your heart for the Lord, not for man (Colossians 3:23). God is the ultimate boss. Give him your very best.

by David Chadwick "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape… A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish." Proverbs 19:5,9 Today, I want to look at two verses from Proverbs 19 that are very similarly worded and carry the same message. Verse 5 says, "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape." Then, almost to make sure we get this truth solidified in our heads, Solomon essentially repeats it verbatim in verse 9, which says, "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish." One of my friends, who has a PhD in theology, once said, "If God tells you something once in his Word, take it seriously. If he says it twice, you'd better pay attention and obey it! It's very important to God!" In these two verses, God says the same thing twice with only a few verses separating the two! So we had better pay attention! So what is God trying to say here? Someone who lies, who bears false witness, will not go unpunished. Someone who breathes out lies will not escape God's judgment but will perish. We live in a culture where lies are rampant. Deception is commonplace. In fact, I would say it is more common to twist and deceive than to be truthful. People love themselves and pandering to the crowd more than they love the truth. Every judicial system in the world is dependent on the truth and on truth-tellers. It is heavily reliant on strong witnesses and accurate recollection of TRUTH. God, as the supreme judge and jury, is no different. He places a very high value in Scripture on accurate witnesses and on the truth! It hurts when lies are told against us and are seemingly never corrected. But don't become discouraged. God will deal with every idle word (Matthew 12:36-37) and every lie raised against us! Every lie stated by someone will one day be held accountable before a holy God. May we always be people who speak truth. Let your yes be yes and your no be no (Matthew 5:37). Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).

by David Chadwick "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there's a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24 Today, we are going to look at Proverbs 18:24, which says, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there's a friend who sticks closer than a brother." There is a significant difference between acquaintances and a true friend. Most everyone has many acquaintances: neighbors, co-workers, people you bump into at your children's schools or sporting events, and so forth. You interact with these people. You talk. You may even say hello. But there is little depth. In fact, people may have many acquaintances, or companions, but are severely lacking when it comes to experiencing the kinds of blessings that only true friends can bring. A true friend is someone who sticks even closer than a brother or sister in your immediate family. These are the kinds of people who are there in your toughest times. When life stinks. When others have deserted you. These are the ones who remain. They are present with you immediately in a time of need. They are always just a text or phone call away. Unlike Job's three friends who came to him in his distress and pontificated about God's "why" he was going through all his tragedy and pain, even suggesting it was because of some sin he had committed, a true friend is a master of what many refer to as "the ministry of presence." Seldom saying a word. With a hand on your shoulder. Holding your hand. Rejoicing with you in joys and weeping with you in sorrows (Romans 12:15). Do you have this kind of friend? If so, at some time today, call, text, email, or write a letter to that person and simply thank him or her for being a friend who sticks closer than a brother or sister. These people are what some call "forever friends." They are more valuable than all of the money in the world.

by David Chadwick "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." Proverbs 18:21 Did you know that our words are powerful? The Bible says the tongue is a small, yet powerful, part of the body and that we should keep a tight rein on it. It is powerful enough to even corrupt the whole body and set the whole course of one's life on fire (James 3:1-12). Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Death and life are certainly two extremes. It should sober all of us that something as small as the tongue in our mouths has the ability to bring about two diametrically different end results. Solomon knew the importance of words and regularly addressed the significance of the tongue, including the power and the danger of our words. In today's proverb, Solomon was emphasizing that words can either lift up or tear down. They can either drive toward despair or give eternal hope. They can cause lifelong scars or they can bind broken hearts. They can push toward depression or lift weary souls. They can win or lose games in sports or success in business. They truly do bring either death or life. As my mom used to say, "If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all." We all must learn the power of the tongue and use it to speak life and to encourage others… especially to the next generation. Children desperately need to hear words of life from their parents, teachers, coaches, and other leaders. They are so eager to be encouraged and edified. They want to hear that you are proud of them. When we ingest food, it enters into our bodies and affects it. The same is true with words. Whether it's words we speak or hear, and whether good or bad, we internalize words and reap the effects of whatever we ingest. And sometimes they go deep within us and rummage around for a lifetime. So how should you apply this truth to your everyday life? First, guard your words. Be aware of what you are saying and use discretion. Secondly, speak positive words. Use your words to give life and motivate you and others. After all, death and life are in the power of the tongue.

by David Chadwick "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him." Proverbs 18:17 Have you ever heard the phrase, "There are two sides to every story?" Or what about this one, "There are three sides to every story: your side, my side, and the truth." Today's proverb says something similar: "The one who states his case first seems right; until the other comes and examines him" Proverbs 18:17. If you have lived life for any amount of time, you have most likely found yourself in perplexing situations where the truth has been hard to discern. One side says one thing and the other side says something different. More than ever, we are living in times where this seems to be common. We should all be able to easily see how true today's proverb is! You hear one person's perspective on an issue and it seems accurate. This person tells you what he or she has seen and it seems right. In fact, his or her account sounds like the truth in every possible way. You might even nod in approval as you listen to his or her perspective. But then you hear the other side of the story from another person. Until this other perspective is given to you, you would have never thought it existed. Suddenly you realize that there is another side. All of the sudden, things don't feel quite so clear. This proverb's truth often plays out in a court of law. One lawyer asks a witness to give his perspective, and it seems right until the other lawyer has a chance to respond and cross-examine that witness. Many situations require tremendous wisdom in order to accurately come to a wise conclusion. So what does this mean for us today? Always make sure you hear both sides of a case before drawing a conclusion. People often examine an issue from their own perspective and even personal pain. Or, if directly involved in the dispute, people often listen with a bias and may be looking to build their own case. More often than not, there is another side to hear. Make sure you hear both, asking the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and discernment for where the actual truth lies (1 Corinthians 12:10).

by David Chadwick "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe." Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower. Just the whisper of his name provides a source of safety and protection for the righteous! What a profound reality this is for the children of God. Under the blood of Jesus, we have been made righteous in spite of our sin. And in that righteousness, according to today's proverb, we are offered safety through the name of the Lord. Under the new covenant, we now know the name of the Lord: his name is Jesus! And there is so much power in his name. The name of Jesus is the name above all other names. At the mere mention of the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and tongue will confess that he is Lord (Philippians 2:10). Therefore, when Satan pursues you, run to Jesus! Cry out to Jesus! Speak the name of Jesus! His name will protect you. His name is like a strong, high, fortified tower. When you run to Jesus, you automatically place yourself on higher ground. From that high place, you look down on the enemy and have every spiritual advantage at your disposal. You know that you sit next to Jesus in the heavenlies.  He is at the right hand of the Father and we are at his right hand (Ephesians 2:6). The enemy has no power over you from that place. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Because of the name of Jesus, you are righteous. You are forgiven. You are adopted. You are loved. You are cherished. Dear friends, you must firmly believe that the enemy has no power over you. Death has lost its victory and sting (1 Corinthians 15:55). Because of the name of Jesus, you have been clothed in a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:3b). Cling firmly to the name of the Lord. Hide yourself under the shadow of the Most High (Psalm 91:1). He truly is your refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of need (Psalm 46:1). And rise higher than any power of hell that pursues you.