Thought for the Day

Murray

Thought for the day: “The best mirror is an old friend.”
ENGLISH PROVERB

How true this proverb is. I have a friend who is coming to visit today or tomorrow. His name is Murray, and we have been friends for over thirty years. I just can’t pull the wool over Murray’s eyes. I’ve tried at times to appear to Murray as something that I probably wasn’t, and he is able to see through to the truth in me, and never fails to say a kind word and set the record straight. You see, Murray has known me when I was down because of my drinking and drugging. He has known me through numerous recoveries. He has known me when I have been on top, and he has taken me in when I was without. He has known me when my grandchildren were born, and he has been with me when close family members have passed on. He was there to discourage me in my drunkenness, and always there to encourage me in my recovery. Once it was established that I had a drinking problem, he never again enabled me by giving me money, or a ride to get something to drink. We have not always got along because of this, we are still friends, and I love him. Just can’t pull the wool over his eyes. Thanks for letting me share, today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………….JRE
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MOVE ON TO TOMORROW!
Forgetting those things which are behind….I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14

We can all remember instances from our past that prompt the thought of how different life might have been, “If……..”
“If only this hadn’t happened to me, I could have…….”
“If only my folks had………”
“If only I had the chance………..”
“If………..”
In Christ, it’s time to move on to tomorrow!
That’s the message of the gospel. Our sins have been nailed to the Cross. Everything that would restrict our lives and limit our tomorrows has been cancelled. And what is true of our salvation and forgiveness is equally true of the practical details of our lives.
JACK HAYFORD…………..Taking Hold of Tomorrow
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A.A. Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

“We ask especially for freedom from self-will, and are careful to make no requests for ourselves only. We may ask for ourselves, however if others will be helped. We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends.”
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 87

Great Strength

Thought for the day: “A wise man is strong: yes a man of knowledge increases strength.” PROVERBS 24:5 NKJV

Wisdom is stronger than physical strength, for with it a man can invent labor saving devices that will do the work of thousands.
THE DAKE BIBLE
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People who I have met and admire, and consider to have wisdom, I find also have a quality of humility. And I also find a definite quality of service to others. A wise man is strong, this is true, but where I find a willingness to help others I find a “great strength.” People who are willing to put others first seem to have a renewable strength, and these are the people I admire. This is the kind of strength I am drawn to. The reason must be because they have demonstrated this great strength in extending their love, time, and wisdom toward me, to help me recover from a weakness of self. Jesus Himself refers to this service to others many times in Scripture. When John and James, who were very close to Jesus, came and asked if they could be on His right and left in His glory. Jesus was very clear as to who would be first. He said the greatest would be those who serve others. And so it is in life, the truly great people of strength, have always put their noses to the grind-wheel and helped others. Thanks brother Bill for the sermon yesterday, I needed to hear it. I love you. Today God is doing for me what I could no do for myself…………………JRE

Words of Jesus: “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life a ransom for many.”
MARK 10:42-54 NKJV
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Keep yourself like an empty vessel for God to fill. Keep pouring out yourself to help others so that God can keep filling you up with His Spirit. The more you give, the more you will have for yourself. God will see that you are kept filled as long as you are giving to others. But if you selfishly try to keep all for yourself, you are soon blocked off from God, your source of supply, and you will become stagnant. To be clear, a lake must have an inflow and an outflow.
HAZELDEN……..Twenty-Four Hours A Day
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“A.A. is no success story in the ordinary sense of the word. It is a story of suffering transmuted, under grace, into spiritual progress.”
BILL W. a letter dated 1959

Please remember Jack Swall in your prayers for healing

The mind of Christ

Thought for the day: “God provides the blueprint, the tools, and the power; the rest is up to us.” Anonymous

However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (Isaiah 64:9) but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us………. “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” (Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ
1 CORINTHIANS 2:9-12, 16 NIV
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THE MIND OF CHRIST
The mind of Jerry does some pretty stupid things from time to time. I am trying to remember and learn from my thoughts and feelings what works and what does not work. Sometimes I have to experience a bummed feeling several times before I realize that I have a choice and don’t have to go that way if I choose not. One of my stupid thoughts this week has been some self-pity. I didn’t even realize that I was feeding this feeling with my own mind, and it kept growing. Last night at a meeting there was a reading that dealt with self-pity and it really struck home in the mind of Jerry. That small reading planted a seed that has germinated into healing. When I allow the Spirit of God to bring forth the mind of Christ, my self-pity vanishes. The mind of Christ is about compassion and love for our fellow man. The Mind of Christ is not about poor-me but about the poor. The mind of Christ looks beyond my circumstances and looks to help others beyond their circumstances. I am grateful today for the mind of Christ, and I realize even more that God is doing for me, what I could not do for myself. Thanks for letting me share……………….JRE
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HUMBLED BY GOD’S LOVE
I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit. ISAIAH 57:15

There is nothing more humbling than discovering how deeply we are loved.
I’m persuaded that true humility lies in our (1) receiving simply God’s high purpose, (2) living it in his will, and (3) serving the interest of others.
God has created us in his image.
He has redeemed us at the inestimable price of Christ’s blood.
He has poured the treasure of His Holy Spirit into our lives.
With all that investment, it’s no small wonder He declares His will to do great and marvelous things with each of us!
JACK HAYFORD………..Taking Hold of Tomorrow

MERRY CHRISTMAS
Your gift to me has been to allow me to share this page with you. By starting my day with thoughts of sobriety, service, and gratitude, I have continued on the path. At times it has been bumpy, but my family and friends have encouraged me all along the way, and my vision has not strayed. My gift to you is in sharing a Loving God, who will never leave us or forsake us. My gift to myself, is not having to drink or use today. God’s gift to us is His love and compassion. Thank you very much, today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………JRE

Thought for the day: “He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has.” PROVERBS 19:17 NKJV

“To have the opportunity of lending to the Lord is a great privilege in life and yet few take advantage of it. The poor we have always and in all places so the opportunity is everywhere and at all times present. Think of it! God Himself becomes debtor for everything given to the poor! How much will you advance God on this basis? God will pay it again, in no case has he ever failed to do so. THE DAKE BIBLE

“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7

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. …..AA Grapevine, July 1965

Give us a new song

Thought for the day: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about it’s own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” MATTHEW 6:34 NKJV
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GOD WITH US
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. ISAIAH 7:14

I never come to Christmas without thinking of the thousands of people who are lonely and troubled at this time of year. I have had psychiatrists tell me their schedules are overloaded with people who find the Christmas season almost more than they can bear because of their loneliness and isolation.
Christmas is God’s reminder that we are not alone. God revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus a reconciling love that rescues us from separation and loneliness. We are not alone; God has come down from Heaven to tell us He loves us!
At this Christmas season you can be assured that Jesus Christ is here. He is here to give us hope, to forgive our sins, to give us a new song, to impart faith, and to heal our spiritual wounds if only we will let Him.
The Christmas message has not changed after two thousand years. Christmas still reminds us that God is with us. If you are lonely this Christmas, welcome Christ into your life. Then ask Him to help you reach out to someone else who is lonely, and show that person His love.
BILLY GRAHAM
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This Christmas I am not isolated, I am not alone. There have been times in my life when the joy of the Christmas season seemed to be for others and not myself. Because of my addictions I always wound down right before Christmas and was in no mood for company, and to tell you the truth because of my behaviors, I was not asked to join in the celebration. This year by the grace of God, and the programs of AA and NA in my life, I will enjoy the fellowship of others. It is good to be accepted by my friends and family again. I did not and could not do this alone and isolated. It was only by the grace of a loving God, family, and friends, who reached out when I was down to help me up. I am so grateful. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………..JRE
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AT PEACE WITH LIFE
Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all our activities. “How can I best serve Thee, Thy will (not mine) be done.”
Alcoholics Anonymous page 85

I read this passage each morning to start off my day, because it is a continual reminder to “practice these principles in all my affairs.” When I keep God’s will at the forefront of my mind, I am able to do what I should be doing, and that puts me at peace with life, with myself and with God.
A.A.’s Daily Reflections page 368

Santa in a suitcase

Thought for the day: “A man who has friends must himself be friendly. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
PROVERBS 18:24 NKJV
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The birth of Jesus was known through out the Mid-east and the East in the early childhood days of Jesus. Wise men, how many it really doesn’t say, saw a sign in a star and came to Jerusalem from the East. They inquired of the Jewish king Harod, and he did not know of Jesus so they continued to follow the star to the home of Joseph and Mary. Jesus could have been two years old at the time. After the appearance of the wise men, King Harod in some insane act had all the male children of two years and younger killed. The wise men brought gifts one of which was gold. I am sure that the gold helped finance the family in their trip to Egypt to save the life of their child, Jesus. Just as the birth of Jesus was acknowledged by many then, today His birth is still acknowledged through out the world.
I remember the first time I realized that Christmas was not just an American celebration. It was the fall of 1954 and my father who was in the Army received orders to be stationed in Paris France. I was eight years old at the time and my sister had just turned three. Just so happened the date of our departure was Christmas eve. We left New York City, in a military plane for Paris. We arrived in Paris on Christmas Day. We went to a hotel and our parents had my sister and I go into the bathroom and stay while Santa, who was in a suitcase, could visit. I remember taking some toy I got and going outside the hotel to the street and playing. There I met a French boy about my same age, and even though we couldn’t speak each others language, we still communicated as children do without words. One thing we both knew and communicated was the fact that it was Christmas. Christmas all over the world. Whether you believe it or not, one fact remains, and that is that the birth of Jesus changed the whole world. Search the Word, find this greater Love for yourself. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE

“For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we reglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.”
HEBREWS 2:2-3 NKJV
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A deep gratitude to the Higher Power for all the blessings which we have and which we don’t deserve has come to us. We thank God and mean it. Then comes service to other people, out of gratitude for what we have received. This entails some sacrifice of ourselves and our own affairs. But we are glad to do it. Gratitude, service, and then sacrifice are the steps that lead to good A.A. work. They open the door to a new life for us.
HAZELDEN…….Twenty-Four Hours A Day

Invisible

Thought for the day: “Let me tell thee, time is a very precious gift of God; so precious that it’s only given to us moment by moment.”
AMELIA BARR
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Words of Jesus, taken from Matthew 18:4 NKJV.

“Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

I spent my whole life trying to be grown up, and knew that the reason for some of my problems were my childish behaviors. In my 50’s I reached a point where I don’t want to be a child anymore. I am not proud of the fact that I lived a childish life way past my childhood and adolescence. I suffered much pain and heartache because of self-centered child like thoughts and behaviors. But here I am on the road to recovery one day at a time, moment by moment. And I am learning that I need to be as a humble child. This should be easy for me since I spent most of my life as an adult child. My stumbling block is this thing called humility. When I try and live a humble life, I find I can’t. Because of the intentional effort made by myself what comes out is a false sense of humility. Humble people don’t act humble, they just are. Humble people say and tell you they are humble, they just are. I find true humility to be invisible. You don’t even know it’s there until afterwards. May I learn to have an invisible attitude of humility, today. Thanks for letting me share. Today, God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………JRE
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Step Seven: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

Childhood is a time of special innocence. Not yet acquiring adult defense mechanisms and emotional shields, children respond to their world with delightful honesty and spontaneity. Unfortunately, their openness also leaves them vulnerable to abuse from the outside, and often, the most damaging abuses are inflicted by other family members. Therefore, when Jesus tells us we must become as little children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (a new spiritual way of living), some of us may find this very difficult. In fact, those earliest violations may be the root of many of our present shortcomings and defects of character. It takes both humility and courage for adult children of abuse to take the first step of trust.
Yet, if we will embark on this walk of faith, coming humbly before God as His children, He is faithful to take away our shortcomings and to begin to build the kingdom of heaven within us.
NELSON SERENITY BIBLE page 28

“See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others. This is the Great Fact for us.” ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 164

Never out of range

Thought for the day: “Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.” PSALM 25:7 NIV
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God created all things for His own pleasure and glory, and that He might make Himself known by manifesting His goodness. It is, therefore, proper to use this as the basis of answered prayer. THE DAKE BIBLE
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Did you ever feel like you weren’t good enough to deserve answers to your prayers? Did you ever feel like you’ve been out of touch with God too long and the distance has grown? Guess what? You can’t be “good” enough to earn God’s love. It is a gift called grace. And it was given to us at the cross, by a loving God who knew there was nothing we could do to earn it. We must be willing to receive the gift, otherwise all we can do is know of it. And even though when at time I have walked my own way, my own direction, by myself. I never walked out of range of God. Only in my own mind did I think that I had traveled out of range. As soon as I realized I needed help and turned back, God was right there. I understand how David the psalmist felt when he asked of God not to remember the sins of his youth and his rebellious ways. David and I, and many others can relate to this. God, “according to you love remember me.” Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself….this… is grace…….JRE
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THE STAFF OF LIFE
Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

The Bible isn’t just another great book. It is God’s Word, given by God to tell us about Himself.
Peter declared, “We did not follow cunningly devised fables….for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:16, 21). Paul stressed, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).
I have known many outstanding leaders who made the Bible their guide. Businessman Herbert J. Taylor, former president of Rotary International, told me he began each day by reading the Sermon on the Mount aloud.
Let the Bible be your firm foundation. Let it be the staff of the life that nourishes your soul. Let it be the sword of the Spirit that cuts away sin. Many years ago I heard these words: “Sin will keep you from God’s Word, or God’s Word will keep you from sin!”
BILLY GRAHAM
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Acceptance and faith are capable of producing 100 percent sobriety. In fact, they usually do; and they must, else we could have no life at all. But the moment we carry these attitudes into our emotional problems, we find that only relative results are possible. Nobody can, for example, become completely free from fear, anger and pride.
Hence, in this life we shall attain nothing like perfect humility and love. So we shall have to settle, respecting most of our problems, for a very gradual progress, punctuated sometimes by heavy setbacks. Our oldtime attitude of “all or nothing” will have to be abandoned.
BILL W. Grapevine, March 1962

I will that I will

Thought for the day: “Circumstances do not make the man; they merely reveal him to himself. – Epictetus
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For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
ROMANS 7:18-20 NKJV

These verses of Scripture have always baffled me. Some days I don’t understand them at all, and other times when I read them they are clear as a bell. The apostle Paul is describing the battle that goes on inside all of us. If we don’t surrender to a Higher Power whom I choose to call God, then our self-will will run rampant. We have a democracy going on inside us at all times. Which ever side gets the most votes wins. We have the will power to go this way or that, what ever we choose. In my life, the freedom to choose, lead to many hardships and heartbreaks. Paul says, “how to perform what is good I do not find.” And how true this is. I was doing what I did not want to do. I could not break the chains I had locked myself in alone. I needed help. Help was there all the time, but I needed to ask, reach out and accept the gifts. Today I am grateful that I cannot do this on my own. I am blessed with support groups that mean very much to me. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……….JRE
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Step One: We admitted we were powerless over our dependencies, that Our lives had become unmanageable.

Two indicators of addiction are the gradual loss of identity and the progressive violation of one’s own values in the practice of addiction. The gospel describes these addiction symptoms in the following terms: “It is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (v. 20).
In assessing the presence of addiction and codependencies, we frequently ask the following simple diagnostic question: Is the dog wagging the tail, or is the tail wagging the dog? For example, the conscientious workaholic may have strong values concerning the primacy of home and family life. However, as workaholism progresses, the workaholic does violence to those by diverting increasing amounts of time and energy into work pursuits. The tail is now wagging the dog.
A universal warning sign of all addictions is the frightening recognition that I have begun to “do what I will not to do.” This recognition is the beginning of the awareness of powerlessness and can be used by God as the beginning of the end of the addiction
NELSON SERENITY BIBLE page 217
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Lord, this day give me the most supreme absorption in Thee, such deflections, such leakages! I would return home to Thee, living again the life of entire dependence on Thee.
OSWALD CHAMBERS

Freely

Thought for the day: “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” PROVERBS 11:24 NIV

I came across this Scripture this morning and since this is the season of giving, I am using it today. A few months back I used it as a thought, but today it seems fit for the season. Upon first reading this Scripture I think of family, friends, children, gifts, money, service work, visiting the sick and the ones that are shut in. Just giving in general. But when I look at this Scripture more closely, I find it speaks to me of more than giving and withholding. It speaks to me of attitude. The words freely and unduly stand out. One man gives freely, he loosens up and allows what he has to flow through him. The other holds a tight reign on what he has, and he will experience spiritual poverty, a bad attitude. It’s like the farmer with a large barn in which he puts hay. If he doesn’t use all his hay, he must rotate it. If he just stores it for safe keeping, someday it will rot. I pray for a loving attitude this year in giving. I’ve always heard it’s not what you give but the thought behind it, and how true this is. May I give freely. Why? Because I have received freely. I am so grateful for my sobriety, especially during this time of the year. My sobriety could not be bought. It was a gift given to me by a Loving God, and others who gave of their love to carry the message. Jesus when sending out the disciples instilled in them this attitude. “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8) Thanks for letting me share, today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……………….JRE
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The push for power has come to shove. And most of us are either pushing or being pushed.
I might point out the difference between a passion for excellence and a passion for power. The desire for excellence is a gift of God, much needed in society. It is characterized by respect for quality and a yearning to use God’s gifts in a way that pleases him…….
But there is a canyon of difference between doing your best to glorify God and doing whatever it takes to glorify yourself. The quest for excellence is a mark of maturity. The quest for power is childish.
MAX LUCADO……….The Applause of Heaven
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We have found that God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him. To us, the realm of spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive, never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is open, we believe, to all men.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 46

The Boiling Point

Thought for the day: “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence. Anonymous

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ROMANS 12:9-13 NIV

How can I keep my spiritual fervor? What does fervor mean? This morning I realize that I didn’t know exactly what the word meant, so I looked it up to see what Webster had to say about it. First of all I’d like to say that I thought it meant to have enthusiasm and a passion for something. What I found was to glow, boil or rage, to boil up, hot, burning, glowing, having or showing great warmth of feeling, intensely devoted or earnest, passionate. I came close with the word passion, but I missed the fire. I came close with the word enthusiasm but missed the boiling point. If I want to keep my spiritual fervor during this holiday season, I’m going to need to turn the flame up. So this morning I’m burning this Scripture in my heart. I’m using it for fuel. As I read it over and over, I realize it’s not about me, but about one another. Spiritual fervor is the hinge in this passage. It is in the middle verse of the five, preceded and followed by verses of serving one another. How do I keep the fire boiling? I serve! May I be helpful today to someone who has needs that need to be met. Thanks for letting me share. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………….JRE
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We have not ceased to pray for you…that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work. COLOSSIANS 1:9-10

Have you ever been in an area of the country where there was a lot of fruit ripening in the sun? Maybe on some cool September morning you’ve taken a walk through the apple orchards of the Hood River Valley, or along the Columbia River in Oregon. It is pleasing to the eye to see such an abundance of sweet, delicious fruit hanging on branch or vine, ready to be plucked.
A fruitful Christian life is like that, sweet, refreshing, nourishing, fragrant, sustaining, delightful to be near. But such a life requires careful cultivation. A deeper, more consistent walk with Christ requires time and attention everyday. If that happens, you will bear fruit.
CHARLES SWINDOLL….Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication
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Showing others who suffer how we were given help is the very thing which makes life seem so worth while to us now….the dark past is…the key to life and happiness for others.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 124

Who loves you baby?

Thought for the day: “Your ability to relax is in direct proportion to your ability to trust life. Anonymous

Who do you trust? As Kojack would say, “Who loves you baby?” Who trusts you baby? Today I find trust a two way street, some of it going this way, some of it going that way. Trust is earned, people don’t just jump up and entrust someone with objects of importance to them. Likewise we don’t put our faith in something without knowing something about what, or who we are trusting. There was a time seven years ago when I absolutely trusted no one. I had used and used others so much that my mind had turned everything around to the point where I though they were using me. So I would use others to the point where I thought they might use me, and then drop the relationship. How self-centered I became. No one trusted me and I for sure trusted no one. Eat up with self, I would lock my gate, which was a quarter mile from where I lived, and isolate myself to the point of extreme loneliness. My problem was Jerry, and alcohol and drugs fueled my lack of trust, my anger, my isolation, my loneliness. I knew Jesus, because at several times in my life I had been lifted up on high, above my self-centeredness. Once again I reached out for help, I trusted the hand that would have to lift me up. It was the strong hand of God, working through others who had themselves been lifted up. Today my trust extends to family, friends, associates, and even those who I once thought were not to be trusted. This morning I talked to the Christian School in town and will again do chapel next month. On a monthly basis I take my guitar and my Bible and we praise and worship God together. What an honor this is, and I do not take it lightly. Only God, I say again, “Only God” could turn my life around and make me useful again. But first I had to trust in a Power greater than myself, whom I choose to call God. Who loves you baby? The answer is God loves you. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself. Thanks for letting me share……………JRE
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A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
MATTHEW 12:20-21 KJV

“A reference to a musical instrument made of a reed and which is so easily broken and crushed under the feet. The shepherd many times would prefer to repair the pipe instead of making another one, so he would not crush it under His feet until all hope of repairing it was past.”
THE DAKE BIBLE
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We are sure God would like to see us happy, joyous, and free. Hence, we cannot subscribe to the belief that this life necessarily has to be a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us. But it became clear that most of the time we had made our own misery.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 133

Around-the-corner

Thought for the day: “It is the around-the-corner brand of hope that prompts people to action, while the distant hope acts as an opiate.
ERIC HOFFER

What a thought, I find some truth in this saying. As I look out my window this morning I see the first snow of the season, about one inch at the present time, and still snowing. The birds are busy around the feeders acting as though the snow and ice are here to stay. But I have an around-the-corner brand of hope that tells me that I can get out today, and do what I need to do, because in a couple of days the sun will shine and melt the snow and ice away. My distant hope is that spring is only one hundred and one days away, and this gives me a really good feeling. I can also apply this thought to my recovery. The around-the-corner brand of hope is that tomorrow will be a good day if I don’t drink and use today. The distant hope is that by living life one day at a time the outcome of my life will be better. This makes me feel good. God is still walking with me today, and I am again reminded of the words of Solomon, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………….JRE
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Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. PSALM 84:5 NKJV

For a day in Your court is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness. PSALM 84:10 NKJV

A.A. Step Eleven: Sought through prayer and medication to improve our conscience contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

During Old Testament days, devout Jews made an annual pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem for a time of special prayer and worship. When they continued their journey in spite of all obstacles, their strength was increased.
Although we may not make such pilgrimages today, our search to know God more intimately through recovery is in itself a journey. This faith journey may not be easy. Daily we will encounter rough roads of temptation. We may pass through waterless valleys of struggle and discouragement, but if we will persist in trusting and obeying God, He will strengthen us.
The psalmist ends his song by declaring in verse 10 that being a humble servant of God is far better than being one who serves wickedness. God promises to guide and shield those who seek Him and desire to know and obey Him. He will bestow grace, glory, and countless blessings on all who are His children.
NELSON SERENITY BIBLE page 451
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O Lord, unto Thee do I come with praise and thanksgiving, but with a yearning for a deeper conscious appreciation of Thy goodness. Bless me this day with an enlarged capacity and power to praise.
OSWALD CHAMBERS

Walk with me

Thought for the day: “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” PROVERBS 3:6 KJV

Begin, continue, and end every work, purpose, and plan with God. Self-sufficiency and self-confidence have been the ruin of mankind ever since the fall. Man’s sin has been to live independently and without God in the world. True religion consists of full acknowledgement of God in all human affairs. THE DAKE BIBLE
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The Dake Bible refers to “true religion.” I have a little trouble understanding the word religion. Last Sunday my preacher shed some light on the fact that above and beyond religion, we can have a personal relationship with God. Religion is good. Rules to live by, regulations of days and seasons to be set aside for acknowledgement of God, guidelines of behavior so we treat each other with respect. All these are good and well, but what I like is someone who will go for a walk with me. Someone who understands my human and physical side that feels the pain of the flesh, or the emotional pain caused by a broken heart. Someone who will walk with me daily. Jesus is a personal friend who has walked this path before and knows the steps that I need to take to arrive home. Jesus lives! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. We walked together this morning, and I am better because of it. Thanks for letting me share, today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…....JRE
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He Himself is our peace, who…..has broken down the middle wall of separation. EPHESIANS 2:14

Some time ago a university professor was quoted as saying, “There are two things that will never be solved, the problems of race and war.” Perhaps he was right; only time will tell.
Admittedly, however, the Bible gives us little reason for optimism about any lasting solution to these problems. The reason? Both racism and war have their origin in the pride and covetousness of the human heart. Until our hearts are changed, we will fall back into the same destructive sins.
That doesn’t mean we throw up our hands in despair and refuse to do anything about war or racism, not at all. The Bible calls Christ, “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). He shattered the prejudices of His day by reaching out to those of another race, and He expects no less of us.
The object of the Cross is not only pardon for our sins, it is also a changed life. Ask God to help you be an instrument of His Love to those around you.
BILLY GRAHAM
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A prayer by Oswald Chambers:

“Lord, call me by name that I may thrill with that wonderful calling! What a difference a little thing for Thee to do does make….a calling by name, a passing touch, and we are in ecstasy! Oh, why dost Thou not do it oftener?”

Good Eyesight

Thought for the day: “Don’t ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.” ROBERT FROST
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“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.” Matthew 6:22-23 NIV

These are the words of Jesus from His sermon on the mount. I often find myself going to the red letters of the first chapters of the book of Matthew. Sometimes my daily reading takes me places in the Word that don’t have the impact I’m looking for. I can always find something in the sermon on the mount to take in and chew on for a while. This is the Christmas season, and each year I see more and more lights. How beautiful they are. Some people really make their homes a beacon of light. Today I read the words of Jesus and think of my own personal Christmas light. How is my light shinning? Jesus was not thinking of physically bad eyes, and if you need glasses or not. I think this Scripture refers to how we look at others, and life in general. I think also as important, is what we look at. As I go about the day I notice advertising that is designed to catch my attention. Some it I cannot afford to spend much time looking at. It will give me bad eyesight. “But if your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.” "How I look at, and what I look at," may I study this thought today. Thanks for letting me share, today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…………………..JRE
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ALIGNED TO GOD’S WILL
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls. Proverbs 11:30

If we were asked to respond with yes or no to the question, all of us would say, “Yes, I want to know [God’s] will. “But doing God’s will is another matter entirely, because almost without exception it requires risk and adjustment and change. We don’t like that. Even using those words makes us squirm. Experiencing the reality of them is even worse. We love the familiar. We love the comfortable. We love something we can control, something we can get our arms around. Yet the closer we walk with the Lord, the less control we have over our own lives, and the more we must abandon to Him. To give Him our wills and to align our will to His will requires the abandonment of what we prefer, what we want or what we would choose.
CHARLES SWINDOLL……..Mystery of God’s Will
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Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all our activities. “How can I best serve Thee, Thy will (not mine) be done.” Alcoholics Anonymous page 85

Put another log on the fire

Thought for the day: “Exercise, walk with God.” Randy K.
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The apostle Paul was arrested by the Romans for speaking of his experience, strength and hope in Jesus Christ. He did a little time and was put on house arrest, then was released. He was rearrested in Rome by Nero, chained and put in a cold dungeon. He was executed a short time later. While there he wrote the second letter to Timothy, which to me is most inspirational. Paul knew that death was near, but in spite of this did not complain, and continued to encourage Timothy his son in the faith. Paul’s words come straight from the heart and are inspired by God. They are some of his last to be recorded. During this time of year when the days are cold and cloudy, and the atmosphere is one of “hustle for the holidays.” I am reminded to warm myself spiritually by fanning into flame the gift of God, which is love and having a sound mind. Fires of the heart just don’t happen, and must be kept going by the adding on of fuel. The fuel I chose to use today is a quite time with God and the unselfish words of encouragement from an imprisoned and condemned man, the apostle Paul. Thanks for letting me share, today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God. Which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:6-7 NIV
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The gift is referred to as a fire, which if not frequently stirred up and more fuel added, will go out. The Greek word for stir is anazopurein, to kindle up the fire; to add fresh fuel to it, and is only found here in Scripture. From this it is clear that gifts can be neglected. If this happens, if they are not properly used or replenished with continued grace and power from the Holy Spirit anointing the will become powerless and useless and thus fail in their purpose. This is why men need a constant supply of the Spirit, many fillings. This is why Jesus Himself had to live in prayer and receive a constant supply of the Holy Spirit. THE DAKE BIBLE
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Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian writer, tells of the time he was walking down the street and passed a beggar. Tolstoy reached into his pocket to give the beggar some money, but his pocket was empty. Tolstoy turned to the man and said, I’m sorry, my brother, but I have nothing to give.”
The beggar brightened and said, “You have given me more than I asked for, you have called me brother.”
To the loved, a word of affection is a morsel, but to the love-starved, a word of affection can be a feast.
MAX LUCADO…………..He Still Moves Stones
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“As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action.” Alcoholics Anonymous page 87

Mercy not Sacrifice

Thought for the day: “I have made a pact with my tongue not to speak when my heart is disturbed. ST. FRANCIS DE SALES

THE CALLING OF MATTHEW
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
MATTHEW 9:12-13 NIV
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Quoted from Hosea 6:6; 1 Samuel 15:22. I desire acts of mercy on your part rather than sacrifice. If your religion makes you exalted and self-righteous and you consider yourself to be defiled by associating with sinners, your sacrifices are in vain.
THE DAKE BIBLE
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Here it is the Christmas season and I find myself being occupied with thoughts of gifts. I’m old enough now that I don’t expect much from others but on my mind is the thoughts of giving. This time of year the many, many thoughts of the kinds of gifts I should give how much and so on over whelm me. I have some relief from the thoughts of gifts today when I think about what Jesus had to say, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” The best I can give this season is to go the nursing home and visit with someone who doesn’t have family. Write a letter to someone I know in prison. Go to a meeting and encourage someone with problems of addiction. Take time to spend time with someone who is lonely. The prophet Hosea inspired by the Holy Spirit and speaking for God said, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6 KJV) My question to myself today is, “what gifts do I have?” Thanks for letting me share, today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………………..JRE
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There is action and more action. “Faith without works is dead.”…To be helpful is our only aim. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS pages 88-89

Burning off the morning fog

Thought for the day: “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.” ISAIAH 44:22 NIV

One thing I have noticed about the fog and the morning mist, is that by mid morning the sun most times has cleared the air. When we turn our will and our lives over to the care of God the fog that we walk around in will burn off. I can’t clear the skies on my own. There is nothing I can do to cause the fog to lift. Only by a Power greater than myself do situations and relationships clear up. Son Light, that’s what it is. The “Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness, opened my eyes let me see.” (from the song, Here I am to worship) What a great song this is, and this line from it relates to the fog of my life lifting. I must start each day by praying for the Son Light of Jesus to clear the fog. Why go about only being able to see spiritually a few feet in front of me. Let the fog lift, let the Light shine. I thank my Higher Power for spiritual sight that is improving One Day At A Time. Today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself…….JRE
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Words of Jesus:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” MATTHEW 11:28-30 NKJV

A.A. Step Three: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Some of us have been bowed down with burdens of guilt, shame, bitterness, fear, and discouragement since childhood. We are tired of trying to stand, let alone walk under such a heavy load. As we allow God’s healing love to infuse our lives, for the first time we may experience true rest.
Yet, just when we have first come to know rest, Jesus tells us to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him. Why? In biblical times, a farmer would yoke a young ox with an older, capable ox so that the young one could learn to plow correctly. Jesus is saying we no longer have to try to pull the plow by ourselves. He will be in the yoke with us; and we will be His disciples, learning from Him. As we walk with Him, the burden of His yoke of discipleship upon our necks will be light indeed compared with the painful burdens we tried to carry before we laid them at His feet.
NELSON SERENITY BIBLE page 17
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A spiritual life which does not include family obligations may not be so perfect after all. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS page 129

Stinking Thinking

Thought for the day: “The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best of a good man’s life.” WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
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Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psalm 133:1

This Scripture is setting right in front of me. My daily reading brought me to this point yesterday, and this Scripture just sets there, looking at me. Not me looking at it, but it looking at me. What a wonderful time I had Thanksgiving visiting family and friends in Kansas City. I was gone for a week. It was good to be home again, but there was one problem and I stirred it around inside of me until it was big and stinky. There is a beautiful private lake that my neighbor has about an eighth of a mile from my home. The dam rises about a hundred feet above the valley floor. To my surprise the dam had started leaking and was draining the lake. The creek overflowed and became muddy. I dreamed up visions of being swept away in a flood, and stirred all this around inside of me until the big stink was there. Oh my, how I created a breach in my goodness that did more damage than the breach in the dam. I am so grateful for a support group of friends that helped me see that the problem was not “out there,” but “in here.” Once I was able to stop stirring and open a window to my spirit and let the stink out, I began to see my real need which is to pray for the family that owns the lake, and the workers that will repair the dam. This weekend I came close to failing a test. The test of weather I can be a good neighbor or not. Friends and prayer has been the answer. I am grateful, today God is doing for me what I could not do for myself………JRE
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CELEBRATE LIFE
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
PSALM 90:12
The Hebrew text suggest that we correctly “account” for our days. I find it interesting that we are to view life by the days, not the years. We are to live those days in such a way that when they draw to a close, we have gained “a heart of wisdom.” With the Lord God occupying first place in our lives we accept and live each day enthusiastically for Him. The result will be that “heart of wisdom” the psalmist mentions…..
Because we cannot alter the inevitable, we adjust to it. And we do that not a year at a time, but a day at a time. Instead of eating our heart out because a few more aches and pains have attached themselves to our bodies, we determine to celebrate life rather than endure it. Aging isn’t a choice. But our response to it is. In so many ways we ourselves determine how we shall grow old.
CHARLES SWINDOLL………Strengthening Your Grip
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True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith…….
BILL W. A.A. 12X12 page 33