Sermon Series on Colossians - Colossians 1:3 - 8

Scripture Colossians 1: 3 — 8                (HCSB)

In today’s message and the messages to come we are going to learn a lot about the church at Colossae. We are going to learn from Paul’s letter about their faith within their own little church, but also their faith would be known to the world around them. We are going to learn about how they lived their life out is a world that was pagan and godless in nature much like our world is today. So let’s jump into the Scriptures and learn what God has planned for us to learn today!

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints

Paul starts out by saying, “we always thank God the Father of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ” when “we” pray for the people of Colossae. We need to come to grips with the fact that Paul and his disciples are praying constantly for churches who are part of the Christian church; even the ones Paul has not been in the physical presence of like the church of Colossae. 

Paul then in verse 4 tells us why his fellow workers for Christ and himself thank God in their prayers for the church of Colossae — it is for their faith and because of the love they have for all the saints. Let us not miss the fact that their faith is strong, but we will learn later on in Colossians that it is being tested. Our faith gets tested as well so we are no different from the church of Colossae and we can learn from what Paul is telling them. In addition, do not miss the fact that their love of the saints (fellow believers of Jesus Christ) is known beyond their small church because Paul has heard of the love they have for all the saints throughout the world. Did you get that? Not just the love for the local saints within the church at Colossae, but their love for all saints all over the world (vs. 6). How many of us have that same love for others? I know when we have gatherings where our churches do coordinated events many times the church people will sit with their own members at the fellowship time and during the service. I get it — that is what makes us comfortable. However, the church of Colossae would love the saints in their church, but I feel sure they would have been mixing and fellowshipping with the other churches with love for them.

I have a few questions and this is some serious questions we need to consider this carefully — have people heard of your faith, have they heard of my faith, and have they heard of Emanuel Church’s faith? Does people even know about Emanuel Church in this area? We have been around 208 years but many of the people in this community doesn’t even know who we are and where we are located? Is it because of our walk of faith or because we have not been on fire for Jesus that many don’t know who we are and where we are located? Do people know that this church is committed to the Word of God and exemplifies the love of Jesus Christ? 

I ask all of us does our Christian walk allow people to see our faith? Does what this church does within these 4 walls and in our community and throughout the world allow people to see our faith and point to Jesus? This is not a “here look at me and what I did attitude,” but it is a “here is Jesus and look what He is doing in my life and the life of Emanuel!” Sadly, this is something many people and churches don’t care about today — all they care about is numbers, bringing in more people, the hot next program on the market — in other words they are pointing to themselves instead of the Savior (hey look at us — look what we are doing [where is Jesus in those two statements] — many churches are busy, but are they making disciples)! Let us commit our lives to pointing to our Savior Jesus Christ — Jesus Christ told us at Matthew 6:33 — But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. If we will only seek a life lived for Jesus Christ and His teachings and righteousness, then all the other things will come to fruition. That is how the early church operated — not on budgets and buildings (although they are important), but on how to bring people to Christ by living for Him!

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints

Verse 5 — 5 because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the message of truth, the gospel

In this verse Paul names the incentive that stimulates the Colossians faith and love. That incentive is the hope reserved for them in heaven. We have that same hope here today!

The word “reserved” in Greek means “to be laid up” — so we know from this word that the people who are set apart (the saints) has their hope focused on heaven.

Paul then tells them where they heard about this hope and what they heard about concerning this hope and what this hope is? The Colossians (as we are) have heard about a hope in the message of truth, which is the gospel. This hope spoken of here is the eternal life found in Jesus Christ! It is our hope that we too who know Jesus as our Lord and Savior have this morning — and that hope is eternal life found not in ourselves or of our own doing, but in Jesus’ by His death on the Cross of Calvary and His resurrection from the grave! He is the first-born from the dead and we too have the same opportunity afforded us because of His resurrection. 

Do we live our lives as if we believe that our eternal future is secure and our hope is not here on earth, but found in heaven? We may have heard the message of truth, which is the Gospel, but have we really understood and comprehended what this Gospel is really telling us concerning our eternal future that is laid up or reserved for us in heaven? If we have heard this message of truth and understand it then our lives should reflect that we know, that we know, that we know our eternal future is secure by the blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary!

Verse 5b — 5b You have already heard about this hope in the message of truth, the gospel

Verse 6 — 6 that has come to you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and recognized God’s grace in the truth.

Paul then begins to tell us that when we have heard and comprehended the Gospel then we will see it bearing fruit in our lives and it will be growing all over the world! If we accept the Word of God then we will bear fruit. In the parable of the sower found at Mark 4:20 Jesus said: “But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.” So as we see when we hear and understand the Word of God and live it out in our lives then we will bear fruit not because of what we are doing but because of what Jesus is doing in us and through us!

Now also notice that this bearing of fruit cannot be contained — it is like a wildfire spreading quickly and rapidly from the point of origin to the surrounding area! Brothers and sisters we need to be set on fire by the power of the Holy Spirit and become a wildfire for Jesus to the world around us — a wildfire that loves Jesus so much we desire everyone we know to know Jesus no matter what the cost is to us! Are we ready to make a commitment in our life to be this light to the world around us for the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior? 

7 You learned this from Epaphras, our dearly loved fellow slave. He is a faithful servant of the Messiah on your behalf, 8 and he has told us about your love in the Spirit. 

Finally, Paul tells the church of Colossae and anyone who will listen — you have had a great example in Epaphras who has taught you. He is a fellow slave for the Messiah — he is a faithful minister — and he is a messenger for the church of Colossae concerning their love in the Spirit. He has been a great role model for them to follow, but also he has been someone who has taught them the truth of the Gospel and how this truth must bear fruit beyond the four walls of their small church! He has shown and taught them how to love the saints beyond their small church! He has discipled the church of Colossae and they have been willing to be discipled! So Paul is saying to the Colossians — you have had a great teacher and I see that you have been putting into practice what you have been taught and must continue to do so.

Brothers and sisters we are members of the family of God!

Is our faith heard of beyond these four walls we gather behind each week? 

Do we take the Word of God with us each and everyday of our life to the world around us and not just have a faith that consists of 2 hours on Sunday morning? 

Do we share the love of Jesus with everyone we come into contact with? 

Do people even know we are followers of Christ? 

Has the message of truth, the Gospel, affected us in the manner that we are bearing fruit and is it causing shock waves in the world around us? 

Just what does our faith look like to an outsider beyond the front door of this church?

The church of Colossae gives us an example of how this faith looks like this morning. 

1. Our faith must be solid in the knowledge of the Word of God and that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and the only way to heaven. 
2. We must love each other, but also must love all those who are followers of Christ! 
3. We must be fruit bearers and growing in our faith so that this fruit will allow Jesus Christ and the Gospel to grow all over the world!

What a challenge, but one we must be willing to take on!

Let us pray…

Scripture used is HCSB -  The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ge 9:8–10). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

The Word of God

It has been a while since I wrote in my blog but today I am making an effort to each Monday write a 

new edition to my blog.

The thought that has been bothering me so much lately is understanding the importance of sound

Biblical doctrine. So many believe the Bible is just a book of fiction or a book that was relevant back at

the time it was written, but certainly not today. Let me just say that is a bunch of hogwash! The Bible is

as relevant today as any other time in history. We are told at 2^nd Timothy 4:3 — 4: ³ For the time will come

when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because

they have an itch to hear something new. ⁴ They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. So

many people have turned from allowing the Bible to lead their lives to allowing their lives to dictate how

they read the Bible through the eyes of the world! They want their ears tickle or be allowed to live their

life without any rules or regulations governed by God’s Holy Word. So may just want to pick and choose

which part of the Bible they want to believe in! We must remain true to the whole Word of God! It is

God’s revelation to us! It is how we know how to relate to God in our everyday life! We must surrender

to His Word and live it out in our lives daily!

I will talk more about this in the future but for now — read the Word of God and allow it to change

your life! 

I Wish They'd All Been Ready

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Matthew 25:13)

These words conclude the parable of the ten virgins. Five were ready for the return of Christ and five were not. The five who were not prepared wanted something they did not have (what the five who were ready had - Jesus Christ). When the finally went to get it, it was too late. 

We must be prepared for the return of Jesus Christ. In the parable those who were prepared were allowed into the presence of Jesus Christ - those who were not ready were denied access to the banquet!

We must first be ready for the return of Christ and secondly, we must be looking and prepared for the return of Christ!

A Look at a Successful Church - The Church Of Philadelphia

Thriving As A Christian in a Secular World

The Church of Philadelphia

Paul’s Chapel Revival — Tuesday, September 26, 2017

I want to take this opportunity to thank the fine people of Paul’s Chapel for allowing me to speak at this year’s revival and to Rev. Aaron Long thank you for allowing me to share your pulpit.

With that said let us be about the business of the Lord and join together our hearts in prayer [PRAY].

As many of you know I love to study the end times and recently at the NC Gathering our National Minister the Rev. Jim Barnes spoke on reviving a dying church. During his presentation I was drawn to how mentioned the 7 churches are a great example of what the churches are doing wrong and Jesus then tells them how to correct their mistakes. So many of us focus on the problems going on in the church instead of seeking and finding solutions to correct them. In each church when Jesus pointed out the problems of the church He always told them how to correct that problem.

Tonight I want us to focus on one of the two churches that Jesus did not find fault with, which was the church of Philadelphia. Now this may seem strange that I am focusing on a church that was only commended by Jesus and not condemned, but remember let us look at what they were doing right and not focus on the negative or what a church is doing wrong.

Turn with me to the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ and find chapter 3 and let us read beginning with verse 7 and going through verse 13. This is fascinating material for us gathered here tonight and I hope it will change each individual’s life, as well as the life of the church. Let us begin with verse 7 and I will be reading from the Modern English Version: 

⁷ To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: “He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens, says these things: ⁸ I know your works. Look! I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it. For you have a little strength, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹ Listen! I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie. Listen! I will make them come and worship before your feet and to know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have kept My word of patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation which shall come upon the entire world, to test those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹ Look, I am coming quickly. Hold firmly what you have, so that no one may take your crown. ¹² He who overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My own new name. ¹³ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” 

The church of Philadelphia was a church that was at the epicenter of the region and it was strategically located. I come tonight to say that all churches are strategically located within their communities. So no matter where places His Church it is to be active and moving out to share the Good News with the community around them. Philadelphia was such a church. Although they were up against a lot of opposition and struggles because of their size and money issues they thrived in the sharing of the Gospel to those they came into contact. So let us look at how they were so successful and how that impacts the church today.

We think that the world when to pot during our lifetime, but if we study history the world has been evil in every generation. During the time of the church of Philadelphia society was every pressing in on the church, and there were many pagan religions competing for the people’s attention. Sounds familiar doesn’t it! 

Let us focus on one verse tonight that will explain how this church was successful and because of their faithfulness Jesus promised to keep the doors to evangelism and missions open for them. Now many churches make the excuse that they are too small and have too small of a budget. Well after looking at the church of Philadelphia we can no longer make that excuse. 

Let us look at verse 8 together:

⁸ I know your works. Look! I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it. For you have a little strength, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

The first thing we notice is that Jesus knows our works! This should either scare us to death or motivate us to action and I hope we choose the latter! When we realize that Jesus is walking among His church here at Paul’s Chapel and all other churches in the world today it should motivate us to serve in with all our heart! Because of their works Jesus emphatically says, “Look” or “Behold.” Now when we see either of these words in the Word of God to start a sentence has an exclamation mark with it this should send up a red flag in our mind because something important is getting ready to be said immediately following this command! It means to look and take heed to what is being said! Jesus says, “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.” This is an amazing promise from Jesus to the church of Philadelphia and to the church of today. If we are faithful and spread the Gospel through our evangelism and missions then He will set before that church an open door that no one can shut! Do we trust this promise from God tonight?

Let us look at the church and how they became such an amazing church in the eyes of our Lord and Savior. The first a successful church or a successful Christian must have a passion for evangelism and mission because that is what was the first mission of the church because that was what Jesus Christ did: He reached out for the lost. Jesus spoke about His mission at Luke 19:10 where we read: For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. The angel announced to Joseph in Matthew 1:21 where he tells Joseph that Mary will bear a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. Jesus came to save the lost. He then tells His followers and the church to do the same. Turn with me to John 20:21 and let us read this verse together: So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you.” We are also told in the Great Commission to…¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ *teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. The church of Philadelphia did this with fervor and a passion to reach the lost. This must be our goal today in order to be successful in a society that is moving away from God.

The second thing they did was the kept Christ’s Word. What does this mean? It means that they were faithful to the Word of God. This means that they studied the Word of God; they lived the Word of God; and they proclaimed the Word of God to believers and unbelievers alike. These three traits are instrumental for a person to be strong in their faith and a church be successful in the world today. It is not about a few doing this but it must become a passion for all of us! We are the church and we must be faithful to our Lord and Savior. How can we get to know Him if we are unwilling to study His Word? How can we witness for Him if we are unwilling to live out what His Word teaches? How can we expand the Kingdom of God with telling others about Jesus Christ? Paul gave Timothy some great advice in 2^nd Timothy chapter 2 and chapter 3. Turn with me to 2^nd Timothy 2:15 and let us read this together: Study to show yourself approved by God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  Do we see the very first word in that sentence? It is the word study! We need to spend quality time in the Word of God! Now turn with me to 2^nd Timothy 3:16 — 17 and let us read this verse together: ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. We must use the Word of God in all aspects of the church and in all aspects of our individual lives. We not only need to study the Word of God, but we need to live that Word out in our daily lives! And we need to take on the attitude of Peter when he stood before the religious authorities and was asked to not talk about Jesus again. He said and we find this in Acts 4: 18 — 31. Let us read this for our edification tonight: ¹⁸ Then they called them and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ²⁰ For we cannot help but declare what we have seen and heard.” ²¹ When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people. For all glorified God for what was done, ²² for the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was over forty years old. ²³ On being released, they went to their own people and reported what the chief priests and elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they lifted their voices in unity to God and prayed, “Lord, You are God, who has made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, ²⁵ and who by the mouth of Your servant David said: 

‘Why did the nations rage, and the people devise vain things? ²⁶ The kings of the earth came, and the rulers were assembled together against the Lord and against His Christ.’ 

²⁷ Indeed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were assembled together against Your holy Son Jesus whom You have anointed, ²⁸ to do what Your hand and Your counsel had foreordained to be done. ²⁹ *Now, Lord, look on their threats and grant that Your servants may speak Your word with great boldness, ³⁰ by stretching out Your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be performed in the name of Your holy Son Jesus.” ³¹ When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness. 

We need to share and proclaim the Word of God to all we come into contact with, whether they are our co-workers, our neighbors, our friends, or our family. We need to always be looking for opportunities to witness and share Christ!

The final point that the people within the church of Philadelphia did was they confessed Christ and did not deny the name of Christ! Now this means more than witnessing for Jesus Christ it means that Jesus Christ is the focus and center of all the lives of those who believe in Jesus Christ. It means that Jesus Christ is the focus and center of all the services, meetings, ministries, programs, and activities of the church! The church that is alive and faithful is evangelistic and mission minded; keeps the Word of Christ; and confesses Christ in all that it does, in all of its services, meetings, programs, and activities.

Does that describe this church? Does this describe your life because the church is made up of the people gathered here tonight? This is how a church can be successful — are we willing to follow the church of Philadelphia’s example? Let us pray…

Is God With Us?

                                                           Exodus 17:1 — 7           HCSB

¹ The entire Israelite community left the Wilderness of Sin, moving from one place to the next according to the Lord’s command. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. ² So the people complained to Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why are you complaining to me?” Moses replied to them. “Why are you testing the Lord?” ³ But the people thirsted there for water, and grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you ever bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” ⁴ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!” ⁵ The Lord answered Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the staff you struck the Nile with in your hand and go. ⁶ I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites complained, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” 

I love certain reality shows. Not Survivor or the Bachelor, but I like the shows where people are called upon to survive in the wild such as the Alaskan Bush People and Alaska: The Last Frontier featuring the Kilchers. I also like those shows where the people live off the land and one of my favorite is Live Free or Die. If you watch many of these shows where they are living off the land you will see that there is one thing that they must have and that is water! I remember one show where one of the men made a bowl out of a certain type of wood to trade for a water barrel to catch rain water so he would not have to go to the river so much to get water. Water is essential to living.

Today is the third Sunday of Lent and we come to a time in our journey through Lent where we see the need of water. People can live without food, but people cannot live without water. Water is a life-sustaining liquid that all of us need to survive. The people of Israel have been on a journey in the wilderness that we know as the Exodus. They have had their ups and downs and have questioned God and put Him to the test numerous times. Today’s passage is another one of those times. Let us look at this passage a little closer this morning.

Read verse one along with me:

¹ The entire Israelite community left the Wilderness of Sin, moving from one place to the next according to the Lord’s command. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

There is some really good stuff in this verse that many times we will pass over. First, we are told that the entire Israelite community got up and left the area they were staying, moving from one place to the next by being obedient to God’s command to move. Remember our sermon last week that when we are called to “Get up and go” we must be obedient to the Lord. So we learn right off that the people of Israel are being obedient to the Lord. Second, we see that they camped at Rephidim. Now in the Bible names mean something and the place they camped at was called “resting place.” That is what Rephidim means a resting place! Also it means a place to refresh. Now this was not a name that Moses gave it; the place was already there and had a name! So in this first verse we see that the people were obedient to the Lord and He brought them not only to a place of rest, but also to a place to refresh. 

Then we are told there was not any water for them to drink. So let us see how the Israelite people handled this problem. Read verses 2 and 3 with me:

² So the people complained to Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why are you complaining to me?” Moses replied to them. “Why are you testing the Lord?” ³ But the people thirsted there for water, and grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you ever bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

I love how the Scripture speaks into our lives today. We are told that the people when they did not have water complained to Moses. When I was studying for today’s message one thing that the Holy Spirit laid on my heart was the Israelites’ attitude. Notice, although they had been obedient to the Lord in moving when He said move and He had provided for them every time they were in need, they still came to Moses with a complaining attitude. Instead of prayerfully asking Moses to seek God for help and trusting that God would provide for their needs you can hear their complaining tone when they said to Moses, “Give us water to drink. Why did you bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” Notice their selfish mentality and their GIVE ME, GIVE ME, GIVE ME cry! Brothers and sisters aren't we a lot like that today. Instead of seeking God, following Him, and trusting Him to lead and provide we tend to look at our own weaknesses and understanding. Many times in the difficulties of life we tend to see the reality that stares us in the face and that is so understandable, but we never should forget that nothing is impossible with God. If we would sit back and reflect on the times that God has either provided or step in during a crisis or a time of chaos and turmoil in our life and lifted us up out of the Pit we would come to the realization the He is sovereign and in control of what we are dealing with. Where in your life are you without water today? Seek Him and He will provide that Living Water that will supply all our needs.

We mustn't forget Moses in this pericope. He told the people they should not be testing God, yet notice his attitude when He comes to the Lord for the people of Israel. Let us read verses 4 through 7 together:

⁴ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!” ⁵ The Lord answered Moses, “Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the staff you struck the Nile with in your hand and go. ⁶ I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink.” Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites complained, and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” 

Moses immediately went to the Lord in prayer frustrated with the people, but also seeking God’s help. We call that standing in the gap. Moses was standing in the gap between God and His people. How many times during the Exodus did God want to destroy the Israelites and Moses stepped in to remind God of His covenant with Abraham? Moses, unlike the Israelite people, came to God placing his trust and focus on God to provide the answer to the situation that laid before the people of Israel. Notice that Moses attitude was one that was prayerful and not selfish or self-consuming. He knew that God had provided for His people and He would in this situation. So when God said go and strike the rock and water will flow, Moses did exactly what God asked Him to.

Today many of us are at the place the people of Israel were in our passage. We are wondering “Is God With Us?” Does He really care what I am dealing with? Can He really help me or provide for me in my time of need? We see the answer to that question in today’s text and it is a resounding YES! God desires to meet your needs and provide for you, but you must first trust Him and come to Him expecting Him to answer your prayer! So I ask which attitude do you have during the difficult times of your life: The Israelite attitude of selfishness and self-centeredness complaining to God or to others about what you need and why hasn't anyone stepped up to help you? Or is your attitude that of Moses who came to God asking and believing that God will provide. Moses knew God was with the people of Israel and today I can assure you GOD IS WITH US! Let us pray…

A New Journey

On June 9th I began a new journey when it comes to my life. I had sleeve gastrectomy surgery and the outcome so far has been going quite well. This journey is not short-term, but life changing. I am reminded in the Scriptures found at 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verses 19 and 20 where we read, "Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body" (HCSB). I am drawn to the fact that not only am I changing my physical body, but also my spiritual body given to me by my Lord and Savior. He created me and made me! Although in life we may think we are not who we should be, I can say that the Word of God tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made! God wants an intimate relationship with us and whats us to seek Him in all our endeavors. I know without a doubt that the success I have had up to this point of my recovery has come about because of all the prayers being lifted up on my behalf. I look forward to this physical and spiritual life change over the rest of my life and all the glory and honor will go to my Heavenly Father and the Lord and Savior of my life!

A New (NLT) Look At Psalm 23