We are a Christ centered program that heals with the truth;

Here at G.A.R.T.H. we 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. At G.A.R.T.H. we seek to lend an open ear and the wisdom of God to enable the captive to overcome. Our 12-step program requires the individual to examine him or herself in truth and through honesty 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 12-step program does not claim to be the only way, the perfect way, or the absolute way for you. It is merely a resource of additional training that encourages truth and honesty, healing, hope, and recovery with and emphasis on love. It is highly recommended that the individual get connected to a church body along with this program.

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.

Welcome to week six 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. We pray that you are blessed as you participate, and that in these coming weeks change will become very noticable to you.  Lord we pray that you will help us as we repent before of our past ways, we seek your forgiveness and ask for your acceptance of our apology. We pray today that this is the beginning of us drawing closer together again we are ready for you to take over and remove all the defects in our life. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

WEEK/STEP SIX -  Repentance the way to forgiveness

We are entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.  Repenting of our ways we turn completely away from them, not choosing to do them anymore, we turn to God for 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 

Repenting of our ways! Is there a certain way to repent of our ways? This week we are talking about a very important step to recovery. Repentance is a major part of building our new life. We cannot just confess, and ask forgiveness without making a commitment to stop doing what we have done in the past. The following is titled "7 steps to Repentance and Life" We need to understand God's criteria for repentance, so please join me in reading:

7 Steps of Repentance and Life

Charles Haden Spurgeon once said:

“Do not fall under the notion that the necessity for repentance is over. I have heard it said that repentance is “merely a change of mind.” I wish that those who so speak had undergone that

Change.”

”He who looks sin ward has his back to God—he who looks God ward has his back to sin.”

Jesus said in John chapter 10: “ The thief comes not but for to kill, steal, and destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Jesus loves us! He wants us to have a good life and even more to have an eternal life!

So our topic of discussion today is repentance, the 7 steps that lead to life.

Turn with me to James chapter 4:1-10 as it reads:

“From whence come wars and fighting’s among you? Come they not hence, even of the lusts that war in your members? Ye lust and ye have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; yet ye have not because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not because ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. You Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is the enemy of God? Do you think that the scripture says in vain, the spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy? But he gives more grace. Wherefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.”

Herein we see our biggest problem in life: the fallen spirit of man! The fallen spirit in man lusts, it lusts towards envy.  Envy is the desire to have all for you. The fallen spirit of man is prideful and selfish! We desire, yet we ask not or we desire and we ask according to the world’s ways instead of what God has determined to be good and healthy for us.

Verse 5 clears it all up for us:

 “The spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy.”

Before Christ and sometimes even after, we decide for ourselves to ask of God things that are of this world, things that would do absolutely no good purpose in our lives or in the lives of others, yet we want them for ourselves. We ask amiss! But thank God for his wisdom because he resists us as it reads in verse 6;

“But he gives more grace.” Hasn’t he already given enough? Yet he gives more because he realizes how foolish we are when we ask amiss. But he gives more grace:

Wherefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble!”

Now here is the secret, pride or humility. If you are walking in your pride he will resist you, but if you humble yourself he will assist you!

Beloved God has never intended to resist us but in our pride is sin and he cannot and will not look upon it.

Ok so here is what he tells us to do if we have fallen into the distresses of life caused by our lust, our envy, and our pride.

These seven steps are as follows:

1.     Submit yourselves therefore to God.

Romans 12:1 reads: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. 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.”

It is reasonable for us to give ourselves over to God, to submit our will to him, to take up our cross and follow him after that he has given all for you! It is reasonable for us to give up the lies of this world in exchange for the truth of God!

God has compassion on the broken and hurting heart that turns from the errors of their ways.

2.     Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.

1Peter 5:8,9 reads: “Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

The Devil is as a roaring lion, he is NOT a lion in fact he is a wormy serpent that is on his belly! Genesis 3

God says be sober so that takes away all dependence on alcohol and drugs!

God says resist the devil STEADFAST, be steady at resistance, continue always to resist his ways and the ways of this world which are but lies from the devil. Resist in the faith. In the faith is in Gods word and his teachings. Resist the devil with Gods words of truth!

3.     Draw near to God and he will draw near to you

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

Isaiah 12:3 reads: “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”

Beloved God has given a great mystery here. Pure water is Gods word! The wells of salvation are Jesus, his words, and his love!

Draw near to his love and his words!

4.     Cleanse your hands ye sinners

Free yourself from filth! What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of JESUS!

Hebrews 9: 13,14 reads: “For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works.”

Friends when you draw near to Jesus and ask him into your heart to take over your life he cleanses you completely removing all filth! The blood of Jesus washes our minds and frees us from all unrighteousness. Ye were bought with a price. While ye were still yet sinners Christ died for YOU!

5.     Purify your hearts ye double minded

Commit your heart to Jesus only!

James 1:8 reads “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

A doubting person is unstable you never know which way they will turn or what they will do next and they cannot be trusted.

Brothers and Sisters doubt and unbelief are from the devil, which we are to resist steadfast!

Proverbs 3:5,6 reads: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean NOT to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Jesus, and he shall direct your path.”

Are you unsure about something? Cast it on the Lord and trust only him and his counsel!

6.     Be afflicted and mourn and weep, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Beloved God can see all things!

 God can see your heart! He knows when we are serious. He wants to see that you grieve over the things that can cost you or anyone eternal life. Show him that you hate sin! Show him that you see the price that he had to pay for our souls and to the cost of redemption.

John 3:16 reads: “ For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

For your sin God gave his life!

Be afflicted, be sad over your sin and his pain, his hurt that he takes when you sin!

Psalm 34:18 reads: “The Lord is near unto them that are of a broken heart.”

 Does your heart feel the pain over your sinful ways: God is near to you!

7.     Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up.

The last step tells us to come to him as a child that needs a Fathers love. Jesus loves us and the sooner we really look deeply into this the sooner we can come to him with love and the more we too can love others.

Mathew 23:12 reads: “Whosoever exalts himself shall be abased, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”

If you have the right heart he will lift you up.

Proverbs 29:23 reads “A mans pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

Love God enough to hate sin, love the brethren enough to serve them.

Jesus is love! He gave his all. He teaches us to repent and live!

  Today, There may be among us today one that is wavering, one that is struggling with this faith, or even one that hasn’t received Jesus into their heart. God has called us to believe on his son Jesus, to repent of our sins and receive his son into our hearts and lives to live with him from this time forth and forever in eternity. God has given us 7 steps to follow to get our hearts right with God and to live life more abundantly.

Again they are:

1.     Submit yourselves to God

2.     Resist the Devil

3.     Draw near to God

4.     Cleanse your hands

5.     Purify your hearts

6.     Be sorry for your sin

7.     Humble yourself as a child needing their Father

Now is the opportunity to make it right with God. Now is the chance to start new, to receive Jesus, and to live a better life, a life eternal that is filled completely with his goodness.

Are you ready to make that change today? Can you say that you hate the devils ways and desire to accept Jesus?

Thank you for participating in week six: Repentance, the way to forgiveness, if you have any questions or would like to give a comment please send them to us using the feedback form below. God bless you!