Your “Friend”

saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Luke 14:30 NASB Not able to finish – What if your best friend is really your worst enemy? What if embracing surrender to God means committing suicide of your self? What if there isn’t any real life after this death? Answers to these…

Connection

It is not good for the man to be alone.  Genesis 2:18  NASB Alone – Brené Brown was the first to offer me the insight into connection. Her TED talk is significant. It must be heard (CLICK HERE). Her research provides the evidence that human beings are “hard-wired for connection,” and it is this single factor…

The Keys to Recovery

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 1:21 NASB Honor/give thanks – Addictions affect the mind. You probably assumed that was the case with drug abuse, but it is just as true…

The Law of Grace

If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have revived me. Psalm 119:92-93 NASB Affliction – Does this verse as it is translated make any sense? How can delight in Torah rescue someone from death due to…

The Beast Within

I was also blameless with Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity. Psalm 18:23 NASB My iniquity – It would be much easier to for David to say that he kept himself “from iniquity.” Then the wickedness would be alien, outside, an enemy at a distance. But David uses the Hebrew ‘awoni, the combination…

Knotted

The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me. Psalm 18:5 NASB Cords/surrounded – What are the cords of Sheol? How will we know what to do to avoid them unless we understand what they are? Perhaps we can begin by discovering what they are not. First, the cords of Sheol are…

The Tolerance Principle

and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. Ephesians 4:19 NASB Greediness – Day 5. More is never enough. How many millions does it take to make a millionaire satisfied? Just one more. How many lovers do I need to make sure…

Living the Dream

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24 NASB Tutor – My friend Jerry, a devoted Catholic priest, once told me that an addiction was the way we stayed alive while God was engineering our redemption. Anesthetizing the guilt and shame…

After the End (2)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Psalm 51:10-12 NASB Joy – Is gladness missing…