Religious Codependency

Too many Christians suffer from religious codependency and, they, for the most part, are totally unaware of it. Codependent Christians feel that God will do whatever they think is required to help them live their lives their way.

Religious codependency perpetuates a spiritually unhealthy relationship with God. Here's why...

In ordinary relationships codependency is seen as an unhealthy “giving away” of our power to another; the concept of the other person or persons becoming our “drug of choice”.

We allow them to control us.

God is not in the business of controlling us.

When we say "God is in control" we often are really saying that everything is rolling alone as expected and we are coasting effortlessly through life. But let us hit a "pot hole" and suddenly we're calling out for God to "take control” while completely forgetting that it was our choice to choose the road in the first place.

Religious codependency is expecting God to fix and control all our problems and defects of character, missing completely the responsibility given to us through God’s gift of free-will. Surely we should no longer expect God to live every portion of our lives for us, while we ignore our relationship with Him. We are to choose "wisely" (Psalm 1:1-6, Deuteronomy 30:19, Acts 10:34).

We need to always keep in mind that the choices that we make define our moments and our life. It is our choice to meditate on things above or think on things below. It is our choice to either eat healthily and strengthen our body or eat foods that hurt and abuse our body. It is our choice to tithe on our income and give to God what rightfully belongs to Him or steal from God and be selfish with our finances. It is our choice whether we live in abundance or live in lack. It is our choice whether we go to heaven or go to hell when we die.

It is foolish to suggest that God alone gets a person sober, wealthy, confident, successful, happy, influential, or even a better husband or wife. We must pick up our cross and choose who we will serve.

The simple truth is we need to get involved, we need to cooperate; we need to listen to God's voice and then do what is necessary to experience the abundant life that He has promised us.

You see, freedom from condemnation belongs to us through God's grace but in that freedom we have a responsibility to live righteously. We honor God, we appreciate His free gift of grace, when we work together with the Holy Spirit to grow spiritually and live a life that is godly.

God's Word instructs us to revisit our understanding of God’s Will for each of us. Understanding grace helps us make the important shift from feeling forever sinful and pathetically dependent, to one who is blessed. Certainly we all make mistakes, but we are not a mistake. We were born sinful, we inherited the sin of Adam and Eve; but we are our own persons, and because of Jesus and our new birth we have become inherently powerful children of God.

That is quite a difficult concept to grasp. Everything within us resists it as if it were not true. The American Standard Version of the Bible has this Scripture written in this way: 2 Corinthians 5:21(ASV) Him (Jesus) who knew no sin He (God) made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

The King James Version has it written like this: (KJV) For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus). The phrase “might be made” comes from the Greek word ginomai which means to cause to be. Check out what the Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionary says about this word: G1096 γίνομαι ginomai (ghin'-om-ahee) A prolonged and middle form of a primary verb; to cause to be (“gen” -erate), that is, (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literally, figuratively, intensively, etc.)

Please take notice: This message is not for the immature Christian who thinks that they have to accomplish a list of good works in order to become something in the Lord Jesus Christ or that they must maintain the status of “Christian” by doing good things. It is solely for those who realize that Jesus has completed the work and that we, through faith in Him, have become something in God; and not just something, but the righteousness that God’s Law requires. We are no longer considered law-breakers, but now, through Christ Jesus, we have come into right standing with God.

How great is our God! He has sent His Son to redeem us completely and eternally from the penalty of sin. However, Jesus was not sent to make our lives here on planet earth, perfect. That’s our task, through relationship and faith in God and His Word we can claim what we, as His children, already possess.

Cookies and Grace

I came home on Friday to the smell of fresh cookies just out of the oven. My wife had just finished putting them in the cookie tin and being the perceptive genius that I am, I asked, "Did you make ME cookies?" She smiled and said she did and asked what seemed like a strange question. 'Do you know why?" Thinking, a little to quickly, I replied, "Because you love me." After all, that had to be it...Needless to say, that was the wrong answer. She let me know that had she baked the cookies because she loved me she would have been looking for some expression of appreciation or love in return but that wasn't at all her motivation. "I baked you cookies because you love me."

What an example of Gods grace! When we do something "for God" because we love Him we can fall into the trap of expecting God to love or forgive us more because of some good work we've performed for His benefit. But when we understand how much God loves us and we are motivated to good works because of His love we are simply demonstrating the power of His grace.

God's grace motivates us to good works not sin. We love Him because He first loved us unconditionally through Christ. Once we understand the freedom of God's grace we can't help but seek to please Him.

His grace is powerful!

BTW...The cookies were awesome!!

Bulls and Goats

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary...

Hebrews 10:1-10 The apostle having shown that the tabernacle, and ordinances of the covenant of Sinai, were only emblems and types of the gospel, concludes that the sacrifices the high priests offered continually, could not make the worshippers perfect, with respect to pardon, and the purifying of their consciences. But when God manifested in the flesh, became the sacrifice, and his death upon the accursed tree the ransom, then the Sufferer being of infinite worth, his free-will sufferings were of infinite value. The atoning sacrifice must be one capable of consenting, and must of his own will place himself in the sinner's stead: Christ did so. The fountain of all that Christ has done for his people, is the sovereign will and grace of God. The righteousness brought in, and the sacrifice once offered by Christ, are of eternal power, and his salvation shall never be done away. They are of power to make all the comers thereunto perfect; they derive from the atoning blood, strength and motives for obedience, and inward comfort.

Burned Over Place

‎"I’m a little like the duck hunter who was hunting with his friend in a wide-open barren of land in southeastern Georgia. Far away on the horizon he noticed a cloud of smoke. Soon, he could hear the sound of crackling. A wind came up and he realized the terrible truth: a brush-fire was advancing his way. It was moving so fast that he and his friend could not outrun it. The hunter began to rifle through his pockets. Then he emptied all the contents of his knapsack. He soon found what he was looking for-a book of matches. To his friend’s amazement, he pulled out a match and struck it. He lit a small fire around the two of them. Soon they were standing in a circle of blackened earth, waiting for the brush fire to come. They did not have to wait long. They covered their mouths with their handkerchiefs and braced themselves. The fire came near-and swept over them. But they were completely unhurt. They weren’t even touched. Fire would not burn the place where fire had already burned.

The law is like the brush-fire. I cannot escape it. But if I stand in the burned-over place, where law has already burned its way through, then I will not get hurt. Not a hair of my head will be singed. The death of Christ is the burned-over place. There I huddle, hardly believing yet relieved. Christ’s death has disarmed the law. 'Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.'" Paul Zahl

Self Image

‎"My God's not dead
He's surely alive
He's living on the inside
Roaring like a lion"

Amazing Grace

Peace Declared

I like simple, easy to understand illustrations or teachings that bring the message of God's grace and the power of the Gospel to the forefront of our thinking. Something simple, delivered in a short statement, or a quick read can be the catalyst, the motivation, the truth dispensing truth that changes a life forever. For me, its like David and Goliath; one small Shepard boy, one Hugh giant. At the end of what proved to be a very short battle the scoreboard read, David 1, Goliath 0.

Thank God for quick battles that yield thousands of life pages!

Here's one from from D. L. Moody entitled "Peace Declared".

""When France and England were at war a French vessel had gone off on a long whaling voyage. When they came back, the crew were short of water, and being near an English port, they wanted to get water; but they were afraid that they would be taken prisoners if they went into port. Some people in the port saw their signal of distress, and sent word that they need not be afraid, that the was is over, and peace had been declared. But they couldn't make those sailors believe it, and they didn't dare go into port, although they were out of water. At last they made up their minds that they had better go in surrender their cargo and their lives to their enemies rather than perish at sea without water; and when they got in, they found out that what had been told them was true, that peace had been declared."

Sin had made mankind enemies of God.
Many people still don't believe the truth that peace has been purchased by Jesus Christ on Calvary between God and man. God's grace has reconciled us to God through Jesus Christ; and this flow of "living water" is available to all men.

Does the well of salvation never run dry?

Never, because their is a river of God's grave flowing underneath. 

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" John 4:13.