faith

March 30 2025

Faith Requires Singleness of Mind

Doug Gould Personal Development, Spirtual, Uncategorized faith, James1:8, Proverbs, seek God first, seek His guidance, trust God

James warns that a double-minded person is unstable, like a wave tossed by the wind
(James 1:8).
Proverbs 3:5-6 reinforce this:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.

Have you ever felt tossed back and forth in your decisions, unsure of which direction to go?
The Greek word DIPSUCHOS literally means “two-souled,” describing someone who wavers between trusting God and relying on their own understanding.
How often do we seek Human counsel before seeking God?
What stands out in this teaching is that trusting God and trusting ourselves are
mutually exclusive—we cannot do both at the same time.
• If we trust God, we release control and surrender to His wisdom and direction.
• If we rely on our own wisdom, we often fail to seek God’s guidance altogether.
Psalm 119:105 reminds us that God’s Word is our guiding light:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Vance Havner’s quote is a sobering reminder:

We have more biblical knowledge than past generations, yet many Christians Walk in less light than ever.

Why? Because often we seek out human advice over God’s wisdom.
The Key to Stability: Teachability & Obedience
Wisdom isn’t just about knowing Scripture—it’s about applying it.
• Are we receptive to biblical instruction?
• Do we seek God’s wisdom first?
• Are we willing to obey even when life is hard?

In Closing: Take a firm grip on God’s Word and walk in obedience, even when life is difficult. When we choose God’s wisdom over human reasoning, we find true stability,
direction, and peace.

February 8 2024

Forget About It

Doug Gould Uncategorized faith, forgetfulness, Having faith in difficult times, Jesus, let go; let God, Letting go of the past, surrender, trust in the Lord

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 3:13, 14

The past is gone. You cannot do anything about it. You cannot change one event or one experience. But Paul, the apostle, said that a Christian could do one helpful thing about the past. In fact, he made it very personal and said it is what he, himself, was doing: Say, like Paul, “This one thing I do.” Call it the power of concentration, consolidation of purpose, or singleness of heart. Whatever you call it, we need it in our walk with God. In fact, this concept is all through the Bible.

“Many a man goes through life shackled and crippled because he will not forget the
things he should forget.” – J. Vernon McGee

I. Forget your Mistakes.

First, forget your mistakes. We all blunder, don’t we? Well, let us forget them. How many of us lose sleep over things we wish we had not said or done? My friend, correct what you have done and then forget it. Move on.

II. Forget your Sensitivities.

Listen, you are going to get hurt in life’s struggle. Somebody is going to offend you. How many people nurse grudges and hurts? You may even be carrying ill feelings and spreading disruption and disturbance among God’s people. Do not let your life be ruined by old wounds and hurt. As you look back into your past and remember personal injuries, forget them.

III. Forget your Successes.

Today we measure people by the dollar sign. How much money have you made? Are you a success in business? What school did you graduate from? What title do you have at work? Hw much influence do you have? My beloved, these values are wrong. Many a man is called a success who is a sorry failure at home.

IV. Forget your Sorrows.

Child of God, He let you go down through the valley of the shadow of death in order that He—as the
God of all comfort— might comfort you. And He does it so, through you, His Word can bring comfort
to others.

V. Forget your Sins.

God’s Word makes it clear what we are to do with our sins: Confess them promptly to God, and then
forget them. God gets tired of us reminding Him of our past sins. After we have dealt with the sin and confessed it privately to God, He says it is forgotten— “forget those things which are behind.”

David spoke of a unique place:

Shall Your wonders be known in the dark? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? –Psalm 88:12

I do not know the actual location of the “land of forgetfulness,” but wherever it is, it is the proper
place for the forgiven failures of your past.

But your sins are not forgiven, or you are not sure they are forgiven. If that is your situation, I ask you: Would you like to wipe out the sins and stains of your past? Would you like confidence they are forgiven? God will not only forgive your sins, but He will also do something else: He will forget them.
His Word says it over and over:

VI. DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE FUTURE
We may stand on the threshold of the unknown future, but Paul stands with us, saying,

… one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 3:13, 14

After you have done the challenging work of forgetting what is behind, look to Jesus Christ, “the
author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Come to Him, the One who is the way, the truth, and the life—the One who can bring you into contact
with the Father. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. But God does. Why not put Him at the
controls of your life?

December 13 2023

Through Him, We Will Be Comforted

Doug Gould Spirtual, Uncategorized anxiety, chemical imbalances, control, faith, learned behaviors, reinforcement of repetition, surrender, trust in the Lord

I’m speaking from my own struggles, and I felt like this needed to be shared.

Did you know that an estimated 2.7% of the U.S. population experienced panic disorder (PD), 7.1% had social anxiety disorder (SAD), and 9.1% were impacted by phobias?

In August 2023, almost 32 percent of women and 25 percent of men had symptoms of anxiety disorder.

So, what is it about us that creates this condition? Now, before you fill up my phone or email with comments, please hear me. I have no doubt there are many that suffer from chemical imbalances in the brain which can affect cognitive behavior. However, most human conditions are created by “learned behaviors.” Therefore. we condition our behavior through reinforcement of repetition.

So, the question is what produces anxiety and the answer is as simple as “we desire control.”

This need for control creates the idea that we must look for tangible answers to tangible problems. However, God doesn’t work the way we think or act the way we act.

Yesterday, my very dear friend, Gary, texted me this quote:

“So, you’re thinking God needs supervision.”

This was his response to me after sharing with him my concerns regarding some of our needs that we have at the ROC Recovery Center and how much of an effort that I’m trying to make in order to meet these needs.

Anyway, he got me thinking last night that what concerns me concerns God. We are even instructed in the book of Matthew, where Christ says:

“Come on to me all who are burden and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

It is sometimes a disconcerting truth for many Christians that even though we belong to God through faith in Christ, we still seem to experience the same problems that plagued us before we were saved. We often become discouraged and bogged down in life’s cares.

Thankfully, He has given us the same solution He gave in both Psalms and Peter’s letter. “Cast your cares on the LORD, and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall” (Psalm 55:22), and “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Now watch this….the word “Cast” comes from the Greek Word which means “to thrown upon”. ….this throwing is the exact same description of the action that the Isarealites behavior depicted in Luke 19:35 when we read, “And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.”

In others words, friends, the revelation is this: Think about it. Ready? We are told to throw our cares, our worries, our doubts, our troubles “upon where Christ NOW SITS, not upon the colt. BUT NOW ON HIS THRONE.

Let God be you Supervisor. Give it up and give it over. Trust God.

December 9 2023

The Problem with Doubt

Doug Gould Personal Development, Spirtual anxiety, depression, doubt, faith, falling into sin, fear, God's keeper, God's power, isolation, security in Christ

Devotional:

“That you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).”

“Take the helmet of salvation.” (Eph. 6:17)

The Key to Conquering Doubt is to Focus on the Preserving Power of God

Doubt comes to Christians in many ways. After you’ve sinned, your conscience might hiss at you, saying, “Surely you’re not a Christian. You don’t deserve His mercy. You’re not good enough. How presumptuous to think God could ever use you!” Such doubts are common among Christians who focus on their performance rather than God’s power.

All too often we’re quick to acknowledge God’s power to save us but slow to understand His power to keep us. To complicate matters, many Christians believe they can lose their salvation, so they live in constant fear of falling away from the faith. Still, others have never learned what Scripture teaches about their security in Christ. They’re so intent on pleasing God through their own efforts that they lose sight of grace and drift into a subtle works- righteousness mentality.

Your Performance Doesn’t Determine Your Standing in Christ; Your Standing in Christ Determines your Performance

Jude said, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” (v. 24).

Able: Greek Word defines it as: “To Speak of Power”

All too often when trouble strikes, we begin to play the fiddle music of “self-pity.” What follows are verses of fear, doubt, anxiety which often leads to behaviors of isolation which stimulates depression.

The word “keep” is translated and literally means “to be secure in the midst of an attack.”

“Stumbling” refers to falling into sin.

If you put the entire definitions together we see and should hear something like this:

God is powerful enough to prevent you from stumbling into sin and falling away from Him—no matter how intense Satan’s attacks might be. He will continue to protect and cleanse you until the day you enter His glorious heaven perfected.

So, the next time you find yourself with doubt, just remember that even though we live in a world that seems out of control, WITH GOD, nothing is out of HIS CONTROL. So, relax and be still, trust HIM.

Remember the old song that says…

“Many things about tomorrow, I don’t seem to understand, but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand.”

April 24 2023

The Greatest Recovery Program of All

Doug Gould Personal Development, Spirtual faith, forgiveness, God's grace, Having faith in difficult times

As you know the ROC Recovery Center is a Christ-centered recovery program that offers men, women, and youth everything they need to succeed on a journey to freedom and long-term sustainable sobriety.

In making Christ at the center of our recovery, we see that all things come from His teachings. The freedom from bondage of addiction is just another one of His many gifts. But that doesn’t mean the road isn’t going to be met with an occasional obstacle or two.

ROC Recovery Center offers an approach in cleaning up the wreckage of our past that is free from shame and judgement so we can be free from addiction.

Step #1: We Admitted That We Were Powerless Over Alcohol—That Our Lives Had Become Unmanageable

The bible says:

“I know, O LORD, that the way of human beings is not in their control, that mortals as they walk cannot direct their steps”

Jeremiah 10:23

David faced this dilemma many times in his life as well. In Psalms 38:4 David admitted that he, too, was overwhelmed by sin when he writes:

“For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.”

Even the Apostle Paul described his own struggle with sin and his need for God’s deliverance when he wrote in Romans 7:24-25:

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Step #2: We Came to Believe That a Power Greater Than Ourselves Could Restore Us to Sanity

Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “He who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

So, in Step 2 we are urged to acknowledge that recovery depends on “a power greater than ourselves.” To fully understand our dependence on God, we must examine our human sinful condition. We read in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent, therefore, since all have sinned, God designed a plan for man’s redemption. In Romans 6:23, we read:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

There is a way out! The Lord reveals this as we continue to read verse 23: “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Furthermore, in Romans 5:8, we see just how much God loves us:

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

But wait, there’s more!

Step #3: We Made a Decision to Turn Our Will and Our Lives Over to the Care of God As We Understood Him

How do I apply this step? In Romans 10:9, we read that this gift is free to anyone who seeks it.

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 10:13 says it again, “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Addiction doesn’t often have a direct cause-and-effect relationship to the person struggling with addiction. Not only will we have to expose our own shortcomings (sins), but we also have to examine and address the damage caused personally to us by the behaviors of others.

In other words, sometimes bad things do happen to us because we live in a world where man has free will to choose. This is when we offer to God our will, so that hopefully we will get to that moment to walk and live in complete forgiveness. One of Christ’s greatest teachings is forgiveness. This applies to us forgiving ourselves for our past mistakes, as well as forgiving others. This is why we celebrate the Life of Christ from death to resurrection. We live today because He lives.

We all can grow, change, and become what God has called us to be; however, we are not going to be able to do this unless we can let go of the past.

Christ’s forgiveness extends to people struggling with addiction as well. And when you make the decision to leave that life behind, the judgement that you might expect won’t be found in a Christ centered recovery program.

March 20 2023

Checkmate

Doug Gould Spirtual, Uncategorized facing adversity, faith, Having faith in difficult times, hope, peseverance

Many years ago (when I was in school), I asked my dad if he could teach me the game of chess. Of course, dad being such a great baseball coach, along with our family’s love for the game, seemed to infiltrate into each piece on the chess board. My Dad took the time to explain the name of each chess piece and their assigned responsibility (just like a baseball team). What I learned from this time with my dad was the art of looking ahead. To anticipate each scenario of what play my opponent may do. Although it sounds like a good idea of “learning to be prepared,” it also created in me what I like to call “anticipated anxiety.” Instead of just staying in the moment of what life brings on a daily, I began playing out in my thoughts a “what if” scenario. Don’t get me wrong, I think it is ok to be prepared, but when the pre-expectations that we produce in our thoughts do not meet up with reality, then, there is always a possibility of disappointment.

So, I must admit that I was not very good at the game of chess because I could never stay one step ahead or anticipate my opponent’s moves. Because of this weakness, I would often hear the fatal words, “checkmate!”

I came across a famous painting that once hung in the Louvre Museum in Paris, painted by Friedrich Moritz August Retzsch. This is a famous painting called, Checkmate. On the left (with the hat, the red feather, and the green cloak) is Satan. The young man on the other side of the table is in distress because he can’t move, and he thinks to himself that it is over, and the enemy says, “checkmate.”

However, there is more to this story. According to legend, during a group tour of the museum there was a chess grand master champion that came upon this intriguing painting. The grand master stared a long time at the chess board in the painting and finally noticed something surprising. As the tour group moved on to look at other paintings in the museum, the grand master champion stayed gazing at the painting and carefully examining each detail. He noticed the guardian angel offering an atmosphere of peace, in spite of the enemy’s sinister look while gripping a chess piece that once was owned by the man. He pointed at the poisonous spider crawling toward the man’s direction as if to attempt to cast a web of control. He felt the man’s apparent discouragement and defeat through his facial countenance which caused him to slump forward, indicating that he had lost all hope.

Though the devil seemed to be the obvious victor, the grand master chess champion noticed the arrangements hidden among the chess pieces on the board.

According to the arrangement of the pieces left on the chess board, his king had one more move. This fateful move would make him the winner of the game.

The grand master called the curator and determined that the title “Checkmate” did not fit the scene because the forlorn-looking player actually had the ability to defeat his opponent. Though he didn’t realize it yet, his king had one more move.

As I read this story last week, I couldn’t help but to break down in tears, knowing that many times in my life, I have been in that position of despair – that I have allowed this game of life, and the enemy himself to lie to me, causing me to lose my trust in God, and therefore my HOPE.

See my friends, when you feel trapped, when you feel overwhelmed, when you don’t know what to do or where to turn, Satan loves to whisper, “Checkmate.”

When it seems that there is no way to carry on. When you find yourself trapped by your circumstances and don’t know which way to go. When it seems like you can’t move, and you have run out of chances, you’ve run out of help, you’ve run out of resources, and you begin to say to yourself, “What’s the use”-Checkmate!

The Bible says in John 10:10 “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy.”

But notice that before he can kill and destroy, he has to steal. He must steal your faith. He has to steal your joy. He has to steal your hope. He has to steal your dream. But it is never over with God. The KING has one more move. When your life seems out of control, there is nothing out of the control of the King of Kings. The KING has one more move. It is never over with God.

So remember, what we read in Psalm 139:5:

“For the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”

God knows where you are, and He knows who you are. He knows what you are going through and can see around corners. He loves you and He cares for you. There is nothing that God cannot do. So know that the King of Kings has one more move.

“And we know that, in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him”

February 25 2023

Keep Sowing Seeds of Faith

Doug Gould Spirtual faith, God working through others, helping others, let go of the results, seeds of faith

Keep Sowing Seeds of Faith

“It is better to preach five words of God’s Word than five million words of man’s wisdom. Men’s words may seem to be the wiser and the more attractive, but there is no heavenly life in them. Within God’s Word, however simple it may be, there dwells an omnipotence like that of God, from whose lips it came.”

-Charles Spurgeon

This past week, I must confess, has been one of the most difficult times for me. It is not because I don’t take pleasure in what I do for a living (ROC Recovery Center). It is simply because in today’s climate, people are hurting, and it seems to be getting worse. As I came home on Monday night, it was nice to be met with a hug in the kitchen as Lisa was preparing dinner, and of course, our two dogs were helping (not). I guess this greeting gave me a little more to hold onto, as if to just relax into her arms, and it felt nice.

That night, I sat on the sofa in my usual spot and sunk deeper into my recliner, along with my emotions. I could vividly see the faces of those today, and all I could feel was their pain. I began to wonder: Am I even making a difference? I thought to myself that sometimes I understand the pain because it may be very similar to what I experienced in the past. But for this particular night, it seemed like the oppression lingered a little longer. Then, I reminded myself of something I teach every week, and it goes something like this: If you change the self-talk, you can change the behavior.

So, I did what many of us do today – I retreated to Facebook. As I aimlessly scrolled through photos of someone’s dinner that they had made or another video of a sporting event, I was diverted by a new message icon light that alerted me.

I looked at the name, and although I didn’t recognize it, I decided to open the message and much to my surprise, it was exactly what I needed, although “Kathy” had no idea that what she wrote and sent to me at 10:37pm was the Lord working through her. Here’s what it said:

Hi Doug,

You don’t know me, but I just wanted to thank you. We recently moved back to Southern Oregon, and my path has crossed with several people lately who know you and have encouraged me to share with you how greatly the Lord used you to impact my life.

Many moons ago in the late 70’s early 80’s, there was a broken little girl and her brother, living in poverty in Medford. We had recently lost our sister in a tragic car accident, and our father left us, moving 2000 miles away. But through the church that my Grammy attended (Open Bible/REV Harsh) and her fervent prayers, we began attending. Our VW was always broken down, but that was ok because a school bus would pick us up for Sunday school. The school bus would arrive with a crazy, sold out for Jesus, red headed young man named Doug in the front. He would lead us in songs like “No you can’t get to heaven on a pair of skates because you will roll right past those pearly gates.”

You brought God to the center of Sunday school. The elaborate puppet shows, skits, storytelling, and fun songs burned in my heart, along with scriptures, God’s goodness and bible stories in a foundational way that has never left me.

Your enthusiasm for Jesus was medicine for my little soul. You helped me realize that in HIM, I had a reason to laugh and smile, even with a severely dysfunctional home life. The many seeds you planted in my life, by God’s grace and my Grammys prayers, have been watered over the years. God has been so faithful. I know my story is just one of many at-risk kids that you impacted for Jesus.

Thank you for answering the call that God put on your life as a young man.

Until He returns,

Kathy C.

I must be honest after wiping the tears from my face, I simply said, “Thank you, Lord.”

That phrase, “the many seeds you have planted” pierced my heart, and at that moment, the oppression was lifted. Not because my client’s pain is gone, but rather, realizing that those seeds of faith – no matter how small they may look or seem – are actually very comprehensive. Within that seed, can produce a root, a branch, a leaf, a flower and like any type of seed, it needs to take time to develop, but it is all in there.

“I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-7

As it is with the simple Gospel of Christ, the act of kindness or perhaps a simple scripture of encouragement, lies within that seed much more that the human eye can see. Within the truth of the Gospel, lies regeneration, repentance, faith, holiness, zeal, consecration, and perfection.

So, my friends, keep sowing. We may not, at first, see all its results, but give it time because someone may be coming by with the water to help that seed along further to its intended desire. You may not see it, but it is all in there.