Category: Faith in the Struggle

Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. Judges 2:18 When I first began practicing…
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Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. Judges 2:17 I’ve been sober for six months. I only smoke pot. I hear something like this from my patients quite regularly. This permissive attitude towards marijuana reveals a shift in our culture’s view that is…
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Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Judges 2:16 We have a long driveway, and so, when it snows, there’s a lot of snow to move. To address this, we recently acquired an old, mini tractor with a snowblower. I’ve never owned a tractor…
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And they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the LORD to anger. Judges 2:12 I often write about how,…
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And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel. Judges 2:10 In practicing addiction medicine, I was trained to ask about adverse childhood events, with the idea being that a lot of…
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But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you. Judges 2:2-4 A couple of years ago, I discovered that on my property,…
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As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money. Joshua 24:32 One of the most common complaints I encounter in those…
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And now I am about to go the way of all the earth . . . Joshua 23:14 The Abrams family got together over the last several days to celebrate Christmas, which was a wonderful time of family, food, and games. In addition to the usual festivities though, my sister asked a few of us…
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Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel. Joshua 24:31 Back in 2017, when I first began the process of writing a book, I had visions of best-seller lists and million-dollar royalties.…
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He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” Joshua 24:23 As the Christmas myth goes, Santa Claus observes the behavior of…
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