I am so thankful that I didnt get what I deserved, therefore I dont have any right to whine when I dont get what I want. (Pastor Darrell Friend)
And do you think O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:3-4 NKJ)
Saturday we had a Fall Fest in my hometown. There were booths all around the square, various rides, a climbing wall, antique tractors, custom trucks and tractors, various bands, and drama skits. I wanted to be there at 11am to watch the drama team from my church minister the Word of God in action. What a powerful ministry it is when to music, they act out lifes drama in an understandable message that conveys the need for God in our lives. Trained actors are able to deliver a thought provoking idea without ever speaking a word. Actions many times do speak louder than words. After the skits I moved around through the different booths visiting and just enjoying what was on display. It was during this time that I ran into Pastor Darrell Friend. He planted the church I attend some thirty years ago. I asked him about the quote I had heard him speak a few months ago. I understood what it meant, but wanted to get the wording correct. The idea that I didnt get what I deserved is fuel for my gratitude in working my program of recovery. I learned some time ago that if I am not grateful that I am clean and sober, I soon relapse back to using. This morning in my study time I read these verses by the apostle Paul as he wrote to the church at Rome. Two thoughts came to my mind. First was the word forbearance, and second was that it is Gods goodness that leads me to repentance. Before I became a Christian, I thought that people got saved because of Gods wrath. A kind of fear thing, which drove people to their knees. And some might come to the Lord this way, but for me it was more of the fact that God still loved me after all I had done that was wrong and self-centered. This is called forbearance. God bearing with me all along, waiting for the opportunity to shower love on me. Share with me what the Dake Bible has to say about the word forbearance. Forbearance, the Greek word is anoche, the self restraint of God whereby He tolerates sinners and permits them to live to be saved. That thought right there just trips my spiritual trigger. As I sit here right now with an open heart, basking in Gods love, I am thankful I didnt get what I deserved. Once again, God has done for me what I could not do for myself JRE
So it is necessary for all of us to accept whatever positive gifts we receive with a deep humility, always bearing in mind that our negative attitudes were first necessary as a means of reducing us to such a state that we would be ready for a gift of the positive ones via the conversion experience. Your (my jre) own alcoholism and the immense deflation that finally resulted are indeed the foundation upon which your (my .jre) spiritual experience rests.
BILL W. .A letter dated 1964
And do you think O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:3-4 NKJ)
Saturday we had a Fall Fest in my hometown. There were booths all around the square, various rides, a climbing wall, antique tractors, custom trucks and tractors, various bands, and drama skits. I wanted to be there at 11am to watch the drama team from my church minister the Word of God in action. What a powerful ministry it is when to music, they act out lifes drama in an understandable message that conveys the need for God in our lives. Trained actors are able to deliver a thought provoking idea without ever speaking a word. Actions many times do speak louder than words. After the skits I moved around through the different booths visiting and just enjoying what was on display. It was during this time that I ran into Pastor Darrell Friend. He planted the church I attend some thirty years ago. I asked him about the quote I had heard him speak a few months ago. I understood what it meant, but wanted to get the wording correct. The idea that I didnt get what I deserved is fuel for my gratitude in working my program of recovery. I learned some time ago that if I am not grateful that I am clean and sober, I soon relapse back to using. This morning in my study time I read these verses by the apostle Paul as he wrote to the church at Rome. Two thoughts came to my mind. First was the word forbearance, and second was that it is Gods goodness that leads me to repentance. Before I became a Christian, I thought that people got saved because of Gods wrath. A kind of fear thing, which drove people to their knees. And some might come to the Lord this way, but for me it was more of the fact that God still loved me after all I had done that was wrong and self-centered. This is called forbearance. God bearing with me all along, waiting for the opportunity to shower love on me. Share with me what the Dake Bible has to say about the word forbearance. Forbearance, the Greek word is anoche, the self restraint of God whereby He tolerates sinners and permits them to live to be saved. That thought right there just trips my spiritual trigger. As I sit here right now with an open heart, basking in Gods love, I am thankful I didnt get what I deserved. Once again, God has done for me what I could not do for myself JRE
So it is necessary for all of us to accept whatever positive gifts we receive with a deep humility, always bearing in mind that our negative attitudes were first necessary as a means of reducing us to such a state that we would be ready for a gift of the positive ones via the conversion experience. Your (my jre) own alcoholism and the immense deflation that finally resulted are indeed the foundation upon which your (my .jre) spiritual experience rests.
BILL W. .A letter dated 1964
