I get teased a lot about watching Oprah Winfrey. I was home recently and my brothers (and even some of my sisters) really let me have it for watching Oprah. No, this isn’t about supporting Oprah or advocating for her program or what she does. However I remember when she announced plans for her school for girls in Africa, one of the things that she repeated in 2005 while speaking at Mt Olivet Church in Cleveland Ohio was “I’m thankful to God that I know who I am. That I am his child first and foremost and that I understand the meaning and purpose of my own life."Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Calf wrote the awesome book “Purpose Driven Life” which has changed people lives all over the world including mine in helping us see that we are here for a purpose and our relationship with God reveals that purpose. Knowing and discovering your purpose is more than just “I want to treat people right and love God and go to church, etc, etc, yada yada yada!” There is a purpose that God has for me and you to do- that no one else can do! It doesn’t mean that it won’t get done- but if we don’t step up and be obedient- it won’t get done the way that God had ordained it. There have been many people criticizing Oprah for one reason or the other- again I’m not here to defend Oprah’s life, matter of fact many of the things she is associated with I am in total disagreement with, but I cant remember the last time I have heard prominent Christian leaders say “This is my purpose this is what God has ordained for me to do" It appears there is so much attention on getting the mega church and all that comes with it, but not a lot about purpose and why we are here. Some have even let the book “Purpose Driven Life” be just another spiritual phase almost like a fad. God has convicted me recently about my purpose.
Here is another news flash- our recovery isn’t about us! God has called many of us to our purpose, however our habits, hurts, hang-ups have detoured us from that purpose and what God wants to accomplish in our lives. I once heard Bishop Noel Jones say- “your mess don’t cancel your calling” Pastor Tony Evans in his book “Time to Get Serious” talks about Jonah and his running away from what God had called him to do. Dr. Evans states “ when you are obedient God pays the ticket but when you run from God – you get to pay the ticket” Jonah ran 2500 miles headed for Tarshish and the city of Nineveh was actually about 550 miles from his home! Once he got back and obeyed God- he still had to make the original trip anyway! Many of us are paying a high price for our Tarshish trip when if we had done it God’s way, he would have picked up the tab”. There are things that have happened to us and Satan has meant for those things to be our demise, however God wants those very things to be the catalyst for us to fulfill our unique purpose that he has called you and I to do. It’s an invitation to join him in what he is doing and going to do! He’s waiting for you to RSVP!
Reflection: Do you know what your unique purpose is? How has your recovery hindered or helped you see that purpose?
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
What"s My New Name?
Crackhead, Crackhead, Crackhead!
(What’s my new Name?)
Another show I watch (my youngest daughter doesn’t understand why) is one of the court TV shows- Judge Greg Mathis. I like Judge Mathis style and most of his comments.(Plus he’s from Detroit so he has to be ok!) Judge Mathis usually has some harsh comments for those who are in his court and have a substance problem. I remember watching one particular episode that involved a man who had a crack cocaine habit but was in denial and didn’t like when Judge Mathis referred to him as a crackhead. At one point in speaking to the young man Judge Mathis said loudly and intensely – “Crackhead! crackhead! crackhead! That’s what I’m going to call you until you realize that’s what you are and get some help”. As I listened to the way he said those words- it hit home painfully. It reminded me of the years of not facing my addiction and all the names that I had been called over the years (crackhead has actually been one of the nicer words!)
We are labeled for what we do and get involved in. Those labels stick and become painful reminders of our past. Many of us can’t get past the names and labels of our past. Many times those around us wont let us forget-Divorcee, addict, whore, whoremonger, abuser, on and on. Revelation 2:17 (NIV) Says: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
Stones were given for various reasons. Those sitting in judgment positions in ancient days gave their vote by either casting a white stone for innocence or black when they condemned.
J. Vernon McGee states- “The people of Asia Minor to whom John was writing had a custom of giving to intimate friends a tessera, a cube or rectangular block of stone or ivory, with words or symbols engraved on it. It was a secret, private possession of the one who received it. Well, Christ says that He is going to give to each of His own a stone with a new name engraved upon it. I do not believe that it will be a new name for you and me but that it will be a new name for Him. I believe that each name will be different because He means something different to each one of us. It will be His personal and intimate name to each of us”Awesome!
A new name! A name that has been given to us already-symbolizing what we are to him. I think that one of the reasons that he hasn’t told us what exactly the new name is, is because we probably would screw that up too! You know us , instead of realizing that the name indicates something different we would probably empathizing on telling people- “Hey! I got a new name! Guess what it is! Our focus should be that we are no longer- idiot, screw-up, no-good (and others that I can’t repeat). You and I may not know what exactly the new name is- but we do know it represents something far different than what we have been hearing and also what we have been living up to. I recall at one of the many recovery programs that I was in I had relapsed and had to go before all the residents in order to stay in the program. It was called the “hotseat”, I was placed in the center of the room and any resident who wanted to confront me and say anything they wanted and they certainly did! After everyone was through I had a short time to respond and I shouted back at everyone- “I’m an addict!!! That’s what addicts do!” I believed that if we were addicts then we were only doping what addicts do. One of the reasons I love the Celebrate Recovery® Program is that they have you indentify yourself this way “Hi My name is Tim I’m a believer who struggles with drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc (or whatever you struggle with). It’s important to realize that we don’t have to continue to be what people have labeled us to be. Don’t know what your new name is ? Don’t worry- he does and it reflects who you are to him
Reflection: How has the names that talk about your issues over the years affected you ?
Read : Isa. 62: 3-4, 65:15
(What’s my new Name?)
Another show I watch (my youngest daughter doesn’t understand why) is one of the court TV shows- Judge Greg Mathis. I like Judge Mathis style and most of his comments.(Plus he’s from Detroit so he has to be ok!) Judge Mathis usually has some harsh comments for those who are in his court and have a substance problem. I remember watching one particular episode that involved a man who had a crack cocaine habit but was in denial and didn’t like when Judge Mathis referred to him as a crackhead. At one point in speaking to the young man Judge Mathis said loudly and intensely – “Crackhead! crackhead! crackhead! That’s what I’m going to call you until you realize that’s what you are and get some help”. As I listened to the way he said those words- it hit home painfully. It reminded me of the years of not facing my addiction and all the names that I had been called over the years (crackhead has actually been one of the nicer words!)
We are labeled for what we do and get involved in. Those labels stick and become painful reminders of our past. Many of us can’t get past the names and labels of our past. Many times those around us wont let us forget-Divorcee, addict, whore, whoremonger, abuser, on and on. Revelation 2:17 (NIV) Says: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
Stones were given for various reasons. Those sitting in judgment positions in ancient days gave their vote by either casting a white stone for innocence or black when they condemned.
J. Vernon McGee states- “The people of Asia Minor to whom John was writing had a custom of giving to intimate friends a tessera, a cube or rectangular block of stone or ivory, with words or symbols engraved on it. It was a secret, private possession of the one who received it. Well, Christ says that He is going to give to each of His own a stone with a new name engraved upon it. I do not believe that it will be a new name for you and me but that it will be a new name for Him. I believe that each name will be different because He means something different to each one of us. It will be His personal and intimate name to each of us”Awesome!
A new name! A name that has been given to us already-symbolizing what we are to him. I think that one of the reasons that he hasn’t told us what exactly the new name is, is because we probably would screw that up too! You know us , instead of realizing that the name indicates something different we would probably empathizing on telling people- “Hey! I got a new name! Guess what it is! Our focus should be that we are no longer- idiot, screw-up, no-good (and others that I can’t repeat). You and I may not know what exactly the new name is- but we do know it represents something far different than what we have been hearing and also what we have been living up to. I recall at one of the many recovery programs that I was in I had relapsed and had to go before all the residents in order to stay in the program. It was called the “hotseat”, I was placed in the center of the room and any resident who wanted to confront me and say anything they wanted and they certainly did! After everyone was through I had a short time to respond and I shouted back at everyone- “I’m an addict!!! That’s what addicts do!” I believed that if we were addicts then we were only doping what addicts do. One of the reasons I love the Celebrate Recovery® Program is that they have you indentify yourself this way “Hi My name is Tim I’m a believer who struggles with drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc (or whatever you struggle with). It’s important to realize that we don’t have to continue to be what people have labeled us to be. Don’t know what your new name is ? Don’t worry- he does and it reflects who you are to him
Reflection: How has the names that talk about your issues over the years affected you ?
Read : Isa. 62: 3-4, 65:15
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