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God, be merciful to me, a sinner! Luke 18:13 It is generally not our nature to admit need and ask for help. Like the stereotypical male, lost while driving, most of us don’t like to allow others to know that we’re lost. We prefer to present a shiny facade that tells those around us that…
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The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.” Luke 18:11 In my drug addiction, I felt like the worst person in the world. I claimed to follow God, but I followed myself, even when I knew…
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Because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming. Luke 18:5 Every morning, for the last couple of years, part of my prayer time has been spent praying for those I know who are still living in active drug or alcohol…
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Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. Luke 17:33 For the most part, there are two kinds of guys that come to jail Bible study. The first blames everyone else for his incarceration. His probation officer doesn’t like him, his lawyer is incompetent, and the…
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The kingdom of God is in the midst of you. Luke 17:21 It’s our nature to take even the best of things and warp them by doing them our way. A few times, I’ve heard the addict, in the throes of his addiction, explain that to share the gospel with other addicts, he had to…
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Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Luke 17:17 I’ve been through multiple cycles of relapse and attempted recovery. In the misery of each relapse, I lamented my destructive behavior, made some attempt to change, and then, as life returned to normal, I grew complacent. I sought God’s help while in crisis, but as…
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When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Luke 17:14 It’s a common phenomenon for the addict to think he knows best when it comes to finding recovery. Though he’s been told by counselors and others what he needs to do,…
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The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Luke 17:5 Many times, in my addiction, I prayed for God to make me a bigger, better person. I hated the fact that I had an appetite for pills, and I begged God to take away that appetite. Make me strong. Make me hate what I’m…
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If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, “I repent,” you must forgive him. Luke 17:3-4 A repeat offender, like the addict who has relapsed over and over, loves Christ’s message of forgiveness.…
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If your brother sins, rebuke him . . . Luke 17:3 Upon moving to Minnesota several years ago, I learned about Minnesota Nice, an apparent regional tendency of being kind, respectful, and courteous. I hadn’t moved far to get to Minnesota, so I was probably already Minnesota Nice without really knowing it. For me though,…
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