Souls For Christ Ministries

“Therefore I urge you, brothers, in the view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1

“And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of god.” Romans 12:2

Chapter Four: Making A Self Examination

Agree To making a search without fear and a moral inventory of our life.

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” Lamentations 3:40

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5

Chapter Five: Confession Follows Examination

Admit to ourself, and to another(s), the exact nature of our wrongs.

“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:16

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1John 1:9

Chapter Six: Repentance is the way to forgiveness.

We are ready to have God remove all defects of character. Repenting of our sins we turn completely away from them, not choosing to do them anymore, we turn to God for his love and his help.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

Chapter Seven: God is Able To Cleanse Us. Ask God to remove our shortcomings and ask him to shape and mold us back into his image and likeness.

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” Psalm 51:2

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

Chapter Eight: Examine Our Relationships

Make an effort to repair all relationships that we have wronged.

“As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31

“Therefore, if those bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember that thy brother had aught against thee; leave thy gift before the altar, and go thy way,; first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift.” Mathew 5:23,24

Chapter Nine: Pressing Forward

Do not continue to look back at our past mistakes, Look forward to a bright future!

“Brethren I count not myself to apprehend; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13

“Wherefore let him stands take heed lest he falls.” 1Corinthians 10:12

Chapter Ten: Move To Reconcile

Jesus calls us to love one another, reconciliation makes this possible

“For is, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:10

“And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain enmity (separation) thereby; and came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to them which were near.” Ephesians 2:16,17

Chapter Eleven: Draw Near To God

Seek God through prayer and meditation.

“Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh unto you. Cleanse your hands and purify your heart.” James 4:8

“Let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with a pure water.” Hebrews 10:22

Chapter Twelve: Shine Your Light.

Having accepted Jesus and committing to follow him, we carry the message of his healing grace to others.

“Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness: considering thyself; lest thou also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1

Questions Of The Heart

Am I an Addict?

Do I need help to control my life?

Do I recognize, acknowledge, and confess that I am broken and I need a Savoir?

Do I believe that Jesus is the one that can help me?

Am I ready to learn a better way to live?

Am I willing to be totally honest about my life?

Do I believe that I can be free from my addiction and can recover from the effects?

Now that we have taken an honest look into our heart and be real to ourselves and others, now we are truly ready to be open to changing our life. With that let us begin to allow Jesus to change us,

Chapter One: Recognizing Our Brokenness

We admit we are broken over the effects of our separation from God – that our life has become unmanageable without him.

“I know nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” Romans 7:18

“He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust.” Psalm 103:14

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis2:7

God has not forgotten, nor will he forget our frame. He promises that he will not give us more than we can bear, he also reminds us to cast our burdens upon him, because he knows how frail we are sometimes and how much we all need him. I would like to suggest something to you though, sometimes we are the ones who forget what we are made of. Too often we think of ourselves much higher than we ought, it is this pride that keeps us from turning to Jesus for help. When we forget that we are created from dust, that is when life gets difficult, because we attempt to carry the burdens of life all alone. God formed us out of the dust, yet there are many who claim that they are as strong as Super Man or Super Woman! God knows what we can handle and what we can’t handle, he is the one that formed us. Do we know? We need to understand that we all need help sometimes, and help comes from God! In this book we offer that help to you, please accept this welcome and our sincere hope that it will be of help to you,

Cary

Welcome to the Learner III. you have come to the right place if you are seeking love, healing, and understanding.

This is a Christ centered book that heals with the truth;

In this book we will seek to support all that are interested in freedom, restoration, and full recovery from the bondage of addiction. We desire to participate in helping those that are hurting and in need of accountability and counsel. Our hearts reach out to those that struggle with the loss of control in their lives due to dependency. We are a brother, a sister, and a friend in the time of need, we seek to lend an open ear and the wisdom of God to enable the captive to overcome sickness. In each chapter it will require the individual to examine him or herself in truth and through honesty, and accept the tools needed to begin the process of healing. So with this short mission statement we welcome you and look forward to assisting you in full recovery and restoration.

This is Chapter One: Recognizing Our Brokenness. Each chapter that we will cover will go deeper into the examination of what causes us to be addicted and what can help us to overcome. Please go with me into this chapter one study of Addiction Recovery. First let’s start with grace:

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear, The hour I first believed

Thru many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come

Tis grace that brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun

We've no less days to sing God's praise, Then when we first begun.

Friends, this is more than a song, this is truth, in this book is grace, not condemnation, but love a grace, because like everyone else I have needed grace and so do you, I extend my heart to you and a hand of grace in hope to help you rise above these hurts and pains in your life. Let us journey together,

Welcome to chapter one of Addiction Recovery. We are grateful that you have made a decision in your life to live a new way. This will require honesty, willingness, and a total surrender of yourself to a greater power that is able to make a difference in your life. I pray that you are blessed as you read and that these coming chapters will change your life!

Ok, so let us get past the soft introduction, which is the soft truth in love, and begin to move to the hard truth in love, both of which is needed, first to know that we are loved, and second to know that those that love us will not hold us back from the truth. So the truth starts at the cross: for this we will first need to understand that the cross for us all is a journey,

The first part of this journey begins with faith in God. How much does God love you? He loves you so much that he took this journey to the cross for you! As I mentioned this book is a journey and the truth in love is that you will need to be willing to go with me and with the so many others that have also went before you in order to break this bondage and be set free. Because someone loves you, they will not soften this matter so that they can be friends, but instead a friend that loves in truth will take you to the truth. Now that you have been told that this is a journey, as with any journey it will require a certain length of commitment, and to everyone this commitment is different, it is for each person WIT, “whatever it takes” Do you want to overcome?, and are you willing to do WIT, “whatever it Takes”? Now I have to be careful here because I have the tendency to jump right out of the gate and go full force, but I want to take the with the utmost respect and diligence for you the reader, understanding that this is a crisis, it is very important that a great deal of attention is given to your heart. I know how badly you want to be free! And I also know that this freedom comes from a power that is greater than you or me. So the question and prayer is “ How can I help you?” The answer is, go with you to the only one that can help, Jesus. Now I know that many prefer to say, “your higher power” or “the God of your understanding” but when I ask them what is the name? or Who are they called? They have no answer, because they really don’t want to be accountable to a real person or a real God. Accountability is forsaken when there is no name, so now we will put a name to this higher power or God of our understanding, and his name is Jesus! Only Jesus can set you free! As it is written, “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free! John 8: 32

Now remember we have said that we will commit ourselves to full honesty, so full honesty is acknowledging that we need help, that our lives have become unmanageable, and that we are ready to allow a true surrender to receive the love and assistance that we need to overcome our addictions, and with that we also do not resist the truth, we call our dependency what it is, it is an addiction and a sickness that is destroying our life and we want to be free from it!

To be free means that we must let Jesus be Lord of Our life, and we must commit to winning against the devil! The very first step to winning against the devil is to tell ourselves the truth. Many people in history have had their eyes open to the truth. We need to understand 1. “we all fall short” and 2. Only Jesus can save us! The following readings are given to assist us and to begin an open discussion.

Read Romans 7: 14-25

14. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

15. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate that do I.

16. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

17. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18. For I Know that in me,(that is in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing, for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19. For the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

What questions do you have after reading this?

Answer the following questions:

What was Paul’s problem here?

Did Paul admit his problem or did he hide it?

What war was Paul talking about?

Did Paul love God’s law?

Did Paul choose to do good?

Why did Paul struggle to do good?

Who helped Paul overcome his struggle?

Read Romans 6:1-6

1. What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin, that grace may abound?

2.God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

What questions do you have after reading this?

Answer the following questions:

Is it ok to continue to sin even though God forgives?

What must we be baptized into to be free from sin and walk in newness of life?

When we receive Jesus do we automatically walk in newness of life?

Understanding What Must Take Place: let us serve Jesus!

The Death Of The Cross!

"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Philippians 2:8

OUR CHALLENGE TODAY!

One way or another we shall all die physically, but the significance of dying on the cross is this, the flesh dies, simply put, the flesh is submitted to, surrendered to, and made powerless to act on it's own! Yet the soul lives! The spirit lives! We are not our own to live any way that we choose, and the cross symbolizes a death and a new life that is yielded to living for Jesus! At the cross the only thing that continues to live is the soul, and the spirit, or good character of our person, in order to be used by God! In other words all that brought us pleasure in this sinful world is put to death, all that is sin in our life, and all that cannot and will not enter into the kingdom of God is nailed to the cross, and remains there even though we live. Our sin stays there nailed to the cross and we come away from the cross to live a new life of service to Jesus, never to live this life of sin again! As it is written, "Know ye not, that as so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" Romans 6:3 Being baptized into Christ Jesus means committing ourselves to a new life, a life lived for him, and for his purposes. This is the death of the "Sin-Man" he no longer lives! And this is the new life of the "God-Man" and he will live forever! Never to die, but forever to live with Jesus in eternity! So now one might say, "Jesus knew no sin, so why did he die the death of the cross?" The answer is here even in this same passage, " He Being Found In The Fashion As A Man" as a man he lived in this flesh, when Jesus came from heaven to the earth he became as a man in order to set the example for man, and here he gives to us the example of what must take place in order to live a life in the spirit and not after the worldly sins of the flesh! The fleshly desires of this world must be put away, must be nailed to the cross, and a commitment must be made to live for him! If not we all know the consequences, as it is written, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 Sure there is many ways to die, as one popular TV show says, "1000 ways to die", but only through the cross can we live! We must nail sin to the cross and count it as crucified with Christ, so that we may count ourselves as risen and alive with him! "But as like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life." Romans 6:4

The Christian Life is not for sissy’s as one Pastor put it!

The thought of today’s time is to be or desire anything hassle- free, commitment- free, easy and convenient in life. We find these thoughts are permeating our society and have been allowed to seep into our churches making them dead or ineffective. Our Lord has strategically placed us exactly where we are not for our convenience, not that we should be hassle- free or commitment- free, nor that we should merely have easy access to attend a morning worship service and afterwards happily go on our way. He has strategically planted our church in its present location to effectively cause Satan to fall. To loose the chains that hold His children in bondage and overcome the battle that Satan wages against God’s people. You might say; “cause Satan to fall?” I thought Satan had already fallen!

Now our topic is must be about our communities. Since Satan has fallen from heaven where is it that he fell to?

You might say what does this have to do with addiction recovery? The answer is, Satan is the addiction dealer! He is the one that is pushing the addictive pleasure so that the people of the world are destroyed before they find out about the good life in Jesus!

Read Luke 9:57- 62

Here we find Luke the beloved physician giving an account concerning Jesus and his disciples. First he starts by showing Jesus teaching the disciples about priority. When we follow Jesus there are priorities. You might say; “Preacher I have always had priorities, I just follow my heart and I know that my heart is good and therefore my priorities are straight. And so it was with a few other disciples.

57 “And as they were going along the road, someone said to him (Jesus) and said, “ I will follow you wherever you go.”

How many of us can say this today? “And Jesus said to him: Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head.”

This doesn’t sound too convenient or hassle-free too me so far. Jesus immediately says to another: “Follow me” Now this one says “Permit me first to go bury my father.” Can I do a few things that I want to do first Jesus? Jesus replies: “Let the dead bury the dead but as for you go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”

Often we say to Jesus I will follow you, but when asked to do something for him or for another we shrink back and seek to set the obligation in accordance with our terms. Beloved in those moments that we commit and we then reevaluate the commitment we show Jesus our terms in which we will do it, but he sets the terms beloved, not us.

The work of God is never done according to our terms, we can never say to him yes, but!! Yes we will go but when we are ready? Yes we will go whenever you call us is what we agree to, is it not? “Another said I will follow you Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home. But Jesus said to him, No one putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Again this walk is not set to your terms. If you say I will follow you there is no looking back. No turning aside to the former things. This is an exact commitment not determined by your terms, but rather by Gods terms. Now this seems to be very discomforting, certainly not convenient and not hassle- free. This takes commitment! But for Commitment there is great reward!

And here are the happy results! Now Jesus, after appointing 35 teams of 2 and dispatching them to various cities with instructions on how to go as we read in Luke 10:1-16, he watches for the results.

In pairs of two they went and to every city in which he directed them. They didn’t ask permission to take care of little things first, they didn’t delay the operations at all, and they just went as directed. They laid down their lives to obey their Lord. 70 Disciples denied themselves, they didn’t take anything for the journey, they didn’t make pit stops on the way, they didn’t take it as an opportunity to treat themselves to a lavish dinner, and instead they became like John the Baptist and entered into the cities where Jesus himself was going to go. They searched out for an inviting house or receptive people that would hear them and then they laid the groundwork, they planted the seeds, and then they reported back to Jesus with a great and mighty praise report!

Why is all of this necessary one might ask? Why can’t we just assemble behind these 4 walls and let God send them to us? Why can’t we just mind our own business, we believe in God and we attend services and we worship God and we help the Pastor and the Elders when we’re asked. Why do I have to go into the city or to my neighbors? Let me answer got kicked out of heaven with one third of the angels where did they go? When Jesus appointed 70 other disciples to send them to every city that he sent them to, what was his purpose?

The reason you have to go, the reason why you need to get out of your comfort zone and stop telling God your terms, the reason you need to look outside these four walls is there is a war right here in your neighborhood, right in your backyard, right in your city where your church is and that war is pressing in trying to take over. What happened when Jesus sent the 70 out and they returned? Well let’s hear the report:

“And the seventy returned with joy saying, Lord even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

And Jesus said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning!”

This is one of the happiest moments in the ministry of Jesus!

Jesus was expressing his joy, his excitement, and his celebration over their victory!

Satan was defeated in those areas, his assault against the cities was abandoned, and he fell that very day. Friends Satan is running wild all around us and he is going unchallenged. Is he being challenged in your city? What can you do about it?

Get together as teams and go out, as did the others that we read about. Follow Gods instructions; make it a point to give an hour or two every week to going into your neighborhood or city and shining your lights. Don’t let Satan go unchallenged anymore. Bible studies, bible readings, or even carrying your bibles around town for people to see sends a loud sound of victory. Be seen, be noticed, and be active. Put a smile on Jesus face.

You have the power! You can make a difference!

19. “Behold I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you!”

Team up Christians, find a partner and get busy, don’t be as some who find excuses.

Jesus will say to you! “I was watching Satan fall!” Jesus will smile and celebrate with you your victory!

We must realize that Satan is trying to destroy us and many others, and our addiction is what he is using to destroy us with. If we take the offensive approach we can change our life and be a part of changing the life of others before they are too far into their addiction to come out of it and live free from bondage.

Read Romans 8:1-17

1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.

2. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.

4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11. But the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13. But if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

What questions do you have after reading this?

Answer the following questions:

What is the difference between walking in the flesh and walking in the spirit?

When you walk in the spirit what are you free from?

If Jesus is living in us, what happens to the addiction that once occupied our heart?

Should we feed our urges of addiction, or should we feed the spirit?

How can we feed the spirit?

Read Galatians 5:16-26

16.This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, varience, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, herisies,

21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in times past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

What questions do you have after reading this?

Answer the following questions:

What are the works of the flesh?

What are the works of the spirit?

Is your addiction a work of the flesh or the spirit, why?

It is important for us to know our limits, where our abilities end and at what point we should surrender and allow Jesus to direct our life.

Jesus never expects us to be able to make it in life without his help!

Chapter Two: Having Faith In God!