Author: lastwordrecovery

A Date With Destiny

Praise

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You should praise him. He is your God. He has done great and wonderful things for you. You have seen them with your own eyes. Deuteronomy 10:21

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You have been called by God and down deep, you have always known it.

Your destiny will involve many different seasons. It will take on a variety of forms as you move through your allotted time on this planet.

Embedded in the foundation of your spiritual core is an interlocking system consisting of a perfect blend of praise and gratitude.

You are grateful for the peace that replaces discord in your thoughts. You remain ever mindful that gratitude and praise are powerful deterrents to discontentment.

Your gratitude for the things God has done for you is revealed by the enthusiastic way you talk about Him.

You love to get together with friends and family who have this same sense of appreciation for the work of God in their own lives as well.

You love to share stories of miracles and mercy. You openly tell of the times that God has showered you with comfort and compassion during times of great difficulty.

You also enjoy hearing others talk about what God is doing in their lives. You adore being surrounded by people who openly express their gratitude for the blessings of God. On the other hand, you find it tedious and exhausting to be around complainers. You know that a very high level of toxicity is contained within a complaint so you combat its effects with the purposeful practice of praise.

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A Date With Destiny

Spokesperson

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Matthew 10:20

It will not really be you speaking. The Spirit of God will be speaking through you.

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You are called to be the voice of Christ to some of God’s lost children who don’t seem to be able to hear Him for themselves. When you speak of God’s love and forgiveness, it is the Spirit of God speaking through you, infusing the atmosphere with hope and life.

There are specific souls you will be drawn to. This is a nudge from the Holy Spirit.

Due to your own life experiences and unique character qualities, the connections you make with those who are struggling will prove to alter their lives as well as your own.  You will be the one to help them find their way to the Father, and thus, find their way home.

As a representative of redemption, you find that the chosen ones are typically the most broken ones.

Your ability to connect with  troubled people in a non-judgmental approach makes you the ideal candidate to bring God’s message to those who cannot hear His voice for themselves.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Testing Time

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When caught up in a moment of testing, we must resist letting our feelings and circumstances serve as a litmus test of our faith. It is not healthy, nor is it accurate.

Tests are for the express purpose of developing patience. Whether the tests come from internal or external forces, they have a purpose. Some of the tests we face are due to our own weaknesses and might easily become our demise, but even then, God always has a better plan. Any test that activates patience is beneficial. Guilt and blame serve no purpose.

Patience tells us that tests are only temporary. Patience tells us that God is doing a good work in us, and He will complete it. Patience tells us not to judge our walk by one random stumble. Patience keeps us steady as we wait for the storm to pass.

It is patience that we lack when we throw up our hands and give up. It is patience that we lack when we question our progress. It is patience that will get us to the finish line. It is patience that will help us be gentle with ourselves.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Be Patient With Yourself

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As we release our addictions with the words of Jesus, “It is finished!” and settle comfortably into our new normal, we feel gratitude beyond words. The dysfunctions we struggled with in the past are fading in the distance. We are on firm footing and making solid progress.

Sometimes we make really good progress and are pleased with the distance we cover in such a short time. We feel that our relationship with God is in great shape, and we are motivated by our sense of accomplishment.

At other times, however, we feel as if we were trudging through mud, putting one foot in front of the other, lacking any drive or inspiration. We feel inadequate, overwhelmed, and disinterested. During these times, we don’t feel so great about our relationship with God. We assume He is disappointed with our lack of energy and enthusiasm.

These times are rare, but they happen often enough to make us question our stability and resolve. We wonder if one of these periods might last so long that we will just give in and give up.

We don’t want to lose what we have gained, and we don’t want to miss the joy of the journey, so the thought of trudging through the marshy swampland of doubt, discouragement, and disagreement feels very threatening.

We love the mountaintops and the flowery meadows, but we must face the fact that dry deserts and muddy bogs are also part of the expedition. We must make peace with both if we want to get where we are going.

When the roads are easy, we feel joy in looking back to see how far we’ve come. When the roads are difficult, we seem to take one step forward, two steps back. Sometimes we slip and fall. Sometimes we just stand still and shrug. Even when we do finally get on firm footing again and start to move forward, we scold ourselves for not being stronger, more resilient, or more determined.

Chapter 4, Be Patient With Yourself

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Tetelestai Recovery

Good Intentions

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We often have the best of intentions to love wholeheartedly and unconditionally. But our plans can quickly get lost in a swirling sea of resentment, when we suspect our kindness has been mistaken for weakness. We recoil whenever we give an inch only to be met with demands for a mile.

When we pull away from relationships because the emotional cost is too great, we feel like a bad person. We want to follow the leadership of Jesus. We want to be the kind of person who turns the other cheek and goes the extra mile. But being that person takes its toll on our sense of well-being. Our trust turns into suspicion. Our self-sacrifice turns into self-defense and self-preservation. We become discouraged and frustrated. Our personal investments don’t always pay off and it seems pointless to throw any more emotional currency toward relationships that are bankrupting us.

With our emotional center depleted, it is easy to just shut down and go dark. For some of us, the darkness is called depression, and we struggle with thoughts of self-harm. For some of us, the darkness is shoved aside with distractions. We bury ourselves in work, entertainment, shopping, or anything else that will keep us from dealing with our unmet emotional needs.

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Tetelestai Recovery

The Two Big Lies

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Our minds were filled with fear, but the fears were not always clearly defined. So, we examined our fears more closely and realized they were rooted in two basic lies.

1. We Were Not Enough

    We feared that we weren’t smart or capable enough to maintain our place on this planet. We feared we would not be able to make good enough plans and follow through on them. We feared we would not be able to earn enough money to pay the bills. We feared we could not meet the expectations others had for us, or those we had for ourselves.

    We feared that our ‘not-enough-ness’ would be discovered and we would be humiliated. We feared social settings because we were not interesting enough. We feared being forgotten because we just weren’t very remarkable. We feared being abandoned because we just didn’t bring enough to the table.

    We feared that we were ill-equipped and woefully inadequate to handle the overwhelming responsibility of life on this planet.

    2. We were too much.

      We feared that we were too much trouble and not worth the effort. We feared that we were too boring, too impatient, too greedy, too lustful, too resentful, or too lazy.

      We feared that we were too insistent on getting our own way. We feared that our sense of entitlement and list of demands were turning us into tyrants.

      We feared being alone because sometimes we were too much, even for ourselves.

      Chapter 5 – The Fear Factor

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      Tetelestai Recovery

      It Is Finished

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      We noticed that Jesus’ final word tetelestai, translated into the English phrase, it is finished, seemed to imply a sense of giving up. We found this to be an unfortunate language barrier. As it turned out, in the original Greek language of the New Testament, this word tetelestai is a declaration of victory, completion, and success.

      Tetelestai is the comment an artist might whisper after completing his final brush stroke on a masterpiece.

      Tetelestai is the report a soldier would bring to his commanding officer when a battle was over, and victory had been secured.

      We believe our Savior used His final breath on the cross to declare for all time, to all creation, in every dimension, that there is nothing left undone: It is finished; Tetelestai.

      There is no more drudgery to sobriety and no more anguish to recovery. There is no self-effort which must be added to what has been declared, Tetelestai.

      IT IS FINISHED

      In matters of our recovery from substance addiction and the mental dysfunction which accompanied it, we were completely helpless. We had no thoughts that could heal our thoughts. We had no disclosure that could remove our secret shame. We had no detour that would lead us out of the darkness. We were lost. We were alone. We were afraid.

      But suddenly, in a random, unexplainable moment, the gift of Tetelestai was revealed. We had run out of options, yet in that barren wasteland of emptiness, we stumbled upon a treasure trove of truth.

      Chapter 1 – Out of Options

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      A Date With Destiny

      HAND MADE BY GOD

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      You formed me inside my mother. You put skin and flesh on me like clothing. You knit me together with bones and muscles.

      Job 10:10-11

      In a world of competition and comparisons, you sometimes wonder if your value is measured by what you do, rather than by who you are.

      This is a concern for many human beings. Some struggle to do more, or to be better in order to feel significant.  Others think that money, talent, or fame will make them feel important. Sadly, these endeavors prove to be worthless.

      Knowing that you are handmade by the Creator of the universe assures you of your value.  Since you are so special to God, He designed you in a unique and wonderful way. Before your mother even knew you existed, God was already weaving together the strands of your DNA.

      Imagine His excitement as He selected your eye color, your voice tone, and your sense of humor! He gave you a passion for family, friendship, and community. He infused you with a high level of curiosity and creativity.

      He placed within you specific gifts and talents which you are just beginning to discover. Your value is far beyond what you do or say. You are much more important than your achievements or your awards. You are a person with a destiny; designed by the God of the galaxies.

      You play an important role in the future of humanity. Each day you spend on this planet becomes a significant part of history.

      God knows the value of your unique human spirit. He knows that your heart is filled with compassion, determination, and enthusiasm. He has given you the mind, body, and temperaments which will are ideal for your journey.

      Long before anyone knew you, God was sketching out a plan; designing you perfectly for the destiny which will be yours. He chose you as His own, and He has promised to be your God forever.

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      A Date With Destiny

      Kingdom Come

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      Heal the sick who live there. Tell them, “The Kingdom of God is coming to you!” Luke 10:9

      Happy Birthday ~ October 9 ~

      You see miracles happening all around you. While some people may dismiss them as ‘coincidence’ or ‘good timing’, you remain keenly aware that most remarkable incidents are actually the hand of God acting on behalf of His precious children. 

      You know that He is doing miracles and wonderful things in the lives of those around you, and you feel compelled to participate in them.

      Like Moses with his walking stick, which was an ordinary tool of his trade, you too are able to perform miraculous works using the tools of your career as well.

      Every day, as you perform the tasks of your ordinary duties, you are given opportunities to deliver healing into the lives of your friends, family, and co-workers. The skills and experiences which serve as ‘tools of the trade’ in your career field, are vital to God’s work. You function in your divine destiny as you bring healing and deliverance to those you encounter throughout the day.

      You often experience overwhelming gratitude to God for being such a loving Creator who takes interest in the everyday life events of His creation. 

      You love watching miracles unfold in the lives of those you love and it brings you great joy to be an active participant in each.

      As the Kingdom of God advances, you carry His banner of hope and healing into ordinary places; infusing the atmosphere with divine expectation.

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      Tetelestai Recovery

      Empowered to Succeed

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      “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

      Waiting on God and being certain of His blessings is not pie-in-the-sky or wishful thinking. This faith choice is not presumptuous or improper. Blessings are the divine energy of God empowering us to succeed because we choose to believe in His goodness. He has equipped us with a divine destiny. He wants to see us succeed as much as we do.

      And so, we wait for what God has promised, in the same way we might wait at a bus stop, in eager anticipation. We aren’t sitting at some random corner, hoping a bus might drive by. We are positioned at the right place at the right time, waiting for what we know is on its way. We aren’t waiting to see if a hopeful future will appear. We are waiting with confidence, certain of it.

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