Sober living with Jesus

In a recent Saturday night worship service I like to attend, a friend I knew from a particular 12 step program showed up and asked me if I still went to that fellowship. Puzzled by his questioned, I said "yes" and asked him why he asked me. In answering, he admitted that he also continued to go, but wondered if he should--given Psalm 1. Intrigued by his answer, I opened my Bible to Psalm 1 and read it. For the purpose of this post, I offer the Psalm in its entirety: How happy is the man  who does not follow the advice of the wicked  or take the path of sinners  or join a group of mockers!  Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,  and he meditates on it day and night.  He is like a tree planted beside streams of water  that bears its fruit in season  and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.  The wicked are not like this;  instead, they are like chaff that the wind blows away.  Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment,  and sinners wi

We know that the Law is spiritual. But I am merely a human, and I have been sold as a slave to sin.  In fact, I don't understand why I act the way I do. I don't do what I know is right. I do the things I hate. Although I don't do what I know is right, I agree that the Law is good. So I am not the one doing these evil things. The sin that lives in me is what does them. - Romans 7:15-17 (CEV) For many of us recovering from alcoholism or drug addiction, living under the thumb of the law has significant meaning and has impacted our lives [at one time or another] in a seemingly adverse way. Turning from secular law (the law of man) to God's law seems to make it even worse--if we are not saved and don't know the value of God's grace. Please take a moment to read my post on the value of the law .