Month: November 2015

Word for Today: REPENTANCE

24th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Devotions, Recovery Comments Off on Word for Today: REPENTANCE

REPENTANCE – regret for any past action.
Answer me, God; O answer me and reveal to this people that you are God, the true God, and that you are giving these people another chance at repentance.” 1 Kings 18:37

 Repentance of sin opens the way for a relationship with God
It’s your life that must change, not your skin. And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.’ Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there–children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. Luke 3:8

God helped me to change my life through personal relationship with Him. For a number of years in my life I was constantly moving from place to place looking for new life and stability. It came when I took time to stay still and take responsibility for my past actions.

Unless we repent of our sins, we will die
Unless you turn to God, you too will die. Luke 13:3

Sin in my life made me want to run and hide from God. I had always believed God existed, Jesus was His Son and the way to salvation, but I never realised the consequences of living according to Archie’s plan. I blocked the feelings of guilt that existed in me with alcohol and other mind altering substances. And when I first came to recovery I avoided relationship with God because the guilt became real in my heart. Understanding that God loved me, regardless of my faults and sins helped me to remove my fear and guilt, repent for my sins and enter daily, consistent relationship with Him.

Forgive those who repent of wrongs done to you
Even if it’s personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again,’ forgive him.” Luke 17:4

Forgiving those who have hurt me is Christ-like. The Bible tells me to forgive others as God has forgiven me. Now, whilst not always easy this is always possible. If we truly experience God’s grace in our lives and show that same grace to others we are not excusing the hurt, but recognising the person as human and loving them in spite of their faults and sins.

 God would like everyone to repent and believe
God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change. 2 Peter 3:9

 God helps our faith to grow. Instead of worrying about ‘will I ever get this’ I had to learn to just trust God and acknowledge Jesus as my Lord and my Saviour. Repentance in our life makes the inward changes god has made in and through our lives a visible reality. Repent means ‘to turn’ implying change in behaviour. It means turning away from sin and turning towards God. A new and different way of living is what makes the reality of recovery visible to others and want to find out what we have and how do they get it?

The best things in are not free

20th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Devotions, Recovery Comments Off on The best things in are not free

Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man who then goes to bed and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows–he has no idea how it happens. Mark 4:26-27

Wrongdoing has a way of rebounding on us like a boomerang. As we do to others, we can find ourselves similarly treated. And we tend not to like it. Bullies don’t like being bullied, liars don’t like being lied to, thieves don’t like people stealing their stuff. It is an irrefutable fact, we reap what we sow.

MEDITATION
The best things in are not free. Some of us know the cost of wrong choices, and, having to suffer the consequences of bad actions. We know what it feels like to reach rock-bottom and have nowhere to go, to reap a bad crop through planting bad seed and failing to take care of a young crop. The Divine Sower is waiting to invest in us …. so we can reap a good harvest, and to help us to attend to the soul soil fitness required. God alone, through Jesus can put us tight as we replant and reap a new harvest.

PRAYER
God forgive my foolish pandering to my sinful nature. Set me free to be a target of your seeding program.

We either worship God or we worship things

17th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Devotions Comments Off on We either worship God or we worship things

It’s not as if they don’t know better. They know perfectly well they’re spitting in God’s face. And they don’t care–worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!  Romans 1:32

When we fail to ‘Admit we are Powerless” and our lives are “Unmanageable” we act as Paul says here: it’s like ‘spitting in God’s face’

We either worship God or we worship things. We follow God’s nature or follow our sinful nature. This verse reminds us in order to succeed in recovery our lives must become totally committed to God. The way to do that is to turn our wills and lives over to Him

Be careful! Don’t lose the reward we have worked for.

14th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Devotions, Recovery Comments Off on Be careful! Don’t lose the reward we have worked for.

Be careful! Don’t lose the reward we have worked for. Be careful so that you will receive all of that reward. 2 John 1:8

 

Clear boundaries are necessary for spiritual growth and effective recovery. During our using days we may have been involved in unhealthy relationships, dangerous habits or false religions. We may even have been fooled into false beliefs about recovery. The best way of knowing the truth is to anchor our lives on God’s Word and seek His will for our lives.


MEDITATION
Today’s scripture offers sound advice. It reminds us that all our moral effort has been a result of learning and application of the Twelve Steps, and can be easily lost if we do not take care. Frivolous moments of humour, bravado jokes with mates, over confident bragging, entering the wrong places and mixing with the wrong people can quickly trip us up. So can build-ups of pressure, loneliness, resentment, isolation and attitude.

Having worked hard in recovery, do not squander it. Only a fool would throw it away. Continued self-discipline is priceless. Any reward is better than relapse and a return to our old ways of living.

……… you must continue to live in a way that gives meaning to your salvation. Do this with fear and respect for God. Philippians 2:12


PRAYER
Lord, teach me to continue in the way that gives meaning to my salvation and respect for You and all You have done for me to this point.

He is the greatest, He is beyond compare, He is God

13th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Devotions, Recovery Comments Off on He is the greatest, He is beyond compare, He is God

Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD because he is good! His faithful love will last forever! No one can describe how great the LORD really is. No one can praise him enough. Psalms 106:1-2

 

The praise that the young heap on so-called superstars these days’ amazes those of us of more mature generations. Descriptive adjectives are thrown around cheaply. Whilst some praise for some who excel in their fields is warranted, it is sheer exaggeration when super-status is given to singers, bands or sporting heroes who fall-short where their character is concerned. To many of our young people get swept away in a world of unreality, by starry eyed worship of over-rated performers. We do not deny some of them have outstanding ability, super-artistry and dedication to their chosen profession. Their dedication an example to some of us who wish to achieve such dedication.

MEDITATION
There is another group in society who have cause to be devotees and worship One who can never be praised enough. Jesus Christ is worthy of our highest adulation, appreciation and dedication. There is no word strong enough, good enough, extreme enough to explain, expand and express all that He is, 2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his gift that is too wonderful to describe. He is the greatest, He is beyond compare, He is God. His power never diminishes. His loving, life-saving personality never weakens or crashes. We want to praise Him more and more each day as He becomes more and more wonderful to us.

PRAYER
Lord, do in my life that for which I can never stop praising You. Become to me all that You really are.

There will be a highway called the Holy Road.

12th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Devotions, Recovery Comments Off on There will be a highway called the Holy Road.

There will be a highway called the Holy Road. No one rude or rebellious is permitted on this road. It’s for GOD’s people exclusively– impossible to get lost on this road. Not even fools can get lost on it. Isaiah 35:8

The highway called the ‘Holy Road’ is God’s recover program for His people. He provided a way out of exile, and also provides a passage through the desert of pain and suffering into His presence. The road is without danger because God travels with us. We are not alone as we fight the battles of life, never alone because He is with us, strengthening us and helping us overcome temptation.

Meditation
Returning to life without our addictions and compulsions can be filled with many unexpected and unwanted changes. Recovery is not going to solve all our problems, they could also increase, as we tackle problems we have avoided for a long time. The ‘Good News’   can is it can be successfully done. We can disassociate with our reckless, selfish past and develop a new way of living with God’s guidance, help and support.

Tell fearful souls, “Courage! Take heart! God is here, right here, on his way to put things right And redress all wrongs. He’s on his way! He’ll save you!” Blind eyes will be opened, deaf ears unstopped, Lame men and women will leap like deer, the voiceless break into song. Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness, streams flow in the desert. Isaiah 35:4-6

 

PRAYER
Thank You Lord, for the essential reminders of the process of transformation possible through the application of Your program of recovery.

We need the help of those who can enlarge our vision and broaden our perspective

12th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Step 5 Comments Off on We need the help of those who can enlarge our vision and broaden our perspective

We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs

[The Life Recovery Devotional]
Step 5 – Day 11 

  • Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.
    Proverbs 15:22
  • Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.
    Proverbs 11:14
  • Your sayings on life are what give me delight; I listen to them as to good neighbors!
    Psalms 119:24

We can never progress in recovery in isolation. We need ‘OTHERS’ ,who are further along the road than we are to help us and [rovide healthy relationships of support us as we move forward together in fellowship with God,

“What have I got that anyone would want”

12th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Devotions, Recovery Comments Off on “What have I got that anyone would want”

The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped. Proverbs 11:24-25

Some of us may think “What have I got that anyone would want” “What have I got to give.” We may feel too tired and too empty to reach out to anyone else. We all need to be aware we have a great gift, given to us by God, and it is a gift we can all pass on. It is the gift of encouragement. When we share our victories, and our failures with other they can receive encouragement from our battles, knowing that although we have not reached our goal we are still persevering. Others can learn for our successes and failures. We too can be encouraged as we share them when we realize how far we have moved forward in our recovery walk.

The Story of the prodigal son reminds us that confession can be a stepping-stone to renewed fellowship with God.

11th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Devotions, Recovery, Step 5 Comments Off on The Story of the prodigal son reminds us that confession can be a stepping-stone to renewed fellowship with God.

Bible Reading: Luke 15:11-24

We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

That brought him to his senses. He said, “All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.” He got right up and went home to his father. When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. Luke 15:17-20

The Story of the prodigal son reminds us that confession can be a stepping-stone to renewed fellowship with God.

The son had used up all his resources and those of his fathers in order to establish his own identity. He returned home filled with shame and confessing in his heart “Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son.”

 The father’s response to his son is a mirror of God’s response to our open and honest confession. The son expected rejection and abandonment, he found love, compassion, acceptance, and renewed relationship. As we confess our brokenness to God, expecting rejection and abandonment we too will find love, compassion, acceptance and renewed relationship as He welcomes us home.

As long as we continue on the road of sin we cut ourselves off from God

10th November 2015 aeboyle 2015, Devotions, Recovery Comments Off on As long as we continue on the road of sin we cut ourselves off from God

Shame! Misguided God-dropouts, staggering under their guilt-baggage, Gang of miscreants, band of vandals– My people have walked out on me, their God, turned their backs on The Holy of Israel, walked off and never looked back. Isaiah 1:4

 As long as we continue on the road of sin we cut ourselves off from God’s help and isolate ourselves. In times of loneliness and separation from Him, remember He has not abandoned you. It is sin that separates us from Him. The only sure cure for our loneliness is have meaningful relationship with Him through confession of sin, obedience to His instructions and regular  communication with Him.

Contact LLR

%d bloggers like this: