GREENE STREET LETTERS

Friday, October 28, 2011

Romans 8:18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Comforting words from the Apostle Paul that should stir hope in the heart of every believer.
If you were in addiction and have come out through the work of Jesus and the 12 Steps, then these words should especially be comforting to you.
This great transition from one life style to another....this trading of ways of dealing with the world brings great distress and challenges with it.
The unknown of what is next....
The subtle reminders that your past seeks to chase you down and bring you back....In other words, your sin nature (some call it the flesh) seeks to restablish itself as the dominating thoughts and attitudes. Praise God! It doesn't have to be. Jesus, through his death and resurrection, has broken the power of sin, the penalty of sin and puts down the presence of sin in our lives.
We move through some difficult times and difficult decisions that have to be made.
The trading of old friends for new friendships and relationships...your past....they all converge in your mind creating this struggle to make good, sound decisions.

These sufferings that Paul writes about are the result of the clash between your new found relationship with Jesus and the pull of your old lifestyle of addiction and the ways of the world.
It is important that we understand who we are in Christ and whose we are in the Kingdom of God.
As our declaration here at Rapha states:

Because of Christ's redemption I am a new creation of infinite worth.
I am deeply loved...
I am completely forgiven....
I am fully pleasing.....
I am absolutely complete in Christ....
I am totally accepted by God.....

No matter what may come my way today, I rest in the knowledge that it pales in comparison to the glory that is coming to me in the future. Today, I will not let the weight of this world rob me of the promise and glory of Jesus in my life. I will not let the world define me or conform into the image of its ways.
My life today is not going to reflect the values of this world.
This is a choice...
I make it today....

God on you.....
mb

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Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Friday, October 28, 2011

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD