GREENE STREET LETTERS: Falling Back Or Making Excuses?

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Falling Back Or Making Excuses?

Strange thoughts floating through my head today.
I find myself sometimes falling back on my humanity when I talk to God.
I find myself trying to explain away my shortcomings, my sin, my lack of discipline on the fact that I am human. The conversation goes something like this.

"God, you know me. You know me better than myself. You know that you created me and that I am a flawed individual. You know my nature better than I know myself."
(it's as though I am trying to plead a case that has already been decided, sick puppy that I am)

"The things I do should not catch you unaware. The behaviors and attitudes I carry around and display are all part of the "brokenness" of being human. You are divine.....you are God and me....well, I am dust and dirt and everything messed up because of Adam in the garden."

Even as I go through this little rehearsal in talking with God, one simple fact escapes me. Ther very fact that I am having this conversation with God shows just how messed up I am. Like I am going to con God or at least get Him to execute some hidden codicil within the law that will excuse my sinful nature yet will make a provision where I can keep sinning because of my humaness. Scripture provides otherwise, it's called confession and repentence.
God has provided everything needed to rise above my humanness. That I am without excuse and reason to not be "holy as He is holy." God understands better than anyone the fallacy and futility of humanity. He understands the darkness of the human heart and in His mercy and grace has provided a path, a way (that would be Jesus) that leads to life, real life. So, I can mumble and gripe and move around in my mess or I can repent and confess and accept this way that God provides and once and for all time move on. It's not a rejection of our humanity, it is God overcoming all the sin and mistakes and bad choices to lift us to new life with Him. I have to choose. I have to surrender. I have to let God kill the "old man" within me and resurrect me to a new life. I have to be born again, saved, redeemed and all those other terms attached to life with God. It is in my surrender that God empowers me to live life here in this imperfect world on His terms not the worlds. That I can do.

Today is going to be a good day as I seek first the Kingdom rule of God in my life followed by His nature or righteousness.
Find God 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.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Falling Back Or Making Excuses?

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD