30 Days in James
We're celebrating the launch of a brand new resource, 30 Days in James, written by our very own Dr. Brandon Bower. James is one of the most practical books in the New Testament and is helpful for anyone and everyone dealing with life altering sins. In this episode, Brandon and Jordan discuss the practicality of the book and how they are using this resource at The Lighthouse.
30 Days in James is the first in a series of six 30 Days books that will soon be available. The next one to be published will be 30 Days in Proverbs and will be available in the near future.
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Check out the new resource, 30 Days in James, by Dr. Brandon Bower.
Another great resource: What Do I Do Now? A Guide for Those Who Love an Addict
Links
Thriftstore (Instagram)
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Music
Raise You Up (30 Sec)
Diego Mendez
Transcript
Foreign.
Speaker B:You're listening to Reflections of the Lighthouse, a podcast sharing the hope of the gospel with those struggling with life altering addictions.
Speaker B:If you'd like more information about the Lighthouse and the services we provide, Visit us@lhfw.org Now here's your host, Dr.
Speaker B:Brandon Bauer.
Speaker B:Welcome back to Reflections of the Lighthouse.
Speaker B:I'm Rick, really excited about this podcast because it is the book launch of our newest resource called 30 Days in James.
Speaker B:I'm sitting here with Pastor Jordan Bradley.
Speaker B:He's the program director of the Lighthouse Biblical Counseling Addiction program.
Speaker B:Welcome, Jordan.
Speaker A:It's great to be here.
Speaker B:So, so years ago I was looking for devotionals to have our guys go through and you know, you have the daily bread and you have all of those things.
Speaker B:But there was nothing that I could find that was really specific to addiction that was solid biblical.
Speaker B:And I was really saddened by that.
Speaker B:And I decided that day when I was doing all that research that someone needed to write that.
Speaker B:And I proposed it to several people and they all said, yeah, go ahead and write that.
Speaker B:So we did.
Speaker B:So 30 days in James is launched.
Speaker B:It can be found on Amazon or it can be found in the Lighthouse Bookstore at our community center on East State Boulevard.
Speaker B:But I wanted to sit with Jordan and talk about why a devotional for addicts is important and just some of the practical things that James has to offer.
Speaker B:So you've read the book, you pre read it before we published it.
Speaker B:So why is a book, a devotional book for addicts, important?
Speaker A:It's important because a lot of times addicts can, I mean this in the nicest way possible, can be kind of scatterbrained.
Speaker A:And so they wouldn't be able to kind of direct their minds in a way to study scripture.
Speaker A:And we know that the word of God is the power of change by the holy Spirit in the heart.
Speaker A:And so writing a devotional that's practical, simple, is super, super helpful, especially with the book of James.
Speaker B:Sure.
Speaker B:Now James is one of my favorite books.
Speaker B:And in some of my darkest days I turn to James for comfort and direction.
Speaker B:So, so when, when I thought about writing this, James was the number one, the top, the top pick.
Speaker B:It was, it was going to be the easy one to write.
Speaker B:But I also realized that it's not just for those with addictions, for those with all life altering sins.
Speaker B:So you may be here sitting saying, oh, I don't need that.
Speaker B:I don't have an alcohol addiction.
Speaker B:But it would be practical for people who have gossip tendencies or who have lying tendencies.
Speaker B:Or fill in the sin.
Speaker B:James is practical to help you overcome life altering sins.
Speaker A:The the book of James is the most practical book arguably in the New Testament.
Speaker A:Like what does a life of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ look like?
Speaker A:And James just lays it out beautifully.
Speaker B:We will include a purchase link in the show notes so that way you can have quick access to it.
Speaker B:But you can also just go to Amazon and type 30 days in James to get that.
Speaker B:But like day 17, we're talking about James 4:1.
Speaker B:The verse is where do wars and fights come from among you?
Speaker B:Do they not come from your desires for pleasures that warn your members?
Speaker B:The title is Lust that War inside.
Speaker B:And then we talk about just truths like who is interceding for us, how to fight for your life and when to back down and when to run.
Speaker B:Because we carry those lusts within us, the evilness in our heart.
Speaker B:And we are so often distracted by our own self and our own sin that we don't even need the outside world to tempt us.
Speaker B:You know, just simple truths through a 30 day study I think is vital.
Speaker B:Now this is also just the first book in a series.
Speaker B:The plan is to release 6:30 day in devotionals and I'm happy to announce the second one is written.
Speaker B:And we're in the process of doing all of the proofing and theological reviews and all of that stuff.
Speaker B:And that will be a 30 days in Proverbs.
Speaker B:But I digress.
Speaker B:I want to get back to James.
Speaker B:I think it's so important that we have a focus for our minds when temptation comes.
Speaker B:So we plan on using this here at our program.
Speaker B:And each of the gentlemen will get a copy of their book and then they will go through it in the first 30 days that they're here at the lighthouse and they'll be able to walk out is our design with a copy of this book to keep turning to when they need hope and truth and help and healing.
Speaker B:So why is that important, Jordan?
Speaker A:Well, for truths like this In James chapter 1, verse 21 through 24 says, Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness.
Speaker A:Let me just stop there.
Speaker A:Is that not addiction like filthiness and rampant wickedness?
Speaker A:And receive with gentleness or meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls.
Speaker A:And so just going through a devotional like this through the Word of God will will help by the power of the Holy Spirit to implant the word of God on our souls so that we can walk in freedom.
Speaker A:And he goes on verse 22.
Speaker A:But be doers of The Word and not hearers only deceiving yourselves.
Speaker A:For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is a man who looks intently at his natural face in the mirror.
Speaker A:For he looks at himself and goes away and forgets what he was like.
Speaker A:And so if we take the word of God and we're just opening it, reading a couple of verses, shutting it, and walking away unchanged, we're probably not going to have a changed life.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:And one of the things that this book is designed to do is get guys in the word of God consistently and daily, because it builds habits that are helpful for them and that's so needed in the lives of people whose lives are out of control.
Speaker B:Building good, healthy habits is so important.
Speaker B:But even more than that, we believe that addiction is slavery to a substance or a sin.
Speaker B:But there is hope.
Speaker B:And more than anything, we hope that this book, the 30 Days in James, will provide hope and healing for everyone who's struggling.
Speaker B:There's a section in the back called what is the Gospel?
Speaker B:And it's so important to know what the gospel is and how it applies to your life.
Speaker B:That is where the hope and the healing is found to help us break the chains of sin in our lives.
Speaker B:It also helps us to see that we can exchange the slavery to addiction, the bondage, the shame and the despair for a relationship with God.
Speaker B:And everything we do around the lighthouse is focused on the gospel.
Speaker B:It was funny, I was leading a group because you were on vacation a few weeks ago, and I decided that the group was going to be on the gospel because I don't think we can talk about the gospel enough.
Speaker B:I get started and someone says, why are you talking about this again?
Speaker B:We hear this all the time.
Speaker B:And first off, it made my heart smile because if I preach the gospel every day, then I have done what I'm supposed to do here at the lighthouse.
Speaker B:But I just smiled and said, I'm going to keep talking about it till you guys get it.
Speaker B:And then I went on and we spent the whole time on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Speaker B:And tools like 30 Days in James are just another way for the gospel to get in the hands of those who need it.
Speaker B:So if you're listening and you have a loved one or know someone who struggles with addiction, this would be a fantastic gift for them.
Speaker B:It would be a great gift to send to someone who's sitting in jail because of life altering sins or just a gift from the mom or dad of someone who's struggling will help them understand addiction.
Speaker B:Better and how the Bible can help someone overcome these life altering sins.
Speaker B:If you also go on Amazon and click on my name after you search for 30 days in James, it'll send you a link to our other book.
Speaker B:It's called what Do I Do Now?
Speaker B:It's a guide for the parents or someone who loves an addict.
Speaker B:So not only do we have a book for a devotional for the addict, we also have a small guide to help you understand what boundaries to put into place and how to deal with those that struggle with life altering addiction.
Speaker B:So between the two resources, we've got one for those that love an addict and one for the addict.
Speaker B:And I think that as we continue to produce books through the Lighthouse and our publishing agency, I think that it will be life transformational for people who just need that help.
Speaker B:So keep in tune for future things published by Life Restoration Services.
Speaker B:We're really excited about this being the next phase of our ministry and putting into practice and into writing all of the things that we use around the Lighthouse so that you can use it in your practical lives and or in the lives of those that you serve.
Speaker B:I have a friend in Missouri, he just bought a copy.
Speaker B:He's going to review it and then he's going to buy them for the guys in the homeless shelter that he runs.
Speaker B:Good guy.
Speaker B:And one of the things that he talked about was how easy of a read this was and how it was so important to write at a easy to understand level because.
Speaker B:Because too many books on addiction are written by a PhD level person and they're using words that people have to google and look up and you know, they don't understand what's being written.
Speaker B:And it's important to write things that are understandable and easy to read for people who are hurting and broken.
Speaker B:Any last thoughts on the book, Jordan?
Speaker A:I think it's a wonderful resource.
Speaker A:I look forward to getting my copy as well.
Speaker A:Hopefully it's signed and we'll look forward to going through it with our guys here in the program.
Speaker B:It'll cost you a little bit extra for the signature so I only, I have, I have the first copy in my hands and we're waiting for one minor change on the COVID design and then I'm going to order a bunch for the center and we're going to launch this.
Speaker B:But I am sure by the time that this plays that the book will be perfected and ready for you.
Speaker B:And I just pray that God uses this in the lives of those around the the world to change hearts for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Speaker B:So don't forget to go to the Show Notes.
Speaker B:Click on that Amazon link, buy a dozen copies for everyone you know and support the Lighthouse in so doing.
Speaker B:Thank you so much for listening and God bless.
