Posts by CJ McMurry
Authority Issues and Addiction: What’s the Connection?
I haven’t always linked these two matters together, but as I’ve matured and examined my own heart, I see the connection in a way I wasn’t able to before. All glory goes to God in using HIS Word and HIS Spirit to open my eyes to see this accurately. Let’s start by understanding the terms biblically. The Bible is not silent on these issues. The big question is, will we hear it and submit to it? Authority issues are primarily…
Addiction and Repentance-The Gospel Changes Everything
That title might sound cliché, but it’s the truth. Nothing radically changes things like the gospel of Jesus Christ does. We have seen this play out in the Bible with men and women that come to believe the gospel. We have seen this play out in the lives of those that have came to believe the gospel in the past. We see this playing out now with those that come to believe the gospel today. Past, present, and future genuine…
The Heart That Obeys God
Psalm 119:32 “I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart.” The heartbeat and hope of our ministry here at The Refuge is that every man who walks through these doors would be radically transformed by the Lord. That’s always our heartbeat and hope, but that’s not always what happens. This is a humbling reality for the staff and all those that serve in this ministry. We can’t make transformation take place in the lives…
June Update #1
Proverbs 16:9 “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” It is with mixed emotions that I type this, but at the same time I’m confident that the Lord knows exactly what HE is doing. I will be stepping down as the Director of Ministries at The Refuge. My family and I will be moving to another state where I have accepted a call to serve as the Program Director at a men’s residential facility…
Fleeting Pleasures of Sin or Pleasures Forevermore?
Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” This is becoming my favorite passage of Scripture to use in counseling, especially in working with men that are struggling with addictions or life-dominating sins. There are basically three questions we need to be asking ourselves or those we are counseling in light of this passage. #1 Where are…
May update! God is faithful!
Luke 10:2-3 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” Please forgive me for the delay in keeping you all up to speed with our progress. We are still working hard in making The Refuge and our mission known to churches, our…