The Lord of heaven’s armies spoke His words to me.
(Zechariah 7:4)
The messages you receive from God are words of hope, healing, and harmony for those within your circle of influence.
You may not even realize the magnitude of each message when it is being received or delivered. But in time, you will see the impact of these tiny seeds of hope, as you scatter them freely along the paths you walk.
Your message of God’s love brings color and beauty to a world which would otherwise be dull and lifeless.
Sorrow may sadden your face, but it sharpens your understanding.
(Ecclesiastes 7:3)
You sense God’s presence with greater intensity during times when you are down and find it impossible to stand on your own.
Because of this, you have learned to be grateful for your struggles, for they generate a new level of intimacy between you and your Creator.
You know God is there to help shoulder the heaviness you feel when your heart is sad and therefore, you are able to find hope even in the midst of despair.
Through this, you gain a greater appreciation for the relationship you have with the Divine and a deeper understanding of the value of His presence.
“And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, He will certainly care for you.”
(Matthew 6:30)
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 genetics, money, talent, or fame will make them feel important. Sadly, these beliefs 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 uniquely 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 background, achievements or 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 distinctive human spirit. He knows that your heart is filled with compassion, determination, and enthusiasm. He has given you a mind, body, and temperament which are ideal for your journey.
Long before anyone knew you, God was sketching out a plan; designing you perfectly for the destiny that would be yours. He chose you as His own, and He will be your God forever.
“O Lord, listen to them in heaven and forgive the sins of your servants and teach them to do what is right.”
(2 Chronicles 6:27)
You lead a victorious life when you release your sins and personal failures into the safe space of grace, where forgiveness is found.
When something tempts you, it becomes the topic of your next conversation with God. You do not try to keep it hidden because you know the only way to handle temptation is with the power of divine intervention.
You talk with your Heavenly Father throughout the day and share with Him the struggles that plague your thoughts.
As you share your concerns with God, you find a sense of relief. Your thoughts are turned toward His forgiveness and protection, rather than your own fears and failures.
As the presence of God causes your stress to subside and the chaos to calm, you identify and name your specific challenges.
When you talk things out with God, the issues that overwhelm you are broken down into manageable portions.
Thanks to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, you are given divine wisdom to know the right thing to do.
Knowing that Christ has liberated you from sin and fear, you are free to pursue your destiny with confidence and conviction.
“May the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:26)
The peace of God serves as an umpire in your life. It is the ruling authority in all your decision-making processes.
You know that if you do not experience a supernatural sense of peace when assessing options, your inner umpire has called it a strike.
Rather than giving up, you wait patiently for the next opportunity to try a different approach. That way, when the next opportunity arises, you are on deck, ready to take another swing.
It may be difficult for you to describe this inner peace to others, since it is so deeply personal between you and your Creator.
While this peace is beyond human reasoning or logic, you are aware when it is present, and you rely on its direction.
As you continue your journey, with peace as your guide, you become more attuned to it. This sense of peace, given by God, is as keen as any of your physical senses.
You recognize and appreciate the peace of God because it is the single, most relevant source of direction that you know.
“The people found Jesus on the other side of the lake.”
(John 6:25 )
You recognize the clues to your destiny which come to you from Jesus. Your imagination is the canvass on which He paints the portrait of your future.
You have been given special assignments, but you are unable to understand them until you identify Jesus in the details.
You find Jesus to be a loyal and devoted friend, defending you and keeping you from danger.
You look for Him when you feel lonely, scared, angry or hurt. You look for Him when you can’t find your way. You look for Him when you feel insecure or uncertain of your worth.
You also look for Him when you experience an abundance of joy and just need to express it.
You credit Him for the way you have been made whole and your gratitude spills over into heartfelt praise.
And just as the people in this gospel story found Jesus on the other side of the lake, you too will find Him waiting, when it’s your time to cross over.
“But I promise to keep you safe in the ship, with your wife, and your sons and their wives.” (Genesis 6:18)
The story of Noah began with a simple request from God to build a boat, long before the rain appeared. God selected a good man who was living in the midst of a violent, unjust, hate-filled world.
Much like Noah, you are a good person living in a very hostile time. And, like Noah, God has selected you for a special task which will protect your family and preserve the values you treasure.
Knowing that it is the Spirit who protects you from evil, you and your loved ones remain in a position of safety and security.
The forces of darkness cannot overpower the Creator of the Light and in this light, you gather your family to safety.
No matter how brutal or relentless the storms of life may be, you and your loved ones are sheltered in the safety of God’s protection.
The Tetelestai Recovery Series is a collection of faith-based recovery books written by Marc and Lori Ridenour, based on their own experience with alcoholism and drug addiction. Rooted in the biblical declaration “It is finished” (John 19:30), the series offers a faith-based approach to finding lasting freedom from addiction and the emotional wreckage that accompanies it.
Available in Paperback, Kindle, and Audiobook formats.
Volume 1: Tetelestai Recovery: It is Finished Introduces the core concepts of the series. It targets suffering addicts, chronic relapsers, and their loved ones. The authors provide evidence of permanent sobriety by focusing on Christ’s ultimate healing rather than the traditional life-long struggle.
Volume 2: Our New Normal Focuses on the often awkward and overwhelming early stages of sobriety. This book guides readers through identifying and resolving emotional and social dysfunctions, helping them navigate fears and resentments.
Volume 3: Leveling Up A lifeline designed to assist individuals in achieving long-term, lasting victory over any addiction to reach their full potential.
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.
“Be very careful about what you think. Your thoughts run your life.” (Proverbs 4:23)
To level up, we must evaluate the quality of our thoughts. There are established neuropathways in our brains that need to be rerouted. We do not wish to remain stuck in circular thought processes, like mental roundabouts, which have no outlet or resolution.
When suspicious thoughts come to mind, after an encounter with someone we don’t trust, we go into self-preservation mode and begin analyzing all the things they said or did that just don’t add up. We evaluate our observations to confirm our suspicions. We are angry that they think we can be so easily manipulated. We contemplate ways we can call it out and let them know we are onto them.
Our mental trails lead us into darkened paths, where we get tangled in the weeds of irritation and resentment. We are offended and angered by such a lack of respect. We vow to be more defiant and difficult, to prevent ourselves from being underestimated again.
By the time we cycle through the process described in the last two paragraphs, several hours have passed and we find ourselves in a depressive state of mind. The series of events that triggered the entire process are irrelevant. Our thoughts, fears, and imaginations merged into a twisted reality that we forced ourselves to endure.
Finding Total Recovery in the Words of Christ, "It is Finished!" 