God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you . . . inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction . . . 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 As my addiction grew,…
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. . . God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well . . . 2 Thessalonians 1:6 When I was a child, I was shocked and hurt to discover that other kids thought mean was funny. I was quite sensitive…
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. . . Hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 When I was a kid, a Christian rock band released a song entitled, Love God Hate Sin. I remember thinking, Easy. That’s not difficult. If I just keep that in mind, I can’t go wrong. Much later in…
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Do not quench the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 When life fell apart due to my drug addiction, my marriage was a mess. After I came home from treatment, we lived in the same house, but for quite a while, we lived separate lives. I’d see other couples who appeared happy and I realized that I’d…
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Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 I have a recurring conversation whenever I do discharge physical exams for patients who’re leaving treatment. Often, when I ask how they’re doing, they feel great. Cravings for the drug…
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See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:13 Early in the pandemic, I honestly thought everyone would pull together to fight a common enemy. I was obviously quite mistaken as Covid seemed to expose our division, generating tremendous animosity…
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And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 My own story of recovery is an important part of how I may be of help to those who still struggle. I’ve been there – is a powerful connection. I didn’t invent addiction…
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Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 It’s not entirely fair or universally true, but whatever scenario I’m in, I sometimes find myself dividing the world into two kinds of people: Those who do one thing and those who do the other. In reading today’s…
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For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But…
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For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God . . . the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden…
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