Well, kind of busy, yes. I've been taking 2 classes through my church that are once a week each plus my Celebrate Recovery class on Friday nights.
One is the Peacemaker class that's actually a whole church study. It's designed to help us work on our relationships and learn how to handle conflict in a Godly way. The interesting thing is that it doesn't mean running away or giving up to make peace as I might have thought before I was a Christian. Neither does it mean fighting back to win. I've only read the first couple of chapters of the book so far so I can't talk a whole lot on this one. I need to read chapter 3 this week and there doesn't seem to be any homework with this one so it slides in pretty easily.
The other class, however, is more hands on. It's Financial Peace University as done by Dave Ramsey. If you've taken the class you know it can be eye opening. I'm taking a harder look at our money than I have in my entire life and we're only in the 3rd week. If I stopped now and used what I learned I would be so far ahead in one year it would be incredible, and I still have 10 more weeks of class. I can't wait to find out what I never knew. I was talking to my sister about it a little bit tonight and we agreed that we never really learned how to budget from our parents. Our parents still don't exactly live on a budget of any kind. Unless, "Is the money there for it?" is a budget.
Add to that a couple of friends that I'm trying to help. They're having a tough time of it right now. They attend C.R. class with me most Friday's now but missed last week. Then I heard that she has been using prescribed meds and possibly abusing them. The meds in question aren't known as something to get high on typically but if you take enough of most anything you can alter your mind. I'm only getting his side of the story right now so I'm going to try not to draw conclusions but I will probably seek some advice on this one. There's always the concept that you can't drag someone into sobriety so you have to let them fall sometimes.
I've been reading in Corinthians for a while now and I can tell you that the second is easier to read than the first! 1 Corinthians felt like a heck of a butt chewing through the majority of it! In it Paul is admonishing the church in Corinth for a number of things like divisions in the church and immoral behaviors. Lawsuits between church members were apparently common as well. This actually falls under my study in Peacemakers because we, as Christians, are encouraged to take our conflicts to the church for resolution. Yet how often do we do this in today's world? How many pastors are prepared to handle potentially legal issues between parishioners? These are the things that lead to the fall of churches, friendships, and businesses.
So, at this time, I encourage you the reader, if you're having an issue, be it money, marriage, business, or any other issue, take it to your church first. See if you can find a solution there before you turn to lawsuits, or gossip, or violence. God wants us to work together, to be resources for each other. He gave each of us unique talents and abilities to be used in His name and for His purposes. In a group of 20 Christians you will usually find a majority of the help you will need in any normal given situation. Through my church I have found resources beyond anything the state would give me. Would the IRS provide me with personal finance classes? Would the courts teach me how to reconcile differences with others? Would I have been guided to get assistance with my substance issues before I got caught breaking a law like DUI or worse, injuring someone in an accident? I say no to each one of these and many more. Your church is there for you to become a better Christian, and sometimes that means reaching out and helping a person up in a way the never knew they needed.
So, I'm busy, but in a great way!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Stress Factors
Often what causes us to turn to our addictions in the first place are life's stresses. For some it may have started with abuse, others may have been ignored, still others looked for acceptance thru abuses. I grew up in a relatively stable household with love in it. I wasn't ignored or abused. I wasn't very confident in myself and tended to be a follower instead of a leader. I have since learned a bit more and am more confident that I was as a young man.
One thing I've never had the opportunity to learn about was money management. I can remember my mother trying to get me to sit down with her as she balanced the checkbook, but I was too busy with my friends to do anything as boring as that. I understood the concept, the why, but never understood that I needed the habit. This has lead to a constant financial stress in my life that I had no idea how to deal with. I made many bad choices that have left my credit rating in ruins. Other things have happened that caused me to be in debt to the medical community.
My choice in the past has been to ignore the issues I've made for myself. When I was drinking I could push the problems away from my sight. Now that I'm sober, I find myself unable to ignore the problems any longer. I believe that some people who relapse sit where I'm sitting and decide it's better not to deal with the mess they made. Sitting here, looking at the financial hole I've dug, considering the work I have to get out of it, I don't begrudge them their weak moments.
So what do we do? Give in to the call of the drink or drugs? Push the issues back to the back burner where it's been for who knows how long? Being sober we can't push them back, they're right there in our faces. They're mocking us with the power of the devil trying to get us to relapse, trying to stress us out, laugh at us, tell us we'll fail...They're right. The problems we made have grown larger than us. They've developed a veritable life of their own and become unmanageable, monsters out to drag us back into our personal hell.
There is a place we can turn, there is hope. A teammate that is bigger, stronger, and more loving than anything we've ever known. When we give ourselves to Jesus, He's on our side. He wants us to win, wants us to be happy, wants us to give our stresses to Him. When we don't it's like we don't trust Jesus to do what He said He would. If we don't trust Him, we aren't following Him.
So I trust in Him. I ask for His help and listen for His answer. He did.
My stress factor tends to be money. My inability to manage it, my irresponsibility with it, the lack of suitcases of it whenever I need or want it. Mostly want it, to be perfectly honest. The Bible never promises monetary riches, but as the song says, "If you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need!" If I consider what He has provided me with without my even asking Him. A decent job, a house, a car. More than I truly deserve and everything I needed to take care of my family's needs. So, now that I am sober, looking at the mess I've made of our finances over the past several years together and many years before, I am asking for His help.
Philippians 4:4-7
One thing I've never had the opportunity to learn about was money management. I can remember my mother trying to get me to sit down with her as she balanced the checkbook, but I was too busy with my friends to do anything as boring as that. I understood the concept, the why, but never understood that I needed the habit. This has lead to a constant financial stress in my life that I had no idea how to deal with. I made many bad choices that have left my credit rating in ruins. Other things have happened that caused me to be in debt to the medical community.
My choice in the past has been to ignore the issues I've made for myself. When I was drinking I could push the problems away from my sight. Now that I'm sober, I find myself unable to ignore the problems any longer. I believe that some people who relapse sit where I'm sitting and decide it's better not to deal with the mess they made. Sitting here, looking at the financial hole I've dug, considering the work I have to get out of it, I don't begrudge them their weak moments.
So what do we do? Give in to the call of the drink or drugs? Push the issues back to the back burner where it's been for who knows how long? Being sober we can't push them back, they're right there in our faces. They're mocking us with the power of the devil trying to get us to relapse, trying to stress us out, laugh at us, tell us we'll fail...They're right. The problems we made have grown larger than us. They've developed a veritable life of their own and become unmanageable, monsters out to drag us back into our personal hell.
There is a place we can turn, there is hope. A teammate that is bigger, stronger, and more loving than anything we've ever known. When we give ourselves to Jesus, He's on our side. He wants us to win, wants us to be happy, wants us to give our stresses to Him. When we don't it's like we don't trust Jesus to do what He said He would. If we don't trust Him, we aren't following Him.
So I trust in Him. I ask for His help and listen for His answer. He did.
My stress factor tends to be money. My inability to manage it, my irresponsibility with it, the lack of suitcases of it whenever I need or want it. Mostly want it, to be perfectly honest. The Bible never promises monetary riches, but as the song says, "If you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need!" If I consider what He has provided me with without my even asking Him. A decent job, a house, a car. More than I truly deserve and everything I needed to take care of my family's needs. So, now that I am sober, looking at the mess I've made of our finances over the past several years together and many years before, I am asking for His help.
Philippians 4:4-7
Final Exhortations
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I presented my request to God. He answered and provided me with a chance to go to a financial class that will teach me how to handle money, get my finances under control, maybe even develop a little more ability to give and help others. If it is His intention for me and my family to get money, it must be His intention for us to use it to help others.
I am at peace about my stress factors because I have handed it over to Jesus and He has it under control. There will be more tests of faith. The adversary doesn't give up that easily, he looks for more ways in at all times. So I know he's gunning for me because he knows my weaknesses. I also know that Jesus is stronger. In Jesus's name, Satan, I rebuke thee!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Bible reading, Romans
I just finished reading the book of Romans for the first time. I know that sometimes I come across like I know this or that. Supposedly all knowledgeable about the Bible, like I've read and studied the whole thing cover to cover and taken college level courses. But I haven't. Truth be told, I'm still working my way through the book for the first time. Sure, I've picked it up before and started to read it, but I haven't ever made a concerted effort in really trying to read it and understand what He is trying to tell me. Like I've said before, I've always been a believer, but I've only recently become a follower.
That being said, I just finished reading Romans and, as with most books, it held some surprising things for me. So let's get things in perspective and set the stage. Written by the apostle Paul around A.D. 57, Paul arrived in Rome, more or less a prisoner defending himself against charges brought on him by the Jews, or more accurately, the Sanhedrin. He had traveled far and escaped several plots to kill him by the grace of God. So now he was in Rome, a place he had longed to go to be able to bring the word of Jesus to the Gentiles.
So, here he was, in Rome. The Jews there had not received any word of him but had heard about this new sect he represented and wanted to hear what he had to say. He spent 2 years in Rome, renting a house and receiving all who came to him. He preached the word to all, Jew and Gentile alike. There are a couple of chapters that spoke more to me than others, and I'm sure that others who read the book of Romans will have different things speak to them. I know that later when I'm reading it again, something else will speak to me. That is part of why it is called the living word of God. It speaks to you where you are. If a passage doesn't stick this time, that's okay. It probably isn't what God wanted you to hear today. It's also why I tend to read 2 or 3 chapters a day in the bible. I don't know what's going to stick but I can't wait to find out!
In Romans it seemed to be Chapter 12 and 14. However, I did use Chapter 13 in a facebook debate this evening, that was something else entirely. In Romans 12, Paul talks about offering ourselves up as "Living Sacrifices". Then he proceeds to spell it out for us to remove the arguments, I kind of like that. He means for us to use our gifts that God gave us in His perfect grace. I find it interesting that in this day of political correctness telling us to be ourselves, I found a writing that dates back almost 2,000 years that says If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage...etc.
Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. How good are we at that, really. If a homeless person comes up and asks you for some change, what do you do? Shy away from them, turn away like you didn't hear them? Do you know their faith? I believe we need to assume all are Christian until the tell us otherwise. Then when we are devoted to one another in brotherly love we have to show it to everyone at first, high and low.
In this chapter, Paul quotes Proverbs 25:21,22 "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. That is incredibly significant and contrary to how the world works today. I myself have had people that I have been so angry with that I wouldn't give them the time of day. I wouldn't give them a drink of water if they paid for it. Have you ever had someone that you said, "If I ever see them again it will be too soon!" Or even to the point of wishing harm on them.
Chapter 14 is about different levels of faith. Basically stating that if you are with someone who has less faith than you, don't look down on them. Paul compared it to eating. Someone of great faith was able to eat anything on the table that God puts there, meat, vegetables, fruits, drink. He can have it all. But someone that has less faith may only be able to eat the vegetables, but that doesn't mean we should condemn him, for God has accepted him. Who are we to judge someone else's servant? The person with less faith in him is no less God's servant than the man (or woman) with great faith that gives everything to God.
How many times have I been talking to another Christian only to realize that they are a "Sunday Christian"? How do I feel about them? It wasn't all that long ago that I was about the same. But they do have some faith or they wouldn't show up to church every Sunday for worship. What about those who don't attend church at all? Aren't we told to worship publicly as well as privately? But they have some faith. I can see very clearly why Paul would tell us this now. When we judge other people's faith, we put a stumbling block in front to them, blocking them from growing and maturing in their faith. Others may never grow any further than where they are right now, but faith the size of a mustard seed...
We are all God's servants, and if I read more, or pray more than another, it's of no consequence. Just as I shouldn't worry about the person who does more than I do, the person who gives of themselves more and serves in the church where I can't. It's not important. I'm actively working on my faith and my relationship with Jesus Christ, and that's all I can do. I help and encourage others along the way as I am told to, but I do not judge them.
I don't think it's been that serious a problem for me, but even a small problem can be big if you are the one affected by it, and this chapter stuck out for a reason. I can't wait to see what speaks to me next!
That being said, I just finished reading Romans and, as with most books, it held some surprising things for me. So let's get things in perspective and set the stage. Written by the apostle Paul around A.D. 57, Paul arrived in Rome, more or less a prisoner defending himself against charges brought on him by the Jews, or more accurately, the Sanhedrin. He had traveled far and escaped several plots to kill him by the grace of God. So now he was in Rome, a place he had longed to go to be able to bring the word of Jesus to the Gentiles.
So, here he was, in Rome. The Jews there had not received any word of him but had heard about this new sect he represented and wanted to hear what he had to say. He spent 2 years in Rome, renting a house and receiving all who came to him. He preached the word to all, Jew and Gentile alike. There are a couple of chapters that spoke more to me than others, and I'm sure that others who read the book of Romans will have different things speak to them. I know that later when I'm reading it again, something else will speak to me. That is part of why it is called the living word of God. It speaks to you where you are. If a passage doesn't stick this time, that's okay. It probably isn't what God wanted you to hear today. It's also why I tend to read 2 or 3 chapters a day in the bible. I don't know what's going to stick but I can't wait to find out!
In Romans it seemed to be Chapter 12 and 14. However, I did use Chapter 13 in a facebook debate this evening, that was something else entirely. In Romans 12, Paul talks about offering ourselves up as "Living Sacrifices". Then he proceeds to spell it out for us to remove the arguments, I kind of like that. He means for us to use our gifts that God gave us in His perfect grace. I find it interesting that in this day of political correctness telling us to be ourselves, I found a writing that dates back almost 2,000 years that says If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage...etc.
Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. How good are we at that, really. If a homeless person comes up and asks you for some change, what do you do? Shy away from them, turn away like you didn't hear them? Do you know their faith? I believe we need to assume all are Christian until the tell us otherwise. Then when we are devoted to one another in brotherly love we have to show it to everyone at first, high and low.
In this chapter, Paul quotes Proverbs 25:21,22 "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. That is incredibly significant and contrary to how the world works today. I myself have had people that I have been so angry with that I wouldn't give them the time of day. I wouldn't give them a drink of water if they paid for it. Have you ever had someone that you said, "If I ever see them again it will be too soon!" Or even to the point of wishing harm on them.
Chapter 14 is about different levels of faith. Basically stating that if you are with someone who has less faith than you, don't look down on them. Paul compared it to eating. Someone of great faith was able to eat anything on the table that God puts there, meat, vegetables, fruits, drink. He can have it all. But someone that has less faith may only be able to eat the vegetables, but that doesn't mean we should condemn him, for God has accepted him. Who are we to judge someone else's servant? The person with less faith in him is no less God's servant than the man (or woman) with great faith that gives everything to God.
How many times have I been talking to another Christian only to realize that they are a "Sunday Christian"? How do I feel about them? It wasn't all that long ago that I was about the same. But they do have some faith or they wouldn't show up to church every Sunday for worship. What about those who don't attend church at all? Aren't we told to worship publicly as well as privately? But they have some faith. I can see very clearly why Paul would tell us this now. When we judge other people's faith, we put a stumbling block in front to them, blocking them from growing and maturing in their faith. Others may never grow any further than where they are right now, but faith the size of a mustard seed...
We are all God's servants, and if I read more, or pray more than another, it's of no consequence. Just as I shouldn't worry about the person who does more than I do, the person who gives of themselves more and serves in the church where I can't. It's not important. I'm actively working on my faith and my relationship with Jesus Christ, and that's all I can do. I help and encourage others along the way as I am told to, but I do not judge them.
I don't think it's been that serious a problem for me, but even a small problem can be big if you are the one affected by it, and this chapter stuck out for a reason. I can't wait to see what speaks to me next!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)