Thought for the Day

San Antonio Light

Thought for the day: “The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.”
BENJAMIN DISRAELI

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When I was eleven years old we lived in San Antonio, Texas. What a wonderful place for a young boy to live. The warmer climate allowed for an abundance of wildlife, which actually lived right in the city. There were horned toads, all kinds of snakes, frogs and toads, tarantula’s and scorpions, doves, crows, ravens and crackles, armadillo’s, coons, skunks and rabbits. Everyday was a real adventure for me turning over rocks and exploring the wonders of God’s creation. But where I learned the most was delivering papers. I had a paper route with the San Antonio Light from the time I was eleven until I was thirteen. Every afternoon and Sunday morning I would deliver the paper. It took about two hours a day seven days a week. At the end of the month I would get about thirty-five dollars which made it all worth the while. I can remember every Saturday going downtown on the bus and taking a guitar lesson, which I paid for myself. I also bought my first guitar and amp by myself. What I see now, is that I was learning to do a daily routine regardless of the circumstances. Later on in my twenties I made some decisions in which I was only thinking of myself, and this led to thirty years of substance abuse and self-centeredness. Today in my daily time of devotion and staying sober one day at a time, I draw upon my paper route experience of doing one thing everyday, and trying to do it well. By the grace of God I don’t have to live the way I used to. I am grateful, today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……………………JRE



“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, not anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

ROMANS 8:38-39 NIV

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SEGMENTS OF SOLITUDE

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.

Psalm 62:5

Henri Nouwen called solitude……”the furnace of transformation.” This doesn’t refer to mere personal privacy for a twelve-second pit stop where we get a quick fix to reenter the race. It’s more than that. It’s an oasis of the soul where we see ourselves, others, and especially our God in new ways. It’s where much of the “clutter” of life is identified and exterminated, thanks to the merciless heat of the “furnace.” Soul surgery transpires as serenity replaces anxiety.

In solitude, struggles occur that no one else knows about. Inner battles are fought here that seldom become fodder for sermons or illustrations for books. God, who probes our deepest thoughts during protracted segments of solitude, opens our eyes to things that need attention. It is here He makes us aware of those things we try to hide from others.

CHARLES SWINDOLL………..Intimacy with the Almighty

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“The essence of all growth is a willingness to change for the better and then an unremitting willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility this entails. BILL W. A.A. Grapevine, July 1965

Cracked Earthen Vessel

Thought for the day: “We honor God when we honor one another.”

Our Daily Bread

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Paul writing to the church at Corinth (2 Cor. 4:7) tells them that when we know God and have God living in our hearts, we have a treasure that is kept in clay pots, or jars of clay, or earthen vessels. When Paul wrote this they did not have security boxes as we do today. If a person had some type of treasure that they wanted to keep from being tarnished, they would put it in a clay pot and seal it up. Likewise our bodies are made up of the elements of the earth, “jars of clay,” and the treasure we have on the inside is the Spirit of God. The Spirit does not just appear in our lives but must be invited to come in, and to live with us. I have found that the bigger my ego and self-centeredness, the lesser the Spirit God is manifest. May I learn to listen to the still small voice that speaks within. As our self-centeredness is crushed cracks appear in our clay pots, which let the light of God’s Spirit shine out. We become “crack pots” for God. I am so grateful that God is able to use the flaws in my life to show me of His great love, and to demonstrate the Power of the Spirit. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………………….JRE



“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us and eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

2 CORINTHIANS 4:16-18 NIV

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……….we are actually to practice a genuine humility. This is to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us; that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation of Him who presides over us all.

BILL W. A.A. 12X12 page 192

Study long.....

Thought for the Day: “This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge keeps his wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well.”

Francis Bacon

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Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 NIV



How hard it is for me to just be still and communicate with God. As I look out my window this morning I see peace, the sun is shining, the leaves on the large maple are a beautiful yellow and are floating to the ground as the wind gently blows. The birds are feeding in the feeder and seem to be enjoying the warm fall weather. It is hard for me to shut down what is going on inside and join in with the peace of God and God’s creations. I am learning that sometimes what’s going on inside of me is really not as important as I make it out to be. As I think back to last week, last month and even a year ago, the anxieties and concerns that I had seemed so important then, and today they don’t pull too much weight in my mind. So why not just take some time to be still, and be one with God. I was a professional tree trimmer in Kansas City for 15 years. When trimming trees we did not climb the tree more than once. While in the tree we had to make decisions about limbs as weather to leave them or cut them out. We had a saying that I still use today at times, “When you study long, you study wrong; when in doubt, cut it out!” Today I am learning not to study long over any situations that cause anxiety and doubt, these too shall pass by next week, next month, and surely by next year. I am so grateful to be learning to live life one day at a time, and for the stillness that allows God to speak. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………..JRE

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God always educates us down to the scruple. Is my ear so keen to hear the tiniest whisper of the Spirit that I know what I should do? “Grieve not the Holy Spirit.” He does not come with a voice like thunder; His voice is so gentle that it is easy to ignore it. The one thing that keeps the conscience sensitive to Him is the continual habit of being open to God on the inside. When there is any debate, quit. “Why shouldn’t I do this?” You are on the wrong track. There is no debate possible when conscience speaks. At your peril, you allow one thing to obscure your inner communion with God. Drop it, whatever it is, and see that you keep your inner vision clear.

OSWALD CHAMBERS

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As long as we place self-reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God’s will was missing.

BILL W………..A.A. 12X12 page 72

Casting bread

Thought for the day: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.” ECCLESIASTES 11:1 NIV



Just what does this mean? In reality if you throw bread on the water it will be eaten by ducks, fish, insects, or just get soggy and dissolve. I don’t think that Solomon was thinking about feeding the ducks at the city park when he wrote this. I think that he was referring to bread as being the substances of our life, our prosperity, and our time. When we hold on to things too tightly we don’t allow them to be used by others and God. The farmer has to take a chance and put his seed in the ground. Sacks of seed sitting in the barn won’t bring the harvest. The Dake Bible says, “This is universally taken as an _expression meaning blessings will be returned to one who is generous and hospitable.” In AA we have a saying, “In order to keep what you’ve got, you’ve got to give it away.” And so it is, when I am willing to share of my experience, strength, and hope. I have renewed positive experiences, more strength, and hopes and dreams that become real in my life. After many days, I am finding my bread again and again. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………JRE

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KEEP TO THE QUEST

Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. PROVERBS 4:5



All of us are surrounded by and benefit from the results of someone’s quest. Let me name a few:

Above my head is a bright electric light. Thanks, Tom.

On my nose are eyeglasses that enable me to focus. Thanks, Ben.

In my driveway is a car ready to take me wherever I choose to steer it. Thanks, Henry.

Across my shelves are books full of interesting and carefully researched pages. Thanks, authors.

My list could go on and on. So could yours.

Because some cared enough to dream, to pursue, to follow through and complete their quest, our lives are more comfortable, more stable.

That’s enough to spur me on. How about you?

…….Day by Day with Charles Swindoll…….

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We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us. But it is clear that we made our own misery. God didn’t do it. Avoid then the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 133

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There are two churches that need prayer, God knows where they are. Please pray. Thanks for allowing me to share………..JRE

Three Strands

Thought for the day: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

ECCLESIASTES 4:12

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When I read the verse that Solomon wrote of how a cord of three strands cannot be quickly broken, I am reminded of a verse from the Prophet Isaiah which says that “they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40:31) In some English versions the word “wait” is used, but in the Hebrew the word “qavah” can be found which means to bind together by twisting, and to gather together. How differently I view that verse when I think of myself being renewed in strength by being woven together with a loving God. And then when I have someone who will agree in prayer with me, we make up a cord of three strands, which cannot be easily broken. How awesome it is to be part of and wear a piece of clothing made up of cords of three strands. It will not wear out and is renewed daily by prayer. I am so grateful for friends who agree in prayer together. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…JRE

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Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. JAMES 5:16 NKJV



AA Step 5: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.



Our isolated, me-centered society has developed a strong repugnance for the word accountability. We no longer want to be accountable to and for our families, our community, or even ourselves. Although the idea of accountability is out of vogue, the Bible has much to say about it.

God says we are not only accountable to Him, but we are accountable to other Christians as well. And far from being an odious burden, this is, in fact, a major source of joy and healing.

When we find the courage to acknowledge our wrongs to a fellow believer, we open ourselves to a new energy and capacity to change our lives. Our confession actually strengthens our commitment toward spiritual growth since we now have a companion interceding in prayer for us, encouraging and sharing with us. And even though we may have times of weakness when we fall back into our old ways, we will also have the love and support of God and our fellow believers to pick us up and help us back onto the path of life.

NELSON SERENITY BIBLE page 330

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Want to see a miracle? Plant a word of love heart deep in a person’s life. Nurture it with a smile and a prayer, and watch what happens.

MAX LUCADO

My little Sister

Thought for the day: “Thou hast touched me and I have been transformed into thy peace.” St. Augustine

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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

EPHESIANS 1:3-6 NIV



Tomorrow is my sisters birthday. Happy birthday Susan. I remember the first time I saw her, I was five years old. Our parents were part of the military occupation forces that were stationed in Germany after world war two. As I recall, we lived in the upstairs section of a large home. Other Americans lived in the down stairs part. There was a big yard with a tall wall around it. We had a big Doberman Pinscher that stayed chained to the front of the house, and I’ve heard my parents say that he did not like anyone who was not in uniform. He did like me so I must have been an exception. Anyway, I was playing down the street when all of a sudden our German maid came and told me that I had to come home. I remember that I did not want to stop playing, so she picked me up, put me under her arm like a loaf of bread, and carried me home. When I got home to my surprise I had a baby sister. Our farther worked at the Army medical dispensary, and Susan had been born that day. She was a gift from God to our family. Susan is adopted and is the only other sibling I have. We never hid the fact that she was adopted, and always told her that she was special to us. And she was, she was my baby sister, and I was not alone as a child. The unconditional love that was taught to my family by our grandparents was demonstrated in Susan and many other family members who were and are special to us. We have all been treated the same, with love. What memories we have growing up together and all being part of the family. I know what adoption is about. I know how it feels to be special. Jesus came as a Jew and came first to the Jews. After the cross and the work that was finished there, any who believe in Jesus are adopted into the family of God……we are also special. I am grateful for a loving God, and a loving family. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………………JRE

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ROOTS OF REALITY

“Moments of perception can build into a lifetime of spiritual serenity, as I have excellent reason to know. Roots of reality, supplant the neurotic underbrush, will hold fast despite the high winds of the forces which would destroy us, or which we would use to destroy ourselves.”

BILL W. a letter dated 1949

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Thanks for letting me share my experience, strength and hope. May God bless you today…………..Jerry

One blessing after another

Thought for the day: “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” JOHN 1:16 NIV



How could I have missed this verse? It’s sandwiched between two verses, the first speaking of John the Baptist and his testimony of Jesus. The other speaking of the law and Moses, and grace and truth by Jesus Christ. Some how over the years I’ve read along and picked up on the important names, and missed this gem tucked and folded into the words. How easy it is to miss the little things that speak to us of great and wonderful works coming from the grace of God. May I be reminded today as I look at the changing of the seasons and all the colors that are displayed, that to partake and to enjoy it all is a gift of grace from God. By grace I have been given another chance, one that I did not deserve. I am grateful for my sobriety and others who share with me daily as we all encourage one another on this journey. It is by grace that we receive “one blessing after another.” How could I have over looked this? Today it spoke to me, and today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE

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THE SHELTERING TREE OF FRIENDSHIP

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

The poet Samuel Coleridge once described friendship as “a sheltering tree.” When you have this quality, the branches of your friendship reach out over the lives of others, giving them shelter, shade, rest, relief, and encouragement.

Friends give comfort. We find strength near them. They bear fruit that provides nourishment and encouragement. When something troublesome occurs in our life, we pick up the phone and call a friend, needing the comfort he or she provides. I think there are few things more lonely than having no friend to call. Friends also care enough about us to hold us accountable…but we never doubt their love or respect.

CHARLES SWINDOLL…………….Hope Again

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Those of us who have come to make regular use of prayer would no more do without it than we would refuse air, food, or sunshine. And for the same reason. When we refuse air, light, or food, the body suffers. And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of vitally needed support.

BILL W. AA 12X12 page 97

Troublems

Thought for the day: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

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“Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help and he will say: here I am. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk.” Isaiah 58:9 NIV



Here is another promise of God that hinges on a condition. God will answer our cry for help, but we must stop pointing the finger at others, and blaming them for our troublems (new word created by my cousin Margaret). For years in my life I complained about my existence and my portion that had been given me. I blamed everyone and everything. I blamed my parents, teachers, the town, my friends, ones that were not my friends, the police, the army, the war, drugs, alcohol, my job, my lack of a job, and on and on. I blamed all except myself, and the choices I had mad on my own. Not that I wasn’t right in blaming others for some of my troublems, it’s just that God could not help me while I was consumed with my self-centered, self-pity life style. Poor me, poor me……..pour me another one. You can’t reach out and point at someone or something, and reach up for help at the same time. I was drowning in a sea of self-pity, and when I reached out for help, to what I thought was a flimsy reed on the shore, it turned out to be the strong hand of God (from the Big Book of AA). I still find myself pointing fingers at times today, but I try and realize that when I do I have to let go of God to point at others. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………..JRE

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If god is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

The question is not simply, “Who can be against us?” You could answer that one. Who is against you? Disease, inflation, corruption, exhaustion. Calamities confront, and fears imprison. Were Pauls question, “Who can be against us?” we could list our foes much easier than we could fight them. But that is not the question. The question is, if GOD IS FOR US, who can be against us?

God is for you. Your parents may have forgotten you, your teachers may have neglected you, your siblings my be ashamed of you; but within reach of your prayers is the maker of the oceans. God!

MAX LUCADO…………….In the Grip of Grace

----One-Way---->

Thought for the day: “The worship most acceptable to God comes from a thankful and cheerful heart.” Plutarch
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Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

Paul knew what he was talking about when he wrote this to the church at Corinth. He knew from experience. You see, Paul had been loved by the church at a time when he knew that he did not deserve love. Before Paul came to see the love of Jesus Christ work in his life, he persecuted and prosecuted the church. Paul was on the committee and was responsible for the deaths of many of the followers of Jesus. Paul had zeal for his work, and was good at what he did. When God finally got his attention, and had him on his knees, it was the church that took him in and cared for him in his hour of brokenness. Unconditional, one-way love was at work. Love never fails. I too, like many others have experienced unconditional one-way love. Living my life just for myself, and “doing it my way,” led to a painful existence of brokenness. I thank God for grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends and people I didn’t even know, that were there to help pick up the pieces. These people gave of their love not expecting anything in return. Their love did not fail. You can take that promise to the bank! Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………..JRE

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TRUST GOD FOR THE NEXT STEP

The mind of a man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

PROVERBS 16:9

Let me pass along an old motto of mind. It’s guided me for well over thirty years and remains as appropriate now as the day it first slapped me alongside the head.

I try, I fail.

I trust, He succeeds!

Isn’t that true? What simple counsel. Only eight words, yet how profound. Bottom line: If you are moving in the energy of the flesh, you’re doomed to fail. The old hymn says it well: “The arm of flesh will fail you, you cannot trust your own.”……. But when you trust the Lord God to give you the next step, when you wait in humility upon Him, He will open the doors or close them, and you’ll get to rest and relax until He says, “Go.”

CHARLES SWINDOLL……….Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication

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I try to hold fast to the truth that a full and thankful heart cannot entertain great conceits. When brimming with gratitude, one’s heartbeat must surely result in outgoing love, the finest emotion that we can ever know.

BILL W. Grapevine, March 1962

Rest upon the Lord

Thought for the day: “Real generosity toward the future consists in giving all to what is present.” ALBERT CAMUS
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Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37:4-6 NKJV

The Hebrew word that David used for commit is “galal” which means to “to roll upon” or “to repose upon,” which means to rest upon as you would on a bed. Not only are we to commit ourselves to the LORD, but we are to rest upon the commitment that we make. We make the decision in our heart to commit to God, and then we are able to rest knowing that we have made the right decision. There is no doubt as to whether we have made a good decision, we know. This Scripture contains a promise from God. If we commit our lives to the LORD, the desires of our heart will be given to us. This has been proven in my life. Five years ago when I recommitted my life to God, my existence was bleak to say the least. Today I have some serenity, which is most dear to me, and also some comfort in material things that I did not have before. I rest comfortably with my decision to commit my everyday life to God. Some where in the AA Big Book it says that spiritual progress always precedes material progress. I stand upon this truth. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………………..JRE
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The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand. Psalm 37:23-24 NKJV

Step 7: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
The Psalmist David reminds us that “the steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD.” In modern recovery language we echo his words when we pray, “Let go, and let God.” The orderliness of our steps is determined by our willingness to humbly surrender to God’s guidance.
Perhaps the most serious challenge we confront in day-to-day recovery is that long-established pattern of destructive reliance on people and things to function as gods in our lives. Each day we choose who will be Lord of our lives. Will our direction come from the dictates of our old, false dependencies, or will it come from the one true God?
As we seek God’s order with a spirit of humility, we encounter not only the elimination of our most conspicuous shortcomings, but also we encounter His sustaining hand, outstretched to uphold us for eternity.
NELSON SERENITY BIBLE page 409
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“The willingness to grow is the essence of all spiritual development.”
BILL W. a letter dated 1955

Spiritual Food

Thought for the day: “Your life is God’s gift to you, what you do with your life is your gift to God.”
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As Jesus traveled about from town to town, He declared the Good News of the kingdom of God. In his ministry there were many who traveled with him, there were the twelve plus many more men and women who helped by supporting out of their own pockets. As the Word traveled from town to town about Jesus and his ministry, large crowds gathered to see and hear him speak. Jesus spoke to the people many times by using parables, in which he taught of spiritual truths by using earthly examples. It was how you listened to what was said, as to whether or not you received the spiritual teaching. And so it is today, it is how we listen, that is important in receiving spiritual food from God. When we listen with the heart, we receive again and again. When we listen with the head, it goes in one ear and out the other. About a week ago I had lunch with my sponsor, and as we met I asked how he was doing. He said that he had one thing that he had been thinking about, and this was to listen. I was humbled by his kind act of service, and learned more from hearing the one word “listen” than by the rest of our conversation. May I keep the ears of my heart open to others so that God may speak to me. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……………………JRE

Words of Jesus: “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.” Luke 8:16-18 NIV
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FREEDOM TO CHOOSE
Looking back, we see that our freedom to choose badly was not, after all, a very real freedom. When we chose because we “must,” this was not a free choice, either. But it got us started in the right direction.
When we chose because we “ought to,” we were really doing better. This time we were earning some freedom, making ourselves ready for more. But when, now and then, we could gladly make right choices without rebellion, hold-out, or conflict, then we had our first view of what perfect freedom under God’s will could be like.
BILL W. Grapevine, May 1960

A New Way Of Thinking

Thought for the day: “God enters by a private door into every individual.”
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
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There were many of the ruling class in Israel that believed Jesus, but were afraid to speak of Him openly because of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were the religious leaders of the day. Their beliefs were centered around the many religious laws, good works, and public displays of their own self-righteousness. With all the do’s and don’ts they had to observe, there was very little true spiritual light entering their lives. Jesus was sent by the Father to light the way of faith. Man could now know God on a one to one basis. It was not what you did, or did not do, that made this possible, but what you believed. A new way of thinking. Today I can apply the principles of faith living to all aspect of my life. Trying to work things out on my own never brought me very much success, but when I turned to a power greater than myself whom I choose to call God, success was attainable on a daily basis. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………..JRE

Words of Jesus: “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46 NKJV
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Step 2: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
If as a child, you had been hidden away in the dark recesses of a cave, it is possible that you could have grown to maturity never having seen the light or observed yourself in that light. Because you had always dwelt in darkness, the light and what it revealed would be foreign and incomprehensible.
In somewhat the same sense, those of us who have struggled with disabling conditions since childhood, may actually be totally unaware of the extent of our problems. Because of our traumatic childhood experiences, we may be defiant, resentful, self-deluded, or overcontrolling without ever realizing it.
When we come to the light of God’s Power and Love, we no longer have to abide in that crippling darkness. In the light of His Love we can accept ourselves as we truly are, and then in the light of His Power we can walk out of the darkness for eternity.
NELSON SERENITY BIBLE……….page 151
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……we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest, or self-seeking motives.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 86

Thought for the day: “The sound of laughter has always seemed to me the most civilized music in the universe.” PETER USTINOV
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Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 NIV

I’ve heard it said that in Scripture when you run across the word “therefore” you should stop, back up a verse and see what it is “there for.” In the Scripture preceding this verse, Jesus speaks of our priorities (“Seek ye first the kingdom”). If we put first in our lives the One who provides all we have, and all we ever needed, then we need not worry about tomorrow. Scripture does not speak of not being prepared for tomorrow, but speaks about the worry that we sometimes associate with tomorrow. Worry is a form of fear, and is not healthy. In reality all we have time wise, is the here and now. Let us make each instant as peaceable as possible. This Scripture in my life is applied to living “one day at a time.” If I live today with my head in yesterday, I fall backward. If I live today with my head in tomorrow, I fall forward. Either way I fall. May I live today with my head and heart centered on today and on a loving God. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE
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WHO’S IN CHARGE?
Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7
Worry…..makes you forget who’s in charge. And when the focus is on yourself……..you worry. You become anxious about many things. You worry that:
Your co-workers won’t appreciate you.
Your leaders will overwork you.
Your superintendent won’t understand you.
Your congregation won’t support you.
With time, your agenda becomes more important than God’s. Your more concerned with presenting self than pleasing him. And you may even find yourself doubting God’s judgment……
God has gifted you with talents. He has done the same to your neighbor. If you concern yourself with your neighbor’s talents, you neglect yours. But if you concern yourself with yours, you could inspire both.
MAX LUCADO……………He Still Moves Stones
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What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. AA Big Book page 85

Thought for the day: “Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities.” AA Big Book page 85
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A HEART FOR THE TASK
For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
2 CHRONICLES 16:9
God’s choices often seem so illogical from our point of view. We tell ourselves it can be what He really means……….
Would you have singled out a sun-withered, eighty-year-old shepherd to face down one of the mightiest kings in the world? Moses had been out to pasture for forty years. He had completely lost touch with his people. He’d been raising a little family, living with and working for his father-in-law. In four decades the man couldn’t scrape together enough shekels to build a little place of his own. Admit it, doesn’t he seem like a highly unlikely prospect for the job of delivering an entire people from the clutches of a mighty nation?………
God’s eyes roam across the planet to find specific individuals whose hearts are just right for a particular task He has in mind. And when He finds them, watch out! He plunges them into the stream of action, upholding them with His mighty hand.
CHARLES SWINDOLL…..Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication
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How true it is, that if there is a cause, and it is according to God’s will, and there is somebody willing to work. God will supply all the power to that person or persons, and apply it to the situation, to get the job done. During the 1930’s in this country, we were in the grips of a devastating depression that affected most Americans. I was born in 1946, so it had passed by the time I came on the scene. But I can remember my mother and father and everyone else who went through it, speak of how hard it was to survive. During this time many people lost their business and homes, and lives were changed forever. Prohibition had been lifted just before the crash of the stock market, so booze flowed freely. Many were turning to the bottle for relief. And then they would turn to the doctors for relief from the bottle. The medical and psychiatric community did not have much to offer the alcoholic. At best they could only sober them up for a short while, and many returned time and time again to the bottle. Some alcoholics were in recovery with success, but it seemed to happen only after some sort of spiritual experience had taken place in their lives. The problem was spiritual and the answer likewise was spiritual. God looked and saw a couple of drunks who were willing to do the work, and power was given to them to reach out and help someone else. Through the act of helping others they did not drink. God looked upon them and said that if no one else could help them, they must help themselves. And so AA was born. I am so grateful, my help come from a loving God of my understanding, and others who are understanding of me. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……JRE
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Step 12: 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.

Whatever

Thought for the day: “When we speak or act hastily or rashly, the ability to be fair-minded and tolerant evaporates on the spot.”
AA 12X12 page 91
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Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is notable, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is praiseworthy, think about such things. PHILIPPIANS 4:8 NIV

Whatever, whatever, whatever……..sometimes in this day and age, when we ask someone a question you will hear the response, “whatever.” I consider it to be a lame answer for anything important, and shows apathy. The Apostle Paul uses the word well in this Scripture, “whatever is true, notable, lovely, and admirable. Whatever sounds good when hooked up with these words. I need to think on these things today, and also on the quote about speaking hastily and rashly. A couple of years ago I was in the process of building a prayer cabin up on the hill. I started the project about ten years ago and at that time it was just a cabin. I was never able to finish the project because of bad choices in my life and behavior. I had to tear it all down and start over. The second time I built it with Scripture and oil. Today it is beautiful. I anointed with oil, the wood that went up. I wrote Scripture in the walls, floors, and ceiling. I remember that my Christian Brother, and friend Randy Kenyon was visiting, and I asked him to write some Scripture in the walls. He picked a spot above the ceiling and wrote the quote from Paul to the Philippians. It is a reminder to me to think on good things. If I think on good things today, my chances of having a good day are greater……..Today God is doing for me what I could no do for myself…………JRE
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You’re spiritually “grown up” or mature when, through practice, you have trained your senses to discern between good and evil. You’ve practiced walking in the Spirit and renewing your mind to the Word of God until even your mind goes God’s way instead of the worlds way.
KENNETH COPELAND
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Thinking only of myself I trained my mind to think and act certain ways. Now if I want to live, I have to train my mind to think and act differently. This is not easily done. The road used to be very rough and bumpy, it has smoothed out some, I am grateful for another chance. Thanks for letting me share……………JRE

Reflect Inward

Thought for the day: “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.” PROVERBS 16:2-3 NKJV
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I came across this Scripture this morning and it spoke to me of self- examination. In my morning period of devotion, it seems that for the last few months that I have gotten away from “checking in to see what condition my condition was in.” (To quote a song from the sixties) During the warmer weather of spring and summer, with the windows open by my desk, my thoughts seem to venture toward the outside. Thoughts of work that needs to be done like mowing, repairing and painting, gardening, canning, these kind of thoughts seem to preoccupy my mind at the start of the day. I have found that my serenity suffers when I don’t take the time to reflect inward. When I don’t take the time for self-examination. A little glitch in my attitude left unchecked, can grow into a big problem later on in the day. I need to remember to put God first in the day. To say to myself, “Thy will be done, and may I be used by God for good today,” instead of what can I do for myself today. When I put God and others in their proper perspective, all my needs seem to get taken care of. When I look inside myself today I see some self-centeredness. May I expose it to the light God’s Love. I am forgiven………..may I likewise return forgiveness. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……………JRE
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Step 4: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
A plane is equipped with an instrument called an artificial horizon indicator. Although our human senses may become confused in the murky thickness of a cloudbank, the horizon indicator is never fooled. Following its guidance, pilots are able to keep their planes positioned exactly as they should be.
How well this illustration relates to our own natural wisdom compared with God’s heavenly wisdom! All ways seem right to us, but only god can really know what path is best for each of us as we go through the storms of life. Trying to run our own lives is like trying to fly a plane through a cloudbank without a horizon indicator.
As we open our lives, completely and honestly, to God’s scrutiny and begin to accept His direction, we have taken a major step toward righting them and keeping them off a collision course.
NELSON SERENITY BIBLE page 529
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Inventory-taking is not always done in red ink. It’s a poor day indeed when we haven’t done something right. As a matter of fact, the waking hours are usually well filled with things that are constructive. Good intentions, good thoughts, and good acts are there for us to see. Even when we have tried hard and failed, we may chalk that up as one of the greatest credits of all.
BILL W. A.A. 12X12 page 93

Things

Thought for the day: “Today may seem to be the same as yesterday, but you have the opportunity to experience it in an entirely different way.”
Anonymous
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And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV

When I read this Scripture in the past I always interpreted to mean that all “things” work out for good. But having had a brother shed some light on the Scripture I realize that “things” don’t work anything out. God works and that is the bottom line on that Scripture. “Things” happen to us, and when we love God, and put God first in our lives, God can work through these things to cause them to be good. An example of this Scripture working in my own life is found in alcoholism. Being an alcoholic and not living for God is not fun. I was always hurting and always trying to help myself to a better life, but the booze was an anchor and kept me tied down. When out of desperation I had to cut lose from the anchor and reach out for help. God was able to use the painful existence of an alcoholic as a springboard to a new life. God took that and worked it to good. And my alcoholism is still working for good today. By not drinking and using drugs, and listening and sharing with others. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself. I am a grateful alcoholic……JRE
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A LETTER OF JOY
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say rejoice!
Philippians 4:4
Go with me back in history a couple of thousand years. Let’s go to Rome……to a rather drab little room, surrounded by high walls. Inside we see a man seated on the floor. He’s an older fellow, shoulders stooped and balding. Chains are on his hands and feet…..
It is the apostle Paul……The apostle who was bound only by the will of God is now in chains, stuck in a dingy house, attached to a Roman officer.
He’s writing a letter. No doubt it is a complaint letter to God. No doubt it is a list of grievances……He has every reason to be bitter and complain. But he doesn’t. Instead, he writes a letter that two thousand years later is still known as the treatise on joy, Philippians……
Why don’t you spend some time with it?
MAX LUCADO
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When we develop still more, we discover the best possible source of emotional stability to be God Himself. We found that dependence upon His perfect justice forgiveness, and love was healthy, and that it would work where nothing else would. If we really depended upon god, we couldn’t very well play God to our fellows nor would we feel the urge wholly to rely on human protection and care.
BILL W. A.A. 12X12 page 116

Rudders and Bits

Thought for the day: “To live is to be slowly born.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
James 3:3-6 NIV
We can’t take back our words. Once they’re out there, they stay. We can correct what we say, but that is by using more words, and once again they are out there to stay. In my walk of recovery, there are three behaviors that I must keep in the forefront of my mind. One is the attitude of gratitude, another is an attitude of humility, and the third is training my tongue. I fail at each of these daily, but I am learning to recognize when I’m wrong and promptly admit it. I’ve heard it said, that huge ocean liners are turned by a very small rudder. But the truth is that when they turn around, it takes 45 minutes and the scenery never changes. In retraining the tongue it takes some time and the scenery might not change for a while. Even though we can’t see the results, a change is taking place. I am grateful for the book of James, which “tells it like it is.” Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………………….JRE
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GOD TAKES CARE OF YOU
Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. JOSHUA 1:15
Did you know that worry erases the promises of God from your mind. Jesus implies this when He says, “O men of little faith. Do not be anxious then saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?”’ (Matthew 6:31) The promise of God is that He will not allow His children to beg bread. He will care for our needs and that’s the promise you can claim. Since He took care of our greatest need at Calvary by giving us Christ, then you can be sure He will take care of everything else He considers important for us.
CHARLES SWINDOLL………..Perfect Trust
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Human beings are never quite alike, so each of us, when making an inventory, will need to determine what his individual character defects are. Having found the shoes that fit, he ought to step into them and walk with new confidence that he is at last on the right track.
BILL W. A.A. 12X12 page 48

Say what you want

Thought for the day: “From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.”
PROVERBS 18:20 NIV
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You must say what you want. You must speak it either with you tongue, or in your heart. Jesus said you can have what you say, not to say what you have. My favorite Scripture is Mark 11:23-24, where Jesus tells the disciples that when they pray to believe that they have received it (past tense), and it will be yours. It took me years to realize that as long as I spoke of my sickness, my poverty, my loneliness, my drunkenness; as long as I spoke of these I continued to live in them. I try very hard today to speak and think of myself as receiving healing, having serenity, and living in spiritual prosperity. Each day how I view myself, and how I tell myself I am, is the way I am. I am very grateful for Scripture and for the words of others who in their search for a better life, a life of sobriety and serenity, have recorded their success and their failures. These words light my path. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……..JRE
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Words, of the late Dr. Paul, from the AA Big Book page 417 and 419.

“When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer, the problem went away.”
“When I focus on what’s good today, I have a good day, and when I focus on what’s bad, I have a bad day. If I focus on a problem, the problem increases; if I focus on the answer, the answer increases.”
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I must trust God to the best of my ability. This lesson has to be learned. My doubts and fears continually drive me back into the wilderness. Doubts lead me astray, because I am not trusting God. I must trust God’s love. It will never fail me, but I must learn not to fail it by my doubts and fears. We all have much to learn in turning out fear by faith. All our doubts arrest God’s work through us. I must not doubt. I must believe in God and continually work at strengthening my faith.
HAZELDEN……………Twenty-Four Hours A Day
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My sponsors wife always says, “Fear knocked at the door, Faith answered, and there was no one there.” Thanks for letting me share today, may the Presence of God be with you………………..JRE

Cotton fields

Thought for the day: “I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.” MAX LUCADO
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Jesus speaking to his disciples: “Jesus saith unto them, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, there are yet four months , and then cometh the harvest? Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields: for they are white already to harvest.” John 4:34-35 KJV

Saturday myself and four other members of the band ONE FAITH traveled to the town of Kennett Missouri. It is located in the boot heal of Missouri where the eye can see for miles and miles. We passed bean fields, rice paddies, and cotton fields. The cotton fields were white for harvest. Looking out upon the fields it appeared as if it had snowed. We had one small problem on the way down. The right front brakes froze up and began to smoke. Pulling over we surveyed the problem. There was a small automotive shop at the point where we stopped. It was closed. Prayers were offered. Within minutes the owner drove up. He had left his checkbook in his other shirt pocket and returned to retrieve it. He ordered the part, they delivered it and within an hour we were on our way again. When the shop doors opened up the radio came on, tuned to a Christian station. He said it was a good witness. It was very much that to me. Mr. Bowen was middle aged and a very quiet man. He had his grandson with him, a lad of 12 years. I have been in many automobile shops, but this one had a peace about it. The man knew Jesus and it showed. Quietly he repaired the van. His charge was very, very reasonable. We were the ones who received by having been to Bowen’s Automotive. I give God praise for brothers and sisters along the roads we travel in life, who repair or spirits as well as our other needs. To God be the Glory….today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……..JRE
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In praying, our immediate temptation will be to ask for specific solutions to specific problems. And for the ability to help other people as we have already thought they should be helped. In that case, we are asking God to do it our way. Therefore, we ought to consider each request carefully to see what its real merit is.
Even so when making specific request, it will be well to add to each one of them this qualification: “…….if it be Thy will.”
BILL W. A.A.12X12 page 102

Katy Trail

Thought for the day: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” PSALM 42:1 NIV
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Yesterday I had the pleasure of riding my bicycle on the Katy trail. It is a trail that has been made out of an old railroad line. It runs from St. Louis to Clinton Missouri, over 2oo miles. My Pastor and I and another gentleman rode 44.25 miles over a period of seven and a half hours. Today I feel the results of that ride, but it was worth it. We started riding along the fertile river bottomland near a spot named Wilton. The skies were blue and the air was brisk. As the sun climbed higher in the sky the fall temperature became perfect for the ride. There were corn and bean fields for miles. Then the river appeared and we rode along the river bluffs for most of the rest of the day. What an awesome sight, the limestone bluffs towering 200 feet or more above us. We had the mighty river on one side and the bluffs on the other, I felt small as I rode between the two. What an awesome God we serve, who has created heaven and earth, the mighty rivers and the mountains, the fertile valleys and the barren desserts, and still knows the simple pain and joy that I experience each day. I am grateful to have seen some of the big picture yesterday and to know that I am part of that picture. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……………………….JRE
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COMFORTING OTHERS
Comfort each other and edify one another: 1 Thessalonians 5:11
It is an undeniable fact that usually those who have suffered most are best able to comfort others who are passing through suffering. They know what it is to suffer, and they understand more than others what a suffering person is experiencing, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They are able to empathize as well as sympathize with the afflictions of others because of what they have experienced in their own lives.
Our sufferings may be rough and hard to bear, but they teach us to help others. Our attitude toward suffering should not be, “Grit your teeth and bear it,” hoping it will pass as quickly as possible. Rather, our goal should be to learn all we can from what we are called upon to endure, so that we in turn can “comfort each other and edify one another.”
BILLY GRAHAM
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The wise have always known that no one can make much of his life until self-searching becomes a regular habit, until he is able to admit and accept what he finds, and until he patiently and persistently tries to correct what is wrong.
BILL W. A.A. 12X12 page 88