The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart. I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways. According to the fruit of his doings.
Psalm 51:1-2
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness. According to Your tender mercy. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
2018....new year....
Fresh start....
Chance to get it right....
January 8th....one more day....
One day at a time...
We take care of today so we can have a tomorrow.
We stand at the convergence of the future and the past. We call it today...
The future is always one second away, rushing at us at a never ending flow of time.
The past is always one second away, leaving us in this moment as the seconds pile up behind us. The past is filled and defined by choices and memories that we have created. Sometimes the power of the past is so overwhelming that it binds us to our old thoughts and habits. No matter how bright the future may seems to others, to those who are bound by the past, the future is a yet to happen version of their past. such is the reason for out need of a POWER greater than ourselves who can deliver us from our old sin/addiction nature.
That is why this year, 2018...we are going to be taking a look at the destination we desire to achieve in recovery, and the only one who can make it possible for us to arrive. Our Higher Power, Jesus.
In the big book of A.A., on page 25 we read the following: ...."there was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet. We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not ever dreamed. The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God's universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves."
Did you catch that phrase..."We have had deep and effective spiritual experiences"? Encounters with the living God. I do not wish to clothe this in some sort of religious garb or language, but the simple truth is, we are in need of encountering this God on a daily basis, and it is a need that God desires to bring about in our lives.
First thing we have to shake loose from our collective thinking is that God can only show up at church. The idea of running into God on the streets, or in our homes, or even at Wal-mart is ludicrous to some. But truth is, in my own experiences, I do meet God in all the places I have listed. He speaks in my thoughts. He speaks through others during a conversation. I will meet Him in a encounter with someone else where He is urging me to pray for that person. We have got to shake loose from our outdated, Southern ideology that God only shows up in places where there are steeples and pews or, in our case, store front churches in downtown.
If that be the case, then why do we need to gather together corporately such as we do on Saturday nights at Vineyard ReCovery? Because we need the connection and dynamic of being with like minded people. Of having a place where we can get our spiritual batteries recharged for the coming week. A place where, if we have messed up the week before, we can confess, repent and be set free to move on in our life. We need a family that understands what we are going through, and will not cast us aside if we mess up. At the same time, we need that family to hold us accountable and not excuse old ways and old thoughts when they see them manifest in us. IF any of what I have written this morning speaks to you..then consider coming and being a part of our family. Notice I didn't say "Come and be a part of our church"...but rather family. That's what we are...a collected group of people that God has brought together who are learning how to live.
VRC meets every Saturday night/ 7 p.m.
We are located downtown Gadsden, on Broad Street between 4th and 5th streets.God on you....
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