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Growing in God and Sobriety!

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!!!!
Bible Study
Sermon on the Mount-Part 5
Matthew 5:27-32

  • Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

(5:27, 28. Thou shalt not commit adultery was the demand of the Old Testament Law (Ex. 20:14). Jesus goes beyond this outward command to reveal that its act is the result of an inner attitude of lust. Whosoever looketh characterizes the man whose glance is not checked by holy restraint and results in an impure lusting after women. The act would follow if the opportunity were to occur. By taking His listener beyond the outward statement of the law to its real intention, Jesus was trying to get the listener’s attention off the physical and onto the spiritual.)
  • And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

(The statement of cutting off one’s hand or plucking out one’s eye definitely is not to be taken literally. What Jesus implies is that if thy right eye offend thee, then the logical thing to do would be to pluck it out. His point is not that one should literally pluck out his eye, but that one should recognize that the source of lust comes from within the mind and heart of man, not from the physical organ itself. The right eye is not the source of sin; the heart of man is that source. The seriousness of the sin of lusting is thus illustrated by this graphic comparison. Ultimately, it would be better for a person to be physically maimed than to go to hell forever. However, doing physical damage to oneself does not in any way guarantee entrance into heaven. Jesus is simply teaching that man must bring the passions of his heart under the control of the Spirit of God.)
  • It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
(5:31, 32. It hath been said is again a reference to the Old Testament commandment of the Mosaic regulation (cf. Deut. 24:1). The normal custom of the ancient Near East was for a man to verbally divorce his wife. In contrast, the ancient law of Israel insisted on a writing of divorcement or certificate of divorce. This written statement gave legal protection to both the wife and the husband. Jesus explains elsewhere (cf. Matt. 19:8) that Moses’ concession was not intended to be taken as license. The only exception given by Christ is for the cause of fornication (Gr. porneia), meaning sexual unfaithfulness. These statements make it clear that adultery or fornication is a legitimate ground for divorce. However, the legitimacy of the divorce does not necessarily establish the legitimacy of remarriage. Scripture never commands that one must divorce an unfaithful wife or husband. On the contrary, there are many examples of extending forgiveness to the adulterous offender (cf. Gen. 38:26; Hos. 3:1; John 8:1–11). The responsibility of divorce is clearly laid upon the one seeking the divorce. Whosoever shall put away his wife without biblical basis causeth her to commit adultery. Thus, the divorcer brings about an unjust suspicion upon the divorcee.)


My Prayer for the Day
"Heavenly Father, I still humbly ask that you forgive me for engaging in the very things that you taught against-in my ignorance and my need to fit and "feel good", I was blinded by the world and went along with the sheepish zombies..never once caring about the repercussions to my soul and that of thoses I preyed upon. I was seeking to be filled in all ways but you. Please forgive me for allowing lust and passion turn me into what I was. Thank you for saving me and setting me straight. Thank you for forgiving me and loving me enough to pull me OUT of the darkness into the light...FATHER...I am so beyond GRATEFUL that you sought me, that you made sure to all the people, teachers, tools I needed in my path to find my way to you! That I was humble enough to become teachable through the pain. Thank you for getting me sober! Thank you for your grace and mercy while I was searching for you down the rabbit hole of deception! Thank you for giving me the courage and strength to do the unpopular right thing even if that means I am hated! Thank You GOD! In Jesus name-Amen"

John 15-16-19
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

These things I command you, that ye love one another.

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Isaiah 66:5 
Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.


Today’s action
Today I will honor my Father in all that I do for getting and keeping me sober
Today I will see all the blessings I have been blessed with even if I have pain and sadness
Today I will see all pain as a opportunity to grow and face my demons head on....I will NOT be deceived or taking out by emorary circumstances.
Today I will give praise wherever I am as we bear witness to the power of God that works in us everytime we decided not to drink, not to act inappropriate and to instead help someone who has it worse then I
Today I will be grateful that if I die tonight have had known Jesus here on earth...That he will know my face and will not deny me, as I once foolishly denied him.
10th STEP
God remove the Selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear that has cropped up in my life right now. Help me to discuss this with someone immediately and make amends quickly if I have harmed anyone. Help me to cease fighting anything and anyone. Show me where I may be helpful to someone else. Help me react sanely; not cocky or afraid. How can I best serve You - Your will, not mine be done. AMEN
(p. 84-5 BB)

"How can I best serve Thee—Thy will (not mine) be done."
(p. 85 BB)`


Podcast of he Day
So the these are nice to have in the background-it's a good habit to get into...I listen while I clean, craft, fold laundry, etc....they are just book studies. Boring...but something will pop out that I need to hear, process and then convey...this stuff "knowledge" turns you into better teachers...which; contrary to modern AA and the "self help" movement-is the point to all this! If you are a RN they require you take continued learning courses....ALL this is our continued learning courses. We must continue to obtain knowledge of our dis-ease..even when we heard it before. Our "perceptions" change constantly throughout this process-if you are working. When I listened to Joe and Charlie (I have heard them many times) I heard something I hadn't heard before....My mind is open to receive new information because it has let go or processed other concepts. Spiritual muscles need to be worked out just like our bodies....I can't get feed on yesterday's gratitude list, yesterdays prayer, or yesterday's service....everyday, like food.
I ALWAYS made sure I had my vodka each day...I went to any lengths to get it...or made SURE I had a few dudes on the side to feed my ego...This concept same,-but for good now :)
Listen to more AA Podcast:

Big Book
More About Alcoholism....Cont..
"We heard no more of Fred for a while. One day we were told that he was back in the hospital. This time he was quite shaky. He soon indicated he was anxious to see us. The story he told is most instructive, for here was a chap absolutely convinced he had to stop drinking, who had no excuse for drinking, who exhibited splendid judgment and determination in all his other concerns, yet was flat on his back nevertheless.

Let him tell you about it: “I was much impressed with what you fellows said about alcoholism, and I frankly did not believe it would be possible for me to drink again. I rather appreciated your ideas about the subtle insanity which precedes the first drink, but I was confident it could not happen to me after what I had learned. I reasoned I was not so far advanced as most of you fellows, that I had been usually successful in licking my other personal problems, and that I would therefore be successful where you men failed. I felt I had every right to be self-confident, that it would be only a matter of exercising my will power and keeping on guard.

“In this frame of mind, I went about my business and for a time all was well. I had no trouble refusing drinks, and began to wonder if I had not been making too hard work of a simple matter. One day I went to Washington to present some accounting evidence to a government bureau. I had been out of town before during this particular dry spell, so there was nothing new about that. Physically, I felt fine. Neither did I have any pressing problems or worries. My business came off well, I was pleased and knew my partners would be too. It was the end of a perfect day, not a cloud on the horizon.

“I went to my hotel and leisurely dressed for dinner. As I crossed the threshold of the dining room, the thought came to mind that it would be nice to have a couple of cocktails with dinner. That was all. Nothing more. I ordered a cocktail and my meal. Then I ordered another cocktail. After dinner I decided to take a walk. When I returned to the hotel it struck me a highball would be fine before going to bed, so I stepped into the bar and had one. I remember having several more that night and plenty next morning. I have a shadowy recollection of being in an airplane bound for New York, and of finding a friendly taxicab driver at the landing field instead of my wife. The driver escorted me about for several days. I know little of where I went or what I said and did. Then came the hospital with unbearable mental and physical suffering."