"Behold,
God will not reject a blameless man, nor take the hand of
evildoers. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and
your lips with shouting."
Job 8:20, 21
Christ's
method of personal ministry:
Mingled with people (involvement)
Desired their good (concern)
Showed them His sympathy (care)
Ministered to their needs (support)
Won their confidence (trust)
Bade them: "Follow Me" (called)
Do
I run from my problems?
In Regeneration, we
D.O. A.I.M. T.O.
Deal with our problems by
Ownership of them!
Admitting the problem
Inventory
Manage=prioritizing, processing
Take responsibility for our part!
Overcome problems with honesty
Fear
the glue of dysfunction:
Fear of being found out
Fear of withdrawal
Fear of something new
Fear of the unknown
"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love,
and a sound mind." 1 Timothy 1:7
"Perfect love casteth out fear." 1 John 4:18
Four
Questions
In every decision, temptation, or choice, ask these
four questions:
Will it hurt me?
Will it control me?
What will it do to my thoughts?
Will it glorify God?
Get
a grip on anger!
A sober, serene, sourdough says:
"Ya jus' cain't prove a point by screaming louder, 'n' ya cain't
listen very good neither!"
Put
a H.A.L.T. on relapse:
H=Hungry: regular meals help the body keep a constant biorhythm
productive of smooth metabolism
A=Angry: anger needs to be processed and dissipated, not repressed
and denied.
L=Lonely: when a person is lonely, they may think they have been
rejected, build a case of self-pity, and start searching for the
comfort of that familiar chemical crutch.
T=Tired: failure to get adequate rest on a regular basis reduces
emotional stability.
L.A.F.F.ing
your way to recovery:
Love
Accept
Affirm
Forgive
Regeneration
Paradigm
1. I can't do anything without Jesus.
2. I can do all things with Jesus.
3. God shall supply all my needs!
4. Confess, repent, be forgiven.
5. I am regenerated, new!
Relationships
are where it's at!
The seat of change is relationships
The seat of relationships is involvement
The seat of involvement is friendship
The seat of friendship is common ground
The seat of common ground is effort
Christ-centered support groups are the forum
Somebody
Sensations
--Sense
of belonging--being loved, esteemed, wanted, accepted, cared for, enjoyed!
--Sense
of value and worth--I count, I can do, I cope, do and live confidently, I
contribute something!
--Sense
of competency--accomplishment, task completion, goal achievement
--Sense
of comfort--with who I am, around others, especially authority figures
--Sense
of salvation--surrender of self to the Savior.
A
W.A.S.T.E.D. life:
Worry
Anxiety
Stress
Temper
Excesses
Denial
We become what we think!
Watch
Watch your thoughts, they become words;
Watch your words, they become actions;
Watch your actions, they become habits;
Watch your habits, they become character;
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
________