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On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples…
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Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. John 19:39 Having been in recovery for a few years and having seen many addicts attempt recovery, I can often predict whether someone is going to be successful in staying sober or…
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He said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 While out hiking in the mountains recently, we got a glimpse early on of our destination, which appeared to be a ridiculously long way off. At that moment, the goal seemed like it was simply too far away.…
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Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” John 18:38 I heard someone say the other day that he’d realized his first impulsive response, in almost every situation, was wrong. I had to laugh bitterly, as I’ve also found this to be true in my life. This isn’t just about my drug addiction. I’ve had to…
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For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. John 18:37 Having observed a friend sustain significant weight loss, I recently asked her how she’d done it. I’ve always struggled with my weight and I’m interested (albeit somewhat jealous) in those who’ve been…
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My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. John 18:36 I’ve been asked a couple times lately if I thought we were in the end…
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They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” John 18:30 When I worked in the ER, I would often see people for routine things that simply weren’t emergencies. This was just part of the job and usually, I didn’t say anything. Occasionally though, if…
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So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” John 18:25 Modern medicine sees addiction as a chronic disease marked by repeated episodes of sobriety and relapse. I rejected this when I learned it in my first attempt at treatment. I…
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One of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand . . . John 18:22 I grew up in a home where I was pretty sheltered from foul language. Like any kid though, once exposed, I quickly soaked up the colorful words I heard in the neighborhood. After hanging out with the neighbor kids…
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The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” John 18:17 We all have expectations, hopes, and dreams about what our future should look like. We all have plans about where we want to go, what we want to…
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