GREENE STREET LETTERS: 1st CHURCH

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

1st CHURCH

Second chapter of the book of Revelation. First of seven letters sent by God to seven select churches in the region. What does this have to do with me? What does this have to do with the time and age I live in? Well, I think there may be some good advice and direction on how we are to live today. I think maybe God is saying lets get down to the heart of the matter when it comes to believing, following and doing His will. The question we need to ask ourselves is, "Why are we doing the things He expects us to do?" Is it out of a sense of duty? Is it because we think we can earn something from God if He takes a look at our life?

Sometimes in this journey of recovery, we forget the real reason behind our new life. Or at least the real reason we should have considered when we began. I know that many choose recovery because of wanting to be free of the pain and destruction. I do not have a problem with that. But we must never forget the One who has provided for us they way out of that dark past we were trapped in. I think it may involve the word "Gratitude".

So what does God say to church in the first letter of Revelation? " You have forgotten....(or you have left) your first love." Really? What love would that be. The love that we all should embrace for the one who has made this escape possible. We say the words of the Steps...but we forget the One....the Power behind the steps, that He has a name, and that name is Jesus.

Scripture tells us that He (God) loved us before we loved Him. He shares with us that He "SO" loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that who ever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Maybe we need to back up and find a sense of gratitude for what God has done for us, to us and through us. Maybe that gratitude needs to be turned to love as we move forward and see His hand moving and guiding us in our daily lives, all the while very aware of where we could be had it not been for Him.

Today ask God to open your heart, and then turn your attention to Him. You may not even know how to love Him. We all start somewhere, so let it begin with a prayer of "Father, I truly want to know you and fall in love with you." I think maybe He will take you up on that prayer.

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.

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

1st CHURCH

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD