Tag: Holy Spirit

#2217 Living Life Recovery Message

5th August 2022 aeboyle 2022, August, Living Life Recovery, Thought For Today 2 Comments

Recovery_Messager

Romans 8:6 Following after the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace, but following after the old nature leads to death.

OUR ABILITY TO THINK

We differ from animals in that we can observe, think, and arrive at logical conclusions. We are endowed by God, our creator, with understanding.

WE HAVE CHOICES
Romans 6:6-8 Your old evil desires were nailed to the cross with him; that part of you that loves to sin was crushed and fatally wounded, so that your sin-loving body is no longer under sin’s control, no longer needs to be a slave to sin; for when you are deadened to sin you are freed from all its allure and its power over you. And since your old sin-loving nature “died” with Christ, we know that you will share his new life

WE HAVE A GOD WHO LOVES AND SUPPORTS US
Romans 8:27-29 The Father who knows all hearts knows, of course, what the Spirit is saying as He pleads for us in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into His plans. For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to Him—and all along He knew who would—should become like his Son, so that His Son would be the First, with many brothers.

BECAUSE WE HAVE CHOICES AND A GOD WHO LOVES AND SUPPORTS US THE BIBLE SAYS WE HAVE TWO POSSIBLE MINDSETS
OUR OLD WAY OF THINKING

Following the crowd to fit in Colossians 2:18 says “Don’t let anyone declare you lost when you refuse to worship angels, as they say you must. They have seen a vision, they say, and know you should. These proud men (though they claim to be so humble) have a very clever imagination”

God created me to be me and you to be you, so be the best you you can be.

Listening to lies because we don’t want to admit the truth about ourselves and our lives 1 Timothy 6:5 These arguers—their minds warped by sin—don’t know how to tell the truth; to them the Good News is just a means of making money. Keep away from them.

If you ask enough people you are sure to find one who thinks like you and will give you the answers you want to stop you from facing up to the truth of your reality. The Bible says we should Pray about everything; telling God your needs, and thanking Him for His answers. Philippians 4:6

Trusting God to help us to change what we think which will change what we do, Titus 1:15 says “A person who is pure of heart sees goodness and purity in everything; but a person whose own heart is evil and untrusting finds evil in everything, for his dirty mind and rebellious heart color all he sees and hears.”

Changing our thinking patterns is important on a daily basis if we want to change our lives. There is a cliche in Alcoholics Anonymous that says THINK! THINK! THINK! and we all need to discipline ourselves to learn to think before we act on our feelings.
GOD’s WAY OF THIKING

In the Bible Paul says Romans 7:23-25 There is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin. So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free.

For many of us for many years we have tried in our own strength to achieve and maintain recovery and character change, unsuccessfully and we can relate to what Paul is saying. Now it’s time to learn to listen to Jesus and do the things He tells us to do so we can experience His peace in our lives.

Jesus says: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

Ephesians 4:23 says “Your attitudes and thoughts must all be constantly changing for the better.”

1 Corinthians 2:15-16 says “The spiritual man has insight into everything, and that bothers and baffles the man of the world, who can’t understand him at all. How could he? For certainly he has never been one to know the Lord’s thoughts, or to discuss them with him, or to move the hands of God by prayer. But, strange as it seems, we Christians actually do have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 2:14 says “The man who isn’t a Christian can’t understand and can’t accept these thoughts from God, which the Holy Spirit teaches us. They sound foolish to him because only those who have the Holy Spirit within them can understand what the Holy Spirit means. Others just can’t take it in.”

If we want to understand the thoughts of Jesus and experience the gift of ‘peace of mind’ He talks about we need to change our attitudes and thoughts as we grow daily in faith and understanding of the reality of the opportunities recovery brings to our lives.

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Death here means spiritual death, or separation from God. When we constantly think of the flesh and how to gratify ourselves it definitely separateds usfrom God.

Death stands in contrast to a “life and peace.”

“Life” is eternal or the life of God which Christ imparts into the believer.

Jesus said “Anyone who believes in me will have eternal life.” John 3:15
He also said “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.” John 10:10

“Peace” is the tranquillity Jesus Christ brings to the heart of the believer who seeks to please God in his spirit.
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27
I have told you all this so that you will have peace of heart and mind. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows; but cheer up, for I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Romans 14:7 says “We are not our own bosses to live or die as we
ourselves might choose.”

Let God Shine

13th July 2022 aeboyle 2022, June, Thought For Today, Truth Comments Off on Let God Shine

I am still blown away when God uses me to affect someone’s life. There are times when I open my life to others and times I don’t. I don’t choose those times. The Holy Spirit does. I never intentionally enter conversation with anyone expecting to share my story.

And as I sit here this morning at home, by myself the Holy Spirit and I talked about it.

Prompted by a discussion I had with a young person last night on outreach. Who said to me “thanks for sharing your story with me, it really inspired me”. My response was “I don’t share it with everyone” made me think about the way I share my faith with others and the things I share.

On the 31st of this May I turned be 59. In those years I have experienced much good bad and indifferent. It would take the same amount of time to share it all with someone else. But if I allow the Holy Spirit to rule in my life He will prompt me in every situation to share the bits I need to to influence others.

He can do the same for you. All of us have relationships in life where we can make a difference. The way to make it a positive difference is by allowing the Holy Spirit to prompt you what parts of your own life experience you should share in each circumstance.

God doesn’t want us all to be preachers but He does want us all to tell others what He is doing in us.

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#VerseForToday

9th April 2022 aeboyle 2022, April,, Verse For Today Comments Off on #VerseForToday

“Don’t be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭1:8-10‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Too often we are afraid to speak up for our beliefs. Fear of rejection or mocking by others stopping us from giving a true witness of what God has done, is doing and promises to do in and through our lives.

God is calling us to be people unafraid of what others think or say about us. People who will enthusiastically share His truth with others and encourage them to get into a personal relationship with Him so they too can experience the truth.

At an AA meeting a number of years ago I shared my story of life transformation through the power of God’s Holy Spirit moving in and through my life. Or I began too. The chair of the meeting stopped me short. And, after the meeting a couple of people came up to me and said “we agree with what you were saying.”

I found myself asking the question of God “did the really, or were they just trying to make me feel better.”

Always speaking the truth in life isn’t always easy. Over the past few weeks I have found myself being careless with the truth because I didn’t want to offend or disagree with others.

Prayer

Just for today Lord help me to always tell the truth as You reveal it to me.

2022 | Day Seven | Discussion Starter

7th January 2022 aeboyle 2021, Discussion Starters, January, Podcast Comments Off on 2022 | Day Seven | Discussion Starter

I pulled you in from all over the world, called you in from every dark corner of the earth, Telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side. I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’ Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. Isaiah 41:9-10

I have watched more people walk away from recovery than have completed it, all because of ‘fear of the unknown.’

We have all heard the saying ‘it’s better the devil you know.’

I want to tell you it isn’t. Recovery is a scary and sometimes thankless process. I want to tell you today, having spent many years in recovery. It is worth it.

Do not quit! The smallest step forward is still a step in the right direction. I heard many years ago the slogan: ‘You only fail when you stop trying’ So just keep moving forward and I promise you – It will get better.

  • In what ways has your recovery been worth it?

Prayer: just for today Lord help me today to keep moving forward.

CONTINUE TO PRAY:
Study God and his strength, seek his presence day and night 1 Chronicles 16:11 

AVOID DISTRACTIONS THAT LEAD AWAY FROM THE GOAL:
Let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time. we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Galatians 6:9

Rely on the Power of the Holy Spirit :
Prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. Ephesians 6:18


LLR Thought for the Day

17th November 2021 aeboyle 2021, Living Life Recovery, November, Thought For Today Comments Off on LLR Thought for the Day

God’s angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth.

Meditation for the Day

God’s power can deliver us from our addictive and compulsive behaviours and attitudes, but only if we are prepared to be rigorously honest with Him. To avoid His displeasure we need to apply what we learn from the Bible, the Holy Spirit and the Twelve Steps.

Prayer for the Day

Lord, help me today to help You to help me avoid Your displeasure by being honest with You and applying what You teach me through Your Word, Your Spirit and the Twelve Steps.

The Best Version of Me

9th October 2021 aeboyle 2021, Living Life Recovery, October, Step 10 Comments Off on The Best Version of Me

Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites. But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him. Philippians 3:17-21

All of us in the process of recovery and right living need people we look up to. This scripture tells us to “keep track of those running this same course, headed for the same goal” For me this has meant in my life being in relationship with two groups of people. Those on the recovery road, looking to change their lives for the better. Learning and applying the steps and processes required to live new lives of sobriety, new lives of changed attitudes, actions and behaviours. And, followers of Jesus Christ seeking to know and to do God’s will in their daily lives. People who not only read and study God’s Word but also apply what it says. People who are in daily relationship with the Holy Spirit and are seeking to make God’s promises their new way of living.

I write this today because I don’t believe it is one or the other. I believe we need both. There is no thing as secular recovery groups or Bible based recovery groups. They are all Spiritual and both have something to teach us and to offer us as we walk this road together with the same goal – to be the best version of ourselves we can possibly be and encourage others to be the same.

One day Christ will come to make us beautiful and whole for many of us I believe He will ask the question “wHY?” “Why didn’t you attend AA, NA or other Twelve Step Groups? or “Why didn’t you attend Bible based recovery groups?”

It says in the scripture above “easy street is dead-end street” Shouldn’t we be using all the tools that He has given us to be the best version of ourselves we can be?

The Lord Formed Me

14th August 2021 aeboyle 2021, August, Living Life Recovery, Thought For Today, Verse For Today Comments Off on The Lord Formed Me

My soul is the part of me that makes me, me. And, so is yours

Developing Good Habits

11th July 2021 aeboyle 2021, July, Step 7 Comments Off on Developing Good Habits

We humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings
1 John 5:13-15 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Romans 8:5-11 (Complete Jewish Bible) Those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature, but those who identify with the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Having one’s mind controlled by the old nature is death, but having one’s mind controlled by the Spirit is life and shalom. For the mind controlled by the old nature is hostile to God, because it does not submit itself to God’s Torah—indeed, it cannot. Thus, those who identify with their old nature cannot please God. But you, you do not identify with your old nature but with the Spirit—provided the Spirit of God is living inside you, for anyone who doesn’t have the Spirit of the Messiah doesn’t belong to him. However, if the Messiah is in you, then, on the one hand, the body is dead because of sin; but, on the other hand, the Spirit is giving life because God considers you righteous. And if the Spirit of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead is living in you, then the One who raised the Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?
Those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature.

The bible says in Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Step eleven says “We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out”

The scripture above encourages us to stop identifying with our old nature. Romans 12:2 tells us to ‘Stop conforming to the patterns of the world.’ Developing good habits in our lives requires:

The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Holy Spirit teaches us.
John 14:26 The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

The Holy Spirit lives within us.
Romans 8:11  The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

The Holy Spirit opens our spiritual eyes.
1 Corinthians 2:10  God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.




Can You See The Real Me?

18th October 2020 aeboyle 2020, Morning Harmony,, October 1 Comment

Since I have been in Bible-based recovery (May 1989) my life has changed but who I am is basically the same person. Sure I act and react to things differently. My knowledge and understanding of God’s way of living have improved and, I have had to change my mind and my behaviors on many of the things I learned growing up.

I AM A CHILD OF GOD
To all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, John 1:12

I AM A FRIEND OF GOD
I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father. John 15:15

I AM CREATED IN HIS IMAGE
God made man like his Maker. Like God did God make man; Man and maid did he make them. Genesis 1:27

IN HIS SPIRIT I CAN BE WISE AND STRONG
The Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them. 2 Timothy 1:7


GO WITH THE FLOW

15th September 2020 aeboyle 2020, Morning Harmony,, September Comments Off on GO WITH THE FLOW

Don’t be drunk with wine, which will ruin your life, but be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 ERV

It is strange how quickly people jump to the wrong conclusions. And how often they are proven wrong. In Acts chapter 2 the people od Jesus received an overwhelming filling of God’s Spirit. The ‘upper room’ experience gave them a spiritual boost. They went out on the streets witnessing with authority. ‘Thy’re drunk’ was the conclusion reached by some who saw them in action.

Peter gave this retort in John 7:37-39 TLB  On the last day, the climax of the holidays, Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  38  For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water shall flow from the inmost being of anyone who believes in me.”  39  (He was speaking of the Holy Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him; but the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet returned to his glory in heaven.) They had drunk fully, become saturated by the indwelling if the Holy Spirit.

Rather than jump to conclusions at what we see at face-value we need to take time to STOP! and consider the fact God may be doing something totally different that we cannot understand. We need to learn to ‘Go with the flow.’

PRAYER: Instead of scepticism, spectating and suspicion help me Lord to come into the warming place, of the Holy Spirit, where glows the fire of reality.

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