Having Had a Spiritual Awakening

October 20, 2024 · 12 Steps

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Series · 12 Steps · Week 4 of 4

Scripture referenced 18 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Revelation 22:17 opening invitation: 'let anyone who is thirsty come and drink freely from the water of life'

17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.

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Ephesians 2:4-6

read aloud during worship: God rich in mercy, raised us with Christ, seated us in heavenly realms

4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us,

5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

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John 15

introduced before the offering song: Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, abide in him to bear fruit

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.

2 Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

3 You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

4 Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.

5 I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.

8 “In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples.

9 Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.

10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.

11 I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

14 You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.

15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.

16 You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

17 “I command these things to you, that you may love one another.

18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.

19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

21 But all these things will they do to you for my name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.

23 He who hates me, hates my Father also.

24 If I hadn’t done among them the works which no one else did, they wouldn’t have had sin. But now have they seen and also hated both me and my Father.

25 But this happened so that the word may be fulfilled which was written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’

26 “When the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me.

27 You will also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

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1 John 1:9

cited for step five: confess to God and he is faithful and just to forgive and purify

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

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James 5:16

cited for step five: confess sins to one another and pray so you may be healed

16 Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.

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John 3

referenced for step seven: Nicodemus conversation with Jesus about being born again

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

2 The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”

4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’

8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus answered him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and don’t understand these things?

11 Most certainly I tell you, we speak that which we know, and testify of that which we have seen, and you don’t receive our witness.

12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13 No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.

14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.

20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”

22 After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized.

23 John also was baptizing in Enon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized.

24 For John was not yet thrown into prison.

25 There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with some Jews about purification.

26 They came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, the same baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.”

27 John answered, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.

28 You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before him.’

29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. This, my joy, therefore is made full.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

32 What he has seen and heard, of that he testifies; and no one receives his witness.

33 He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.

34 For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God gives the Spirit without measure.

35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

36 One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

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Acts 1:8

cited after step twelve: 'you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses'

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

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Acts 4:31-33

read aloud: after prayer the place shook, all filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke with boldness, great power and grace

31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

32 The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

33 With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all.

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Romans 12:1-2

cited after step twelve: present your bodies as a living sacrifice, be transformed by renewing of your mind

1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

2 Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

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2 Corinthians 5:17

cited after step twelve: if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

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Ephesians 3:20

cited after step twelve: God able to do far more abundantly beyond all we ask or think

20 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

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James 2:20

cited when urging witnesses to act: faith without works is useless

20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?

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2 Corinthians 5:20

cited on carrying the message: we are ambassadors for Christ, God making appeal through us

20 We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

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Colossians 1

Stoney cited: walk worthy of the Lord, bearing fruit, strengthened with all power, giving thanks to the Father

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints,

5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News,

6 which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

7 even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,

8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

9 For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

10 that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy;

12 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;

13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;

14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins;

15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

16 For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.

17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.

18 He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him;

20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.

21 You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds,

22 yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him,

23 if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly;

25 of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

26 the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,

27 to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;

28 whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

29 for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

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Psalm 51:17

Stoney cited: the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and contrite heart God will not despise

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

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Psalm 23

Stoney cited: walking through the valley of the shadow of death, rod and staff comfort, goodness and mercy follow

1 Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever.

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Joshua 1

Stoney cited: God tells Joshua everywhere the sole of his feet treads he will give, and nine times be strong and courageous

1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, Yahweh spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying,

2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go across this Jordan, you, and all these people, to the land which I am giving to them, even to the children of Israel.

3 I have given you every place that the sole of your foot will tread on, as I told Moses.

4 From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.

5 No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you nor forsake you.

6 “Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

7 Only be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.

8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.

9 Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.”

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,

11 “Pass through the middle of the camp, and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare food; for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which Yahweh your God gives you to possess it.’”

12 Joshua spoke to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, saying,

13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, saying, ‘Yahweh your God gives you rest, and will give you this land.

14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock, shall live in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan; but you shall pass over before your brothers armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them

15 until Yahweh has given your brothers rest, as he has given you, and they have also possessed the land which Yahweh your God gives them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession, and possess it, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.’”

16 They answered Joshua, saying, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.

17 Just as we listened to Moses in all things, so will we listen to you. Only may Yahweh your God be with you, as he was with Moses.

18 Whoever rebels against your commandment, and doesn’t listen to your words in all that you command him shall himself be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

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Colossians 3:17

closing benediction: whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father

17 Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

This message wrapped up Pastor Ray's series walking through the twelve steps of recovery as a biblical framework for discipleship. Step twelve, having had a spiritual awakening and carrying that message to others, was the focus, and a guest speaker, Stoney Vance, joined to share his own story and lead the congregation through a live step four and five exercise.

What was said

Pastor Ray opened by recapping the first eleven steps in sequence, moving quickly through the ground already covered over the course of the series. He reminded the congregation that steps one through three are about recognizing powerlessness, coming to believe, and deciding to surrender to God. Steps four and five are about honest self-examination and confession, first to God, then to another person. Steps six and seven are about being genuinely ready for God to remove defects of character and humbly asking him to do it. Steps eight and nine move outward into making a list of people harmed and making direct amends wherever possible. Steps ten and eleven are the daily maintenance of that posture, continuing personal inventory and seeking God's will through prayer.

Step twelve, Pastor Ray said, flows naturally out of all of that. Having had a spiritual awakening, the next movement is outward. He read from Acts, Romans, and Second Corinthians to show that receiving the Spirit produces witnesses, and that those witnesses are ambassadors carrying a message they have actually experienced. The list of principles behind the steps, he noted, traces back to the Sermon on the Mount, the Ten Commandments, First Corinthians 13, and the book of James. The principles are repetitive across all those sources because they keep showing up wherever God is at work in a person's life.

Stoney Vance then took the floor. He told the congregation he had felt during an earlier service that God was directing him to ask Pastor Ray if he could speak on step twelve, and that he waited and lingered before finally asking. He led the congregation through a brief exercise, asking everyone to hold one hand raised for nearly three minutes, then told them that two minutes and fifty-six seconds was the amount of time his heart had stopped on an operating room table in 2012 while surgeons removed a mass from it.

Stoney traced the shape of his story: a leukemia diagnosis in 2009, chemotherapy, unbearable pain, and a decision to start drinking to sleep and to quiet fear and shame. He described the body's attachment to alcohol even after the cancer went into remission in 2015, and the night in 2019 when his wife came home early and found him on the shower floor. His family, some of whom were present in the service, made the decision he could not make for himself and told him he had to go. He described losing his family, his home, and his ministry, and being genuinely broken.

From that place, Stoney said, he found Colossians and the Psalms. He read from Psalm 51 and Colossians 1, and talked about how trying to suppress fear and shame with alcohol also suppressed everything good, because emotions come as a package. He said the valley in Psalm 23 is not something to avoid but something to walk through, and that the pressure of his struggle had made him into something new. He talked about the promise in Joshua that God would give Israel everywhere they set the soles of their feet, and asked why, given that promise, they stayed in such a small territory. His point was that God did everything for Israel in Egypt and the wilderness, and the same is true now.

The congregation was then invited to write down, on a sticky note, one thing they have been dealing with that is driving a wedge between them and God. The ushers collected the notes in the offering plates, and Stoney committed to pray over them. He described this as a real step four and five, done together in the room, and urged the congregation not to stall out there as most people do. He closed by returning to the image of Moses holding his arms up on the mountain, noting that the battle is won through surrender, worship, and keeping your hands raised, not through managing it yourself. The service closed with a benediction drawn from Colossians 3:17.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

Pastor Ray read through the combined vice lists from the New Testament and said it is easy to see five big sins all around you and assume those are what is wrong with the world, while missing your own. What makes it so hard to turn that same searching look on ourselves?
Step six is being entirely ready to have God remove all defects of character, and Pastor Ray noted that some of us want to hold on to a particular one and tell God it is really not that bad. Have you ever found yourself protecting something you already knew was a problem? What made it hard to let go?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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Good morning, everybody. I'm thrilled to see you this morning. Would you stand? And what do you say we worship in song together? An encouraging word from Revelation 22.

It's an invitation, and I believe this is an an invitation for all of this this morning. It's let anyone who is thirsty come, and let anyone who desires drink freely from water of life. Thank you, Lord, that you are life, the living water, the bread of life, and so much more. God, would you fill us? Would you fill this place?

Would you give us a spirit of gratitude and a desire truly just to lift you up, to make you known, to enjoy being in your presence. In Jesus' name. Amen. Come all you weary. Come all you thirsty.

Come to the well that never strife. Drink of the water. Come there thirsty. Come all

Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now? Alright. Well, a first announcement I think is gonna be Iwana happening tomorrow.

Sure is. 05:45, a regular club night and hope to see you.

Regular club night, 05:45 starts out in this room and it'll spread all over the church. It's a great time. If you're a volunteer, supper should be ready for you at 05:15. Hey. It's that time of year.

When

children open their boxes, you can hear the laughter, the cheer.

Each gift brings a joy to their heart.

Jesus said, let the little children come to me. I want the children to know that Jesus Christ is alive, and he'll come into each and every heart that invites him.

The

mission of Operation Christmas Child is to share the gospel with children around the world. Every shoebox gift is delivered with a verbal and written proclamation of the gospel in more than a 100 countries every year. Jesus

loves me.

This is an evangelism project, and it all starts with a very simple shoebox gift.

Volunteers are really the heart of who we are and what we do.

When we pack the boxes, it's a reflection, a little glimpse of God's love that we're pouring out.

When you pack the box, pray. We never know how God is gonna use that box. They go by plane. They go by riverboat. They go by motorbikes.

These shoe boxes go to

children's almost isolated areas of the world.

Your shoe box goes from you filling it full of toys to all ends of the earth to share the name of Jesus Christ.

This box just gives us a chance to show them that there is a light, there is a truth.

After receiving Hey, everybody. It's shoebox time. So we have a table set up out in the front. You guys can grab a shoebox if you would like to participate this year. Each box has a label inside.

You pick an age that you would like to pack for. Go fill it with your family. Go out yourself and grab the items. There's a whole bunch of gift, ideas out in the back. We would love for you to include a card or a photo.

Photo's great also. And we have extra supplies here at church. We've got extra school supplies, personal items, knit hats. We can help you fill that box full. If you have questions, I'm gonna be out back in the middle of services.

So please come ask, and we'll do more announcements as the time rolls around. But these are due November 17. We just wanted to make you aware that it is time. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Alright. There is a discovery class today in my office, third Sunday of the month each month. We'll do one or we'll schedule one if you would like to do one at another time. A discovery class, third Sunday of the month in my office down the hall, whether I'm there or not in between services.

Church directory, I think that there is a there is that is the slide. And we also have some, am I supposed to send this around right now? Okay. There is that. Thank you, Peter.

There is that. And if you all just pass them around, we're trying to get a kind of a complete understanding of who's coming and who wants their information spread. I know that some of y'all just don't. I know that. Just let it pass.

But the church directory, if we can get a good picture of it, that's a horizontal picture, not a vertical picture. Okay? Horizontal picture is the ones that go this way, like the horizon, side to side. Alright? There are a lot of people that don't know the difference of horizontal, vertical.

Okay? But that's what we're looking for is a good picture where we can see who

you

are. Sunday, October 27, a week from today at 12:30, just after the second service, we're gonna have a memorial celebration for Virgil boss, Laurie and Virgil. So sweet. And we are just gonna meet casual dress. There'll be food provided after the service next week.

If you knew Virgil, you know Laurie. Feel free to join this memorial celebration for Virgil. November 10 is potluck for connect hour. November 10 is potluck. That's different than we usually do.

Usually, prepares the breakfast, but this is We are all going to chip in and prepare the breakfast together. November 10 is potluck for connect hour. Volunteers are needed for other weeks, but this is a new thing we're trying. We'll see how this goes. And I think that's it.

Is there anybody else? Is there an announcement I've forgotten? I don't think so. Would you stand with us? This song is so true and it is so good and I am so thankful for it.

Lord, your name be praised for your infinite mercy.

For

the love could remember no wrong we have done. Omniscient, all knowing he counts not their son thrown into sea without bottom ocean. We We

only

We one one who who do

only

We What riches of kindness he's lavished on us. His blood was the payment. His life was the cause. We stood beneath the debt we could never our

sins, they are

Speaking of which, let's let let's take this in here from Ephesians. It's Ephesians two four through six, but God is so rich in mercy. We'll let that sink in for just a moment. He loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, that's the bad news, but there's good news. Praise God for the good news.

He gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. That is such a big deal, church. It's the biggest deal ever that Christ was raised from the dead. It is by God's grace, his gift of favor that we've been saved. For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we're united with Christ Jesus.

That's through faith. That's through faith. That's what it is. It's about coming to God in faith. He's paid that debt we couldn't we couldn't pay.

And because of that, we have life in him. That's the good news of the gospel. Thank you, God, for it. Let's keep singing. Whose glory taught the stars to shine.

Perhaps creation longs to have words to sing, But this joy is mine with a thousand hallelujahs.

And with a thousand hallelujahs, we magnify your name. You alone deserve the glory,

Praise to the Lord, the lamb. Praise to the Lord, to the lamb, to the king I sought the Lord. Let's sing this together. I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from every field. And those who look on me are radiant.

Is he

who hides

in him.

Oh, fear the Lord.

Oh, long you say he'll give you rise. Us bless the Lord every

day and night, ever ending praise. May our insins rise. Us

Amen. You can have a a seat here for a moment. And so worship through giving, part of the service, and I'll ask our ushers to come out for we'll sing another song called abide. And I've been loving this song lately. From John 15, Jesus said that he's the vine, and we're the branches.

If we abide in him, just stay connected to him, don't fall off the vine, just stay there, and he and us, that's when we will bear much fruit. He goes on to say, apart from me, you can't do it. Before we sing, Ray, may I ask you to pray?

Yep. Lord God Almighty. Thank you. Thank you, Lord, that your mercy is more. Thank you, Lord.

Thank you that we have the ability to abide in you. It's amazing. It's amazing, Lord, that we can commune with almighty God. Overwhelmed this morning. In Jesus name, may we carry forward all of the good things that you offer us Lord.

The freedom from bondage, mercy, grace, forgiveness, love. May we be sharing that because we have experienced. Lord, we all have heard the phrase that hurt people hurt people. Lord, forgiven people, forgive people. Lord, would you show us your way and allow us to walk in it.

That's what we want. We're asking for your will to be done in your way through this assembled body this morning, Lord. Right here where we are and when we leave and go out from here, may we carry forward your good gospel. We know Lord that this is what we severely lack. In Jesus name, we pray that your good gospel would go forward through us, willing participants, humble and obedient servants.

Would you bless this offering, Lord, to do your will and your way from here to the uttermost parts. Amen.

For my

Amen. Wow. Thank you, Carl. Thank you. Aaron, Lisa, Ryan.

Amen. I showed up. I showed up for the last three notes of of sound check. Oh, what a blessing. Well, you all know where we are in scripture.

We have finished the New Testament. We finished a few greatest hits, verses, and passages, And then, the most practical thing that I've been through in the last six and a half years if you're visiting here for my own spiritual walk was the 12 steps and I felt convicted of God to present a biblical basis for the 12 steps and hopefully, that God through those would help us to get over whatever it is we're getting over or whatever it is we were not getting over, even better. And so we've started. Step one, right here is we admitted that we were powerless over our problem. Now, I have presented that from this can be any problem.

These steps came out of a small group of people in Akron, Ohio and Upstate New York and a few different places in the late thirties. But it started out and people were getting set free from alcoholism. And so the 12 Steps of AA came through that. And 12 Steps of Recovery, virtually all of them are based exactly on these principles. We admitted that we were powerless over our problem, sin, and that our lives had become unmanageable.

Recognizing that is a humble place to be. I've presented this now at least 12 times. Yeah. Yeah. It's repetitive, I know.

You have to get to the point of knowing that you can't solve this problem. Deflation at depth, don't stay there though. Step two is we came to believe that a power greater than ourselves and I know it's Jesus, I know it's Jesus, it's God. But at this point, coming to believe that there is something bigger than yourself that can restore you to sanity. For people who are just starting off in AA, sometimes it's just that group in that room that meets in the church basement.

Right? It's just those other folks, that's a power greater than themselves, they can help. But it is working you towards an openness with God. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity, that's a willingness, belief, and seeking. The third step is we made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God.

It says God right there. It's a decision to surrender. You have to decide after knowing that you can't fix it and believing that there is someone who can. Step three is making the decision to turn will and life over to the care of God. As we understood him, again, a statement of humility.

That statement of humility is saying that I, a finite beating being do not understand the infinite God, but as he will direct me and show me who he is, I will follow after that. Right? I'll follow after him. I'm making a commitment, a decision to turn my will in my life over to the care of God as I understand him. Now step four, we made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves, of ourselves.

This is important because it's easy to see the sins of others and sometimes it's really really hard to see our own. And so to make a searching and fearless moral inventory of oneself is important. Self examination, deflation at depth, a willingness, belief, surrender, and then this, self examination. Now, I have used this list. I haven't read it since step four, but I'm going to read it now.

I'm gonna read the whole thing with some purpose. Okay? We all have something in our life that is our natural proclivity. In the fall, we lost complete communion with God and there's something in our lives that draws us away from him and towards self selfishness, sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, that made the list. I put on this shirt this morning and my daughter goes to Auburn and I thought, is this too Alabama?

Like, come on. Let's not start that. But I did think it rivalries. It's it's bound up in us. Right?

It's bound up in its rivalries. Us and them, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness. Now that one, we're 12. You think that would be the big one. This just in the list.

Just in the list. Right? There are all these others. Give them some weight. Orgids and things like the sexual immorality.

Again, adultery, homosexual activity, idolatry, thievery, greed, drunkenness, reviling, swindling, reviling. I think of the two thieves that were crucified on the sides of Jesus and says, and they were reviling him. Reviling is in the list. Swindling, lying, evil talking, fornication, vulgar talk, empty words, empty words. Disobedience, anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive language, quenching the spirit, makes the same list.

These are from the vice lists in the New Testament. All the vice lists in the New Testament added together. Quenching the spirit, despising the words of the prophets, self indulgent, double tongue, conceited, wicked wickedness, filled with a morbid craving for controversy, an eagerness to be rich, overtaken with stupid and senseless controversies, quarrelsome, wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice, envy filled, murder, strife, deceit, craftiness, gossip, slander, God hate, insolence, haughty, boastful, inventing new ways of doing evil. Oh, every time you log on to the Internet, you find a new way of doing evil or found that someone else has found a new way of doing evil, a new way in. Right?

Rebellion towards parents, foolishness, faithlessness, heartlessness, ruthlessness, lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedience to parents. Makes list a few times. Ungrateful, unholy, inhumane, implacability. Look that one up. Slander, profligate, brutes, haters of the good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure and hypocrisy.

Alright. That's the list. That'll give you a grid. If you're doing a fearless and searching moral inventory and you've got five big sins that you see all around you and you think that's what's wrong with the world. Those five ones are not your problem, probably.

Keep looking at the list to find your own. God will show you an openness, willingness to believe, and then turning over your will in your life. This is recognizing self will and it is in an attempt to get a clear picture of what's going on. Step five, whatever you find in that list, we admit it to God, to ourselves and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs. It's really helpful to do this, really helpful and it's biblical.

Confession is biblical. We've got it from first John one nine to confess it to God. If you are saying the same thing as God about your sins, he is faithful and just and he will forgive you of your sins. And it's a great promise that he says that he will continually be purifying you from all unrighteousness. Maintain a posture of humility before God and he will do the cleaning.

If you tarry till you're better, you will never come at all as the song says. Right? You can't wait, clean yourself up and then come to Jesus. Come to Jesus and he will do the work, but come to him honestly and humbly because God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. In James, it says, we should be confessing our sins to one another, that's the one other person situation just mentioned.

James is really really important in addiction recovery. It comes up all the time. It's a very practical book. Confessing your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be brought into healing or may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Step six, we were entirely ready to have God remove all of these defects of character. There are some things I would imagine. I'm pretty sure it's biblical, but there are some things for each of us that we just want to hold on to. This is mine, Lord. This is the way you made me.

It's the way that you made me, and I want to hold on to this one. It's really not that bad. As things go, it's really not that bad. Just let me have this. If you recognize it as a defective character, why do you want to hold on to it?

We're entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. In a lot of the literature from the early stuff even to the present day, it said get try to get to a place where you're ready to say this. Right? You've got to keep moving forward. Step six is one of those.

We're entirely ready to have God remove the defects of character. It's a conviction that there is sin that should be gone, and it's a readiness to change to walk away from those besetting sins. Step seven, we humbly ask him to remove our shortcomings, and this humility and submission to the will of God. This really harkens back to I've decided to turn my will in my life over to God as I understood. Step three, right?

This one, humble submission, and it's this point where you humbly submit to God's will for your life, you're ready to change that, there is a rebirth. I went back to Nicodemus and Jesus in John three for this one. This is the place where being born again, coming through it, rebirth is very important. Step eight, made of lift. Now this is where it gets really practical.

Everything so far has been really between you and God and that one other person just kind of monitoring and sponsoring and helping you through. And then step eight is you make a list of all the people that should harm you, became willing, willingness is important, willingness to make amends, willing to make amends, change the behavior towards them all. And in some cases, that will be like this. You find yourself on the list, and each one of these sins is either going to be a sin against God or against other people, and usually it's both. And so when you see that and you identify who it is that you've harmed and hurt, you became willing to change your behavior towards them all to apologize for the past, but to change going forward.

Step nine. We made direct amends to such people, whoever's on the list, wherever it's possible, except when to do so would injure them or someone else. And it's nice to have somebody around you, a sponsor, a friend, a pastor, a small group, trusted confidant, somebody that will help you determine whether that's the case or not. Because it's easy to hide behind this one and go, think that might hurt somebody. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna say that.

I'm not gonna do that. I'm not I'm not not going after them. That would hurt them. It hurt me. I'm not sure.

Pray through it. God will let you know. He'll he'll be right on time. Right? Step nine, restitution.

To pay back what you can. If you kick somebody's dog, there's no way you can pay somebody back for kicking their dog. Right? If you steal something, by all means, it back with interest, four times like Zacchaeus said. But there are some things that you just can't pay back for.

Restitution is important though. It it allows consequence to really matter in our lives, which matters in the lives of those folks around us. So that's step nine. Now, I had said in ten and eleven, and we're up to 12. Ten eleven, it's living in ten, eleven and twelve is the is the maintenance program for staying sober.

So step 10, we continue to take personal inventory. When we were wrong, we promptly admitted it. It becomes a way of life of recognizing flaws and faults and listening to the Holy Spirit. Here it is. We continue to take personal inventory and when we're wrong, we promptly admitted it.

Daily corrective action, seeing in your steps. And I had a friend come forward after one of these, he said, these sermons are repetitive as they can possibly be, but it's helping me to see that it's not just them, it's me and it's every day. That's where we want to be living life, not dejected and deflated at depth, but realizing that God is bringing us through these steps and we can be living in them all of the time. Step 11, we sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood and we were praying only for knowledge of his will and the power to carry that out, only for the knowledge of his will and the power to carry that out. If I will do that, he will bring to mind the things that I need to be praying for and the things I need to be praying about.

Individualized, it takes the burden off of me to be looking for everybody else all the time. It's just Lord, what do you want for me to do? And you know, that's where that prayer, the serenity prayer comes in. Wisdom and courage, serenity, it's helpful. Prayer, guidance and growth and power, we covered last week.

And then here we are at step 12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all of our affairs. And now it's a 12 step program. This is the last one. Next week, I'm going to expository preaching like I love.

Thank you, Lord. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps. Here we go. Awakening witness and practice of the principles. Awakening, having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps.

I never do the head bowed and that clothed thing, but I want to do it right now. I'm not going to. I want to though. Who would say that since we started step one, you've had a spiritual awakening about something in your life? I I would.

I would say I've had a spiritual awakening about something in my life that I didn't realize until this. And I've been going through these things for six and a half years. It's gonna it's gonna come up. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. Next, we're going to Acts and so I've been reading a lot of Acts lately.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, having had a spiritual awakening and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and as far as the remotest parts of the earth. Acts four thirty one to 33, and when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak the word of God with boldness. And the congregation of those who believe were of one heart and they're one soul, they claimed that they did not claim anything belonging to him was his own, but they held those things in common and with great power, the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. This is going forward having had a spiritual awakening, it prompts in you an outreach that's coming next. Therefore, I urge you brothers and sisters by the mercies of God, present your bodies as a living and a holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Neuroplasticity, they're calling it. It's always a possibility for us to change our mind. If we will expose ourselves to God's word, that is what we'll be doing the work. So that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect, and if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation.

Old things have passed away, behold the new have come. Having had a spiritual awakening, yeah, it's good. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, and according to the power that works within us, to him be the glory in the church and the Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Now, if you've experienced it, glory to God is normal and natural, and the next thing is we try to carry this message to others. If we see someone who is struggling, then it's our responsibility to help that person.

Period. Okay. Okay. If we see that they're struggling. I get to see a lot more of this than I probably would have if I were working on a sawmill, like I used to.

We try to carry this message to others. If you found bread of heaven, you just tell another beggars that haven't found it yet. Right? He said, follow me and I'll make you fishers of men or fishers of people. James two twenty, are you willing to acknowledge you foolish person that faith without works is useless?

If you've received from God, then you are a messenger for him to say where you've received it. And freely, freely, I'm not gonna read all that. It's a great one. It's Paul doing that towards the end of Acts. Second Corinthians five twenty, think about this.

Therefore, we're ambassadors for Christ as though God were making an appeal through us and we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. That's good. We're ambassadors. Carry the message forward and to practice these principles in all of our affairs. So what are the principles?

Now, I started listing the ones that I've covered since I've been doing this series and I was trying to think, where did all these come from? So I wanted to codify them and figure them out. The early literature says that they're derived from the Sermon on the Mount, 10 Commandments, First Corinthians 13, the book of James, the four absolutes of Alcoholics Anonymous that they just found that these things are absolutely so and should be, and then plenty of other biblical sources. So I started listing them and there they are. And you know what?

They're almost exactly the same number of them as there are. It's amazing to me. May I read this list out loud and then I'll hand off. Okay. And I'll send these to you.

I know it's ridiculously small to read from there. That's why I'm going to read them out loud. Relying upon God, being rigorously honest, eliminating selfishness, egocentrism, resentment, jealousy, envy, fear, eliminating envy, eliminating fear, practicing patience, practicing tolerance, practicing kindliness, practicing understanding, practicing love, practicing forgiveness, helpfulness toward others, humility, forgiveness, service, confession, restitution, reconciliation, seeking guidance. 10 commandments, summarize. Putting God first putting God in first place, rest, being honoring to parents and loved ones, eliminating murder, eliminating adultery, eliminating theft, eliminating lying, eliminating covetousness, honesty, purity, unselfishness, love, patience, kindness, generosity, humility, courtesy, unselfishness, good temper, guilelessness, not being so crafty, sincerity, love and service, patience, seeking the wisdom of God, avoiding temptation, telling the truth, avoiding anger, studying the word and doing it, helping the unfortunate, loving your neighbor, avoiding adultery and killing.

Think that that's a good one to avoid. Specifically, that's Jesus that's saying that though, and it's not just not killing and not committing adultery, but it's not lingering there in your head with hatred and lust. Avoiding it. Where was I? Backing up the faith with works, bridling the tongue, avoiding envy and strife.

Can you hear the book of James? Avoiding lying, avoiding selfish lust, avoiding pride, submitting to God, purifying hearts, being humble, not speaking evil of another, doing good, avoiding greed, avoiding grudges, avoiding false souls, relying on prayer, confessing your faults, a readiness to share the truth. Amen. Even even in rebuke or exhortation with humility and love. Humility, compassion, meekness, spotless conduct, walking in victory is possible in Christ.

Making peace with enemies, harmonizing action with God's will, overcoming resentments, making restitution, avoiding retaliation, conducting prayers and good works anonymously, forgiving, seeking God first, utilizing self examination, doing the will of God, and being rigorously honest. These are repetitive too. They come up a lot in different places. Now, I have told you all from the beginning. I started off this series with a story about Ron.

Do you all remember Ron? Ron's story, I couldn't catch up with Ron. I don't know where Ron lives. But I have another friend that I do know where he lives and I know his phone number. And this is Stoney Vance and he's going to come up.

I've never been to a meeting. I've admitted that freely. He came to step 10 in here and when I asked him, he volunteered. When I asked him, he volunteered. Actually, he volunteered and then I asked him.

Yeah. Volunteer. Yeah. So I was actually sitting in that seat right there, and I felt like God was saying, you're going to ask pastor Ray if you can preach step 12. And I was like, God.

You clearly don't understand how how church church works. Works. That you just don't walk up to a pastor and preach his own sermon. And and but, you know, I've learned over the years to be submissive, and so I lingered because I counted the weeks. You know?

If I came to step 10, that meant the next week would be 11 and then 12. Well, he skipped a week, and I lingered before asking, assuming it's not nearly enough time. And anyhow, I asked, and God was faithful, and here I am. Okay. Gonna run through this really, really quick.

Ushers, I know that this is impromptu. Could you please stand up and come forward? If you're still in the room, of course. Yeah. Awesome.

Yes. Each and every single one of you guys, please take one of these, pass them around. Just take one of them. Make sure everybody gets one. And then I've got something else.

We're going to kind of do a little bit of an interactive stuff here.

Here we go.

Okay. Not passing. When I say go, I want you guys to raise one hand and keep it held over your head until I say stop. Ready, set, go. Okay.

So now what I would like everybody to kind of understand is that you have got a pastor here that is absolutely amazing amazing and and courageous to do this. So when I spoke with pastor Ray, we we shared each other's testimony and everything. I know your hands are starting to drip a little bit. Nope. Reach for the sky.

I'm not holding a gun, but, you know, pretend like it. So what we're going to do is since pastor Ray has been going through the 12 steps, we're gonna have ourselves a little meeting today. That's what we call them, meetings. So welcome to your first meeting. Maybe it's your first meeting.

Maybe it's not your first meeting. Hello. My name is Stoney, and I'm an alcoholic. Stoney. Hello.

My name is Stoney, and I'm an alcoholic.

Hi, Stoney.

Hi, Stoney. There you go. Okay. Good. I want to take my opportunity to share the floor.

Keep them up. Keep them up. And it's gonna start off with what I was. Back in 2009, I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. When I went into the doctor, he told me that, Stoney, I'm assuming I was 27 years old.

He's like, I'm assuming you really don't have a whole lot, but I don't expect to see you this time next year. Fast forward a couple years. 2012. I'm actually a little ahead of myself right now. Two well, I'm gonna I'm actually gonna rest on on the cancer.

No. No. No. I see it dropping. Keep them up there.

Keep them up. I know. You can do what we used to do in school. Were you wanting to go to the bathroom? Mhmm.

Go ahead. It's fine. It's fine. Nobody's gonna judge you. In 2009, when I was diagnosed, I began to struggle very, very deeply.

I was going through chemotherapy and radiation. My inside was just covered and littered with masses. And so as I was going through this just a little bit longer, guys. Keep them up. Keep them up.

As I was going through this, the pain began to get absolutely unbearable. And at the time, I was a pastor. I went to I went to Bible college, and I'd I I went through all the steps. I was pastoring a church at the time. And I decided that I was going to relent to my fear, and I started drinking.

I went to the liquor store, and I bought a a a whatever it was, a thing of whiskey, and I drank. I slept great that night because I hadn't slept nine days beforehand, and I did it the next night. You can all put your arms down. Good job. Now see if I can get this thing to stop.

In 2012, I was on an Operating Room table, and they were removing a mass from my heart, and it stopped for exactly the amount of time that you had your hand raised. You don't think that two minutes and fifty six seconds really is all that long until you stand in front of your microwave trying to reheat a burrito. Or if you're stopped at a stoplight, can you imagine a two two minute fifty six or fifty two second no. Fifty six second stoplight? You'd be burning the town down or raising your hand waiting to go to the bathroom.

It's exhausting. Right? 2015, I went into remission. They whipped it. But guess what?

I didn't stop drinking. I kept drinking because they had gotten a hold of me. 2019, I was my wife walked in impromptu from work. She wasn't supposed to be home and found me on the shower floor. This is my family here.

This is my in laws. Yes. I'm putting them on the spot. They are the only people in Florida that own a house with carpet. So my wife found me on the shower floor with a knife in my hand.

I was sent to Re Up Center, 72 Hour hold, because I was a danger to myself and obviously somebody else, as if she's going to come up to me and say, give me the knife in the state that I was in. No. These people here are the bravest people that I have ever met because they realized that they couldn't enable me anymore, and they did for me what I couldn't do for myself. And they said, you gotta go be with God somewhere else because you're in danger. Thank you so much.

I was homeless, familyless, friendless. That's how I felt. I felt alone. I felt so alone. But God.

If you wanna turn to Colossians, that's where I sit. That's where I live. James, fantastic. Acts is fantastic, but Colossians is amazing when it comes to being where I live. In Colossians the first chapter, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the attaining of the steadfastness and the patience, joy, giving thanks to the father who has qualified us in the inheritance of the saints.

But God. Psalm fifty one seventeen says, the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, and the broken and a contrite heart, oh you God, will not despise. I was broken, folks, and I love being broken now. Because when I'm broken, this means nothing. That means everything.

This failed me. My will failed me. It wasn't a matter. When when I saw I didn't like alcohol. Still don't.

I think it tastes terrible, to be honest with you. It does. Burns. That it's terrible, but the body loves it. And I began to ignore all of my feelings, and I wanted to put down my fear.

I wanted to put down my shame. I wanted to put down my my my my anxiety, but the problem is is emotions are an overwhelming package. You put you try and kill the the the the ones, and happiness, joy, contentment, and all the fruits of the spirit go with it. You can't sacrifice and try and quiet one set without sacrificing and quieting the other. And that's the reason why in Psalm 23, he says, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, but you're with me.

Your rod and your staff, they'll comfort me. And at the end of that, it says, surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days. It's not because I go and avoid it anymore. It's

not

about avoidance. It's about endurance. It's about making it through, seeing the valleys are the valleys. The mountains are the mountains. There's a reason why the mountain tips are pointed.

You can't stay there for long. You spend most of your time in the valleys. But I tell you what, the amount of pressure, the amount of heat, the amount of struggle, the amount of trials that I can endure now because of my alcoholism makes me a whole new thing. I was in Egypt. I am designed for dominion.

We are designed for dominion. In Joshua, God's intention was to bring us into the promised land. And he tells Joshua everywhere you set the sole of your feet, I will give you. Don't you think you would walk a little bit further than 30 by 60 mile stretch of land if that's what he told you? But that's about all it well, that's about the distance.

That's about the shape of it. Everywhere you set the soles of your feet, he was he designed us. He intended for us to have dominion, but instead we live our lives full of need of deliverance. And when we are in that state, we when we are in our Egypt, he is the one that does everything. Did did Israel have to do anything?

If you really think about it, did they have to do anything to get out of Egypt? Did they part the water? No. Did they feed themselves? No.

Manna from heaven. Did they find water? No. Water from a rock. They didn't even have to part the Jordan or wade across the Jordan.

He did that for me. He did everything for them. And that's the trick, folks. I live in 10, 11, and 12. Because I don't let things creep up on me, I'm repentant, heart of David.

And it's not because I I I am a good guy. It's because I ignored it for so long, and I had to pay the consequences of losing everything that I love on this side of heaven to make me into the guy that says, you know what, God? I don't wanna hit the pause button on us anymore. I don't want that anymore. And so now, not only do I have my family back, but we're stronger than ever.

Because we constantly renew our minds every single day. My children are so on fire for God. I don't even need to get firewood out this winter. The house is plenty warm. And thank you for that.

I'm a businessman. I own a barbecue place. Yes. I said barbecue. You got a little while before lunch.

We're gonna start stirring that up a little bit. I'm a practice manager at a new clinic in Pinedale, who my wife is the is the provider. I'm a pastor down in Pinedale. Not only has God given me back everything that I lost, but he restored me with so much more than what I had. And now I stand before you right here now, telling you that living in ten, eleven, and 12, I don't let things pile up anymore.

One through nine are all about cleaning up the past. Ten, eleven, and 12 are how to help you walk in victory in your future. What I'm going to ask you right now is we're going to step four and five it a little bit. See, pastor Ray and I have very, very similar testimony, though even though he has been working these 12 steps, not for not for any mismanagement of his own life, but he has been working it out of a discipleship because it was designed to do that. However, on the other side of the coin, I work it because I mismanaged my life, because I allowed things to creep up on me.

Yet those steps work. Just work. They work. They're proven to work. Try it.

And so what my encouragement here is everybody stalls out on four and five. So you got your little post it notes in front of you there. I don't suppose there's any way you can flip through to your vice list by any chance. Well, that's just easy.

That was Blake.

You had the remote, man. I'm sitting here. You should never have said anything. Thanks, Blake. Appreciate it.

Up here is a list. There's more to them. There's so much more. And I could be up here for a full week nonstop talking about this. Alcoholism, my alcoholism is just a symptom of what I deal with.

That is how I self medicated the issues that I was dealing with. This is my problem. Guess what? Every single one of you have the same problems. I forgot to ask if anybody's wearing steel toe shoes today because I go around stomping on feet all the time.

But it's true. Here's your opportunity right here and now. We're gonna step for this. Make a moral, fearless fearless list of the things that you deal with. And I'm just gonna ask you to pick out one.

It doesn't even need to be the top one. It doesn't need to be the darkest one.

You can hide it if

you wanna write it, but write it down. Do not put your name, if you wanna put your name. I don't really care. Fine. Whatever.

I put my name. Write down whatever it is. If you need the list, fine. Great. You're doing better than most.

But I could probably guess that you know exactly because I've been praying for you the whole week saying that God would raise to the surface like cream on milk, raise to the surface the things that you have been dealing with that you know is driving a wedge between you and him. Write it down. Fold it up. Ushers, you're get your steps in today. Come on up.

We still got a whole another service after this too. Come on up. Grab grab the offering plates, if you don't mind. Fold them up. Pass them around.

Put them in the offering plates. I'm gonna be praying for these. This is your step four. Your step five is actually delving into and explaining what the exact nature of those wrongs are. That takes time, takes prayer, takes courage.

There's a reason why in Joshua, the very, very first chapter, God tells Joshua nine times, be strong and courageous. I'm begging you guys to do the same. Begging you for your family. I'm begging you for your community. But more than anything, I'm begging you for yourself because I live in a world right now that allows me to fully say I am thankful and blessed that I'm an alcoholic.

Because the man that I was before that was a petulant child who knew nothing of what struggle was. Because it was easy to drink. I was blacked out for majority of it. My wife had to actually endure endure majority of it. I know.

I'm I'm working on it. My wife had to be awake for all of the nastiness. I didn't. Where is courage in that? Courage is to go to her.

I literally had to go to her and ask her, had I ever hit you? Because I wouldn't have remembered. Luckily, I had not. Assuming she was being honest. That sucks to have to go and ask somebody that.

But I'm here now. I get to stand in front of every single one of you and explain to you how very, very easy terms, and this surmises all of it, that it's not you that does anything. All of those pieces of paper that you wrote onto, you want delivered from it? Stop doing it yourself. How do we win a battle?

How did how did Joshua win the battle against Amalek when they first got across the Jordan? Moses went on top of the mountain. He raised his hands even to the extent where Aaron and Ben had to prop him up, and they said that as long as your hands are raised, you will win. And and he tested it. You guys kept your hands up.

Oh, y'all know who put your hands down. Y'all Mhmm. Need some battle. Go ahead and set them right there. Thank you.

Battle through worship. Battle on your knees. Battle through surrender. Organically, read your word. If you only knew who I was, you would ask me for a drink.

If you only knew. Thank you guys so much. I'm gonna be praying for every single one of these.

Would you all stand with us? I got one more song that I don't think we ought to skip.

There's peace that outlasts darkness. Let's sing. There's that outlasts darkness. There's hope that's in your blood. There's future grace that's mine today.

That Jesus Christ is mine. I can face tomorrow. I can face tomorrow. For tomorrow's in your hands. All I need you will provide just like you've always had.

I'm fighting We know how the story ends. We

will be with you again

you're my savior my defense

Alright. And as a benediction today from Colossians three seventeen is this, and whatever it is that y'all do, whether it's in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Lord, would you go with us this week and spread your love, your grace, your mercy, your forgiveness, and your healing throughout this community and into the uttermost parts. Amen. Amen.

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12 Steps Addiction Alcoholism Recovery Confession Making Amends Spiritual Awakening

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