Christians in Recovery® BLOG

Are You Wearing the Jersey but Not Getting it Dirty?

Administrator — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:20:14 +0000

When I was a kid, cheering for a sports team was simpler.

You knew and cheered for the players on your team. There were no free agents and really good players were rarely traded.

That all changed in the mid-70’s. Now, team rosters vary drastically every season. Last year’s villains might be this season’s beloved heroes. We no longer cheer for players. We cheer for laundry. It’s not about the guy, but the jersey the guy’s wearing.

Like I said yesterday, jerseys are cool.

I have two authentic New York Yankee jerseys in my closet. They’re identical to those worn by the guys who actually play for the Yankees. It’s fun to show them off once in a while, though I don’t wear them to games because I fear mustard stains.

But here’s the thing: I can put on the jersey and the cap and all the fancy equipment, but nobody’s going to mistake me for an actual player.

Wearing the jersey doesn’t make me part of the team. Being on the team involves a lot more than wearing the right laundry.

Fans are involved, even passionate, but they don’t have any real skin in the game. They express an opinion, maybe buy a ticket, but when the game ends they head back to their lives. Win or lose, the jersey goes back in the closet.

Being on the team requires commitment. The players on the field sacrificed to get there. They spent long, lonely hours training and practicing. They risked failure, endured pain, and faced fear in pursuit of a goal.

For the players, the jersey symbolizes commitment to something bigger than themselves. It’s meant to be worn, not displayed. Dirt, sweat, and even some blood stains are okay.

I don’t think Jesus wants fans—even passionate ones. He’s not looking for us to sport the laundry and cheer from the sidelines. I think He wants us to do more than wear a nice, clean, unwrinkled jersey.

I think He wants us to engage, face our fear, and sacrifice courageously together toward something bigger than ourselves. I think He wants followers whose commitment goes deeper than Sunday morning attendance or an opinion on Facebook.

I think He wants followers whose jerseys get sweaty and dirty.

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog HERE
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2008-2013 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

Whose Team are You On?

Administrator — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:39:53 +0000

I’m excited about today’s word-of-the-week…

JERSEY

Team jerseys are cool and fun. There’s a real sense of belonging, being part of something bigger than yourself, that goes with wearing a jersey.

I’m thinking about jerseys because we just finalized our team for this summer’s Front Range FREEDOM Tour 2013. It’s interesting, and a little scary, to think about bringing a group together for an intense week of physical, emotional, and spiritual challenge.

Deep down, I think we all like being part of a team and wearing the jersey.

One curious aspect of team jerseys is the development of an “us vs. them” mentality. When you’re on a team, people are either on your side or the other side. They’re either for you—or they’re against you.

It’s a false choice, and potentially a dangerous one.

Once you put on that team jersey, it’s easy to assume God’s on your side—and opposed to the other side. This can lead to some good-natured humor when we invoke God’s support for our favorite sports team. It’s not so funny when the issue’s more serious.

I’m spending some time thinking about the issue of teams and jerseys and choosing sides. I’ll share some of it in the next couple of posts. For now, this starter:

The question isn’t whether God’s on our team but whether we’re on God’s team.

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog HERE
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2008-2013 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

Do You Remember Grace?

Administrator — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:21:18 +0000

Last time I told you my friend Jim’s vision of Jesus’ actions as mediator. Several readers sent notes saying how touched they were by the statement, “It’s okay. He’s with me.”

Jim clearly isn’t worried his encounter with God. He knows Jesus has him covered.

I wonder if those who follow Jesus often miss this simple assurance. I seem to hear so much guilt, so many folks striving to be good enough. It’s as though Jesus provided a simple target, and we’re completely invested in making it harder and harder to hit.

Sometimes I wish we’d make the core message a little more clear.

You can’t be good enough. Nobody can. Stop trying.

God loves you. You are forgiven. Completely. Not because you earned it or because you deserve it. You don’t. It’s a gift, completely free, through God’s grace.

Jesus bridged the gap between you and God through His birth, life, death, and resurrection. You could never have reached across that gap. There are lots of theological notions about how that worked, but how doesn’t matter. What matters is that Jesus built a bridge you couldn’t build, and you cross it through faith in Him.

Your faith is a response to God’s grace.

I wonder how many folks spend hours each week memorizing scripture and trying to understand theological intricacies, thinking those somehow get them closer to God. And in their hectic study and prayer, they miss grace.

Without God’s grace, nothing else matters. In the light of grace, all the rest is pretty insignificant.

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

A Happy Heart: When Was the Last Time You Laughed?

Administrator — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:55:39 +0000

Proverbs 15:13: “A happy heart makes the face cheerful.”

My stomach hurt because I laughed so much. I had listened to a CD by the Christian comedian, Ken Davis.

Ken makes strange noises and transforms the ordinary into hysterical situations.

As I listened to Ken Davis’ antics, I laughed all the way to the grocery store and back. When I looked in the mirror, my eyes sparkled, and my face glowed. Yes, “A happy heart does make the face cheerful.” According to the Bible, happy means blessed. Ken’s humor blessed me.

So that I don’t forget to laugh each day, I watch comedies like the Bill Cosby Show and listen to CDs of humorous speakers like Ken Davis, Mikki Williams, and Luci Swindoll. Mikki says, “He who laughs lasts!” At the Women of Faith Conference, Luci quoted her grandmother and said, “A day is wasted if you don’t fall over in a heap laughing.” Mikki and Luci always bless me.

A lady I know listens to the Captain’s Club on the radio for the riddles. Her children are grown and married, but she enjoys the humor of the riddles. She demonstrates a cheerful face as she repeats the riddles to anyone who will listen.

Proverbs 15:15 says, “The cheerful heart has a continual feast.” The word, cheerful, means noticeably happy and optimistic. I’ll choose a feast over famine any day. I’ll do what is necessary to be noticeably happy and optimistic. What about you?

Dermatologists say that one of the ways to prevent wrinkles is to be happy. I say, “Away with the wrinkles! Be happy.”

When was the last time you laughed until your stomach hurt or you fell over in a heap laughing? What do you and your family do to have a happy heart?

Are you blessed? Does your face reflect a happy heart?

Dear God, help me have a happy heart. Amen.

Application: What will you do this week so that your happy heart will make your face cheerful?

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog HERE
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2010-2013, Yvonne Ortega, LPC, LSATP, CCDVC

All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.
Yvonne is a Speaker, Author, Counselor, Cancer Survivor and
serves on the Board of Directors of Christians in Recovery.
She is the author of Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer.
If you would like to have her speak for your organization or church, please contact her through
her website: http://YvonneOrtega.com

What do You Envision Jesus Doing?

Administrator — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:32:11 +0000

My friend Jim has an incredible way of verbalizing his faith using simple, profound stories.

We’ve been together in a small group for a number of years. We’ll be immersed in some tangled discussion, and Jim steps in and offers a word picture that leaves everyone saying things like “Wow” and “Very cool.”

The other night our study asked a question. “When you envision Jesus acting as your mediator, what do you envision Him doing?”

After several folks fumbled with responses, Jim provided one of his gems.

# # #

“I always picture myself sitting in front of God, and Satan’s there listing all the things I did wrong. And it’s horrible, because everything he says about me is true.

“Then, just when I think I can’t take it anymore, Jesus walks up, wraps His arms around me, and sort of covers me with His cloak.

“And he says, ‘It’s okay. He’s with me.’”

# # #

I smiled when Jim told the story. I’m smiling as I write it.

We make theology pretty complicated sometimes. I suppose there’s a place for that, but I wonder if we’d do better if we focused more on something more basic.

Jesus loves me, this I know.

“It’s okay. He’s with me.”

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

Restoration of Your Wasted Years

Administrator — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:35:54 +0000

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten. (Joel 2:25)

Yes, those wasted years we regret will be restored to us. God can give us such plentiful grace that we will crowd into the remainder of our days as much of service that will recompense for those obstinate years over which we mourn in humble penitence.

The locusts of backsliding, worldliness, lukewarmness, are now viewed by us as a terrible plague. If only they had never happened!

The Lord in mercy has now taken them away, and we eager to serve Him. Blessed be His name that we can raise harvests of spiritual graces so that our former barrenness disappears. Through rich grace we can turn to account our bitter experience and use it to warn others.

We can become more rooted in humility, childlike dependence, and penitent spirituality through the experience of our former shortcomings. If we are more watchful, zealous, and tender, we will gain by our lamentable losses.

The wasted years, by a miracle of love, can be restored. Does it seem too great a blessing? Let us believe it and live for it, and we may yet realize it, even as Peter became all the more useful a man after his presumption was cured by his discovered weakness. Lord, aid us by Your grace.

~ Charles Spurgeon, Chequebook of Faith {adapted}

Why did you decide to do something so hard?

Administrator — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:51:31 +0000

Last weekend I was drinking coffee in our church lobby when a guy named Brett walked up and introduced himself. First he asked why Monte wasn’t with me. Then he wanted to talk about my “crazy bike ride.”

I struggled to get past the fact that my identity at church is now apparently defined by a goofy-looking dog and a crazy bike ride. While I pondered my self-image, Brett pulled up a chair. He had some serious questions.

He asked about details and logistics. After I explained as briefly as possible there was a long, thoughtful pause. Finally he found the right words.

“Why did you decide to do something so hard?”

I’ve had this discussion dozens of times. You’ve read about some of them. But this was somehow different, because Brett wasn’t half-jokingly asking if I was nuts. I sensed he was seeking the answer within himself.

“Well, I think ‘hard’ was exactly the point, or a big part of it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’d been riding my bike for more than ten years. When I started I enjoyed riding but it was incredibly hard, and I learned a lot about myself and my relationship with God when I stuck with it through the difficult parts.”

“Yeah. I read your book, Relentless Grace, and I got that. The biking was a big piece of your recovery.”

“It was, but eventually I reached the point where the hard parts weren’t really hard any more. I could keep riding around town and stay in shape and have fun, but the aspect of challenging myself and learning about God was gone. I’d reached the point where I could pretty much do it on my own.”

“That sounds like a good thing.”

“Well, it was certainly safe and comfortable, the kind of place we all think we want to be. But it wasn’t the dream. I wasn’t using my gifts and passions to serve others. And I believe God planted a seed of discontent that wouldn’t let me settle for safe and comfortable.”

“That’s it!” Brett exclaimed. “That’s exactly what I’m feeling. I’m settling for a safe life, and it’s not enough.”

“But…” I waited.

“But…I like safe. I want to take my faith seriously, I want to be challenged, but I like being comfortable.”

“So,” I smiled, “you want to be comfortably challenged, right?”

“Yeah,” he sort of hung his head. “And it sounds really dumb when you say it out loud.”

It’s not dumb at all,” I chuckled. “It’s exactly what we’re all looking for. We’re all trying to find a risk-free way to follow Jesus.”

“Yeah, and then something just grabs you and you realize you can’t have it both ways. That’s what your crazy bike ride has done to me.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to mess you up.” Thankfully, he was laughing.

“Yes, you did. You totally want to make us squirm. That’s why you’re doing this, right?”

“So are you going to join us?”

“No, biking isn’t my thing, but it’s not about biking, right?

“So can I ask one more question?”

“Sure,” I said.

“Is it as hard as it looks?”

“Honestly? It’s harder.”

We attend a big church. One drawback is that I don’t know everyone. I don’t know if Brett and I will cross paths again any time soon.

I shared this interaction because it seemed like a conversation you and I might have over a cup of coffee. That’s sort of how I think of this blog. I appreciate you being here.

I take mine black. You?

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

Strength For the Weary

Administrator — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:23:12 +0000

Isaiah 40:29: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

As I get older, I don’t have the strength I once had. Can you identify with me? I used to clean the entire house in an hour and a half. I would dust, vacuum, clean the bathrooms, and mop the floors. With a half hour more, I would get the laundry done too.

My strength seems to have diminished. Now I clean two rooms a day. By the time I finish cleaning the house, it’s time to start over.

A friend of mine is married to a retired military man. They recently moved from a large home in VA to an apartment in Florida. She feels overwhelmed with the boxes. I reminded her that she’s not as young as she used to be and moving is hard work.

And yet God says, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Will we believe him? Will we continue to be weary and weak, or will we accept his strength and power?

God states the truth in verse 30, “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.” One time at an amusement park, I asked my son if he was tired. He said he wasn’t. However, when we sat down to watch a show, he fell asleep. He didn’t wake up until the next morning when we were back home.

For strength and power, I will continue to hope in the Lord. He will help me get up day after day and keep going in this world.

Dear God, I feel weary and weak today. Amen.

CIR Members can share their thoughts regarding this blog HERE
Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Copyright 2010-2013, Yvonne Ortega, LPC, LSATP, CCDVC

Does Jesus Rattle Your Brain?

Administrator — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:36:38 +0000

Last week I got to sit in with a group of young (mostly twenty-something) folks at our church. My friend Bob told them something that’s been rattling in my brain.

If you want to follow Jesus, you need to get to know Him. It’s not enough to know His words. In fact, His words alone can get you messed up. You need to sit with Him, eat with Him, hear His story, and get to really know Him as a friend.

Bob was teaching about a particular parable, but his point was universal. I’m not going to know how to follow Jesus by reading more or studying harder. Jesus is a person, not a collection of ideas.

When I really know Jesus, I can’t take pieces and parts out of context to suit my purposes. Or I can, but I’ll know it’s not honest.

Ever see someone use Jesus to bully or shame or intimidate others into a particular behavior or belief? Ever been tempted to use such tactics? (I’m nodding my head. I’ll bet you are, too.)

I think that’s a sign we don’t know Jesus as well as we should, because that’s simply NOT His way. He had all the power in the universe. If He wanted to force people into compliance, He could have done so.

He didn’t.

He could have defended His country and demanded His rights. He could have squashed the Roman army like a bug under His thumb.

He didn’t.

His story is about service and sacrifice. He engaged with the marginalized, the poor, those who desperately needed a friend. He advocated for God’s version of justice.

He said, “Follow me.”

See why this has been rattling in my brain?

The more I know Jesus the more I realize He didn’t offer a few comfortable platitudes I could graft onto my existing life to make it easier. Really following Him is outrageous and risky and uncomfortable. He invites me to join Him on a difficult road.

Sounds nice—except for the “difficult” part.

Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

A Plan for Taking Action

Administrator — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:39:11 +0000

A random note inspires today’s word-of-the-week…

ACTION

I ran across a note last week that seemed worth recording on an electronic index card and sticking on my virtual bulletin board.

how to change the world

Start where you are
Use what you have
Do what you can

This note seemed like a good reminder for a Monday.

First, I don’t need to wait. I don’t need any special equipment or training. I have what I need, right here, right now.

Second, I like the action verbs. Start—Use—Do.

No analyzing, talking, or meetings. I can take action and change the world.

Time to get going.

Have a great week.

Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com