An Important Lesson from ER

Nothing's Too Hard for God

I really like the 2008 theme chosen by the Assemblies of God, because it fits so well with the idea of recovery. Jer 32:27 "I am the LORD, the God of all humankind. There is, indeed, nothing too difficult for me" Sometimes in our addiction, we seem to think that we have to tough it out alone, that it's all about us. Nothing could be further from the truth.


1 Jn 2:1, 2 "(My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world." Jesus tells us that, even when we mess up, He will forgive us. But, we can't just use that fact as an excuse to sin. Jesus is saying, "I'm writing to tell you I'll forgive you, but I would rather you got your act together, not just use Me as an escape clause."


The person in recovery who seriously wants the freedom Christ offers must totally surrender his/her life to Christ. Christ must be Lord of their life - not just "a friend" or "big brother." Lordship requires total surrender. Matt Redmon's song, "Heart of Worship" says it so well:

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about you, all about you, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about you, all about you, Jesus

When we try to make it about us, we fail. When we realize it's all about Jesus, we win. Starting today, let's turn it over to Jesus and become a winner! If you don't know how, start at http://www.adventrecovery.org/ and take the "Are you a good person?" test. Your eternal life hangs in the balance.

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Scripture quoted by permission. All scriptures quoted in this post are from the NET Bible® copyright© 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/ . All rights reserved.

"Heart of Worship", Written by Matt Redman, © 1999 Kingsway's Thankyou Music.

Luke 2 - The Birth of Jesus

A Blessed Christmas to You!

1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

The Touch of the Master's Hand

by Myra B Welch

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar, then, two! Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three . . ." But no,

From the room, far back, a grey-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loosened strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice;
And going and gone." said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand,
what changed its worth?"
Swift came the reply:
"The Touch Of The Master's Hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.

A 'mess of potage,' a glass of wine;
A game - and he travels on.
He is 'going' once, and 'going' twice,
He's 'going' and almost 'gone'.
But the Master comes and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's Hand.

Great Expectations

In Matthew 13:31-2 Jesus . . . "gave them another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the wild birds come and nest in its branches.'"

Two short verses. But what a contrast! Please notice the two pictures below. What a tiny seed! It is said to be the smallest seed the people in Jesus' day knew about. Planting such a small seed obviously would produce a very small plant, one would think. But no, the mustard "tree" grew to over six foot tall! (For the curiously scientific: the Black Mustard plant is not a tree, but can get over six foot tall. With birds making their nests in it, it is very "tree-like." Jesus was not trying to teach botany here, He was just making a point.)

God honors our willingness to work with what we have been given. He then gives us more, until our "mustard seed" becomes a "mustard tree." In recovery, we start out with very basic stuff. We admit we are powerless, that only God can set us free, and that we need to give it to Him, and let Him do so.

That is why we use the term "God as I understand Him." Our "mustard seed" understanding of God is very simple and basic. We don't need to come to Him after spending years learning theology and biblical interpretation. God isn't impressed by fancy "King James" type prayers. Some of the best prayers I have ever heard (or uttered) were basically, "HELP!" But, as I learn to give God areas of my life that need His cleansing touch, I grow stronger -- just like the mustard seed becomes that "tree." Eventually, I can truly say, "I am free! I have absolutely no desire to ever use again!" That freedom is worth the wait and work!

A Note for Webmasters and Webmistresses

If you have a web site dealing with any aspect of recovery from a Christ-centered viewpoint, please consider our new web ring -- "Christ-Centered Christian Recovery Web Ring." The link to the ring home page is on my home page at http://www.adventrecovery.org/ and the page gives you all the details about the ring.

Help me help you and together we can raise each others' web site statistics and search engine placement while declaring our center is Jesus Christ, the only "Higher Power" that can set the captive free!

Thanks,
Randy

I Am Addiction

I Hate meetings...I Hate higher powers...I Hate anyone who has a program. To all who come in contact with me, I wish you death and I wish you suffering.

Allow me to introduce myself, I am the disease of addiction. I Am cunning, baffling, and powerful. That's Me. I have killed millions and I am pleased.

I love to catch you with the element of surprise. I love pretending I am your friend and lover. I have given you comfort, haven't I? Wasn't I there when you were lonely?

When you wanted to die, didn't you call on me?I was there, I love to make you hurt. I love to make you cry. Better yet, I Love to make you so numb you can neither hurt nor cry. When you can't feel anything at all. This is true gratification. And all that I ask from you is long term suffering.

I've been there for you always. When things were going right in your life, you invited me. You said you didn't deserve these good things, and i was the only one who would agree with you.

Together we were able to destroy all the good things in your life.

People don't take me seriously. They take strokes seriously, heart attacks, even diabetes, they take seriously. Fools. Without my help these things would not be possible.

I am such a hated disease, and yet I do not come uninvited. You choose to have me. So many have chosen me over reality and peace. More than you hate me, I hate all of you who have a 12 step program. Your program, Your meeting, Your higher power. All of these things weaken me, and I can't function in the manner I am accustomed to. Now I must lie here quietly.

You don't see me but I am growing bigger than ever. When you only exist, I may live. When you live I may only exist. But I am here... And until we meet again, If we meet again, I wish you death and suffering.

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Reprinted with permission of Christians in Recovery®. Permission to reprint and adapt this material does not mean that Christians in Recovery (cir) is in any way affiliated with this program.

Christians in Recovery® provides information, referrals and and an Internet Community for anyone who is in recovery or who Desires to recover from self-defeating behaviors, abuse, grief, depression and addictions. Feel free to contact us if you need help: Christians in Recovery®, P.O. Box 4422, Tequesta, Fl 33469 USA. http://christians-in-recovery.org/