Month: June 2018

He took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering . . . 2 Kings 3:27 I am the keeper of memories I do not want. As an addict, I became a liar and a thief, hurting my loved ones in ways that shame me to remember.…
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Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me. 2 Kings 2:9 When I first attempted sobriety, I was terrified of discovery and in the name of pride, I remained unwilling to share my story. My recovery didn’t last very long and soon I was back in active addiction. In inpatient treatment, I…
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Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 2 Kings 1:3 Because of my persistent destructive appetites, my behavior has been tremendously difficult to change. I remember a time when I could not imagine living without a pill. I need it. I’m…
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There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.  1 Kings 22:8 I do not take criticism well. When I get patient comments back at the clinic, I ignore the nine positives and…
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Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen . . .  And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food. 1 Kings 21:4 I recently had a one of those annoying days when I just couldn’t get anything done. I needed to plant grass, but I couldn’t find…
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He . . . took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen . . . Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him. 1 Kings 19:21 Though my struggle with self-control may always have some influence on me, I don’t believe that I must…
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He asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life . . .“ 1 Kings 19:4 I have recently been wrestling with a recurrent theme from the Old Testament. Many times, God told the Israelites that if they obeyed Him, they would be rewarded with success (Deuteronomy 12:28).…
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Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself . . .” 1 Kings 18:27 Today’s passage tells one of my favorite childhood Old Testament stories. In it, Elijah, a prophet of God, challenged the prophets of the false god, Baal, whom the Israelites…
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How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him . . . 1 Kings 18:21 A couple summers ago, my son and I hiked into the mountains, carrying our tent, food, and clothing on our backs. It was supposed to be all fun, but honestly, the hike in,…
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Is it you, you troubler of Israel? 1 Kings 18:17 It is often part of my job as a physician to inform patients with an injury, such as an ankle fracture, that the treatment will require several weeks in a cast. Occasionally, the patient will direct anger and frustration over this inconvenience at me. I understand…
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