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 Week of 1/22/17 – On Earth As It Is In Heaven

 
Sunday 1/22 – Pastor Brian continued his series about heaven. This week was a great examination of what heaven will look like and how different it will be from life here. Christ taught us in the “Lord’s Prayer” that God’s “will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This tells us that God’s will is what heaven is but that His will can also be done here on earth. For those of us in recovery, we know that living by self-will results in hell on earth, so accepting God’s will on earth as it is in heaven is life or death for us.
 
Thursday 1/26 6:30-7:30 Youth Building 

(Revelation 21:5-8) He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

(Ephesians 5:18) And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit

(Proverbs 20:1) Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

We know we are “powerless over alcohol/drugs.” We are not average when it comes to these things. We are weaker. If we choose to drink or drug we descend toward a bottom, and there can be many.

  • Question 1 – For those of us in recovery, what did the last bottom look like? If we forget it, we’ll find another.
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. (Alcoholics Anonymous, Step 11)
  • Question 2 – How do you stay connected to God’s will?
  • Question 3 – What are the results and benefits?
It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities. “How can I best serve Thee – Thy will (not mine) be done.” These are thoughts which must go with us constantly. We can exercise our will power along this line all we wish. It is the proper use of the will.” (Alcoholics Anonymous pg. 85)
  • Question 4 – Complacency leads to weakness and weakness leads to relapse. How do you combat complacency?
    (Revelation 21:8) But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

AA describes itself as a program of attraction not promotion. This recognizes that God has given us freedom of choice. Similarly, this scripture describes the choice of those that actively reject God. Pastor Brian explained, hell is not for those leaving earth but it is a choice that may be made. Again, those of us in recovery know the hell we created for ourselves here on earth and celebrate God’s gift of life in sobriety.

See you Thursday evening and I look forward already to what Pastor Brian will give us to study next week.

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