Healing and the 12 Steps of A.A.

                                              A Recovery Group in Russia

Steps 1-3 get me into a personal, caring relationship with God.

1. I admitted I was powerless over my problems-that my life had become unmanageable.

2. I came to believe that a Power greater than myself could restore me to sanity.

3. I made a decision to turn my life over to the care of God as I understood Him

Steps 4-6 get me cleaned up morally and spiritually.

4. I made a searching and fearless moral inventory

5. I admitted to God myself and to another person the exact nature of my wrongs.

6. Was entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Steps 7-9 help me change and get healed in my relationships.

7. I humbly asked Him to remove my shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons I had harmed; became willing to make amends to them.

9. Made direct amends to such persons whenever possible except when to do so would injure them or others.

Steps 10-12 get me on a continual process of healing, peace and growth.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and promptly admitted when I was wrong.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve my conscious contact with God, praying only for the knowledge of His will for me and the power to carry it out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, I tried to carry this message to others and practice these principles in all my affairs.

AA uses Alcohol in the steps, Narcotics Anonymous uses drugs, Sex Addicts uses Sex, etc. For Christians we can simply use, “The Flesh” as St. Paul did in Romans 7:14-25. Get my book, Breaking Free to see an entire program for defeating besetting sins.

STOP VII. The Holy Spirit

                                                            The Empty Tomb!

VII.        SEEK SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCE.  We grow in grace and truth through worship, Bible study, discussions, meditation and fellowship.  As scripture touches our hearts we see transformation.  

It is hard in a dry, aggressive culture to stay strong in the Lord.  Secular Society is like a giant vacuum that works to pressure us into its mold every minute of every day. 

It seems that agnostics, atheists and abortionists are getting more and more hateful as is the powerful alternative sex lobby. They spend millions each year to overthrown Christian values and truth. Hate speech from the world is especially vicious because it is accepted since Christians are seen as a majority rather than a minority. Why do they attack? When the light of Christ shines their dark deeds are magnified. 

What shall we do?  Engage in regular study, worship, fellowship and meditation. Grow strong inside. The battle is won in the mind and heart, not the ballot box or liberal media. 

It is up to us. What shall we do? See Power Christian Thinking.

STOP VI. Sow Seeds of Life

VI.        Sow Seeds of Life Death or life is in our tongue and in our hearts. We can choose to spread life and peace to those around us. Thankfully, our lives are made worthwhile when we are able to bless others. That is a basic principle found in the Bible. 

Under the regime of the Communists that began about 1917, one of their main goals was to destroy Christianity. Many hateful people over the decades have tried to do the same without success. Why do dictators hate God, and Christ and Christians? Maybe they do not like competition. 

Perhaps the most devastating event occurred not in outright persecution or killing but in a subtle act of the Central Committee. On April 8, 1929, the Party made the following decree about the church. 

You say you are not of this world. Well then, there is nothing for you to do in this world. That is why I forbid the church to set up benefit societies, cooperatives of industrial societies, to offer material aid to your members, to organize children’s and young people’s groups for prayers and other purposes, or general, biblical, literal or handicraft groups for the purpose of religious instruction and the like, or to organize groups, circles or sections; to arrange excursions, kindergartens, open libraries and reading rooms, organize sanatoria or medical aid. This forbids the development of all charitable foundations, Christian worker groups, and giving food, clothing and shelter to members. 

These atheists thought the very best way to destroy Christianity and the Russian Orthodox Church was to make them stop GIVING, CARING, LOVING and SERVING people. 

What they had not counted on was the total destruction of the entire society. When they blocked Christian functions NO ONE CARED for the sick, the poor and the needy! Secular Humanism killed the good intentions of the Russian people. My book, How to Be Me in My Family Tree relates several powerful stories about the trauma that came as a result and the healing we saw after the walls came down. 

Give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken up and poured into your lap! Jesus

STOP and SUPPLANT ANTS Chapter V.

I. Spot the ANT
II. Stop the ANT
III. Stand Against the ANT and STOMP it!
IV. Send the ANTS to the Lord


V.          SUPPLANT YOUR MIND WITH SPECIFIC TRUTH.  My heart abhors a vacuum.  If I stop and Stomp those unwanted ANTS you can bet my fertile and fallen heart and mind will wander around in some dry places, as Jesus said, and discover some additional junk to consider. What can I do?

Watch some good TV! (Where is good TV?)
Read a novel?
Yell at my dog?


Maybe I need to find some Scripture or practical truth to replace the lie that the ANTS have deposited in my brain and I have been Ruminating about.  Then dwell on that truth and meditate upon it.

As St. Paul reminded his flock in Ephesians 1:

^13-14 It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.
^15-19 That’s why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

Do I have a book for you!?! Power Christian Thinking on a downloadable PDF that you can print or read in a soft copy. Plus, I need the $3.99! Just think, if you bought ten thousand of them I could pay my cell phone bill!

Research and Innovation are for Heroes

One of the most important people in the 20th Century was honored recently in the U.S. Capitol. I have read about him a few times and tried to get my arms around his positive impact in the world. He is not as famous as a hundred movie stars or athletes but he is said to have saved a million lives with his academic and practical research.

As a farm boy from Iowa, Norman went to the University of Minnesota where he studied science. Now days he would be a top student in STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math). Because of Norm, top political and educational leaders understand why STEM students are so important to our future.

Norman Borlag is still saving the lives of millions despite the hate of many on the Left who want to stop growing so much genetic modified crops. We need many more scientists like Norm or these people in Africa will starve.

STOP the Offensive ANT and Send it to the Lord! IV.

IV.        SEND THE THOUGHTS TO THE LORD FOR DISPOSAL.  Temptations must be handled carefully.   

We could attempt to push thoughts down into the heart.  It is tempting to think that by pushing those ANTS into the unconscious they will c ease to plague me. 

But that is folly.  

 It will return at a more opportune time with double the power!

Another possibility is to allow the thought to rule us. Why not give in to the temptation? After all, isn't everybody doing it? Be like the couple that prayed if God wanted them not to have sex He would send someone to interrupt them. My own conscience sensitized by the Holy Spirit was not enough.

 The only good option is to allow the Lord to deal with it.When we give our cares to Jesus He has a special place to take them to that is as far from us as the East is from the West. It may be embarrassing to admit to the Lord that my brain is out of control and I need to turn it over to Him, but He is there for that reason. He will not be shocked. After all, He was tempted to blaspheme against the Father.

How about this little prayer?

Lord Jesus Christ
Son of the living God
Have mercy upon me
And give me peace!

If you are able, take a look at the little PDF book we wrote called Power Christian Thinking. It might set you up to get free from compulsive thinking!

As

Stop and Stand against Stinking Thinking III.

III.         STAND AGAINST THE OFFENSE.  

 In Eph. 6:10, St. Paul encourages us to take the offensive in spiritual battles by “Having done all to stand, therefore STAND!”  We must actively fight to defeat old patterns of thinking.  “Put on the whole armor of God” Is advice that requires us to aggressively move forward and not run away.

There is no armor on the back so running away is not a good idea. The impact of ANTS is to make us weak and fearful. ANTS tear us APART and tell us that we are the problem and life is hopeless. The self-destructive patterns of ANTS leave us thinking we must give in to the passivity or angry self rejection. 

We set ourselves up for insults and rejection of others and become hyper sensitive to any signs of a slight or put down. We can feel like victims and live in fear of disagreements or dislikes. 

But as Paul says, "Take a Stand!" Then, "After you have done everything to stand, really stand tall and refuse to allow the self-talk ruin your mood. Use the Power of God's Truth to rebuke the enemy and reject his lies.

 The book Power Christian Thinking tells you how to take God's power and reject the power of negative spirits.

A Christian in Business

My friend Dr. Gary Sallquist, former Head Master at Miami Valley Christian Academy, has a new role as a Chaplain and Business Consultant to an exciting new business. Read about Gary's adult conversion and call to seminary as well as about JoeyMedical, an exciting new venture into saving lives.

This new company is all about innovation and creativity in the medicine. Their new product is an invention that can revolutionize safety for Doctors and Nurses!

Do we need more innovative Christians willing to hear God call them to the world of work? You betcha! Here in Cincinnati we are seeing God's Spirit inspire and create some fantastic new products to promote the health and welfare of all people.

Are you an innovator? I am. God is. "In the beginning, God created!!!!!"

And it wasn't a new hymn. It was the entire earth and all that is in it.

Come on you creative Christians. Let's innovate! See my web page for innovative ideas.

Thank you Gary for responding to the call of God to promote business and medicine.

STOMP ANTS II.

II.          STOP THE OFFENDING THOUGHT.  After identification engage your will and CHOOSE to STOP its incursion.  More than likely it is part of a well formed thinking habit and will not die easily.   


Automatic Negative Thoughts take root deep in our Limbic System and refuse to budge. They can be like a song that keeps looping in your mind over and over.


Say, STOP! I refuse to allow you to control my mind and behavior.

Actively fight against ANTS! 

STOMP them hard and don't give up. 

STOP I Stinking Thinking

The challenge is simple: "How do I stop Stinking Thinking and grab hold of the Mind of Christ? The first place to start is to STOP. STOP the Stinking Thinking. All change is self-change and that means no body can make me change. Here are Seven Steps for Stopping Stinking Thinking!

I.           SPOT THE OFFENDING THOUGHT.  The most important part is learning to quickly identify thoughts that are not biblical, rational or healthy.  

When you hear yourself or another person say something that:

a. Does not bring us closer to Christ
b. Does not build me up in faith
c. Tells me I need to do more to please God 
d. Tells me God will be mad and punish me unless I am holy
e. Says I need to attack another person

SPOT!!! It

Recognize it as an enemy! 

Go to our web and watch free videos and read free materials on how to change Stinking Thinking.