GREENE STREET LETTERS: Pray For Them...

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Pray For Them...

He is awake, even as I type this.
His mind is clouded and his ability to make good, sound decisions is just not there.
Every thought....
Every moment of the day....
Is about one thing and one thing only.
How can I use?
Where can I get what I need to sustain this "feeling".
Oh the feeling of exhilaration has long since been replaced with the feeling of just wanting to feel normal.
He doesn't use to find that place of ecstasy. He uses so he can function.
Here in is the trap. His ideal of "functioning" really isn't the truth.
You see, He no longer can function.
Job?
Forget it."I don't have time to work.My job is to do whatever it takes to make sure I have enough of my DOC (Drug of Choice). That means no time off for holidays.....or sickness.....or a death in the family.
The need to use outweighs everything thing else.

Psalms 107 describes this life of addiction. Even as I write this, I have to remind myself that our primary problem is not the drugs or alcohol, but rather a broken relationship with Christ. We are bound and driven by sin.

V.4 - They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way. They found no city to dwell in.
In other words.....they had no sense of direction or purpose. They wandered on and on and on. How defeated someone must feel whose entire life is focused on one thing and one thing only....getting high. Oh they try and tell themselves that they are doing well. Life is good and this won't last forever, but that is the lie that they have bought into. They are existing, not living and the existence they have chose is without hope.

V.10 - Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron.
Spiritual darkness can be more overwhelming than literal darkness. To be existing in a place where you are just numb to the things of God. In fact when your mind is turned to God, you are flooded by what we refer to as "toxic" emotions. Guilt, shame just seem to drive you deeper and deeper into the darkness. The devil covers us in condemnation and whispers in our ears...."You'll never be able to break free from this."
Praise God! That is a lie and there is freedom this morning, right here, right now!
Cry out to God!
Confess your sin!
Turn from this lie you've been living!
And receive the forgiveness of God!
Feel His love for you. Let it wash over you right now.
Fairy Tale?
I think not.
Reality.
Step into 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.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Pray For Them...

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD