Bring the Message Home

Bring the Message Home

Can we bring the same Spirit of Love and Tolerance into our sometimes deranged family lives that we bring to our A.A. group? – TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, pp.111-12.

Practice Spirit of Love and Tolerance
Practice Spirit of Love and Tolerance

My family members suffer from the effects of my disease. Loving and accepting them as they are just as I love and accept A.A. members fosters a return of love, tolerance and harmony to my life. Using common courtesy and respecting others’ personal boundaries are necessary practices for all areas of my life. – Daily Reflections. © 1990 Alcoholics Anonymous A.A. World Services.

Acceptance is the Key to Serenity.

Turn Turn Turn
Pete Seeger (1965).
performed by The Byrds

To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, a time to die.
A time to plant, a time to reap.
A time to kill, a time to heal.
A time to laugh, a time to weep.

To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to build up, a time to break down.
A time to dance, a time to mourn.
A time to cast away stones.
A time to gather stones together.

Pete Seeger wrote this song inspired by the Book of Ecclesiastes in the 1950s. The storyline in the Book of Ecclesiastes has moved many religious leaders as a contemplative inward self-reflecting theme. The Book of Ecclesiastes centers on King Solomon who relates to many experiences we may all relate to in life.

Division in Salvation

Division in Salvation Celebration
for the Community.
Modern Song Focus on Contemporary Church Artists
performing hymns of traditional foundation.
Everyone is Welcome!

Sword of Division
Sword of Division

Introduction:
Luke informs us that Jesus preaches that His Ministry on Earth will bring division among men. Of course there will be death on the cross for Jesus in order to gift us salvation. This alone will further separate those who believe that it is their behavior that earns salvation and those who follow the Lord who believe the Good News. The nourishing fire is Good News. Baptism makes sense. After Christ’s death for our sins, Baptism is a joyous celebration in our lives and a formal entry rite into Christian Faith for many of us.
Jeremiah’s prophecies were generally unwelcome. Jeremiah forecasts tough times ahead to prepare for the coming of the Saviour. We must mirror Jeremiah’s boldness and courage in bringing Scripture to our community.
Our Psalm tells us that our ability to feel confident about adjudicating justice is correlated to our proximity to power.
The common theme in the Epistle to the Hebrews is one must possess and exercise endurance. Talk is cheap. Get to work.

 

Savior like a Shepherd Lead Us
Dorothy Thrupp (1838).
– performed by Rick Betts.

Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.

 

Scripture:
Am I a God near by, says the LORD, and not a God far off? Jer. 23:23.
Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you! Ps. 82:8.
Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Heb. 12:2.
Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! Luke 12:51.

Prayer: God of justice,
your word is light and truth.
Let your face shine on us to restore us,
that we may walk in your way,
seeking justice and doing good. Amen.

Stand Up Stand Up for Jesus
George Duffield (1858).
– performed by Children’s Choir

Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
Ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner,
It must not suffer loss:
From vict’ry unto vict’ry
His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished
And Christ is Lord indeed.

Prayer: Friends in Christ,
God invites us to hold the needs of our sisters and brothers
as dear to us as our own needs.
Loving our neighbors as ourselves,
we offer our thanksgivings and our petitions
on behalf of the church and the world.

Hear our prayers, God of power,
and through the ministry of your Son
free us from the grip of the tomb,
that we may desire you as the fullness of life
and proclaim your saving deeds to all the world. Amen.

 

1 2 3 Jesus is Alive
– performed by Valley Assembly

Prayer: Judge eternal,
you love justice and hate oppression;
you give peace to those who seek it,
and you condemn the rage of violence.
Give us courage to take our stand
with all victims of bloodshed and greed,
and, following your servants and prophets,
look to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Amen.

 

Guide My Feet while I Run this Race
Canton Spirituals Gospel Music
– performed by Austin Academy Choir (2011).

Guide my feet while I run this race.
Guide my feet while I run this race.
Guide my feet while I run this race,
for I don’t want to run this race in vain!

We are all stewards spreading the Word of Jesus’ blessings for His people.
Picnic Fellowship Activities for the Entire Family!

Of course lively discussion and activities will be available!
Perhaps you may prefer to sit and visit!
Please Contact Us with Special Requests!

Who is Watching

Who Is Watching

No matter where the athletes of the 2016 Olympics go in the city of Rio de Janeiro, they can see Jesus. Standing high above this Brazilian city and anchored to a 2,310-foot-high mountain called Corcovado is a 100-foot-tall sculpture called Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). With arms spread wide, this massive figure is visible day and night from almost anywhere in the sprawling city.

Rio Christ
Rio Christ

As comforting as this iconic concrete and soapstone sculpture may be to all who can look up and see it, there is much greater comfort from this reality: the real Jesus sees us. In Psalm 34, David explained it like this: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.” Ps. 34:15. He noted that when the righteous call out for His help, The Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Ps. 34:17–18.

God oversees our lives, and He hears the cries of those who trust Him.
Just who are the righteous? Those of us who place our trust in Jesus Christ, who Himself is our righteousness. 1 Cor. 1:30. Our God oversees our lives, and He hears the cries of those who trust Him. He is near to help in our greatest times of need.

Jesus has His eyes on you. – Dave Brannon. Daily Bread.

Sometimes, Lord, life seems out of control and I don’t know exactly which direction to take. Thank You for overseeing my life and prompting me in the right way through Your Word and Your Spirit.
The Lord never lets us out of His sight.
As a lone fugitive running from the jealous king Saul (1 Sam. 19:1–12), David took refuge in the Philistine territory of Gath. Not only was it a foolish thing to do, it was also very dangerous. Gath was the hometown of Goliath. 1 Sam. 17:4, 23. When the Philistines discovered he was the same David who had slain their champion Goliath (1 Sam. 18:6–7), they captured him. 1 Sam. 21:11–15. Aware that his life was in danger, David feigned insanity, foaming at the mouth as a sign of derangement. 1 Sam. 21:13. The ploy succeeded. David was released, and he made his escape. In response to God’s deliverance, David wrote Psalm 34 celebrating the God who answers prayers. I sought the Lord, and he answered me. Ps. 34:4.

 

Watching You
Rodney Atkins

Driving through town, just my boy and me
With a Happy Meal in his booster seat
Knowing that he couldn’t have the toy ’til his nuggets were gone.

A green traffic light turned straight to red
I hit my brakes and mumbled under my breath
His fries went a-flying and his orange drink covered his lap.

Well, then my four-year-old said a four letter word
That started with “s” and I was concerned
So I said, “Son, now where’d you learn to talk like that?”

Pursue Your Treasure

Pursue Your Treasure Celebration
for the Community.
Modern Song Focus on Contemporary Church Artists
performing hymns of traditional foundation.
Everyone is Welcome!

Treasure
Treasure

Introduction:
In Genesis the covenant that God makes with Abram is a divine promise. God keeps His promises.
Our Psalm allows us to wander in the perception that waiting is tiring. This sounds rational if you are Abram and told you must wait 400 years for a promise fulfilled. Why would we count while waiting? There is much to do in helping ourselves. In pursuing this we may perceive the time passes much more quickly. Be sure to pursue the right path and the Lord’s desire to help us achieve will be there for us.
Hebrews teaches us about the unerring nature of faith. Where do you place your faith? It should follow that placing your faith in the Lord will bring the best results.
As in Luke, wouldn’t it be great if our hearts longed for the treasures that are on the most righteous paths for each of us? Pursuing that which brings the most peace and justice will keep us on the most right path.

 

Amazing Grace
John Newton (1779).

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.

Scripture:
I am your shield; your reward shall be very great. Gen. 15:1.
Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him. Ps. 33:18.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for. Heb. 11:1.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34.

 

O beautiful for spacious skies,
Katherine Bates (1893).

O beautiful for spacious skies,
for amber waves of grain;
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
and crown thy good with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.

Prayer: Lord God of judgment and grace,
you ask not for sacrifices but lives of trusting faith
that acknowledge your power and mercy.
Give us faith as deep and strong as Abraham’s and Sarah’s,
that we may follow you through all our days
as did Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

 

Faith of our fathers! living still
Frederick Faber (1849).

Faith of our fathers! living still
in spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;
oh, how our hearts beat high with joy
whene’er we hear that glorious word!
Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death!

Prayer:
We praise your abiding guidance, O God,
for you sent us Jesus, our Teacher and Messiah,
to model for us the way of love for the whole universe.
We offer these prayers of love
on behalf of ourselves and our neighbors,
on behalf of your creation and our fellow creatures.

Loving God,
open our ears to hear your word and draw us closer to you,
that the whole world may be one with you
as you are one with us in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

 

We Believe
Newsboys

In this time of desperation
When all we know is doubt and fear
There is only One Foundation
We believe, We believe
In this broken generation
When all is dark, You help us see
There is only One Salvation
We believe, We believe.

Prayer: Lord God of Abraham and Jesus,
you invite your people to contemplate heavenly things
and urge us toward faith in you.
May your coming among us find our doors open,
our tables set, and all your people ready to greet you. Amen.
We are all stewards spreading the Word of Jesus’ blessings for His people.
Picnic Fellowship Activities for the Entire Family!

Of course lively discussion and activities will be available!
Perhaps you may prefer to sit and visit!
Please Contact Us with Special Requests!

Freedom from Guilt

Freedom from guilt

Page 223. N.A. Big Book.

“Our addiction enslaved us. We were prisoners of our own mind and were condemned by our own guilt.”

N.A. Basic Text, p. 7.

Guilt is one of the most commonly encountered stumbling blocks in recovery. One of the more notorious forms of guilt is the self-loathing that results when we try to forgive ourselves but don’t feel forgiven.

Sorrow
Sorrow

How can we forgive ourselves so we feel it? First, we remember that guilt and failure are not links in an unbreakable chain. Honestly sharing with a sponsor and with other addicts shows this to be true. Often the result of such sharing is a more sensible awareness of the part we ourselves have played in our affairs. Sometimes we realize that our expectations have been too high. We increase our willingness to participate in the solutions rather than dwelling on the problems.

Somewhere along the way, we discover who we really are. We usually find that we are neither the totally perfect nor the totally imperfect beings we have imagined ourselves to be. We need not live up to or down to our illusions; we need only live in reality.

Just for Today: I am grateful for my assets and accept my liabilities. Through willingness and humility, I am freed to progress in my recovery and achieve freedom from guilt. – (c) 2015 NA World Services

Guilty
NewsBoys
God’s Not Dead

When did it become breaking a rule
To say Your name out loud in school
When Your name is the only one that sets us free
When did it become incorrect
To speak the truth about life and death
When Your life gave us all eternity.

Even if it gets me convicted
I’ll be on my knees with my hands lifted.

Twelve Steps to Recovery

Twelve Steps to Recovery (in Generic Form).
– First Attributed to A.A. Alcoholics Anonymous, aa.org

Step 1

We admitted we were powerless over our addiction; that our lives had become unmanageable.

Step 2

Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Step 3

Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.

Step 4

Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Step 5

Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

Step 6

Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Step 7

Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.

Step 8

Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

Step 9

Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Step 10

Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

Step 11

Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.

Step 12

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

– 12Step.org