Recovery is not the goal

John 14:28 "You've heard me tell you, 'I'm going away, and I'm coming back.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I'm on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life.

Some people are afraid of recovery because they see it as too big a task. They see it as giving up on being themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth. God wants me to be me and you to be you! The you  He created you to be. Our goal is not recovery, our goal is spiritual growth through service to others.

Commitment that overcomes obstacles

2 Corinthians 8:12 Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't. The heart regulates the hands.

As we commit our lives to God and to recovery we can expect to face obstacles, but we can also expect to overome them with God's power. Our common bond must be commitment to God at all costs....

God grant me: 
Serenity to accept things I cannot change.
Courage to change the things I can.
Wisdom to know the difference...

Problems - Character Building Blocks

James 1:3-4 (Life Recovery Bible) For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready  for anything.

Problems are inevitable in our recovery. As we face problems we need to look at them as character building blocks. With God's help as we overcome them we get stronger.

Problems are puroseful. Each one permitted by God to develop Christ like characteristics in us  so we can mature in our daily recovery walks.

Handling problems leads to a reward.  James 1:12  God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Step Seven involves the transformation of our character

Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

Faith without works is dead!

James 2:17  Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

We can profess to have all the faith in the world but only our actions will prove it to be true. As we begin our new life with God we all have a responsibilty. In 1Corinthians 12 the Bible talks about us all having different kinds of gifts, different types kinds of work to do, different kinds of service; but they are all given by the same Spirit, The Spirit of God, who has a plan and a purpose for each of us, Because of His plan and purpose for us each we will all be led into different social areas. Sadly I can't get into your area and you can't get into mine. We can end up in the same job, the same Church etc, but God's plan and purpose allows me to walk the road He has planned for me and you to walk the road He has plnned for you. The decision to walk the road with Him He leaves to us. So when we decide not to obey His plan for us we can rob others of experiencing the gifts He has in store for them and the Lordship of our lives,

Step 12 says 'Carried the message to others who still suffer and practice these principles (God's principles) in all our affairs' That is faith in action and that is what God wants from us as we walk this road of recovery together.

Jesus Purpose!

1 Tim. 1:15 Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.