The Most Difficult Choice To Make

The easiest choice to make in life is also the most difficult. Make sense? Probably not, but let me try to explain. Our world is fractured. It’s broken. There’s a blatant disconnect between right and wrong, the concept of morality has been muddied. There’s pain. There’s suffering. There’s violence. Yet, in spite of all this, there’s an underlying belief that we can somehow, someway FIX it.

We’re told if you just believe you can do it, you can do it. There’s POWER in positive thinking! We’re told if you just try hard enough, you can stop doing it. There’s STRENGTH in willpower! We’re told if you just keep at it, try and try again, eventually you’ll succeed. There’s FULFILLMENT in effort alone!

It’s ingrained in our thinking from a very young age. We read stories of trains that just THINK they can. Our parents and teachers yells at us, “JUST STOP THAT!” We learn that practice makes PERFECT…what are we teaching our kids?

Our kids, let’s be real here, WE learn to trust in OURSELVES. If we want something, we take it. If we want to get somewhere, we go. We learn to rely on our strength, our power, our abilities, our intellect, our will…OR we learn to trust in STUFF…I could do this if I had a…If only I was here I could…

If only someone shared with me the Good News of Jesus Christ…

As I said before, the easiest choice to make in life is also the most difficult. Jesus is THE power greater than myself who can restore me to SANITY. Jesus is THE power greater than myself who gives me the STRENGTH to face the day. Jesus is THE POWER greater than myself. Jesus hung and bled from a cross, MY cross, in MY place, to set me FREE from the shackles of sin—my hurts, habits, and hang-ups. He conquered death so that I may have life, a NEW LIFE.

Jesus wants something FOR me, not something FROM me.

Jesus stretched out his hand to me. He picked me up. He rescued me from the darkness of my hurts, my habits, my hang-ups. He gave me a fresh start. BUT here’s the deal, I had to GET OVER MYSELF FIRST! That’s HARD! As a matter of fact, I’m still learning how to do it! Here’s the one thing I know for sure, I cannot do it alone. He gives me the STRENGTH. He gives me the POWER. With each passing day I’m learning to let go of myself and TRUST in Jesus a little more. It’s a process. It’s a journey.

Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires…
Matthew 5:10a GNT

It’s difficult to get over yourself. It’s difficult to surrender your pride. It’s difficult to admit your need for help. It’s difficult to continue trusting Jesus when times get tough. It’s difficult to maintain your faith when it seems like God is nowhere near you. The easiest choice to make in life is also the most difficult. Do not waiver. Do not give up. Do not turn away from Him. Read the rest of this verse.

…the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
Matthew 5:10b GNT

THAT’S a promise I can cling to! You’re going to face tough times. You’re going to face PERSECUTION! You’re going to have times when God’s presence seems so distant, His voice so quiet…it’s not going to be easy. I pray you find ASSURANCE in Jesus’ words. He says HAPPY are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires, meaning God’s gonna put you in some tough situations, ask you to do some difficult tasks, ask you to speak His truth AND you’ll be persecuted BECAUSE OF IT, BUT the Kingdom of heaven BELONGS TO YOU!

Happiness is a matter of perspective. Will you get stuck in the pitfalls of your present or will you be encouraged by God’s promises of tomorrow?

At War With Self-Doubt

One of the traps, one of the pitfalls we succumb to as leaders or even as potential leaders is our PAST. It can be difficult to see beyond the things we’ve done, the words we’ve said, the people we’ve hurt, the mistakes we’ve made. We’re continually looking backwards, glancing over our shoulders, stuck in the if only’s, what if’s…overwhelmed with regrets.

How could God possibly use someone like ME?

Grab your Bible, open up YouVersion, however you get in God’s word do it…open up to the book of Revelation. Skip over the chapter 21. Locate verse 5. Here Jesus describes the things to COME, the things we have to LOOK FORWARD TO. I want to focus on one specific verse, one specific phrase:

Then He who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
Revelation 21:5a NKJV (emphasis mine)

This is the HOPE we have in Christ. In Jesus we are MADE NEW. I can just imagine Jesus sitting on that throne, looking down upon his people, looking at my past hurts, habits, and hang-ups, seeing the self-doubt within my heart, and proclaiming BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW! He will set you free from the captivity of your past. He will break the chains that hold you down. He will take your burdens and give you rest. He will make you NEW. This is the SIGNIFICANCE of Celebrate Recovery.

Now, I know that some of you might read this and think, “Hold on. Jesus is speaking of things to COME…I’m struggling right NOW. What about RIGHT NOW?” Read this.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV (emphasis mine)

This verse speaks of the PRESENT. This verse speaks to the potential of your life RIGHT NOW. Paul says here that if you are IN Christ, you are a NEW CREATION. This isn’t speaking of a time that’s to come. This isn’t speaking of a future possibility. This moment. Right now. Where you are. As you are. The OLD has gone, the NEW has come.

Again, this is the SIGNIFICANCE of Celebrate Recovery. With Jesus at the center, people are being MADE NEW. It’s not about sobriety. It’s about recovery. It’s about restoration. It’s about finding a life that you never knew was available. It’s about crossing over from death into LIFE.

At Celebrate Recovery you learn that your past is not an OBSTACLE, it’s an OPPORTUNITY. At Celebrate Recovery you learn that God CAN use you in spite of the things you’ve done, the things you’ve said, the people you’ve hurt…because His GLORY is revealed through the work He’s done and is DOING in your life. God turns your mess into a message.

So leaders, I’ll even go so far as to say potential leaders, be encouraged that you are WORTHY and ABLE because Jesus makes ALL THINGS NEW.  Remember, it’s HIS story, HIS power, HIS strength, HIS grace. HIS mercies flowing through you. You can stand up and share your testimony because of HIS power. You can lead an Open-Share group because of HIS grace. You can teach a lesson because of HIS work in you.

Are you struggling with your past? Are you struggling with self-worth? Are you struggling to see how God could possibly ever use you?

God, give us the faith to trust what You say. God, help us to TRUST that, in Jesus, we are a NEW CREATION.

Unexplainably Tangible, Wholly Spiritual

Have you ever wept? I mean like tears flowing from your eyes, snot comin’ out all nasty, can’t talk, barely breath…just an ugly cry. You might call it sobbing. You might call it an emotional release, a burst if you will. Have you experienced this before?

Wow! This totally describes my drive to work this morning. It came outta NOWHERE! It was like I got punched in the gut, slapped in the face, and kicked…somewhere…all at the same time. There’s no better word to describe it than I was OVERWHELMED. Here’s the part that I considered absolutely AMAZING, I was overwhelmed by the presence of God. I know, that may sound cliché, maybe cheesy, but it is what it is. I was lost in the moment. I was lost in His presence. I was lost in worship.

My mind was clear of worry. My mind was clear of anxiety. My mind was clear of stress. My mind was EMPTY, OPEN…RECEPTIVE. You see, that’s just it. I wasn’t distracted. I wasn’t thinking about what I was going to do today or who I would see. I wasn’t thinking about tomorrow. I was PRESENT. I allowed His presence to be REAL. How? I acknowledged His presence within me, around me. I acknowledged His DEATH, my LIFE. I succumbed to GRATITUDE and praised Him.

I was LOST, now I’m FOUND!
I was DEAD, now I’m ALIVE!
I was HOPELESS, now I have HOPE!
I had NOTHING, now I have EVERYTHING!
I had a MOMENT, now I have an ETERNITY!

I was overwhelmed by the feeling, by the idea that this journey, my decision to follow Jesus, the relationship I have with the triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)…IT’S REAL! IT’S SO REAL! It’s unexplainably tangible, yet wholly spiritual.

I wept.
I sobbed.
I had an ugly cry.
I’m STILL crying…

I was overcome by grief and joy. Grief due to the depravity of our people. Grief because the people I LOVE, the people who mean the MOST to me are LOST. Joy because God is using me for His glory. Joy because God’s love, grace, and mercy are made REAL through my testimony, your testimony…HIS story! I’m praying today for God to use me in a BIG way, to use YOU in a big way, to show others just how REAL He is.

Unexplainably tangible.

So, as I mentioned earlier, this all took place while worshiping, while setting aside time to be PRESENT, allowing myself to be overwhelmed by His PRESENCE. Here’s the song I was listening to, am STILL listening to…I highly recommend listening to it, it could be the best 11 minutes of your entire week.

God bless.

Sanity Is Just One Decision Away

Ok. So, today’s post brings an end, or rather concludes our discussion on SANITY. Over the last few days we’ve seen how SANITY brings about STRENGTH, ACCEPTANCE, NEW LIFE, and INTEGRITY. When we break away from the crazy cycle of doing the same things over and over again expecting different results (insanity) and instead turn to the cross for comfort, opening our hearts and minds to Jesus for guidance, we can and will finally be restored to SANITY.

It’s a DAILY commitment. It’s a DAILY struggle. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. We all have our routines. It can be overwhelming to imagine adding ONE MORE THING to your schedule! Even if that one more thing is what will eventually set you free. We all want rest. We all want peace. The struggle is we don’t want to relinquish control.

Trust. Trust is the next part of SANITY. For many of us TRUST is as foreign as another language. We’ve been abused. We’ve been cheated on. We’ve been backstabbed. The people we care about the most have HURT US THE MOST. How can we possibly think about trusting someone again? It seems so impossible.

Well, let me be the one to tell you that God is GREATER than your circumstances. God makes the impossible possible. He’s parted seas. He’s brought down walls. He’s turned water into wine. He’s given sight to the blind. He’s healed the lame. He’s conquered death. He’s given you NEW LIFE. He’ll never turn His back on you. He’ll never let you down. He’ll never stop loving you. He is FOR YOU.

The first step towards placing trust in the people around you is to first trust in the God who created you, who loves you, who calls you His MASTERPIECE. He and HE ALONE has the power to restore you to SANITY. He gives you the STRENGTH to TRUST again. He gives you the wisdom to accept the things you cannot change and the courage the change the things you can. This concept of TRUST may see an obstacle, but He sees an opportunity to grow you.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NIV

I find great comfort in this verse. I felt so unworthy for so much of my life. I was captive to my past mistakes. I couldn’t see past my hurts, my habits, my hang-ups. I couldn’t see how God could possibly use a mess like me. I think many of us get stuck here. We can’t forgive ourselves, so how could God? How could anyone?

He didn’t wait until you had it all figured out. He didn’t wait until you had your life straightened out. He didn’t wait until you were cleaned up. He died for you while you were still a mess. He died for you while you were still in your addiction, still in your depression. Jesus accepts you AS YOU ARE! His love is not based on who YOU’LL BECOME, but who YOU ARE! You are His creation! His son! His daughter!

The Y in SANITY stands for YOUR HIGHER POWER. Jesus has the power to help you recover. Jesus has the power to restore you to SANITY. You can find SOBRIETY by other means, but sobriety is NOT recovery. Jesus didn’t die on a cross to give you a band-aid, he died to set you FREE (John 8:32).

Freedom is found in the daily decision to follow Jesus. Have you made this choice? Are you still wrestling for control of some area in your life? What do you need to release? Are you ready to be set FREE?

SANITY: Give Me Faith

Escaping The Clutches Of Insanity

My life has been filled with failures, with moments that I’ve let others down, moments I’ve let myself down. I’ve been depressed. I’ve experienced the pain of addiction. I have actually spent more time lost, more time accepting insanity as the norm, than not. The majority of my life was spent in a downward spiral…

Yet through it all, even in the darkest times, God was there. His presence is not dependent upon my belief. His power is not limited to my faith. His promises are not fulfilled because of my greatness. God is God. And He’s ALWAYS been with me, in spite of me. I simply failed to acknowledge His presence, His power, His promises. That’s insanity! I remained in a cycle of addiction, disassociation, and depression, doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result, because I kept my eyes shut, my ears closed, and my heart cold to the possibility that there could be a power greater than myself.

I wanted to be restored to SANITY, but didn’t know how.

The N in SANITY stands for NEW LIFE. THAT’S what I needed! That’s what we ALL need! God help us to realize the desperation of our need. It’s as if I was cursed, as a matter of fact I was (sin nature…thanks Adam!). We’re ALL cursed. We’re ALL in need. We rely on things, on stuff to fulfill the void that only God can fill. We depend on things, on stuff to satisfy a craving that only God can satisfy. Think about it! We turn to drugs, alcohol, food, relationships, clothes, cars, social media, anger, pornography, sports…Jesus is the ANSWER. Until we come to this realization we’ll never stop running, never stop chasing after that something that remains just out of reach.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

In Jesus we find the HOPE of fresh start, a new beginning, a NEW LIFE. Learning to trust in Jesus leads to joy and peace because we no longer have to chase after that something, no longer have to escape, to get away…we can finally stop running, we find rest. He and He ALONE has the power to help us recover.

The I in SANITY stands for INTEGRITY. This is a topic that most people don’t want to discuss. It stings a bit. It strikes a nerve. It makes your stomach turn and tie in knots. INTEGRITY is an area the church has struggled with for as long as I can tell. We’re great at showing up with a smile on our face, putting on a show, hiding our hurts. At Celebrate Recovery we learn to do the OPPOSITE as we grab hold of the TRUTH and allow it to invade our lives. We learn to share our hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We learn to break free from the lies that once held us captive.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
3 John 1:4 NIV

What are you doing when no one is watching? Who are you when no one else is around? I LOVE how this verse directs us to WALK in the truth. That means it’s not a periodic stop, it’s not subject to convenience. TRUTH should permeate every step you take, every thought you have, every word you speak, every action you take. Jesus said let your yes be yes and your no be no. INTEGRITY is the product of SANITY. SANITY is the product of an intimate relationship with Jesus.

Being Restored to Sanity

I’m so EXCITED for the lesson at Celebrate Recovery this week. I’m anticipating God to set some people free. We walk through those doors feeling like the weight of the world rests upon our shoulders. We’re carrying baggage from work. We’re carrying hurts from our past. We’re carrying frustration and disappointment from our marriages and relationships. Yet, and here’s the crazy part, we do NOTHING about it. We do the same things over and over and over again, expecting a different result each time. That’s INSANITY!

Here’s where I find my excitement rising, my anticipation growing, my passion burning…God wants to free us, free you, free me from these burdens. We’re carrying a mess that doesn’t belong to us, yet we cling to it as if IT was our source of life, our identity. This week’s lesson is SANITY.

Soundness of mind.
Wholeness of mind.
Rational.
Sanity.

I don’t know about you, but I WANT THAT! I have such a strong desire to be WHOLE. And this Friday we’ll be discussing how to get to that point and hopefully stay there. SANITY is not a temporary stop in our journey, it’s the path we walk. SANITY becomes a reality when your decisions are based on truth, not feelings. Let me say that again, SANITY becomes a reality when your decisions are based on truth, not feelings. You might be asking, “What is truth?”

Jesus. Read John 14:6.

Principle 2 reads: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover (emphasis mine).

Step 2 reads: We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to SANITY (emphasis mine).

Feelings are fleeting. Feelings are inconsistent. Feelings are temporary and temperamental. Feelings are the unstable foundation, the sand that couldn’t sustain the house during the storm (Matthew 7:26-27). Feelings will mislead you. Feelings will misguide you. Feelings will lead you down a slippery slope. Feelings will lead you to relapse. God is just the opposite.

God is forever. God is consistent. God is, was, and will be. God is faithful. God is just. God is the rock (Matthew 7:24-25). God will lead. God will guide you. God will keep you on track, on the path of everlasting. God will send your relapse to hell where it was birthed and ultimately belongs. God is able.

God will give you STRENGTH to overcome your hurts, habits, and hang-ups. He turns your greatest weakness into your greatest strength. He fills your every need. He builds you up. Relying on your own power is what led to darkness of your past and maybe your present. Relying on your own strength is why you’ve remained stuck in your mess. I can’t do it on my own. You can’t do it on your own. Recovery starts when we realize God has the power to help us recover. Recovery starts when we rely on HIS STRENGTH, HIS POWER.

When you start to trust God, when you start to give up whatever sense of control you THINK you have, when you finally let go and allow God to invade your life, SANITY doesn’t seem so distant. God grant me the serenity to accept things I CANNOT CHANGE, the courage the CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN, and the wisdom to KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. Aren’t you tired of trying to control things? Aren’t you tired of trying to change people? ACCEPTANCE is key to obtaining SANITY. God will help you learn to accept people as they are and let me tell you why…He accepted you as you are. THAT’S grace. THAT’S mercy. THAT’S Jesus.

I’m praying for our people to be consumed by God’s grace and mercy this Friday at Celebrate Recovery. I’m praying for our people to be set free from past hurts and hang-ups. I’m praying for our people to find SANITY through an intimate relationship with Jesus.

4 Things I Want To Share With You

Here are 4 things I want to share with you…

#1 – It starts with a PLAN. You want to change. I want to change. We want something to be different about us, about our lives, about our jobs, about our attitudes…you name it. Nobody wants to be stuck doing the same ol’thing over and over again, especially if you’re expecting different results each time (definition of INSANITY). The problem is many of us, well, most of us don’t know where to start…

• Pray for God’s help and guidance. James 1:5
• Seek advice from people you trust and from those with EXPERIENCE. Proverbs 15:22
• Create a plan. Write it down. Put it up around your house.
• Share it with others (accountability).

#2 – Stop talking about it and start DOING IT. It doesn’t matter if you want to stop gorging yourself with food, stop smoking, stop relying on anger, stop cussing, or even break free from the chains of passive aggression…nothing will change in your life until you take a proactive approach to make a change. Stand up. Stand firm. Earnestly believe that God can and will free you from whatever it is, BUT remember that He works through YOUR efforts. Do not allow prayer to become an excuse for laziness. Take action.

#3 – God is our SOURCE of STRENGTH. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” He is our REFUGE. You can and should turn to Him when you feel like there’s nowhere to turn, nowhere to go, nothing to do. He is peace amidst chaos. He is light amidst dark. He is our STRENGTH. When you realize that you cannot do it alone, that you need help, God steps in and changes everything. He brings hope. He brings peace. He makes a way. Remember, you cannot do it on your own; willpower is an illusion. Want to be set free? Trust in the cross of Christ.

#4 – God is ABLE! This Friday at Celebrate Recovery we’re discussing the topic of SANITY. We’re going to answer some freakin’ tough questions, and quite frankly, you’re probably not going to like the answers…the TRUTH hurts. What do you keep repeating over and over again expecting a different result? What result are you looking for? Let me ask that again: what result are you looking for? Step 2 is a GREAT reminder that it is GOD who will restore us to SANITY. Read Philippians 2:13. Memorize it.

He Has The Power To Help Me Recover

Heard “Christ is Risen” by Matt Maher this morning. GREAT song! It’s a good reminder that my God is not dead, that it’s because of His victory over death that I can CELEBRATE my recovery today.

Principle 2 of Celebrate Recovery’s Eight Recovery Principles reads, “Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover.”

He has the power to help me recover…

YES!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

Own that. Read it a hundred times if you have to. Then read it again a thousand times. Let it sink in. Let it become REAL. Let it become your REALITY.

You are not stuck, well, you don’t have to remain where you, doing the same ol’thing, with the same ol’people. When you allow God to invade your life He will CHANGE you. He kills the old. He cuts it from you. Jesus died on the cross to set you FREE, not enable you. Here’s the catch, you gotta allow your heart to change. God wants to shape and mold your heart to break for the things that break His, to desire what He desires, to become clean and pure…but only HE can do that.

On your own you’re going to stumble, trip, and fall. AND it’s going to happen again and again and again. Recovery is a daily struggle to give up my selfish desires and follow HIS perfect will. One day at a time. One moment at a time. One step at a time. Peace and joy reside somewhere between God’s perfect plan for my life and my willingness to turn over my life on a daily basis.

Work the 12 Steps. Live the 8 Principles. Believe God exists. Believe you matter to Him. Believe He has the power to help you recovery.

Believe.

I Matter To Him

Principle 2 of Celebrate Recovery’s Eight Recovery Principles reads, “Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover.”

I matter to Him…

You may have gone your entire life without hearing the words “I love you.” You may have gone your whole life without feeling the love of a warm hug. You may have gone your whole life without knowing personal value or self-worth. Let me stop right here and let you know something…the same God who created this world and everyone in it, the same God who performed CRAZY, INSANE miracles and wonders throughout the course of history, the same God who is infinitely wise, pure, and just…is the same God who LOVES YOU and has plans to see you prosper in this life and live forever with Him in the next. How’s that for a run-on sentence?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 NKJV

He loves you enough to forgive you. He loves you enough to save you. He loves you enough to call you His own, to call you His son, to call you His daughter. He loves you enough to turn your mess into a message of HOPE. He loves you so much that He DIED FOR YOU.

God loves you. I believe He loves you with a love that burns with such INTENSITY that it would put the sun to shame, make it seem like a Fisher Price flashlight.

Earnestly Believe That God Exists

Principle 2 of Celebrate Recovery’s Eight Recovery Principles reads, “Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover.”

That’s AWESOME! I had a cup of coffee this morning, so I’m feeling pretty jazzed, pretty excited about what I believe God wants us to hear, to learn, and to apply…but it could just be the caffeine. Anyways…

Earnestly believe that God exists…

This is the NEXT STEP. Once you realize that you’re NOT God, that you’re POWERLESS to control your tendency to do the wrong thing and that your life is unmanageable, the NEXT STEP is to figure out who God is and what He’s all about. It’s time to identify your HIGHER POWER (the H in HOPE).

I can’t speak for you, but I know that I have personally found peace, joy, and fulfillment in identifying myself as a follower of Jesus. I traveled an ugly road full of pride, addiction (drugs, alcohol, pornography, video games), anger, co-dependency, and a doubt that God even existed! The day I surrendered my life, the day my faith became REAL, the day I realized I wasn’t in control, but was BEING CONTROLLED…my life changed FOREVER!

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:8 NLT

God sent His son, Jesus, to die FOR me, to SAVE me, to RESCUE me, to REDEEM me. Jesus hung on a cross, in my place, to RECONCILE me, you, all of us back to a personal, intimate relationship with God. He died. He was raised. He’s ALIVE today!

You want to experience a new beginning? Believe that God exists and you’re not Him.

4 Things I'd Like To Share With You

Here are 4 things I’d love to share with you…

#1 Lives are CHANGING! – Were you at Celebrate Recovery this past Friday? If you weren’t, you missed out on something INCREDIBLE! In between the tears of JOY and EXCITEMENT, I stood by and proudly watched as my wife baptize a lady, and now dear friend, she had led to Christ just 10 days prior. It was AMAZING! God is moving through the people of Celebrate Recovery in a way that I dare try to describe. I’m seeing people grab a hold of the HOPE offered through a relationship with Jesus and finding VICTORY over their hurts, habits, and hang-ups through HIS work on the cross. THAT’S something to CELEBRATE! Join us this Friday night at 7:00PM to hear a testimony, a story of redemption and freedom found in Jesus.

#2 There’s a spot for YOU! – One of the most rewarding aspects of Friday nights, of Celebrate Recovery, is LEADING. I’m here to tell you right now that there is a spot for you (Matthew 9:37-38). Recovery comes full circle when we reach the point of GIVING BACK. Remember that feeling you had when you found HOPE, when you found FREEDOM, when you realized that you were given a FRESH START? Each Friday night you have an opportunity to share your story, to share your HOPE with someone who’s feeling hopeless, with someone who believes they deserve nothing better than the hand they’ve been dealt.

#3 Found people FIND people. – It’s not about you…well, not entirely. There was a time when you were LOST. There was a time when you were WITHOUT hope. There was a time when you didn’t know what it meant to LIVE. Now that you’ve found it, now that you’ve received a new life, now that you’ve got this fresh start go out and tell someone about it. When you’re EXCITED about something it’s difficult, in fact it’s nearly impossible to keep it to yourself. Share the JOY you’ve found in Christ. Share the FREEDOM you’ve found in working the Steps and Principles. Invite someone to Celebrate Recovery. Bring someone to Celebrate Recovery. Let’s see this entire community and each generation that follows FOREVER CHANGED!

#4 Your story MATTERS! – This week at Celebrate Recovery is TESTIMONY! Why can’t EVERY night be testimony night? I don’t know about you, but I get PUMPED UP for testimonies! I leave EXCITED! I am overwhelmed by stories of VICTORY and HOPE found in Jesus. It takes a great deal of courage and strength to stand up in front of a group of people and share your struggles…the good thing is you’re sharing VICTORIES, you’re sharing HOPE, you’re BLESSING others! God will move through you. God will touch the hearts of the hopeless through your story of overcoming life’s obstacles and hurts. Pray for BOLDNESS (Acts 4:13). Are you ready to be released from the burdens of your secrets? Start writing your testimony today.

What's The Rush?

Do you ever feel rushed? I got this overwhelming notion this morning that we are all RUSHING, all RACING, all in a HURRY to get somewhere or get something. The crazy part is that I’m convinced we don’t know why we do it. I don’t think we can clearly communicate the reasons behind this sense of urgency, this idea of racing against the clock, this feeling of always being behind.

On my way to work this morning I saw something, something that I’ve seen a hundred times before, but today it STUCK OUT like God was trying to show me something. A little ways in front of me a small car slowed to make a right turn into the parking lot of a grocery store. Blinker was flashing. Brake lights came on. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Out from behind the small car a big ol’truck swerved into the counterflow lane (most commonly referred to as the suicide lane) to get around the car. Why? What was the point?

Why are we rushing around? What’s the hurry?

I’m in a car. It’s traveling exponentially FASTER than I could travel by foot. I’m grateful for my ability to get to work in 10 minutes by car…especially when it would take nearly 2 hours to walk. I’m GRATEFUL. I see the alternative.

We’re running an imaginary race. We’re surrounded by imaginary opponents. The people around us are more obstacle and hindrance than opportunity and help. We want to show people the finger instead of grace. We want people to get out of the way instead of get into our lives. We start our cars and kick Jesus out of the passenger door.

If it’s a matter of time; learn to manage it.
If it’s a matter of simply doing too much; prioritize.
If it’s a matter of perspective; pray for God to open your eyes.

In Genesis 40 you’ll find the story of Joseph and the brief time he spent with Pharaoh’s butler and baker in prison; time he spent interpreting their dreams. One good. One bad. Eager and overjoyed at his release and restoration, the butler completely forgets to tell SOMEONE about what Joseph did, his gift, his plight.

The butler went back to business as usual. He became busy. He became distracted.

I wonder if that’s what we do. We rush and we hurry and we chase after SOMETHING all the while neglecting the SOMEONE. It saddens to me think that you, that I, might be missing out on God’s blessings or holding back God’s blessings from someone else. What would happen if we, like Joseph, took time to slow down to invest in others? What would happen if we, like Joseph, surrendered our lives to God and His will? What would happen if we, like Joseph, lived as people of grace? What would happen if we, like Joseph, dedicated our lives to a faith in a God that wanted so desperately to save us, to redeem us, to make us new?

What would happen if we slowed down?

Pause. Take a deep breath. You’re alive. God’s Holy Spirit lives in you. He’s got a purpose for your life TODAY. Will you slow down enough to see it fulfilled?

Hope Starts With A Decision To Live

Tonight at Celebrate Recovery we’ll be jumping into a lesson that has me FIRED UP! We’ll be discussing HOPE.

HOPE is something that for many people seems distant, foreign, almost non-existent. Regardless of how hard we try to make things right in our lives we always seem to miss the mark. We become accustomed to words like “almost” and phrases like “so close.” We get stuck in pits of depression and despair and, as if it wasn’t already enough, we pull a cover over the hole and block out any glimpse of light, any ray of HOPE. The sad thing is that our eyes adjust to the darkness, so our lives adjust, and we settle for a life that is less than abundant, less than fulfilled, less than…

When light sneaks in we’re quick to plug the hole.
We scramble for what little we can find because who knows if there will be more.
We live in fear and worry, imprisoned by anxiety.
We convince ourselves that there’s nothing better, that it’s all we’ll ever amount to.
We lose any sense of HOPE.

Hear me on this; you DON’T have to live like this. THIS is not living. There is a God who created this world and everything in it, including you, and said it was GOOD. Did you read that? He said it was GOOD. His is Creator. He is Redeemer. He is Sustainer.

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
Romans 11:36 NLT

Everything comes FROM HIM. This includes you.
Everything exists BY HIS POWER. This includes you.
Everything is intended FOR HIS GLORY. This includes you.

God created you. God loves you. God desires the best FOR you because ultimately it brings HIM glory. The first step to experiencing HOPE is acknowledging the existence of and the desperate need for a HIGHER POWER. The second step is to realize this HIGHER POWER is Jesus Christ. Next, let God shine His light into the pit you’ve dug. Let Him help you out. Let Him rescue you. Let Him SAVE you. 

My Prayer today:

"God I need you. I can’t do this on my own. I need to be saved, to be rescued from this mess. I believe You sent Your son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross in MY place, to pay the penalty of my sins, a debt I could NEVER repay. I believe You raised him three days later and that tomb remains empty today as a sign of Your VICTORY. I declare today, that I too, want to experience this VICTORY. I want to OVERCOME. I want to be FREE. I want to experience HOPE."

Jesus is the HOPE of the world. Do you know him?

A Word of Encouragement

How many of you grew up in a less-than encouraging environment? Parents who tore you down, not lift you. Friends who teased you, not played with you. Family who ridiculed you, not congratulated you.

Maybe you were beaten down about how little you’d amount to in life. Maybe you were always bigger than all the other kids. Maybe it was the color of your hair. Maybe it was the color of your skin. Maybe it was the way you spoke. Maybe you grew up in an undesirable part of town. Maybe you didn’t have the big house. Maybe you were homeless. Maybe your clothes weren’t name brand. Maybe you never heard the words “I love you.” Maybe you fought for some glimpse of attention. Maybe you scarred your outside to match the pain inside. Maybe you were neglected. Maybe you were abused. Maybe…

Maybe…

Just maybe…

Hear me on this, regardless of what you’ve heard, what you’ve endured, what pain you’ve experienced, YOU’RE WORTH SO MUCH MORE. Did you know that God looks down upon you and sees His MASTERPIECE?

HIS masterpiece.

HIS workmanship.

HIS handiwork.

HIS creation.

HIS image.

HIS likeness.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT

He created you ANEW in Jesus. That means He’s given you a NEW NAME. That means He’s give you a NEW IDENTITY. That means He’s given you a NEW BEGINNING. That means He’s given you a FRESH START.

God wants to take all the crap you’ve had to experience, all the pain you’ve endured, the hurts you’ve pushed aside and buried so deep, the names you’ve been called, the labels you’ve received, the baggage you’ve carried…He wants to take it. He wants to give you rest. He wants you to see yourself as He sees you. He wants you to see the BEAUTY of His creation—you.

God’s got a purpose for your life that’s BIGGER and GREATER than anything you can dare to dream or imagine. You are worth more than anything this world has to offer. You matter because God says you do. You have value because God says you do. Your presence can make a difference in this world because God says it will.

You are a masterpiece.

To Be Like A Child

As a child I loved snow. That’s an interesting way to start considering as an adult I STILL love snow, but anyways… As a child I loved snow. There’s something about the entire world I know, everything as far as I can see, being completely transformed before my eyes. I eagerly paced back and forth on nights when the forecast read imminent snow. YES! I might as well have won the lottery.

Will there be school?

Will I get to play with my friends?

Will I build a fort?

Will I go sledding?

Will there be a snowball fight?

Will I get to drink some hot chocolate (and yes, with marshmallows on top)?

All these thoughts and questions would race through my head simply because I heard of a POSSIBILITY, I caught a glimpse of what MIGHT BE. I made plans in lieu of uncertainty. I didn’t distinguish between a 10% chance of snowfall and a 100% chance. I just knew it was GOING TO snow.

I had HOPE.

What happened? Where did that hope go? How did I lose it? What did I experience, what new knowledge did I come upon that transformed my hope into cynicism and doubt. I don’t believe it merely happened to me, but it’s something that we ALL experience at some point in our life. We go from accepting things at face value to desiring empirical evidence. We go from believing what we hear to questioning motives. We change. Our brains become polluted by age and an illusion of wisdom gained through experience.

I believe this is what Jesus was talking about…

Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3-4 NKJV

Become as little children…

Humble himself as this little child…

As a child we kept things simple. We engaged the moment. We were present in the situation. We laughed because it was funny. We told someone when we weren’t happy. We didn’t care what we wore. We didn’t care about getting dirty. We were willing to help others. We gave someone a bite of our cupcake. We gave away the last piece of gum. We thought riding in the front seat was awesome!

Jesus said to become like a child, to humble yourself as a little child. I don’t know about you, but I want that again. Do you? It’s time we simplify our lives. It’s time we get back to the basics. It’s time to strip away our pride, our ego, our cynicism, and in its place build a positive outlook…HOPE.

As I said before, HOPE was easy for me as a child. Looking back I see that I prepared for the BEST CASE scenario, there was no Plan B. I didn’t plan for what would happen if it DIDN’T snow, I EXPECTED it to snow. I’m not going to plan for what will happen if God DOESN’T bless me, I EXPECT God will bless me (because He said He would!).

Do you have HOPE?

5 Things I Want To Share With You

Here are 5 things I want to share with you…

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
Romans 7:18-19 NLT

#1 – NOTHING good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. This is not a conclusion that I reached on my own. I actually used to believe that people were inherently GOOD. Misguided much? Scripture tells us that because of Adam’s sin in the garden death entered the world. Death = Sin. This sin was then passed down from generation to generation as a natural inclination or NATURE towards sin (disobedience to God). Thank you Adam! Sin doesn’t merely reside within a small portion of our existence, but permeates every aspect of our life and being. We are consumed by it. We are lost within it. On my own, no good lives in me.

#2 – I want to do what is right, but I CAN’T. I am POWERLESS to control my tendency to do the wrong thing. I CAN’T do what is right. I’ve tried. I wanted to stop drinking, but I couldn’t. I wanted to stop abusing drugs, but I couldn’t. I wanted to stop spending hours and hours looking at pornography, but I couldn’t. I thought I was in control of my struggles, possibly moderate my compulsive behaviors, but I couldn’t. My life was so wrapped up in sin that I couldn’t break free. I was stuck doing the same thing over and over. I knew the right thing to do, but I just couldn’t muster up the strength to do it. On my own, I can’t do what is right.

#3 – I want to do what is good, but I DON’T. What is good? I like to think of the work of Jesus on the cross. I think of the beating he endured, the cross he carried, the death he experienced and I think THAT’S GOOD! I believe the things that are good are the things that are categorized as selfless, not SELFISH. I don’t think anyone can look at what Jesus went through and say, “You know, I think I’d like to try that sometime.” OR you might find a person who says they’d be willing to do it simply to uphold some false image of super spiritualness (that even a word?). That fact is, we can WANT to do what is good all day long, but we’re going to fail to do it time and time again. Doing good is tough. Doing good is hard. Doing good is difficult. Doing good hurts. Sin nature says take the easy route! Sin nature says it’s not worth the risk! Sin nature says look out for yourself. On my own, I don’t do what is good.

#4 – I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I DO IT ANYWAY. Ever heard of RELAPSE? When you truly engage your recovery head on, and I mean really take it serious, NOBODY sets a goal to relapse, NOBODY sets a relapse date. But guess what, it happens. We stumble. We trip. We fall. We don’t want to do what is wrong, but we do it anyway. It’s not an excuse, it’s the truth. On my own, I do it anyway.

#5 – Jesus will FREE you from a life dominated by sin and death. On my own, I am POWERLESS. Jesus Christ is HOPE for the hopeless and we’ve all either been hopeless or are hopeless. There are two categories of people in this world: lost and found. That’s it. It’s not about ethnicity. It’s not about sexual preference. It’s not about social status. It’s not about political standing. A relationship with Jesus is the ONLY way to be cleansed, to be washed clean of the sinful nature that wants to kill, steal, and destroy your life. Jesus is the answer. Want something good to live in you? Jesus. Want to do what is right? Jesus. Want to do what is good? Jesus. Want to stop doing the wrong thing? Jesus. As long as you believe you can do it on your own you’ll remain stuck in the same patterns, the same habits, the same hurts, the same cycle of hardship and pain. Want to experience joy and fullness of life; open your heart and mind to the possibility of a relationship with Jesus Christ and be set free.

Realize I'm not God

Principle 1: Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.

This is the first principle from Celebrate Recovery’s Eight Recovery Principles. It IS Step 1, but with a twist. The first four words are the catalyst of not only a healthy and successful recovery, but an abundant and joy filled life.

Realize I’m not God.

This is THE first step towards wholeness. This is THE first step towards sanity. This is THE first step towards healing. This is THE first step towards a fresh start, a new beginning. This is THE first step towards hope.

The thought may not cross your mind or words leave your mouth, but when you convince yourself that you’re somehow in control, that you can manage or moderate your struggles, that you’re without the need for help, you’ve assumed God’s rightful place in your life. In other words, you have become your own god. You believe you can actually weave the tapestry of time, creating your own destiny, changing the course of your history. How’s this worked out so far?

The crazy thing is that you may actually be able to experience some slight glimpse of happiness or even a hint of normalcy, but that’s just it, it’s a glimpse, it’s a hint. You cannot establish lasting change. You can place yourself at the start line. You can even take off running from time to time, but EVERY TIME you move it’s a false start…God hasn’t started the race, not yet. The moment you relinquish whatever sense of control you think you have, and accept Jesus as your higher power, is the moment God fires the pistol and the race begins.

“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.”
Matthew 5:3a GNT

Realizing that you’re not God opens up a space in your heart, in your very being, for God to fill up. That’s what it means to be spiritually poor. There’s a DESPERATION. There’s a DEPENDENCY. There’s a DEFICIENCY. It’s in our desperation that God provides SATISFACTION! It’s in our dependency that God displays His SUPREMACY. It’s in our deficiency that God displays His SUFFICIENCY!

I am not God.

I AM spiritually poor.

Today, will you continue to pretend you are God or will you make some space and allow Him to invade your life?

Seeking Serenity

Lessons in being POWERLESS are never pleasant and by unpleasant I mean they are typically painful, in your face circumstances that leave you wanting to give up and lose hope. Lessons in being POWERLESS are synonymous with lessons in HUMILITY, that is learning that the world does not revolve around you, that you’re not actually in control, that you do not have all the answers, that you are not the master of the universe…need I say more? The lessons are tough, in fact they flat out suck, but so long as you LEARN FROM IT and not fight against it, the end results are extremely beneficial and life changing.

Here’s an example:

My 5yo is currently facing some sort of crazy illness. He’s got the worst case of strep throat that I’ve EVER seen. His fever is fluctuating. His breathing is labored. His throat is nearly closed. He’s miserable. He’s in pain. He cries out for me to HELP him…

I’m POWERLESS. I am not in control. I do not have any answers, let alone the right ones. I feel desperate. There’s nothing I can do, yet I feel like there’s something I should be doing. This is a lesson in being POWERLESS. This is a lesson in HUMILITY. This SUCKS!

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I CANNOT change…

Realizing that you are POWERLESS makes the process easier, not easy. You can find sanity, you can find serenity if you realize that you are an active participant in the process, not the one calling the shots. BUT you gotta change your entire way of thinking.

#1 Instead of thinking you can control the situation, you realize instead that you can COMFORT those involved.

#2 Instead of think you have all the answers, you realize instead that you can PRAY for wisdom and guidance.

#3 Instead of thinking the world revolves around you, you realize that GOD IS AT THE CENTER and His grace and mercy radiate outward to both cover you and all involved.

You are here to help, not fix. I am here to help, not fix. Stop trying to control the situation. Stop fighting. Stop trying to play God.

What are you trying to control? Who are you trying to control?

Don’t wait to be humbled; humble yourself.

Setting Goals, Defeating Doubts

I cannot speak for everyone, but I believe most people have at some point in their lives set a goal or had a dream. There was something they aspired to do or something they longed to experience. They are BIG! They are small. They are CRAZY! They are within reach. They motivate. They deflate. They are AUDACIOUS! They are hardly worth mentioning. They are different.

Some people might share a similar goal, but have an entirely means they’ve designed to arrive at its end.  I and my neighbor may seek to lose 15lbs; however, I choose to exercise while he chooses to moderate portion size. I am my co-worker may desire a certain position at work; however, I choose to network through social media while he chooses to engage people face-to-face.

However you look at it, goals inspire, motivate, and drive us to reach the next level…whatever the next level is for YOU. Goals are how we maximize our potential. Dreams inspire us to greatness. Goals are the prescription for complacency; action is the remedy.

Goals are a GREAT way to escape the traps of despair and depression. Goals are an AWESOME pathway for defeating regrets. Goals are a FANTASTIC tool for reinvigorating your life, for starting fresh, for beginning anew. Goals are KEY to overcoming your hurts, hang-ups, and habits.

Principle 1 states, “Realize I’m not God. I admit that I am POWERLESS to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.” The O in POWERLESS stands for ONLY IF’S; you can’t experience joy in your present when you’re consumed by the guilt and shame of your past. Setting goals, taking a more proactive role in your life, in your future, is one way to break free from the chains of your past. I don’t know about you, but personally, I don’t want O to stand for ONLY IF’S in my life, I want it to stand for OVERCOME.

So, how do you do this? How do you transition your thought pattern from I can’t, I won’t, and I don’t to I CAN, I WILL, I DO? Where do you start? Start by first identifying the areas of your life that present the greatest struggle, areas that need to most attention. Once you’ve identified the problem then you can develop a solution. Here are some examples:

Problem: I smoke.

Goal: I will reduce my smoking by 25% each day until I’m finally done by such and such a date.

Problem: I don’t give attention to my kids.

Goal: I will devote 30 minutes a night to my kid(s) each and EVERY night.

Problem: I look at pornography.

Goal: I will install X3Watch on my computer, laptop, smart phone, etc. and find an accountability partner.

Goals are AMAZING! Goals can change your life and inspire you to achieve greatness in areas of your life that you’ve believed to be hopeless. BUT (isn’t there always a but?) here’s the catch,  you CANNOT DO IT ALONE! I’m not just talking about finding an accountability partner, which WILL help immensely, no, I’m talking about turning your life over the care and control of Jesus. Prayer is your single greatest weapon. God is your single greatest provider. God answers prayers. He is faithful to fulfill His promises. He wants to bless you. He wants something FOR you, not something FROM you. Read these words from Peter.

Then Peter said, Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.
Acts 3:6 NKJV

God wants to do something MIRACULOUS in your life. He wants to CHANGE you from the inside out. He wants to FREE you from your hurts, habits, and hang-ups. When you identify your weaknesses, when you admit you need help, you open the door for Jesus to step in and fill you with his PRESENCE, his POWER. When you set your goals and pray for God to make it happen, be READY, because He’s gonna do something RADICAL in your life.

When you’re told to rise up and walk, will you choose to remain seated or will you stand? God’s going to open the door, will you walk through it?