A Moment of Hope

by David Chadwick We will wrap up this week with another key to powerful prayer. A key you can use to gain access and entrance into the presence of God. A key to open the locked places of your own heart and find healing. A key to unlock a deeper understanding of who God is and how much he loves you. Here is today's key: don't be anxious about anything. This is a hard one. Especially when it seems as though there are opportunities for anxiety everywhere. But Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Paul was in prison when he wrote these words. He did not know if he would be killed the next day or released. He faced uncertainty. Trial. Persecution. Despair. Pain. Loneliness. Yet this was his message to the Philippian church…and it is the same message for us today. Pursue peace. Paul tells all of us the pathway to God's peace. Don't worry about anything. Pray and release it all. Pray and surrender it all to your Daddy in heaven. And don't forget to pray with thanksgiving. Express gratitude. Be thankful. Why? Because as you remember what he has done for you in the past, you will begin to believe he can do it again. This will increase your faith and expectation as you present your requests to him. Then you will receive God's peace. His peace will be like a citadel that guards your heart. It will protect your mind from fear, worry, and harm. It's a peace that surpasses all human understanding. God's supernatural peace is from heaven. It's not of this world. It's shalom. It's wholeness. It's the opposite of division and chaos. His peace transcends our understanding, allowing us to face all situations in this crazy, broken world. Prayer is God's pathway to his peace. And victory over all anxiety. I pray that you will walk in it all the days of your life.

by David Chadwick Isaiah 22:22 foreshadows the power that would be accessed through Jesus's life, death, and resurrection. Jesus was given keys to open doors that no one can shut and shut doors that no one can open. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in his followers (Romans 8:11). Because of that, we have been given keys to use for the glory of God alone. I am sharing some of the keys that I have found to powerful prayer. Today's key: NEVER give up when you need justice. When you've been wrongly accused or misused and abused. Luke 18:1-8 is the Parable of the Persistent Widow. A widow was treated unjustly. She approached an unjust judge who neither feared God nor man. Looking with mere human lenses, there was not much to hope for here for her! But the widow started to pound on his door. She pounded. And pounded. And pounded. Until finally, he became so weary of her incessant knocking that he gave into her request for justice. In verse 1, Jesus tells us the purpose of this parable: that we always continue to pray and never give up—especially when asking for justice. If something unjust has happened to you, go boldly before the eternal Judge of the universe and ask for justice. If the unjust judge in this parable responded in favor of the widow's plea for justice, how much more will our loving, just God respond to our similar cries for justice? Jesus teaches us an eternal truth about prayer by making an opposite comparison. Keep asking in faith, for when Jesus returns, more than anything else, he wants to find faith residing in us as we live on earth (Luke 18:8). Believe God will answer. Know that he is just and righteous in all he is and does (Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 11:7).

by David Chadwick Keys are used as a means of gaining entrance or access to something. We are spending some intentional time looking at keys for your prayer life. Marilynn and I have a strong value for prayer. We believe it is an under taught, underused, mighty weapon to be used by the Church. I am sharing a new key with you each day. Each key is meant to help you gain access into God's presence through prayer. Today, we are looking at this key to powerful prayer: shameless audacity. Or as Luke 11:8 says, "impudence." Read Luke 11:5-8, the parable of the friend at midnight. If you remember, Jesus gave a teaching about a man who went to visit his friend at midnight. He knocked on his door and explained how he needed some bread for another friend of his who just arrived from a journey. The friend he was visiting tells him to leave him alone; he was in his warm, comfortable bed and probably half asleep. What Jesus points out in verse 8 is so interesting. He says, "I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs." Impudence. Shameless audacity. A cocky boldness. The visitor kept knocking PERSISTENTLY even though it was midnight. Why? Because he knew that his friend was a good friend and if he would ask enough times, his good friend was bound to respond. God is a faithful, good and loving Daddy (Deuteronomy 7:9). A close and personal friend. And as I have reminded you before, we are friends of God (John 15:15). Because of this, we pray with a heart of shameless audacity. Impudence. Some have even said the word means "swagger." Being SO confident that your good and loving Daddy God will answer you. Because you know him. You know his nature. Therefore, you can ask him anything! God is a good Daddy and close friend!

by David Chadwick I am handing you a different key each day to learn how to access the powerful presence of God through prayer. When doors seem to be locked, God desires for us to learn how to open them. His Word gives us so many insights that should guide us as we pray. Another key to powerful prayer: persistence. One definition of persistence is "firm or obstinate continuance in course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition." We live in a culture that values the path of least resistance. Persistence is becoming a lost trait in people's overall character. Yet, it's something Jesus desires all of his followers to have. Yesterday we looked at Matthew 7:7-11. Jesus explains truths about God's goodness as a Father. The verb tense used in that passage is the imperfect, which means continual. The asking, seeking, and knocking here is meant to be persistent. Continual. Never giving up. Relentless. We admire persistence in people's stories that lead to success. Stories where people pursue something and finally succeed. Persistence is at the heart of a champion. If the power of persistence is true in the natural world, how much more must it be true in the spiritual world – especially through prayer! When you are persistent in prayer, it shows God both your desire and your faith. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." When you are delighting, or finding joy in the Lord, your desires end up being his desires. This ensures your requests are aligned with his heart and will. With what is best for you. If it's not, and you are delighting in him, trust that he will tell you. If you know God has promised you something, keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. And don't ever give up!! Your Daddy in heaven knows the desires of your heart.

by David Chadwick I want to explore some different ways for developing a powerful prayer life. There has never been a more important time for the body of Christ to learn how to contend in prayer. I want to see a display of God's glory on the earth. Do you? If so, the Church must prioritize prayer. It is a supernatural weapon. I want you to picture each one of these tips as a key that I am going to hand you. Each key is meant to show you a simple way to open a spiritual door and access the powerful presence of God through prayer. For some of you, these may be new keys you have never known. For others, you may find that these are keys that you either forgot about or lost. Either way, I pray you will use these keys regularly and purposefully to strengthen your inner self (Ephesians 3:16). The first key is this: know the character of God. Take a moment and read Matthew 7:7-11. In these verses, Jesus asks a profound question. If earthly fathers, who are consumed with original sin, still want good gifts for their kids, HOW MUCH MORE does your perfect heavenly Daddy want to give his kids GOOD GIFTS! As Jesus points out, if a child were to ask your earthly dad for a fish, would he give him a snake? What an awful dad that would be! Or if that same child were to ask for bread, a staple of life, would he give him a stone? Ridiculous! That is not a good dad! God's nature and character is good. Psalm 145:8 says, "The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." For those of us who have put our trust in Jesus and can call ourselves children of God, we have been reconciled fully to our Father. He no longer calls us servants, but friends (John 15:15). The sin that separated us from his love was paid for by Jesus on the cross. Approach God knowing that he is a good Daddy. An intimate friend. He desires to give GOOD gifts to his children. That's you and me. Knowing this KEY will change how you pray every day!

by Marilynn Chadwick Be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live (Deuteronomy 4:9a NIV). Forgetfulness may be one of the most serious hindrances to answered prayer. Scripture points to how forgetting God's power and blessings hinders the flow of answered prayer. Even more serious is how forgetfulness undermines our relationship with our heavenly Father. It's easy to get caught up in the flurry of day-to-day life. We not only miss opportunities to pray, but we can also forget to notice answers when they do come. The Lord knows our propensity to be forgetful. Scripture is brimming with reminders: "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (Colossians 4:2). The word "remember" is found in the Bible over 200 times! Forgetfulness makes us spiritually dull. I sometimes catch myself stewing over a problem before I finally remember to take it to the Lord in prayer. Paul reminds us to turn those worries into prayers: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-8). It's clear. Prayer, thankfulness, and peace of mind go hand in hand! There is more about praise in the Bible than prayer. Ancient Israel repeats the vicious cycle of worshiping God, followed by falling away, whenever they forget his mighty miracles. God places blame squarely on Israel and admonishes parents to teach their children to remember him—and his miracles. "Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them" (Deuteronomy 4:9). Forgetting to be thankful empties prayer of its power. Why not think of ways to refresh your own memory? Try giving thanks throughout the day. You might notice a lifting of your mood. Apparently, these "feel good" responses have a physiological basis. Researchers found subjects who practiced sustained gratitude for just five minutes experienced a rise in the level of disease-fighting antibodies, lasting for over five hours! Or take a lesson from young Molly, who discovered a simple way to be more thankful. She began writing in her "thank you book" each day. Finding only a few things at first, her daily list eventually numbered in the hundreds as she began noticing God at work. Her family watched her change from a somewhat depressed teen to one whose faith and positive attitude inspired those who knew her. Spend time remembering places where God has answered your prayers. Reminisce with family or friends about past victories. Better yet, start your own thank you book. In Prince Caspian, book 2 of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, the children are a dangerous and grueling uphill climb. They're exhausted and ready to give up when they come to a cliff. They look down on a little town where they had once won a decisive victory. "By jove," said Edmund, "we fought the Battle of Beruna just where that town is! This cheered the children more than anything." Lewis adds, "You can't help feeling stronger when you look at a place where you won a glorious victory."

by Marilynn Chadwick Why do we break faith with each other, profaning the covenant of our ancestors? (Malachi 2:10b CJB). We saw yesterday how strife among believers can hinder our prayers. Today, let's look at what the Bible calls "breaking faith," another type of strife which hits closer to home. Faith in Jesus is serious business. But God's Word also calls us to a type of "faith" in each other as members of the body of Christ. Scripture warns us that to "break faith" greatly impedes prayer. "Don't we all have the same father? Didn't one God create us all? Then why do we break faith with each other, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?" (Malachi 2:10). The Hebrew word translated "to break faith" means "to be unfaithful, betray, or act treacherously." Ancient Israel had broken faith with each other, and then cried out to God, wondering why he was displeased with them. The prophet Malachi accuses them of covering God's altar with "tears, with weeping and with sighing, because he no longer looks at the offering or receives your gift with favor" (Malachi 2:13). He rebukes them for breaking faith with one another (v. 10). Next, he addresses their marriages: "The Lord" is the witness between you and the wife of your youth that you have broken faith with her, though she is your companion, your wife by covenant" (Malachi 2:13-14). Peter seizes upon this connection between marital harmony and answered prayer, exhorting believing husbands and wives to treat each other in a godly way as "heirs together of the gracious gift of life" (1 Peter 3:7 NIV). "Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives so that nothing will hinder your prayers" (1 Peter 3:7). Enkopt, translated "hinder," comes from the idea of cutting or striking. It conveys a strong interruption or stoppage. Marital strife can be a literal barricade to answered prayer. Malachi gives us a practical prescription to protect our marriages and our relationships with fellow believers: "So guard yourself in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth" (Malachi 2:15b NIV 1984). "So guard yourself and do not break faith" (v.16b). The word translated "guard," means "to keep, preserve, protect; to keep watch." We avoid "breaking faith" by guarding ourselves and keeping watch over our families and communities. It's often been said the best way to avoid a war is to prepare for it. We become battle ready through prayer and God's Word. We're armed and dangerous to the devil, alert to his attempts to divide our marriages and families, and to disrupt the unity in the body of Christ. My football-mom friend reminds me the secret of winning at football is "the guard." If we want stronger prayers, we can start by guarding our words: "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3). We can guard our eyes: "Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word (Psalm 119:37). We can guard our heart: "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it" (Proverbs 4:23). Let's get serious about guarding our homes, churches, and communities. Let's also get rid of hindrances to prayer. A power-filled prayer life is a tried-and-true way we can stay strong!

by Marilynn Chadwick For where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work (James 3:16 KJ21). We've seen how unforgiveness and unbelief can thwart our prayer life. Strife is another common hindrance. If we want more power in prayer, we must be unified as believers. Jesus gives us a prayer tip that points to the importance of unity. He promises that "if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:19 NIV). The word for "agree" is symphone, from which we get symphony. It means "together with the same voice." It can also be translated as "music." When we harbor ill will toward another believer, we miss the prayer power that comes when we're in harmony. And instead of music, perhaps our prayers sound like "noise" to our heavenly Father. Such was the case with two women in the church at Philippi. Paul calls them out by name, pleading with them to get along—to be of one mind. "I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. I ask you...to help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel" (Philippians 4:2,3 ESV). Paul was deeply distressed that these two women were fighting. Their conflict must have been a public one, since Paul had heard about it even while "in chains" in a Roman prison (Philippians 1:13). He encouraged the young church to "make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind" (Philippians 2:2). Paul's challenge to his beloved Philippians can be ours today as well. He tells them how to walk in unity: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others" (Philippians 2:3). Living in this kind of unity requires supernatural help. Let's ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of strife that may be hindering our prayer life. Moreover, we can take comfort in this powerful promise: "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him" (Philippians 2:13 NLT). One of Jesus's most beautiful prayers reflects his passion for unity in the body. "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one...so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (John 17:22-23). Yes, God wants us to prevail in prayer. Even more, he longs for us to be unified as members of the Body of Christ. Remember, there's a world watching us—a world which desperately needs our power-filled prayers. A world which needs Jesus.

by Marilynn Chadwick But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:6 NIV). Another hindrance to prayer is unbelief. Put another way, if we don't believe we won't be able to experience all God has for us through prayer. "Believing" is the very currency of God's kingdom. It's only by grace through faith that we're saved in the first place (Ephesians 2:8). The one who doubts, writes James, "should not expect to receive anything from the Lord" (James 1:7). We can read God's Word, hear God's Word, even memorize God's Word, but if we don't believe the word, our prayers can't take flight. The writer of Hebrews uses ancient Israel as warning. They heard God's message, "but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it (Hebrews 4:2 NKJV). So, how do we deal with this troublesome hindrance of unbelief? How do we kick out doubt? We can start by reflecting on our view of God. Sometimes, our "faith failure" is due to lack of assurance in the character of our Lord. Do we really trust him to be good and loving, as well as all powerful? Do we truly believe he even answers prayer? The Bible continually reminds us to trust our heavenly Father. Our confidence in prayer grows as we understand he "rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). As we earnestly seek God, we become more certain of his character. We pray, knowing he is a rewarder who answers prayer. A good Father who loves to bless his children. "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11). We can also grow in our faith and kick out doubt by reading God's Word. Scripture tells us faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). The words for hear and obey are virtually the same in both Hebrew and Greek, so our faith grows when we hear and obey God's Word. Sometimes, when I prayerfully read God's Word, a promise from Scripture seems to come "alive" for my particular need. I can almost feel my faith increasing and my problem shrinking. A friend says it this way: "We glance at our problem, but gaze on God's promise." Praying in detail is yet another way to overcome unbelief. Vague prayers are just a symptom of unbelief. We should pray with enough specificity that we recognize the answer when it comes. Then, we rejoice, give thanks, and share our stories with others (John 16:24). Let's commit today to praying the promises in God's Word, mindful to "mix them with faith." We hold tightly to God's promise until the answer comes. Kick out doubt. Dare to believe God is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek him. We'll be sure to have testimonies of answered prayers that bring us great joy and give God glory!

by Marilynn Chadwick Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:11-12 ESV). Do you ever wonder what it was like to be one of the twelve disciples? Just imagine. They walked and talked with Jesus, learned from his wisdom, and enjoyed his close friendship for three years. They saw him heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead. And yet, the only thing these disciples ever asked Jesus to teach them was how to pray. "Lord, teach us to pray," they pleaded (Luke 11:1). Jesus responded with a short, power-packed tutorial known as the "Lord's Prayer" (Luke 11:2-4; Matthew 6:9-13). He shares five tips. "This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed is your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:9-13 NIV). Most of us can recite these verses from memory. But the Lord's Prayer is intended to be a "recipe" for balanced prayer. We're strengthened by its combination of praise, thanksgiving, petition, and confession. But wait. It's as if Jesus abruptly stops his tutorial and says, "Hey, let's go over that forgiveness part again." He circles back with a reminder, this time more of a warning: "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14-15). Elsewhere, Jesus makes the same connection between prayer and forgiveness: "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" (Mark 11:25). Forgiveness is mentioned over 60 times in the New Testament, two-thirds of those by Jesus himself. He repeatedly points to unforgiveness as a major hindrance to prayer. If our prayers seem stuck, maybe we should pause and search our hearts. Are we harboring unforgiveness? Some hurts go deep, and forgiveness seems humanly impossible. We can start by asking God to help us. We may find it helpful to reflect on the many ways the Lord has forgiven our own sins. We can ask his Holy Spirit to shine a light on unforgiveness or any other hindrances to our prayers. Forgiveness is not a one-time exercise. "Seventy times seven" is how many times Jesus told Peter he should forgive the brother or sister who sins against him (Matthew 18:21,22). Why not start at home, by forgiving those closest to us? If we truly want to pray with power, forgiveness needs to become our daily way of life.

by David Chadwick We are going to wrap up the bad guys of the Bible this week with Ishmael. You will find his story in Genesis 15 and 16. He was the firstborn son of Abraham. If you remember biblical history, because of Sarah's impatience and unbelief that God would fulfill his promise of bringing her a child, she let Abraham sleep with her servant, Hagar. From that act, Ishmael was conceived. Ishmael was not the child of promise. His conception, through Abraham and Hagar, was forced and coerced. Isaac, on the other hand, was conceived by Abraham and Sarah through faith and the miraculous power of God. In Galatians 4:28-29, Ishmael and Isaac are listed as two contrary examples of walking by faith or works. It reads, "Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now." Paul said that these two extremes are contrary to one another. You can either live by your own human strength, like Ishmael, or by faith in God, like Isaac. This Pauline admonition should remind all Christians that we must live by faith. With God's power and promises as our guide. We often cannot see or understand, but must cling to the truths of God's Word and keep moving forward. By the flesh or by the Spirit? By slavery or by freedom? These are two crucial dichotomies to understand as they lay the bedrock for the Christian faith. Ishmael was the child of the flesh, conceived by human ingenuity and effort. Isaac was the child of promise, conceived when Abraham was almost 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old. He was the child of faith. The bad decision to force conception led to the birth of an individual from whom much strife would come against God's chosen people for years and years to come, one that is being lived out before our eyes today. Followers of Jesus walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). The Spirit and the flesh are contrary. They struggle against one another just like Ishmael did with Isaac. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Choose a life of faith. It produces good fruit! And God's miracles!

by David Chadwick Annas and Caiaphas. They are today's bad guys. Opponents in the storyline of the Bible. Both Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests during Jesus's time on earth, specifically when he cleansed the temple on two separate occasions. The first time, Annas was the High Priest and the second time, Caiaphas was the High Priest. After Jesus was arrested, he was brought before Annas (John 18:13-14) and then before Caiaphas (John 18:24). Interestingly, Annas was Caiaphas's father-in-law. Annas continued to have widespread authority even after he stepped down. Surely he and Caiaphas talked regularly about this supposed Messiah named Jesus. I often wonder why they both wanted to see Jesus at such early morning hours after he was arrested. It was probably between 1 am and 3 am when he appeared before both of them at separate trials. Annas had false witnesses. Those present spat upon Jesus and ridiculed him. Then, later before Caiaphas, he asked Jesus directly if he was the Messiah. Jesus unhesitatingly responded, "I am." Caiaphas tore his clothes and turned him over to a mob that beat him and then sent him to Pilate. Why did Annas and Caiaphas have such an extreme hatred for Jesus? It is because he cleansed the temple, not once but twice, during each of their reigns as High Priest. Jesus called out their system of unbelief and abuse of the Jewish ritual system. I believe he was coming up against a spirit of religion. A self-righteous mindset. A Pharisaical agenda. Being religious doesn't make you holy. Some of the meanest people I have ever met can come across as extremely religious. Some of the most deceptive people in the world may have a clergy title. They can have an appearance of godliness and be full of evil. In the case of Annas and Caiaphas, they carried religious titles and positions of authority, but turned the temple into a money-grubbing system, using God's people for their own personal gain. When you love Jesus, you don't become religious. You develop a living, dynamic, and personal relationship with the God of this universe through Jesus. I pray that is your reality today. When it is, you are never the same.

by David Chadwick Good guys and bad guys are throughout the Bible. We are combing through Scripture to examine some of the bad guys of the Bible. Men and women who were real enemies of holiness and purity. People who Satan used to wreak havoc on God's story. But God is able to use absolute mess to release the greatest message ever told. Other people's rebellion becomes the platform for a massive display of God's victory! Nimrod is our next bad guy of the Bible. He was the great-grandson of Noah and the son of Cush. We see him first mentioned in Genesis 10:8-12. Described as "a mighty one on the earth" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord," one may initially think Nimrod was a hero. But upon further examination, you will quickly find that his life reflected his name meaning: rebel. His name could suggest that he was the ultimate rebel against God. Historically, he was sometimes referred to as the hunter of men's souls. Some perspectives like that of Josephus, a Jewish historian who wrote during and after the life of Jesus, believed Nimrod was the awful, pornographic figure named Gilgamesh, the central character in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Whoever he was, he was a really bad guy. Nimrod had great skill and plenty of ambition. Some have compared him to the Nephilim in Genesis 6:4, which would suggest he was very tall and exceedingly evil. And though unsubstantiated, many think he was the builder of the ancient city of Babylon and the tower of Babel in Genesis 11. His desire in building this tower? To make a great name for himself, not God. Others believe he was the one who helped build a religious system against God, which became the seedbed for Nebuchadnezar and the Babylonian pagan religious systems of the world, which eventually will become "Babylon the Great," the godless system of thought found in Revelation 17 and 18, one that God must destroy. If true, Nimrod was an original antichrist figure and prefigures the evil antichrist who will be much like him. There is a spirit of antichrist living in people throughout the world and ages (1 John 4:3) and Nimrod seems to be one of the originals. We must always be alert to Satan's wiles (Ephesians 6:10-20) and ready to fight against his antichrist agenda. Satan is a lion, ready to devour (1 Peter 5:7). He is the ultimate bad guy and Nimrod gives us glimpses in the natural realm of just how evil Satan is. BUT he who lives in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Always remember this truth. And you will never have to worry about the antichrist, nor anyone who has his spirit.

by David Chadwick God's story is the greatest story ever told. Ups and downs. Twists and turns. Good guys and bad guys. It all makes for a wonderful storyline that points directly to the grace and mercy of Jesus. Many bad guys are highlighted in God's Word and are obstacles to the victories God ultimately accomplishes. Today's bad guy is Ahithophel. Ahithophel was originally a close confidant and trusted advisor of King David. David relied on him for wise counsel and insight into difficult decisions. Later, Ahithophel betrayed David and became an advisor to David's rebellious son Absalom. If you remember, Absalom has already been mentioned as another one of my bad guys of the Bible. 2 Samuel 16:23 says, "Absalom followed Ahithophel's advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God." Have you ever known someone like this? A smooth talker? Someone with polished words and a wicked heart? Beware of such people! Absalom went on to take Ahithophel's advice about how to effectively war against David and it cost David everything! The same way Judas was to Jesus, Ahithophel was to David. You will see where David laments of betrayal in Psalm 41:9 when he says, "Even my close friend, someone I trusted, has turned against me." Why did Ahithophel betray David, you might ask? Many scholars think it was because Bathsheba was Ahithophel's niece. If you remember the biblical account, David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then went on to murder her husband Uriah. I wonder what would have happened if Ahithophel had confronted David like Nathan. Or what if David had spoken to Ahithophel his Psalm 51 confession? Ahithophel may not have ended up as one of the Bible's bad guys and David's future could have looked very different. Offense and inward bitterness can cause the kindest of people to become absolute scoundrels. As for David, pride truly does come before the fall (Proverbs 16:18). But when we humble ourselves before the Lord, he really does lift us up (James 4:10). Had David never humbled himself before the Lord, he very well could have been known alongside Ahithophel as another bad guy in the Bible! But King David did humble himself and God forgave him—as he will all of us as well!

by David Chadwick The Bible is full of people, great and small, young and old, who God used to carry out his story. And he is still using people like you and me today! Throughout his story, there were many bad guys who rose up to oppose God's plan. We are continuing to take a look at some of the bad guys of the Bible. This week, we are going to look at five more bad guys. Hymenaeus is today's bad guy. He is only talked about twice in the Bible. Mentioned alongside Alexander the Coppersmith in 1 Timothy 1:20 and again in 2 Timothy 2:17, Paul does not hold back in his strong feelings toward Hymenaeus. He makes sure to document his experiences with him for millions of people to read about for years to come. Alexander the Coppersmith and Hymenaeus were both in the early church in Ephesus. As we see in scripture, they suffered a shipwreck in regard to their faith, meaning they veered off course from what they once knew. Evidently, they were at one point faithful in their beliefs and doctrine, but later turned away to false teaching. It could also be that Hymenaeus blasphemed Paul personally by questioning his apostolic authority and teaching. Perhap he was envious of Paul's position of authority in the church. Or maybe he was spreading heretical teaching that blasphemed the gospel of Jesus. Regardless, something significant and painful happened. How did Paul handle them? He rebuked them strongly and publicly. He turned them over to Satan so they would be taught not to blaspheme. He believed Satan would deal with their deceit and that one day, all would be exposed. I believe Paul's boldness was not just to protect the veracity of the Gospel, but also for Timothy, his mentee, to whom this letter was addressed. Could it be that Paul wanted Timothy to know who Hymenaeus was while doing ministry in Ephesus? Could it be that Paul wanted to demonstrate to Timothy what it looked like to stand firmly and strongly in opposition to a demonic scheme? We don't know for sure, but can infer many things. Finally, please note that Paul wanted Alexander and Hymenaeus to repent. He didn't desire them to go to hell. He wanted Satan to deal with their flesh and their evil desires. But he wanted their souls to be saved. God doesn't want anyone to go to hell, but repent and spend eternity with him (2 Peter 3:9). How wonderful it is when a sinner who has wandered from the faith repents and turns to Jesus! It really is possible. It's good to know who the bad guys are, but even more glorious to watch a bad guy become a good guy, all because of Jesus! That's the heart of our Father in heaven.

by David Chadwick God's story is the best story! With Jesus Christ as the ultimate hero and Satan as the ultimate villain, God's story is full of excitement, love, and adventure. The story of God is the ultimate rescue mission. Many heroes, big and small, played significant roles in God's story. There were also villains. Bad guys who tried to thwart God's plans. We've been taking an in depth look at both kinds of people over the last couple weeks. Our final bad guy this week is King Manasseh. You'll find his story in 2 Kings 21:1-18. Manasseh's father, Hezekiah, was one of the good kings in the Bible. Unfortunately, Manasseh did not follow in the ways of his dad. He rebelled against everything he knew to be true about the one true God. He blazed a path toward evil and unrighteousness and invited others to join him. Every generation must make its own decisions as to whether it will follow in faithfulness or idolatry. Good or evil. Obedience or rebellion. The narrow way or the wide path (Matthew 7:13-14). Manasseh chose the latter. He lived on the evil wide path and chose to rebel from a life of faithfulness. Manasseh also introduced idol worship and godless paganism in the culture. He actually rebuilt the very pagan shrines that his dad had torn down. He was infinitely evil and even went so far as to sacrifice his own children to pagan gods. Tradition says that it was Manasseh who had the prophet Isaiah sawn in two. During his 40 year reign, godlessness ran rampant. Each and every one of us has to choose how to live. Some choose to reverse the curses of a bad dad and break generational curses. Others choose to reverse the blessings of a good dad and walk in rebellion. Every man, every woman, every nation has a decision to make. Manasseh chose poorly and established an entire kingdom against God. May we learn from the mistakes and blatant sin of Manasseh and choose to live lives of righteousness and holiness. Obedience brings blessing and disobedience brings discipline. But the choice is still ours.

by David Chadwick Queen Jezebel was one of the Bible's leading characters when it comes to female villains. Her husband, Ahab, was just as bad. Unfortunately, without the transformative work of Jesus in someone's life, a bad guy and a bad gal often create bad children. Ahab and Jezebel's daughter was another bad gal. Her story is found in 2 Kings 8:16 - 2 Kings 11:16. Queen Athaliah was wicked like her mother. She wanted power and devised a scheme to kill all the faithful royal members of the household so she could step in to reign. If you have ever read Deuteronomy 5:9, you may remember where God refers to himself as "a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generation." The sins of a father and mother can easily become the sins of a son and daughter. This was most certainly the case with Queen Athaliah. Athaliah was almost successful in her evil plot. She killed all the members of the royal household except for one: Joash. He was a young child at the time and he was hidden by a chambermaid from Queen Athaliah's wicked ways. This chambermaid was another true hidden hero! Though unnamed, she saved the bloodline of King David to King Jesus! For seven years, Jehoida the high priest, hid Joash until a final rebellion took place at which point Athaliah was killed and Joash was placed on the throne. We see yet again in this story how power corrupts everything. The desire to have power over people can lead to all kinds of evil. We are reminded again and again of the dangers of selfish ambition (Philippians 2:3). It destroys the soul! We must fight against it with every ounce of our being. After learning about Jezebel, Ahab, and Athaliah, you should see plenty of things not to do! Take the warnings after reading about this family full of bad guys and apply them to your life. Men, seek to lead with gentleness and power as a person of conviction. Women, use your gifts to bless and uplift those around you, fleeing from manipulation and control. If you're married and building a family, build on the foundation of God's Word and seek to establish a culture within your home that points people to the ways of God's kingdom. You will never regret seeking to live a life that prioritizes holiness!

by David Chadwick The only thing worse than a bad guy is a bad guy married to a bad gal. Yesterday, we learned about Jezebel. She was one evil woman. What made her extra dangerous was the fact that she was married to a really passive bad guy. Meet her husband Ahab. You'll find his story right alongside Jezebel's story in 1 Kings 16 to 2 Kings 9. Ahab was a man known for his weakness and godlessness. He allowed Jezebel to control the religious worship in the northern kingdom unabated. Their marriage seemed to be what led him to his downfall. Ahab eventually devoted himself to the worship of the false gods of Baal and Asherah. These gods were the sexual deities of the larger Baal pantheon. As a side note, if you're a man, you need to vigilantly guard yourself against sexual perversion. Evil, lustful desires will destroy you and everyone around you! Elijah confronted Ahab regularly for his passivity and compromise, which led to the famous Super Bowl of faith on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18 between Elijah and the 400 prophets of Baal. Ahab was the primary sponsor of these godless prophets. Elijah won a dramatic and decisive victory. Eventually, Ahab was killed in battle in 1 Kings 20. He was warned not to go, but his pride didn't allow him to listen. Ahab is remembered and renowned for his weakness of character and faith. What a terrible legacy he left! Ahab didn't know how to handle his problems in a clear, decisive, strong way. Instead, he pouted, which only furthered Jezebel's controlling nature. She would overcompensate for his weakness by doubling down on her control and manipulation. In one situation that I mentioned yesterday, Ahab wanted a vineyard that Naboth owned but couldn't convince him to sell it. Jezebel stepped in and killed Naboth to accommodate her weak husband's desires. Ahab never stood up against her and always gave in to Jezebel's wiles. The ultimate passivity. He followed her, not God. Do you now see why Jesus corrects the church of Thyatira for tolerating Jezebel in Revelation 2:20? This type of woman, if unwilling to repent, should be avoided at all costs, especially inside the church! May we, as Christian men, never model our lives after Ahab. He is not to be emulated, but someone to watch in order to learn what not to do. So often, life's best lessons are taught by knowing who you don't want to become! Follow Jesus, not Ahab!

by David Chadwick Today's bad guy of the Bible is actually a bad gal. She was a really evil woman. Her tentacles are still in the world today. Jezebel. A queen on a mission to manipulate and destroy. This story is found from 1 Kings 16 through 2 Kings 9. Jezebel was married to Ahab. He was the 7th king in the northern kingdom of Israel. If you know your biblical history, this was the kingdom that was ultimately taken over by the Assyrians in 722 BC. Ten tribes of Israel were dispersed all over the world. Jezebel's marriage to Ahab was largely for political purposes. It was a strategic partnership to achieve more power. She brought all of her pagan practices into the marriage and nation, including the worship of Phoenician gods and goddesses, commonly called the Baal gods. She found the worship of the one true God to be intolerable. An abomination to her practices. Therefore, she he instituted Baal worship. Jezebel was a controlling, dominant woman who ran the home over her weak-willed, passive husband Ahab. She was full of flattery with an illusion of beauty and charm. But under the surface she was calculated, malicious and full of plots and agendas to steal, kill, and destroy. In fact, one time, Jezebel framed and executed Naboth to get his vineyard when her pouting husband couldn't acquire it and get his way. She was vile to the core. A symbol of gross sexuality and paganism at every level. She introduced intermarriage between the Jews and Gentiles, which was something God expressly forbade. Everything she stood for walked in direct contradiction to God's holy worship. Known for persecuting the prophets, Jezebel had an intense disgust and special hatred for the prophet Elijah. Eventually, Jezebel was killed by Jehu, a fervent man who desired God's holiness more than anything else. He carried the anointing and the courage to put an end to her ways. The demonic spirit that drove Jezebel back then is still running rampant in the earth today. Strong men like Jehu are needed now more than ever to remain firmly planted in the truth of God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. The world also needs to resist the seductive, compromising, and deceptive agenda of the enemy that works through both men and women to wreak havoc just as Jezebel did. Jezebel has come to be known through the ages as a symbol of rebellion against God. She emphasized control and arrogance–everything God doesn't want a woman to be! Make someone like Esther, Ruth, Mary, or another godly woman in the Bible your example for how to live! And resist the spirit of Jezebel from ever entering your heart.

by David Chadwick The Bible is full of good guys and bad guys. Every great story has both heroes and villains in the plot line. God's story is the greatest story ever told. Full of ups and downs, twists and turns where Jesus is the ultimate hero! The story of Cain is found in Genesis 4. He is our next bad guy. Cain was the firstborn son of Adam and Eve. Their other son's name was Abel. I like to think of Cain as the first rotten fruit of Adam and Eve's rebellion. His sin ushered in the world's first murder. Cain was a farmer and his brother Abel was a shepherd. Cain absolutely hated Abel. Why? Because his brother was making pure offerings to God that were acceptable before the Lord. Cain's were not. Jealousy took root and began to brew inside Cain's heart toward his brother. This root of jealousy and bitterness proved to be deadly. Evidently, Abel's offerings to God were done by faith. Cloaked in humility. Pure. Abel had a love for God and a knowledge that God was first in every single way. Cain's offering was done in the flesh. By his works. With a begrudging attitude and a heart of resentment. The story of Cain and Abel is a great example of how much God cares about the human heart. As I often like to say, the heart of a matter is a matter of the heart. Here's the bottom line. Cain was deeply jealous of his brother and of the favor of God in his life. So, he killed Abel. The first murder of the Bible was motivated by the evil one. Jesus referred to Satan as a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44). Clearly Cain was emulating the father of lies more than his heavenly Father! Where there is envy and jealousy, there is every evil thing (James 3:13). The antidote of envy and jealousy is contentment with what you have. God loves you for who you are, not what you have. This life is full of people who will prosper on different levels. We must celebrate other people's victories and maintain a pure heart before the Lord. If not, we, too, are vulnerable to a root of bitterness driving us to hurt others.

by David Chadwick God has written the greatest story ever told. Jesus Christ is the ultimate hero and Satan is the ultimate villain in God's story. Within the Bible, there are countless other heroes, big and small, who help advance God's mission in the earth. There are also villains. Judas is today's bad guy. With a significant role in the crucifixion of Jesus, he is a well-known villain in God's story. One of the original 12 disciples, chosen by Jesus, Judas could have been from the Judean city of Kerioth near Jerusalem. "Ish" means "son" in Hebrew. It could very well be that he was a "son" from the city of Kerioth. If so, that would mean that he was the only disciple who was not from Galilee. Perhaps he felt like an outsider from the beginning. Judas oversaw the money bag. But we know from John's witness in John 12:6 that he also had a greedy love of money. John refers to him as a thief who pilfered money from the purse. This man, who had an unhealthy love of money, ended up being the one who sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver–the price one would pay for a slave. Before Judas's betrayal, Jesus continued to love and serve him. He washed his feet in John 13. He placed Judas on his left side, a seat of honor, in the Last Supper. Until the very last moment, Jesus was reaching out to Judas, giving him every opportunity to repent. But it appears Judas opened his heart to Satan before the meal (Luke 22:1-17) and eventually fully gave himself over to Satan during the meal, in the ultimate fulfillment of his betrayal (John 13:27). Judas probably wanted to force Jesus to declare his Messiahship when he turned him over to the authorities, but in the face of betrayal, Jesus continued to walk with self-control and patience. Judas was the ultimate instigator to the perfect plans and timing of God. And Jesus stewarded every step with precision and perfection. As we reflect on the story of this bad guy named Judas, remember that no one suddenly becomes godless overnight. It's a journey of one decision after another that leads to the final condition of rebellion against Jesus. It's a slow fade. It's a series of decisions that blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Make sure to keep your heart close to Jesus every second, every minute. For the devil is like a roaring lion, watching each and every moment for a chance to pounce on you. Judas was careless. It's why he is called a "son of perdition" by Jesus in John 17:12 (KJV). Because of this, he was vulnerable to being used by Satan.

by David Chadwick Simon Magus. Have you ever heard of him? His story is found in Acts 8:9-24 and he is today's bad guy of the Bible. Simon was a magician in the area of Samaria. He attracted large throngs of people with his magic arts. Could these have been demonic antics? Absolutely. Whatever it was, it caused him to be a man full of pride who boasted in his own greatness and motivated large crowds to follow him. When Peter and John came to Samaria, having heard that great things were happening under Phillip's teaching, they were expecting another mighty move of God. As they preached, the power of the Holy Spirit came upon people and many were healed and made well. Lives were being changed everywhere. Simon, so impressed and amazed by these miracles, began to ask Peter how he could purchase this power. Simon said, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit" (Acts 8:19). Peter was offended and enraged. He basically told Simon that he was wicked and evil. That his heart was not right before God. He was horrified that Simon thought that he could acquire a gift from God with money and called him to repent, although there is no indication that he ever did! He did, however, ask Peter to pray for him so that nothing bad from God would happen to him. I find this troubling. A heart that wants to avoid the discipline for a bad decision is very different from a heart that is contrite and desirous of holiness. There are plenty of people who want to throw up a prayer so they can dodge the consequences of God. But few who long to live holy and righteous lives, turning from their sin and choosing the hard and narrow path of Jesus. Much like Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11), Simon wrongly believed that money could buy anything. How wrong was he! He wanted to use God's power for his magic tricks. A dangerous quality of another one of the bad guys in the Bible. You may not be a magician, but you may desire to adulterate the power of the Holy Spirit for your own gain. Be careful. Only the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8).

by David Chadwick Alexander the Coppersmith is our next bad guy. Let's look at his story in 2 Timothy 4:14-18 and see why he's another one of my bad guys of the Bible. We don't know much about Alexander except his name and profession. But it could be that at one time he co-labored with Paul in planting churches and teaching the gospel. In the least, he and Paul knew each other on some level. Something went wrong because Paul says that he did him great harm (2 Timothy 4:14). There was clearly some evil plot that really hurt Paul. Not that Paul doesn't just say harm, but GREAT harm. Some other translations refer to it as "much evil." Not only did Alexander participate in something evil, but he also must not have accepted any correction because Paul warns other people to beware of him. Did he slander Paul? Do you think he tried to overtake his authority much like Absalom did with David? (2 Samuel 13-19) Again, we don't know, but it is very clear that Alexander was a bad guy. As followers of Jesus, we must flee from behaviors that produce bad fruit. It sounds like Alexander was a man who was full of pride with an intent to harm. He must have also had an intimidating personality that swept others into his attack because Paul says everyone around him deserted him. They must have been swayed and influenced either by Alexander's charismatic personality or by his intimidation. Either way, he was a bad guy with bad qualities. In spite of Alexander's behavior, Paul did not retaliate. He did not take vengeance into his own hands. He simply stood in faith, saying that the Lord stood by him, strengthened him, and rescued him (2 Timothy 4:17-18). He left it up to the Lord for how to deal with Alexander. Paul knew God was good and just and that one day, he would enact justice on his behalf! This is true surrender! Here's an unfortunate truth: people will hurt you. They will turn their backs on you. They will lie to you. They will seek to do great harm to you and your household. Even the great apostle Paul knew this truth all too well. He experienced betrayal and wounds from people like Demas and Alexander. But he continued to leave vengeance to the One who does the best job executing vengeance and justice. It is the only way to treat those who deeply hurt you.

by David Chadwick The story of Demas is found in 2 Timothy 4:9-10. He is someone else who I would consider to be one of the bad guys of the Bible. It takes good guys and bad guys in order to have a great story. God never shied away from highlighting just how bad things really were in Scripture. For all of time, he has been able to use bad situations and work them out for good (Romans 8:28). The first mention of Demas is by Paul in Colossians 4:14 when Paul said that Demas wanted to extend his greetings to the Christians in the church of Collosae. Next, in Philemon, he is referred to as a "fellow worker" of Paul in the gospel. Finally, in 2 Timothy 4:9-10, Paul writes to Timothy and says, "Make every effort to come to me soon for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica." We don't know exactly what happened to Demas after he returned to Thessalonica, but Paul's description here insinuates Demas had walked away from his faith. He went from a companion and fellow worker of Paul to deserting Paul for the love of the world. Have you ever heard the phrase, "I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul." Well, it certainly seems that Demas quested after the world and lost his soul. What was his love for this world? Acclaim? Power? Money? Comfort? Reputation? Could he have become jealous of Paul along the way and chosen to chase after his own success? We don't really know. But what we do know is this: the world constantly tries to tempt Christians to love it more than Jesus. It has happened since the beginning of time. Friendship with the world means enmity with God (James 4:4). Check your own heart for a second. Are you a friend of God or of this world? The Bible is very clear that if you are a friend of this world, you are a bad guy in his story. We are to love God with ALL of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). There is no other love greater than Jesus. Demas reminds us of how easy it can be to fall away or to stray from the narrow road. Stay vigilant. Repent often. Choose the love of God above all else! This is the quality of a true hero of God!

by David Chadwick This next story speaks of two bad guys whose bad behavior was full of deceit. Ananias and Sapphira are our next two characters – whose story is found in Acts 5:1-11. In this part of God's story, the early church was growing. Booming even. There were miracles happening everywhere. God's Word was being proclaimed with power and might. New believers were coming to faith everywhere. A donation was given to the growing church by Barnabas. True to his name, as the consummate encourager, his gift was evidently quite large and generous. He received a great deal of thanks and acclaim from those around him. Two people in the church, Ananias and his wife Sapphira, must have been jealous of Barnabas and all the recognition he was given. So they, too, pretended to give a large gift. They lied. They postured as something they weren't in order to gain something they didn't have. I like to refer to this as rank hypocrisy. Peter called them out individually. When they were confronted with their sins, they both died. Immediately. Do you think it was a heart attack? A stroke? Could they have been overcome by the reality of their sins? We don't know what caused it. But they died on the spot. God hates duplicity. He despises hypocrisy. There is no place for these things in his church. Let your yes be yes and your no be no (Matthew 5:37). Choose to be people of conviction. Stand for what's true and honorable, excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). To put it bluntly, be real. Check your heart on a regular basis to see if there is anything grievous in you (Psalm 139:23-24). With Ananias and Sapphira, God would not have been concerned if they gave a small gift because that was all that they had. It was the lying that was the problem. The twisting, the manipulation, the discrepancy between who they were in public and private lacked the integrity God calls his people to walk in. The desire for acclaim. The Holy Spirit of truth, who was moving so powerfully in the church, would not put up with these sinful ways. It may feel harsh to say, but the God of the Bible will also not put up with our sinful ways! We must live in a continual posture of repentance so that the God of all truth can cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-9). Confessing our need for Jesus at the moment of salvation is just the first step in a lifetime of continual confession as we become refined more and more into the image and likeness of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). Seek truth above all else! Jesus is THE way, THE truth, THE life (John 14:6). If he lives in us, then his truth should ooze from our innermost being. And hypocrisy melts away.

by David Chadwick Good guys and bad guys are in every good story. A compelling plot has twists and turns and God's story is full of both! God never shies away from showing us the good, bad and ugly of characters in his story. I believe the authenticity of Scripture is part of how he teaches us his best lessons! The 10 spies of Numbers 13:25-14:10 are today's bad guys. Let me tell you their story. The Israelites had been moving from Egypt to the edge of the land God wanted them to possess as their own. His promised land. So, Moses sent out 12 spies to scout out the land and report what they saw. Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, returned with excitement. They saw the land and the abundance God had promised them. Their response was full of faith as they said, "Let's go!" But 10 of the spies returned with a negative report. They saw walled cities. Giants. Hurdles. Obstacles. Unlike Joshua and Caleb, they looked at the size of their problems instead of the size of their God who easily tears down walls and slay giants! These 10 men infected the rest of the 3 million Israelites. Like an infectious disease, their unbelief and doubt spread like wildfire. Unbelief consumed them all. As a result, God's people had to spend another 40 years wandering in the wilderness until that generation of unbelievers were replaced with a different generation of people who believed in God's promises and were willing to confidently face giants and walled cities! Fear and unbelief are enemies of God's story. They are "bad guys" in and of themselves. Because the 10 spies were so controlled by these qualities, I label them as some of the bad guys in God's story. On the other hand, faith moves mountains (Mark 11:22-24) because nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26)! Faith is a quality of heroes and a sign that you trust God above all else. Dear friends, choose to have faith! Fight unbelief! If there is any unbelief inside of you, then repent just like the father in Mark 9 and say to God, "I believe. Now help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:23-25). Then watch as your Promised Land begins to unfold before you.

by David Chadwick Did you know that every great story has heroes and villains? Good guys and bad guys. Those who are in the story to accomplish the goals of the story line and those who are there to resist them. Well, Absalom is definitely another one of the bad guys of the Bible. You will find his story in 2 Samuel 13-19. One of David's sons, Absalom was described as the best-looking man in all the land (2 Samuel 14:25). He had looks, charm, and leadership abilities. His long-flowing, golden hair especially stood out. He had the full package. For a season, David banished him from the land because of an aggressive act against his half-sister who had been abused. Eventually, David allowed him to return to the land, but would not even speak to him. Absalom was incensed by this relational abandonment. With a deep-seeded bitterness in his heart toward his dad, Absalom set up a conspiracy to overtake his dad's kingdom. He went to the gates daily and sucked up to the judges and leaders of the city. He planted seeds that he could do a better job than his dad if he were king. Absalom laid out a plot for his day of rebellion, but thankfully David caught wind of it. One of the major indicators of the coming coup came when he heard that one of his main advisors named Ahithophel, who was Bathsheba's uncle, had gone to Absalom's side. One could speculate that he was still enraged by the abuse of his niece and blamed David for it ever happening, so he sided with Absalom to hurt David. David fled Jerusalem and Psalm 3 was written in this context. In that time, David finally realized he had to go to war and defeat his own son. This fight became especially brutal for King David when Absalom died in the battle. David mourned his death, but finally got back up to continue his rule. Let me start by warning you that sitting in bitterness toward someone can make people do some crazy things! We see that in the story of Absalom. Know that there are always going to be Absaloms in our world. People who operate by personal ambition. People who are jealous and scheme plots to overtake. Strong, Godly leaders must watch out for Absaloms and pray for God to reveal them. They are enemies in the camp, designed to wreak havoc on God's story line. James 3:16 says that where there is self ambition and strife, there is every evil thing! Beware and watch out!

by David Chadwick One of my favorite things about the Bible is the authenticity of the story. God doesn't hide the broken parts of humanity in the story line. He doesn't fabricate evil to make it look better than it actually was. He tells the real, hard truths, which makes his redeeming love and sanctifying grace all the more powerful. 2 Kings 2:23-25 is one of those stories. It tells us about 42 young thugs. They are today's villains. Boy, were these some bad guys! Their sin was total disrespect for God's chosen. Elisha, the prophet, was preaching God's truth with power and authority. People's lives were being changed. One day, when preaching, 42 young boys came on the scene and began to derisively mock Elisha. They scorned him and called him "Baldy" and insinuated that he had no value. Historically, "baldhead" was a term used with malicious intent to describe someone who was full of disgrace. These young boys were forcefully coming at Elisha and deeming him and his message as worthless! Can you imagine this scene in your mind? A teenage gang accosting an older man of God. Threatening him! Intimidating him! Shaming him! What horror! Elisha boldly responded to their threats. He faced these 42 young bad guys and "cursed them in the name of the Lord" (2 Kings 2:24). Like any good father would, who witnessed bullies attacking an older man, God would have none of it and responded on behalf of Elijah! God called out two female bears from the woods to attack the boys. Here's the truth. God hates the disrespect of his chosen vessels. God also values the proclamation of his Word through those he appoints and equips. Remember 2 Timothy 3:12: "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." Satan will use whatever instrument he can to prevent God's Word from going out into all the world. But God responds as the ultimate hero by removing obstacles that Satan creates so that his Word can move forward! No bad guy can win over our great and powerful God!

by David Chadwick Hidden heroes and blatant villains! The Bible is full of both. Over the next two weeks we are taking a look at some of my top biblical bad guys. Nadab and Abihu. You'll find their story in Leviticus 10. They were the sons of Aaron. As you read their story, you'll learn that Nadab and Abihu had consumed too much alcohol and it appeared they were drunk when they did something horrible. What was it? They decided to bring "strange fire" to create incense in worship in the Tabernacle. The Bible describes it as "unauthorized" (Leviticus 10:1). This fire was not taken from the brazen altar that God had instructed to be used for the incense to be lit. Rather, it was taken illegitimately. Because of their disobedience, they were immediately killed by God. God's plans for all the tabernacle worship were designated in Exodus 26. These two men were totally irresponsible in their actions. I see two major errors. First, they were drunk, and second, they were disobedient and used the wrong fire. The Bible clearly warns in passages like Romans 13:13 and Ephesians 5:18 that drunkenness is a sin. And disobedience is another way of living out blatant rebellion. So Nadab and Abihu failed in two significant areas. Here's the truth. God wants us to be a holy people who are under HIS influence. He does not want people under the influence of alcohol, drugs, entertainment, sex, or anything else other than him. This is especially true for ministers, priests, and spiritual leaders who oversee worship of the one true God (James 3:1). God's teachers have a stricter wrath! A call to live above reproach (1 Timothy 3:1-3). It's a sober awareness I have daily strived for since the moment I accepted God's call to lead his people. Nadab and Abihu failed miserably in some major areas and God held them accountable for their sin. They are no heroes of mine and in my humble opinion, were enemies of God's heart for holiness and purity. Therefore, use their negative actions -being irresponsible and disobedient- as an example of how not to make Jesus and his kingdom the master passion of your life.

by David Chadwick Every good story has a hero and a villain. We have already looked at many hidden heroes in the Bible as well as some unlikely heroes. Over the next couple of weeks, we are going to look at some of the bad guys of the Bible and the chaos that ensued in God's story. These are people who lacked integrity and brought trouble to anyone and anything in their paths. Let's start with Korah. His story is found in Number 16:1-40. You might remember that I chose the sons of Korah as some of my hidden heroes. Korah, on the other hand, was a blatant villain. A calculated and evil leader with intent to harm. Pride and selfish ambition motivated him. He had a great desire for power and influence. Korah led a group of 250 co-conspirators against Moses and his leadership. Have you ever known anyone like this? Over the years, I have seen my share of people who seem to think they can do a job better than their leader. Whether it's children with their parents or employees with a boss, these are people who are often full of criticism. Much like Korah felt about Moses, these people think they should be the leader and could do the job better. Let's get back to Korah's story. He set out a coup, but God intervened. The next morning, Moses and his brother Aaron called all of Korah's people to step forward from their tents so that God could decide whether Korah or Moses should lead. The Bible says that God closed the earth over them and they perished (Numbers 16:31-33). Immediately thereafter, the Lord's anger burned against Korah's calculated rebellion against his chosen leadership and a plague struck killing another 14,700 people! Here's the truth. Rebellion is the sin of witchcraft. It's demonic to rebel against God's chosen leaders. Learn to follow your leader or go find a place where you can lead! I have seen so many examples, both inside and outside of the Bible, where blessings come when God gives his vision to an appointed leader and the people gladly follow. Korah's rebellion caused confusion and hindered God's work. It also eventually brought God's judgment. Be very careful before you lift your hand against God's anointed. It's a characteristic of many bad guys in the Bible. Korah being one of them.

by Marilynn Chadwick Jesus is kind to all people—especially women. Just ask my friend Anya. Raised as a member of the "untouchable" caste in India, Anya knows what it means to be treated as "less than." For centuries in India's cruel caste system, untouchables were regarded as less than human. Women were treated even worse. People of higher castes would cross the street to avoid walking on the sidewalk with an untouchable, not even wanting to be touched by their shadow. But Anya heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. She realized only Jesus could pay the penalty for her sins—not endless sacrifices to the 300 million gods in India. She believed the good news that all people were created equal—to be known and loved by God. Through a series of miracles, Anya went on to attend college and graduate school, finally earning her PhD! She is married, has a family of her own, and now works with an organization that gives hope to other women caught in poverty and oppression. The life-changing message of Jesus liberates their hearts. Then education opens the door to worthwhile work and reasonable wages—transforming entire families and villages throughout India. It's the same story wherever we go. Jesus can set people free, whether in India with its harsh conditions, or surrounded by the comforts of America. My friend Heather experienced the freedom only Christ can bring when she stepped out of her comfort zone to obey God. "I used to struggle with anxiety and times of depression," confessed Heather. "At times, fear paralyzed me and held me captive. I remember crying out to God, begging him to heal me and rescue me from this mental prison." But it wasn't until Heather put her faith into action that she started to be free of the anxiety and fear. Heather's story happened years ago when she was teaching the little kids one Sunday morning. She was talking to them about Joshua 1:9: "Be strong and courageous for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." "I was really passionate and encouraged the children to have no fear, because God was always with them. As the words were coming out of my mouth, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, 'Heather! Do you believe what you are telling them? You have these irrational fears about so many things.'" One fear in particular, she shared, was going on a mission trip. "Don't you believe that I will be with you wherever you go!?" "I was floored," she exclaimed. "I immediately sensed God was calling me to go on a mission trip. I knew I had to go!" Heather trusted God would be bigger than her fears. She tells of her very first mission trip to the Dominican Republic. "God gave me a peace beyond all understanding. While on the trip, I experienced such joy because I was in the will of God! Now I go on a mission trip almost every year. Choosing to trust God when he calls you to do something crazy and scary allows you to experience blessings you could never dream up on your own!" True freedom comes as we step out and obey. Another heroic character trait! Today's Moment of Hope is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. To receive a free PDF copy of this book, please visit www.momentsofhopechurch.org/books.

by Marilynn Chadwick One of the most inspiring "real life" women of valor I have ever known was Barbara Brewton Cameron. This vibrant and joyful woman with an easy laugh and a giant heart was a powerful leader in her community. She became a dear friend, mentor, and role model. During our fifteen-year friendship, Barbara opened my eyes to the powerful impact that one ordinary woman can have on her family, her community, and an entire city. Years before I met Barbara, her husband had been gunned down in a drive-by shooting while walking home from work, leaving her with three small children to raise on her own. "He was a wonderful man—a good husband and father—and I was devastated," she said. "I didn't even want to go on living." The community in Charlotte where Barbara lived was described by The New York Times as one of the most violent neighborhoods in America. In "an open-air drug market of heroin and cocaine," gunfire was common around the small, graffiti-marked houses. It had one of the highest murder rates in the country. After her husband's murder, Barbara fled to a safer neighborhood to raise her three children. But God began to pursue her, and several years later, she accepted Christ into her life. "I began to hear his voice," she said. "I knew there was a far greater plan that God had for me." "God told me to go back to the old neighborhood and rescue the children. And so, I did." Barbara said the Lord spoke to her through Matthew 25:35-36: "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me". She sensed God's unmistakable call through the words of Scripture: "If you've done it to the least of these, you've done it to me" (v. 41). Barbara was affectionately known throughout her community as "Pastor Cameron." She understood firsthand the hopeless despair faced by her community. "I thought of the single moms who were being used and abused by drug dealers...and I thought about the babies." To Barbara, all children were "babies." It was those children that Barbara was going back to rescue. She found a small, dilapidated house to rent in the neighborhood and turned it into a mission home to care for children each afternoon. "I gave the little ones baths and helped the older ones with homework. I fed them, too, since they were always hungry. In time, Barbara's ministry grew, and she became known as the woman who defied drugs and gangs. The drug dealers who controlled the neighborhood began issuing threats. Years later, a former hit man told Barbara that he had been hired by a drug dealer to kill her because she was hurting business. He would sit outside the open window listening to her preach the gospel. He told her that something inside would not let him carry out the hit. Later, the man accepted Jesus. Barbara opened Community Outreach, a church that continued to expand the impact of the gospel. She received national acclaim for the work she did fighting crime. City officials renamed the area Genesis Park, symbolic of its new beginning. When Barbara died in 2008, the church was filled to overflowing. Pastor Cameron is remembered as the Mother Teresa of Genesis Park. The once forgotten community is an example of how God can do mighty things through one ordinary woman of valor. Today's Moment of Hope is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. To receive a free PDF copy of this book, please visit www.momentsofhopechurch.org/books.

by Marilynn Chadwick Men, women, and children of all ages squeezed into the patchwork tent that was both home and church for Pastor Raju and his family. David and I were traveling through this remote slum village in India to see the work of church planters like Raju. Raju was a ragpicker by trade. Daily, he sifted through the nearby garbage dump to find rags, plastic, bits of this-and-that to sell. It looked as if Raju had used some of "this-and-that" to construct his tent which, though humble, was very clean and well organized inside. Raju was also a Dalit, a member of the "untouchable" caste, as were most of his neighbors. Courageous pastors like Raju were why the gospel was spreading rapidly in this region that was hostile to Christians. Raju was small and wiry with a firm grip and a wide grin. He was fiery and passionate that morning as he reminded his people that they were the "head and not the tail" in God's eyes. No longer did they have to be terrified of displeasing the cruel gods or being rejected by higher castes. For now, their identity was secure as dearly loved children of their heavenly Father, adopted into Christ's church. Warmth and singing filled the tent. Traditional orange marigold leis had been draped over our shoulders. Plastic chairs were brought in for the "honored guests." David was asked to preach the message to Raju's church of about fifty congregants. Raju had endured much persecution. But this gaunt little warrior deeply loved his people and continued to boldly preach the gospel. Once, he went on a hunger strike until village authorities finally brought electricity into his slum neighborhood. I noticed the haphazard electrical rigging outside his tent. But it was Raju's wife who captured my heart. Somehow, she had worked her magic and turned the patchwork tent into an inviting home. Her kitchen was just one shelf, a few staples, and a one-burner hot plate in a corner of the room that was also bedroom, living room, and church. After the service, she prepared tea along with a single roll of Ritz crackers, served to us by their children. Raju beamed as he introduced his family. A handful of boys and girls, from around eight to sixteen years of age, greeted us with shining faces and firm handshakes. They had been well-nurtured there in that little one-room tent beside the garbage dump. How was this possible? I noticed Raju's wife, though lovely in her colorful sari, looked very thin and worn. I was told that Indian mothers and fathers sometimes go without food to make sure their children have enough to eat. This tiny woman had found a way to nurture these smiling children who were adored by their dad. She and her husband had given them physical, emotional, and spiritual nourishment. Looking into their faces, I sensed they would somehow find their way in this harsh and difficult environment. Raju's wife was both nurturer and warrior for her little family. She's living proof that a woman of valor doesn't just live in a palace, but could just as well be found in a tent. Her children were a testimony that it doesn't take money or education to nurture a child—just love, self-sacrifice and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This was the legacy of the ragpicker's wife. This was her kingdom. Her husband and children were her crown. Today's Moment of Hope is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. To receive a free PDF copy of this book, please visit www.momentsofhopechurch.org/books.

by Marilynn Chadwick I believe every woman has a little bit of princess in her. And deep down inside, she believes she can change the world. A long time ago there lived a real princess who actually did change the world. Her name was Margaret. She married a Scottish King and thus became Queen Margaret, one of the most beloved nobles in the history of Scotland. I became captivated by her story years ago when traveling with our family through the Scottish Highlands. I was mesmerized by the land of castles, kings, kilts, and battlefields. Margaret embodied much of what we have been learning about the biblical woman of valor. Her story takes us back to the Middle Ages. Margaret was an English princess born in 1045. Her parents fled to Hungary after the Danes took over England. When Margaret was ten years old, she and her family returned to England, where her father suddenly died before he could assume the throne. A few years later, Margaret and her mother, along with her two siblings, were forced to flee for their lives, once again, when William the Conqueror stormed his way through England. While sailing north, Margaret and her family were caught in a storm and shipwrecked on the coast of Scotland. They were aided by King Malcolm and put under his protection. Before long, Malcolm fell deeply in love with the beautiful and kind princess. Margaret and Malcolm married in 1070 at the castle in Edinburgh. Margaret was a deeply committed Christian whose faith influenced the rather uncouth Malcolm. He turned his heart to God, largely because of his wife. The couple had six sons and two daughters and raised all to become strong followers of Christ. So respected was Margaret for her wisdom that Malcolm placed her in charge of all of Scotland's domestic affairs. She was often consulted on other state matters as well. Malcolm couldn't read or write, so Margaret often read him stories from the Bible. Her example also had an impact on the quality of Malcolm's reign, helping him become what was known as the "just ruler." Together they prayed, fed the hungry, and served the needy. Margaret had a heart for Scotland's poor, showing special kindness to orphans. She fed the hungry every morning in the castle, even before she had her own breakfast. She was also known for her deep life of prayer, rising early for prayer and reading the Bible. She even encouraged the ordinary Scottish people to live as faithful Christians, emphasizing prayer and a holy lifestyle. When learning about Margaret's vast areas of service to Scotland, I couldn't help but notice the quieter, but even more important impact she had on her eight children. Besides educating them at home, she instilled a strength of faith and character that set the foundation for three of her six sons to become Scottish kings during what was known as Scotland's "Golden Era." As she had done with King Malcolm, she is said to have influenced her sons to become just and holy rulers. Margaret was born into royalty—not what you would call an ordinary woman. But she shows what can happen when a woman of great influence chooses to use her position to accomplish God's purposes. No wonder she has been called, "The Pearl of Scotland." Who can measure the full impact, not just on Scottish history, but on the history of Christendom, because of this one life? Today's Moment of Hope is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. To receive a free PDF copy of this book, please visit www.momentsofhopechurch.org/books.

by Marilynn Chadwick There are many heroines found in the pages of the Bible. The Hebrew term used in Proverbs 31:10 for the famed "virtuous woman," eshet chayil, can be better translated as "woman of valor" (Proverbs 31:10 JPS Tanakh 1917). I've come to believe women are at our best when engaged in a courageous fight for someone outside ourselves. While I love biblical heroines, I equally love stories of ordinary women who changed their world. This week we will look at real life women—ordinary heroes. I've been privileged throughout my life to be influenced by many strong and courageous women. From my own mother and grandmothers to teachers and coaches, church and community leaders, and extended family members. Most of us can point to women who shaped our life somewhere along the way. They left their imprint on our character, our hopes, and our dreams. At times, they sacrificed their own dreams so we could reach ours. Africans have a beautiful way of referring to all women as "mothers" whether they have children or not. They believe all women give life to their families and communities. Africans know that mothers can change the world. Thus, they have this saying: "To educate a girl is to educate a nation." By their very nature, women are life-givers. Throughout history, courageous and noble women have discovered a mysterious truth: They found life when they gave their lives away—pouring themselves out in service to their families, to their communities, and to the hurting and broken of this world. Most women I know are both nurturers and warriors. I'm reminded of my friend Jacqui, who waged a long and agonizing fight to gain custody of the daughter she lovingly fostered. Jacqui vowed, "I will not give up. After all, I'm a 'Mama Bear' fighting for her cub." Or our daughter Bethany, a young mother of five who educates her children at home and juggles the busy and often unpredictable life of a pastor's wife, along with her own writing and teaching. Most women know what I'm talking about when I speak of their fierce, fighter side. God designed women to be both nurturers and warriors. The great evangelist D. L. Moody is said to have issued this powerful challenge to his sons from his deathbed: "If God be your partner, make your plans large." Courageous men and women say to God, "Use me. Send me to the broken of this world!" Mother Teresa dared to leave her comfortable and affluent life to serve the destitute in India. Her work has been celebrated the world over. Some have wondered about what were reported to be her "dark nights of the soul." She was not a depressed woman, and those who knew her best said she would simply see those dry spells as nudges from God, telling her that it was time to go back out among the poor. She would see Jesus, once again, in the faces of those she served, and the joy of the Lord would always return. Mother Teresa's life of service was so compelling that the hard-boiled atheistic journalist, Malcolm Muggeridge, turned to Christ after extensive interviews with her. These interviews resulted in him writing a biography of her life, Something Beautiful for God. The apostle Paul similarly encouraged women to adorn themselves with good deeds, which would make them—like Mother Teresa—beautiful. Or as the Message paraphrases it: We should be "doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it" (1 Timothy 2:8-10 MSG). ______________________ Today's Moment of Hope is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. To receive a free PDF copy of this book, please visit www.momentsofhopechurch.org/books.

by David Chadwick Naomi. Today's hidden hero and a woman of tremendous significance. Most people know the story of Ruth, but sometimes Naomi's heroic attributes can be overlooked. Her story is found in the book of Ruth. Naomi was a Jew who married Elimelech. During a great famine in Israel, she and her family went to Moab. While there, their two sons married two Moabite women: Ruth and Orpah. And remember: Israel and Moab were enemies. Elimelech and the two sons ended up dying in Moab because of the harsh conditions. Naomi, uncertain of what to do, finally decided to return to her homeland. She told her two daughters-in-law that they should leave and return to their families. Orpah decided to remain in Moab. But Ruth, in a moving scene of utter devotion, said that wherever Naomi went, she would go! The two women returned to Israel, destitute and poor. Helpless and hopeless. Naomi devised a plan for Ruth to go work for a relative of Elimelech named Boaz. In a beautiful love story, Boaz ends up falling in love with Ruth and they have a son. Why is this so significant to me? Why call Naomi a hero? Because she had a very hard life. The odds were against her and she had every reason to give up and not contend for a breakthrough for her and her future lineage. But she didn't give up! She trusted God with the faith of a mustard seed and chose to take one baby step of faith by returning to Israel. I'm sure she couldn't see past that one courageous decision. One step of faith turned into another. She mustered up more strength to care for Ruth. And then to believe there was still a future and a hope for her and her family. By the end of this story, Naomi is bouncing a baby on her knee who will end up carrying a lineage of people through whom King David and Jesus are born! Friends, be faithful in the small decisions. Don't give up when trouble hits! Eventually, your series of faithful decisions will lead to God's perfect plan and providence taking place–yes, even amidst the brokenness of this world! Your simple "yes" to God may be the heroic action that God uses to change history!

by David Chadwick Our next hidden heroes are a group of people named the Bereans. Their story is found in Acts 17. Paul went to the city of Berea in Asia Minor to preach the Gospel to a group of people called the Bereans. Amazingly, the Bereans did not become angry or aggressively defensive towards Paul's proclamation of Jesus. In fact, the Bible says "they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily" (Act 17:11b). The Bereans went to the Scripture (the Old Testament of that day) and studied it intently to see if what Paul was saying was true and accurate. They were people of precision. They were focused and intentional, desiring to really know why they would take on certain beliefs as their own. When the Bereans found Paul's message to be accurate, it says, "many of them therefore believed" (Acts 17:12). What is the point of this story? Why are the Bereans some of my hidden heroes? Whenever you are given a "word from the Lord" from someone, be a Berean! If someone is teaching a message that you are not sure is accurate, be a Berean! If you find yourself in a conversation with someone about faith and you sense something is off in the messaging, be a Berean! If you are sitting at your job and being asked to do something that seems unbiblical, be a Berean! Just like the Bereans did, go to God's Word and hold that up as the standard against someone's word. If an individual's "word" or "message" or "advice" or "insight" lines up with the Word of God and does not contradict it, you can rest assured that it is accurate and from the Lord. You should then consider what the implications are of that word or message for your life. On the other hand, if it contradicts Scripture, flush it down the toilet and move on. Trust the Holy Spirit inside of you to lead to you the Word of God for verification and accuracy. He loves to guide his children in all truth (John 16:13-15)! And his Word is true (John 17:17). Keep God's Word as your standard for truth in every area of your life! It must be the foundation for all areas of our faith, behaviors, decisions and practices!

by David Chadwick Our next hidden heroes are a group of people called the "sons of Korah." Who were they? They were the descendants of people who were involved in one of the most despicable incidents in all of Scripture. A horrendous story of rebellion, which the Word of God says is as bad as divination and witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23). Let's take a look together. Korah led a rebellion against Moses. He thought he should be Israel's leader and plotted a conniving coup against him. This was not good news for Korah. As a result of this rebellion, God brought Korah, his family, along with all of the rebels who joined the attack out in front of their tents. As the Bible tells us, "the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah" (Numbers 26:10). If you've ever wondered how God feels about rebellion and injustice, this is a pretty sobering passage to read. But the story doesn't stop here. Verse 11 says, "But the sons of Korah did not die" (Numbers 26:11). Wow! Can you imagine what this Bible scene must have looked like in reality? Evidently, some way, somehow and because of an obvious means of God's grace for his providential purposes, some of Korah's descendants survived. And do you know what they went on to do? Become prolific psalm writers. Psalms 42, 44-48, 84-85, and 87-88 were all written by the sons of Korah. Think about the rich insights from these Psalms. Psalm 42:1 says, "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God." Or in Psalm 46:1 which says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Why do I love the sons of Korah so much? Because it's a living display of how God can break generational curses! You are not consigned to your family's bad decisions and past infidelities! Reverse the curse from your family's mistakes! Choose to alter a new course for your life. Follow Jesus faithfully. And begin to write a new song for your life and the life of your future generations!

by David Chadwick Asaph is our next hidden hero. His name means "gatherer of the people." Keep that in mind as I tell you his story. We find a small reference to Asaph in 1 Chronicles 6:39. But many of you may wonder why that would give him heroic importance in my book. Have any of you ever read this verse? "The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting" (Psalm 50:1). Or this one? "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:25-26). Well, Asaph was the one who wrote them! He actually wrote all of Psalm 50, Psalms 73-83, and Psalm 105. He was a gifted musician who used his gifts to record spiritual insights that we now find in God's Word. The man whose name means "gatherer of the people" wrote countless Psalms that have gathered people to the heart of God. If it were not for Asaph, we would not have the perspectives that we find in Psalm 73. For example, the emotions he writes down regarding his discouragement toward evil people who seem to get by with injustice. Have any of you ever felt that way? Asaph could relate to you! He worked through his deep emotions through worship. Amidst his despair, he made sure he went to God's house and worshiped. He started singing praises and hearing God's Word. Then, Asaph finally found his answers. He realized that eventually, in God's eternity, no one gets away with anything. Justice will prevail. God is a God of justice, but his timing is not always our timing. Asaph found revelation through worship. As should we. He is a wonderful example of someone who did not stay stuck in his discouragement, but rather continued to press into the Lord for answers. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Asaph knew the heart of his Father and he practiced this principle before it was ever said by Jesus. God honored his heart to seek and revealed so much to him. Seek, my friends. In worship. In God's Word. Seek and you will find!

by David Chadwick Hidden heroes. The BIble is full of them. Men and women who may not be front and center, but carried significant impact historically. Today's hero is named Rhoda. Did you even know there was a character in the Bible named Rhoda? Most do not! Let me tell you about her. Her story is found in Acts 12. She was a servant girl who, we think, lived in the home of John Mark and his mother, Mary. Their home was a central point of activity in the early church in Jerusalem and probably where the Last Supper and Pentecost occurred. The upper room. James, the brother of John, had already been martyred at this point in the story. Peter had been imprisoned and Christians gathered in Mary's home to pray for Peter's release. They prayed fervently for his protection and for God to set him free. Miraculously, an angel delivered Peter from prison. He came into the cell and struck Peter on the side to wake him up. The chains fell off Peter's hands and he followed the angel out of the prison. At first, Peter thought he was having a vision, but quickly realized this rescue mission was real (Acts 12:6-11)! Peter went to the house where he knew Christians would be gathering and knocked on the door. Rhoda answered. She was so excited to hear his voice that she ran back to tell the group and forgot to let him in. They thought this little servant girl was out of her mind! As she kept insisting it was him, they told her it was probably Peter's angel. Note their unbelief! But this little girl would not relent and Peter continued knocking. Finally, they realized it really was Peter. They opened the door and welcomed him in! May we all have the opportunity, just like Rhoda, to share a miracle from Jesus with others. It is one of the most exciting things imaginable. Has God ever done a miracle in your life? If so, make sure you share it with others. Don't ever hide your light under a bushel! Even if people think you are crazy, be like Rhoda and press on and share. It's one of the marks of a hero!

by Marilynn Chadwick "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled" (Luke 1:38 NIV). For centuries, Jewish women throughout ancient Israel wondered who would be given the glorious honor of giving birth to the long-awaited Messiah. No one could have imagined a young peasant teenager named Mary would be the chosen vessel for God to enter earthly history—God in human flesh. The angel Gabriel visited this ordinary young teen in the unlikely town of Nazareth with astounding news: "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was understandably troubled and bewildered. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus" (Luke 1:28-31). "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:34-35). The angel also tells Mary that her cousin Elizabeth, who had long been barren, would soon have a child in her old age. News of Elizabeth's miracle must have been reassuring to Mary—especially when coupled with Gabriel's next promise: "For no word from God will ever fail" (Luke 1:37). No one knows how long this angelic encounter lasted. But at the end of Gabriel's proclamation, the fifteen-year-old teenager uttered words that must have reverberated throughout the universe: "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." Then the angel left her (Luke 1:38). Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea to visit Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth gave a glad cry and with a loud voice exclaimed, "God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed" (Luke 1:42). Mary responded with a song of worship which has been spoken of throughout the centuries as The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-48). Mary continued to praise God for his wonderful works (Luke 1:50-52 NIV). Mary's song whispers an ancient echo of Hannah's joyful song after she gave birth to the prophet Samuel after years of barrenness. Hannah recognized God as the mighty deliverer who gives victory. "My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory" (1 Sam 2:1). Hannah extolls the God who breaks "the bows of the mighty" and "enables the feeble to gird on strength" (1 Sam 2:4). Mary and Hannah both praise God for removing power from the arrogant and extending it to the poor. Mary reflects on her blessing as spanning "generation to generation" (Luke 1:50). I wonder if she perceived the mysterious covenant thread of God's salvation plan stretching all the way back to ancient Israel. Today, let's reflect on this ordinary teenager selected by the Most High God to bear the Christ Child. And how the beloved mother of Jesus declared words of faith that ignited God's Salvation plan on earth: "Be it unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38 KJV). Elizabeth blessed Mary with this beautiful benediction: "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her" (Luke 1:45). May we learn from the simple faith of a young Hebrew peasant girl—and dare to believe God will fulfill all his promises!

by Marilynn Chadwick The book of Esther tells the dramatic story of a 15-year-old teenager who saved an entire nation. Years earlier, the Jews had been taken from Jerusalem into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (Esther 2:5-7). Babylon was then defeated by Persia. Esther was a Jew living in the Persian empire and being raised by an older cousin named Mordecai. Described as "lovely in form and features," her name had been changed from her original Hebrew name, Hadassah, to the Persian name Esther, or "star." Life as a Jew in exile was all Esther had ever known—that is, until she became the Queen of Persia. King Xerxes of Persia banished his previous queen, Vashti, for embarrassing him in public. The king's advisors came up with a plan to bring beautiful young women from every province in the Persian Empire to the king's palace. Esther was one of these women. During her year of beauty treatments and preparation, Esther won the favor and respect of all who knew her. The king was so impressed with Esther's beauty and grace that he selected her to be his new queen, not knowing she was a Jew. Esther kept her Jewish identity a secret and remained steadfast in her allegiance to Mordecai and her people. Haman, the king's highest-ranking official, despised both Mordecai and the Jewish people. He manipulated the king into signing an edict to slaughter every Jew in the Persian empire, which at the time stretched from India to Ethiopia. This move would wipe virtually every Jew from the face of the earth. When Mordecai learned of Haman's genocidal plot, he pleaded with Esther to beg for mercy from the king. Esther was devastated and terrified by the news of the king's edict. The risk for Esther was huge. Everyone throughout the palace courts knew the rule: If someone went to the king without being summoned, it was an automatic death penalty—that is, unless the king extended his golden scepter. Mordecai challenged Esther with these words: "Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14 NIV). Esther told Mordecai to have all the Jews gather for three days of fasting. She and her maids would do the same. When this was done, she assured him, "I will go to the king, even though it is against the law." Then she uttered words that are among the most stirring faith declarations in the entire Bible: "And if I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16). At that point, Esther broke the back of the adversary. The fasting and prayer set the stage for a miraculous series of events that brought about the salvation of an entire nation. Through her courageous faith, wisdom, and ingenuity, Esther exposed Haman's wicked plot. King Xerxes sent Haman to the very gallows he had built to hang Mordecai and then promoted Mordecai as second in command to the entire Persian empire, where Esther ruled as queen. We sometimes underestimate the power of a young person who fervently loves God. I think back to how I was the girl who walked away from God at age fifteen. Yet at about that same age, this brave young woman risked her life to save her people. God's people owe their very existence to this young Hebrew girl. God chose to work out his plan of deliverance through the courageous actions of an ordinary teenager.

by Marilynn Chadwick There were no warriors in Israel until I, Deborah, arose...to be a mother to Israel (Judges 5:7 NCV). Ever feel like you're in a war? For your faith, your family, your freedom? Sometimes victory only comes when you rise up. "Rise up" is a call to action. To step into the game. It's a call to war. The Bible is filled with stories of women who dared to rise up. One of those women was Deborah. She was the only female judge in the Old Testament and the first to be called both prophet and judge. Her people had been beaten down and terrorized by the barbaric Canaanites—for 20 long years! But Deborah arose and called them to war (Judges 5:7 NCV). We don't know if Deborah had children of her own. But she had a fierce, mother's love for her people. And when a "mama bear" rises up and says, enough is enough, look out! Deborah called a young man named Barak to lead Israel's rag-tag army into battle. She said, "Get up! Today is the day the Lord will hand over Sisera. The Lord has already cleared the way for you" (Judges 4:14). Deborah could see what God saw in this man. But Barak wasn't convinced. He said to Deborah, "I will go if you will go with me, but if you won't go with me, I won't go" (Judges 4:8). "Of course I'll go with you," Deborah replied (Judges 4:9). Victory looked impossible. Barak and his men were vastly outnumbered by this cruel army, with its 900 iron chariots. Swift, intimidating, deadly. But when Barak stepped out in faith and led the charge, Deborah by his side, the Lord routed all the chariots and army until not a man was left. Their victory was legendary. Israel was finally free because Deborah, a mother in Israel, dared to rise up! My friend Leslie reminds me of Deborah. She's an ordinary wife, mom, and swim coach. But she knows what it means to rise up and to call forth others to do the same. She made champions out of our little neighborhood swim club—for 25 years in a row. Our youngest son Michael joined her team when he was nine. After the first week, Leslie said, "I think you've got yourself a swimmer." Coach Leslie saw something in this skinny little kid. She called him to rise up. "Come on Michael, you can be a great swimmer!" He must have believed her because one day I found a small poster in his room with his ten-year-old scrawl, "Olympics Here I Come!!" He eventually earned a college scholarship for swimming, competed in the Olympic Trials, and even has a world record relay under his belt. From a struggling, nine-year-old to a champion. All because Coach Leslie called a little kid to "rise up." Now a husband, father of two little boys, and pastor to our church's student ministry, Michael calls kids of all ages to "rise up" and answer God's call. Is God asking you to rise up? Think of others you could challenge. The ripple effect could be extraordinary. It's time to stop losing wars we should be winning. For our marriages, our children, our nation. Let's dare to rise up as an army of believers who can change our world!

by Marilynn Chadwick Now my daughter, do not be afraid! Everything you propose, I will do for you, for everyone in town knows that you are a woman of valor (Ruth 3:11 TLV). Ruth is one of just two women to have a book of the Bible named after her. What's more, she ended up in the lineage of Jesus, one of only four women listed by name (Matthew 1:5 NIV). Yet there is nothing in Ruth's early life to suggest she would end up as one of Scripture's most noble women. The book of Ruth is an inspiring love story that demonstrates God's providential care. A Hebrew woman named Naomi, her husband, and sons left home in Bethlehem and traveled to Moab because of a terrible famine. Conditions were already hard, and living among the Moabites was even harder. They were a heathen culture that practiced hideous idolatry and even human sacrifice. Naomi's husband died and what started as a temporary stay in Moab dragged on and on. Her two sons ended up marrying two women from Moab and after ten more long years, her sons also died. Naomi was grief stricken. Certainly, God was punishing her, she thought. She prepared to travel back home—now destitute—renaming herself Mara, which means "bitter." Neither of Naomi's daughters-in-law had children. She encouraged them to go back to their own people and their own gods and to try to remarry. One did so, but Ruth refused and clung to Naomi. Ruth pledged undying devotion, not only to Naomi, but to God: "Your people will be my people and your God my God... May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me" (Ruth 1:16-17 NIV). What appears to be the simple kindness and fervent devotion of a young woman to her widowed mother-in-law not only saved Naomi's life, but brought about a destiny and a blessing for Ruth that would change the world forever. Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem. The villagers and elders were amazed at Ruth's devotion and loyalty to her mother-in-law. When Ruth finally met Boaz, the man she would eventually marry, Boaz assured her "everyone in town knows that you are a woman of valor" (Ruth 3:11 TLV). Ruth is the only woman in the entire Bible to be called a woman of valor by name. As I mentioned yesterday, valor in Hebrew conveys worth, strength and bravery. Ruth, an outsider and Gentile, married Boaz, the nearest kinsman redeemer. He could buy the land formerly owned by Naomi's deceased husband and take Ruth as a wife. Little did the couple know that the son to be born to them, Obed, would one day have a grandson named King David. I'm sure Ruth, Naomi, and their tiny village would have been awestruck to learn that Ruth and her son would be listed by name in the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). I believe Naomi's reflection of the one true God invited Ruth to give up the false gods of her people and to serve this God. Her decision changed history! The Lord used an unlikely woman named Ruth to be an instrument of redemption. When you think God has forgotten you; when you've endured grinding poverty or hunger, or war; when those closest to you have died; when you feel ashamed and forsaken; remember this: You are never beyond the grace of God. His grace will never fail! Today's Moment of Hope is adapted from Woman of Valor by Marilynn Chadwick. To receive a free PDF copy of this book please visit www.momentsofhopechurch.org/books.

by Marilynn Chadwick Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies (Proverbs 31:10 KJV). Deep down, I believe most women long to be world-changers. To use their powerful influence for good and give life to those around them. The Bible presents us with many examples of women who changed their world. Some were wives and mothers. Others were prophets, judges, and leaders. Some were old and wise. Others were youthful and passionate for God. All were warriors who discovered the secret that when they gave their lives away to others, they got back far more in return. The Hebrew term used in Proverbs 31:10, eshet chayil, is more accurately translated "woman of valor." "A woman of valor who can find? For her price is far above rubies" (JPS Tanakh 1917). Did you know valor is actually a military term? It was used for warriors like King David and his mighty men of valor. A woman of valor is a nurturer but also a warrior. I believe God knew women would have to be warriors for their families and communities. The concept of a woman of valor is quite common among Jews, even today. A long-standing custom the evening before Shabbat is for the husband to recite or even sing what is actually an acrostic poem in Proverbs 31, "The Woman of Valor," as a way to honor his wife. Valor means showing courage in the face of danger. So naturally, it requires a measure of mental toughness. But the Proverbs 31 woman also had to be physically strong: She "works with eager hands…gets up while it is still night; provides food for her family…plants a vineyard" and "sets about her work vigorously" (Proverbs 31:13, 14 NIV). Her arms are described as "strong for her tasks" (Proverbs 31:17). I have to smile when I think about her "strong arms" because it reminds me of my friend Beth. We've both loved being mothers and now grandmothers. But we agree—when raising our own children, we were used to the constant physical demands that come with lifting, dressing, and bathing little ones. Our arms grew strong. But lifting grandchildren is a little harder. So, Beth started doing 100 pushups a day. "I want to be able to lift all those grandbabies," she laughed. She does her first set during her normal exercise time—then she drops to the floor for a few more throughout the day. "It's amazing how they add up," she said. Beth—and her 100 daily pushups—give us a good mental picture of what it looks like to make our arms strong. The Amplified Bible describes the Proverbs 31 woman's strength in more detail: "She equips herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong" (Proverbs 31:17 AMP). Why not begin now to reflect on how you can strengthen yourself—spiritually, mentally, and physically. Who knows? Maybe you'll even want to try Beth's 100 pushups challenge!

by David Chadwick My final hidden hero is an unnamed Roman centurion. He was a Roman leader of over 100 soldiers. A powerful person, he knew what it was like to order people to do something and have them respond immediately. He understood authority. Nonetheless, in spite of his power, he felt unworthy to have Jesus even enter his home to heal his beloved servant! Take note of the humility he displayed as he realized there was one more powerful than him. We see this story unfold in Matthew 8:5-13. The Roman centurion's servant was very sick. In fact, he was lying at home paralyzed and suffering greatly. He went to Jesus and said these remarkable words: "Just say the word and I know he will be healed" (Matthew 8:8). Now, remember. This was a Gentile man of tremendous authority who knew all about authority. There is no biblical evidence that he followed Jesus. Yet he believed Jesus had the ultimate authority to heal! It was a simple, but profound faith. Jesus, from a distance, with a word, healed his servant in a moment. He didn't lay hands on him. He couldn't! He just spoke a word and it happened. This is one of the reasons I so admire this man. I call him one of my hidden heroes first, because of his humility. He knew that in spite of his earthly power, he was nothing and Jesus was everything. Secondly, he was a man of great faith! In fact, Jesus said he had never found anyone in Israel with such great faith. And this man was a Gentile! I want to have faith like the Roman centurion. I want my Lord to admire my faith as well. And even brag about it to others! I want to be a person of faith who notes Jesus's authority and his ability to do absolutely anything! "And without faith it is impossible to please God!" (Hebrews 11:6). May we learn to be people of faith. May we seek out all of the treasures God has given us in the Bible. So vast and full of wonder! And may we aim to live like the heroes in the Bible, both known and hidden. Most importantly, may our lives look like Jesus. The one, true Hero!

by David Chadwick My next hidden hero is Silas. You may have heard of Paul and Silas. Well, who was Silas? He was Paul's second partner on his missionary journeys after Paul and Barnabas split up. Barnabas wanted John Mark to rejoin them on their second trip and Paul wouldn't allow it. So they went different directions and Paul chose Silas, a Greek convert from the first journey. I find Silas to be a hidden hero for many reasons, but let me share a couple that really stand out. We don't know much about him, but what we do know is profound. He is most noted for his presence with Paul in the Philippian prison in Acts 16:16-40. Paul and Silas were thrown in jail for delivering a female slave from a demonic spirit. They were publicly stripped, beaten, and then put in prison. Trapped and locked up in a cell, they began to pray and sing praises to God around midnight. All of the sudden, a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the prison and the doors were miraculously opened! The jailer ended up getting saved! I have tremendous respect for a man who would risk his life to stand by his friend, Paul, in Gospel ministry and for the message of Jesus to move forward in the earth. Like Paul, Silas knew how to give praise in the prison and experience God's great power. But I also admire Silas because of his willingness to serve and sit in a lower seat on Paul's journeys. Leonard Bernstein, a famous conductor, once said that the most difficult position to play in the orchestra is second fiddle. To be the one who does a lot of the work, but never gets the attention requires a special person. Someone selfless, confident and willing to serve without being recognized. This was Silas. He was a servant who lived to support Paul's ministry. He desired no acclaim for himself. Lived only to serve, to pray, to praise God, and to display faith in the most difficult of situations. Because of this, the Gospel was able to be spread throughout the world!

by David Chadwick My next hidden hero is Nathan the prophet. Did you know the name "Nathan" means gift of God? I, for one, can see how Nathan's life was a gift to the world, but especially to King David! Nathan was a prophet who lived in the time of King David and had a close relationship with the king. We see his heroism in the story of David and Bathsheba. I find this to be one of the most tragic stories in biblical history. It is such a strong reminder of how sin can creep in and destroy even strong believers. If you remember biblical history, David first coveted and then stole Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, by committing adultery with her. Then, he killed Uriah, who had been his close friend. David had 30 "mighty men" – those who totally committed themselves to him, sometimes risking their own lives for his safety. Uriah loved David and was loyal to him. David then covered up Uriah's murder and lied about it for almost a year. As a side note, notice how David broke practically all the 10 Commandments here in his one situation. Lying, cheating, stealing, murdering, coveting, and so forth. Well, it was Nathan the prophet who finally took action! Nathan went to David and courageously confronted him in 2 Samuel 12. He told a story of a rich man who stole from a poorer person. This outraged David and asked who had done this evil act. Nathan said to him, "You are that man." Eventually, David bent to the conviction and said in verse 13 that he had sinned against the Lord (Psalm 51 is David's full confession). I love Nathan's courage. He spoke boldly to a man of power, even if it would have cost him his own life. He didn't hold anything back. And pronounced God's judgment over King David because of his sin. As a result of this bold confrontation, David repented. I admire and want to be like Nathan. I want to be willing to share the truth and to say the tough things at any time, in any place, to anyone. I don't want to be intimidated by power, but always willing to speak truth to power no matter what the cost. For such were the prophets of old – especially Nathan. A gift to King David and another one of my hidden heroes!

by David Chadwick My next hidden hero is a wise man named Gamaliel. His character comes on the scene in Acts 5. Who was Gamaliel? He was the head of the Sanhedrin, which was the Jewish Council of 70 people who ruled over all affairs of Judaism. As the early church was gaining traction, antipathy and anger exacerbated against the early church. In Acts 5:27, the apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin to be questioned. The Sanhedrin ordered them not to teach in Jesus's name. This was the moment when Peter boldly responded, "We must obey God rather than human beings!" (Acts 5:29). When the Jewish leaders heard Peter's response, they were furious and ready to kill them. The fellow Sanhedrin went to Gamaliel and asked what they should do. Intensify the persecution? Kill all the Christians? In Acts 5:34, Gamaliel stood up and spoke up courageously and pointedly, which is why he is one of my hidden heroes. He first asked that the apostles be put outside for a bit. He proceeds to say, "Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourself fighting against God" (Acts 5:38). Gamaliel gave wise advice that is timeless and still applies to situations today. If something is from the Lord, it will succeed. If not, it will fail. Period. There's no evidence in the Bible that Gamaliel was even a Christian when he spoke up. But he certainly had wise advice. God's sovereignty reigns in all situations. He will do as he wishes with or without our consent. Finally, the warning in this story is clear. If you are lifting your hand against something that is of the Lord, be careful because if they are leading something that is from the Lord, it will succeed regardless! But always follow Gamaliel's wise advice: Let God be God!

by David Chadwick My next hidden hero is Timothy. We don't know when, but at some point he became a follower of Jesus and a mentee of Paul. Over Paul and Timothy's journey together, Paul developed a tremendous love for Timothy as a fellow worker for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus. He ended up writing letters to him in 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. Timothy was raised in the Christian faith by his mother, Lois and his grandmother, Eunice. Both of whom apparently had a deep and sincere faith in Jesus (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy was also a church planter in Ephesus. We see in 2 Timothy 1:7 that he probably struggled with fear and in 1 Timothy 5:23 that he had a weak stomach that needed an occasional shot of wine, which if you know anything about the gut, may well have been caused by his bouts with fear. Nonetheless, I so admire Timothy because of his loyalty to Paul, his mentor. When Paul is facing death in a Roman prison cell, it is Timothy who Paul asked to bring him his parchments. Could it be that these were the bare parchments Paul used to write his letters to the churches? Or more likely, they were the ones where Paul had already written letters about sound doctrine and practices to the churches throughout the Roman Empire. Either way, Timothy is a hero of mine to be a loyal servant and friend to Paul and make provisions for the Gospel to move forward through Paul's writings. Most importantly, Timothy was faithful. He was a servant. He gave his life and time to Paul's ministry. Loyalty and honor. Two concepts that are often either greatly missing in our modern world. May we learn from Timothy and be people who act in ways that are worthy of honor and therefore encourage others to stand loyally with spouses, friends, pastors, and leaders.