Faith/Spiritual
The great English writer G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing, and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”
Wow! What a reminder! There’s no doubt that one should give thanks more often. Time is set aside for being grateful at mealtimes, Sunday mornings, and Thanksgiving. But a person in recovery from addiction should not let an hour go by without giving thanks . . . for work, school, kids, health, spouse, friends, blessings, and even challenges. (more…)
Faith/Spiritual
Most people like being in control. Period. Everyone wants things to happen according to their wishes and timetable. But sometimes, God has other plans; He always has the final word.
Oswald Chambers correctly observed, “Our Lord never asks us to decide for Him; He asks us to yield to Him—a very different matter.” These words serve as a reminder that even when one can’t fully understand what God is doing, one must trust Him and accept His will.
Everyone will experience adversity and pain. As a human being with limited comprehension, one can never fully understand the will of their Father in heaven. But when believers trust a benevolent God, they must also trust His providence.
When Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, as described in Luke 22, He poured out His heart to God. Jesus knew of the agony He was destined to endure but that God’s will must be done. (more…)
Faith/Spiritual
Ever wonder why God forgives a person who puts their faith in Him and wipes their slate clean but doesn’t instantly change their character?
God doesn’t automatically transform a person’s character because He expects them to do the demanding work it takes to follow Christ.
The life of a follower of Christ is often depicted in the Bible as a field to cultivate:
Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you. — Hosea 10:12, NLT
Likewise, a follower of Christ must work hard to grow spiritually and become fruitful. (more…)
Faith/Spiritual
Self-control is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “restraint exercised over one’s impulses, emotions, or desires.”
But self-control doesn’t come naturally for most people. It can be difficult not to give in to triggers and temptations. Old habits die hard; healthy habits take work. It’s easy to get through the end of a hard day and feel entitled to spend the evenings escaping by turning to overeating, watching porn, or on the couch binge-watching television or playing video games.
Where does self-control come from? The Bible teaches that self-control comes from two things.
First, it’s a fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (more…)
Faith/Spiritual
Life Recovery Step One says, “We admitted that we were powerless over our dependencies and that our lives had become unmanageable.”
In Step One, one must realize they cannot meet God’s standards. Many addicts who are starting recovery think they can do everything in their own strength, but trying to do it all without any help is not the solution. Why? Because no one can do it all. Everyone falls short—no one is perfect. So, God gave the law as a measuring stick to reveal that no one can meet God’s holy and perfect standards.
The apostle Paul wrote: (more…)
Faith/Spiritual
As Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (NLT), The Life Recovery Bible has been used as a path for countless individuals seeking recovery. In 1991, Tyndale House Publishers partnered with Steve Arterburn and Dr. Dave Stoop to create a study Bible that would encourage fellow strugglers to connect with the Bible. As a result, The Life Recovery Bible was born; since then, it has become the number one selling recovery Bible. And millions of those who’ve used this Bible have seen their lives transformed.
Want to start reading The Life Recovery Bible? If so, here are some helpful tips. (more…)
