"From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied".....
...because
"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat it's fruit."
Proverbs 20:20-21

Meditate on these two passages. That means to roll it over in your mind, again and again. After you have done so for a few moments; think about how you speak. Take this literally. Every syllable rolling off of your tongue has a real effect on your day, your week, month...your life!

These passages are from scripture, so many of you reading this may not agree or believe that the words we speak have any power, merely words. Yet, even scientific studies have proven your words determine outcomes. Our mouth speaks what our hearts believe about ourselves and life in general.

To Die For
In recovery meetings or in casual conversation with people striving for freedom from their addictions, you often hear phrases like..."AA, or Celebrate Recovery doesn't work for me"...or I can't get a grip on sober living, I have been using and drinking most of my life"...and this; if only I had been raised differently."

Don't buy in to these thoughts or speak them with your lips. When I say crap like this, or hear it coming from others, I want to puke, literally. When it is my mouth blabbering garbage like that, I can hardly believe my mouth has the audacity to speak death. I don't say those words above. I say things much worse at times. 

The problem is that when we are being negative in the mind and heart, our tongue thinks it's duty is to verbalize the gloom. The best way to get over the junk words is to remember passages like those above, and take a step back any time we feel blue, mull them over, and then realize we are free from living to drink, drug, or from any addiction. 

Life-maker Words
Using words like; I can, or better, with God's help I can! I am grateful, I am changing for the better daily, you can think of more, can produce an atmosphere conducive to personal and spiritual growth. When down times hit you and me like a ton of bricks, we can step back, remind ourselves how God has brought us into clean and sober living. As a follower of Christ, those times are opportunities to remind myself of who I am in Him, where I am headed in this life and the life to come without end.

God bless and keep you all! Thanks.

Could it be the spiritual famine is ending? The past couple of decades have appeared to be the end of religious faith having any impact in the United States. It was not that churches were not being attended, or that the government had found new ways of using their constant "separation of church and state" stance, or that the average family had ceased raising their children to have a faith at all. What it was, was that we as a nation forgot God entirely, it seemed.

"And Elijah said to Ahab, 'Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of abundance of rain." 1 Kings 18:41 

"Be glad O people of Zion; rejoice in the Lord your God. For He has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers both autumn and spring rains as before." Joel 2:23

Spiritually Dried Up
Where did this famine begin, or what caused it in the first place may have several answers. I won't try to deal with what caused it, but the results of this decades old starvation have become evident...even to non-Christians. 

• over 60 million babies aborted
• 67% illegitimacy rate, (80% in some inner-cities)
• epidemic drug use
• 93% of men incarcerated had no father, or father image in their life
• America has dropped from the top 10% to nearly 25% in every educational course globally.

After 911 events, the major fear of most was the threat of Islamic terrorist's next move. People, at first, wanted a fight...kill the infidels! Islam was wanting to kill the infidels here too. But somewhere in the hatred, God began to melt the heart of many followers of Jesus. Those believers He did a heart transplant on began to pray for Muslims, and that God would subdue Islam.

God heard our prayer. Today, one of the greatest revivals is going on inside the Muslim faith. In their dreams, Jesus is showing up, reported by some of them, saying..."Come, follow me." And they are being doing so, en masse. One report I heard was that 250,000 came to Christ as the results of just one ministry that reaches the Al-Jezeera network. The imams are confused and angry. 

Why doesn't God come to me in my dreams? 
You and I have the Gospel 24/7, 365, and feel totally entitled, spiritually. We developed our version of the gospel that says, "we are Christian," that is until opposition comes, or God doesn't answer our prayers on time, so we get mad and quit praying, or believing altogether.

While we are busy figuring God out, how He works, why He does this or that, the latter rain is pouring in other nations, where thirsty people are drinking in His grace by faith. They are eagerly wanting just to know him, not figure Him out or accuse Him of not giving them everything they want. Strangely, 30,000 missionaries  from other nations came to America in 2013, for the purpose of bringing US the gospel, because we are viewed as a nation needing conversion to the gospel. Wow.

God is sending us rain. He wants that rain restore us to Himself. I have had this sense lately, not a divine revelation or dream, but a real sense of God reaching out to America and Europe one more time. After seeing so many die from drug use and watching us chase after pleasure for so long, totally ignoring God, I nearly felt hopeless for our land. God will shed His grace on us again. I pray we don't reject it.

Thanks for reading, God bless and keep you all.

The day finally arrived for the debate regarding the origins of the universe by the two best known opponents. Bill Nye the "science guy" and Ken Hamm, founder of the Creation Museum finally have had the opportunity to present their arguments of how the universe came to be. Was it by accident or by design? In the area I live in, the debate is to be aired Sunday eve on our local station WXIX.

"Evolution is a theory, and it's a theory that you can test. We've tested evolution in many ways. You can't present good evidence that says evolution is not a fact." -Bill Nye
"Only Christianity and its teaching can explain the purpose and meaning of this world-and gives the basis for right and wrong, good and evil, etc." -Ken Hamm


This is the "Super Bowl of Human Belief," so to speak.I am sure it will not have as many viewers locally, like the viewership that the big game received. People, saints and sinners alike have little interests in such matters. Neither side will win. Neither side has physical proof to offer. 


So do you want proof of God's existence? I think every follower of Christ should watch the debate, provided they actually have some biblical understanding of what they believe, why they believe it, and why it is important. But I, along with many others, have personally witnessed the handiwork of a transcendent, loving God, through the changed lives of alcoholics and addicts. Once God has relieved them of their ruinous lifestyle, they return the help they received to the derelicts and the unloved. Science doesn't check on this area of possibility.


It is God, through Jesus, whose reality is evident by faith alone, without proof. Anyone who dares to trust in him, and believe in Christ's finished work, He proves Himself, changes their life, and gives purpose and meaning to them. Those who come to faith no longer look for proof of His reality, it is reality. 


Not all in recovery come to faith in Christ, or belief in God...yet. That remains a mystery to me. How do you see and hear, but not see and hear? Keep coming back to meetings, you will be contacted. He will bring His reality to anyone who desires to hear and see. 

I have really determined not to look down at those who do believe, or be looked down upon because I do. If you do believe however, know why. There are people you know that are looking for answers. If you and I really believe, our belief should be evident to the onlooker. We should be able to give them answers

Those who teeter-totter on the issues will eventually drop "science" that has no proof, as a mere religion itself, because that's what it is. But their religion cannot make a person new, nor grant eternal life, Jesus can if you believe in Him. That moment of decision to follow Him is the beginning of His consistent, subtle proofs that He is real, loving you, and living in you. You will doubt no longer. Neither will those around you. Let them know by your way of living, end the debate.

Thanks for reading,  the living God bless and keep you all.

You want to go to a great leadership seminar but don't have the money? Well, I can't float you a loan, but I can give you some advice in a few short minutes that saves you from three days of training. Don't misunderstand, I'm not being an arrogant know-it-all. This advice comes from scripture and from training I have received over the decades in sales and church ministry training.

The first thing
If you are having success in a certain ministry, does it make you feel good to be recognized? Really, who doesn't appreciate recognition for a job well done? Putting hours on end into service, and then dealing with those difficult "children of the Lord," ought to be rewarded with at  recognition if nothing else, right?
WRONG!
Paul had to write the Corinthian church, reminding them they were still "carnal" because of the report he received that the church was dividing itself by boasting about which "big time evangelist" baptized them. 

..."one of you says, 'I follow Paul'; another, 'I follow Apollos'; another, 'I follow Cephas', still another, 'I follow Christ.' Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?"...For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel-not with human words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be EMPTIED of it's power." 1 Cor. 1:12-13, 17 (read the whole passage 10-17)

Die to applause, don't worry about who gets credit. You are only leading by God's grace in Christ. Needing praise for your "ministry" is "you centered" and will cause a power outage in your spirituality. "But it is my ministry, what God gave me to do." you say. Really?

"All of me, none of God. Some of me, some of God. None of me, all of God." anon.

The number two reason
Leader: Here is what we are going to do.
Helpers: I don't know about that.
Leader: This is not subject to discussion.
Helpers: That's messed up...that won't work, I think I'll find another church to attend.

Why have leaders that have no part in the ministry? Here's why. You need them to lead the groups to follow YOUR agenda...WRONG. If you are here, return to Go, directly to go and do not collect $200. (monopoly players get that) It is not about you. If you think it is, resign immediately and get to celebrate recovery for your megotistic approach.

"For waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers." Prov.24:6
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Prov.27:17

Please hear what I'm trying to say. Give your ministry a real nice burial. Take what God has given you in talent as a seed to plant in others. The idea is to multiply your talent, magnify Christ, glorify God, and the Holy Spirit will lead people to what God is doing in your group.  You plant, another waters...and God gives the increase. Paradoxically, you give praise away, God increases you. 


We give nothing that God does not honor, when we give it to, or in honor of Him.

 I hope you give these two reasons some thought. There are others, perhaps for another time.

Thanks for reading, God bless and keep you all.

Who has a good reason to dance? The Seattle Seahawks? They won the game, no, not just any game, the BIG ONE...Suuuuper Bowl! You may dance, you have a reason. Short lived though. Everyone knows you have to defend that title next year. For now, dance away.

Saturday night I sat in an AA meeting, where a man working on steps 6-7 brought up the topic of step 6. 
"Were entirely ready for God to remove these defects of character." pg. 59 BBAA

My thoughts were not on that subject at first. I was observing the small crowd with a strong sense of gratitude. Here we sat, clean and sober, alive and well. We have been given a great gift or if you prefer, another opportunity to live, to become, to laugh, to dance. Can you think of a better reason?

The topic alone is a reason for celebration. We have a God who drew us into recovery by whatever means. Some of us came willingly, beaten by addictions and self-will. some of us came kicking and screaming, ordered by court or family perhaps. We found there a God faithful to hear us and free us from those flaws of all of the "self" words that ruled our lives. We should dance...by all means. That step by the way fits this promise from the "Biggest Book."

"If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." 1 Jn 1:9

It is a funny thing to me, how you may walk into a church service, and hear silence. every service the same, we rise, sing a song or two, hear a sermon, and leave the same person that walked in. Maybe the music was good, the sermon good...but too often the message of how and why we are there is forgotten.

So I will remind you and me:

"Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heaven! Praise Him with a blast of the trumpet, praise Him with the lyre and the harp! Praise Him with the tambourine and DANCING; praise Him with the strings and flutes!....let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!"  Ps.150

Who has more reason than those who have placed their trust in Christ Jesus, forgiven for all their sins that separated them from God and given eternal life? Jesus won the BIG ONE for man. While Seattle fans raise their hands in victory over a game, let's raise ours in victory over eternal death, not sit stoically waiting to be resurrected. Let's dance!!!

Thanks for reading, God bless and keep you all.

I think I'm done with texting. No doubt, and I admit that sending a message via text may be necessary. There are times that you just can't take a phone call and the message is dire...."don't forget to bring home milk, dear." 

Seriously,  it can be useful As a sponsor, I find it dreadful. I need to hear the voice of those I am helping in their recovery. The text says, "I'm doing good." The phone call says, I'm doing good but the inflection in their voice says "I'm ready to jump off of a bridge any minute." Their tone reflects their demeanor. I know then if they are upbeat or face-down.

I also have discovered that I may have a word of advice that God suddenly drops on me just for their situation, when on the phone. The text, however, I spend more time typing the correction from the many misspelled words. If the Lord gives me a word for that situation, I would be there all night typing. 

I admit it. I am the one who told the sponcee...just text me, I cannot take phone calls at times...but don't text me all of the time. Whew! I think they heard.. "never call me, always text me, and only once in a blue moon." 

What a mistake I made there. The newer people coming into recovery, at least the ones I'm seeing, really should be hearing more about the basics of staying sober. Maybe the discussions are about those basics, but they are too busy texting during the meeting. Join me in this rebellion before we are dumbed down completely from technological development and for get how to read or write. OMG! can happen 2 u2.

"I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots."  attributed to Albert Einstein

Thanks for reading, God bless and keep you all.

Giving up is easy. Standing your ground, refusing to accept defeat is hard. Are these statements accurate? People have this tendency to hang on to things they need to let go of, and let go of things they should really fight for.

Recovering from a bad addiction, or alcoholism is worth fighting with everything within you. No one plans to die alone in some back alley, or having a loved one find them dead having over-dosed. It happens daily. Why would anyone give in? Mainly they have had  too many failures, little support, or too many helping them when they should stop. 

Arrogance is another problem. Many who like the dog returning to chow on his vomit, pride gives them this feeling of being unique, and this time it will be different. (Yep, I'm very frustrated)

I don't want to give up, nor do I even look to that old way with a desire to drink or drug. I know with God's help I can stand. Where I struggle today is from those I know personally who are so full of self-diluted pride that they don't want help, or want to give help to others. They learned one thing well in their addiction...how to con, they think. But there again, that's an illusion, their phoniness is plain to all.

Don't give up. Fight it out, fight to win. Take advice. Believe God will help you. And for you who follow my blog, pray for me, like Paul asked the church to pray for him:

"And pray for me too. Ask God to give me the right words so that I can boldly explain God's mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jew and Gentile alike." ( for everyone) Eph.6:19

Recovery is for all too, but only works for those who want it, not those who need it. Stay tuned.
Thanks for reading, God bless and keep you all.