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Growing Daily in God and Sobriety!

Hi everyone,
I humbly ask for your prayers today for Christina. She is on life support after having a stroke last night. She a single mom and has a young son. Please pray for God's will, healing and protection for her and her son. Thank you!!

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!!!!
Bible Study
Sermon on the Mount-Part 10
Matthew 6:7-13

  • But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

(Jesus warned that we use not vain repetitions (Gr. battalogeō denotes babbling or speaking without thinking). Such prayer was characteristic of the heathen. A good example of this is found in the ecstatic babblings of the false prophets in the Old Testament and in the prophets of Baal who confronted Elijah on Mount Carmel (cf. 1 Kin. 18:26–29).

  • Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

(Prayer is not man’s attempt to change the will of God. Prayer is not conquering God’s reluctance to answer, but laying hold of His willingness to help. Prayer in the life of the true believer is an act of total confidence and assurance in the plan and purpose of God. The following sample prayer is given to the disciples as an example of a suitable prayer. This prayer, often called the “Lord’s Prayer,” is in reality a disciple’s prayer. In no way does the prayer itself embody all of Christ’s teaching about prayer; and having just warned against vain repetition, He did not intend for this particular prayer to be merely recited with empty meaninglessness.)

  • After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
(The beginning phrase, Our Father, is completely uncommon to the prayers of the Old Testament. The two major elements of the prayer are adoration and petition. Hallowed be thy name addresses the attention of the prayer toward God and reverence for His name and His person. Hallowed (Gr. hagiazō) means to be held in reverence and holy awe.)


  • Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

(God the Father 6:9 The Father is the first person of the Trinity. With only one exception (John 17:3), Jesus always spoke of God as the Father. The Scriptures identify the fatherhood of God in five areas: He is the Father of Creation (James 1:17), the Father of Israel (Jer. 31:9), the unique Father of Jesus Christ (3:17), a protective Father emphasizing His defense of the poor and oppressed (Ps. 68:5), and a redemptive Father when we become the children of God (John 1:13; Rom. 8:15). Illustration: Just as physical fathers provide many benefits, so our heavenly Father also provides a number of spiritual benefits. Christians may have fellowship with (1 John 1:3), access to (vv. 9, 32), guidance by (Ps. 119:9; 2 Tim. 3:17), protection by (John 10:29), and an inheritance from (Rom. 8:17) the Father. Application: Just because God is the Father of all, because He is the Father of Creation, does not mean that everyone will go to heaven. A person must be born of God (John 1:13) to become a son of God (John 1:12). Then God becomes a redemptive Father. (First Reference, John 1:14; Primary Reference, Matt. 6:9; cf. Gen. 15:18.)

  • Give us this day our daily bread.

(The phrase Thy kingdom come refers to the eschatological nature of this prayer. Notice that the kingdom is to be prayed for, implying that it has not arrived. The kingdom represents the full and effective reign of God through the mediatorial office of the Messiah. The recognition of Thy will be done emphasizes the idea that prayer is to bring about the conformity of the will of the believer to the will of God. Prayer is an act of spiritual expression that brings us into conformity to the very nature and purpose of God.)

  • And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

(The section of petitions begins with the request to give us this day our daily bread. Bread (Gr. artos) may be applied to the provision of food in general. The term daily (Gr. epiousios) denotes “indispensable.” The concept of daily provision of bread fits perfectly with the Old Testament example of the daily provision of manna to the Israelites while they were wandering in the wilderness (Ex. 16:14, 15)

  • And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

( Forgive us our debts refers to sins, which are our moral and spiritual debts to God’s righteousness. The request for forgiveness of sin is made here by the believer. In order to be saved one need not necessarily name all of his sins, but he must confess that he is a sinner.)


My Prayer for the Day
"Heavenly Father thank you for teaching us how to pray.Father-Thy will be done with Christina, myself and all you children on earth. Father I humbly ask in Jesus name that you continue to strengthen my faith, that you discipline and guide me, that you mold me into the women that you intend for me to be. Father-remove me from mini dramas that drain me so that I my be of maximum service to you and to others when the real important life stuff happens. Father-I know I cannot change others...I humbly ask for restraint of tough and the willingness to accept people as they are. Father we are all sinners, damaged, lost, confused, and sometimes hopeless....Father, help me to for give those who harmed me and to turn it over to you completely. Father forgive me for hurting others and for hurting myself with hurts you. I hurt You by hurting your children. I hurt You by hurting myself. Please keep me from doing anymore harm Father...and if I do, remind me to ask you to forgive me that I have Steps that I can now take to rid me of that darkness. In Jesus name-Amen"

Today's Action
  • Today I will be grateful for my health, my limbs, my organs and my senses
  • Today I will be grateful for the people that I have knowing at any moment they could be called home...What were my last word to them? What were my last thoughts of them? Will I have cherished them and nurtured our relationship or did I drain them with my own hang up and defects that I haven't dealt with
  • Today I will do the next right thing and be of service to my Father....even if that just means I go the entire day without complaining or feeling sorry for myself


Podcast of he Day
Mike S. 11th Session Spring 2016 Step Series
Listen to more AA Podcast:


Big Book
We the Agnostics...Cont
"When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God. This applies, too, to other spiritual expressions which you find in this book. Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you. At the start, this was all we needed to commence spiritual growth, to effect our first conscious relation with God as we understood Him. Afterward, we found ourselves accepting many things which then seemed entirely out of reach. That was growth, but if we wished to grow we had to begin somewhere. So we used our own conception, how- ever limited it was. We needed to ask ourselves but one short question. “Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?’’ As soon as a man can say that he does believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on his way. It has been repeatedly proven among us that upon this simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built.* That was great news to us, for we had assumed we could not make use of spiritual principles unless we accepted many things on faith which seemed difficult to believe. When people presented us with spiritual approaches, how frequently did we all say, “I wish I had what that man has. I’m sure it would work if I could only believe as he believes. But I cannot accept as surely true the many articles of faith which are so plain to him.’’ So it was comforting to learn that we could commence at a simpler level."

Hil's Blah
The simply concept of a power greater then myself was all I needed to walk through the archway. The simple program of action that lead me to God as described in the big book. My relationship with God in the beginning was pure love and super simple. I trusted Him, He guided me, and I did the next right thing. He just kept working for me....He just kept providing, he just kept fixing the mess I had made, he just kept removing the defects. He just worked. One day I felt this OVERWHELMING feeling of love that I can't explain wash over me. WOW...Like any addict-I wanted MORE! I couldn't be satisfied with that. I couldn't just sit with that and trust that I was on the right path. I began my "search" down the rabbit hole of spiritual knowledge.

There was intense meditation and supernatural experiences and intellectually revelations about the universe that kept feeding my ego. Little did I know that I was in the grips of satan again. He couldn't get me through alcohol or bad behavior...instead he enticed my ego with knowledge, self awareness and mysticism....I wanted power...period. It convinced me that I was a co-creator with God. It's a very long drawn out story but the point is that by the end of my "journey" I was in intense pain, confusion, despair and hopelessness....kinda like at the end of my drinking career. I wasn't a "co-creator" of shit.....except drama yet again.

I was sitting outside my apartment and it hit me...."You are NOTHING but a child...Knock this off!" I of course sought the Father that got me sober-Jesus. He took my pain and lead me to my sisters house and wee started to learn the actual word of God. Before I of course would paraphrase the Bible, put it down, regurgitate some babel I heard from the new age or read on a website about Jesus....Not once had I ever read it. What a hypocrite I was. I just wanted a softer and easier way to "God". I didn't know I was being deceived by the god of this world. I called to Jesus.....and he saved me again. I now follow the simply program that He has outlined in the Bible and incorporate it with the simple program laid out in the big book.

It's not sexy and glittery like the other path-but it works. It's good, pure and simple. The other thing, like alcohol, was after my soul. How do you THANK someone for saving your soul, not once, but twice? I mean seriously!!! I honor him, do his work and do the right thing. I don't need to intellectualize God or the feeling that came over me that day. He doesn't owe me any answers to "my" questions. He gives me a roof over my head, food, water, and people to help. All the other "stuff" is a bonus. I chop wood and carry water...and I am grateful...in return I get the keys to the kingdom....I really can't be more blessed then that. It was arrogant and silly and childish to think I deserved more. I am a child of God, in his good graces now. That is enough.