Monday, March 29, 2010
Celebrate Recovery 12 Steps
Twelve Steps and Their Biblical Comparisons
1 We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18
2 We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
3 We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
4 We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40
5 We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16
6 We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10
7 We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
8 We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31
9 We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24
10 We continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 1 Corinthians 10:12
11 We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us, and power to carry that out. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Colossians 3:16
12 Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore them gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1
Friday, January 15, 2010
Is Attitude Everything
Read the following, it will be well worth your time.
In Christ
Andrew
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Is Attitude everything?
Published by Kevin Bussey at 12:31 am under attitude
I saw a sign the other day that said “ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.” Really? I used to buy into that. Years ago I read every John Maxwell positive thinking book. I subscribed to his cassette teaching tapes and went to every conference he had. I filled my head with positive thinking books, tapes and conferences. I read the Prayer of Jabez and prayed that prayer daily for years. I was on my way to be Joel Osteen!
I believed that God was going to do great things in my life just because I had positive thoughts. Yet positive thoughts don’t pay the bills. Positive Thoughts don’t explain all of the pain people endure. Romans 8:28 says in all things give thanks. It doesn’t say to be thankful for all things but to give thanks. Not everything is positive. So attitude doesn’t get us through life, Jesus does. I was convinced that starting a church would be awesome. We raised money and recruited a team to help us. We had a great attitude. Then we scheduled our launch date of September 16, 2001. You can have the best attitude in the world but starting a church the week of the tragedy of 9/11 is tough.
I accepted a position last year that allowed us to move back to Alabama. I expected God to sell our home and take care of our needs. I knew this would happen. My attitude was right. Now over a year later the house hasn’t sold.
I have several friends who have had loved ones or they themselves got cancer. I’m sure they had great attitudes and were convinced that God would heal them but attitude isn’t everything. We know several Godly people at our church near the Gulf Coast that died of cancer recently. I can’t understand why God didn’t answer all of our prayers. We believed yet they died. I’ve prayed for people who have lost jobs and they had great attitudes. Yet their attitudes didn’t save their homes. I’m sure their are people in Third World Countries have prayed and had great attitudes that God would provide for their needs. Yet so many go hungry. Why didn’t attitude work for them? I have two friends that were leading churches in transition and they had death threats from people in their church! Their attitude was to serve God and the people at their church and it led to pain. One of them is still at his church. Attitude just brought their families pain. I even had a group at one church that sent letters to members and had a meeting to have me removed. I had the attitude that God was going to transition this church but the attitude I brought only brought pain to those who didn’t want change and to my family. I have a friend who has been in jail for over a year for something he didn’t do. He tried to keep a great attitude and yet it hasn’t gotten him out of jail. He asked me to help him through the anger of not knowing why God hasn’t answered his prayers. What do you I say? I’m tired of giving the trite “Believe” and “Attitude” will save you.
Here is what I’ve come to learn. Attitude is great but it isn’t everything. I wanted to play football at the University of Alabama but Coach Paul Bear Bryant didn’t need a slow, white cornerback. I dreamed about it and thought I could but reality is I wasn’t talented enough. I don’t know very many people who get married with the attitude it will fail. But we can’t control another person’s actions. We can’t control how they feel. If attitude is everything then why do so many marriages fail? I’m grateful my wife has stuck with me through a lot of tough times.
I’ve become more Calvinistic as I experience life. I believe we should have great attitudes because God commands us to love each other. But God isn’t a magic Genie. Saying the Prayer of Jabez, rubbing a Holy Hankie, or chanting believe and receive, or sowing a seed, or any of the other garbage that is being taught isn’t Biblical in my opinion. Just because Jabez prayed a prayer doesn’t mean God is going to bless us when we pray it. There are no magic words or attitudes that get us closer to God. Remember Job who lost everything. Did attitude save his family and his wealth? What about Joseph who was accused of doing something he didn’t do and spent years in prison. Did having the right attitude get him out of jail? Jesus paid the worst price of anyone. His attitude was perfect and yet He had to die for all of our sins.
I have come to believe this. God can and will chose to do whatever He wants. I don’t have to like it. I can whine and complain (which is a sin) or I can adjust my life and my attitude to His. I’ve not been promised anything except eternal life by trusting in Him. I’m not promised a nice home. How arrogant it is for Americans to think this. We have 2000, 3000, 4000+ sq ft homes and complain yet people around the world have nothing. We aren’t promised good health. Tell that to all of the Godly people who die way too young. We aren’t promised anything. I get sick of hearing about fairness. If I got what I deserved it would be death. I can’t believe how selfish our prayers can be. I’m pretty blessed. I was brought up in America with two loving parents who led me to Jesus at an early age. I have 2 believing siblings. I have a wife of over 21 years who loves me unconditionally and two believing children.
Attitude may help someone become successful but I don’t believe it is everything. If that were the case then why are cheaters successful? If attitude is everything then why doesn’t Bama win the National Championship every year? If attitude is everything then why can’t I make a living writing books and speaking? Reality doesn’t always factor in our attitude. The attitude my Bible says we are to have is that of Jesus who humbled Himself. That attitude is everything.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
A mission field right under our nose
Thirty-one percent of American families are headed by single parents. Married couples only comprise 25% of households.·
Twenty-two million children in the United States go home to one parent; of those, 83% are moms.·
Single parents consist of divorced, widowed and never-married parents.
Never-married comprise the largest group. (40%) ·
Most single parents are between the ages of 27 and 34.
Single parents over 40 are increasing in numbers because of the trend by many women to delay childbearing.·
One-half of all single moms receive no child support.
Half of all children involved do not see their fathers on a regular basis two years after the breakup of the family. ·
Seventy percent of single-parent mothers live in poverty making less than $13,000 annually.·
Of those single parents who profess to be Christian, only 5 percent attend church. (Why? Is a good question.)·
In 1970, fathers accounted for only about one in 10 single parents. In 1998, it's one in 6.·
The number of single parent families headed by fathers has grown from 1.7 million to 2.1 million.·
There are currently 9.8 million mothers in the single-parent role.·
Single-parent families increased in number in the past three years and now account for 27% of all families with children according to a new census report.
America single parent families ARE today’s church field. We have to ask ourselves, “What am I doing here?” More than that you need to ask yourself, “Why has Jesus placed me here and what am I going to do about it?”
“Put in the Sickle, for the harvest is Ripe.” Joel 3:13
Thursday, September 3, 2009
O-God

DANA POINT, Calif., Sept. 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- Best-selling author and apologist Josh McDowell ("More Than a Carpenter") and fellow apologist Dave Sterrett of Probe Ministries believe that as many people leave churches and give up on organized religion, they're turning to Oprah as their spiritual leader. Their new novel "O" God: A Dialogue on Truth and Oprah's Spirituality" www.midpointtrade.com/detail.aspx?isbn=978-1-935071-17-4 (Worldnet Daily Books) will release nationally on Oct. 6, 2009. Whether voiced aloud, only thought about, or hidden down deep as a nagging suspicion, the truth about Oprah's splintered belief and the advice of the colorful teachers she promotes is among today's most relevant issues. "The danger is that while appearing to use Christian and inclusive language that at first seems similar to that of Christianity, Oprah teaches a message that is radically different and absolutely contrary to the true teaching of Scripture and historic Christianity," McDowell and Sterrett warn. They cite examples of the media's portrayal of Oprah as a modern-day Billy Graham and her selection as master of ceremonies during the national memorial service held at Yankee Stadium in the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks to demonstrate her powerful influence.The Bible foretells of such a time as this "when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3, NIV).
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Very Creative
CHICAGO (AFP) – Greenpeace activists were arrested Wednesday for scaling Mount Rushmore and hanging a banner next to the carved face of Abraham Lincoln urging President Barack Obama to get tough on climate change.The protest comes as Obama meets with other G8 leaders in Italy.
"As soon as our people were mobilized we took down the banner and apprehended them and got them safely down the mountain."
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The Fine Art of Blowing It

by Charles R. Swindoll
It happens to every one of us. Teachers as well as students. Cops as well as criminals. Bosses as well as secretaries. Parents as well as kids. The diligent as well as the lazy. Not even presidents are immune. Or corporation heads who earn six-figure salaries. The same is true of well-meaning architects and hard-working builders and clear-thinking engineers . . . not to mention pro ball players, politicians, and preachers.
Show me the guy who wrote the rules for perfectionism and I'll guarantee he's a nailbiter with a face full of tics . . . whose wife dreads to see him come home. Furthermore, he forfeits the right to be respected because he's either guilty of not admitting he blew it or he has become an expert at cover-up.
Among the many wild and crazy reports are such things as the least successful weather report, the worst computer, the most boring lecture, the worst aircraft, the slowest selling book, the smallest ever audience, the ugliest building ever constructed, the most chaotic wedding ceremony, and some of the worst statements . . . proven wrong by posterity. Some of those statements, for example, were:
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Evangelical Divorce

Religion writer Tim Townsend
Police involved in the Coleman triple-murder case hit on a thorny theological question this week that goes back to the time of Jesus: Under what circumstances can Christians divorce? It's an important question in the case because divorce, or more specifically, an evangelical organization's prohibition of divorce among its employees may be one reason behind the murders. That question, of course, leads to others: When, and why, do religious organizations forbid their employees to divorce?Police have charged Christopher Coleman, a former employee of Joyce Meyer Ministries, with killing his wife and two children last month in their Columbia, Ill., home. A week after the murders, the Post-Dispatch disclosed that Coleman was having an affair. Soon after that, he resigned from his position working security with Joyce Meyer Ministries, a nonprofit evangelical organization based in Jefferson County. Coleman, 32, has pleaded not guilty.
Police disclosed Wednesday that on the day of the murders, Coleman told his girlfriend that his wife, Sheri Coleman, would be served with divorce papers. In sworn testimony Wednesday, Columbia Police Chief Joe Edwards said: "Joyce Meyer Ministry does not employ people who get divorced." He said if the Colemans had divorced, Christopher Coleman "would end up losing his job." Calls to the ministry's headquarters were not returned, and an attorney for the ministry refused to speak on the record about the ministry's policy about divorce. Last month, however, a ministry spokesman said "a violation of moral conduct" led to Coleman's resignation. Three former employees of the ministry described the no-divorce policy for the Post-Dispatch, though they couldn't say whether it was a written rule, or just an ingrained part of the Joyce Meyer Ministries culture. They said that people who have already gone through a divorce can be hired to work at the ministry, but that anyone divorced while working at the ministry is let go.The ministry "hires people who have broken lives, who are divorced, who've been drug addicts," said George Wise, who said he worked for Joyce Meyer Ministries from 2001 to 2003 as a video specialist. The ministry uses testimonials from believers to attract others to the organization, including one from a woman whose relationship "ended in a painful divorce." "I started to watch Joyce Meyer every chance I got," she writes. "God started to transform me and heal my broken heart."Wise said he'd been divorced twice by the time he was hired by Meyer and then married a colleague at the ministry. When that marriage didn't work out, he said, he was fired three days after his divorce was finalized."Everyone I ever knew that worked there and got divorced ... was fired," Wise said.
Yes I believe the bible teaches that divorce is sin. We hear much about how in Malachi 2:16 God hates divorce, but we rarely hear the rest of the verse….
