Life choices part 3
Matthew 5:1-5:12
Introduction-
We have been looking into the biblical recovery process and really about being honest with yourself and God and facing the demons and baggage that is in your life that keeps you from enjoying the benefits of being a child of God.
We have used the celebrate recovery acrostic R.E.C.O.V.E.R.Y to learn these principals and how the twelve steps of recovery are biblical principals you can apply to your life.
We will not recap them for the sake of time this morning.
We have looked at 5 principals and you can see them on your insert and we begin today with the sixth one.
The text has been Matthew 5:1-5:12 Read
E- Evaluate all your relationships-
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Said, last week that we have to houseclean things in our life.
We have to get rid of things that hinder us and keep us from being who God intended us to be.
We have to evaluate our relationships. Some are toxic because of the people we associate with and some are toxic because we just do mean things to each other because of un-forgiveness in our hearts.
I have said before that to offer forgiveness is a healing process. It is designed to give you freedom from the bondage that someone else has done to you and you cannot move on.
To forgive does not necessarily mean that you put yourself back into harm’s way, but you are desiring to move forward and not let the actions of someone else prevent you from doing that.
Ever seen some of the bloopers that get in church bulletins?-
“The peacekeepers meeting scheduled for this afternoon has been cancelled due to a conflict.”
Sometimes good intentions said wrong cause more problems than good.
Think about it-
To be merciful means you forgive someone whether they deserve it or not. That is what mercy is, it is undeserved favor.
You forgive because Christ has forgiven you and you did not deserve it.
Because you know deep down that resentment doesn’t work. Holding resentment is unhealthy and will destroy you. You are the one losing sleep, stressing, and missing the joy of life.
Nothing drains you more than bitterness and resentment.
Release the offender and you release yourself.
Replace your hurt with God’s peace.
The bible tells us to “let the peace of God rule in your heart.”
Make amends where it is possible- “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
R- Reserve a daily time with God
“Blessed are the pure in heart.”
The only way to know God is to spend time with God.
That is being in His Word.
That is being in His house and hearing His Word through a sermon.
It is through prayer, communicating with God through a dialog of pouring out your heart to God and knowing that He wants to speak back to you.
We know that the only one that can heal is God.
The only one that can take hurts, habits, and hang-ups is God.
You must reserve or set time aside for is God.
If we do not do that- we will not see healings.
We will relapse when we let our guard down and revert back to doing things in our own way.
There are patterns that must be broken and patterns established and God must be the one to show you which is which.
Reserving a time with God gives us that self examination we need.
By reading His Word we are directed on life choices and we gain the supernatural strength from a supernatural God that desires to be a part of your life.
I have ask Leo to come this morning and share for a moment what God has done in His life and our prayer is that when he is finished you are encouraged that the Lord can do the same for you.
Leo has joined me in this new adventure of Celebrate Recovery here at Rosedale. We have a team of about 6 who are willing to launch a new program that we know is bigger than we are but not bigger than the God that we serve.
Leo shares his testimony Exodus 20:12 “Honor thy Father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth.”
Thank you to Leo
The last part of the recovery is:
Y- Yielding to God. He wants all of you.
He will do amazing things the moment you surrender to Him.
The Lord tells us that His power works best when we offer Him our weaknesses.
God has given each one of us free-will. That means we have a choice and God respects our choices. You can reject or accept Him, it is your choice.
The proof that you are truly recovering is when the focus comes off you and you begin to focus outside of yourself.
First to God and then to God’s people.
When you share your story, it not only gives hope to others, but healing to you.
Amen.
