Category: Testimony

Sobriety Is Not Salvation

4th August 2019 aeboyle 2019, August, Testimony Comments Off on Sobriety Is Not Salvation

I love the verse in Hebrews that says “Let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God.” Hebrews 6:1

It has always surprised me and disappointed me that Alcoholics Anonymous moved away from Bible-based recovery and belief in a ‘God as we understand Him.’ Confession Time; I don’t understand God! What I do understand is I was caught up in a life of addiction, compulsion, lying, cheating and disruption and in 1989 after inviting Jesus Christ to be my Lord, Saviour and One True Higher Power. In 1989 I was awarded in a public meeting of the Bridge Programme the above ‘Sobriety Certificate’ Did that make me a Christian? Definitely not. What made me a Christian and keeps me a Christian is my desire to discover, understand and apply God’s will to my life on a daily basis. It was hard work, but worth it. 

When I submitted my life to Him and began a daily relationship of interaction with Him, He changed my life through changing my actions, beliefs and character.

That scripture goes on to say Once people have seen the light, gotten a taste of heaven and been part of the work of the Holy Spirit, once they’ve personally experienced the sheer goodness of God’s Word and the powers breaking in on us– if then they turn their backs on it, washing their hands of the whole thing, well, they can’t start over as if nothing happened. That’s impossible. Hebrews 6:4-6

Every day in my life I am thankful! That through a conscious decision I made in 1989 my life has completely changed and I know that no matter what happens in my life today good, bad or indifferent. If I continue in my desire to discover, understand and apply God’s will to my life on a daily basis I don’t have to be a person who “turns their backs on it, washing their hands of the whole thing.”

Matthew 16:25 says “Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.” And today I want to encourage everyone in recovery or in need of recovery to “Turn in trust toward God.”

#2238 Because It’s Not Forbidden Doesn’t Mean It’s Good For You

14th January 2019 aeboyle 2019, January, Testimony Comments Off on #2238 Because It’s Not Forbidden Doesn’t Mean It’s Good For You

verse for today1 Corinthians 6:12  I can do anything I want to if Christ has not said no, but some of these things aren’t good for me. Even if I am allowed to do them, I’ll refuse to if I think they might get such a grip on me that I can’t easily stop when I want to.

Some things are not sinful in themselves, but they are not appropriate because they can control our life and lead us away from God.  One of the biggest decisons I have ever made in my life was to move away from my family, friends and everything that existed in my life. Why did I do it? Because God told me I had to if I wanted to achieve sobriety. I wasn’t a Christian at the time. I very rarely acknowledged or communicated with God. (not even in the middle of the mess that was my life) I had tried achieving sobriety through Alcoholics Anonymos (unsuccessfully) I had learned the Twelve Steps to the point I could teach them to other people. I had honestly attempted to apply them to my life, but I just couldn’t stop.

Then one night I heard God say to me “If you want to achieve sobriety you need to leave Western Australia.” I did, and the result of doing so was complete life transformation. How does that relate to todays scripture? Staying in Western Australia was not forbidden by God, nor was it sinful. We all want to be with the people we feel most comfortable with. The people we love most in our lives. We all want to live where we feel comfortable, doing what we are comfortable doing. For me those things were not good for me and I can honestly say today if I hadn’t left Western Australia I do not believe I would be where I am today in the recovery process. Through that decision I went to a place where I had no supports and nowhere to live. I went to a place where I felt uncomfortable, every minute of everyday.

It was also a place where because of the circumstances I was in I had to seek help to rebuild my life. I found that help through The Salvation Army, Bridge Programme and through what I learned about recovery on the programme I met Jesus Christ, made a conscious decision to put my life in His hands and let Him lead.

To stay where I was I believe,  would have put me back on the ‘merry-go-round’ of ‘stop-start recovery. Staying wasn’t good for me. I had no idea what was ahead of me. God did and through learning to let Him lead, lean in Him and let go of my creature comforts my life today is better than ever I could have imagined.

#2233 Intimacy With God

13th January 2019 aeboyle 2019, January, Testimony Comments Off on #2233 Intimacy With God

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:5‭-‬6

What an encouraging service at #NWBC today. Two young men in their twenty’s sharing what God is doing in and through their lives. And, what He can do in ours.

The first, Tom shared an inspiring, motivated example of God using His people to change the lives of others through our obedient and openhearted faith in Him

The second, William, who shared a message of God’s transformational power, impacting our lives and our character through personal, one on one meetings with Him in Worship, Bible reading, meditation and prayer.

Thanks Will! You reminded me of a day in 1989, when I was still in my mess, at the end of my rope and I knelt, alone in a Rehab to pray. A day when I heard Jesus say to me “Archie, you do not need to live like this anymore. Follow Me and I will lead you!”

From you that day to this day He has led and I have followed. For almost thirty years now I have acknowledged Him as my Lord and my Saviour and I have enjoyed many, many one on one meetings with Him that have made all the difference on how I live my life today.

Testimony Time

23rd October 2018 aeboyle 2018, October, Testimony Comments Off on Testimony Time

Testimony 1989

Don’t give up!

2nd August 2018 aeboyle 2018, August, Living Life Recovery, Testimony Comments Off on Don’t give up!

Matthew 16:27  The Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

Paul tells us in Galatians 6:9  not to get tired of living right, not to give up because in Gods timing we will receive the rewards of our obedience to Him.

Over the years I have been a ‘Christian in Recovery’ I have received many rewards from God in every area of my life. I have also been rewarded through the relationship with other people traveling this road together. Many of those rewards may not seem like rewards to other people.

Volunteer Certificate

I received the above award at the official opening of Red Shield Industries in White Road, Gepps Cross, South Australia by the Territorial Commander, Bramwell Tilsley. I had just completed the Bridge Programme and was volunteering at the time at the newly established Red Shield Industries, Mount Barker (it started in the old school building on the property of Eden Park, Bridge Program) Who would have thought I would have gone on to manage Red Shield Industries at Gepps Cross, and oversee the closing before moving to Victoria to become the Family Stores Transport/Wholesale Manager for the Territory.

Little things mean a lot and can lead to much bigger things when God is in control. The piece of paper in itself is not that important. What is important is what it represents in my journey of Spiritual growth. I keep it in a scrap book of important photo’s and papers that had a big effect on me and my relationship with God and others.

Jesus Changed It All! All to Him I Owe..

4th July 2018 aeboyle 2018, July, Living Life Recovery, Testimony 1 Comment

Romans 6:20 In the past you were slaves to sin, and you did not even think about doing right.
Testimony Time
Romans 6:17 In the past you were slaves to sin–sin controlled you. But thank God, you fully obeyed what you were taught.

Romans 7:5 In the past we were ruled by our sinful selves. The law made us want to do sinful things. And those sinful desires controlled our bodies, so that what we did only brought us spiritual death.

1 Corinthians 6:11 In the past some of you were like that. But you were washed clean, you were made holy, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Ephesians 2:3 In the past all of us lived like that, trying to please our sinful selves. We did all the things our bodies and minds wanted. Like everyone else in the world, we deserved to suffer God’s anger just because of the way we were.

Philippians 3:13 Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me.

In order to keep it you have to share.

23rd December 2013 aeboyle Devotions, Step 12, Strength, Testimony Comments Off on In order to keep it you have to share.

Colossians 1.28

Spiritual Nourishment

27th October 2012 aeboyle Life Experience, Personal Growth, Testimony Comments Off on Spiritual Nourishment

“I’ve been married for 22 years today. In that time my wife has cooked around 24,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this… They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!”

Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!

Thank God for our physical and our spiritual nourishment and for introducing me to Karen.!

Last Night I had the Strangest Dream

29th July 2012 aeboyle Living Life Recovery, Love, Personal Growth, Prayers, Testimony Comments Off on Last Night I had the Strangest Dream

Great song by the ‘Corries’ but that’s not what my post is about.

I normally don’t remember what I dream about. But last night’s dream I believe was a Holy Spirit filled revelation.

I was in a room talking to Pastor Rick Warren (I’ve never met the man, but love his work) Talking about ministry. At the end of the meeting he got up, thanked me and left. Only to return and ask me. “Why do you believe what you believe?” to which I replied “I believe that God can and will change the lives of the addicted and afflicted if they would only ask Him too.”

Analyzing the dream when I woke up I contemplated all sorts of scenario’s about why it occurred. I’m not sure any of them were right. But what I am sure of from the dream is this:

God wants each of us to ask Him to do the impossible in and through us. So that He can prove to us and to this lost world we live in He is all loving, all powerful and all caring and He wants us to love Him and others with some of the unending love He has installed in us all through the process we call RECOVERY.

Ecclesiastes 5:3 A dream comes when there are many cares.

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Thought for Today – Archie Boyle

24th June 2012 aeboyle Living Life Recovery, Personal Growth, Recovery, Testimony Comments Off on Thought for Today – Archie Boyle

I thank God regularly for all He has done, is doing and will do on my ‘Road to Recovery’ from sin.

1 Corinthians 1:3-4 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

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