Faith

How To Escape The Roller Coaster

No matter where you are, you look around and, sure enough, there you are.

Do you spend a lot of time and energy trying to be somewhere other than here-and-now?

I’ve noticed lately that my inner life seems to be a roller coaster. Past experience tells me that the valleys will eventually outnumber the hills, and when that happens I’ll settle into a low spot. Unless I take some sort of evasive action, my natural tendency toward depression will drag me into the shadows.

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Sins Of Righteousness

What’s the ultimate sin?

I’ve always figured sin was sin, none any better or worse than others. I’ve always wondered about folks who seem to categorize sins and set themselves apart as though there’s something admirable about belonging to a better class of sinner.

If you’re a regular reader, you know that my small group is studying The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. Last night we discussed Keller’s assertion that one sin underlies all of our other sins and our righteousness—in his words, “the sin of seeking to be our own Savior and Lord.”

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Nothing less than the LIVING Christ

He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:4

If your faith stops at the cross–it misses the blessing of the fullest revealing of Christ!

You need a Savior who not merely two thousand years ago went to death to redeem you–but one who also is alive to walk by your side in loving companionship.

You need a Savior who can hear your prayers, to whose feet you can creep in penitence when you have sinned, to whom you can call for help when the battle is going against you.

You need a Savior who is interested in all the affairs of your common life, and who can assist you in every time of need.

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Spiritual Cleanse For The Heart, Mind and Soul

Worksheet at bottom of article

Often times when we don’t feel well, we cleanse the body for physical health to prevent surgery, feel good, look younger, and live longer. What about our spiritual health? Did you know that if we cleanse the mind of unwanted toxins our physical health would also improve?

Spiritual cleansing is excellent therapy for negative and destructive emotions, depression, sadness, drug and alcohol addiction, and all other addictions that have to do with the mind and attitude.

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Why Starve when You Have “The Bread of Life?”

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35 NIV

When our bodies are hungry or thirsty we open the refrigerator and eat or drink to our hearts content. When we are spiritually hungry what do we do? Some of us do nothing and we remain starved for nutrients. Some of us don’t go to the correct source for our spiritual food and become vitamin deficient. The only way we can really satisfy our spiritual hunger is by getting to know Jesus Christ and having an ongoing personal relationship with Him. When we feel hungry we just ask. When we feel dehydrated we just ask. Jesus is the only way.

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Addiction as Besetting Sin

by Franklin E. Payne, Jr., M.D., author of several books, is Associate Professor of Family Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, in Augusta, Georgia.

Addictive disorders and alcoholism cost $165 billion a year in the United States alone!1 The addict screams, "I can’t help myself! I’m addicted." In response, "experts"2 and society feel compassion with ever increasing programs for them.

However, I want to substitute "besetting sin" for "addiction." The primary problem is moral and spiritual,3 not medical, and cannot be addressed without that perspective.

What is Addiction?

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Do You Have Control?

Matthew 26:39 NKJV
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

It struck me, the other day, that the ultimate sin — the foundational mindset that causes us to sin — is a matter of control. We sin because we want to control… to control our circumstances, to control those around us, to control our future. We win because we want some thing rather than being willing to let God and trust God to give us what He wants.

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How to Get Out of the Pit

Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great kindness. Joel 2:13

Let me start this week’s devotional with the words to a chorus God gave me when I was in the pit of self-loathing and condemnation:

I remember, Lord, the joy of serving You;
I remember, Lord, when all I knew was You;
Flowing through me, calling to me,
Lord, please use me once again!

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When You are in a Dark Place

One evening recently a dear friend and I sat talking about the fact that though she was praying and seeking God for clear direction, she seemed to receive no answer and couldn’t “see” the way she was supposed to go. As I listened to her, it became clear to me (isn’t it always easier to see/hear God’s direction for someone else than for ourselves?) that God had her exactly where she was for a specific purpose. She was unable to see where God wanted her to go next because He had called her to hide (and rejoice!) for a season under the shadow of His wings.

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