No matter what I may be feeling or thinking I need to know that God is not just watching out for me, that He is not just looking out for me, but that He is living in me and through me, that He is taking care of me.
For years, I was so afraid to venture out, to try something new and different. Instead, I found myself doing what I knew, and not much different in my life.
My understanding of God was too small.
I knew that He was out there, but I had no idea that He lives and works in me.
Such is the painful deceit which overtakes us, if we insist on relying on the counsel of the ungodly (Psalm 1: 1), which includes Alcoholics Anonymous.
Because the Twelve Step programs lead men and women to look at their feelings, the sense of fear and dread which overtakes us can impose on us the sense that He is not with us, or working in our lives.
He is caring for us in every way.
As long as we see Him as smaller than our problems, though, then we will feel nothing but fear, frustration, anger, pain.
I could not get any sense of peace of protection together in this life, because I did not trust Him.
And we cannot say that we trust Him if we do not believe on Him for the most important gift which He has given us, righteousness:
"14In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54: 14)
Righteousness is a gift:
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)
This gift we receive because of what Jesus Christ did for us at the Cross:
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
Jesus did teach on the Sermon on the Mount:
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)
We receive both as gifts and results of believing on Jesus Christ as our perfect substitute (Colossians 1: 13)
Our heart, then, is not established on what we do, or what we have done, but on all that He has done for us:
"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)
The problem for too many of us, however, is that we do not see Him big enough. We do not act as if He has enough strength and power to overcome every trouble we face.
I am learning that He is big enough to carry me, and therefore big enough to care for and carry any problems which I am facing:
"A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23: 1)
In the Gospel of Luke, we read:
"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing." (Luke 15: 4-5)
And in case we miss the truth that Jesus is our Shepherd, John writes:
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10: 11)
and then
"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10: 14)
Notice that He knows us first, then we know Him.
Peter also writes:
"For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." (1 Peter 2: 25)
We are established by grace, His grace, not by working a program. As long as we insist on relying on our efforts, we will find ourselves led astray. His peace does a better job in leading us as opposed to anything that we do.
Instead of a hollow program which deceives and misleads, let us rather trust that Jesus did it all, and therefore we can rest in His grace and let His labor work within us (Colossians 1: 29)
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Monday, February 10, 2014
AA Demands -- Jesus Supplies
Another problem with Alcoholics Anonymous, which no one can deny (How about that, the word denial!)
While the program claims to offer people power to deal with life's problems, the truth is that men and women are still operating out of their own lack, their own finite resources, even if they do end up quitting alcohol abuse.
Frankly, I need to know that the God who cares for me, still cares for me even when I fail.
I do not see any value on believing that God, no matter how one may understand him, can be blocked or removed from us by how we feel.
A life of looking at and guarding one's feelings causes nothing but pain and frustration.
Not only that, but all the distractions taken up with ourselves take us away from Himself, and His great supply for all things:
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)
Let us not forget this promise:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1: 6)
Later in the same letter, Paul writes:
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2: 4-8)
and in Philippians:
"13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. " (Philippians 4: 13)
followed by
"19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Philippians 4: 19-20)
I do not want to waste one more minute missing out on all the goodness that is in Christ:
"8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" (Colossians 2: 8-10)
While AA demands that members work a bankrupted program which aggravates man's sinful weaknesses, Jesus Christ supplies grace and righteousness as gifts through Himself (Romans 5: 17), that we may reign in His Life.
I am grateful to the growing revelation of all that I can be, have, and do because He is my life (Colossians 3: 4) as opposed to an empty humanistic cult which masquerades as a real solution to man's deepest need.
While the program claims to offer people power to deal with life's problems, the truth is that men and women are still operating out of their own lack, their own finite resources, even if they do end up quitting alcohol abuse.
Frankly, I need to know that the God who cares for me, still cares for me even when I fail.
I do not see any value on believing that God, no matter how one may understand him, can be blocked or removed from us by how we feel.
A life of looking at and guarding one's feelings causes nothing but pain and frustration.
Not only that, but all the distractions taken up with ourselves take us away from Himself, and His great supply for all things:
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)
Let us not forget this promise:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1: 6)
Later in the same letter, Paul writes:
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2: 4-8)
and in Philippians:
"13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. " (Philippians 4: 13)
followed by
"19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Philippians 4: 19-20)
I do not want to waste one more minute missing out on all the goodness that is in Christ:
"8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" (Colossians 2: 8-10)
While AA demands that members work a bankrupted program which aggravates man's sinful weaknesses, Jesus Christ supplies grace and righteousness as gifts through Himself (Romans 5: 17), that we may reign in His Life.
I am grateful to the growing revelation of all that I can be, have, and do because He is my life (Colossians 3: 4) as opposed to an empty humanistic cult which masquerades as a real solution to man's deepest need.
Your Own Conception = Great Deception
From the beginning of man's fall to the present day, Satan's greatest trick has been to make man believe that God's way is not as good as his own.
Instead of trusting in God, the Creator and Redeemer, men and women who seek help believe that with their own efforts, they can overcome any hardships in their lives.
Part of Alcoholics Anoymous' brilliant yet evil deception rests in allowing members to choose their own conception of God.
While the idea sounds wise and effective in getting people to stop looking at themselves and look outside for assistance.
Yet any man's conception of God will merely reflect an amalgam of ideas and experiences which are not commensurate with the Truth, as revealed in the Bible.
The grace of God is a supernatural, unnatural reality, yet the very thing which God delights in:
"For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6: 6)
Jesus quoted this statement to rebuke the Pharisees:
"But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mattherw 9: 13)
Man in conscience of lack, loss, scarcity, shame, reproach, and difficulty.
Man is more aware of what is wrong with this world, and with his own knowledge, cannot reconcile a Good God with a dark and evil world.
The Bible more than answers this problem.
The LORD is a good Creator and Redeemer, seeking to make up for the lack and emptiness caused by the first man, Adam, by sending the second Adam, Jesus, to live for us, to die for us, and to minister on our behalf at the right hand of God the Father.
The Good News has been so distorted or limited. In many churches, people still think that they live their lives on this earth in their own efforts. Yet God did not send His Son to give us skills for living a better life. He sent His Son so that we would not perish, but through Christ receive His everlasting life (John 3: 16), and that more abundantly (John 10: 10).
If we settle on our own impoverished conception of God, we will find that we cannot comprehend the greatest of the LORD, who is outside of time, outside of space, and outside of every challenge, lack, need, want, and through whom we can receive all things (Romans 8: 31-32).
I cannot understand how good God is.
Yet if I insist on plugging my life and work the Twelve Step program, I am bringing down God's goodness to nothing. What's more, I am putting faith in my flesh, in my self-efforts. Here is God's take on our flesh, on our efforts:
"27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence. " (1 Corinthians 1: 27-29)
and
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3: 3)
For years, I was convinced that I had to rely on my efforts to be obedient to God, that I had to figure everything out in this life on my own.
When I learned that Christ is my life (Colossians 3: 3-4), that this life is all about seeing Him take up everything that we need, and that we have all things through Him, so much began to make sense.
I have since learned that I struggled so much in this life because I believed that I was all alone, or that I could not be sure that He was looking out for me.
In effort, I did not believe that He was big enough to take care of me and everything in this life.
Why did I doubt His power and presence in my life? Because my conception, yes conception of Him, was too small, unduly influence by the AA cult and the adherent who had imposed this evil nonsense in my life.
Instead of trusting in God, the Creator and Redeemer, men and women who seek help believe that with their own efforts, they can overcome any hardships in their lives.
Part of Alcoholics Anoymous' brilliant yet evil deception rests in allowing members to choose their own conception of God.
While the idea sounds wise and effective in getting people to stop looking at themselves and look outside for assistance.
Yet any man's conception of God will merely reflect an amalgam of ideas and experiences which are not commensurate with the Truth, as revealed in the Bible.
The grace of God is a supernatural, unnatural reality, yet the very thing which God delights in:
"For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6: 6)
Jesus quoted this statement to rebuke the Pharisees:
"But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mattherw 9: 13)
Man in conscience of lack, loss, scarcity, shame, reproach, and difficulty.
Man is more aware of what is wrong with this world, and with his own knowledge, cannot reconcile a Good God with a dark and evil world.
The Bible more than answers this problem.
The LORD is a good Creator and Redeemer, seeking to make up for the lack and emptiness caused by the first man, Adam, by sending the second Adam, Jesus, to live for us, to die for us, and to minister on our behalf at the right hand of God the Father.
The Good News has been so distorted or limited. In many churches, people still think that they live their lives on this earth in their own efforts. Yet God did not send His Son to give us skills for living a better life. He sent His Son so that we would not perish, but through Christ receive His everlasting life (John 3: 16), and that more abundantly (John 10: 10).
If we settle on our own impoverished conception of God, we will find that we cannot comprehend the greatest of the LORD, who is outside of time, outside of space, and outside of every challenge, lack, need, want, and through whom we can receive all things (Romans 8: 31-32).
I cannot understand how good God is.
Yet if I insist on plugging my life and work the Twelve Step program, I am bringing down God's goodness to nothing. What's more, I am putting faith in my flesh, in my self-efforts. Here is God's take on our flesh, on our efforts:
"27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence. " (1 Corinthians 1: 27-29)
and
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3: 3)
For years, I was convinced that I had to rely on my efforts to be obedient to God, that I had to figure everything out in this life on my own.
When I learned that Christ is my life (Colossians 3: 3-4), that this life is all about seeing Him take up everything that we need, and that we have all things through Him, so much began to make sense.
I have since learned that I struggled so much in this life because I believed that I was all alone, or that I could not be sure that He was looking out for me.
In effort, I did not believe that He was big enough to take care of me and everything in this life.
Why did I doubt His power and presence in my life? Because my conception, yes conception of Him, was too small, unduly influence by the AA cult and the adherent who had imposed this evil nonsense in my life.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Removing the Lies (and Self-Righteousness) Over Time
"12Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee: 14For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee." (Deuteronomy 23: 12-14)
In this obscure chapter in Deuteronomy, we find a number of judgments from God, from the exclusion of certain tribes until the tenth generation, and then certain groups which can enter upon the third generation, and including judgments about uncleanness.
The passage above speaks about defecating outside the camp. In this judgment, like every verse in the Bible, we find a picture of Christ and Him Crucified.
First of all, Jesus died for us outside of Jerusalem, a picture of the curse and shame which He bore for us, and He left Jerusalem through the dung gate.
Moreover, dung in our lives represents our self-righteousness, or our efforts to achieve right standing before God, instead of receiving it as a gift:
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64: 6)
When Jesus prophesied against the religious leaders of His day, He was hoping that they would give up their religious pretensions:
"6He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down." (Luke 13: 6-9)
While many of the religious leaders held onto the traditions of men rather than receive and rest in the Truth of the Gospel, one Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, received, and cast away his former self-righteousness:
"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," (Philippians 3: 8)
Now, the metaphor of easing oneself also speaks of our rest from ourselves and our works, which in turn removes our effort and allows His life to flow in us:
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: yashab
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-shab')
Short Definition: inhabitants
As we abide in Christ, less of our dead selves obstruct His life in us.
Furthermore, a sense of urgency takes hold of us when we give up more of ourselves and receive more of Himself.
Our mess, our stinky self-righteousness, comes out of us, and then we use the paddle on our weapon to cover up the mess.
This speaks of our death and baptism in Christ.
The root of the word "paddle" are the pegs of the tabernacle, which also speaks of the Cross, specifically that Jesus was nailed to the tree for our sins, and for the sin in our flesh, that we may be made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
Just as we eliminate from our walk with Christ the lies and distortions of religion, law, tradition, and personal experience, so too over time I have cast away the terrible teachings of the AA cult, to feel the full release and relief of Christ's life in me!
For every child of God out there who has fled from the AA cult, rest assured that as you see more of Jesus, you will be transformed from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18), and all that is of the flesh, of your old man will be taken away (Romans 6: 6; Galatians 2: 20-21; Ephesians 4: 22; Colossians 3: 1-9)
In this obscure chapter in Deuteronomy, we find a number of judgments from God, from the exclusion of certain tribes until the tenth generation, and then certain groups which can enter upon the third generation, and including judgments about uncleanness.
The passage above speaks about defecating outside the camp. In this judgment, like every verse in the Bible, we find a picture of Christ and Him Crucified.
First of all, Jesus died for us outside of Jerusalem, a picture of the curse and shame which He bore for us, and He left Jerusalem through the dung gate.
Moreover, dung in our lives represents our self-righteousness, or our efforts to achieve right standing before God, instead of receiving it as a gift:
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64: 6)
When Jesus prophesied against the religious leaders of His day, He was hoping that they would give up their religious pretensions:
"6He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down." (Luke 13: 6-9)
While many of the religious leaders held onto the traditions of men rather than receive and rest in the Truth of the Gospel, one Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, received, and cast away his former self-righteousness:
"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," (Philippians 3: 8)
Now, the metaphor of easing oneself also speaks of our rest from ourselves and our works, which in turn removes our effort and allows His life to flow in us:
yashab: to sit, remain, dwell
Original Word: יָשַׁבPart of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: yashab
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-shab')
Short Definition: inhabitants
As we abide in Christ, less of our dead selves obstruct His life in us.
Furthermore, a sense of urgency takes hold of us when we give up more of ourselves and receive more of Himself.
Our mess, our stinky self-righteousness, comes out of us, and then we use the paddle on our weapon to cover up the mess.
This speaks of our death and baptism in Christ.
The root of the word "paddle" are the pegs of the tabernacle, which also speaks of the Cross, specifically that Jesus was nailed to the tree for our sins, and for the sin in our flesh, that we may be made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
Just as we eliminate from our walk with Christ the lies and distortions of religion, law, tradition, and personal experience, so too over time I have cast away the terrible teachings of the AA cult, to feel the full release and relief of Christ's life in me!
For every child of God out there who has fled from the AA cult, rest assured that as you see more of Jesus, you will be transformed from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18), and all that is of the flesh, of your old man will be taken away (Romans 6: 6; Galatians 2: 20-21; Ephesians 4: 22; Colossians 3: 1-9)
You are Not Your Feelings (And He Still Loves You!)
We are not our feelings.
We do not define ourselves by our thoughts, resentments, or hurts, and certainly not our destructive habits.
We do not have to be afraid of our feelings, at all.
Now, let me switch the register.
I am not my feelings. Not at all.
"Herein is love perfected among us, that we have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
Freedom from self is found in the new an perfect self, Jesus!
As He is now, not just as He was when ministering during his earthly humiliation, so are we in this world.
For everyone of us who believe on Him, we enter into His glory.
Jesus is not under condemnation, and neither are we.
God's love for us is not based on what we feel, but what He did for us at the Cross.
Wow, I was in great bondage for so long. I was convinced that God loved or did not love me based on how I felt.
Isn't that ridiculous?
"37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)
So, if nothing can separate me from God's love, then why did I have such a hard time receiving all that He promises?
I did not know how to rightly divide the Word.
I had no knowledge that He is living in us, and that He is working in us.
My understanding of how great He is was just too small. So small, that I was convinced that the only if I was doing something, anything, could I be sure that God would, or could work in my life.
The pain of the flesh, the lack of understanding about the Word of God, the poverty of knowledge about the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus: all of these issues occluded a proper understanding of all that Jesus is.
The lies, the distortions, the bad teachings which I had received: all of that had created serious problems for me..
I was reading the Scripture to see myself, when I needed to see Himself.
And when you see Himself (not feel or think about), then you find yourself, because:
"As He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
And when you understand who (because whose) you are, then you are gaining a greater understanding of His perfected love for you!
We do not define ourselves by our thoughts, resentments, or hurts, and certainly not our destructive habits.
We do not have to be afraid of our feelings, at all.
Now, let me switch the register.
I am not my feelings. Not at all.
"Herein is love perfected among us, that we have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
Freedom from self is found in the new an perfect self, Jesus!
As He is now, not just as He was when ministering during his earthly humiliation, so are we in this world.
For everyone of us who believe on Him, we enter into His glory.
Jesus is not under condemnation, and neither are we.
God's love for us is not based on what we feel, but what He did for us at the Cross.
Wow, I was in great bondage for so long. I was convinced that God loved or did not love me based on how I felt.
Isn't that ridiculous?
"37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)
So, if nothing can separate me from God's love, then why did I have such a hard time receiving all that He promises?
I did not know how to rightly divide the Word.
I had no knowledge that He is living in us, and that He is working in us.
My understanding of how great He is was just too small. So small, that I was convinced that the only if I was doing something, anything, could I be sure that God would, or could work in my life.
The pain of the flesh, the lack of understanding about the Word of God, the poverty of knowledge about the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus: all of these issues occluded a proper understanding of all that Jesus is.
The lies, the distortions, the bad teachings which I had received: all of that had created serious problems for me..
I was reading the Scripture to see myself, when I needed to see Himself.
And when you see Himself (not feel or think about), then you find yourself, because:
"As He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
And when you understand who (because whose) you are, then you are gaining a greater understanding of His perfected love for you!
Friday, February 7, 2014
There's No One Else to (Have to) Run to
I cannot write about this enough.
The rest that I have in Christ, that I do not have to run to someone else to feel good or bad.
I do not have to resolve my feelings in any way, shape, or form so that God my Daddy is with me and works in my life.
I really lost my temper today.
I snapped at a courtesy clerk at a local supermarket.
I work as a courtesy clerk at another local supermarket, too!
Can you believe it?
Yet even after I lost my temper, I did not feel bad. I remembered that I am righteousness because of all that Jesus has done, and what he continues to do for me at the right hand of God the Father.
It was strange, but so true, nonetheless. Even when I fail, I know that my Father loves me, and He loves everyone of us who believe on His Son!
We are not saved by right feeling, but by right believing, that we believe the truth of the Gospel.
Now, there have been times when I would feel fearful or on edge.
I was consumed with guilt and shame at one time, so afraid that people would find out the things which I have said or done. I was so consumed with the lie that I had to feel forgiven in order to be forgiven.
Not true at all. Who are we to put our feelings above all that Christ has done for us at the Cross?
When I read Psalm 4: 8, then I saw the importance that there can be no peace apart from Himself, that it simply cannot be any other way:
"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4: 8)
God has also revealed to me that there are many people who have done terrible things, yet they do not fall into the false bondage that some day, someone is going to get them.
Yet for so long, when I felt afraid, I was convinced that I had to do something about that fear, that I had to psych myself out of the fear.
Perfect love casts out fear, and this perfect love is found in God, who is love (1 John 4: 16-19)
Besides, the blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel, everyone, and it keeps speaking on our behalf!
But why did I have a hard time accepting this wonderful truth?
One person had thrust the AA cult onto me for so long, that I was convinced that I had to keep working steps to be A-OK with God.
The other person had a perception of God which was too small. Too small, as though God the Father has indeed died for our sins, but that we are on our own for everything else.
That is just not true. Both ideas about God are not true.
We do not need to do more, but rather we need to see more of Him, and how great He is!
And there is no one else to run to, because we cannot run from Him (Psalm 139) and He lives in us (Colossians 1: 27; Galatians 2: 20-12)
The rest that I have in Christ, that I do not have to run to someone else to feel good or bad.
I do not have to resolve my feelings in any way, shape, or form so that God my Daddy is with me and works in my life.
I really lost my temper today.
I snapped at a courtesy clerk at a local supermarket.
I work as a courtesy clerk at another local supermarket, too!
Can you believe it?
Yet even after I lost my temper, I did not feel bad. I remembered that I am righteousness because of all that Jesus has done, and what he continues to do for me at the right hand of God the Father.
It was strange, but so true, nonetheless. Even when I fail, I know that my Father loves me, and He loves everyone of us who believe on His Son!
We are not saved by right feeling, but by right believing, that we believe the truth of the Gospel.
Now, there have been times when I would feel fearful or on edge.
I was consumed with guilt and shame at one time, so afraid that people would find out the things which I have said or done. I was so consumed with the lie that I had to feel forgiven in order to be forgiven.
Not true at all. Who are we to put our feelings above all that Christ has done for us at the Cross?
When I read Psalm 4: 8, then I saw the importance that there can be no peace apart from Himself, that it simply cannot be any other way:
"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4: 8)
God has also revealed to me that there are many people who have done terrible things, yet they do not fall into the false bondage that some day, someone is going to get them.
Yet for so long, when I felt afraid, I was convinced that I had to do something about that fear, that I had to psych myself out of the fear.
Perfect love casts out fear, and this perfect love is found in God, who is love (1 John 4: 16-19)
Besides, the blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel, everyone, and it keeps speaking on our behalf!
But why did I have a hard time accepting this wonderful truth?
One person had thrust the AA cult onto me for so long, that I was convinced that I had to keep working steps to be A-OK with God.
The other person had a perception of God which was too small. Too small, as though God the Father has indeed died for our sins, but that we are on our own for everything else.
That is just not true. Both ideas about God are not true.
We do not need to do more, but rather we need to see more of Him, and how great He is!
And there is no one else to run to, because we cannot run from Him (Psalm 139) and He lives in us (Colossians 1: 27; Galatians 2: 20-12)
The More that I See of Him. . .
Just the past few days, the growing revelation is too much for me not to talk about.
For so long, I was possessed with fear about being afraid, or fearful of toxic emotions and thoughts taking over in my life, preventing me from walking in peace and victory.
All of this fell from a wrong idea about God and His love for me.
I really believed that how I felt, or what I thought, could separate me from God.
The Bible could not be clearer, though:
"37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 37-39)
Yet why did I, and perhaps why do so many others, struggle?
We are trying to be saved by faith and feelings.
That's exactly it. The AA cult is obsessed with making people feel a certain way, that we have to live our lives free of anger.
For years, for too long a time, I was convinced that if I felt a certain way, I was blocking God's power and love from flowing in my life.
I really believed this nonsense.
How could I not, since I was born and raised in the AA cult?
We need to see more of Himself, not look at ourselves. We should not be surprised about how we feel, or what we have fallen into, or what we are going through. The greater our understanding of much God has sent us free from all sin, and that He is our life for all our needs.
For me, the problem was not the God was not good, but that He was not big enough. The more that I see of Him, the greater that He truly is, and that no matter what I may feel, or what I am going through, He is not going away, and I cannot drive Him away.
Thank you, Jesus!
The source of bondage for me, for a long time, though, was that every time I got angry or hurt, or when I had painful memories, the memories were painful because of the fear and shame attached to them, that they were separating me from God the Father.
Yet nothing, not one thing, can separate me from the God the Father, and God is greater than our yesterdays, todays, and our forevers. He is moving in us, and is not dependent on our working a program, or following certain steps.
For so long, I was possessed with fear about being afraid, or fearful of toxic emotions and thoughts taking over in my life, preventing me from walking in peace and victory.
All of this fell from a wrong idea about God and His love for me.
I really believed that how I felt, or what I thought, could separate me from God.
The Bible could not be clearer, though:
"37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 37-39)
Yet why did I, and perhaps why do so many others, struggle?
We are trying to be saved by faith and feelings.
That's exactly it. The AA cult is obsessed with making people feel a certain way, that we have to live our lives free of anger.
For years, for too long a time, I was convinced that if I felt a certain way, I was blocking God's power and love from flowing in my life.
I really believed this nonsense.
How could I not, since I was born and raised in the AA cult?
We need to see more of Himself, not look at ourselves. We should not be surprised about how we feel, or what we have fallen into, or what we are going through. The greater our understanding of much God has sent us free from all sin, and that He is our life for all our needs.
For me, the problem was not the God was not good, but that He was not big enough. The more that I see of Him, the greater that He truly is, and that no matter what I may feel, or what I am going through, He is not going away, and I cannot drive Him away.
Thank you, Jesus!
The source of bondage for me, for a long time, though, was that every time I got angry or hurt, or when I had painful memories, the memories were painful because of the fear and shame attached to them, that they were separating me from God the Father.
Yet nothing, not one thing, can separate me from the God the Father, and God is greater than our yesterdays, todays, and our forevers. He is moving in us, and is not dependent on our working a program, or following certain steps.
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