Author: lastwordrecovery

Tetelestai Recovery

The Things We Cannot Change

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The Serenity Prayer speaks of accepting the things we cannot change. Obviously, there are circumstances and people in our lives that we have no power to change, but we do have the option of adjusting our perspectives to make the best of a bad situation.

But what about the past? We cannot change the past. We can either forgive it or be doomed to relive it, but we can’t change it.

Oh sure, we may try to rewrite history and adopt a more sanitized version of the role we played in each event. This habit is not about dishonesty or refusal to take responsibility, but rather, it is about our inability to bear up under the shame of who we once were. We cringe when a memory is triggered, or a past behavior is thrown in our face. Some of us have felony convictions, divorces, failed careers, and a group of resentful people waiting in the wings, ready to dig up our sordid past, preferably in public view.

We tiptoe carefully through the thorny thicket of public events and social media posts, hoping to avoid any references that might puncture our day. Sadly, from time to time, we encounter someone who learns about our past and gathers the ugly details to use as an arsenal of accusations meant to destroy our reputation and damage our credibility.

We are certain that God has given us a new life in Christ. Yet, we also worry that our past will not stay silent forever. We fear that it is only a matter of time before it resurfaces, shattering our new lives to bits.

This may sound overly dramatic to someone with a stellar past, but for those of us who have done deeply regrettable things, there is nothing that can knock us down quicker than a shameful past invading our new lives. With fury and force, these thorns and thistles are aggressive propagators, leaving us hopelessly tangled in a thicket of our failures.

Accepting the past is a difficult thing to do. It is even more difficult when we are asked to explain it. Emotions are triggered. Shame is ignited. The fear of rejection and abandonment rises to choke us. And the most excruciating part is, every time our past comes back to haunt us, we are forced to relive it, watching ourselves play the role of someone we hate.

…Continue Reading https://a.co/d/aarn6Nh

Tetelestai Recovery

It’s a Choice

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Considering whether or not God can actually forget our sins, leaves us with two important theological questions:

  • If God can forget things, then how can He be all knowing?
  • If God can’t forget things, then how can He say that He remembers our sins no more?

Forgiveness is extremely difficult for us, so we assume that it must be even worse for God because he is all present, all powerful, and all-knowing.

In our human relationships, we like to believe that the people we have wronged will gradually forget about it over time. But with God, we know that’s not an option because He exists outside of time. There is no movement of time in the spirit realm. He is everything, everywhere, all at once.

So, we have to ask ourselves, “How can God say that He forgives us and remembers our sins no more?” The answer is simple: He chooses not to remember.

Because He is God, he can make choices that are outside the bounds of human ability. With the attribute of omnipotence (all powerful), He can make the choice not to remember.

In Isaiah 43:25, God says, “I will not remember your sins.”

In Jeremiah 31: 34, “I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Hebrews 8: 12 and Hebrews 10:17, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

There is nothing to indicate God absentmindedly forgets, as if He suffers from dementia or it just slips His mind. Rather, in His infinite mercy, He chooses not to remember the wrongs that He has forgiven. Therefore, we conclude that surface level theology says, “God forgets,” while leveled-up theology says, “He chooses not to remember.”

…Continue Reading https://a.co/d/et0BASS

Tetelestai Recovery

It’s Okay to Be Human

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He didn’t condemn them for being distracted by their growling stomachs. He didn’t belittle them for showing signs of weakness. He didn’t minimize their hunger by comparing it to His own when He fasted for forty days. It wasn’t His desire to see them suffer to prove their devotion.

…Continue Reading https://a.co/d/7AFtNaA

In the multiplication miracle of feeding the five thousand, we see that Jesus was happy to give the hungry people as much food as they wanted. They ate until they were satisfied, and there was plenty left over.

By this example, we can rest assured that Jesus is pleased when He is given the opportunity to be generous. He is not stingy or miserly when it comes to providing the necessities of life. He will not withhold the resources needed to fulfill our destinies. We know that He wants us to have everything we need to successfully complete our human journey. However, there are times we may feel uncomfortable asking, for fear our requests might be based upon selfish motives.

As we level up, we learn this is a needless fear. God is a loving Father. He will not give us something that is bad for us. We think back to the days when our children were young, and they asked for candy when it was time for dinner. We didn’t judge or condemn them. We simply said, “No. That’s not good for you,” and then provided them with a healthy option instead. We know that God will do the same for us. He won’t give us anything that will do harm. We trust Him to protect us; sometimes even from ourselves.

We see that during His mission on earth, Jesus never scolded anyone for asking too much or too often. In fact, He stated time and time again, “Just ask. I want to give you what you need. ”

The feeding of the five thousand demonstrated the Father’s heart through the acts and attitudes of His Son. Jesus had compassion on the famished crowd.

He didn’t condemn them for being distracted by their growling stomachs. He didn’t belittle them for showing signs of weakness. He didn’t minimize their hunger by comparing it to His own when He fasted for forty days. It wasn’t His desire to see them suffer to prove their devotion.

They were hungry and He wanted them to be fed. Jesus met their needs abundantly. He provided more than enough. There may have been some who gave up and left early before the miracle arrived. This may account for the enormous number of leftovers His disciples collected after everyone was fed.

We realize it is critically important that we never become one who wanders away, feeling the pressure to fend for ourselves, rather than waiting to see what Jesus is doing.

We know there will be times of waiting. And during those times, we might not have a clear view of what is happening, or how the miracle will unfold, but waiting is part of the process, and we must become willing to put in the time. Knowing Jesus like we do, we can be sure that compassion is His first response.

A Date With Destiny

Firm Foundations

lastwordrecovery

Proverbs 8:29

Wisdom was there when He ordered the sea
    not to go beyond the borders He had set for it.
Wisdom was there when He laid the earth’s foundation.

**********

The brilliance of God is incorporated into the laws of nature.

You stand in awe of the Creator when walking along the bank of a roaring river or watching storm clouds race across the sky. You are intrigued by each element of nature, knowing it contains vital information about the Creator.

You have a persistent drive to push past surface layer facts in order to discover the deeper meanings behind them. You have a curious mind which seeks to understand oceans, land mass, and geological structural support systems below the earth. You are fascinated by the ratio of water to dry land and the way each supports life on this little blue planet.

You remain keenly aware that all understanding comes from the Creator, and you derive great pleasure discovering the intimate secrets of His character revealed in the details of nature.

You deeply and fully appreciate a belief in intelligent design. Divine revelations you receive while observing nature, reach far beyond human understanding. You are enamored by the evidence of God sprinkled throughout the universe. You yearn to understand more of this great mystery.

You easily make the connection between Creator and Creation. You have been given the gift of divine comprehension which enables you to live life in both the natural and supernatural, simultaneously.

A life of dual loyalties to both the scientific and religious communities is rarely an easy path to walk. These two entities are often perceived to be in opposition to each other. However, with the gift of divine wisdom, you perceive it much differently. You find insurmountable evidence to the contrary.

You see a spectacular harmony between both the spiritual and the scientific realms.  You can easily detect synchronized cooperation between these two dimensions and are equally comfortable in both worlds.

This is an exciting lifestyle that few can understand. You comprehend it well because it has been your reality for as long as you can remember.

…Read More https://a.co/d/1qBJr6G

Tetelestai Recovery

Dark Days

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https://a.co/d/g67wFqj Chapter 9: Hold That Thought

The trajectory of our future is altered by our thoughts when we base them on the perceived realities that swirl around in our brains unchecked. We may hate our pessimism and suspicion, but we can’t break out of the cycle. We may despise our long dreary days of dark thought spirals, but we can’t seem to stop them once they start.

We think about what people were saying about us behind our backs. We wonder if they really wish we weren’t around. We suspect we are going to be fired, dumped, rejected, or abandoned. We replay old conversations, trying to read between the lines so we can better prepare for a number of worst-case scenarios that are likely to befall us.

It has been said that a coward dies a thousand times, a brave man, only once.

***********

Our thoughts create the reality we live in, whether they align with the truth or not.

To level up, we must develop healthy thought patterns and discipline our minds to stay on a positive track. We can no longer allow our thoughts to wander aimlessly through the minefield of our worst imaginations. We must carve new pathways for our thoughts to travel. We need to keep our thoughts on the high road and pump the brakes when we are headed for the ditch. But how?

Continue Reading: https://a.co/d/g67wFqj

Tetelestai Recovery

Word Caves

lastwordrecovery

Some of us are isolated in self-fulfilling word caves:

  • “I will never be like my mother/father/sibling!”
  • “No one is going to tell me what to do!”
  • “Once and addict, always an addict.”
  • “I will never allow anyone to get close to me again!”
  • “I can’t trust anyone but myself.”

Sadly, we lose our identity in these word-caves because they only define us by the negative; what we won’t do. The words never define us by our positive traits or what we can be. Our personalities form around our resistance, which prevents us from developing a sense of self and cultivating our gifts, talents, and abilities. We lead a reactionary life, in knee-jerk mode. Our light is dimmed by the darkness of our own words.

Living in these caves leaves us dull and lethargic. We search for an identity. We become chameleons and mimic the personalities of those we find likeable or interesting. The fit is never quite right, and we rarely feel truly authentic.

The word cave, ‘No one is going to tell me what to do!’ creates a rebellious monster within us. It roars with rage around authority figures and pushy people.

The word cave, ‘I will never let anyone get close to me again!’ is a self-sabotaging prophecy. Keeping people at arm’s length keeps us safe from the risk of heartbreak, but it also keeps us imprisoned in solitude. In time, loneliness transitions into self-pity, and we no longer have to push people away. No one wants to get close.

Many of us hide in the caves of addiction, alcoholism, co-dependence, idealism, lies, promiscuity, and even perfectionism. These caves may have been where we ran to hide at one time in our lives, but they are not healthy places to be. Eventually, these caves become prisons. The fortress where we hide becomes the stronghold of the enemy to keep us from fulfilling our divine destiny.

…Continue reading: https://a.co/d/cSmTFs1

Tetelestai Recovery

Pure Perfection

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Being confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Therefore, be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48

*********************

People commonly use the word perfect to describe a newborn baby. Babies are inadequate in every way. They are unable to feed themselves, walk, read, or even roll over. Sometimes they cry or make messes. Yet, we say they are perfect. Every stage is perfect and necessary in the process of transitioning to the next stage.

A tiny green tomato on the vine is a perfect tomato, although it does not have the color, flavor, or texture of a fully ripened tomato. The tiny green fruit is perfect, but it is not yet useful for its intended purpose. If it remains on the vine, the perfect green tomato will grow into its full potential. And throughout each stage of its growth, it will continue to be perfect.

Thus, we conclude that perfection is about potential. Perfection has little to do with current behavior or ability, but a lot to do with our mindset. Perfection is a state of being which maintains continuous momentum toward progress.

…Continue reading: https://a.co/d/cSmTFs1

Tetelestai Recovery

Vocal Vibrations

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We fight our battles in the spirit realm through vocal vibrations. We speak the words of God to pull down cognitive distortions that produce fear, despair, discouragement, and low self-esteem. These are the strongholds of the enemy.

Strongholds are the enemy’s Trojan horse. They are the mental constructs where the forces of darkness hide, staging attacks from within. These forts are constructed, brick by brick, through words and phrases heard over the course of a lifetime. Some of the words come from others, some come from ourselves. But ultimately, each brick in the stronghold originates from the enemy.

As we level up, we can sense that strongholds in our minds are slowly being dismantled. Some of the bricks fall and roll away. Some of the bricks are slung back at us. Some of the bricks are used by the enemy to build new strongholds in a different area of our lives.

To pull down these internal strongholds, we speak words of life, newness, clean slate, fresh start, and positive energy. We claim power and healing in the promises of God. We absorb life-giving, life-sustaining words from our spiritual siblings. We notice words of life all around us, electrifying the atmosphere with sparks of light. We generate spiritual energy when we speak these words to ourselves and our fellow travelers. Our power intensifies as we receive words of life from Sacred Text, songs of praise, prayer, and uplifting conversations.

These energy producing words are breaking through the barriers and exposing the enemy’s hiding places. Our strongholds are crumbling like the walls of Jericho as we shout praise to God. These vibrations from our vocal cords pulverize the enemy’s garrison like a jackhammer.

…Continue reading: https://a.co/d/bzwy8at

Tetelestai Recovery

Tetelestai Recovery 3: Leveling Up

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https://a.co/d/1ux7T0L

Addiction takes many forms—but so does God’s power to set us free. Tetelestai Recovery – Leveling Up is a lifeline for anyone seeking lasting victory over destructive habits, unhealthy dependencies, or hidden battles of the heart.
With compassion and clarity, this book combines timeless biblical wisdom with practical guidance, showing how God’s Word can break chains that seem unbreakable. Inside, you’ll discover how to:

  • Understand the spiritual roots of addiction
  • Replace lies with God’s life-giving truth
  • Build new patterns grounded in scripture
  • Walk in freedom every single day

Whether you’re struggling yourself or walking alongside a loved one, this book will point you to the ultimate source of hope and transformation: Jesus Christ. Freedom isn’t just possible—it’s promised.

Tetelestai Recovery

Changing the Mind of God

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But Moses reasoned with God and eventually talked Him out of it. Surprisingly, Moses brought up some very valid points and God was open to his feedback.

Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.”

But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’”

So, the LORD changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people. Exodus 32:9-14

Moses took a bold approach. He had the courage of a junior executive pitching a new concept to the CEO. He had the heart of a quarterback who asked the coach to reconsider the play he had just called.

Based on the response God gave Moses to his input, what other events in history might have been altered, based on this perspective?

  • What if Noah had discussed the flood plan at depth with God and asked for more humans to be spared?
  • What if Abraham had continued his negotiations for the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, asking God to hold off if he could find just one righteous man?

On the other hand, what if the ones who approached God boldly had been more timid?

  • What if Jacob said when wrestling the Angel of God, “If you don’t bless me, that’s okay, I’m fine either way,” rather than making the risky move by saying, “I’m not letting go until you bless me.”?
  • What if Moses had just responded with, “Okay Lord, I guess you are just going to wipe out those people and start over with me. I don’t have any say in the matter.”?

Read more… https://a.co/d/6cXobBz