Have you noticed how all of the steps, or practices, of recovery always point directly to GOD? That's because ultimately our Hope is in HIM! Our Hope is not in ourselves or any other human resource such as a step-program, a ministry, self-help books or even ourselves! Our Hope is in JESUS!! Hallelujah!
We must hope in HIM because the very first step of recovery is very true, we are totally and completely powerless in ourselves. Again, and again we are tempted to forget that and to deal with our struggle by relying on our own willpower and determination. We say we will never do it again, fight against it, set our will against it…. only to find our struggle is in vain. The more we concentrate on overcoming it ‘ourselves’, the more we obsess over what we are trying to overcome, and the more power it has in, and over, our lives. We find ourselves broke, totally worn out, bankrupt emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Worse yet, if we make any progress on our own, we become so proud of ‘our’ righteousness that "whited sepulchers" is a tame description of our human egotistical condition. Whenever we feel we can attain Victory over sin by the strength of our will alone, we have started worshipping the will, and our will makes a very poor god!
Once the Truth grips us, we realize that very righteousness to which we have been called!! In standing, and in experience, it is all a Gift of GOD. The recovery, or transformation, we seek is HIS Work, not ours. We can err in the opposite direction, thinking there is nothing we are to do. While human striving is insufficient, and righteousness is a Gift from GOD, GOD has given us The Holy Bible, HIS Inerrant & Infallible Word, as well as prayer as the means of receiving what HE has for us. As we listen to GOD in Scripture and speak to HIM in prayer, both privately and in company with others who believe, we place ourselves before HIM, so HE can transform us.
We can only do this through HIS HOLY GHOST, by opening ourselves to HIM in HIS Word and in Prayer. These are GOD’S ordained “steps” through which HIS Grace can flow to us and, over time, make us what HE desires us to be! Our LORD, our GOD, JESUS CHRIST, desires us to be like HIM!
O LORD, our Heavenly FATHER, Almighty and Everlasting GOD, Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day, defend us in the same with Thy Mighty Power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that in all our doings, being ordered by Thy governance, may be righteous in Thy sight, it is in YOUR Name, JESUS CHRIST, my LORD & SAVIOR, that I Pray. Amen.
We must hope in HIM because the very first step of recovery is very true, we are totally and completely powerless in ourselves. Again, and again we are tempted to forget that and to deal with our struggle by relying on our own willpower and determination. We say we will never do it again, fight against it, set our will against it…. only to find our struggle is in vain. The more we concentrate on overcoming it ‘ourselves’, the more we obsess over what we are trying to overcome, and the more power it has in, and over, our lives. We find ourselves broke, totally worn out, bankrupt emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Worse yet, if we make any progress on our own, we become so proud of ‘our’ righteousness that "whited sepulchers" is a tame description of our human egotistical condition. Whenever we feel we can attain Victory over sin by the strength of our will alone, we have started worshipping the will, and our will makes a very poor god!
Once the Truth grips us, we realize that very righteousness to which we have been called!! In standing, and in experience, it is all a Gift of GOD. The recovery, or transformation, we seek is HIS Work, not ours. We can err in the opposite direction, thinking there is nothing we are to do. While human striving is insufficient, and righteousness is a Gift from GOD, GOD has given us The Holy Bible, HIS Inerrant & Infallible Word, as well as prayer as the means of receiving what HE has for us. As we listen to GOD in Scripture and speak to HIM in prayer, both privately and in company with others who believe, we place ourselves before HIM, so HE can transform us.
We can only do this through HIS HOLY GHOST, by opening ourselves to HIM in HIS Word and in Prayer. These are GOD’S ordained “steps” through which HIS Grace can flow to us and, over time, make us what HE desires us to be! Our LORD, our GOD, JESUS CHRIST, desires us to be like HIM!
O LORD, our Heavenly FATHER, Almighty and Everlasting GOD, Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day, defend us in the same with Thy Mighty Power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that in all our doings, being ordered by Thy governance, may be righteous in Thy sight, it is in YOUR Name, JESUS CHRIST, my LORD & SAVIOR, that I Pray. Amen.
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