Faith in God enables men and women to make great choices — choices that can affect not only themselves, but all of history. Hebrews chapter 11 is filled with examples of faithful men and women who have gone before us. Here’s just a few:

‘By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family‘ (Heb. 11:7).

‘By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going‘ (Hebrews 11:8).

‘By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict‘ (Hebrews 11:23).

‘By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient‘ (Hebrews 11:31). [Read more…]

The decision to make a significant life-style change is important, but not nearly as important as the plan for change and the resolve to continue following that plan when it becomes a grind. The story of Nehemiah is both insightful and encouraging for all of us who find ourselves stuck in the recovery process.

Under the wise direction of Nehemiah, the Israelites had organized a Herculean effort to rebuild the walls of their beloved city. The city wall, which was the primary defense against marauding bands of thieves, had lain in ruins for a generation. Solomon, in Proverbs 25:28, likens broken down city walls to a lack of self-discipline — ‘Like a city whose walls are broken down, is a man who lacks self-control.’

Our story begins sometime after the reconstruction efforts had begun. Nehemiah lists in detail the various sections of the wall with the names of the families who worked on them. The people worked hard and rejoiced as a new wall arose from the rubble: ‘So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.’ (Nehemiah 4:6). [Read more…]

For many Christians the idea of addiction recovery seems like a touchy-feely, self-help, un-Christian thing. With terminology that includes, “Higher Power,” “sponsor,” and “12 steps,” recovery can be unfamiliar and possibly threatening to some Christians. It is certainly possible to do recovery — submitting to the program and to a higher power and experiencing sobriety — without following Christ. But this does not make recovery anymore un-Christian than non-Christian couples remaining married ‘until death do they part‘ would make marriage un-Christian.

For something to be un-Christian it would have to be contrary to the gospel. Even though the terms may seem foreign to some Christians, the key principles of recovery highlight significant realities that are contained in the gospel. [Read more…]

When counselors get together and discuss the struggles and difficulties of helping people, one question that frequently comes up is this: “Who is working harder — the counselor or the client?”  If the counselor is working harder than the client, chances are the client isn’t going to experience any real change.

The same is true for groups. If the support group and its members are working harder than an attendee who says they want help, there is slim chance that attendee will see change. Neither a counselor nor a group can do the work of recovery for someone. [Read more…]

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. – Leviticus 19:18

In the 1987 movie The Princess Bride, Westley is a shy farmhand who eventually rescues and falls in love with Princess Buttercup.  In stark contrast to Westley, Inigo Montoya is a swordsman who seeks revenge against the six-fingered man who murdered his father. His favorite phrase to say is: “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

It’s easy to hold a grudge and react like Montoya, but it’s hard to love like Westley.  But God commands us specifically to not “seek revenge or bear a grudge,” (Lev. 19:18).  [Read more…]