New Day, New Me E-Book

Mike Shea

• Herausgeber: Belle City Gifts
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

New Day, New Me is a devotional designed to help those in recovery. Everyone is in recovery from something. You can develop, strengthen, or renew a relationship with God one day at a time. It is essential to depend on someone, or something, other than ourselves. Daily devotion, prayer, and meditation time are critical components of maintaining sobriety and building a strong foundation with God-free indeed! Just as our physical bodies need daily nourishment, we also need spiritual food every day to withstand life on life's terms. New Day, New Me incorporates scriptural references with practical, spiritual teachings that can be applied to everyday life circumstances. 

Leseprobe

Belle City GiftsRacine, WI 53403Bellecitygifts.com

Belle City Gifts is an imprint of BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC.

NEW DAY, NEW ME:

Devotions of Acceptance, Courage, and Surrender

© 2015 Mike Shea

ISBN 978-1-4245-4975-7ISBN 978-14-2455-041-8 (e-book)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® (NIV®). Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. The Holy Bible, New King James Version® (NKJV®). Copyright® 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®). Copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The New American Standard Bible® (NASB®). Copyright® 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. The Holy Bible, New Living Translation® (NLT®). Copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. The Living Bible® (TLB®). Copyright© 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. The New Century Version® (NCV®). Copyright© 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The New Revised Standard Version Bible® (NRSV®). Copyright© 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Passion Translation (TPT). Copyright© 2014 by BroadStreet Publishing Group LLC. All rights reserved.

Cover and interior design by Chris Garborg | www.garborgdesign.com

Printed in China

New Day, New Me was written to help those of us in recovery—and everyone is in recovery from something—who are developing, strengthening, or renewing a relationship with God. We learn it’s essential to depend on someone, or something, other than ourselves. Daily devotions, prayer, and meditation time are critical components of maintaining our sobriety and building a strong foundation with God. Just as our physical bodies need daily nourishment, we also need spiritual food every day to withstand life on life’s terms.

This devotional journal incorporates scriptural references along with practical, spiritual teachings which we can apply to our everyday circumstances.

Contents

RECOVERY—WHY NOT?

IT’S POSSIBLE

IT’S YOUR SEASON FOR RECOVERY

TIME TO WORD UP

THE WORD NEVER CHANGES

HOW NEAR THE BIBLE?

THE ENEMY’S ARROWS ARE TOXIC

STRONGHOLDS

THROUGH HIM AND IN HIM

CONFORM? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

A TIME FOR MILK

WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED UP

OFFENSE

OFFENDED

TIME FOR A NEW MIND

A FOOL TO BECOME WISE

REMEMBER NO MORE

THERE IS TIME

STAY OR RUN

OUR SHEPHERDS

HIS GIFTS WILL KEEP US SOBER

TRIALS: A REFINER’S FIRE OR HELL’S FIRE?

OPEN HIS GIFT

I’M ME, FREE INDEED

THE GOLDEN RULE

GOD’S SUPER BOWL

THE FATHER REVEALED

HONESTY AND INTEGRITY

REGULAR SPIRITUAL CHECK-UPS

FOLLOW HIM OR FOLLOW OURSELVES

MY PLANS? HIS PURPOSE!

TEARS OF JESUS

REMINDERS TO KEEP US SOBER

WITHOUT GOD, WE’RE CHASING THE WIND

SPEAK TO IT OR SPEAK ABOUT IT

HIS WORDS ARE LIFE

FOCUS ON TODAY

HANG ONTO YOUR CROWN

PERSIST, PERSEVERE, ACT

GOD’S LAUNDROMAT

TELL ON QURSELVES FOR OUR HEALING

AWAKE FROM OUR SLUMBER

HE IS FAITHFUL TO THE FAITHLESS

UNDER THE TABLE OR AT THE TABLE?

IT TAKES A FREE MAN TO FREE A MAN

IT’S ALL ABOUT OTHERS

REMEMBER WHEN HE CALLED US

THE ACTION OF LOVE

HE MUST BECOME GREATER, I MUST BECOME LESS

GOD LOVES TO SHOW OFF THROUGH US

ONCE UNLOVEABLE, WE NOW LOVE THE UNLOVEABLE

GOD’S HAMMER OR THE ENEMY’S HAMMER?

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPECT

THE FURNACE OF SUFFERING

THE SEED IS GOD’S WORD

OUR PURPOSE COMES FROM HIM

WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE?

RUN WITH PURPOSE

KEEP YOUR HEART

CAN OUR HEARTS RECEIVE WHAT THEY ARE HEARING?

HEART CONDITION

HEART-STONY, STUBBORN

SAVED TO SAVE ANOTHER

YES, TO OUR NEW HEART

OUR HEART VALVES—OPEN OR CLOSED?

THE HEART VALVES OF LOVE AND SERVICE

THE HEART VALVES OF RESPECT AND TRUST

IT IS FINISHED

RECOVERY—WHY NOT?

The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand (Psalm 37:23-24, NIV).

Everyone on this planet is recovering from something. A mustard seed of willingness is all that is needed to take a baby step out of addiction and into God’s unique witness protection program. Fixed upon our next fix, the only peace we thought possible was death as the enemy kept confirming our ticket to the slimy pit of hell. During life’s most violent storm, our ship’s mast and sail were ripped away. We soon found ourselves hanging onto a piece of wreckage, while sharks circled about. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could help us except God. He responded to our cry, lifted us from our impending watery grave, and enrolled us into His accelerated program of faith, grace, and mercy.

When the light bulb of God’s truth begins to shine, we discover there are four choices: jail, mental institution, death, or recovery. We might as well try recovery, as the other three will always be waiting for us! God has a purpose for our lives; He desires us to be of service to others. In so doing, we remain in touch with who we were—selfish and ungrateful. He is delighted when we allow Him to love the unlovable through us.

Why do we struggle with humbling ourselves under God’s mighty hand, when it is His hand that upholds us? Our past is forgiven, our present has meaning, and our future is secure.

Lord, I pray for your grace to search, give up, and throw away whatever is blocking your blessings to me. I praise you for this season of recovery. Amen.

PSALM 40:2; 1 PETER 5:6; ECCLESIASTES 3:6

What am I willing to do to show myself, and others, I want to recover?

IT’S POSSIBLE

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (MATTHEW 6:33, NLT).

Is recovery possible after multiple treatments and jail time? God’s promise seems a bit reckless—He will give us everything we need if we seek Him first. He makes the impossible possible! We spent years in the kingdom of me, and were tricked into thinking we were in total control. We need a bit of faith, tiny as a mustard seed, to begin our pilgrimage to freedom. Our life has been a total mess, and numerous attempts to “do things our way” took us to some dark and dismal places. God invites us to leave our throne and kneel before His.

Prayer to the Father is essential. Humbly invite Him to fill you with faith and hope. You seek the Father’s Kingdom each time you depend on Him and ask for help. Recovery is possible if you believe! The Heavenly Father never gives up on you. When today’s problems seem unbearable and using again comes into your mind, listen to the Holy Spirit whisper gently, “with God, all things are possible.”

By God’s abundant grace, and with radical trust, take a step out of the impossible and leave the darkness you once believed was home. Enter His light; it’s so bright you need special order Son-glasses. Bask in His radiant and unconditional love, and ask for His help with your doubt.

Lord, I do believe you’ll give me what I need; help me not to doubt. A new life of freedom from addiction is possible, because with you all things are possible. Amen.

MARK 9:22-23; MATTHEW 19:26

Am I convinced that I have to work a comprehensive program in order to recover?

IT’S YOUR SEASON FOR RECOVERY

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven (ECCLESIASTES 3:1, ESV).

We are witness to a garden’s different and necessary seasons. In spring we sow the seed, fertilize, and water; in early summer we pull weeds and water; later in the summer we harvest, eat fresh, and water some more; in autumn we plant flower bulbs for the coming spring; and in winter the soil rests while we enjoy the harvest.

A garden without water will have no harvest. A recovery program becomes lifeless without Living Water to nourish and empower new life. When we’re thirsty, Jesus says, “Come and drink.” The weeds of old belief and “doing it my way” combined with laziness reap a negative harvest: no mentor, fewer meetings, and a selfcentered and critical outlook. The constant “you ain’t gonna tell me what to do” attitude restricts the very grace and mercy which fertilize growth. If we’re lazy with our garden of recovery, we’ll be back on the prison chain-gang of hard labor in a relapse.

As a garden thirsts for water, trust that your thirst is only met by the Son of God. Each of us are in different seasons with a unique opportunity to embrace or let go, turn into or turn away, listen or speak, receive Living Water or stay in the desert, and keep going or give up. God declares we’re worthy to keep moving forward. Trust Him a bit more intensely and experience the harvest.

Lord, I pray for grace to be thirsty for your Living Water and the courage to drink it. I’m grateful for your deposit in me. I can draw from you during my season of need. Amen.

JOHN 4:10, 7:37; GALATIANS 6:9

What steps can I take to ensure a successful recovery?

TIME TO WORD UP

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (JOHN 1:1, NKJV).

Early on, as we dare stick and stay to check out what a new life in recovery looks like, we are brought face to face with the majesty and power of the One who reached down during our critical time of need to save us from certain destruction. It’s a huge challenge for many of us to even fathom we’re worthy of God’s unending grace and tender mercies, and that’s okay—because we aren’t! God is the One who made us worthy. Only with Him can we become the person He says we are.

It’s our time to discover why we are, who we are, and whose we are. There is an obstruction before us that can be a great hindrance to tapping into His power; we need to get to know the living and active Word. The only path to Him is picking up the Bible, His bag of seeds to fulfill our needs, and begin making deposits into our spirit. When we open ourselves to the Word with radical abandon, we soon learn He knows what we need and don’t need. In a light-bulb moment, we no longer need to let circumstances control us.

Our Heavenly Father wants to sanctify us. This gives us an overwhelming, amazing revelation that God Himself desires us to be His. In fact, He protected us during the darkness of addiction to get us to this moment. He set us apart to sift, shift, and re-position us into His next dimension.

O Lord, I desire to get into your Word—the truth that sets me free—to dust off my Bible so I can know you more intimately. Thanks for your realignment of my life, O Great Chiropractor. Amen.

HEBREWS 4:12; JOHN 17:17

What negative words of my past do I need to exchange for God’s positive words for my future?