Spiritual Growth
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How’s Your Appetite?
One day many years ago when I was a young soldier, my platoon was sent into the Georgia wilderness for a land navigation exercise. Another soldier and I were given a map, a compass, and two canteens of water each before being dropped nearly ten miles from our objective. It was one of those hot… Continue reading
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Church Alone Ain’t Enough
Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. – Hebrews 3:13 Every single brother in Christ that I meet with and spend time with is actively engaged in a daily battle with sin. They don’t have to tell me this –… Continue reading
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Like Oil and Water
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ~ Mark 8:36 Ahab was considered the worst king ever in Israel’s history. 1st Kings 16:30 tells us so: “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.” He repeatedly disobeyed God,… Continue reading
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Hard Lessons Can Be Our Greatest Blessings
My mom’s sickness came on in the spring of 2020. It was the same week that my sister was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. That was a tough week. And it would lead to the most challenging season of my life. Being retired (and my brother being consumed with work at his job), I assumed… Continue reading
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He Couldn’t See the Forest For the Trees. Can We?
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” – John 14:8-9 Some came to Jesus… Continue reading
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What a Rescue Dog Can Teach Us About God’s Love
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18 It’s funny how we can so easily become attached to our pets. I was reminded of this a few weeks ago as… Continue reading
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There Can Be No Ceasing of Hostilities Where Sin is Concerned
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. – 1 John 3:6 John gets straight to the point, doesn’t he?! He doesn’t say anything about a true Christian being sinless. Every believer still battles the presence of sin and often grieves… Continue reading
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The Man Who May Dwell With God
Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile… Continue reading
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Are You Running on Empty?
Have you ever found yourself stranded on the side of the road because of your car breaking down? It’s not a good feeling! This happened to me many years ago. I was on active duty at the time and heading home for a week of military leave. I had just fueled up with only an… Continue reading
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God’s Not Bothered by Circumstances
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. Exodus 1:6-7 I was prepping for an upcoming Bible study series in Exodus yesterday evening and my wife pointed out something… Continue reading
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Trusting The Gardener
Roses are some of the most beautiful flowers in a garden, but they require careful attention if they’re going to flourish. If a rosebush is left entirely on its own, the branches will eventually begin to grow inward and crowd one another. The stems then start competing for sunlight, space, and nutrients. As they grow… Continue reading
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What Can We Learn From Two of Peter’s Responses?
I’ve been thinking about the disciples lately, particularly Peter. And although I know what Scripture says about favoritism, I can’t help but admit that of the Twelve – Peter is my favorite. Maybe it’s because in some unique way, Peter makes me feel better about my own faith. (And not that I’m comparing my faith… Continue reading
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There’s No App for Righteousness
No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.– C.S. Lewis Recently my auto insurance company sent me an email with the subject title, “Want to save up to 30% on your auto insurance premium? Look inside.” I figured it was probably a gimmick, perhaps something about referring… Continue reading
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Borrowed, Not Owned
It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.– 1 Cor. 4:2 When we think about stewardship, many of us immediately think of money: namely tithes, offerings, and charitable giving. But the Bible presents us with a far bigger picture of stewardship. It really begins with one simple truth: God owns… Continue reading
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If You’re Not Reading Your Bible, How Do You Know What’s True?
Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. – John 17:17 Truth is under attack. Always has been. Satan’s not subtle about it – well, he is subtle, actually. He doesn’t just come out and lie; he twists the truth, mixes in half-truths with lies, and makes it all sound reasonable. Jesus called him… Continue reading
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Not-Fun Fact: We Really Can’t Become Like Christ Apart from Suffering.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son… Romans 8:28-29 One of the great truths of Scripture is that God… Continue reading
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Are You Being Choked Out by Life?
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. – Luke 8:7 In his book entitled, “Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad,” John Eldredge asks a very simple yet profound question: “What does it say that you look like some sort of a nut job… Continue reading
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Do You See Giants, Too?
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” – Numbers 13:30 You know that moment when you’re staring at something big – maybe a dream, a challenge, or a step you know God’s nudging you toward – and… Continue reading
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Greater Things Through Him
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” – John 14:12 Jesus wasn’t threatened by the idea of His followers doing greater works than He had done. In fact, He… Continue reading
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Upward and Onward
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is… Continue reading
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The Danger of a Heart Unchecked
As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. – John 13:30 Judas Iscariot walked with Jesus for three years. He saw the greatest life ever lived, up close and personal. He witnessed miracles that many could only dream of seeing – Jesus calming the storm, feeding the thousands,… Continue reading
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What Defines You?
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. – Colossians 3:3-4 When people describe someone, we often hear phrases like, “Sports is his life,” or “Music is her life.” We naturally connect people with… Continue reading
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The Gardener’s Patience
Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just… Continue reading
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If the Bible Could Take Selfies
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully… Continue reading
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Count it All Joy
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1: 2-4 What if something we consider good is actually bad?… Continue reading
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Getting Better Requires a Change of Diet
They make a lot of recovery meetings. They may even sign up to make coffee for the group or greet members at the door once in a while. And some of them may abstain from drinking for several months, perhaps even a few years. But they still have the same problems that they had when… Continue reading
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Not All Break-Ups Are Bad
“Resentment is the number one offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else.” ~ Alcoholics Anonymous, p.64 My first sponsor seemed to be a fun-loving guy, who surrounded himself with several other fun-loving guys. He chaired one of the meetings I attended early on in my recovery, and he’d recently celebrated a dozen or so… Continue reading
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The Battle Within
“Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” ~ Isaiah 30:21 When the Israelites strayed from God’s righteous path, He would correct them. Perhaps it would take years, maybe even decades, for this correction to finally occur, but… Continue reading
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As We Understood Him
“Not being able to fully understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God to something we are capable of comprehending.” ~ Francis Chan Most of us enter into the rooms of recovery in our weakest, most desperate moment. It is there where we begin… Continue reading
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I Can’t See Straight Sometimes
The guy standing at the busy intersection, holding a sign that reads: “Homeless and Need Help.” The aggressive driver behind me tailgating. The grouchy lady working the counter at the coffee shop. The neighbor across the street who seldom waves back at me. He had to see me waving at him! The truck driver who… Continue reading
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Christmas with a Stranger
“From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters there had heard that… Continue reading
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A Promise that Only God Can Keep
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by… Continue reading
About Me
Welcome! I’m Scott (aka Former Blackout Artist), and I’m so happy you decided to drop in! I hope you find the content here spiritually enlightening and uplifting. Most of all, I hope that my love of Christ is revealed through my writing and that it encourages you in some way today. Thanks for stopping by!
Former Blackout Artist 