a map for everyone

LIFE.

YOUR life.

A plan? 

A purpose? 

A reason? 

A map? 

God has it! 

 That's all.  For now.

Breaking News for AA'ers

Breaking news to all who revere AA’s Big Book and AA’s co-founder, Bill W. 

Bill W. is NOT God and the Big Book is not divinely inspired! 

 
I am convinced that most who attend AA view the Big Book as “divinely inspired” (a direct quote from three individuals active in AA) and the final authority on spirituality.

Yes.  I have read the Big Book.  I have also spent fifteen years reading and studying the Good Book, aka The Bible.  What I have discovered is that the spiritual principles for life found in the Big Book come from the Bible.  In fact, there are many direct quotes from the Bible in the Big Book. 

 I just finished reading The Spirituality of Imperfection by Kurtz and Ketcham and found that the spiritual principles the authors claim are unique to Bill W and AA are found in the Bible.  The authors quote from every source imaginable – Buddhism to Zen to the philosophy of William James – to state the basic spiritual principles for recovery.  Every source, that is, except the Bible.  However, every spiritual principle they state is found in the Bible!!

I’m also convinced that the authors of The Spirituality of Imperfection – as well as most of the individuals I know who attend AA – view Bill W. as some sort of god!  The good news is that he is NOT God! 

It seems to be a forgotten fact that Bill W. is the CO-FOUNDER of AA.  The other founder is Dr. Bob.  Dr. Bob and Bill W. had a difference of opinion on the future direction of AA because of their differing views on spirituality.  Bill W. insisted that any direct reference to God be replaced with “higher power” as to be more inclusive.  He also insisted that the wording of several of the steps be worded differently as to “not offend Catholics.”  I think Bill W. was PC before PC was cool! 

Dr. Bob, on the other hand, remained on the original path of AA and his meetings were basically a Bible study.  I find it interesting that I have not seen a coffee mug with “Dr. Bob rode a Harley” or an editorial or on-line comment signed “a friend of Dr. Bob.”  I HAVE seen just the opposite… “Bill W rode a Harley” and “a friend of Bill W”.  

If you Google “founders of AA,” what you will see is “Bill W.”  What happened to Dr. Bob?  Why is he so obscure?  I have seen several pamphlets about AA with Bill W’s name included but I have yet to see one with Dr. Bob.  I wonder why?  Is it because he stayed true to his conviction that holistic recovery included a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?  That it was foolish to consider your dog or a door knob as a “higher power”?    

My point:  If we really want to understand the spiritual principles of life, let’s return to the origin.

                              Read the Good Book.

Study the Good Book.  

Live the Good Book. 

I’m not saying throw out the Big Book.  I am saying read it like you would any other reference or self-help book.  But make the Good Book your primary source!!    

High Winds Are Forecast

The winds of change constantly blow. 

I embrace change.  I accept change. 

I encourage change.  I question change for change’s sake. 

I experienced an example of change as Dawn and I traveled the backroads of Wyoming and Montana last December.  The old adage that “every town – no matter how small – has a bar,” seems to have changed to “every town – no matter how small – has a psychologist’s office.”    (Ok.  I didn’t see one in Bill, Wyoming, population- 4!) 

The ancients [like me J] believed that there was a transcendent moral order outside of the self, built into the fabric of the universe.  If you violated that order, there were consequences just as severe as if you violated the physical reality by placing your hand in a fire.  The path of wisdom was to learn to live in conformity with this moral order.  That wisdom came largely from the development of character qualities like humility, compassion, courage, forgiveness, purity, and faithfulness.

Things have changed.  The ancients looked at an anxious person and prescribed spiritual character change.  Today, the anxious person is encouraged to learn about stress management techniques by visiting a website, reading a self-help book, or spending endless hours with a counselor!  (adapted from Reason for God by T. Keller, p. 73)

Noting these changes, author Dallas Willard writes,

 “Amid a flood of techniques for self-fulfillment, there is an epidemic of depression, suicide, personal emptiness, and escapism … all combined with the inability to sustain deep and enduring personal relationships.  So obviously, the problem is a spiritual one.  And so must be the cure.” (The Spirit of Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives)

2 Timothy 3.16 gives us great counsel about change:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true

and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

May the winds of change continue to blow in your life as you learn to grow spiritually and “do what is right” in Him. 

MT

How does it feel to be 66?  Are you enjoying retirement? 

Do you miss preaching?  Do you miss the River? 

Questions from loved ones and friends. 

My response: 

MT, Sucks,

Yes, Sometimes.

Wounder/ Wounded

At some point in our lives, we can all relate to the lyrics of a song Paul Colman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgrigf-Ca48 ) released a few years back.

Here I am
In a river of questions
Can I pour my heart out to a listening ear?
I see this life
Its valley's and mountains
And I think of all the roads that brought me here

I've questioned my reasons
The life I'm living
I've questioned my ability
To judge wrong from right
I've questioned all the things that I've ever called certain
My race, my religion, my country, my mind.

But the one thing I don't question is You
You really love me like You say you do
You really love me like You say you do

We all have these questions, don’t we?  The questions become overwhelming to the point of obsession or “paralization” to those who are in the bondage of addiction. 

Men and women in the bondage of addiction who have lied, manipulated and used others to satisfy their addiction; men and women who have suffered verbal and physical abuse or been betrayed by someone they trusted – individuals covered with the “cow manure of life” and are now convinced they are unlovable.  They are certain that neither God nor another individual could love them! 

The good news is that no matter what you have been told; no matter what has been done to you, or no matter what you have done to others, God loves you!  He can’t help it – it is in His DNA; His character!

The clearest explanation of God’s attribute of ‘love’ is found in 1John4.8, 10, 12, &16 (my emphasis)

“But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.  No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.  We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”

God’s love is perfect, unconditional love.  Humanity often evaluates God’s love by comparing it to human’s love.  Frankly, there is no human being that can fully comprehend the love of God.  We can’t help it; as imperfect humans, we are limited in our understanding of something perfect. 

A hard lesson for most humans is to accept the truth of Scripture when it states:

“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?  He said,

‘My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
For the LORD disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. 

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.”  (Hebrews 12.5.-8)

Even by human standards, love without discipline is not love.  Love without discipline is enabling!

Physical and emotional abuse is NOT discipline; it is cruel and in-human.   

Now that you know that God’s discipline is part of His perfect love, how will you respond?  What will you do differently in your life?

Suggested Action Points:  (select one of the following suggestions)

Ø  Thank the Lord every day for the next 10 days for loving you with His perfect love.

Ø  Read and meditate on Romans 5.1-11.

Ø  Admit to God your mistakes.

Ø  Ask forgiveness from those whom you have lied, manipulated, or hurt.

That's enough... for now. 

Tired of all the Cow Manure?

Domestic violence.  Child abuse.  Pornography.  Drunken drivers killing others.  Drug abuse.  Drug related deaths.  Sex scandals.  Corruption. 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Tired of all the B***S***?!!   Want to change the world? 

It starts with YOU!  (and me)

Here are three truths we must all embrace if we truly want to change the world as we know it:

1.        God loves you.

2.       God has a plan for your life.

3.       God will use YOU to change the world. 

Follow Remedy’s blog during the month of January if you want to know more about these truths and how to put them into ACTION.

Uphill both ways!

Deuteronomy 11.10-12

¹⁰ For the land you are about to enter and take over is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you planted your seed and made irrigation ditches with your foot as in a vegetable garden. ¹¹ Rather, the land you will soon take over is a land of hills and valleys with plenty of rain—¹² a land that the Lord your God cares for. He watches over it through each season of the year!

These words were given to the Israelites as they were about to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land – an unfamiliar place they had not yet inhabited.  (This picture is not the Jordan; it is the North Platte here in WYOMING.)

Today, we have entered an unfamiliar place we have not yet inhabited – 2012! 

What lies ahead for us?  What new experiences will we have?  What needs will arise?  What challenges will come our way?  What joys will overwhelm us?  What sorrow will permeate our beings?

This unfamiliar place is “a land of hills and valleys.”  So often we wish that life was all “downhill” or “flat.”  But the hills are necessary.  It is the exertion of the climb that makes us stronger.  And, paradoxically, it is the storms that form over the hills that bring rain and new life to the valleys.

Despite the challenges, questions and uncertainties we have, we enter into this unfamiliar place knowing that it is “a land that the LORD your God cares for… and watches over.” 

We enter into 2012 trusting God “through each season of the year.”