GREENE STREET LETTERS: Self Deception

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Self Deception

I Corinthians 3:18
Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by the world's standards, you need to become a fool to truly be wise.

"Me? I don't have a problem. You have a problem."
"Don't worry about me. I can handle this."
"My friend may have O.D'ed but not me, I know what I'm doing."
And on, and on, and on, the lies keep pouring out.
Trouble is, the ones who are saying these things really believe that they can handle their addiction.
Part of the nature of the beast of addiction is the ability to deceive others.
But the deadly part that no one wants to talk about is the ability to deceive yourself.

Living in a house without running water....
No electricity.....
No gas....
No cable...
No furniture.....
And yet tell others that it isn't so bad and that "I'm o.k.. As long as I've got a little money for smokes and incidentals, I'm o.k.".
Of course when they say "incidentals" they usually mean their drug of choice.
But such is the life of one in addiction.
Who do they surround themselves with?
Others who are equally as deceived as themselves.
Do you see how this feeds the darkness that has overpowered them?
Do you see how it takes the presence of God coming straight down into their hearts to open their eyes to the truth?

Oh..and let's not stop with addiction, let's go straight to Sunday morning.
There are those who warm a pew every week who are equally as deceived as the addict.
"It's just porn. I'm not hurting anyone."
"God will forgive me for what I've done."
God will forgive?
I'm not sure how it works if you use the forgiveness of God like some get-out-of-jail-free card. Not sure how premeditated sin works. I guess we'll find out in the end.

To me the greatest reality in the Bible is found in John 14:17- He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into ALL truth.
What is the greatest truth that I could ever be lead into?
Truth about myself.
The real me that hides behind the deception I created in my own mind and heart.
The real me that is in need of a Savior.
Truth is painful, but necessary if we want to grow in Christ.
Truth forces me to make a choice.
Change...
Or stay the same.
I choose to change.

God on you....
Michael b.

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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, August 25, 2015

Self Deception

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD