Friday, February 13, 2009
Recovery for Jerusalem
In the book of Nehemiah, we learn how the walls of the city of Jerusalem were re-built as a result of a man answering God's call. Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians and the people led off into slavery. After 70 years, the first small group of Jewish believers returned to a city lying in ruins with their temple destroyed. Without a leader, the people lived like this for years. But God wanted to restore his people and had a man in mind for the job. His name was Nehemiah and this is his story.
Nehemiah was living in Persia and serving as cupbearer to the King. In other words, he was a common man doing a common job, but living a great life. That is - until his family returned from Jerusalem and told him how bad things were back home. The people were broken and lost. This impacted Nehemiah and when he heard this he prayed and cried out to God.
Nehemiah was a determined man, so God gave him a vision of Jerusalem. Nehemiah followed the vision, returned to the city, and worked with his Jewish brothers to re-build the walls of the city. And did it all in 52 days. Why? Because Nehemiah saw what no one else saw - the walls back up and his people worshipping in the temple. What vision, what courage, what perseverance, and what influence.
In Celebrate Recovery we have a vision of how lives can be restored to what God intended us to be. For us to accomplish that vision, we have to have focused on our 12 Steps and 8 Recovery Principles. But there is also something else we need to focus on and keep us moving forward: Let's try the five P's:
1. Prayer - all good things start this way. Start now, pray with you Accountability partner or Sponsor.
2. Process the vision - think out of where God is leading you in your recovery. See the healing begin.
3. Personalize it - that means get take serious your recovery.
4. Pursue it - hard work pays off, and true recovery is not easy.
5. Persevere- no matter what, stay focused on the goal.
In the last few chapters of the book, Nehemiah does not sit still. He continued to work for God, and eventually the nation was led to repentance. We as a people need to emulate Nehemiah both personally and corporately. Focus on the vision of our recovery and work with Christ and others to succeed in it.
In Christ,
Jerry McGuire
Saturday, January 3, 2009
God's Call In The New Year
"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus". Philippians 3:12-14
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul says that we should forget the things that are behind and reach forward to the things that are ahead. We have all done things that we are not proud of and that is why we need forgiveness. I've heard people say, "But you don't understand what I have done." What we have done is not the point; it is what Jesus has done for us and what He will do that will cover our past. Like Paul says, we are to forget about the things that lay behind us - old baggage, relationships gone bad, drugs, alcohol, abuse, anxiety, etc.
So what is the goal that we are to strive for? It's a restored relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and an eternity with him in God's presence. He wants our focus to be on him and to be forward looking. Only then does the past slowly fade away. That's what we strive to help others do at Celebrate Recovery.
What a blessed mindset to not only be able to allow God to forgive us, but for us to forgive ourselves and others and forget the past. This is possible and can only come from understanding two things:
1. Those things that are behind us can truly be forgiven; and
2. We do not have to struggle with them in the future.
This comes from a proper relationship with Jesus and a faith that we are truly forgiven.
As we close out 2008 and enter into the new year, we at Celebrate Recovery want to encourage you to leave the baggage of the past behind, allow Jesus to cover your past with forgiveness, and move into the new year knowing that the future is bright in Jesus.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul says that we should forget the things that are behind and reach forward to the things that are ahead. We have all done things that we are not proud of and that is why we need forgiveness. I've heard people say, "But you don't understand what I have done." What we have done is not the point; it is what Jesus has done for us and what He will do that will cover our past. Like Paul says, we are to forget about the things that lay behind us - old baggage, relationships gone bad, drugs, alcohol, abuse, anxiety, etc.
So what is the goal that we are to strive for? It's a restored relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and an eternity with him in God's presence. He wants our focus to be on him and to be forward looking. Only then does the past slowly fade away. That's what we strive to help others do at Celebrate Recovery.
What a blessed mindset to not only be able to allow God to forgive us, but for us to forgive ourselves and others and forget the past. This is possible and can only come from understanding two things:
1. Those things that are behind us can truly be forgiven; and
2. We do not have to struggle with them in the future.
This comes from a proper relationship with Jesus and a faith that we are truly forgiven.
As we close out 2008 and enter into the new year, we at Celebrate Recovery want to encourage you to leave the baggage of the past behind, allow Jesus to cover your past with forgiveness, and move into the new year knowing that the future is bright in Jesus.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2 The Birth of Jesus
"1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
The Greatest Gift of All
Every year at this time, our thoughts turn to Christmas and the birth of Jesus. And we traditionally look to Luke Chapter 2. While Jesus was born and died nearly 2,000 years ago, his presence has been felt throughout the ages. He was born into a political climate that saw his people living in poverty, being oppressed and overtaxed. He was born at a time when his people were awaiting the prophesied king who would lead them out of their circumstances. However, God had other ideas for his son’s birth:
1. God chose a young and poor female named Mary to be the mother of his Son. It’s an exciting and happy time in her life; she’s in love with a man named Joseph and pledged to be married to him. However, life changes when an angel of God shows up to tell her she’s going to have a baby. From this point on Mary is destined to have an interesting life - her peers and family would ridicule her, her fiancé would come close to leaving her, and the baby she was carrying would one day be rejected by his own people and hung on a cross to die – right in front of her. Point – God’s purpose in our life may require great acts of submission.
2. Who is this Joseph fellow? A carpenter and feeling good about his future. That is, until his fiancé tells him she is with child. Imagine his thoughts and heartbreak over this news. To his credit, Joseph is able to swallow his pride, marry the girl he loved, and become father to the Saviour of the World. Point: God’s purpose in our life cannot be scripted, just lived out in faith.
3. God provided a stable and manger as the place of rest for his newborn son and family. An ironic story to say the least. The Jewish people wanted a warrior to save them, but got a baby instead. A baby that should have been born in royal surroundings, but was born in a lowly manger. Point: God’s plans do not always meet up with what we envision they should be.
4. Shepherds in the field are invited by angels to see this baby named Jesus and spread the story of his birth. Shepherding was the occupation of the poor, so imagine how the shepherds must have been humbled by having an angel visit. Yet God uses the shepherds in the story to get the news out of the greatest birth announcement in the world. Point - God accepts who we are and uses us as he needs. Don’t ever think God won’t use you, and use you mightily!
So why was his birth so important? Because it happened at the right time, in the right place, for the right people – God’s people – all of us. Jesus was there at the creation of the world, waiting, know what his duty was to his people, and willing to serve his father. Only this man Jesus could have walked out of heaven, stepped into humanity, and changed the world as he did. That’s why his birth is so important.
So we celebrate this season as a remembrance of Jesus’ birth. Maybe not the way we would have scripted it, and maybe not using the people we would have used. But it was God’s precious gift to us as only he could give it.
In Christ,
Jerry McGuire
1. God chose a young and poor female named Mary to be the mother of his Son. It’s an exciting and happy time in her life; she’s in love with a man named Joseph and pledged to be married to him. However, life changes when an angel of God shows up to tell her she’s going to have a baby. From this point on Mary is destined to have an interesting life - her peers and family would ridicule her, her fiancé would come close to leaving her, and the baby she was carrying would one day be rejected by his own people and hung on a cross to die – right in front of her. Point – God’s purpose in our life may require great acts of submission.
2. Who is this Joseph fellow? A carpenter and feeling good about his future. That is, until his fiancé tells him she is with child. Imagine his thoughts and heartbreak over this news. To his credit, Joseph is able to swallow his pride, marry the girl he loved, and become father to the Saviour of the World. Point: God’s purpose in our life cannot be scripted, just lived out in faith.
3. God provided a stable and manger as the place of rest for his newborn son and family. An ironic story to say the least. The Jewish people wanted a warrior to save them, but got a baby instead. A baby that should have been born in royal surroundings, but was born in a lowly manger. Point: God’s plans do not always meet up with what we envision they should be.
4. Shepherds in the field are invited by angels to see this baby named Jesus and spread the story of his birth. Shepherding was the occupation of the poor, so imagine how the shepherds must have been humbled by having an angel visit. Yet God uses the shepherds in the story to get the news out of the greatest birth announcement in the world. Point - God accepts who we are and uses us as he needs. Don’t ever think God won’t use you, and use you mightily!
So why was his birth so important? Because it happened at the right time, in the right place, for the right people – God’s people – all of us. Jesus was there at the creation of the world, waiting, know what his duty was to his people, and willing to serve his father. Only this man Jesus could have walked out of heaven, stepped into humanity, and changed the world as he did. That’s why his birth is so important.
So we celebrate this season as a remembrance of Jesus’ birth. Maybe not the way we would have scripted it, and maybe not using the people we would have used. But it was God’s precious gift to us as only he could give it.
In Christ,
Jerry McGuire
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Race of Endurance
“Therefore, since we are surrounded with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” – Hebrews 12:1-3
Ever felt so down you couldn’t look up? It may have been something you experienced in your life, or there may be challenges that stand in your way. So how do you get up when you are so down? Look up and pray! And also learn from the past.
In the book of Hebrews, the writer is exhorting Christians to stay true to their new found religious way of life. But these Christians were living in difficult times. They were no longer accepted by their Jewish ancestors, and the Roman authorities had no use for them. They were persecuted both socially and physically, and some had died for their faith. In short, the new Christians were trying to figure out where they fit into society and everyday life. It’s the same with us, so often we try to figure everything out on our own. We try to fix things ourselves. And finally, we do last what we should have done first – we pray.
The easy thing to do was to fall back into the Jewish culture and the old way of life. The writer of Hebrews could have given them explanations of how to be strong, but he did one better, he gave them examples from the past. The writer of Hebrews has given these new Christians a “great cloud of witnesses”. Let’s call them mentors, accountability partners. Why? Because there was a lot to be learned from these mentors. The writer knows there are a lot of things in life you can’t learn on your own. You learn them from the community of believers that has gone before you. The writer knew that these mentors were important to this newfound Christian community.
We always grow faster and stronger with living, breathing examples who can model for us what a true disciple of Christ life looks like. Explanations are fine, but we learn more from real life examples. Who are your models for following Christ? Who are you watching and learning from? Here’s a tougher question: Are you an example for anyone else? You may be surprised that unknowingly you are.
A few years back there was a common phrase to live by: “WWJD – What would Jesus do?” In today’s culture, we need to know in our hearts how to relate to our kids as Jesus would, how to truly love our spouse and make a marriage last as Jesus would, how to run a business with integrity as Jesus would, and how to handle conflict in the way Jesus would. These are lessons many times we learn by watching others. Ask yourself this: “What’s been the greatest positive influence on my life?” It probably was not a sermon, a seminar, an e-mail or a small group lesson. More likely it was somebody who shaped your life through a personal relationship.
Rick Warren says “…it’s wise to learn from experience, but it is wiser to learn from the experiences of others.” Our lives are just too short to learn everything by personal experience. And many painful experiences can be avoided if we learn from mentors in our church family. I can testify to this. Write down the names of people in your church and small group that you’d like to learn from. Then identify what you’d specifically like to learn from them. Remember, they don’t have to be perfect to be a model or mentor.
To grow spiritually, you must also be willing to be a model or mentor to others. That may scare you but all it takes is being one step ahead. People don’t expect you to be perfect – they already know you aren’t. What they want you to be is honest! So let them see your struggles and tell of how you grew from them. Don’t just tell them your successes. We usually can grow as much from others’ weaknesses as we do from their strengths.
Somebody said if you look behind you, you'll be defeated. If you look ahead of you, you'll be distressed. If you look around you, you'll be discouraged. But if you look above you, you will be determined. The next time you're down or discouraged, let me give you the best piece of advice that you could ever hear: Run to God! Pray, and find the “great cloud of witnesses” he has placed around you. Now, how simple is that? Don't make prayer and a mentor your last chance… make it your first choice!
In Christ,
Jerry McGuire
Ever felt so down you couldn’t look up? It may have been something you experienced in your life, or there may be challenges that stand in your way. So how do you get up when you are so down? Look up and pray! And also learn from the past.
In the book of Hebrews, the writer is exhorting Christians to stay true to their new found religious way of life. But these Christians were living in difficult times. They were no longer accepted by their Jewish ancestors, and the Roman authorities had no use for them. They were persecuted both socially and physically, and some had died for their faith. In short, the new Christians were trying to figure out where they fit into society and everyday life. It’s the same with us, so often we try to figure everything out on our own. We try to fix things ourselves. And finally, we do last what we should have done first – we pray.
The easy thing to do was to fall back into the Jewish culture and the old way of life. The writer of Hebrews could have given them explanations of how to be strong, but he did one better, he gave them examples from the past. The writer of Hebrews has given these new Christians a “great cloud of witnesses”. Let’s call them mentors, accountability partners. Why? Because there was a lot to be learned from these mentors. The writer knows there are a lot of things in life you can’t learn on your own. You learn them from the community of believers that has gone before you. The writer knew that these mentors were important to this newfound Christian community.
We always grow faster and stronger with living, breathing examples who can model for us what a true disciple of Christ life looks like. Explanations are fine, but we learn more from real life examples. Who are your models for following Christ? Who are you watching and learning from? Here’s a tougher question: Are you an example for anyone else? You may be surprised that unknowingly you are.
A few years back there was a common phrase to live by: “WWJD – What would Jesus do?” In today’s culture, we need to know in our hearts how to relate to our kids as Jesus would, how to truly love our spouse and make a marriage last as Jesus would, how to run a business with integrity as Jesus would, and how to handle conflict in the way Jesus would. These are lessons many times we learn by watching others. Ask yourself this: “What’s been the greatest positive influence on my life?” It probably was not a sermon, a seminar, an e-mail or a small group lesson. More likely it was somebody who shaped your life through a personal relationship.
Rick Warren says “…it’s wise to learn from experience, but it is wiser to learn from the experiences of others.” Our lives are just too short to learn everything by personal experience. And many painful experiences can be avoided if we learn from mentors in our church family. I can testify to this. Write down the names of people in your church and small group that you’d like to learn from. Then identify what you’d specifically like to learn from them. Remember, they don’t have to be perfect to be a model or mentor.
To grow spiritually, you must also be willing to be a model or mentor to others. That may scare you but all it takes is being one step ahead. People don’t expect you to be perfect – they already know you aren’t. What they want you to be is honest! So let them see your struggles and tell of how you grew from them. Don’t just tell them your successes. We usually can grow as much from others’ weaknesses as we do from their strengths.
Somebody said if you look behind you, you'll be defeated. If you look ahead of you, you'll be distressed. If you look around you, you'll be discouraged. But if you look above you, you will be determined. The next time you're down or discouraged, let me give you the best piece of advice that you could ever hear: Run to God! Pray, and find the “great cloud of witnesses” he has placed around you. Now, how simple is that? Don't make prayer and a mentor your last chance… make it your first choice!
In Christ,
Jerry McGuire
Saturday, November 8, 2008
FAITH REQUIRES ACTION
"And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe." (Mark 5:34-36)
As Christians, we all hear words such as grace, salvation, and faith quite frequently. And all play a part in our daily life whether we know it or not. In the story above, a woman of desperate faith had just touched the hem of Jesus’ robe and been healed. Did the robe heal her? Of course not, her faith that the man wearing the robe could heal her resulted in her being healed. She had an active and courageous faith.
The setting for this scripture points us to a faith that is beyond the natural, it points to a God-based faith. We can only lay hold of the things of God by faith. The Bible is only a book until, by faith; we receive it as the living Word of God. In contrast to the woman, the synagogue ruler was afraid, but Christ told him to believe.
It is interesting to note that those who were standing by said to the synagogue ruler, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” In essence, they said, “There is no hope, just accept it and go on.” Many well-meaning people today tell us it is too late, but not Jesus. He tells us with all assurance that it is not too late! It is never too late with God. Look beyond where you are to what God says about you. We do that in Celebrate Recovery.
Jesus spoke some very powerful words to the ruler and He speaks these words to us today, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” What would truly happen in our lives if we dared to believe God? How about an Imagination Campaign that puts Cokesbury out of debt. We all know that we cannot please God without faith, but do we truly believe God at His Word? We see people with terrible hurts, habits and hang-ups that find faith hard to lay hold to. But through a systematic 12-Step program and working with the 8 Principles of CR, we see them go through a healing process that only God could provide.
You have to begin with the faith you already have: it may be just a little, but you start there. A great example of this is the story of the man who brought his sick son to Jesus in Mark 9. Jesus looked at the man and said, “I can heal your son. If you will believe, I will heal him.” In response, the father then makes a classic statement: “Lord, I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.”
Have you ever felt like that? “Lord, I have some faith. But I also have some doubts.” This man was filled with faith and doubt, yet despite his honest doubts, he went ahead and asked Jesus for a miracle. And Christ true to form gave the man his miracle – Jesus healed his son. Christ helps us with our addictions, our grief, and our failings, whatever. You believe he can do what he says he can do.
So, both the synagogue ruler and the woman had faith. And with this faith, Christ was able to work miracles – for both of them. By faith we lay hold of the things of God and act upon God’s promises. What a blessed place it is when the life we have we share with God in faith. The life God gives through faith in him is life-changing.
In Christ,
Jerry McGuire
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