Author: lastwordrecovery

A Date With Destiny

Timing is Everything

lastwordrecovery

Genesis 8:8

Meanwhile, Noah sent out a dove to see if the water had gone down.

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There are times when you are ready to move into a new phase of your journey, but you have not been given the signal that it is time to move forward. Like Noah waiting for the water to subside, you may have to be patient and wait before taking the next step.

As the anticipation about an exciting new project builds, the wait can sometimes seem unbearable. However, without a signal from God that the time is right, an otherwise successful mission might become a disastrous mess.

If Noah had skipped the waiting period and began unloading the ark as soon as the rain stopped, the passengers and animals might have all perished in the flood waters.

While the ark may not have been the most desirable place to be, it was the safest. It may have been quite smelly and dirty, but it was the place for Noah to wait until God revealed that it was the right time to leave.

The dove in Noah’s story played a significant role in initiating the start of a new era. Noah was selected to rebuild civilization on a planet which had been washed clean by the flood.

Many centuries later, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove which appeared at Jesus’ baptism. Once again, a dove gave the signal. It was time for the Son of God to leave the carpenter shop in order to establish the new era of grace.

As an avid bird-lover, you appreciate the symbolism of doves. You find their presence soothing. It reminds you that God’s is always near and His Spirit will let you know when it is time to move forward into something new.

A Date With Destiny Birthday Series – August 8

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Tetelestai Recovery

Not Just Another Statistic

lastwordrecovery

Truth can change the facts but the facts can never change the Truth.

We discovered within the Tetelestai realm of recovery, we were no longer destined to remain stuck in our sickness and disoriented in our dysfunctions. We were painfully aware of the facts concerning statistics, relapse, and case studies. We also knew the facts of our past, our failures, and our crimes.

We could not rely too heavily on these facts however, for if we subjected ourselves to natural results, we would forfeit the opportunity of a supernatural override. If we allowed ourselves to be enclosed by a fence of facts, we would once again fall victim to the old status quo. In agreement with Christ, we declared, “Tetelestai,” against becoming just another statistic.

We looked to the fifth chapter of the gospel of Mark to discover Jesus’ total disregard for facts. In this one chapter, we found three unique and unrelated accounts of individuals who desperately sought to change the facts of their reality. Each case study contained significant details which would negate the likelihood of change. To change an unchangeable fact is outside the realm of reality. We, like the characters in Mark 5, rejected typical reality based solely on facts. We believed that our righteous Judge could and would overrule the facts to establish His trademark justice which is lovingly steeped in mercy.

When we claimed the powerful declaration of Christ, “Tetelestai,” over our sickness, poverty, strained relationships, and criminal records, we were, in essence, asking Jesus to override our human facts in preference to His divine truth concerning our divine purpose and potential.

Tetelestai Recovery – Chapter 8, Facts are Changeable

https://a.co/d/hGqluhL

A Date With Destiny

Honoring God

lastwordrecovery

Deuteronomy 8:6

Obey the instructions of the Lord your God. Live as he directs you and honor him.

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You realize that nature is the expression of God and all human beings are His children. Therefore, you honor Him by honoring them.

You pay respect to your Creator in the way you live your life. You walk gently on the planet and show gratitude for the resources it provides. You lovingly protect the environment and lead by example to create positive change in your world.

You reject flashy fanfare and showy performances.  Instead, you choose the more noble path of walking quietly and humbly with your God.

A Date With Destiny – August 6

https://a.co/d/ajWNcSN

Tetelestai Recovery

Faith and Doubt – The Alternating Currents

lastwordrecovery

We imagined an electric fan. We could manually spin the blades and create a slight breeze. Obviously, we would have to consistently place our fingertips on the top of the slowing blades to give it another spin. Our entire attention would be devoted to managing the spin of the blades. Our obsession with keeping those blades spinning would consume us, and we would be able to accomplish little else.

If, however, we became willing to plug the fan in to an electrical socket, the blades would spin without effort, in a smooth rhythm, independent of our attention. The effects would be much more noticeable, yet effortless. We could remain active and alert with the more important duties of life, comforted by the breeze of an unseen power.

Faith and doubt, while appearing to be polar opposites, are the alternating currents which work together, generating an absolute belief in Christ. We cannot fully resolve our doubts within our faith. That’s why Jesus tells us time and time again, “Only believe.”

Faith in wholeness, when we felt so broken, was more work than we anticipated.

We worked to believe that somewhere in time, we would possess this shalom which Jesus had bequeathed us before His death.

We worked to believe, when doubts bubbled to the surface after losing our temper, feeling depressed, or experiencing muscle cramps from the lingering effects of the toxins we had used.

We worked to believe our shattered lives could be put back together when legal issues remained unresolved and court cases loomed in our future.

We worked to believe that Jesus’ wholeness could restore us to our original value when we found ourselves faced with the wreckage of our past and the rejection from our families.

We worked to believe in the wholeness of Christ coursing through our veins, restoring the health of mind and body when our inner voice kept telling us we were being foolish and naive.

Finally, we concluded that the only way to test this hypothesis was to presume the words of Jesus were true and choose to believe that they might actually be able to work for us. It seemed worth a shot. After all, we were out of options, so what did we have to lose?

Tetelestai Recovery – Chapter 6, Shalom

https://a.co/d/fwitIMs

A Date With Destiny

Out of the Comfort Zone

lastwordrecovery

Luke 8:4

People were coming to Jesus from every town and city.

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Finding Jesus in ordinary places is not difficult for you. While it is true He is not on this planet in His earthly form, you are able to detect His presence when you distance yourself from places and things which tend to distract you.

In your birthday verse from the book of Luke, it states that the people left their towns on a quest to see Jesus.

In a similar pattern, you too have your most intimate encounters with Christ when you are away from the city lights and the chaos of human interaction. You experience the presence of Jesus when you are in a solitary space.

Sometimes this is a literal endeavor, when you get off by yourself into a open air setting to connect with creation. You see Jesus more clearly when you shift your focus away from natural events in order to catch a glimpse of the supernatural.

This is not a rational process, nor does logic come into play. To see Jesus, there must be faith that He will be there when you arrive.

As you practice removing yourself from what is familiar and stepping out in faith, you are able to recognize Jesus more clearly. Refreshed by His energy, you find harmony and healing.

When you leave all the distractions behind, you are open to the sense of His presence in everything you see.

Your desire to see Jesus, and the effect He is having on the world around you, is the driving force for your divine destiny.

You do not remain set in your ways, with a rigid schedule of daily duties.  You sketch out a tentative plan in your mind each morning, but remain open to changes as the Holy Spirit directs your day.

The terms chance and coincidence are not part of your vocabulary.  You set out each day to find new evidence of divine intervention in ordinary events and you are never disappointed by what you discover.

Jesus appears to you in many forms.  He weaves Himself in and out of your day, energizing you with a sense of love, power, and confidence.

Sometimes you see Him in other human beings. Sometimes you see Him in animals and plants. You see Him in science and are passionate about discovering the complexities of the Creator’s design on this planet.

You hear Him in thunder and the whistling winds. You hear Him in music and laughter.

You hear the rustle of angel wings in the melodies of old hymns. You overflow with emotion when the gentle breeze of His Spirit whispers your name in the stillness of the night.

You discover the presence of Jesus when you seek Him. You remain alert and aware of His influence and promptings on a minute by minute basis.

You are willing to walk away from what distracts you in order to get a clear view of His presence.

Your prayers are not traditional or eloquent. They are more like a casual running conversation with a close friend.  His gentle peace surrounds you as His presence lights up the path where you walk.

https://a.co/d/2Nbyoj1

Home

Trust More; Worry Less

lastwordrecovery

When has worry EVER made something better?  It usually makes us weak and sick.

We can overcome fear by looking to God and receiving his love. 1 John 4:18 tells us that “perfect love casts out fear.” 

Marcus Aureoles wrote, “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”

We can choose to be fearful. We can choose not to be fearful.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

The spirit of fear doesn’t come from God and it certainly isn’t what He wants for you.

Fear, worry, and anxiety are silent killers. They shorten our lives and have a negative impact on those around us.

Tetelestai Recovery

Destiny

lastwordrecovery

We concluded that the Creator of the Universe would not waste time weaving intricate limbic, nervous, and immune systems into a human body, without giving it a reason to exist. It seemed to us that any created life, if not accompanied by a series of assignments designed to enhance the world, would simply be a waste of time.

Imagining that God would create a life without purpose and then place it into a magnificent universe, seemed like hanging macaroni pictures in an art gallery. We felt that God would not busy Himself with kindergarten crafts to decorate the door of His fridge. He would not create a living being which possessed no real purpose or direction, or worse, one with evil intent or the inability to produce a positive impact on the planet.

We acknowledged that the King of the Universe had a specific design for every human being when He placed their spirit into a body. We believed that by the time the organs were developed, and the heartbeat could be heard, each tiny body possessed a spirit with divine directives of cosmic proportions. We were saddened by the realization that if any spirit failed to be awakened to the Creator’s heart, it would be vulnerable to an enemy who would capture and use it for his own purpose.

In the hands of the Evil One, this fragile spirit would be destroyed, and a divine destiny would remain unfulfilled, leaving a gaping hole in human history.

We agreed that our divine assignments could no longer be viewed as optional. We were given life, and therefore, a destiny. The fact that we took another breath meant our destiny had not yet been fulfilled.

Tetelestai Recovery 2: Our New Normal; Chapter 8, The Open Road

https://a.co/d/9s0byPN

Tetelestai Recovery

Settling the Score

lastwordrecovery

In our New Normal, it seemed that forgiveness was an issue we struggled with at every turn. Failure to forgive made us feel guilty. Trying to forgive made us feel irritated. Convincing ourselves that we had already forgiven, when we knew we hadn’t, made us feel like phonies. It all just seemed too much. When someone did us wrong, and we incurred a loss of self-worth, inner peace, reputation, or security, did God really expect us to forgive the offense and get over it?

Was it His intent that we sustain our losses and silently endure offenses to our own demise? We didn’t think that sounded like the reasonable expectation of a loving, protective Father! We thought there must be more to this concept of forgiveness than just suffering in silence and becoming a speed bump to anyone who ran over the top of us.

Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. Deuteronomy 32:35

We examined this Sacred Text carefully and realized it contained two separate promises.

The first phrase was a promise that God would be bringing justice to the offender. The second phrase confirmed that God would repay us for the damage we sustained.

When we were offended, disrespected, lied to, or abandoned, we suffered humiliation, rejection, and loss of self-esteem. Therefore, since God promised to repay us for our loss, and exact revenge on the one who wronged us, then the forgiveness issue was less about protecting ourselves and more about trusting in a God of justice who promised to set all things right.

Tetelestai Recovery 2: Our New Normal; Chapter 7, Keeping it Vertical

https://a.co/d/8KdgTwa

Tetelestai Recovery

Mystical Messages

lastwordrecovery

Our faith grew stronger each day. We encouraged one another with words of faith. We received ‘coincidental’ messages which confirmed and clarified other insights we had received from a different source. We soon realized there was nothing even remotely coincidental about these messages. In fact, we were elated to discover there was nothing left to chance at all. God was choreographing each of our steps, creating a joyful dance out of our awkward stumbles.

There were times when we received an identical message topic or scripture from several different settings in a single day. There were also times when our dreams gave us the answer to a problem we couldn’t solve. And other times, we were hit with a divine download so profound; it was as if a thousand thoughts were dumped into our brains at once. They swirled in a circle like a change counter at the bank, each idea fitting perfectly into the slots, so that the concepts which once perplexed us suddenly became organized and crystal clear.

Tetelestai Recovery 2: Our New Normal; Chapter 5, The Fear Factor https://a.co/d/dYQkMGX

Tetelestai Recovery

Cognitive Distortions

lastwordrecovery

Examine the magnified photo of a scratched vinyl record (see visual aid 1).  Imagine the circular grooves in the album as healthy neuropathways of the brain.  The impact of living in an imperfect world inflicts wounds and distorts our thought processes; much like a scratch in the album distorts the quality of sound it produces. 

A scratched record will not produce the same quality of sound as the non-scratched original.  A vinyl album is fragile and can be easily scarred. If mishandled, it will become lined with grooves which go against the grain of its original design. Once this happens, the needle will frequently slip into the scratch-lines rather than gliding smoothly along the original sound wave channels. This creates audible effects and creates chaos for the listener.

  • Visual Aid 1: Scratched record album; magnified.
  • Visual Aid 2: A coin placed on the headshell above the needle. The purpose is to provide extra weight on the needle, so it doesn’t bounce out of the sound wave channel and follow the groove created from a scratch.
  • Visual Aid 3: Sound wave grooves magnified 1000 times.

The Takeaway

 By placing the weight of the Word on our cognitive distortions, the electrical impulses in our brains began to follow the original pathways designed by our Creator. The Word guides our thought processes and helps us stop jumping from distortion to distortion.

Tetelestai Recovery Volume 2 – Our New Normal; Chapter 3, Brainwashed

https://a.co/d/7q67TdX