There is hope & life after Alcohol Addiction & Drug Addiction.

For God had such an affection and love for the creation that he had spoken into existence, He had to do something. He saw the ravages of sin....He saw the destruction that was taking place and taking a toll. He felt the pain of those who, through tempted choices, had now lost the simple will to stop. He had to do something.

He chose to pay the price for everyone lost in the darkness, realizing that they were powerless. He paid the price not out of pity but compassion. He paid the price not out of anger but out of a love that I will not be able to understand until I stand face to face with Him. He paid the price.
He sent His Son, Jesus.
He gave His Son, Jesus.

To be the price paid to  rescue and redeem all of us from the ultimate penalty that comes with our sin. The Second Death! An eternal separation from God and everything good and holy. He, Jesus, was sent to be that propitiation for our sin. He became the payment. 

I go to pay my electric bill and I pull money from my wallet. I go to pay a grocery bill and I pull a debit card out. I go to pay my cable bill and I write a check. God pulled the very heart of who he is out and then watched Him die.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Thank you God!! Think on these things.
God on you....
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THOSE WILLING TO GO TO ANY LENGTHS

 Isaiah 1:19-20

If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.....
But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.

Why can we not see that there is a nature, a mind-set, call it what you will, that exist in each of us that woos us to make decisions that run contrary to the will of God?
Sin nature, Flesh, the old man.........I really don't care what you call it, but the hard, cold truth is that it only brings destruction and 2nd death to those who reject God.
I see it manifest every day.
Someone in our program will make a choice that is so wrong......
They may be facing prison time.
They may be on the brink of loosing their family...
And a decision will be made to do something really stupid so that when they are uncovered for making such a decision, they loose everything.
Praise God! He did not leave us to the tug and pull of this "old mind" but through the shed blood of Jesus, broke the power and penalty of sin forever. That, my friend, is the good news. I have been offered a way out of the destruction that comes with sin-choices.

Verse 20 says that by refusing God's offer of salvation and blessing, you will be devoured with the sword.
A real sword?
I think when Isaiah was writing these verses, the possibility of real swords coming into play was very possible. But I also believe that God is talking about the WORD of God.
The Bible or WORD of God is described later as a living, active word that is sharper than any two-edged sword.
I believe the enemies of God will be destroyed by the truth of the Word of God.
In our society when someone does wrong and is brought to justice, the cry from the accused is "Give me another chance."  I am for 2nd chances. I am for 3rd chances. But what I read in Scripture is that there comes a point where God says, "No more..you have to answer for what you have done."

Maybe our sins and destruction piles up to the point where God has to take action because of the justice and righteousness that are a part of His character. Even if this is true, God does not sit back and wait for judgement to come to an individual or a nation. He sends His Word in an effort to get us to turn away from our sin and confess and repent. God looses His Holy Spirit to bring conviction to our hearts so that we will wake up before it is too late. That is a God of love. I am truly grateful that he does not cast us aside to the trash heap, but is willing to love and woo us back into right standing with Him.

Psalm 42:1-2
As the deer pants after the water brooks, so my soul long for you, O God. My soul is thirsty for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Have a good day, and thanks for stopping by the GREENE STREET LETTERS.
God on you......
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THE FINEST HOUR

 

Adversity......
Trials...........
Problems......
Situations.....
Circumstances.
All a part of life. But in the life of someone coming our of addiction, such are usually self-inflicted. The dark thoughts and negative emotions cloud and color the choices that are made. What this means is that sometimes a bad choice turns into a terrible choice, as one piles up on another in an effort to deal with life.

I have been in the middle of these type situations all week.
Someone chooses to drink, knowing full well what is going to happen.
They drink anyway.
One drink leads to twelve, all the while putting the addiction stamp of approval on the decision to start. At the same time, the truth eats away at every decision. "You know better than this! Don't do this." But with every drink that voice is replaced with an accusing, sarcastic voice that demeans the individual with guilt and shame. These two wonderful emotions only fuel the cycle to drink so that you don't feel. Funny part is that the more you drink (or use drugs) so that you don't feel....the more you feel all the negative garbage that is being heaped on you.

God's plan to deal with such emotional baggage is pretty amazing.
Once a person is saved, they have deposited in them God's Holy Spirit.
I know this term doesn't fit Him well, but think of the Holy Spirit as a type of "SUPER" conscience. Yet more than simply sound the alarms and whistles when we are headed toward making a bad choice, the Holy Spirit will direct us in our choices. All the while, He begins the process of changing our character so we don't live the old life style.

I love James 1:2-4 in the Message Bible.
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it (the situation/ circumstance) do its work so you become mature and well developed, not deficient in any way.

Instead of cutting and running back to the darkness, we take hold of Jesus' hand a little tighter. "I will not run! I will stand!" As we declare our intention, God's Spirit will strengthen us. It will be a storm to weather, but as with any terrible weather pattern, there is always a break and the sun comes shining through. Same with this new life we are trying to lay hold of. The storms of life will come and buffet us, but the SON, Jesus, will come shining through. That is a promise.

During the darkest time of world war II, when England stood alone against the German War machine, Prime minister Winston Churchill told the people that when history looks back at their struggle, it would declare "This was their finest hour."
Such will be recorded for everyone who lays hold of Jesus, and does not let go but pushes forward to face the day.

God on you...
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WHAT HAS VALUE TO YOU?

 

Sitting here at my computer, I am aware that it is a new day. Another opportunity to chase after Jesus.
Another day to follow after Him.
I pray that I don't stray today, that God would grant me clear direction to stay on the path.
Grateful that He is a "directing" God!

Matthew 6: 21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I think it shows me how much I need to grow in that each time I read this verse and I come to the word "treasure", I envision one of those pirate chests you see on movies. Huge, with metal bands around it and a lid that is curved so that you can store more treasure inside. Kind of sick ain't I? I don't want my mind or my heart to be trapped by the things of this world. I don't want to hang on to the value system of this world. I want to be free to not be drawn by anything of value the world has decided on. I want desperately to be like the Apostle Paul who counted everything (and I think he truly meant everything) as dung, manure, worthless. Everything the world had to offer paled in comparison to the surpassing knowledge of knowing Jesus. That is what I want! That is the heart that I am striving for. One that walks by all the treasure piled up by the side of the road to follow after Jesus.

I want Jesus to be my treasure.
Not what He has done for me.
Not the blessing that have come my way over the years.
But the simple, sheer presence of knowing Him and walking with Him.
I read in Genesis where God would come down in the cool of the day and walk with Adam. That is what my heart desires. That my relationship with Him would be one of intimate conversation. Him speaking deep into me the things He wants me to not just know, but understand.

I see a lot of people in the news today who are on the verge of not only financial collapse but emotional and spiritual collapse because these have become their treasure. Their hearts followed hard after money and power and wealth. But their treasure has been shaken and revealed for the truth. Let your money save you. Let the very thing you worshipped keep you from destruction. It's not going to happen.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
look full in his wonderful face
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of His glory and grace.

Whose face are you looking at? What or who has your attention as you begin this new day? I pray this morning that you lay hold of Christ and follow where ever He leads.

God on you...

michael b.

THE PRESENCE

 Psalm 27:4 / One thing I have desired of the Lord that I will seek. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord......

When this verse from Psalm was written, the Temple occupied  the center of life in Jerusalem. All activity revolved around the sacred holidays, the feasts that were required to be offered up by the priests, as well as the teaching of God's word.

But beyond the outward activity this verse from Psalm reveals the inward love and drive to chase after God. Notice that David did not say that "it was a good idea to seek God,"  He said that his seeking, his chasing after God came from a heart desire to be in His presence. In fact David makes a bold statement in this verse. Some may say that he was exaggerating. David claims that one of his heart-desires is to dwell, live, put down roots in the house of the Lord ALL the days of his life.  Such a statement reveals that this relationship with God was the most important thing in David's life.

Unlike David, we don't have to go to a specific place to find God. We don't have to go to the Temple...........we are the temple. If you are a believer, then your body houses the presence of God in the form of the Holy Spirit. He is with us all the time. Twenty four hours a day........seven days a week. But how many of us spend a good amount of time not even considering who it is that lives within us? We cry out to God in times of trouble, lifting our eyes to heaven, wringing our hands and find the words of "Oh God...Oh God...Oh God!" coming from our lips, when in fact He hears, He understands, He is within us. To me this is a great comfort. That God has deposited to each believer His Holy Spirit.

Spend time this day to be aware of who it is living, guiding, encouraging, correcting and loving us. Let this awareness of God's presence lead you today as you follow Him. Some how I think maybe we will face our day with divine encouragement to not back down or cower in the presence of our enemy.

Know that God loves you, and so do I!

God on you..

michael b

HARD TIMES --- DARK DAYS

 

The phone calls....emails.....text messages came rolling in this week. One after another until they began to stack up.
"Can you please pray for me!" I am facing  (insert condition, circumstance, situation) and I don't know what to do. There were calls for healing....calls for restoration of family issues...calls for fear of returning to their addiction.....calls to simply say, "I have no faith anymore that God even cares." Then there was one that simply said, "I don't know what to do...I don't know where to turn."

Sometimes I think that is my problem....I don't know what to do. Such thoughts as those come from the foolishness of my own mind, thinking that I could actually somehow do anything to alleviate their pain and suffering.
Maybe it isn't about what I can do, as much as it is about who am I going to turn to.
Who am I going to cry out to when the pain gets to bad?
Who do I turn to when hope runs dry,  trusting that He will see methrough these dark times?
I think all of us are born with a unrealistic view of who God is and what He will do. He is not the "GREAT FIXER" of my messed up life. Although capable of making all problems disappear, He is more prone to guide me through the darkness. Why would He choose this route? So that I may grow in Him.

Believe you me, taking that journey doesn't lessen the pain, and I still want to cut and run, but the truth is..........I learn, see, and understand better when I do face my pain and suffering. I guess the greatest lesson is that I see the love of the Father, and exactly how far He will go to reveal Himself. I learn that He is faithful, even when I am not.

One of the verses that I turn too when life seems to be a coming at me wave after wave, beating and bashing me emotionally, physically and spiritually, is found in II Corinthians 4:7-10

We now have this light (the Holy Spirit living inside us) shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but now driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
We find the kicker in Verse 16-18......

That is why we never give up, though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are SMALL and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Whatever situation you may be facing today...you have not been abandoned.
You are not alone....
Turn to God.
There is nobody else who will help you like He will.

God on you...
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HIGH ROAD? LOW ROAD? ARE YOU EVEN ON THE ROAD?

 

Seems as though the last few Greene Street Letters have been about "direction".

Taking the right road....

Taking the right path...
Making the right decisions.....
All have a determining factor on the state of life that we experience.
Kind of simple if you truly stop to ponder it.
Good choices bring good consequences.
Bad choices bring bad consequences.
Sounds easy...
Hard to do.
Especially when you throw in our old nature...our sin nature. Some call it the "flesh".
No matter what moniker you put on it, just know that it is something that is born in each of us and influences our decisions.
We see this in Romans 7, where the apostle Paul writes about the struggle that he has faced.
"For what I will to do, that I do not practice. But what I hate, that I do."

The only thing that can stop this insanity of doing the wrong thing is a Power greater than ourselves.....Jesus Christ.
I know that some of you may grow tired of me always bringing up Jesus, but you know what? I haven't found anyone or anything else that has impacted my own life greater than what Jesus has.
He alone is the Power and presence to restore me to sanity.
He alone is the Power and presence that can give to me a life that I am incapable of producing myself.
No wonder that Jesus issued what I believe to be the greatest invitation to mankind that has ever been given in Matthew 11:28.
"Come to Me, all you who labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

Jesus wasn't talking about a job or a task when he uses the words "Labor" and "heavy laden". He is referring to the weight of life itself upon the weakened shoulders of those who stand outside of relationship with Him. Those who have expended themselves through their own efforts and have nothing to show for it. When I say "have nothing to show for it," I'm not referring to monetary or social status. I'm referring to the intangibles of life.
Such things as real peace. A peace that dwells inside an individual that is not shaken by the events or circumstances around them. In fact, everything can be crumbling around them and they find that they can remain focused and centered, not swept up on an emotional roller coaster. That is peace!

Another of the intangibles we are given in this relationship with Jesus is direction and purpose. In other words, we no longer follow the directions of the devil, or the prince and power of this age. We do not listen to his voice or urging in our decision making. Why? Because of what it says in Proverbs 14:12 - "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." I think the one thing that gets me when I read this, is how easily we are deceived into believing a lie. Did you catch that? There is a way....a direction...a purpose..that seems right to a man. A way of doing things....a set of instructions to follow that we think will benefit us, but the end of it is death. I don't think this scripture is referring to physical death...after all, we are all headed there, aren't we? Of course we are. I think, in this instance, the death it is referring to is what scripture defines as "The 2nd death." The eternal separation from the presence of God. It is also referred to as "The outer darkness".

This is why, for me, it is important that I look to God...to His word and to the leading of His Holy Spirit for direction in all my decisions. He has not failed me! This is also another reason I need to surround myself with others who are following Jesus. I can share and gain feedback from what they have experienced in their own lives that will help me to understand.

Bottom line...
There are no Lone Rangers in the Kingdom of God.
We are connected into a wonderful community called The Body Of Christ.
Find your place today.

God on you....
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DOING AND SAYING ONLY WHAT HE GIVES US

 Jesus is talking to some people who are unbelievers, and He makes a statement that I need to take to heart in my own life.

John 8:26 - "I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won't. For I say only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he is completely truthful."

Did I read that right? Jesus had a few more things to say to these people, but the Father did not give him permission to. Of course Jesus' operated by the idea that he only does what He sees the Father doing. If the Father isn't showing him, or telling Him certain things, Jesus is not going to act on them.

John 5:1-9 Jesus shows up at the pool of Bethesda. This was a place where cripple and lame people (as well as others with all manner of infirmities) came to be healed. So evidently there was a crowd there. If you read the events of John 5, you'll see that Jesus, in spite of the numbers, only healed one man. Why not all of those present? Because the Father did not give Jesus the go ahead to do so. Why? If I could answer that.....well, I can't. Such is way above my pay grade. The point that struck me is that anything we say, anything we do, any choice we make should only be done as the Father leads us. 

Some may say that this is way too much work and effort. Why not go ahead and do what we want and let God sort out the mess. I think we loose sight of the simple fact we have been called to "follow" not strike out on our own, making choices based on our own assumptions. To follow is not simply a direction or way, it is also following the presence, character and nature of Jesus in our daily life.It is the Holy Spirit living in us that guides us daily. It is the Holy Spirit living in us that should lead us in not only what we say, but how we say it. 

Chew on this and see what God would say to you....

God on you...

michael b

WATCH --HOPE--BELIEVE

 

Micah 7:7 / But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord. I wait for God my Savior. My God will hear me.

I find that this verse resonates in me when I read it. When I say "resonates", I mean it stirs me and causes me to compare my own walk with Christ to the truth of what I am reading.

First part of the verse reads, "I watch in hope".  Implies a waiting....not acting hastily. The other word that caught my eye was the word "HOPE". To me hope and faith are first cousins. Hope without faith is useless. We are merely staking our claim to a nebulous thought that something is going to happen, and when it does we hope it benefits us. When I turn my attention to watching for God, I do so with the expectation that He is who He claims to be, and has the ability to do what He has promised in His word. As the old hymn tells us..."My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest 'frain but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand."

Next comes the hardest part found in this verse. "I Wait For God."  Waiting is not something a lot of folks like to do. We have this inner desire to do something. To fill up our time with useless activity to give the appearance that we are accomplishing something. When in fact, the greatest effort we can expend ourselves on is to wait on God. As the verse tells us...."We are to watch in hope and wait upon God." Wait for His directions......wait for His instructions....wait till He tells us to act upon what He has said.

The last part of the verse from Micah is a declaration of a hear that is set on God. "My God will hear me." A declaration that prayer is not futile. That God is not silent or distant. Notice that this verse of waiting and of hope in God lays it all out to Him. There is no cry of "Do it my way! I'm going to pray, but you must do it the way I am telling you."  We don't find that in this verse. What we do find is a heart that is trusting God. That no matter what the outcome, God knows best. I will leave my life in His hands. What place is safer than that? I can't think of one.

God on you this Monday moring.

Michael b.

LESSONS FROM A REVELATION CHURCH

 

Revelation 3:10 - 11
Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Verse 8 - For you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name.
What is the message for us today found in the life of this church located in Philadelphia?
1.) The church which recognized its natural weakness, was supplied with supernatural ability through the power of God's Holy Spirit. It is amazing how we find the Twelve Steps hidden through out Scripture. The principals for living a godly life are all the same no matter whether you struggle with addiction or not. Remember the addiction is merely a sign or symptom of a greater problem. A sin problem. You don't have a drug or alcohol problem, you have a living problem. A broken relationship with Christ is at the center of the struggle. But here we see where God recognizes this church in Philadelphia because they have little strength. In other words, they know that as a congregation, they are powerless.

2.) The church has kept God's word. In other words, the Bible was more than just a book, it became the very voice of God in their midst. They recognized the value in simply doing what God instructed them to do. How simple yet how profound is it to simply do what we read in Scripture.

3.) The kept or did not deny the name of God. Names were important back in Biblical times because a name revealed the character of the person. Keeping God's name would imply a belief in the ability of God. How incredible is this! To trust and rely wholly on God's ability to take care and direct those whose hearts are committed to Him and His kingdom.  Matthew 6:33 -- Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. Holding fast or placing all your trust on the name of God implies a reliance upon God's strength while rejecting your own ability or strength. This is the heart of recovery. "I've tried it my way and my very best thinking has got me in rehab." It's time to put down our way and embrace God's way.

I guess the lesson for today (for me and hopefully you) is that God empowers those who persevere in the face of adversity. Realize that adversity is a given when you are putting your trust in God to deliver you out of your addiction. Not giving up ....Not giving in....Holding fast to God in the belief that He is truly who He claims to be and will do what He claims He will do is the heart of real life. Having this ongoing spiritual awakening is way to life.
God bless each of you today....
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IN THE CROSS

 

Jesus, keep me near the cross

There a precious fountain

Free to all, a healing stream

Flows from Calvary's mountain

In the cross, in the cross

Be my glory ever

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me

There the bright and morning star

sheds it's beams around me

Near the cross! O Lamb of God

Bring its scenes before me

Help me walk from day to day,

with its shadows o'er me.

Near the cross I'll watch and wait

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand,

Just beyond the river.

In the cross, in the cross,

Be my glory ever

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

Not the wood or nail. Not the crown or hammer but the life that was given on that cross. The shadow of it covers humanity and either brings life or judgement. Free to all who would surrender and answer His invitation.

It is not pretty to look at. I wonder why it was taken and made of gold to be worn around the necks of those who do not understand what it means? Even in my own heart, I do not know if I fully understand the totality of the cross.

The cross has a message that stills rings as clear today as it did 2000+ years ago.
"IT IS FINISHED!"

The debt is paid in full.

I have been set free from the power of sin to walk in newness of life with Christ Jesus.

Amen and amen....

God on you....

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TEACH ME TO PRAY

 In his book, Spiritual Man, Watchman Nee writes, "Nowadays Christians appear to treat prayer as a means to accomplish their aims and ideas. If they possessed just a little deeper understanding, they would recognize that prayer is but man uttering to God what is God's will."

One of the strongest statements I ever heard someone say was on a teaching tape from a series by John Wimber. He stated, "The flesh or sin nature is not permitted in prayer. No mixing of man's will in God's work is possible."
What does this mean?
God does not will himself to follow what man initiates. He is not bound by some mystical, eternal code of ethics that forces Him to follow man's petty petitions.
As His creation, it is our duty to seek out the heart of God and then breathe back to Him in our prayers what His will is.

Why would we think that Jesus' command to FOLLOW HIM would end with our prayers and that our prayers could become a vehicle for our own human desires and will? We have somehow not grasped the idea that we truly were bought with a price and we truly do belong to Jesus.
Every day I am made painfully aware that my life is no longer mine to do with as I please. The pain comes from my old nature wanting to have it's way. Screaming at me, "Go ahead and follow this Jesus but don't surrender everything!"

I have given my life once to Jesus.
I give my will every day.
Some days are easy.
Some days are a struggle.
Many believer's don't want to hear this. They want a pseudo-feel-good-theology.
My prayers are covered in tears a lot of the time.
My prayers are sometimes without words. Just groaning and weeping.
This is the school we are called to.
Each day is a teaching lesson.
I learn the shallowness of my own life in relation to the fullness of God.
That is what brings Joy to my heart.
That is the hope that causes me to rise up every morning.
That in communion with Christ, As I find His heart and will, I can truly breathe back to Him, in prayer, his plans for me. Then, as it says in Psalm 5....I wait expecting!

God on you......

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D-E-A-T-H

 

Great story in the news today about scientist (gotta love these guys and gals) are doing a study to determine what death really is and if there is "Life after death."
I guess the question I would have to ask is......................"Is there life before death."
What I see is that a number of people run around trying to find life.
They don't find it in a job, but they put in their mandatory 40 hours and then use the remaining off time to "experience" life on some level.
To them, life is anything that happens outside the sphere of their normal everyday existence.
They take up skydiving....("It makes me feel alive!").
They take up mountain biking ("I feel alive when I'm blasting down that hill!")
They climb mountains ("I conquered a fear and I'm alive!")
But the life they claim to have found fades and becomes a memory causing them to seek out even greater thrills and experiences.

Jesus, in John 10:10, says, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." The inference there is that Jesus is the source for this life, and He goes on to state that "He has come." His presence and His willingness to enter our time and space is the vehicle through which this abundant life flows. We cannot get it on our own, that is why He chose to bring it to us. We cannot seek it out and lay claim to it. He offers it as a free gift to those who would receive.

This abundant life is not for a later time. It is not found within the "sweet bye and by." It is found in the "nasty here and now." Life..............now! Life............that is above whatever the standard is that the world has offered. Life that is eternal. Life that pays dividends on this side of heaven as well as the other. Jesus said that He had come to offer to sinners this gift of life abundant.
To offer life would be to say that, "what you are currently experiencing that you would claim to be life, is less than what He has to offer."

Why not trade today?
Why not look into Jesus, as my brother, Larry Norman, would say?
He's got the answer.....
Jesus, not Larry.

God on you........
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RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

 

Seems as though God continues to amaze me. Maybe I should not be amazed at His "workings". Maybe I should not be like a little kid on Christmas when He does something, or shows me something that totally catches me off guard. Then again, I think (my opinion) that He gets a kick out of us when we stand wide eyed and in one of those "Oh wow! I can't believe it" moments. Last night was such a time for me.

We have started something at ReCovery Church that refer to as OVB Study (One Verse Bible). We take one verse and take it apart to catch a glimpse of who God truly is...His nature...His character, and how He intervenes in our daily life to guide us.

Last night's verse was Ephesians 3:20]  "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us."  

So our meetings are a time where we discuss what we have read. Some chime in with examples or situations that they have face, or are facing that ties into the verse. Last night was only the second one we've done but it has turned out to be something that I feel will help us all as we study scripture.

Before our meeting, a young lady came through the door and into the room. I met her and found out that she needed a court card stamped. This was her first time to be with us, and tried to fill her in on what we do, how we view recovery and our take on Jesus as our HIGHEST power. She took her place as the meeting began. As we worshiped and then during the message I tried to glance over her way to make sure that she was o.k. with what was going on. She seemed like she was enjoying herself.

After the meeting, I went to her to make sure she didn't have any questions that she wanted to ask me, and to invite her back. She was beaming and began to explain why she totally enjoyed the meeting. She told me that God has led her there, but she was sure why. As the we got into the teaching, she said that it all became clear to her.

Keep in mind that we taught Eph. 3:20. She rolled up her sleeve and showed me her tatto. There on her arm was inscribed "Immeasurably More" followed by the scripture reference......Eph. 3:20. She told me that When I referenced where I was teaching from, she knew that she had come to the right place.

For me, it was one of those "WOW" moments when God revealed Himself and let me know that He was in control, and would bring those to our meeting that He desired be there. Confirmation that this young girl was where she was suppose to be, and confirmation that I taught what God wanted taught.,

I asked if I could take a picture of her tatoo, so you'll see it in the photo below. Also, one last thing. She told me that she had gotten the tatoo before she was saved. Yes...He is an awesome God.

REMEMBER GOD---FOR HE IS GOOD

 

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Psalm 119:55
I remembered Your name in the night, O Lord, and I keep Your law.

Seems as though I have more memories than my brain can hold. Maybe it's time I had a "memory" yard sale, and clean out some of the old ones. But then again, the old ones are the best aren't they?

I remember LeVan Parker and a sermon he preached at Gallant Baptist, when I was a young boy. It had to do with an Olympic runner who finished last. He didn't just finish last...He was so far behind that the official crew as moving things on to the track for the next event. The runner finally entered the stadium and began to move toward the finish line. People were kind of amazed that he was still running. After all, there weren't any medals waiting. There were no records to be broken. Collapsing at the finish line, after he crossed, someone asked why he'd continued to run even though there wasn't any glory or reward for his efforts. The runner replied, "My country sent me here to run this race...not quit." In other words, it was about overcoming and not giving up. That message has stuck with me ever since I heard it long ago on a summer evening. "Don't Quit! Don't give up!"

I remember in the choir at Central Methodist Church. First time I ever wore a choir robe. The song? "Up From The Grave He Arose".  Don't know why, but I remember the goose bumps that came as we sang this song. The funeral like dirge that accompanies the first verse, as you move to the chorus. Laying Jesus in the grave...the tears of those who loved Him....then, victory. "Up from the grave He arose With a mighty triumph ore His foes. He arose a victor of the dark domain, and He lives forever with the Saints to reign. He arose. He arose. Hallelujah, Christ arose."  The song became more than words to me. It became the anthem that I remember and sing when I feel as though darkness is winning. When the world seems to be sliding over the edge into the abyss. I sing it. I sing it in my car. I sing it while I mowing grass. I sing it at the gym. I remember!

I remember what it was like to hold my sons when they were babies. To stare down into those little faces and think to myself. "God, you have given me a life to teach, train, and love". What an incredible thing that God would bring forth life from Vicki and me, and then give us the responsibility of raising this tiny person.  Then I would wonder if God saw me in the same manner. That He had brought forth life in me, and wanted to see me grow and mature in Him. To become the man He created me to be, not the one the world wants to warp and destroy. If I love my sons as much as I do....how much more does my Father in heaven love me? Wowzers!

I am grateful for memories.
The good ones truly outweigh the bad ones.
And in the bad ones, God in His infinite mercy, has removed the shame and guilty that use to be associated with them. Now they are just a memories that have no control over my emotions. So that when the bad memories come, I fall back on His mercy and forgiveness.
Ain't God good?
Yes, He is.

S0 if you have to remember anything, remember that God is an awesome God.

God on you....
Michael b.