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CHRISTIAN
Regeneration
Home Page Download Pamphlett (Word2000 Format ) Regeneration Manual
Through
our God - His love, mercy and forgiveness is available to us!
Taking out of order and out of control lives, Jesus went around doing good by healing through forgiving, cleansing and blessing. He lived by example - not promotion. Being the first born of many brethren, He showed us the pathway of our God of love in action.
Things we are leaving behind with His help, include alcoholism, drug addiction of all forms, anger and suicidal thoughts, sexual malpractice's of all sorts including homosexuality, the pain and effect of broken marriages and family relationships, tense anxieties resulting from financial crisis, and mental and emotional disorders. Every day other areas of crisis are being added to this list, as people come to God for restoration. God is coming to all those who are honestly and diligently seeking Him.
RECOVERY THROUGH JESUS
"We undertake to go where ever the Lord leads
us to meet a need.
Our primary purpose is to carry the message of regeneration
in Christ".
Produced by:-
CHRISTIAN
REGENERATION,
MS
1626 Yeppoon
Queensland.
AUSTRALIA. 4703.
Non-Profit Donation-reliant Outreach.
Page 1
Some of us pondered
on our past
If we gave much thought to God's providence and natural order in our lives in our earliest days, certainly there was not enough desire within us, to allow Him to direct our lives for our betterment.
In any case, competitive motives from our earliest days on this earth moulded our lives, as we tried hard to "fit in", "prove ourselves", or "show them". We blended our actions with how we thought the world expected us to behave, and still that feeling of inner peace and harmony eluded us. Feeling either a little, or a lot like the "square peg in a round hole" was part of every one of us. That occasional taste of success was only ever really short-lived. The void in our lives would return.
Our common personal welfare started suffering, as we reacted unnaturally, against sound advice, and not listening to our conscience. Basic reason and common sense for survival and correct living took second place to irrational feelings and imagination.
With varied feelings of rejection, and continued isolated thinking, some of us neglected proper care and control of ourselves. We misunderstood, and misread the intentions of those around us who offered us love. In our imaginations we rationalised the real nature of our unhealthy conduct, blocking out the possibility of having to look into ourselves and changing.
Then in time for some of us fantasies, delusions, and obsessions of every kind including suicide and death, gripped us as we practised irrational behaviour and habits. For some the craving to satisfy inner demands was enormous, ever demanding more, and paying us dividend upon dividend of resentment, remorse, guilt, loneliness, fear, anxiety, despair, and every variety of bitter fruit possible.
Still rejecting advice, and refusing to co-operate with help, we blindly locked into a cycle of bitter repetitive destruction, still convinced we could manage our own lives "if only".
And then we found Jesus, it was time to bring the truth forward. The truth for each of us started to dawn. Our today was the result of all our yesterdays.
It became our turn to be teachable. A new life was under way, and we desired Him and all He represented.
Not by Power, and not by Might, but by my Spirit, saith the
Lord. Zech.
4:6
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We suspected our lives were out of order. We needed to change. We desired what we saw in others who had
been as we were, and who now had peace in their hearts, and peaceful
minds. People who were now sane, and
free, and sober.
We expected it would take time, that it would
require rigorous honesty, willingness and humility on our part to make us new
people, with new lives on a different footing. Easier softer ways attempted in
the past had not worked.
Simple, but not easy, it would mean destruction
of self-centredness.
But then God would help us, if we would entrust
our lives to Him with complete abandonment.
We became that willing. We would build that special relationship
with our Creator. We asked for His
protection and care and we proceeded, for after all nobody had ever failed who
had thoroughly followed this path.
We wondered how long ago we stopped believing, and what it was we should have believed.
To believe that Gods biblical principals were very desirable for our welfare and happiness was not too difficult to believe
We discovered for ourselves that the application of these principals was not only desirable, but essential and indispensable for our continued success
Our today was the result of
all our yesterdays.
We asked ourselves :
Question 1: How have I managed my life thus far?
Question 2: Do I possess all the answers?
Question 3: Do I need a saviour?
We admitted that without help, it was beyond our human efforts to properly manage our own lives, and that of ourselves we are powerless over crisis.
Seeing and admitting our powerlessness, paradoxically proved to be a way of strength.
We accepted Jesus as our saviour and that His power is available to us
to reconcile us to God. The obvious
question to this statement is: Why?
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Well having just completed step 1, and admitting our powerlessness over the crises of our lives, and realising that we needed help, we reached out to the only source available beyond ourselves and other people around us. We reached out to Jesus and He met us.
It may well be that some reached out more in hope than in positive assurance of His being there, but then found that He fulfilled us in so many areas, we could not deny His presence.
You see God loves the world so much, that He gave His only son that anyone who will receive Him can have everlasting life.
This is the true heart of God - love, and out of that heart of love, He continually reaches out to man to bring him to the knowledge that he does not have to live any longer in the ways of this world.
God never created this world with sin in it, rather sin entered as a result of God's first created man disobeying God's word and has continued its downhill slide ever since.
We know the results of this sin in our own circumstances. We have experienced the traumas of this world's ways and have found them lacking. Everywhere we look we see people in conflict with their surroundings, man in disharmony with his neighbour and all of this the direct result of his being disobedient to God.
Some have seen God as a tyrannical father figure with a big stick and a loud voice threateningly saying 'thou shalt not'! -- while in reality the reverse is true. God loves us so much that in His infinite mercy He gave His son to be a ransom for all who would reach out to Him.
As you continue in this programme keep the thought ever before you that "God loves me". You may say at this point in time how is that possible?, I have done this and that and am so bad that I don't deserve His love.
That is just the point - All of
us have things in our lives which would keep us from accepting Christ as
our Saviour, but love reached out to
us just as we were, and as lacking in understanding as we were. Love reached out and cradled us to Himself
and we experienced the reality of God's
love.
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There were times when we thought that God must have turned His face from us, but then the reality of His love burst through our troubled feelings. We hoped in His words, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" and we knew that as He had accepted me just as I was - so even now God accepts me just as I am. God loves me just as I am.
How? Because love cannot do anything else except love. No matter how many times He is rejected no matter how many times He is hurt, still love reaches out from the heart of God to all who would receive Him.
Now that we have received Him and chosen to allow Him to be master of our lives, how much more will He show love to us, if we are His children.
And so to be born again, we simply and sincerely ask the Lord to come and live in us by His spirit, to be Lord of our lives and our saviour.
Voicing (saying out loud) The following suggested prayer:- We pray --
Dear Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus to be born again of your spirit.
I repent and turn from my old ways, and I ask you Jesus to forgive me and be my Saviour and Lord of my life. I thank you for living in me, and changing me by the fullness of your presence, and transforming me by the renewing of my mind.
Heal all of me. Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.
Please identify yourself in me, that I may personally know you in and through Jesus.
I completely abandon myself to you and your Lordship, and I look to you to guide me as you make me into the person you want me to be. May I always be willing to be obedient. Thank you --
Signature .. . Date........./........../..........
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Therefore if any man
be in Christ, he is a new creature;
old things are passed away, behold all things become new. 2
Cor. 5:17
I beseech you
therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans
12:1
And be ye not
conformed to this world but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Romans
12:2
BUT LET A MAN EXAMINE
HIMSELF.
1 Cor. 11:28
The position we find ourselves in today, is the result of all our yesterdays. Had all or some of our yesterdays been different, our position today would have been different.
Our actions, re-actions, or lack of actions, during all our yesterdays, shaped and formed our deepest inner attitudes we have today.
My inner attitudes therefore are the real me. My responses to situations and people, are birthed in my inner attitudes.
My inner attitudes, or the real me, determine which one of two continually active and opposite processes will be dominant in my life --personal growth, or personal disintegration. (Looking at the fruit of my life, which tree have I largely fed from?)
As tomorrow's responses will come from yesterdays and today's input, do I need to change?
Human nature includes such qualities as kindness, love, modesty, patience, forgiveness, trust, generosity, humility, and self-forgetfulness, and also has elements that make us egotistical, selfish, resentful, dishonest, critical, jealous, proud and insincere.
We have been created with instincts or desires to make us complete human beings. These desires are for material and emotional security, sex and companionship. In harmony with God's will, these are divine blessings -in God's plan.
Without knowing God's will for our lives, we automatically apply our own wills - that is self will - not in God's plan.
And ourselves? Yes, very much the victims of self - through self will.
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We manipulated as well as we could, and we allowed ourselves to be manipulated if it meant advantage or gain. Similarly we dominated or welcomed domination. We were charming or gracious as necessary. We told white lies, black lies, or the truth, as it suited us. We took much time and effort to protect our appearances and images. We "dropped - off" people we felt were too close to us. Barrier up time, "I'll keep to myself".
Selfishness and self-centredness have been at the centre of our motivation up until now. We had desired everything to be done according to our rules. We were driven by countless forms of fear, self delusion, self seeking, and self pity. Self, manifested in so many ways proved beyond doubt to be our destroyer.
But now that we have found Christ, or rather been found by Him, we have yielded the control of our lives to Him, and have stopped trying to play God in our own lives, as well as those around us. We know the joy of being free. The blessing of being free of the bondage of the slavery of self with its selfishness and self-centredness, saw us able to become interested in seeing how we could contribute to the lives of others. Our fears of today, tomorrow and the hereafter left, as new life and power flowed into us, giving us peace of mind, confidence in facing the future, and consciousness of Christ's presence. We began to lose our fear of people, and sought rather to reach out to them from the well-spring of love which had been opened within us.
To say we will never be hurt by people would not be true, but as we draw on the love of God for us, the things which man can do to us are of little consequence. We have found the source of love and can draw more deeply out of that well, and never go thirsty again.
Because God, as the source of all love, has opened a spring in our heart, we desire spiritual progress.
This progress is not perfection and never will be as long as we live in mortal bodies subject to the corruption of sin around us. For even the things of nature cry out to be released from the tyranny of change and decay.
SELF
EXAMINATION
THIS IS POSITIVE, NOT NEGATIVE, LIKE A STOCKTAKE, WE LIST ALL ITEMS, TO DECIDE WHAT WE KEEP, AND WHAT WE DISCARD.
WE ALL HAVE GOOD QUALITIES WITHIN US, AND HAVE ALL PERFORMED GOOD DEEDS, WE LIST ALL THESE, AS WE GO, THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT, SO THAT WE KEEP A BALANCED VIEW.
THE FOLLOWING FORMAT, WITH SOME SUGGESTED QUESTIONS, IS TO HELP US PROBE "TROUBLE OR PROBLEM AREAS", AS WE GO BACK THROUGH OUR LIVES.
Page 7
But let a man examine
himself. 1 Cor. 11:28
Question:
What exactly in the past influenced the outcome of my life? Asking God's help, we prepare ourselves with pen and paper. Absolute honesty is the key as we commence. We urge you to be of like mind, as the degree of recovery and regeneration relates directly to the degree of honesty.
To begin with a RESENTMENT OR GRUDGE LIST.
Grudge not one against
another, brethren, lest ye be condemned.
James 5:9
THE MANIFESTATION OF SELF THROUGH RESENTMENT IS THE FOUNDATION OF
ALL SPIRITUAL ILLNESS AND THE NUMBER ONE DESTROYER OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS.
Painful consequences always follow, where the presence of resentment is unchecked.
Emotional illness, anger and every form of trouble in human beings, has its roots in resentment.
When we personally allow the presence of resentment to abide in our lives, we automatically transfer the control of our lives into the hands of others. For those dependent on God's grace for life support, including ex-alcoholics and other addicts, the presence of resentment can prove fatal.
The following suggested layout of a resentment or grudge list may take time, but it is simple, requiring honesty and thoroughness. We list who we are resentful towards, and ask ourselves why, writing down our answers. Leaving no stone unturned, we proceed like the following example.
I'm resentful towards:
My sister-in-law: Ignores me;
Minds our business; Gossips;
Treats her husband poorly;
Always borrowing;
My boss: Difficult to know where I stand with him;
Has a suspicious nature;
Never says what he means;
Always wants more; Never forgets;
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My wife: Likes my sister-in-law;
Is easily led;
Joins in gossip;
Wastes money on non-essentials;
Greets my boss with a hug;
Nags;
Complains that I neglect her;
My neighbour: Sticky nose, threatened to belt me for hitting
my wife during an argument;
Told my wife she should leave with the kids;
Holds grudges;
My kids: Close mouthed;
Others: My church; My pastor;
My social club;
Other people and organisations, etc.
How clearly our completed list shows how much personal pride, security, and self-esteem, have been threatened and affected. It is fear -fear of harm to "self" - that births the resentments that control us.
We can now see how it is absolutely essential for us to learn how to handle this form of spiritual sickness in ourselves, not just others.
NEXT
WE PREPARE A LIST OF OUR FEARS
Now we bring all these out "into the light", including the probable one of attempting this list.
Let us encourage you - like some of us, you might have a long list, but you will come to see for yourself that the only thing to fear is fear itself.
Fears we have, have been acquired through negative experiences, and therefore are removable.
To remove fear, we pray for its removal, asking and trusting Jesus to fill us with his love and strength. We may need to pray this often.
TRUSTING AND RELYING UPON GOD PROVIDES OUR
SOLUTION WE NEED NOW AND ALWAYS.
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A
SELF PROBE
We now probe our past looking for selfishness and self-will on our part in all areas, and especially those where repeating and re-occurring trouble exists.
Self justification makes us feel much "cleaner" than we are, so we need to conscientiously dig deep. Our experience is that questions we would rather avoid are often the ones that reveal the defects we need to be concerned with.
We list our faults, and our wrongs, and become willing to set matters in order.
Some of the questions we should ask ourselves are listed as follows. Other questions and other areas for scrutiny will come to mind, as you proceed.
RELATIONSHIPS
Anxiety, frustration, anger, and bitterness are fruits of faulty relationships.
What about my relationships?
Can I see where I have been at fault?
What should I have done instead?
Have I made unreasonable demands?
Have I been selfish?
Did I try to manoeuvre or manipulate others?
Did I dominate them?
Did I depend on them too much?
Did they revolt from my domination?
Did they fail me, and let me down?
Did I have the ability to accept the maladjustment's of others
without being disturbed myself?
Do I need an overhauling in the area of relationships?
FINANCIAL
What did I do for gain? What didn't I do for gain?
Where did I meet my obligations?
Where was I dishonest?
At home, work, creditors, taxation, family, maintenance, other.
How did I support my family?
Was I mean? Was I extravagant? Was I generous? Was I fair?
Did I honour my employer with my ability, and time?
Did I evade responsibility?
Was I honest with my employer's money?
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IN SELF EMPLOYMENT
Was I a good financial manager?
Was I a poor financial manager?
Was I honest?
Was I dishonest?
How? When? Who?
GENERAL
Was I promiscuous?
Did I claim to be the seduced, not the seducer?
Did I damage other people and myself?
Did I spoil my marriage?
Did I injure my children?
Did I injure others? Parents, families?
Did I use circumstances at home as an excuse for promiscuity?
Were my sexual actions unnatural?
Do I have anything that doesn't belong to me?
Have I lived with a faulty foundation to date?
Has self-centredness made me unable and unfit to form true partnerships with other human beings?
Have I ever sought to be a proper family member, a true friend, a team worker, and a valuable and a helpful member of my community?
ADMISSION
OF FAULTS
Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offences, your sins) and pray [also] for one another THAT YOU MAY BE HEALED AND RESTORED [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]
Jas 5:16 (Amp.)
The cracks, flaws, and tripwires that keep us tense and emotionally unstable, can be dealt with now, as we "clean house" and confide all our story to another person. And that means ALL.
We humans cannot live
with memories we hope to take to the grave.
Unconfessed guilt provides a guaranteed return to addiction -alcohol or otherwise and for the non-addict, an unstable life at best.
We take our time,
and with God's help and direction, we select someone who understands our need.
Perhaps a Pastor, or a person trained in this area, can be of
assistance, or a closemouthed friend of
integrity.
Page 11
But certainly no-one who can be hurt by our disclosures. An understanding wife or family could well be in this category of being hurt.
At the appointed time, and in the presence of the Lord, we commence our long talk withholding nothing.
Often as we proceed a cleansing presence and peace come about such as we have never known, and we experience a special awareness of being one with God and man.
MAKING RESTITUTION [OR
AMENDS]
Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 1:22
Jesus: "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to
the altar, and thou rememberest that thy brother has ought against thee, leave
there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way"
FIRST BE RECONCILED TO THY BROTHER, AND THEN COME AND OFFER THY GIFT. Matthew 5: 23-24
Restitution on our part means:-
1. Being prepared to take the consequences of our past acts and deeds.
2. Accepting responsibility for the well being of others
3. To be careful and prudent
4. To trust in Jesus for support and the outcome.
There will be those:-
1. We can attend to immediately
2. We shall need to defer
3. We can only make part disclosure, as full disclosure would prove harmful to that person
4. We are unable to contact.
Not criticising them, or anyone else, or arguing, we approach them calmly, admitting the damage we have done, and where we have been at fault. We are prepared to accept the consequences, be they loss of position, reputation, or even jail. We have to be that willing. Whatever obligations we owe, we make restitution, or promise to, be it financial or otherwise.
Our experience is that our demonstration of sincerity and goodwill will almost always bring about a repair in relationships. If however we receive an unfavourable reaction, we press on, having done our part.
Page 12
For those we have deferred, we retain the same spirit of willingness to complete the task, as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
As we progress
If we have been painstaking in our efforts till now, we will be starting to know God through Jesus in a very special and personal way. We will have laid the foundation of repentance, which when maintained on a daily basis keeps our door open to receive all that God has for each of us as we journey along.
We will know His peace like we have never known peace before. We will feel clean, worthwhile, and useful, wanting to reach out and share of ourselves and help others. Self-seeking will fade away as our attitudes change. We will have a deep and secure confidence in our Saviour and Lord, replacing the fear of people and insecurities of all sorts of the past including economic.
We will have commenced reading our Bible thirstily seeking understanding and wisdom, as we seek to build our relationship with Jesus. Discovering the Bible as the living word of God we will deeply desire to be changed into God's image, of living His life in us, of walking in love, reality, wisdom, with peace and joy, being fruitful and sharing of ourselves.
We will be making progress in relationships as love and tolerance begin to guide us, allowing us to see offending people as spiritually sick people in need of help as we were ourselves.
We will be spotting areas of selfishness, dishonesty, self-seeking, and fear in ourselves too, as we journey along each day, though now we can draw on the love and power of Jesus to change us and re-direct our attention to what He would have us do, and be. So too we must always remember we are now in the world to play the role that He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us do, and humbly rely on Him, do we find and maintain inner peace.
As we travel along we will realise that the spiritual life is not a theory - we have to live it. "Action is where the action is" - "Faith without works is dead" - "Be doers of the Word". Our program to date has been one of obtaining right results from right actions, and so it must continue to be.
Page 13
We are fooling ourselves if we "short-cut" our inventory for instance.
Withholding certain facts about ourselves which should have been brought to light now and admitted, will almost certainly cause us to fall, even years down the road. Avoiding the humbling experience now, some hang on to the worst items in stock setting themselves up later for a large and certain fall. We humans cannot live with memories we hope to take to the grave and must tell all our life story. We cannot continue to live with guilt. We must be entirely honest with ourselves and others if we expect to live long and happily in this world.
Action on our part will ensure we are rebuilt, regenerated, and revitalised! Jesus said "I work and my father works". He is there to help us change. "Take my yoke and learn of me" (Matt. 11:29) provides us with a partner and doorway to new growth in every direction. It takes a decision to pray, to read the Word, to do His will, and it takes action to build these new activities into our lives. [See 2 Timothy 3: 16-17]. And what else have we found action does? It helps remove fear - fear of people, including creditors and other authorities, circumstances and things. Action helps us grow into maturity and responsibility [the ability to respond]. Right action is a vital contributor towards self-love. Right action will conquer self-pity - that vehicle for the manifestation of all forms of self and self-will.
It is easy to see "Faith without works is dead" and we are surely dead if we neglect to take proper care of our spiritual life on a daily basis.
"One day at a time" tells us much and offers us a suggestion for practical living. With the yesterdays cleaned up and the tomorrow's safely in God's hands, we really can only live our "Today's". Let us start our today's each morning with Him, perhaps including the meaningful Lord's Prayer [Matt. 6: 9-13] with its foundational attitudes. Let's also then lift up to Him whatever else is on our heart being careful to never pray for our own selfish ends. Of course we can pray for ourselves if others are to be helped.
We ask Him for the willingness to help others - especially the person who still suffers. Very importantly we pray for freedom from self will, self-pity, dishonesty, and self-seeking motives.
"Be still and know that I am God" tells us much too. Practise being still, and listen to the small still inner voice. Any time we are faced with indecision, we relax and take it easy. We ask for inspiration, an intuitive thought, or a decision. We wait.
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The right answers will come as we practise this, and we come to rely more and more on inspiration.
"Thy will be done" will become a working part of us, just as He intended.
RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS
During our lifetime we establish many relationships, always with the object of getting to know those people better.
With the ones we love we feel a special affinity, a special bond, and our hearts are warmed by the times we spend with them.
When we don't particularly like a person we don't willingly look for their company but when we enjoy the company of someone then they are the ones we seek out to spend time with.
Now that we have had our awakening experience whereby our spirit has been made alive unto God, we need to develop our relationship with Him.
How do we do this? In exactly the same way we develop a friendship with any person - we spend time with Him, we talk to Him, we discuss our problems, our hopes, our fears, even our plans for the future.
Like any good friend He is interested in us, and when we include Him in our conversation and plans He understands that we want to befriend Him.
He loves us so much that even before we gave Him a second thought, He sent His Son to die for us, so that we might come to know His Son Jesus Christ in a personal way. So it stands to reason, now that we are His children, He will love us even more.
Before we took that second step in the steps to recovery He was reaching out His arms to us. Then one day we realised it and responded to Him. It was an awakening to the power which was able to deliver us from the things which so bound us that we couldn't do it ourselves. So it is with prayer, it is the continuation of that awakening, only now we desire to know the source of the power, the one from whom the power flows.
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Where do I talk to Him? Anywhere, in church, in the workplace, in bed, under the shower. Since He is within us, then wherever we are He is and so His wisdom is available to help solve a problem at work, at school, in a plane or on a mountain top for He is there.
It may be that we don't have a need at some point in time but we just want to spend time with Him. That's even better, for now we acknowledge we just want Him, not for what He can do to help us, but to just want Him. That's the place He desires us to come, to seek Him out for Himself.
There will be times when we need His wisdom or healing or deliverance, but sometimes it's good to seek Him out and spend time with Him. As we do, we get to know Him better and He gets to know us. It is at these times that we realise how futile our lives were when we thought we were in control.
We look forward to listening to His guidance and counsel on all matters pertaining to life and a more satisfactory life at that, simply because we have come to know God and love Him. He in turn pours out to us His wisdom and power and authority in any given situation in life. This is only accomplished by getting to know Him and allowing Him to speak to us.
We have all been with people who are so busy talking that we never get a word in edgewise. Be sure that there are many who pray like that, who are so busy talking they never take time to listen to what God has to say. They miss out on knowing the best way to handle a matter, through their continuous chatter. Sure they pray, but you know that any one-sided conversation is of little value. We must take time to listen for the voice of God!
DISCIPLES IN ALL THE WORLD
God in His infinite mercy and power has made available to every born again believer the signs of a spirit filled life.
These signs are not toys to be played with but are to allow God's new creation to defeat the enemy wherever he appears in life. Christ, in His address to His people stated that these signs would follow those who believed in Him. This was not a new thing as might at first be thought. The disciples of Jesus were sent out with these orders, "Preach the good news of the kingdom, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils and speak with new tongues". All this was to manifest to the people that "Jesus" the Son of God was shown upon earth.
Upon His resurrection from the dead, and prior to His return to heaven, Jesus reiterated these orders, and added "I am with you always even unto the end of the age". Now some people have said "That's only for Christ's disciples", and so it is! But not just for the twelve, for they are not living at the end of the age - but we are. And we are as much disciples of Christ as any of the twelve, if we believe in Him, are born again and confess Him as our Lord.
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God cannot lie. He does not make statements which He has no intention of keeping. This power is the power of God, demonstrated through us by the Holy Spirit who now lives in us.
Why has He given us this power?
To turn people to Christ. To reinforce His word on the lips of His disciples in the earth today.
There is nothing in the earth guaranteed to get someone's attention more quickly than a demonstration of God's supernatural power. We can talk for hours, but just pray for a sick one and see them healed and watch the change which comes over the spectators.
This is not new, for it was in the days of our Lord Jesus upon earth. In fact something like a third of the gospels present the power of God's healing. It doesn't stop there. In the acts of the Holy Spirit within the early church people are raised from the dead, cripples healed, and the good news is preached in all the known world. So much so that it is recorded that this little band of disciples turned the world upside down.
Jesus came to heal the broken-hearted, preach deliverance to the captives and the recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who were bruised, and He still desires to do these things through His church on earth today. This is our heritage. It is our responsibility and our covenant right so exercise it and go and make disciples in all the world and these signs will follow those who believe. "In my name .............."
DAILY STOCKTAKE
Q. Have I been kind and loving to all today?
Q. Where could I have done better?
Q. Have I been selfish, dishonest or critical?
Q. Do I owe an apology?
Q. Have I something to repent of?
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FRUITS
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self Control
DAILY
MORAL INVENTORY
Watch for:- Cultivate:-
Self Pity Self Forgetfulness
Self Justification Humility
Self Importance Modesty
Self Condemnation Self Valuation
Dishonesty Honesty
Impatience Patience
Hate Love
Resentment Forgiveness
False Pride Simplicity
Jealousy Trust
Envy Generosity
Laziness Activity
Procrastination Promptness
Insincerity Straightforwardness
Negative Thinking Positive Thinking
Vulgar, Immoral, High Minded, Spiritual,
Trashy Thinking Clean Thinking
Criticising Look for the Good
REGULAR
EXERCISE
We can never underestimate the value of regular physical exercise in our rebuilding.
Ready application to whatever we choose, gives us much satisfaction and pleasure.
The improvement in our physical being does much to "lift" us.
MEDICATION - DOCTOR RELATIONSHIP
We do not, and cannot advise on another person's medication, however much we feel our experience to be of benefit. The matter of medication, and doctor/patient relationship is between you and God. Of course it can be expected, that as you recover through Jesus, medication will reduce and finally cease. Additionally your faith in His healing ability will continue to grow, as you grow.
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My Human Limitations prevent me from:
- Understanding the inner workings of another human being no matter how close they are to me.
- Controlling and directing the minds of others including my spouse.
- Shouldering responsibilities that rightfully belong to others.
If I continue to be a crutch or helper, neither of us can be free. I will find life a continuing struggle, but worse, the necessary freedom for the other person to face his responsibilities, including all the consequences of his behaviour will be blocked.
This necessary freedom is a vital contribution to his finding himself, and his relationship with God. I can live no-one else's life but my own due to MY HUMAN LIMITATIONS. I can be of some help to others, as they seek the meaning to life, but in the final analysis, they, like myself, must find themselves, through themselves. Admitting, and recognising my powerlessness through my human limitations, lets me then "let go" and "let God". Let me therefore, seek the Lordship of Jesus in this, and allow the life changing washing of His Word shape me into the person He wants me to be, doing the things He wants me to do, in the way He would want me to do them. Healthy detaching, with love, will always bring about the desirable changes we seek, in time.
The blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness.
"Living together in the forgiveness of sin.........."
There, but for the grace of God, go I.
How teachable am I?
Burned into our spirit was the foundational truth that we would get well if we trusted God and cleaned house.
Freely you have received, freely give.
Childlike to God - Childish to no-one.
If you don't live the way you think is right, you'll end up thinking the way you're living is right.
Be sorry for those who don't understand, instead of resenting them.
White lies send people colour blind.
Keep you winning game - change your losing game.
No matter what - honour God, He will honour you.
If we can you can.
The measure of a man's anxiety is the measure of his distance from God.
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Tie a knot and hang on. Never, never, give up. If you trip, pick yourself up and start again. All of us have surely - been there -done that! Remember a simple golden rule: It too will pass. We've been there too.
A plan for my life? Yes, and personalised!
"Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you, and before you came out of the womb I sanctified you." Jeremiah 1:5
FORGIVENESS - A DOORWAY
V22 "He breathed on (them) and said to
them, receive (admit) the Holy
Spirit"
V23 "(now having received the Holy Spirit
and being led and directed by
Him) if you forgive the sins of anyone they are
forgiven; if you retain
the sins of anyone, they are retained." John Ch.20. AMP
Jesus: But if you do not forgive others their trespasses - their reckless and wilful sins, leaving them, letting them go and giving up resentment - neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. Math.Ch.6:15.AMP.
"And this is Eternal life - " Jesus.
Here we see a doorway through which we all must pass to obtain our freedom. Sometimes we find the door slammed shut and seemingly impossible to open. However all that is needed is a willingness to forgive and the door will open. Willingness is the key. Jesus has forgiven us, remember? As we walk the door will sometimes have a tendency to close again, even slam shut at times, but the same key of willingness will always re-open it to let the light shine in again - if we choose.
What far-reaching and consequential authority has been
placed in my hands!
The ability of the grace and freedom of Jesus to grow and prosper in earthly lives depends very much on the part I play in life.
Unforgiveness keeps people in bondage - whoever they are. And here I see a law at work that clearly shows people can and will definitely rise or fall by my action - myself included!
The law of unforgiveness implies "Judged - and sentence continuing...."
WHILST
Jesus Law of forgiveness says "No judgement, no sentence, no bondage..."
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So let's choose to choose to meet those heavenly obligations we should squarely meet. Lets choose to be willing, and Jesus will help us. Let's pause and remember that though His grace is sufficient for each one of us, a return to our old thinking, our old attitudes, our old lifestyle is guaranteed should we be deliberately neglectful, allowing unforgiveness to rekindle flames of resentment, fear, anger, criticism, gossip, slander and so forth.
Let's choose to forgive that one who hurt us- however badly. Let's choose to seek God's forgiveness for my judging others. Let me promptly admit when I am wrong, and not be afraid to apologise when the occasion warrants. Jesus said "choose life". We found we need the freedom He means, we need His peace: but what a beautiful and rich vista and pasture we have after we've walked through this doorway. Discern yes, judge no - that's God's job! always was! our task is to build a relationship with Jesus!
A PRACTICAL PRAYER
Think of someone who needs God's forgiveness. Lift them up to the Lord and pray along the suggested following lines from your heart, checking yourself first that you are free and walking in the light yourself. You may like to memorise this simple and profound prayer for outreaching to others, praying just as often as the spirit moves you to. Watch and pray and wait!
FATHER IN HEAVEN, I/WE IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, COME BEFORE YOUR
THRONE AND RECALL YOUR PRECIOUS PROMISE THAT
WHOSOEVER SINS WE FORGIVE THEY ARE FORGIVEN. RIGHT NOW WE HOLD . UP TO YOU LORD AND
IN LOVE I/WE PRESENT THEM BEFORE YOU, AND I/WE BATHE THEM IN THE LIGHT OF
FORGIVENESS RIGHT NOW. I/WE BEAM OUT
TO THEM THE POWERFUL FORGIVENESS OF CALVARY, I/WE SEE IT PENETRATE INTO THEIR
INNERMOST BEING, WE SEE IT DESTROY THE
DECEPTIONS OF THE DEVIL. WE SET THEM
FREE, WE SEE THE CHAINS BEGIN TO FALL AWAY, WE SEE A NEW LIGHT COME UPON THEIR
FACE AS THE FORGIVING RECONCILING WORK OF CALVARY BREAKS IN UPON THEIR SPIRIT
AND BEGINS TO WORK UP INTO THEIR
THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS AND INTO EVERY FABRIC OF THEIR LIFE. AND WE BELIEVE LORD THAT AT THIS VERY
MOMENT, WE HAVE DONE A TRANSACTION THAT WILL LAST FOR ALL ETERNITY, BECAUSE
YOUR WORD WILL NOT RETURN TO YOU VOID -- AMEN.
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GUIDANCE IN TIME OF DECISION
Jesus: "If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." John 8:31-32 (Amp.)
If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you, for He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask Him; He will not resent it. But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6
If you want favour with God and man, and a reputation for good judgement and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don't ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success. Proverbs 3:5-6
Therefore if any person is in Christ he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come. 2 Cor. 5:17 (Amp.)
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7 (Amp.)
Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and
profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction
of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in
holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action).
So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and
thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim, 3:16-17 (Amp.)
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is
peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle).
[It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits;
it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from
doubts, wavering and insincerity)
James 3:17 (Amp.)
So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that comes from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself). Romans 10:17 (Amp.)
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TEN STEPS TO RECOVERY (SUMMARISED)
Step 1: . . . . . We admitted our powerlessness over crisis; that it is beyond
our human efforts to properly manage our own lives.
Step 2: . . . . . Accepted Jesus as our Saviour, knowing His power is
available to reconcile us to God.
Step 3: . . . . . Totally surrendered our will and our lives to the care of Jesus,
becoming completely willing to allow God to change us.