Spiritual Growth – Page 170 – REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

Our Favorite Sins: The Sins We Commit and How We Can Quit

During Lent I was privileged to see Bishop Todd Hunter speak when he came to our home church in the Dallas area. Until that time, I was unfamiliar with his books and really knew nothing about him as a minister. But not long into his talk, I became a fan. As a result I purchased and soon scarfed down this book.

Bishop Todd Hunter is an unusual minister in that he has only been in the Anglican denomination for a few years and not too long ago became a bishop. I believe this gives him great credibility in the way he tackles sin and temptation.

In Our Favorite Sins, with a Barna survey to back up the needed topics of discussion, Todd teaches us how to recognize our areas of weakness. Then step by gentle step, he leads us through time honored Christian practices, with a new perspective on scripture, prayer and sacraments that can bring healing and strength in times of temptation.

You may be unfamiliar with the Anglican traditions of prayer and liturgy, but don’t let that keep you from reading Todd’s book. I found his approach of using the Book of Common Prayer along with other ancient writings and practices extremely powerful and very refreshing.

I hope you will consider reading Our Favorite Sins by Todd Hunter. It has deepened my commitment to pray through various prayer books that I own, to meditate more fully on scripture and be even more intentional to giving all my desires over to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Some people think it’s wrong to love yourself. Aren’t we supposed to put others first? Are we being selfish when we love ourselves? Let’s talk about true love.

In the Living Life Lessons column, I’m sharing various lessons God has taught me.

A couple of years ago I was introduced to a little book that has changed my life and continues to change the lives of those in my circle of influence.

This wonderfully powerful book is Loving Yourself for God’s Sake by Adolfo Quezada.

Don’t let its size (only 83 pages) or its simple message fool you; it is chocked full of nugget after nugget of wisdom. Reading it now for the third time, I can barely get through a paragraph before I must stop and meditate on another healing truth.

When under the influence of my addiction, I spent many years hurting myself and others around me, especially those I was supposed to love the most! I’m ashamed to think about the horrible things I did to my family and friends. But does that mean I didn’t really love them?

Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and whatever other commandment—all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself. ~ Romans 13:8-10

When we look at the scripture above, we often focus on the commandments or the laws of God, seeing them as hard and fast rules that mustn’t be broken, possibly difficult habits to break.

Perhaps if we will change our perspective and put our focus on the results rather than the rules it will be easier to swallow.

The summary statement at the end: Love your neighbor as yourself sounds like it’s just telling us only to love someone else. We are supposed to love our neighbor but that’s only one part. The critical, and often overlooked piece, is the very end: …as yourself.

God knows that we will love others AS we love ourselves–whether we do it right or wrong-that’s how love works. But before we can love ourselves, we must first love God.

HOW we love God = How we love ourselves = HOW we love others!

Does your life reflect your love of God or the lack thereof?

How are your treating yourself? What about those you love?

“Pray that God will fire your soul with a love so real and encompassing that your life becomes a bright and steady reflection of God’s unconditional love for you.” ~ Adolfo Quezada

Click here for an awesome song by Israel Houghton. Turn up your speakers!!

RESOURCES:

Loving Yourself for God’s Sake by Adolfo Quezada
Life Recovery Devotional

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