1 Peter 1:2God the Father has his eye on each of you and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours!
None of us ended up in recovery by mistake, we are here because God planned it.
Weak and helpless knowing we could do nothing to save ourselves. He came to rescue us. Exactly at the right time —according to God’s plan. God controlled the timing, method, and events surrounding our recovery.
God’s goal for us is to make us like Jesus. As we become more and more like Him, we discover our true selves, the people He created to be. How? By reading and obeying God’s Word, Studying Jesus life on earth through the Gospels. And spending time in prayer.
Live for God One Day at a Time:
Let God guide your life.
Always be thankful,
Let God’s peace rule your heart.
Forgive others always.
Love like Jesus loves.
Imitate Jesus.
Live like Christ’s representative
Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. Romans 5:6
God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. Romans 8:29
Chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Colossians 3:12
Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11
A large contributor to how well we progress in recovery is based on what we do at the beginning, what foundations we establish to build our new lives on.
Now I never understood this when I first came to recovery. I thought you do the Twelve Steps, one to twelve, and when you have done them all you have recovery. But there’s more to it than that. Because when we first enter recovery many of us are too sick to understand the twelve steps. That’s why I believe one of the first things we should all do in the process of recovery is establishing clear spiritual foundations (because it’s a spiritual program) and make them the foundation stones of our recovery. Failing to build on an enduring foundation leads to destruction.
– What are your foundation stones of recovery?
Prayer: Lord help me today to identify Your foundations’ stones to life-changing recovery.
GROWTH IN UNDERSTANDING
Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes! 2 Peter 3:18
Proverbs 18:2 Fools care nothing for thoughtful discourse; all they do is run off at the mouth.
Proverbs 2:2 Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding.
2, GROWTH IN OBEDIENCE
We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more about how God works, you will learn how to do your work. Colossians 1:10
Acts 5:29 “It’s necessary to obey God rather than men.”
1 Peter 1:14 Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now.
3. GROWTH IN FAITH
There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. Philippians 1:6
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.
I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way? Psalms 8:4
Have you ever thought to yourself “Why does God care what I do?” What is so important about me?
Starting on Monday is my intention to introduce a new devotional series called ‘EXPERIENCE – STRENGTH and HOPE’ Anyone who has followed this blog for any length of time will probably be saying “What’s new about that?”
My reasoning is this:
We are all probably aware of the saying “YESTERDAY IS HISTORY – TOMORROWS A MYSTERY – TODAY IS A GIFT FROM GOD.” And, the encouragement in the recovery process to ‘LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME!’
I believe history is for remembering and learning from. The mystery of the journey of recovery is that none of us have any idea where it is going to take us. My life today is nothing like I expected it to be when I took the first step of recovery and made a decision to do something about my messed-up life. Today my life is far better than anything I could have imagined. I am thankful to God for that.
All I had to do was learn to trust Him and follow where He led me. This brings me to the latest idea for sharing in a devotional format my experience, strength, and hope.
For years now I have wanted to write an autobiography because I believe my story is worth telling. But every time I start I end up nowhere and I give up. The result is aI have lots of paperwork on different parts of my life scattered in different areas of my belongings.
Sharing my experience, strength, and hope via this blog has become for me a lifeline. But, I believe recovery is more about now than it is about then. So I want to, based on the verse for today, shared on my Facebook group try and share some of my God thoughts on the process, how I learned to apply it to my life and what I believe God has given me as the way to MOVE FOWARD.
My intention was to have it available only via podcast on livingliferecvery.com but I will be honest I don’t like the sound of my own voice So I think I am going to keep it the way it is now text to speech via my AnchorFM podcast,
I also don’t like videos of myself so maybe I never produce another video, Lets’ wait and see.
Enough of my rambling. Please enjoy today’s #VERSEFORTODAY
Verse For Today
“WE ALL LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE – BUT SOME OF US NEED TO GO TO SUMMER SCHOOL.”
Some of us don’t understand our own experiences/ we have been so busy trying to survive. Placing one foot instead of the other we haven’t had time to take inventory on the things we have gone through, and the lessons God wants us to learn from them.
“WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FORGET ANY EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER PAINFUL THEY ARE.”
Recovery is not about forgetting our past. We all know how to cover up our emotions. Most of us have done it for so long as a protective measure we aren’t sure ourselves how we felt about the things we have gone through.
Luke 21:34-36 tells us to”Be on your guard. Not to let our expectations be dulled by parties and drinking.”
A Day is coming that is going to take us by complete surprise. Going to spring on us, everything becoming evident to us all at once.
It tells us not to fall asleep but to be ready. To pray constantly that we will have the strength and the wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on our feet.”
1 Corinthians 1:25 “Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can’t begin to compete with God’s “weakness.”
Two quotes I read about strength said:
YOU WERE GIVEN THIS LIFE BECAUSE YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO LIVE IT.
God has been with each of us up until this point of our lives. He isn’t going anywhere, so we need to put our faith and trust in His strength to help us to overcome whatever life throws at us. To help us to mature and develop into the productive people He designed us to be with His help.
The second quote I read said:
WHENEVER YOU FIND YOURSELF DOUBTING HOW FAR YOU CAN GO, JUST REMEMBER HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME. REMEMBER EVERYTHING YOU HAVE FACED, ALL THE BATTLES YOU HAVE WON, AND ALL THE FEARS YOU HAVE OVERCOME.
The road to recovery is not an easy road to travel. The journey so far for most of us has been one of problems and issues that in our own strength we have been unable to fix. The Good News is we don’t have to fix them anymore in our own strength. God brought us this far and He wants to take us all the way to success in reshaping our lives according to his purpose for us.
2 Corinthians 12:9says “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness.
Stop focusing on what was – Start focusing on what is and what is to come.
Matthew 12:15-21 says “Jesus, knowing they were out to get him, moved on. A lot of people followed him, and he healed them all. He also cautioned them to keep it quiet, following guidelines set down by Isaiah:
Look well at my handpicked servant; I love him so much, take such delight in him. I’ve placed my Spirit on him; he’ll decree justice to the nations. But he won’t yell, won’t raise his voice; there’ll be no commotion in the streets. He won’t walk over anyone’s feelings, won’t push you into a corner. Before you know it, his justice will triumph; the mere sound of his name will bring hope, even among far-off unbelievers.
We all know the saying:
“YESTERDAY IS HISTORY, TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY, TODAY IS A GIFT OF GOD, WHICH IS WHY WE CALL IT THE PRESENT.”
History is something to remember and learn from. The mystery of this journey of recovery is that none of us have any idea where it is going to take us. My life today is nothing like I expected it to be when I took the first step on the journey.
IT IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN I COULD HAVED IMAGINED – and, for that I am thankful to God.
Another quote I read in preparation for this message says:
“THEY SAY A PERSON NEEDS JUST THREE THINGS TO BE TRULY HAPPY IN THIS WORLD: SOMEONE TO LOVE, SOMETHING TO DO, AND SOMETHING TO HOPE FOR.”
LOVE GOD AND LOVE OTHERS
GET ON WITH THE LIVING THE PROCESS OF RECOVERY AS PRESENTED BY GOD
HOPE AND PRAY THAT HE WILL USE YOU TO BE DIFFERENT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Who wants to be like everybody else?
Today’s verse for the day is:
Psalm 8:4 “I look at my micro-self and wonder, why do you [GOD] bother with us? Why take a second look our way?”
2 Chronicles 6:18Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood?
Acts 7:49“Heaven is my throne room; I rest my feet on earth. So, what kind of house will you build me?” says God. “Where I can get away and relax?
God does not want to take any of us anywhere we do not need to go through the recovery process. He wants to take us and go with us to the places we need to go to become the people He created us to be. Sharing in a relaxed relationship with Him.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘careful,’ you find yourselves cared for.”Matthew 5:7
Figure out what Scripture means: I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders. God’s mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe. before him. God told Moses, “I’m in charge of mercy. So let’s walk right up to him and get what He is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time. God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, He’s rich in love. Let grace, mercy, and peace be with us in truth and love from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, Son of the Father! You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving them.
God uses fallible people to work His will. His mercy is adequate for all of us. When we turn our wills and our lives over to God we can be confident He will use our pain to bring healing. God is willing and able to show mercy to all who call on Him for help.
Matthew 9:28When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I cando this?” They said, “Why, yes, Master!”
Seeing isn’t always believing. Often when we start attending recovery groups we see what is going on but we don’t believe it. There is a saying “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.” For some of us until we start experiencing changes in our lives because of recovery we just don’t believe it.
This scripture tells of some of the miraculous healing powers of Jesus. In the featured verse, Jesus asked two blind men “do you believe I can do this?”
Do you believe Jesus can heal people?
A question we all need to answer as we progress in the process of recovery.
Do I believe Jesus cares enough about me to heal me?
Prayer: Just for today, Lord help me to believe that You love me and care enough about me to heal me
“The health of the apple tells the health of the tree.” You must begin with your own life-giving lives.
We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now.
Jesus said to His disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. “ Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it.
Recovery is not always going to be easy But it is always going to be worth it
Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. 1 Timothy 4:8
Living life in recovery according to God’s will makes life valuable. Through this process God asked us to choose life through following Jesus rather than leading life according to our own sinful desires.
God wants us through the process to stop trying to control our own destiny and let Him guide us. This makes sense based on the way we lived prior to recovery and the fact that Christ knows better than us what is good for us and what we need to keep moving forward in life.
God also asks us to submit to Him in order that we might lose our self- centredness and understand the value of our own lives and the lives of others i n our circle of influence.
– What value do you place on your life and the lives of others now that you are progressing spiritually in recovery?
Prayer: Lord help me to place the same value on life as You do.
God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female. Genesis 1:27
Hebrews 11:3By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see.
John 1:3Everything was created through him; nothing—not one thing!— came into being without him.
GOD LOVES US
Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.
Ephesians 1:4
Romans 5:8 God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
Zephaniah 3:17God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.
GOD VALUES US
We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin.
Hebrews 4:15
1 John 3:2 Friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him.
God’s name is a place of protection— good people can run there and be safe. Proverbs 18:10
PRAYER: Just for today God help me to apply Your truth to my life. Teach me the areas that need refining. In Your time, when You think I am ready use me to help others on the road to recovery so they may triumph over their addictions and compulsions and be all that You want them to be,
Don’t set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of ‘Father’; you have only one Father, and he’s in heaven. And don’t let people maneuver you into taking charge of them. There is only one Life-Leader for you and them—Christ. “Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant.Matthew 23:9-11
A life of humble service is the goal of all recovery.
