Month: October 2021

Now before faith came, we were held captive . . . But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith . . . for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:23-28 I have an unfortunate habit of…
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Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Galatians 3:4 Someone recently asked me how I look back on my own addiction. I had to respond that I’m certainly sorrowful for the pain I caused. I have relationships that will probably never be repaired and even the ones I have…
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Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Galatians 3:3 Whenever people tell me they’ve relapsed into drug use, I ask them to explain how it happened. In the story, they usually tell me how they did well after treatment, changing their lives, and going to…
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I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 In the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, steps…
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We know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. Galatians…
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And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. Galatians 2:13 I’ve been sober for seven years now and I’ve got to admit that occasionally, I think maybe I’ve recovered well enough that I could just have one drink. Alcohol wasn’t my primary…
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But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. Galatians 2:11 In the worst of my addiction, I inappropriately used the power of my license to get my pills. When that fact came to the attention of those with whom I worked, they had a tough choice to…
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For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. Galatians 2:12 Like any normal kid, I was friends with the other kids in my neighborhood while growing up. A couple of them were a year older than…
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But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Galatians 2:3 Early in recovery, when the news of my addiction was still fresh, I found it hard to go out in public. I knew I needed to go back to church, but church is a hard…
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They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me. Galatians 1:23-24 When my kids were little and I was working in the Emergency Room, every night before bed, they wanted to hear ER stories. It…
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