Thursday, June 30, 2011
Bearing One Another's Burden
Recognizing a need in someone's life can be one of the greatest invitations from God you will ever experience. If we are not careful we can easily spend more time analyzing the problems of others rather being a solution to them. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the issues of others as we become aware of more needs but rather than looking at each new problem as a drain on our time, energy, and resources, we need to ask God why He placed us near this situation. We need His Spirit to help us see beyond the obvious needs of others to the things He wants to accomplish in their lives. The big picture of us being blessed with financial stability, safe and healthy families, and freedom from our sinful habits is in relation to Him knowing such a setting for His people will be conducive to ministering to others. He comfort's us in time of sorrow and expects us to comfort others. Galatians 6:2 says, " Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Self must die daily for us to begin to please God. Blessings, Dave
Recovery perspective - Step 12 of recovery calls us to carry the message we have received to others who are hurting.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Testimony of Harold Brown
TESTIMONY OF HAROLD
I’m Harold, a sinner saved by the grace and mercy of God.
First and foremost, I want to thank God for what he’s done in my life. When I was two years old, my parents were killed in a car wreck. I was adopted by a great family. My mother was a devout Christian. If it hadn’t been for her, I think I might not have ever heard the word of God. I remember growing up and she would tell me the bible stories, and she would kneel down beside me at night when I went to pray and we would pray for my father. He was a good man who worked very hard for his family, but never said if he was saved or not. He never talked much, but he showed through his actions that he had a relationship with Jesus.
As I grew older, I strayed away from what I was taught. I was like the prodigal son - - I had everything I needed. My parents weren’t rich, but we had it better than most. So, I went my own way, ran away from home at 16, ended up in Atlanta, didn’t know anybody, and was dumb to the street life. I had smoked pot, but didn’t really do the hard drugs. The part of Atlanta I was in they called it “the Strip.” It was all drugs and anything you wanted you could get there. So I started selling drugs, making money, and forgot about God. I started using more drugs than I was selling and was using women to get what I wanted. All of the people I knew were drug dealers, prostitutes - - very hard core. I got caught with some marijuana and got put in jail. The police called my parents and they came to Atlanta and got me. By then I was a full-fledged alcoholic and drug addict and my eyes were totally blind towards God.
I got old enough to get a job and had already quit school. It seemed like everybody I hung around drank and did drugs. I went to work painting. I was still staying at home and never had any bills to pay, so all the money I made had no value to me. Bars, women, drugs - - I did this on the same job for 25 years. I always had enough respect for my parents to ever bring women home, so I would go to motels, come back broke, and do it again and again. Then it got so bad that I started losing jobs. My father passed away during this time. My mother was legally blind, so I quit my job and took care of her. That’s when the worst in me came out. I was responsible for the home, writing checks, just doing what needed to be done. I was so selfish and my addiction had me right where it wanted me - - in control of the money I didn’t even have to work for. My mother would hand me the checkbook and I would write out the bills and steal three or four for my addiction. I always made sure I would get the mail in case a neighbor came by first and I would get out the checks I wrote. She couldn’t see the paper to read the balance, so I would tell her that it was just fine. Now I am doing this to a woman who took me in when I was 2 years old, treated me as if I were her own, showed me more love than my real mother could have, and this was the thanks I was showing her. This went on for years. I was in and out of jail and she would always get me out. Her health was now declining, she was starting to get dementia and that made it even easier to take advantage of her. I went back to jail, but this time noone came to get me out. When I got home, I found out that my cousin had put my mother in a nursing home. I didn’t know it but, because of the wild life I was living, she had made him executor of her will about 10 years earlier. My world as I knew it came to a screeching halt. I had the house, but had no income coming in. I went to see her a few times at the nursing home, but her mind was so bad that she hardly knew me. She fell in the nursing home and broke her hip. They took her to the hospital where she developed a staff infection and soon passed away.
The house and the money went into probate and I was still hard into my addiction. I didn’t know what to do. The first thing I did was to sell the furniture and anything else I could get my hands on until all of the money was used up. I remember laying on the love seat, the only thing that was left, and reality hit for the first time. I had nothing. No job, no food, a dog to feed, just no hope. I started going through withdrawals from alcohol and drugs. I asked God - - “what am I going to do?” - - but did not give him all. I ate with friends and neighbors who didn’t know how I treated my mother, so they felt sorry for me and helped. I survived until the probate was over. My mother left me everything but $20,000.00 dollars, which she gave to my cousin. She left me the house, which was paid for, and she left $60,000.00 dollars in the bank. Since I had not been serious with God, my addiction kicked back in. It took me only 8 months to go through what it took my parents a lifetime to accumulate. I remember the last crack rock I smoked when the money was gone. Then I became homeless, in and out of jail, prison, traveling from state to state, stealing, doing what I had to do to survive. I remember getting out of Lieber, a prison in the lower part of South Carolina, and coming back to Spartanburg. I came to the mission here, the downtown Rescue Mission. I stayed awhile and, because I had to, I started going to chapel. After a while, God started speaking to me. He let me know that he hadn’t turned his back on me - - I had turned my back on him and, through this, I came into a relationship with Christ. I surrendered my life to him and was saved. Looking back now, I see that I was holding things back that needed to be addressed - - the guilt, the low self-esteem, the hidden sins I thought noone knew - - so the relationship couldn’t work because I had not given everything to him. So I went back again doing the same thing, but even worse this time. So I’ll jump ahead - 7 months ago, lying on the couch, asking God for help to get me out of this mess. I got evicted from my apartment in Greer for drinking, fighting and all that comes with that sort of behavior.
I found myself back in Spartanburg. I said to myself, “what I came back here for I guess I’ll never know until now.” I tried to get into the mission for almost a month, but no beds were available. I was about to give up, but on the last day I was going to try, I got in. God was working already, I just didn’t know it. I worked in the kitchen, went to the chapels, but never got serious with God. I had been clean for about 4 months and Brad called me in his office and asked me about my future plans, but I didn’t have any. I was feeling better about myself, but I knew deep inside that I didn’t have anything to fight with when I went back to the streets. When you’re trying to do right and God sees this, he will put something there that will benefit you. Before that I told Brad I would be moving out the 11th of April, but God had something else in store for me. I was asked to join a program that was starting. It was started by Hope Ministries and Celebrate Recovery. They were to pick 6 men from the mission that were ready to turn their lives over to God and get out of that revolving door they had been living in. I know by the grace and mercy of God that he opened that door for me. Because I had tried it my way all my life and I had failed miserably, I had no hope and no direction, but through God was sent a man named Shawn Parker who, with his prayer, his obedience, to God’s will, his understanding, because I could relate to where he was coming from, because we had similar addictions, and his forthcoming, not being ashamed to tell his story, that it might touch someone else’s life through his teaching of God’s word. He brought it down to my level so I could understand the things that I was missing. Things that stay with me. Things I never knew. Things like having bitter roots and knowing that you have to get to these before you can advance in your relationship with God. I gave my life to God. That’s when God gave me my purpose and my direction. God wants my direction and not my perfection. The old man has to die before the new man can live. My prayer is “Father, please instill in me all your truths, so that I may know that it is you that gets and deserves all the Glory. Amen.”
I want to thank God first and always.
I want to thank Hope Ministries, who through prayer and obedience to God, sent my mentor, Shawn Parker to help lead others to Christ.
And to my brother in Christ, David Martin who, through Celebrate Recovery, has given his time and precious knowledge to us that we might have something to fight back with when we run into temptation.
God Bless You.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Where Your Treasure Is
What you value most is your treasure. Where you spend your time and money is your treasure. Whatever dominates your conversation is what you treasure. What others know you for is a good indication of what your treasure is. Many Christians are quick to claim that God is their first priority. Yet often their actions reveal that their treasure is not God but things of this world. Some find it hard to discuss their relationship with Him but can easily chatter about their family, friends, or hobbies. Some find it impossible to rise early in order to spend time alone with God but willingly get up at dawn to pursue a hobby. Some find it difficult to give an offering to God but spend lavishly on recreation or personal desires. I must interject here and say that some, they, and them includes me. I have struggled in all of these areas and the temptation to resort back to old thought patterns arise often. Remember when God asked satan where he had come from prior to testing Job, he said from roaming the earth not hell, seeking to devour. We often boldly approach strangers to sell our kids products but we are painfully timid in telling others about our Savior. If we are unsure of where our treasure is we should examine the areas of our time, money, and what we most enjoy thinking about or discussing with others. Want a wake-up call? Ask God to reveal these conditions of your heart to you. For a second and very humbling opinion ask your closest friends to tell you what they perceive to be most important to you followed by your children or spouse listing the things they think are most valuable to you. God says, " For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:34 It may shock us to find out what others consider to be our treasure. Blessings, Dave
Recovery perspective - Principle 5 of recovery states that I will voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove all my character defects.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Poisonous Pride
Pride is the great enemy of the Christian. Yes, it consumes and directs the hard-hearted, but for those of us who believe it does something far worse. It jeopardizes our witness and gives a false appearance to those who are seeking. Pride motivates us to do things that are not Christ-like and hinders us from doing what brings glory to God. You don't have to look hard to find prideful people (even at church) but I can also look throughout my Bible to find stories that help me realize people have been prideful from the beginning. Pride influenced Adam & Eve to try and be God, Cain to murder his brother, Joseph's brothers to sell him into slavery, and King Saul to resent David so much he would try to murder him. Each time we succumb to it's influence we will have to suffer consequences. If we offend others and don't seek forgiveness or we don't attempt to reconcile broken relationships pride will saturate us with a selfish and self-centered agenda. Pride convinces us we are not really sinning, (I am not as bad as so & so) it convinces us we deserve better treatment and impedes us from serving others. Ministries can be infiltrated with people starving for places of prominence and have otherwise capable people listening to flatterers and ignoring honest Godly counseling. Eventually pride will back you into a corner of isolation so that you are not accountable to others, only yourself. Proverbs 29:23 says, "A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor." Humility , on the other hand, is pleasing to God and places your life in a position where He can honor you. I strive to show the men of Hope Ministries that we don't get a humble stamp on our foreheads one day and can consider ourselves masters of humility, only by daily intercession of the Holy Spirit within us are we able to strive towards a quality that Jesus Himself mastered. We can blow it in an instance believe me, I have. God can and will replace prideful people in His kingdom work with those who are truly seeking humbleness, we see it almost daily in the headlines. Blessings, Dave
Recovery perspective - Because pride is the number one cause of relapse, we must continue to take a daily personal inventory of our lives and adjust where necessary.
Recovery perspective - Because pride is the number one cause of relapse, we must continue to take a daily personal inventory of our lives and adjust where necessary.
Friday, June 24, 2011
What the Bible is Really About
Some call themselves Christians but miss the point of the entire bible. The bible, through all of these stories and adventures, is ultimately centered around Christ. Yes, even the Old Testament. Yet, this fact is so missed. Because of Adam, our sins need to be forgiven indefinitely! So what happens now? Well then there was the law. If you want to know these laws, feel free to check out the books of Deuteronomy and Leviticus. These laws, although great, are in no way able to be kept perfectly all of the time. So that's where Jesus stepped in on the Earth. By grace we have been saved. By believing in Him and calling on His name, salvation has been granted to those who choose to believe. Therefore, He is now the means of coming to God, not the law. You see, the purpose of the Gospel is to get us with God, our sin separated us from Him, and Jesus came to bring us back. He fills the void that our sin created! And all that we have to do is believe and call on Him. Christ died for our sins, rose after three days, and ascended to Heaven, so now we may come to God without blemish. That's what Jesus did! That is the Greatest Love! That's the Gospel. That's what the Bible is about! Anthony Jones
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Kingdom greatness
The measure of greatness in the kingdom of heaven differs vastly from that of this world. Our society idolizes the rich, the powerful, the beautiful, and the athletic. Celebrities who flaunt their immorality & immortality are the most popular. Example being the wealthy mtv star who crashed his sports car traveling over 130 mph with a blood alcohol of almost 2.0. He not only took his own life but another thirty something who made a terrible decision to catch a ride. Producers of the show expressed their sadness by tweet but you have to wonder if they can pause long enough to really mourn a great loss when the buzz is that the ratings of the old shows will skyrocket and there is money to be made. The secular world estimates our importance by the number of people serving us, but God is more concerned with the amount of people we are serving in His name. Society says it is demeaning to serve others, however God's Word completely rejects the worlds measure for esteem, giving the greatest honor to the one who serves most. The person who serves selflessly, lovingly, without complaint, and without seeking recognition is highly regarded by God. This is a real battle for those of us who are leaders. Ministry is not exactly a cakewalk on most days. I am able to serve others through obedience. How might I call myself a follower of Jesus and read countless accounts of Him entering the room projected as a superstar and immediately looking for a way to express humility and love by serving others. Pay close attention to who He served as well as to not spend all your time catering to the needs of the fortunate. Regarding service to others, God is looking more for persistence than perfection as He does in so many other areas of our walk through life with Him. Luke 22:27 says, "For who is greater , he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as One who serves.
Recovery perspective - Step 1 summary: Render myself powerless over everything and realize my life without God's guidance is unmanageable. Blessings, Dave
Recovery perspective - Step 1 summary: Render myself powerless over everything and realize my life without God's guidance is unmanageable. Blessings, Dave
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Certainly!
Tuesday, June 21
Certainly
I will certainly be with you....
Exodus 3:12
Exodus 3:12
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What does actor Nicolas Cage have in common with basketball legend Julius (Dr. "J") Erving? Or with the hip-hop artist Chamillionaire? Or with former Detroit Red Wings hockey star Sergei Federov? Or with Patricia Kluge, multi-millionaire ex-wife of a media mogul? All have gone through foreclosure proceedings on their homes. In Kluge's case, the home was a whopping palatial estate in Virginia once valued at $100 million. It seems not even the so-called rich and famous are immune from the shifting economic landscape.
There's no permanence in money and no lasting security in our economy. Proverbs 23:5 says, "Riches certainly make themselves wings." In fact, nothing in this world provides certainty except for our Lord Jesus Christ. He will certainly be with us. He will certainly hear us (Psalm 66:19).
If you're pinched and pressured right now, you're in good company. These are uncertain times. But we have a sure and certain hope. We walk by faith; and faith is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1, NIV, 1984). You can certainly trust Him with your hopes, your dreams--your very life.
Recovery Perspective - Without God and a solid and continuing recovery, the offerings of life on earth will destroy an addict. Blessings, Dave
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Some assembly required
When I am fortunate enough to speak to a group of people I always try and set the tone with a reminder that we are all human and that I don't consider myself better than anyone, even a sinner who is lost in a disgusting pattern of sin. In today's society and many times in the church we create divisions amongst ourselves. More than the obvious ones of race and social standing, like "I'm a believer and your not". We often feel most comfortable around people with a similar belief or life. Now that God has done a 360 with my own life I find I am the most attracted to people who are LOST! Yes, it is rewarding to disciple new believers and fellowship amongst our fellow brothers and sisters but if statistics are right there are 150,000 souls a day on a one-way journey to hell. Let's say the numbers are wrong and there is only 5,000 due to us not knowing the hearts of men and women only our opinions based on one's behavior and life patterns, one is too many. Back to the point, I didn't get to where I am today by a strike of lightning or a instant winner prize in a cracker jack box, I got here with the grace and mercy of God himself. Anyone who accepts Christ as their Savior begins a journey of sanctification. Justification is finished the moment you receive Him, you are worthy, forgiven, and justified through what God has already achieved through His Son. We can't continue in the defeating cycle of sin, guilt, and shame if we are to make a new start. If we are apart from God, we can start by listening to our God-given conscience to guide us back to a place where we can contemplate His ways and plan for us. If I had to pick one thing I am thankful for about being a Christian I would choose the convicting presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. Without it, I would seek death and destruction again. I am a rebel, a do it yourself kind of hard-head. I can handle the lure of the major sins, I know better and also the result, its the hidden and seemingly small things that chip away at my spirit and my walk with God that has the power to lead others to the ultimate freedom. Ephesians 4 :14 says, " That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ.
Recovery perspective : With sobriety, I am able to become increasingly aware of my sinful ways and weakness so that I can respond to sin with quick repentance. As we do so, our desire to to obey intensifies, and the attraction to sin lessens. Blessings, Dave
Recovery perspective : With sobriety, I am able to become increasingly aware of my sinful ways and weakness so that I can respond to sin with quick repentance. As we do so, our desire to to obey intensifies, and the attraction to sin lessens. Blessings, Dave
Monday, June 20, 2011
Back from vacation
I hope to have others on here filling in for future times when I am away but with so few followers, I truly doubt (hope) anyone suffered too much. I am reminded how strange life is for people who are not living a God-centered life. Yes, there are days when I wonder if following God really makes a difference in every day life. To ask someone what their marriage is centered on or what principles do you use in raising your children and get a response of, "I don't know" is truly sad. If I look at things through my physical eyes I am actually depressed by what I see around me but if I look through God's eyes I see Him at work all around, an open invitation to all being offered. How do you get to see through God's eyes one might ask. By purging known sin from your life, asking God to reveal unseen sin to us, studying His Word with a passion and desire to know more, and by placing ourselves beneath others as to see life on their terms. Arriving home we quickly realized someone had stolen out two rocking chairs off the front porch. The old me would have obsessed over who did it and theorized it must have been someone near by who figured out we were away. I would have worked myself into a frenzy and would have rode around with a loaded shotgun for a few days seeking to judge and punish for myself. Now a days I am thankful nothing else was taken or damaged and realize I will quickly have opportunities to show my neighbors if I am who I say I am in the Lord. Matthew 5:8 says, Blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see God.
http://rayray12951295-mightymanofgod.blogspot.com
Recovery principle - There is much more to life after recovery, but without it I won't ever see it. Blessings, Dave
http://rayray12951295-mightymanofgod.blogspot.com
Recovery principle - There is much more to life after recovery, but without it I won't ever see it. Blessings, Dave
Friday, June 10, 2011
Ghost blogger
A long week with few followers and one comment leaves me pondering on the One who saved me and gave me an opportunity to share with others. Psalm 121:1 says, " I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come from? My help comes from the Lord."
Recovery perspective - Addiction of all kinds leads to three places inevitably; Jails, Institutions, & Death. Not necessarily in that order. Blessings, Dave
Recovery perspective - Addiction of all kinds leads to three places inevitably; Jails, Institutions, & Death. Not necessarily in that order. Blessings, Dave
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Try again
Do you know the feeling of a sleepless, fish-less night? Of course you do. For what have you been casting? . . .
Faith? “I want to believe, but . . .”
Healing? “I’ve been sick so long . . .”
A happy marriage? “No matter what I do . . .”
You’ve sat where Peter sat. And now Jesus is asking you to go fishing. He knows your nets are empty. He knows your heart is weary . . . But he urges, “It’s not too late to try again.”
Recovery perspective- Recovery can not take place on willpower alone, but faith in the One who actually has some power. Blessings, Dave
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Our time
Give God the sacrifice of our time; a most precious commodity. In this action-addicted world, few will take time to sit quietly in the presence of the Lord. Those who do, blessings flow like streams of living water. This is a deep mystery; do not try to fathom it.
For me personally, without time spent with God and in His Word I would start each day with the breaking headlines of the world on my mind and this blog would quickly turn into a rant of political, social, and economic issues. There is plenty of that out there already! This blog will stay God-centered whether anyone ever follows it. God doesn't need this blog anyway but He can bless those who ponder it. Blessings, Dave
Recovery perspective: Once an addict (like me) has lost the desire to destroy their body and mind with drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc... there remains a polluted mind with distorted thoughts and multiple character defects to be dealt with.
For me personally, without time spent with God and in His Word I would start each day with the breaking headlines of the world on my mind and this blog would quickly turn into a rant of political, social, and economic issues. There is plenty of that out there already! This blog will stay God-centered whether anyone ever follows it. God doesn't need this blog anyway but He can bless those who ponder it. Blessings, Dave
Recovery perspective: Once an addict (like me) has lost the desire to destroy their body and mind with drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc... there remains a polluted mind with distorted thoughts and multiple character defects to be dealt with.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Complete trust
To experience genuine love with God, we must depend on God to do the things only He can do. Him alone. Israel turned to the help of many over the years but always realized God was the only one who could guide and provide for them. I don't want to use my Savior as a flotation device someone can throw to me when I'm sinking. Through a personal and intimate relationship with Christ Jesus I am ready at all times. How does this look in real life one might ask? I need His guidance and provision for my family finances and career direction for my wife and I and of course the safety and maturation of my three children. I need Him to do things in our lives that I cannot do. I know the humanistic formulas to arrive at places predetermined by me but I need supernatural influence to get done what God has asked me to do for Him. John 15:5 says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;apart from me you can do nothing.
Recovery perspective- One day at a time! (sweet Jesus) Blessings, Dave
Recovery perspective- One day at a time! (sweet Jesus) Blessings, Dave
Monday, June 6, 2011
Urgency
2 Peter 3:11 says, " Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct & Godliness?"
With judgement pending for us and countless millions of people facing destruction, how should we live our lives? Many Christians (myself included of course) attach such great value to temporal things. Hobbies & possessions consume us, leaving little time to invest in what is eternal. More than anyone else, Christians should be sensitive to the times in which we live. We should walk so closely with God as He is preparing to bring judgement upon people, that we can be a witness to those in imminent peril. There should be urgency in our hearts to complete the tasks that God has given us. Every soul counts!
Recovery perspective: If I am enslaved to my addiction or obsession, I cannot be in the center of God's will for my life! Blessings, Dave
With judgement pending for us and countless millions of people facing destruction, how should we live our lives? Many Christians (myself included of course) attach such great value to temporal things. Hobbies & possessions consume us, leaving little time to invest in what is eternal. More than anyone else, Christians should be sensitive to the times in which we live. We should walk so closely with God as He is preparing to bring judgement upon people, that we can be a witness to those in imminent peril. There should be urgency in our hearts to complete the tasks that God has given us. Every soul counts!
Recovery perspective: If I am enslaved to my addiction or obsession, I cannot be in the center of God's will for my life! Blessings, Dave
Sunday, June 5, 2011
The unread blog
I've read some blogs over time. I don't claim to be king blogger or anything but I am ready to move forward in this tech oriented world just a little. So while no one is actually following this blog right now, I will practice. Blogging for God, recovery from addiction, current events, devotionals, etc... will be the format here. I hope to have others on board soon who will provide diversity and variety! Blessings, Dave
Saturday, June 4, 2011
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