My God's Not Dead

Perhaps you have heard the song on the radio “My God’s Not Dead” by the Newsboys.  The song says this in the chorus:  “My God’s not dead he is surely alive.  He’s living on the inside, roaring like a lion.”  I love that line in the song that reminds me of this Scriptural truth:  “Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep!  See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.” (Rev. 5:5) Jesus Christ is that Lion of Judah.  He is that Root of David, and he lives in our hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17).  So, let me and the apostle Paul ask you this question: “If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32)    

God is alive and well in each one of us! He is roaring like a lion, living like a burning flame in our hearts.  And it is through His mighty strength that we can do anything in this life.  If He is for us, than who can be against us?  So, what is it that you are battling today?  Is it death?  Jesus promises each one of life out of death.  Are you sick?  Pray to the ONE who can heal you and give you strength to make it through the tough time.  Is it addiction?  Surrender your life to the ONE who can set you free!  Is it a dysfunctional relationship?  Ask for wisdom and courage to do the right thing from the ONE who loves you unconditionally and gave up His life for you.

Whatever your battle is today, you can certainly rest assured that the Lion of Judah is not dead, he is alive and he is on your side!  Turn to him today and find freedom and hope for your hurt, hang-up or habit.

Grateful believer,

Micah    

One Step in My Shoes...

I recently got a new pair of shoes.  A pair of Vans, they were in style when I was in high school.  I’m not into fashion, so I have no clue if kids today wear them or not.  A friend of mine designs shoe tattoos and he designed a pair just for me.  There is no other pair out there like them, because these shoes are about my steps, the steps I take one at a time, striving to make it in this world.

Living one day at a time, one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace…  Not an easy thing to do!  The concept sounds so simple but letting go and accepting the difficult times while seeing challenges as a way to peace are both counterintuitive in my head.   Once I walked into the doors of CR, I clearly knew my life was unmanageable.  The degree to which I was out of control was out of my realm of comprehension and believing that I mattered to God flew in the face of my depression.  I stuck with it, to be totally honest though, I mostly just liked the music.  

Twelve steps, that’s a lot of steps when the second one is easy to own intellectually, but feels impossible to emotionally grasp.  I was willing to try though, and I had a lot of people on my side.  I had entirely nothing to lose, because at that point my life had absolutely no value to me at all. My part is to walk one moment at a time, one step at a time, carrying the smallest amount of faith and I am able to lie down and sleep in peace because He keeps me safe (Psalm 4:8).

I have only been able to sleep well in the last 6-8 months for the first time in about 6 years.  At first doctors didn’t even believe me when I told them I averaged 3 hours of sleep per night.  To finally be able to sleep, that is a blessing that came along with a lighter load in my heart.  It is for this reason that Psalm 4:8 is so awesome to me. 

So, I do sleep better, but there are still so many struggles surrounding me.  Some are temptations, those sins that I have such a hard time of breaking free from; however, 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells me that the temptations in my life are no different from what others experience and God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than I can stand. When I am tempted, he will show me a way out so that I can endure. 

Some of my struggles though had nothing to do with me avoiding temptation, but rather accepting the things I cannot change.  I want to fix things and I want to do it NOW.  I struggle with PTSD which is by far my greatest hurdle.  I feel like a flailing octopus with feelings and fears headed in every direction.   God is on my side, but I need the tools to attack that octopus.  Celebrate Recovery gives me the support of a fearless piranha to go after those struggles with vigor. 

Even sharks and barracuda will typically attack smaller prey.  With my team of support that has been formed through this Friday night blessing, God has provided me with a piranha, together we form the most ferocious fish in the entire world to rip its teeth through the flesh and bone of my greatest struggles.  Together we are powerful enough to tear apart whatever life brings.  If you are reading this and don’t yet have a team of support, I encourage you to get one as no one succeeds as a lone fish in the sea.

Grateful Believer,

Jennifer

Recovery - It's a New Year!

Obviously this video by The Skit Guys was intended for the New Year, but when I watched it I immediately thought of the journey of recovery. 

Each week we have people that stand up to receive chips for 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, one year and then multiple years - which means at some point those people stood up that FIRST TIME and took a blue chip and said "this year will be different".  We are so blessed that each week we have the chance to start a NEW YEAR!



Will this year be different for you?

Grateful Believer,

Karyn

My Name is the Syrophoenician Woman

In Mark 7:24-30 we learn about a Gentile mother with a demon-possessed daughter.    Jesus was focusing on training his disciples and preparing for his return to his Father by way of the cross and the resurrection and ascension.

 

The woman learned of Jesus’ presence and with much determination begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.  Jesus was busy.  Tending to the Gentiles was not yet on his agenda; however, she had much humility and begged for even a crumb from under the table of his saving grace so that her daughter’s starving soul could be healed.  Jesus granted her petition and she returned home to find her daughter delivered from the demon.

We don’t know what ultimately happens to the woman’s daughter.  I have two children, one of whom has some pretty serious problems.  Some parents have children with addictions or other obsessive behaviors that make it very easy for them to become codependent.  I can’t fix my child.  No one can.   Only God can change my children and they have to want that change. 

I must follow the example of the Syrophoenician Woman and meekly fall at the feet of Jesus and voice my petitions to Him.  At that point I must let go.  I take actions in my daily life responding to my loved ones with appropriate boundaries while putting all of my hope in Jesus.  I seek change in my life and share my pain with other parents experiencing similar struggles and I walk together hand in hand praying that my faith will increase and my heart will begin to heal.  I then live this before my children with the hope that they will one day embrace hope in Jesus and take their own first steps toward recovery.

That’s my version of the Syrophoenician Woman.

Grateful Believer,
Jennifer

Affliction

Hannah More was from England in the 18^th and 19^th century. She was a huge star with tons of money and connected with all the right people. But she became friends with John Newton (Amazing Grace, former slave trader). She became a follower of Jesus. Her desire for fame no longer fit her spiritual life. She retired with severe asthma and bronchitis. Listen to what she wrote about suffering:

"Affliction is the school in which great virtues are acquired and in which great characters are formed. It s like a spiritual gymnasium in which the disciples of Christ are trained in robust exercise, hardy exertion and severe conflict. We do not hear of military heroes in peacetime, nor of the most distinguished saints in the quiet and unmolested periods of church history."


She believed that adversity was ACTUALLY a sign of God’s love and care. And through PRAYER we begin to understand that. She wrote this:

“If a surgeon were to put his scalpel into the hand of the patient, how tenderly he would treat himself. The exam would be skin deep. The incision would be slight! The patient would escape the pain, but the wound might prove fatal. The surgeon therefore wisely uses the instrument himself. He goes deep perhaps, but not deeper than the case demands. The pain may be acute, but the life is persevered...God graciously does this for us Himself because otherwise He knows it would never be done.”

Grateful Believer,

Jen E.

*The above post was taken from a lesson by Jeff McMillion

5 years.

Five years ago on January 25, 2007, I was terrified. I didn't know what to do. My wife didn't know what to do. I was STILL stuck. It felt like I had tried everything to quit, but the reality was, I had never even said the words out loud. "I struggle with pornography."

On that day though, I had come to the realization that I couldn't do it on my own and that I wasn't meant to do it on my own.

I still didn't say the words, but I wrote them...and sent them.

From my email to Micah that day:

I've struggled with pornography for years. Its been there through my highs as a Christian and obviously it's caused a lot of lows. I'm somewhere in the middle right now, but I just can't help but feeling that Satan is slowly trying to isolate me.  I've tried everything I can think of, but the shame that comes with this type of sin has really kept me from confessing my struggles to others...

...I'm just tired of being trapped. I pray that God will set me free, but I'm afraid I can't do it on my own. I need him and I need his people. I've been curious about the Celebrate Recovery thing on Friday nights...

Fast forward to this past month on January 27th...I celebrated 5 years of healing and recovery in Jesus Christ. And that 'Celebrate Recovery thing on Friday nights?' It's been my way of discovering and living in God's wonderful light.

By walking in the light and bringing my hidden sins in God's light I've seen His promise of purification and fellowship come true in my life.

When I come to Celebrate Recovery and confess my struggles, my temptations and my sins; I get better. By sharing those things with other faithful believers, I experience Christ's church as  it was intended to be. I have sincere fellowship. I know my brothers and they know me! More importantly I now know my savior. Jesus Christ is no longer just the Son of God, a distant figure who I have a flickering faith in. He's my savior. In my moments of temptation, he saves me. In my deepest hurts, he saves me. In my failure, he saves me.

Five years is a long time. It's been an awesome and blessed journey. There's not a single aspect of my life that recovery has not Impacted for the better. It's made me a better Husband, Father, Co-worker, Friend, Brother, Son and follower of Christ.

If you're  feeling trapped by a hurt, a hang-up or a habit...I beg you to give C.R. a try. Give it 6 months, give it a year and experience God's wonderful light for yourself.

Nate

-a grateful believer

Be wise.

Fifteen years ago, I began making decisions based on my own selfish ambitions and desires.  Instead of making wise decisions, I decided to live the life of a fool.  Listen to the apostle Paul’s words in Ephesians 5:15-17: “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”    

On Sunday evenings, we are in the middle of a sermon series titled, “Fool Proof: The One Question that Works for Every Decision.”  As a part of our recoveries, we make important decisions every day.  We decide to stay sober or not.  We decide to indulge in that dysfunctional behavior or relationship or not.  We decide to allow our hurts of the past or present to engulf us or not.  We make our decisions and then our decisions make us.  This is why it is vitally important to pray for God’s wisdom and strength so that we can understand His will for our lives and then carry that out.

So, what is that one question that always works?  Before we get to that question, it is vitally important that you seek wise counsel to help you adequately evaluate your past, present and future.  Then, with the help of your sponsor and accountability partners you can ask the one question that works: in light of my past experiences/failures, my present circumstances and my future goals, what is the wise thing for me to do?  What is the wise thing for you to do…in light of God’s will…making the most of every opportunity.

If we will run every decision we make through that filter, we can avoid living the life of a fool.  Be wise my friends.

Grateful believer,

Micah