Recovery Under the Cross

Midweek Meditation: Fill the Void

Quitting an addiction often leaves a void in what we do to occupy our time. Some people trade one addiction for another. Others find a hobby. Sadly, there are some who don't know how to fill the time void and end up relapsing.
Fill the time void with the Holy Spirit coming to you as you read and hear God's Word along with receiving the sacrament of Holy Communion on a regular basis. The blessings of being in God's Word on a daily basis are tremendous!

Midweek Meditation: Christ's Resurrection Proves Salvation

Had Christ not risen again from the dead, we would have reason to cling to the guilt and shame we feel about the hurt we caused with our addiction. Thanks be to God Christ did rise again from the dead! We are not dead in our sins. Christ's resurrection from the dead proves our salvation from sin, allowing us to let go of our guilt and shame and cling to the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins we have in Christ.

Christ's Resurrection Drives Away Hopelessness

Do you remember your rock-bottom? Have you watched someone else hit rock-bottom because of addiction? Did you feel hopelessness and despair?
After watching their teacher suffer and die on the cross, it isn't hard to imagine Jesus' disciples possibly having feelings of hopelessness and despair over the events that transpired between Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane and his crucifixion. Soon enough, their hopelessness would turn into joy. Jesus rose again from the dead just as he said he would.
Because of Jesus' resurrection, we don't need to hang on to the guilt, shame, hopelessness, and despair over our sins. Jesus paid for our sins once and for all. His resurrection guarantees that.

Midweek Meditation: Jesus Rested

It's no accident Jesus lay in the tomb over the Sabbath after suffering and dying on the cross to pay for all of our sins. The word Hebrew word Sabbath (Shabbat) is used in Genesis chapter two where it says God rested on the 7th day. The word Sabbath means rest. It also means to cease. God ceased his creating activity because God did everything he was going to do for creating the world. Likewise, Jesus rested from his saving work after declaring the debt of sin to be paid in full and giving up his life on the cross. We know the tomb where Jesus lay didn't keep him permanently. The first day of the new week was when Jesus defeated the last enemy of mankind - death. It's with eager anticipation we prepare our hearts to celebrate the highest day of the church year - Easter Sunday.

Midweek Meditation: Saved in the Dark

It's easy for our sinful minds to justify our addictive behavior after the sun goes down for the night. The chances of getting caught diminish when we are by ourselves sitting in a dark, dimly lit room. For today's meditation, we go back to Good Friday when darkness covered all the earth. While it was dark, Jesus suffered the full wrath of God as he suffered the punishment of hell for all of our sins. By what Jesus did in the dark shines a bright light on our salvation from sin, death, and Hell. 

Midweek Meditation: Betrayal

Anyone who has read or listened to the Passion History during Lent know who Judas Iscariot is. Even kids in Sunday School know who Judas is and what he did to betray Jesus the night before he died on the cross.
We're no different than Judas. Granted, we didn't betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. We betrayed Jesus for far less than that by betraying him with our sins. Each time we sin and look for other methods of calming our nerves or seeking pleasure and happiness by abusing our bodies and minds with substances, lust, or greed, we betray Jesus and turn our backs on him. 
Jesus stayed committed to us. He remained committed to bearing the full weight of God's wrath and punishment for sin. Jesus did that in our place. What a tremendous blessing it is to have our sins washed away by Jesus' blood!

Midweek Meditation: Lukewarm to Lent?

This Midweek Meditation was recorded on Ash Wedesday. That means Lent is upon us. Have you ever become bored with Lent? Does it seem to get old that we hear the Gospel account of Jesus making his way from the upper room where he celebrated the passover with his disciples and eventually to the borrowed tomb in which Jesus was laid after dying on the cross? Listen to the warning the apostle John was directed to give to the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22.
It is my prayer that we never grow tired of hearing about what our Savior has done to take away our sins.

Heroes Have Warts: Abraham and Sarah (Part 2)

This episode is a continuation of the previous episode. We take a look at Abraham and Sarah, who were lauded for their faith in Hebrews 11, and how they are sinful people just like the rest of us. God chose Abraham and Sarah to be the ancestors of the coming Savior. Things looked bleak for Abraham and Sarah because Sarah was unable to have children of her own. Later on, God would make good on his promise in his own time and way, and Sarah would later conceive and give birth to Isaac at the age of 90.
It's truly amazing how God uses broken sinful people to advance his plan of salvation! God continues to use broken sinful people like us in ways we could have never imagined to share the good news of salvation with others.

Heroes Have Warts: Abraham and Sarah (Part 1)

Heroes Have Warts is a new series for Recovery Under the Cross. The series examines select individuals named in Hebrews chapter 11 which is often referred to as the "Heroes of Faith" chapter. The writer of the book of Hebrews highlights many examples of familiar names from the Old Testament who lived by faith in God and his promise for a Savior from Sin. Though heralded as heroes of faith, the people listed in Hebrews 11 are broken, sinful people like you and me. God chose each one of the people listed in Hebrews 11 to keep his plan of salvation in motion despite them being broken, sinful people. God chose us who are equally broken and sinful to proclaim what He has done to take away the sins of the world. Yes, God uses addicts and recovering addicts to show those around them the fullness of God's grace in Christ.
Today's episode focuses on Abraham and Sarah lying in order to keep Abraham alive even though God promised to bless them with a child of their own, and from that child a great nation from which the Savior of the world would be born.

Midweek Meditation: Fragile Vessel with Priceless Treasure

God demonstrates His almighty power by taking broken, sinful people like us to carry a priceless treasure - the message of Christ crucified and risen again from the dead to take away the sins of the world. What an awesome privilege our God bestows on us!