Ephesians 4:25 (The Message Bible)
Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything----and I do mean everything------connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life---a God fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in you.
O.k......lets go over this one more time.
You have an addiction problem.
How do you know you have an addiction problem? You cannot manage your life anymore.
What is the evidence of this? Jail...courts...C.R.O....probation....judges....police...and on and on.
You come to the reality that you are powerless to manage your life.
Hey, look out now....we're on the right track. Don't stop here. Keep going.
You look for a POWER greater than yourself who could restore you to sanity.
Isn't this the weird part about implementing a lifestyle of discipline? Here we are talking about our mental health and the ability to make sound decisions, when, in fact, we think we should be talking about not using anymore. Well, that is the kicker isn't it.
My thinking has been coming from a dark heart that stands outside of the will of God.
"C'mon! Now you're bringing in religion?"
To that I would reply..."Nope. No religion. Just Jesus".
Our main problem is that because of the sin/nature we possess, we follow the wants and desires of our own heart rather than the internal voice of God. We base our decisions not on what is right or wrong, but solely on our wants.
Once we realize that this way of facing life (feeding our dark appetite) only leads us down the slippery slope to destruction, we realize that we need help from someone greater than ourselves. At this point, we should turn will and life over to the care of God. Replacing my wants...with His wants for my life.
Colossians 1:21-23
At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of Him, giving Him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving Himself completely at the cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in His presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly turned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message....just this one.
It's all about the change that comes from leaving the darkness to embrace the life God has for you. This new life in reality is simply God empowering me to face those things I use to run from. The things that I used as excuse to get high. Now, I daily fight a fight that I didn't know how to in the past.
This new life is so much more than the absence of alcohol or drugs.
It is about the ongoing change that is taking place inside me as God takes away all the crup and crap that use to fill me up.....all the defects of character, to replace them with His character and nature.
Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.
God on you...
mbb
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