Articles
Overwhelmed with Shame & Condemnation?
While recently talking to a young man, it came to light that a significant reason for his instability is that he is living in a ‘state of shame’. He senses that because he is still getting things wrong in his life, God is just standing by until this young man gets...
Do You ‘Know’ God?
Recently, while reading a book, I came across some writings from a man named ‘Bernard of Clairvaux who was used by God within the twelfth century European church. Bernard suggested that the Christian life generally follows four levels of maturity:
Where temptation originates/evil desires
James 1:13-15(NASB) Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it...
Total Openness? The Wrong Solution
While reading a book entitled “Encouragement”- by Drs. Larry Crabb and Dan
Allender, I was reminded of some very useful reminders of how to maintain
“healthy” Christian fellowship.
Here are some excerpts, mixed with my thoughts, from Chapter Four- “Total
Openness– The Wrong Solution”:
The Devil Talks to You in Your Voice – Peggy Burghauser
That statement made by a Scottish preacher while we were visiting Northern Ireland hit me hard. I started thinking that if that’s true (and I know experientially that it is), when do you know it’s the devil? While the devil is speaking to me in my own voice, he’s...
Are You Telling HIS Story? – Michael Kisner
Acts 8:30-31a, 35- So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to...
All the Lonely People
There are several songs written about “all the lonely people” and I picked up a small booklet with the same title on one of my trips to the U.K I am often reminded of the lonely people as I reflect upon and talk about the ministry work of Stauros.
How To Help People – Neil T. Anderson
Do you want your life to count for God? Do you want to be used in the lives of other people? Do you want to be part of the solution? It is simpler than you think — you don’t need seminary, programs, methods, techniques, more knowledge etc. There are hurting people all around you, even in your own family. I don’t care who you are or what you know; God will use you if you do this. It is yet to be seen what the love of Christ can do.
Accept them just the way they are — If you don’t do this it does not make any difference what you do. People don’t care what you know until they know you care. This is everyone’s greatest need.
Sobriety – John Burghauser
Sobriety is:
•To be free from drunkenness and every form of excess
•Exercising self-control by curbing passions
•To be even-tempered in mind and action
•To be reasonable and sensible
Many men and women have found a place of freedom from drug and alcohol abuse… yet they still find themselves hurting. They were so convinced that breaking the bonds of chemical dependency would satisfy all they were looking for… then, when they managed to string together several weeks or months of clean-time, they comment that “things seem to be no better… or getting worse”.
Testimony – Don Riffle
My name is Don Riffle and as I write this, I am 39 years old, married and have two daughters. We currently live in Parkville, Md. I am an electrician and my wife is a home healthcare nurse in the Baltimore area.
I was introduced to alcohol when I was about 10 years old. One of my friends took a few of my stepfather’s beers and we drank them. I didn’t particularly care for the taste and didn’t really want to be like my stepfather, stumbling around and acting like a fool, so I told myself I would never get caught up in that mess. Around this time, my real father was shot and killed. That really shook me, especially since I only got to see him a couple of times. Up to that point, our family consisted of my mom, me, my stepfather and my stepbrother. When I was around 14 years old, I found out that I had two sisters that were living with foster parents.