Carried By His Wings© -- Sexual Purity Recovery

Wings Devotional Recovery ... December 13, 2010

We are at the Start of December … Carry the Message …Twelve Step – Twelve Month,

It is about Ministry … Helping our Brothers and Sisters!!!

The busiest season of the whole year … is in our door step …

Temptations will be at every turn …

How is your Recovery Journey coming along …

ASSISTING OTHERS

HELPING OUR BROTHERS/SISTERS

STEP TWELVE  Is about ministry

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, I try to carry the message of Christ’s grace and restoration power to others and to practice these principles in every aspect of my life.

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.  But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” --Galatians 6:1

Just For Today – Step Twelve -- Gift

"When a man or a woman has a spiritual awakening, the most important meaning of it is that he has now become able to do, feel, and believe that which he could not do before on his unaided strength and resources alone.  He has been granted a gift which amounts to a new state of consciousness and being.  He has been set on a path which tells him he is really going somewhere, that life is not a dead end, not something to be endured or mastered."

© 1952, AAWS, Inc.; Printed 2005; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pgs. 106-07 Alcoholics Anonymous, AA, and the Big Book are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. Just For Today is neither endorsed by, approved by, associated, nor affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., or The AA Grapevine, Inc.

Wings Devotional© Daily Meditation Translation

is property of Wings Of Eagles Recovery©

Just for Today -- A Daily Devotional

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The truth of a spiritual awakening is finding God, who loved mankind enough to come to earth in the form of man, suffer and die on a cross for our sins, be raised from the dead and sitting in Heaven interceding for us as we pray to Him daily. 

This time of the year is so full of hurry and craziness - to get it done, to buy presents, decorate the house, make the cookies, go to office parties, exchange presents, trim the tree, light the menorah for Hanukkah, say the blessings, et cetera. 

Step Twelve is a tool that will help us align ourselves correctly with God and to help us to concentrate on the true message of the Season of Light and Miracles -- Stop and take time to reflect on the miracle of our sobriety and recovery; on the miracle of the tools and program God has given us to see success in recovery and for most of all the gift of His Son, Jesus whom He gave to us, who came to us, because He loved us.  The Bible tells us Jesus is the Light of the World, and we are to take our light, of Him living in us and shine it for all the world to see.  This is the true meaning of Step Twelve and this Hanukkah and Christmas season.

II Corinthians 4:5-7

5   “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.

6   For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

7   But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;”

Matthew 3:14- 15

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

John 8:12

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

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Step Twelve

Working Step Twelve

We came to Wings Of Eagles© Christian Twelve Step Recovery group as the result of the wreckage of our past.  The steps lead us to an awakening of a spiritual nature.  This awakening is evidenced by changes in our lives.  These changes make us better able to live by spiritual principles and to carry our message of recovery and hope to the addict who still suffers.  The message, however, is meaningless unless we live it.  As we live it, our lives and actions give it more meaning than our words and literature ever could. 

Yes, we are a vision of hope.  We are examples of the program working.  The joy that we have in living clean is an attraction to the addict who still suffers.  We do recover to live clean and happy lives.  Welcome to Wings Of Eagles© Christian Twelve Step Recovery group.  The steps do not end here. 

The steps are a new beginning.

Step Twelve -- Three major parts --

-- Having had a spiritual awakening.....
-- Practice these principles in all our affairs......
-- Carry this message........

"Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from relapsing as intensive work with other addicts.  It works when other activities fail."

STEP TWELVE Is about ministry

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, I try to carry the message of Christ’s grace and restoration power to others and to practice these principles in every aspect of my life.

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.  But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” --Galatians 6:1

Many of us exclaimed, “What an order!  I can not go through with it.”  Do not be discouraged.  No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles.  We are saints that sin.  The point is that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines.  The principles we have set down are guides to progress.  We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.

Our description of the addict, the chapter to the agnostic (Big Book), and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:

1)    That we were addicts and could not manage our own lives.

2)    That no human power could have relieved our addiction.

3)    That GOD could and would if He were sought.

GOALS FOR STEP TWELVE

·        Describe two types of spiritual transformation.

·        Prepare to share your recovery testimony and your testimony of faith.

·        Practice applying the Steps to a life situation.

·        Identify resources for continued growth.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help…”--  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Twelfth Step Prayer

Dear God, My spiritual awakening continues to unfold.

The help I have received I shall pass on & give to others.

For this opportunity I am grateful.

I pray most humbly to continue walking day by day on the road of spiritual progress.

I pray for the inner strength & wisdom to practice the principles of this way of life in all I do & say.

I need You God, My Sponsor, My Recovery Group, My Family or Extended Family every hour of every day.

This is a better way to live

Under Your Guidance.

Amen

RECOVERY MEDITATIONS

To help you understand what the Scriptures say about sharing our spiritual awakening with others through message and example, 

*       Mark 5:18-20

*       I Corinthians 9:22-27

*       I Corinthians 15:10

*       I Timothy 1:12-16

*       Psalm 92:1-4

*       Psalm 96:1, 2

*       Proverbs 31:26-31

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When Things Are Tough

These times are hard but challenge and adversity can push people toward their own greatness.  It can launch you on a deeper personal journey toward happiness, fulfillment, and a life of meaning.  As you look at ways to gather strength and improve self-esteem, remember it is not so much about what you have, but who you are:

Broke Is Not Broken

Being broke is not the same thing as being broken, losing money is not the same as being lost, and finding your balance is not something you can do on a balance sheet.

Having Less Doesn’t Mean You Are Less

Don’t confuse having less with being less, having more with being more, or what you have with who you are.

Savor Life and Slow Down

          When you are in a hurry, go slowly.  The faster you go in life the sooner it is a blur.

Prayer Creates a New Path

          Prayer creates a path where there is none and turns your stumbling blocks into building blocks.

Courage Is Not Absence of Fear

Put your faith, and not your fears, in charge.  Courage isn’t the absence of fears but how you wrestle with them.

Embrace the Future

If you are busy hugging the past, you can’t embrace the future.  Don’t let the past kidnap your future.

Change Is the Only Constant

This too shall pass.  Change is the only constant.  In order to take a breath, you must release your breath.

Make a Difference

Do what you can, but never forget that letting go is very different from giving up.  Of all the things you can make in life, remember that you make all the difference in your life.

Embrace Happiness

Tough times do not require you to be tough on yourself.  Find the courage to embrace happiness.

You Are Great

          Things don’t have to be good for you to be great.

Prayer of commitment to GOD:

Dear Jesus,

Thank YOU for making me and loving me,

even when I ignored you and gone my own way. 

I realize I need You in my life

and I’m sorry for my past behavior. 

I ask You to forgive me. 

As much as I know how, I want to follow You from now on.

Please come into my life and

make me a new person inside. 

I accept Your gift of salvation. 

Please help me to grow now as a Christian.

Amen.

* As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

·        greater personal discipline,

·        worldwide persecuted Christians,

·        Hedge of protection to our children

·        Blessings to our spouses

·        Godly men in Government

·        Rest and Peace to our pastors

·        Your activities for the day.

Love One Another

Stand Together

Fight this war, no matter the cost

Pray for our children

Turn our hearts toward heaven

Seek to be one nation under God.

God Bless and Guide You in your Christian Walk Today

“The Lord bless you and keep you,
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”
-- Numbers 6:24-27

You can help when no one else can."
  -- c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 89
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