Carried By His Wings© -- Sexual Purity Recovery

Wings Devotional Recovery ... December 20, 2010

We are at the Week when we Celebrate The Birth of Our Savior …

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 -- Traits in Common

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

But not so with addicts.  When AA was quite young, a number of eminent psychologists and doctors made an exhaustive study of a good-sized group of so-called problem users/abusers.  The doctors weren't trying to find how different we were from one another; they sought to find whatever personality traits, if any, this group of addicts had in common.  They finally came up with a conclusion that shocked the AA members of that time.  These distinguished men had the nerve to say that most of the addicts under investigation were still childish, emotionally sensitive, and grandiose.

How we addicts did resent that verdict!  We would not believe that our adult dreams were often truly childish.  And considering the rough deal life had given us, we felt it perfectly natural that we were sensitive.  As to our grandiose behavior, we insisted that we had been possessed of nothing but a high and legitimate ambition to win the battle of life.

© 1981, AAWS, Inc., Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pages 122-123 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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All that is true that we are childish, emotional and grandiose.  But the process of Recovery and our spiritual awakening of meeting Jesus face to face and asking Him to do for us what we cannot, calling Him Lord, begins the change in us, when we first verbalize our faith in Him. 

I have always thought that once addiction starts to set in, we begin to stop maturing.  The Bible even likens new believers to children that need to be fed on the milk of the Word in the beginning, but then growing up and getting the meat. 

Recovering and our faith journey is a growing process that begins with small steps, the Twelve, takes us on a path of getting closer to our Lord.  The more we practice the more we become like our Lord, reflecting His behavior.  That is the success. 

For all of us, it is a different time frame and a different path, which makes our recovery support group all the more important.  To carry the message on, to support our brothers and sisters who could be struggling, and to provide the strength that many people can in the face of a storm.  The deeper the roots of a tree in the storm, the stronger it can stand.  It takes many roots, not just one, which says to us, we cannot do it alone. 

So keep on coming back to your group, and keep spreading the Good News – of Jesus our Savior and the tools of recovery.

I Peter 2:1-3

As Newborn Babes

1   Therefore,putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,

2   like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

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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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