Recovery Under the Cross

Sometimes it feels like our addiction (or our loved one's addiction) defines our (his/her)  identity. Years of substance abuse and/or engaging in other compulsive sinful behavior from addiction can leave an indelible stain on a person's identity. God has given us a new identity on account of Christ. God calls us his children. God calls us heirs and fellow heirs with Christ. There is no greater ide...

Step Six is one of the hardest steps because our sinful nature gets in the way. Our sinful nature wants us to cling to the same behaviors and same attitudes we had when we were actively caught up in our addiction. Because of Jesus' great love for us we are motivated to let go of what fueled our addictions, and live our lives for him.

Psalm 136 is a beautiful song with a refrain that underscores the fact that throughout our lives - as messy and broken as they are - God's mercy for us in Christ isn't bound by anything whatsoever. God's mercy is eternal. Because God's mercy is eternal, we give him thanks.

Admitting or Confessing our sins to God and another human being can seem humiliating. Quietly admitting defeat and keeping to ourselves seems like it would be much easier. It isn't. Our conscience weighs heavy upon us by internalizing our sin. Confessing our sins to God acknowledges our need for a Savior from sin. Through Jesus Christ our Savior, God has forgiven all of our sins and freed us from...

People in recovery from addiction sometimes look back with guilt and shame over their addictive behavior. The addictive behavior from the past doesn't define who we are as God's own people whose sins have been washed away by Jesus' blood shed on the cross for the sins of the world. Host Tim Gray references the first episode of the podcast. If you haven't listened to it yet, click here .

Before we make amends with the people we've harmed with our addiction, we take the step of taking inventory of what we've done to hurt people because of our addiction. It doesn't matter if we're addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling, porn, or whatever has mastery over our lives. Taking inventory of what we've done will help us a few steps later when we make amends. From a Christian standpoint, that...

Do you still feel shame from your addiction? Maybe it's an overwhelming sense of shame. Jesus endured the shame of the cross for us in our place. He washes us clean from sin with his own blood, and clothes us in the robes of his righteousness. Because of Jesus we turn our eyes to him when we are overcome with the shame of our addiction and other sins.

Recovery Under the Cross has been coming to you once a week so far. That's going to change. Listen to the announcement for more information.

The 3rd step encourages us to turn our life and will over to God. Easier said than done, right? Host Tim Gray breaks down what the 3rd step means for us as Christians, and shares the account of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 as an example of putting our trust in God. 

If addiction is insanity and sobriety is sanity, how does the addict go from insanity to sanity? The answer is through the help of a power greater than ourselves. As Christians, we know that higher power is the one true God. This week's episode takes a look at a familiar Bible lesson - Jesus Walks on Water and how it relates to the second step, "Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves...

For many, the first step of the 12 Steps is the most difficult because it means the addict has to admit they are powerless over their addiction and their life has become unmanageable. The focus for this week's episode is a parable of Jesus about the Prodigal Son or Lost Son who wastes his life, but returns to his father who welcomes his wayward son home with open arms.  For Christians, the first s...

This is the first episode of Recovery Under The Cross. Host Tim Gray introduces himself and shares his story of addiction to alcohol, and how he's been blessed with almost 18 years of sobriety.