Category: Recovery

Recovery Devotion 136, 2021

16th May 2021 aeboyle 2021, May, Recovery Comments Off on Recovery Devotion 136, 2021

RECOVERY CHANGES LIVES
Psalms 32:3  When I kept silent about my sin, my body became weak because I groaned all day long.

Suppressed guilt and shame in my life because of how I was living made it impossible for me to live a normal life. All-day, every day I searched in vain for an answer to my problems.

Coming into recovery changed that. Just being able to talk about my problems openly and honestly in a safe environment helped me so much to open my mind and heart to God and others.  There is nothing I enjoy more in my life today than an opportunity to share my experience, strength, and hope with people.

Several years ago a Pastor in the church I belonged to used to ask me week after week “Archie are you RFA?” I never knew what he was talking about till I asked him weeks later. Ready for Anything!  

– Are you RFA?

Prayer: Lord, today let me be ready for anything You prompt me to do and equip me to do it.

Guilt

luxury bronze indoors still life
Always weigh up your options with His Word

Guilt causes us to hide from God
When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she’d know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate. Immediately the two of them did “see what’s really going on”—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves. When they heard GOD strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from GOD. Genesis 3:6-8

A guilt conscience is a warning signal from God that goes off when we have done the wrong thing or intend to do the wrong thing. Eliminating our guilty feelings through taking mind-altering substances is like using a painkiller. It does not cure the disease. Guilty feelings are God given. They make us aware of our sin and encourage us to ask God for forgiveness and change whatever is causing the guilt.

Jesus Christ takes away all guilt
Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity, he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it through Jesus Christ. Romans 3:23-24

There are no minor sins, and the Bible tells us all sin leads to death. (because they disqualify us from living our lives according to God’s Word) Don’t minimize sin in your life. Suppressed guilt and shame make it impossible for us to live lives that are pleasing to God. He prompts us and equips us to deal with what we need to deal with to become the people He wants us to be.

Twelve Steps of Christianity

24th November 2020 aeboyle 2020, November, Recovery, Recovery Keys, Recovery Principles Comments Off on Twelve Steps of Christianity

Hi there,

Over the last couple of months, I have been challenged with the topic of what this blog will focus on in 2021. Every year in November and December I attempt to make a conscious decision on the focus for the year ahead.

To date, I have tried to maintain a 12 Step approach to blog content on this site. In the last few weeks, I have been reading (and studying) the book TWELVE STEP CHRISTIANITY by Saul Selby.

In this book, Saul Selby talks about how The Oxford Group’s spiritual tenets, contributed to the development of AA’s Twelve Steps.

The tenets are:

  • Surrender: The decision to submit one’s will totally to God’s will. e

  • Confession of Sin: Confessing one’s sins to both God and another person.
  • Restitution: The righting the wrongs done to others because of sin in our lives.

  • Guidance: Encouragement to set aside time for daily prayer and meditation to seek God’s face and receive direction and power for life.

  • Witnessing: Encouragement to share with others what God had done in our lives.

  • The Four Absolutes: The example of Christ Himself was the standard of living. His example of holy living held up as a banner by which we can measure our own behaviour.
    • Absolute Honesty
    • Absolute Purity
    • Absolute Unselfishness
    • Absolute Love

In the book Saul Selby also shares.
CHRISTIAN EQUIVALENTS OF THE TWELVES STEPS

They are:

  1. We are powerless to live the Christian Life. in our own strength.

  2. We need to experience Jesus both as personal and available in our lives.

  3. We need to decide to completely surrender our lives to God’s will and purpose.

  4. We need to honestly examine the impact of sin in our lives.

  5. We need to confess our sin to both God and another person we trust.

  6. We need to become determined to stop sinning.

  7. We need to ask God to remove our impulse to sin.

  8. We need to make restitution for the harm our sin has done to others.

  9. We need to resist the temptation to keep sinning, confess to God when we do, and make restitution for the harm it causes.

  10. We need to seek God’s will through prayer, meditation, and Bible study.

  11. Following salvation through faith in Jesus Christ we need to let Him use us to influence the lives of others.
  1. We are powerless to live the Christian Life.

  2. Experiencing Jesus as personal and available.

  3. Decide to completely surrender our lives to God.

  4. Honestly examine the impact of sin in our lives.

  5. Confessing our sin to God and another person.

  6. Become determined to stop sinning.

  7. Asking God to remove our impulse to sin.

  8. Making restitution for the harm our sin has done to others.

  9. Resisting the temptation to sin. Confessing to God when we do and making restitution for the harm it causes.

  10. Seeking God’s will through prayer, meditation and Bible study.

  11. Following salvation through faith in Jesus Christ letting Him use us to influence the lives of others.

In 2021 it is my desire to use these tenets and ‘Christian equivalents of the Twelve Steps’ to write daily podcasts and weekly topical videos to pass on the message ‘We all need recovery.’ and the way to achieve it is through learning and applying God’s plan for living as we walk the ‘Rod to Recovery’ together.

RELAPSE

22nd October 2019 aeboyle 2019, October, Recovery Comments Off on RELAPSE

We are all the most vulnerable to relapse when life is going well. When things are going well we tend to stop listening to God because we think we can now handle things on our own. We start to neglect to go to meetings, reading the Bible, praying and doing other things we used to do when we were first introduced to recovery.

Complacency leads to relapse. God is the source of power for all recovery; success in recovery needs to be accredited to Him and what He is doing in and through us and our lives. Failure to acknowledge Him will lead to relapse

Disappointment can lead to relapse. When things don’t go the way, we think they should we are left at a crossroads, with two choices. Keep moving forward or go backward. When things don’t go the way we think they should we need to become actively involved in changing them.

Pride leads to relapse. Arrogance disqualifies us from moving forward in recovery. Self-sufficiency and superiority are killers in the process.

 

PRIDE

  1.  Pride lures us away from God
  2. Pride undermines what we have learned
  3. Pride distorts our views of ourselves – God – others – recovery

 

SELFISHNESS

  1. Selfishness is a rejection of God and all He represents
  2. Selfishness is self-destructive
  3. Selfishness is at the heart of most of our problems

 

COMPLACENCY

  1. Stops us relying on God
  2. Stops us asking for help when we need it
  3. Removes us from the recovery process

 

DISTRACTION

  1. Distraction stops us being consistent
  2. Distraction lowers our awareness of our true position
  3. Distraction stops us trusting God

 

PREVENTING RELAPSE


COMMITMENT TO GOD

  1. Must be complete
  2. Must be consistent
  3. Must be lifelong
  4. Must put Him first and above all else

 

COMMITMENT TO OTHERS

  1. Should not compromise our recovery
  2. Should reflect our relationship with God
  3. Should encourage both us and those we are in relationship with

 

Scripture

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So, when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with You, and even to die with You.” But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me.” Luke 22:31-34

It is easy to lose faith when things go wrong. As we experience problems in recovery we may feel our recovery is worthless and no longer worthwhile. We may get angry at God because He is not doing what we think He should. Peter suffered the worst relapse. Complacently believing He would never do anything to deny his relationship with Jesus. “I’d rather die”, he said.

  • Why in the recovery process are we surprised when it gets difficult? Why do we think because we are in recovery and have God in our lives everything is going to be easy?

 

ACROSTIC

Reserve a daily quiet time

  • Time to pray
  • Time to read the Bible
  • Time to meditate on God’s Word

 

Evaluate

  • How are you going?
  • Where are you in the recovery process?
  • Is there something or things you need to change

 

Listen to Jesus

  • How’s your prayer life?
  • How’s your obedience
  • Are you avoiding something?

 

Alone and quiet time

  • Time to relax
  • Time to rest
  • Time to do something you enjoy

 

Plug into God’s power

  • How is your connection?
  • Are you letting God lead?
  • How’s your obedience?

 

Slow down

  • Are you doing too much?
  • When was your last day off?
  • How is your time balanced?

 

Enjoy your growth

  • How disciplined are you?
  • How have you changed in the last twelve months?
  • When did you last celebrate your recovery?

 

 

 

Tolerate Different

18th October 2019 aeboyle 2019, October, Recovery Comments Off on Tolerate Different

Colossians 3:13 Put up with each other. Forgive the things you are holding against one another. Forgive, just as the Lord forgave you

Tolerating the differences. We all have them and some of them can be really annoying. God created us all in His image. He in His wisdom gave us all personalities and if we are going to survive the process of recovery we are going to have to tolerate each other’s differences.

I often like to tell people about the process of my recovery and the amazing things God did in that process just for me. I have been challenged by people who think I am too sure of myself. I’m not, what I am sure of is my Saviour and my Higher Power has a plan for me and if I continually seek to find, understand and implement His plan nothing can ever happen that will make me want to return to being the person I used to be.

Changed?

30th September 2019 aeboyle 2019, Recovery, September Comments Off on Changed?

In Luke 12 Jesus said, “I have come to change everything, turn everything right side up.”  “I’ve come to disrupt and confront.” “You don’t have to be a genius to understand these things.” He said “Just use your common sense.” 

“Are you caught up in the turmoil of addiction and compulsion? feeling like there is no way out? Then listen to this! Jesus Christ came to save sinners, He died on a cross and rose after three days to prove to me and to you there is a Way out and it is through a relationship with Him. Common sense says “I can’t do this on my own!” “I need help!”

Do you want Him to help you “turn everything right side up?” If the answer is yes, and you live in Australia can I suggest you get in touch with Celebrate Recovery Australia?

Why Recovery?

14th August 2019 aeboyle 2019, August, Recovery Comments Off on Why Recovery?

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. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. Ephesians 1:4-6

I Will Not Leave You Orphaned

10th August 2019 aeboyle 2019, August, Recovery Comments Off on I Will Not Leave You Orphaned

“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you! “I will not leave you orphaned. I’m coming back.” John 14:15-18

Even Though We All Need It – Not Everyone Is In Recovery.

31st July 2019 aeboyle 2019, July, Recovery, Thought For Today Comments Off on Even Though We All Need It – Not Everyone Is In Recovery.

“In prayer, there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.” Matthew 6:14-15

One of the problems with the process of recovery is – not everyone is in recovery, even though we all need it. We need to remember this fact when it comes to making our list.

The purpose of recovery is to help us live better lives through personal change with God’s help. It is not to make others love us or accept us more and it is definitely not for others to change because we have.

The fact is as we grow spiritually and change our habits and attitudes we may still come across people who will treat us badly. In those instances, we need to stop, say a prayer and leave them in God’s hands.

  • Are you ready to let God deal with the people you can’t deal with?

Talk to God then Listen

22nd May 2019 aeboyle 2019, May, Recovery Comments Off on Talk to God then Listen

There are more troubles all around me than I can count. My sins have caught up with me, and I can’t see any longer. My sins are more than the hairs of my head. I have lost all hope. Psalm 40:12

Sin creates a barrier between us and God. If we want to break down the barrier we need to understand God is greater than the barrier. Through the recovery process He gives us hope for reconciliation with Him.

Balance

26th March 2019 aeboyle 2019, March, Recovery, Thought For Today Comments Off on Balance

Hebrews 4:1 God’s promise of enjoying his rest still stands. So be careful that none of you fails to receive it.

Through many years in recovery, attending many meetings and many events I am aware of how lucky I am. I am also conscious of the fact that ‘Most people don’t wait around long enough for the miracle to happen.’

Rest in recovery is important to balance in life. We live in a busy world. There is always plenty going on. My experience of being in recovery is when people hear where you have come from, what happened and where you are now they want you to come and share it. My advice to everyone in recovery, especially early in recovery is set boundaries on that.

God has given us rest, so we can rest not so we can respond to everyone’s desires to have others hear our story.

or most of my recovery life I have limited where and when I share my recovery experience. I do that because I believe God shows me where and when to speak.

 

Prayer: God help me to stay balanced in my recovery.

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