Calling men of all ages to join us at 7:30 a.m., May 26 for our monthly men’s breakfast. Share a message, a meal and the Word with other Courageous Men. Invite your friends–men of all ages are welcome. Be there. Or be a woman. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

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3 identical services.

Saturday at 6:30pm, Sunday 9am and 10:30am.

The Road To Recovery—Step 8

I. A SUMMARY OF RECOVERY: THE BEATITUDES

(Matt. 5:3–12)

“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.”

R __________ I’m not God; I admit I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.

“Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

E ____________ believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.

“Happy are the meek.”

C ___________ choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.

“Happy are the pure in heart.”

O _______________ examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.

“Happy are those whose desire is to do what God requires.”

V___________________ submit to every change God wants to make in my life ... Read More »]]> RECYCLING MY PAIN (Answer Key at the bottom of this document)

The Road To Recovery—Step 8

I. A SUMMARY OF RECOVERY: THE BEATITUDES

(Matt. 5:3–12)

“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.”

R __________ I’m not God; I admit I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.

“Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

E ____________ believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.

“Happy are the meek.”

C ___________ choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.

“Happy are the pure in heart.”

O _______________ examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.

“Happy are those whose desire is to do what God requires.”

V___________________ submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask him to remove my character defects.

“Happy are the merciful.” “Happy are the peacemakers.”

E __________________ all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.

R _________________ a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to do it.

Y_____________________ myself to God to be used to bring the Good News to others by both my example and my words.

II. WHY GOD ALLOWED MY PAIN

1. HE’S GIVEN ME A _______________________

“I am giving you the choice between God’s blessing or God’s curse. There will be blessing if you obey my commands.” Deut. 11:26-27 (TLB)

2. TO GET MY __________________________

“Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.” Prov. 20:30 (GNB)

“I am glad … not because it hurt you but because the pain turned you to God …” 2 Cor. 7:9 (TLB)

3. TO TEACH ME TO ______________________

“We were crushed and overwhelmed … and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God who alone could save us .. and HE DID HELP US!” 2 Cor. 1:8–10 (TLB)

“ … it was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws!” Ps. 119:71 (TLB)

4. TO GIVE ME ___________________________

“Why does God do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them the same help and comfort God has given us.” 2 Cor. 1:4 (TLB)

“[They] intended it to harm me, but God intended it for good.” Gen. 50:20

III. HOW TO USE MY PAIN TO HELP OTHERS

“Always be prepared to give an account to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15

“If someone is overcome by some sin … humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be you who is in the wrong. Share each other’s troubles and problems, and so obey our Lord’s commands.” Gal. 6:1–2 (TLB)

Suggestions (1 Thess. 2:3–12)

1.

2.

3.

“But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus … the work of telling others the Good News about God’s mighty kindness and love.” Acts 20:24 (TLB)

RECYCLING MY PAIN (Answer Key at the bottom of this document)

The Road To Recovery—Step 8

I. A SUMMARY OF RECOVERY: THE BEATITUDES

(Matt. 5:3–12)

“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.”

R EALIZE I’m not God; I admit I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.

“Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

E ARNESTLY believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.

“Happy are the meek.”

C ONSCIOUSLY choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.

“Happy are the pure in heart.”

O PENLY examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.

“Happy are those whose desire is to do what God requires.”

VOLUNTARILY submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask him to remove my character defects.

“Happy are the merciful.” “Happy are the peacemakers.”

E VALUATE all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.

R ESERVE a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to do it.

Y IELD myself to God to be used to bring the Good News to others by both my example and my words.

II. WHY GOD ALLOWED MY PAIN

1. HE’S GIVEN ME A FREE WILL.

“I am giving you the choice between God’s blessing or God’s curse. There will be blessing if you obey my commands.” Deut. 11:26-27 (TLB)

2. TO GET MY ATTENTION.

“Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.” Prov. 20:30 (GNB)

“I am glad … not because it hurt you but because the pain turned you to God …” 2 Cor. 7:9 (TLB)

3. TO TEACH ME TO DEPEND ON HIM

“We were crushed and overwhelmed … and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God who alone could save us .. and HE DID HELP US!” 2 Cor. 1:8–10 (TLB)

“ … it was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws!” Ps. 119:71 (TLB)

4. TO GIVE ME A MINISTRY TO OTHERS

“Why does God do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them the same help and comfort God has given us.” 2 Cor. 1:4 (TLB)

“[They] intended it to harm me, but God intended it for good.” Gen. 50:20

III. HOW TO USE MY PAIN TO HELP OTHERS

“Always be prepared to give an account to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15

“If someone is overcome by some sin … humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be you who is in the wrong. Share each other’s troubles and problems, and so obey our Lord’s commands.” Gal. 6:1–2 (TLB)

Suggestions (1 Thess. 2:3–12)

1. BE HUMBLE

2. BE REAL

3. DON’T LECTURE

“But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus … the work of telling others the Good News about God’s mighty kindness and love.” Acts 20:24 (TLB)

The Road to Recovery—Part 7

Rick Warren

“RELAPSE”—falling back into a self-defeating pattern

How it happens

1. Complacency

2. Confusion

3. Compromise

4. Catastrophe

1. WHAT CAN CAUSE A RELAPSE?

1. REVERTING TO _________________________

“How can you be so foolish! You began by God’s Spirit—do you now want to finish by your own power?” Gal 3:3 (GNB)

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord; … you will succeed because of my Spirit.” Zech. 4:6 (TLB)

2. IGNORING ______________________________

“You were doing so well! who made you stop obeying the truth?” Gal 5:7 (GNB)

3. TRYING TO RECOVER ___________________________

“Two are better off than one, because if one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it’s just too bad, because there is no one to help him.” Eccl. 4:9–10 (TLB)

“Let us not ... Read More »]]> MAINTAINING MOMENTUM (Answer Key at bottom of this Document)

The Road to Recovery—Part 7

Rick Warren

“RELAPSE”—falling back into a self-defeating pattern

How it happens

1. Complacency

2. Confusion

3. Compromise

4. Catastrophe

1. WHAT CAN CAUSE A RELAPSE?

1. REVERTING TO _________________________

“How can you be so foolish! You began by God’s Spirit—do you now want to finish by your own power?” Gal 3:3 (GNB)

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord; … you will succeed because of my Spirit.” Zech. 4:6 (TLB)

2. IGNORING ______________________________

“You were doing so well! who made you stop obeying the truth?” Gal 5:7 (GNB)

3. TRYING TO RECOVER ___________________________

“Two are better off than one, because if one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it’s just too bad, because there is no one to help him.” Eccl. 4:9–10 (TLB)

“Let us not give up the habit of meeting together.” Heb. 10:25 (GNB)

4. BECOMING ___________________________

“Pride goes before destruction.” Prov. 16:18 (TLB)

“So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.” 1 Cor. 10:12 (NRSV)

II. HOW TO PREVENT A RELAPSE

R eserve a ___________________ with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and gain _____________________to do it.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. For the spirit is willing but the body is weak.” Mark 14:38

1. EVALUATION

“Check up on yourselves …” 2 Cor. 13:5 (TLB)

“Let us examine ourselves … and let us repent.” Lam. 3:40 (TLB)

What to Evaluate:

• · Physical:
• · Emotional:
• · Relational:
• · Spiritual:

“Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.” Gal. 6:4

When:

1. __________________________

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

2. MEDITATION

“___________________________ long enough to hear God.”

“Happy are those who … are always meditating on God’s laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. They are like trees along a river … that do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do.” Ps. 1:1–3 (LB/GN)

“I have thought much about your words and stored them in my heart so that they would hold me back from sin.” Ps. 119:11 (TLB)

3. PRAYER

“This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven; May your holy name be honored; may your kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need. Forgive us the wrongs that we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done us. Do not bring us to temptation, but keep us safe from the Evil One.” Matt. 6:8–13 (GNB)

ANSWER KEY

“RELAPSE”—falling back into a self-defeating pattern

How it happens

1. Complacency

2. Confusion

3. Compromise

4. Catastrophe

1. WHAT CAN CAUSE A RELAPSE?

1. REVERTING TO WILLPOWER

“How can you be so foolish! You began by God’s Spirit—do you now want to finish by your own power?” Gal 3:3 (GNB)

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord; … you will succeed because of my Spirit.” Zech. 4:6 (TLB)

2. IGNORING ONE OF THE STEPS

“You were doing so well! who made you stop obeying the truth?” Gal 5:7 (GNB)

3. TRYING TO RECOVER WITHOUT SUPPORT

“Two are better off than one, because if one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it’s just too bad, because there is no one to help him.” Eccl. 4:9–10 (TLB)

“Let us not give up the habit of meeting together.” Heb. 10:25 (GNB)

4. BECOMING PRIDEFUL

“Pride goes before destruction.” Prov. 16:18 (TLB)

“So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.” 1 Cor. 10:12 (NRSV)

II. HOW TO PREVENT A RELAPSE

R eserve a DAILY TIME with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and gain THE POWER  to do it.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. For the spirit is willing but the body is weak.” Mark 14:38

1. EVALUATION

“Check up on yourselves …” 2 Cor. 13:5 (TLB)

“Let us examine ourselves … and let us repent.” Lam. 3:40 (TLB)

What to Evaluate:

• · Physical:
• · Emotional:
• · Relational:
• · Spiritual:

“Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.” Gal. 6:4

When:

1. SPOT CHECK INVENTORY

2. DAILY REVIEW 

3. ANNUAL CHECK-UP

2. MEDITATION

“SLOW DOWN long enough to hear God.”

“Happy are those who … are always meditating on God’s laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely. They are like trees along a river … that do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do.” Ps. 1:1–3 (LB/GN)

“I have thought much about your words and stored them in my heart so that they would hold me back from sin.” Ps. 119:11 (TLB)

3. PRAYER

“This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven; May your holy name be honored; may your kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need. Forgive us the wrongs that we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done us. Do not bring us to temptation, but keep us safe from the Evil One.” Matt. 6:8–13 (GNB)