G.A.R.T.H.
Getting Addiction Recovery Through Honesty
Week Eight: Examine Our Relationships
Welcome to G.A.R.T.H. you have come to the right place if you are seeking love, healing, and understanding.
We are a Christ centered program that heals with the truth;
Here at G.A.R.T.H. we seek to support all that are interested in freedom, restoration, and full recovery from the bondage of addiction. We desire to participate in helping those that are hurting and in need of accountability and counsel. Our hearts reach out to those that struggle with the loss of control in their lives due to dependency. We are a brother, a sister, and a friend in the time of need. At G.A.R.T.H. we seek to lend an open ear and the wisdom of God to enable the captive to overcome. Our 12-step program requires the individual to examine him or herself in truth and through honesty accept the tools needed to begin the process of healing. So with this short mission statement we welcome you and look forward to assisting you in full recovery and restoration.
This 12-step program does not claim to be the only way, the perfect way, or the absolute way for you. It is merely a resource of additional training that encourages truth and honesty, healing, hope, and recovery with and emphasis on love. It is highly recommended that the individual get connected to a church body along with this program.
Amazing Grace
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
Thru many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come
Tis grace that brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Then when we first begun.
Welcome to week Eight of Addiction Recovery. We are grateful that you have made a decision in your life to live a new way. This will require honesty, willingness, and a total surrender of yourself to a greater power that is able to make a difference in your life. We pray that you are blessed as you participate, and that in these coming weeks change will become very noticable to you. Let us begin week/step four. Read the following and the join me in the short prayer below.
STEP EIGHT - Examine our relationships
Make an inventory of all the relationships and people we have wronged and make a plan to reconcile.
“As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31
“Therefore, if those bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember that thy brother had aught against thee; leave thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to they brother and then come and offer thy gift.” Mathew 5:23,24
Because of our addictions we may have hurt others, in fact you can more than likely take out the word may and admit that we have hurt others. We now need to make an inventory or a list of all of the people in our lives that we have wronged. Now you may not be able to remember these people so we will start by asking God to bring them into rememberance. Jesus we call on you now to help us to remember all those that we have hurt so that we can make ammends by attempting to reconcile with them. Lord we cannot do this alone and so we ask for your favor to assist us in this process, although parts of this process may hurt, we pray that you will see us through and ease our pains and those who we have wronged also. We thank you for your presene. In jesus name we pray, Amen. In order for us to work through week Eight we will have to take a look at what it means to give. It is our turn to give and not to just take. These people have been hurt in our lives by the our addictions and now it is our turn to give the love back to them that they have given us. This week we will take a look at being unselfish and giving back to those who have given to us. Read with me the following story about giving.
The Man That Gave
Livingstone on Commitment:
When Dr. David Livingstone was working in Africa, a group of friends wrote him: "We would like to send other men to you. Have you found a good road into your area yet?" According to a member of his family, Dr. Livingstone sent this message in reply: "If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all."
Today’s message is about Commitment. Friends we see that it takes a special breed of folks to make a difference in our world. Our world has been hardened. Our road is not been made easy. I know that many people decide to tell others about Christ whenever or wherever it is easy and decline to take this task when it seems to be hard.
I was reading this morning a portion of meditation from Charles Spurgeon’s archives. Charles Spurgeon wrote about how we must sharpen our tools and ready them for battle, noting that we can learn from our enemy’s warfare and he challenged us to “go about like good Samaritans, seeking whom we may bless today.” Friends to take this road may not be easy; in fact this road may be one that you have to build first before you can get to them. This is what Dr. Livingston was saying. Before we can reach someone we might have to build the road!
What examples do we have of this? Let us turn to Luke chapter 10:30-37.
“And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed leaving him half dead.”
Here we see a man that was walking a road, a road that was already laid, a road that made it easy for another to serve God. Here ministry to another was easy. Lets see what happens.
“By chance their came down a certain Priest that way: and when he saw the man, passed by on the other side.”
Friends the road was already laid, the Priest had every opportunity to minister to a hurting soul. He didn’t have to open a door, and then walk through. He didn’t have to pray first to see if it was God’s will, and he didn’t have to get his Seminary degree first before he could become a minister! What he had to do we will see in a moment, what he did though was passed on by the other side. It was easy for him to go around this soul and to ignore him.
Next we see another, a Levite.
“And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.”
He did the same thing only worse; he actually took the time to look at the situation and decided to pass by. Again he didn’t have to lay the road, he didn’t have to pray to see if it was God’s will, and he didn’t have to get a Seminary degree before he could have the opportunity to minister.
The road was laid, the door was open, and the opportunity was there just as it is now!
Finally a third person comes down this road and he isn’t a Priest or a Levite, he is not a person of greatness, and he decides that he doesn’t need a degree, or even to pray if it was God’s will first. Instead he takes action, lets read it:
“But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he the man he had compassion on him, and went to him and bound his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him.”
Beloved this was an easy task because the door was open and the road was laid already. The opportunity presented itself for ministry. How many opportunities do we have to minister to others? Do we need a degree? Do we need permission from God first as to if it is his will? Do we need for God to make a road for us? And what about the road we are on?
I tell you folks the opportunity is here, right here and right now. Will we, do we pass on by the other side?
Dr. Livingston wanted people that wouldn’t wait for a good road, that wouldn’t wait for the easy opportunity, but rather the ones that were willing to take the hard road, to make a way, to see the opportunity that is around them to minister and to make opportunities where none are found!
Today beloved is a tough marketplace, not every opportunity will be easily had. Charles Spurgeon said,
“We are engaged in a great war with the Philistines of Evil. Every weapon within our reach must be used. Preaching, Teaching, Praying, Giving, all must be brought into action and talents which have been thought to be to mean for service, must now be employed!”
1Samuel 13:20 reads: “But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock.”
Listen, we are in a war for souls today, our families and friends are perishing while we walk by the other side seeking this feel good church experience. Ministry opportunities are all around us.
Have all our hearts grown hard? Are all our tools become dull? Is it too mean to tell the truth?
The Bible tells us in Luke 6:38; “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you give, it shall be given unto you again.”
If there is no road, make the road and it shall be made for you. If the road is there take the road and it shall be taken for you!
If an opportunity presents itself to minister to another and you pass by the other side what then should be done to you in your time of need? If there is no opportunities in front of you then seek them, make them, take them and you will be blessed!
Let us take a look at the greatest teacher of all Jesus! What did he do?
Did Jesus need man to give him a road or an open door? No he didn’t, nor do we. The opportunity is all around you wherever you’re at. People are in need of good Samaritans. The bible tells us;
“The harvest is ripe but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore to the Lord of the harvest that he send laborers to help bring in the crop.”
Here is what God did, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him would receive eternal life.” John 3:16
Listen friends God made the road, he didn’t wait for a good road to be made, and he didn’t wait for a more perfect time. The time is right now!
Mathew 25:34-40 “Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying Lord, when did we see thee hungry and fed thee, or thirsty and gave thee drink? When we saw thee a stranger and took thee in? Or naked and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee? And the king shall answer unto them, Verily I say unto thee, Inasmuch as you have done these things unto one of the least of my brethren ye have done it unto me.”
My friends all around us is opportunities to minister unto hurting, needful friends. And whatever we do to them we are doing it unto God.
Jesus gave his life, he knew that to love others was always God’s will as he gave us these instructions in John 13:34.
“A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
See Jesus gave his life for us; this is how he loved us. He didn’t pass by on the other side. He took action by giving. The Good Samaritan gives us a great example and Jesus gives us the greatest example ever!
Are you moved with compassion today to come to the aid of a hurting world? Friends you don’t need a piece of paper licensing you to act! You don’t need to wait to find out if it’s God’s will, he has made it very clear already, and you don’t need to wait for the good road or open door to give you the right of passage. Friends all you need to do is look around, Look around you and see the need and refuse to pass by the other side!!!
Friends God is calling us to be that man who gave, to be the Good Samaritan, to do as Jesus did, Love. Love. Love!!!
Love one another!!!
Out here today there might be one that is hurting, one that is in need of a friend, one that needs a touch from Jesus, or even one that would love to be used of God to help.
If there is any here that would like to know Jesus better, would like to get closer to him, that has never asked Jesus to come into their life, then come forward and pray with us. Come to the Altar today and watch how Jesus takes you into his arms and comes into your heart with love. He loves you beyond what you could ever imagine. Come to Jesus! Father we know that we are sinners, but today we want to receive you in our life. We confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that you died on the cross for our sins and was raised by the power of God from the grave, that only you can change our lives and make it better. Thank you Jesus for coming into my life. Now open my heart and my eyes to help those around me to have better lives. Help me to make a difference and be that Good Samaritan, In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Our addictions have caused us to become selfish takers, but Jesus teaches us to be givers, forgivers, and those that walk unselfishly in love towards others.
Give a little love today!
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you give, it shall be given unto you again.”
Relationships are about giving!!!
Thank you for participating in week Eight: Examine our relationships, if you have any questions or would like to give a comment please send them to us using the feedback form below. God bless you!
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