May 14, 2012
So, tell me, did you make a decision to ask Jesus for forgiveness and a fresh start ? If you have done that, you have made a fine beginning of a brand-new life.
The bible says that when we ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, we are spiritually born-again. And the Holy Spirit comes to reside in us to teach and guide us as we grow in our new spiritual life.
For many of us in our active addiction , we wished there were a magic wand that we could wave over our problems and messes and make them all go away. Recovery isn’t like that. Neither is growing as a new Christian. Good growth takes time and that’s not a bad thing. It’s ok to just trust that as the Holy Spirit does His work in you, things about you will change – for the better ! That’s a good way to begin growing in your faith: trust that God will help you change into the person he meant you to be.
It’s also ok to trust that Jesus meant what He said when He said “I will never leave you." We don’t ever have to face life alone again. We have a new Friend who loves us so much that He died for us. What we will notice is that we are changing, in small but steady ways, and here are just some of the things you might notice :
You will feel more loving towards other people.
You’ll want to know more about Jesus and Father God and the Holy Spirit. You may have lots of questions about God and Jesus and faith and the Bible. This is good!!
Your urge to return to the old life and the old ways of handling problems will lessen, and you will feel more and more like you want to live in a way that brings honor to God instead of heartache.
You will sense an urgency about cleaning up the wreckage of your life, so that it is no longer a life you feel ashamed of.
Your sense of gratitude will grow as will a sense of inner peace, even if your life has not yet been completely straightened out.
It’s a good idea to think about checking out a church as you follow Jesus. You don’t HAVE to come to Joy Church, but you know you would be welcomed warmly if you did. Here at Joy, we are walking that walk with Jesus, and we help each other thru. We all face problems, none of us are exempt. That’s life on Planet Earth. But Jesus said in the Bible said that wherever two or three are gathered in His Name, there also is He. So, we know Jesus is here with us, and He helps us - through each other, through encouraging words, through the contemporary music that we use as part of how we worship Him. We share our joys , our sorrows, our successes, and we pray for each other.
Some of us at Joy Church are in recovery, and we work those 12 steps that I have been talking about. You will find understanding and support, from people who know what it’s like to walk the walk of recovery, not just talk the talk. We will go on to discuss the next few steps of Celebrate Recovery in near-future articles. But for today, please think about stopping in this coming Sunday to Joy Church. We’re in Machias, corner of Main and Franklin streets.11 AM every Sunday morning.
Jeans and sneakers or flip flops are just as acceptable as a three piece suit if you like. What’s important is YOU, not what you are wearing. There is no secret handshake, no password required at the door. Just come as you are. We would love to meet you.
You are so loved,
Pastor Judy
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May 21, 2012
If you have asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, you are a new creation! You are not the same old you that existed before you became a follower of Jesus Christ. You have been born again, this time of the Holy Spirit, who now resides in you. It's an amazing thing to become born-again. It's like a whole new life has begun!
Step three really focuses on that change - it speaks of making the decision to turn our life and our will over to the care of Jesus Christ. Well, when you decided to ask Jesus to be your Lord, your Savior, you made the decision to turn your life over to Him. That's a once-in-a-lifetime commitment. You only have to do that once. But the decision to turn our WILL over to Him, well, that's a tough one. That will likely require a daily re-commitment. We addicted folks are not fond of change. We like to be in control, more than most people. It's part of the damage addiction does to us. Makes us more or less control freaks. So giving our will over to Christ and asking for HIS will to be done in our lives, rather than ours, takes a daily re-commitment. We practice letting go and letting Jesus work in our lives on a daily basis. Remember: we agreed in Step One that we were powerless and that our lives had become out-of-control. Our way doesn't work. Time to try Jesus' way.
But many of us have found out something really, really awesome in this letting go and turning things over to Jesus stuff: We found out what kind of people we were meant to be and started becoming more and more like that! You see, the letting go allows room for the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts, teach us a better way, guide us back on track if we are wandering away. We start developing a new identity in Jesus. We just aren't the same anymore - and that's a good thing!
This is not something you will understand unless you actually do it. Try praying this prayer and asking Jesus to help you :
Dear Lord: You know I have tried to do it all on my own power, and I have failed. Today, I want to turn my life over to You. I ask you to be my Lord and Savior today and guide me and lead me. I want to daily seek Your wisdom and direction. Please forgive me for my screwups and sins. Please continue to help me overcome my hurts and habits and hangups. I ask that others be able to see Your power at work in changing my life. Help me do Your will always. In Your Name, I pray, Jesus. Amen.
I am praying for you, too. Maybe I don't know your name, but God does.
May 28,2012
For those who have made a decision to accept Jesus' help, forgiveness and His guidance to live out your new spiritual birth, (see May 21 article) this is truly an exciting time for you!
As you begin your new walk in life, it's important to find support to help you stay on the right course (recovery was never a do-it-yourself- project!). Finding some like-minded Christians who also follow Christ is a major positive thing to do. You can often find them in church on Sunday. Is there a Christian bible -teaching, Jesus-focused church near you? Give it a try next Sunday. What could it hurt? You might find that church has changed since you went as a child, or heard others' stories about church. Contemporary music is good, and so is a pastor who seems to really care about the people who attend.
It's also important that the pastor puts the spotlight on Jesus as our example, not on how wonderful he or she is. Most recovering addicts and alcoholics can spot a phony a mile away. Put this talent to good use: If the pastor seems phony, leave. Go find one that is real and honest. There are no perfect pastors but that's just the point ! Your pastor should present him or herself as Jesus' servant - imperfect, but committed to living and teaching the principles in the Bible. Committed to loving and helping the people that God sends to His church.
Another thing you can do to help yourself start out well, is to clean out your house, refrigerator, purse, coat pockets, car, hidey-holes and any other places, of any alcohol or drug-related stash. You know - old bottles, baggies or pill bottles with your drug stuff still in them, pipes, rolling papers, T-shirts or hats with beer or booze or marijuana logos on them. You are a new creation, the Bible says, the old has gone. Time to get rid of any former ‘proof of identity’ as an alcoholic or addict. It helps to have a friend who supports you in your recovery journey to help you do this.
If you have just recently stopped using alcohol or other drugs, or plan to soon, it's a good idea to check in with your doctor. Addiction is a medical issue ,too, and your doctor should be well-equipped to know if you need medical detox services or at least medical monitoring while your body gets used to living without alcohol or drugs in it.
Next week, we'll look at some more things you can do that will help you in your new life of recovery. If you have gotten this far, I want you to know, i am very proud of you, even though I may not know you. God knows you. And both God and I know how hard it can be to put down the drink or the drug, turn away from it and turn TOWARDS Jesus. I am one of those people who thinks that a day, one 24-hour period clean and sober, is a miracle. A VERY big deal! So, hang in there.
Come talk to me at Joy Church. i would love to be a support to you in your new beginning, and to pray for you.
You are so loved,
Pastor Judy