RECOVERY MINISTRY

Contact: John -541-343-1840

 
The following blog entries grow from church services, AA meetings, and my regular Bible and AA literature studies.  These reflections do not necessarily reflect Harvest Community Church.  They are, however, personal insights that support my recovery and my hope is that they are helpful to others, too.  Follow the hyperlinks and please feel free to respond with your own throughts in the comment boxes.
 
4/28/17 – Gratitude
4/25/17 – Harming You & Me
4/14/17 – The Fires of Life
3/28/17 – Confession
3/16/17 – Spiritual Growth
3/12/17 – Distraction
3/8/17 – Manage or Join
 
Living Sacrifices 
(Romans 12:1) 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.
This is yet another reminder that turning life and will over to the care of God is requires that we care for our physical earthly bodies.  When we defile ourselves, physically or mentally then we are going against God’s will.  The literal sacrificial lambs were perfect in every way.  As Christians, we should offer no less to God and this includes our time here in his earthly service.
 
Nature v. Nurture
Pastor Brian has taught that even though our eternity with God in Heaven will be indescribably wonderful, God pays a great deal of attention to our life here on earth, too. From birth, each of us are a work in progress. We are born self-centered absent the tools and knowledge of how to escape the incarceration of the flesh. This week’s scripture describes our innate human condition and then describes how we escape the confines of self.
 
(Ephesians 2:1-3)
The Problem – As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 
 
Think about every single defect of character that we can potentially manifest. Shortcomings like “control issues” or “anger” are incredibly common. The “Seven Deadly Sins” are classic:
  • envy 
  • gluttony 
  • greed or avarice 
  • lust 
  • pride 
  • sloth 
  • wrath
Left to our own human devices, we are powerless over these feelings. One could argue they were adaptive for our survival at a point in human history but now, in a civilized world, they no longer serve any productive purpose. So … how do we escape their power?
 
(Ephesians 2:4-5)
The Solution – But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.
 

When we finally come to believe that God can, and will, guide and direct our lives which will return us to sanity, we find results are almost immediate. Serenity returns and lives become productive and peaceful. Make no mistake, life will bring turbulence. It is through God’s grace that we can approach situations with a peace that would have never before been possible. The outgrowth from this is a movement of our attention from self to others, hence, “Love thy neighbor as thy self.”

 

 
Previous Group Meetings
 
Since late October 2016, I have written my application to the 12 Steps of Recovery for each Sunday’s message from Pastor Brian right here on our recovery page (see below).  I want to emphasize, this is one person’s thoughts based upon my experience, strength, and hope.  These thoughts do not necessarily represent those of Harvest Community Church or Alcoholics Anonymous.  

 

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17