GREENE STREET LETTERS: "I'll Take Over Now"

Friday, August 10, 2018

"I'll Take Over Now"

"If I follow the Bible, I don't really need to work the Twelve Steps!"

I haven't heard a lot of people in recovery say this, but I sure have seen a lot of them approach their recovery in this manner.
"I don't like those meetings"
"I'm different than most so the Steps really wouldn't work for me"
Well, since "self-run-riot" is our biggest problem that lead us down the dark path of addiction, why all of a sudden does self get to call the shots? Seems to me like we've started the right way by admitting we were powerless...that we were the problem. Guess what? You cannot be the problem and the solution to your addiction.

We use to have a saying at Rapha that applied to such twisted thinking.
"Jesus will save your soul....but He isn't going to keep you sober."
In other words, Jesus is the answer......the power....the solution to your addiction, but there are disciplines given by Him that will aid you to stay on the right path in your relationship with Him.

Working the 12 Steps is following the Bible. It is a path through the Bible designed specifically for those who use to have a problem but whose problem now has them. It is a path of hope, healing, and restoration based on God's truth that will totally change the way you think (Life Recovery Bible / Pg. A12)

I've seen too many folks who tried to run their recovery the way they wanted to. I've buried a lot of those same people. I think maybe the Apostle Paul stated it best:
Romans 12:2 / Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Did you catch that? Quit acting like the world does. God will change your heart which will, in turn, change the way you think. From this place, you'll see and understand what God's desire is for you. And the behaviors that come from you as you work the steps will be good..........pleasing........perfect.
Now I've got a problem with all of this.
Either it's true...........
Or it's not....
If it's not true, then lets all just quit kidding ourselves and meet at the Waffle House for some coffee and hash browns.
Me?
I believe it too be true.

God on you...
mbb

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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.

Friday, August 10, 2018

"I'll Take Over Now"

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD