Showing posts with label Discipleship. Show all posts

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Harm Reduction and Negotiating with Terrorists - Purity 1329

Purity 1329 04/18/2024 Purity 1329 Podcast

Purity 1329 on YouTube: Coming Soon!

Good morning,

Today’s photo of the sun casting light and shadows along an emerald path through the woods comes to us from yours truly as I captured this pathway scene while out taking a walk along the blue trail of Schodack Island State Park, Tuesday morning.

Well, it’s Thursday and I share another photo of a pathway today as a visual reminder or encouragement to get on or to stay on the path of Christian Discipleship, and if you need it the road to recovery.

Last night I sat in on another session of the Celebrate Freedom (Recovery/Discipleship) Support Group and I was once again reminded of how deep a river “Denial” can be and how the practical philosophies of Harm Reduction Initiatives have caused those of us who lead Christian Recovery Ministries to become “hostage negotiators” in a sense. While the practical aspects of “Easy Does It” – in dealing with one problem at a time were mentioned in the first edition of AA’s Big Book, the fact that the principles of Harm Reduction (https://harmreduction.org/about-us/principles-of-harm-reduction/) have clearly stated that they have surrendered to a Neville Chamberlin like “peace in our time” rather than a “war on drugs” by selling success in recovery as “well being” and n“not necessarily cessation of all drug use”.

“I’m in recovery. I’m a success.”

That’s great! So you’re completely clean and sober! Praise the Lord!

“Well… I haven’t quit drinking or smoking pot… but I am 6 days sober from heroin. I don’t get paid until Friday… and I will try to start another 6 day cycle after some “safe use of it on Saturday.”

The above illustration may be ridiculous to those who think of “clean and sober” as “clean and sober” but pragmatism and harm reduction principles have changed the landscape of those “judgemental” standards.

In this brave new world of compromised principles, I have seen the deception and denial of these “compassionate” responses cause people to flounder and fall repeatedly in their “recoveries. In my experiences I have seen or heard of:

· A person declare themselves 6 months “sober” while binge drinking periodically. This same person wondered why a friend who suffered a relapse didn’t reach out to them for help when they were thinking about drinking… (maybe because they wanted to drink alone? – shots fired. )

· A person wonder why they no longer have the peace and joy of their recovery after defeating their addiction to hard drugs almost a decade ago, but who also admitted to the need of regular “self care” of drinking alcohol.

· A person who was actively going to recovery meetings and achieved 30 days or more of sobriety only to triumphantly declare putting their significant other “in their place” with a 2-day bender because “they pushed too hard”. They also proclaimed their love for their significant other and family that they were using relapse to punish and control.

While I applaud every progressive victory in recovery, these examples show us that when we leave the door open to “some drugs and alcohol” we deceive ourselves and suffer the consequences for not declaring war on our addictions and putting the measure of success as anything less than “the total cessation of all drugs” (and alcohol – I think I need to clarify that alcohol is a drug too – and so is “medicinal marijuana” – which I found really easy to quit… just sayin).

When we lead recovery ministries we want to be encouraging and not try to fix anyone but in light of these experiences, I saw that in many ways we are “negotiating with terrorists” (either in terms of the drugs themselves or the toxic behaviors that surround addiction).

Just because you have put down the “bomb” of heroin, meth crack or cocaine, doesn’t mean we feel safe around you because you are still carrying the AK-47 of alcohol and 9 MM of Marijuana, and you don’t hesitate from squeezing off a few rounds every once in a while.

Whether it’s a single shot ( “a few drinks” or joints with no “harmful effects”), a short burst ( a drinking or smoking session that definitely fell into drunkenness or getting high with some negative consequences such as hang-overs, missed work, irritability, mild argurments and tensions, or embarrassment), or a full on “This is Beautiful, Man” Tom Cruise in the movie Taps- all out M60 shooting spree (an extended bender or bake session – that led to legal charges, intense arguments or fights, abuse, neglect, or broken relationship), you have to realize that you will never have “peace in our time” until you stop negotiating with terrorist (you as your own worst enemy- who demands “some drugs and alcohol” – “on occasion”) and lay down the weapons of your warfare (all drugs and alcohol).

So that’s me, dealing with “terrorist” - Okay that’s great you put down the bomb… now how about you putting that gun down, and letting these nice people – your significant other, your family, and friends – go? We care about you and we don’t want you to get hurt or to hurt anybody but we can’t guarantee your safety until you put that gun down. You don’t have to do that just yet, I just want you to keep talking to me and. You know, consider what it would be like to put it down. I assure you that things will be okay but we really have to think about what's best for you and everyone else involved. I know you don’t want to hurt anybody… so let’s think about how we can walk away from this….”

When we hold on to the substances and behaviors of addiction – we take ourselves and our loved ones hostage… and whether it’s a bomb or a gun, true peace won’t come until we surrender to the highest authority (The Lord God almighty), make peace with Him, and lay down the things we are holding on to that keep us in chains and very may one day cause us great pain, cause us to suffer loss, and may take our lives.

May be you’re not ready to come out with your hands up, but let’s just keep walking and talking with God until He shows you that you don’t need those things in your life, and you can trust in Him to protect you and guide you into the ways of peace.

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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

Today’s Bible verses come to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.

( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )

This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Death and Eternal Life

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (NLT2)
⁵⁴ Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.
⁵⁵ O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
⁵⁶ For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.
⁵⁷ But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today’s verses fall under the eleventh point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Death and Eternal Life.

11. The perishable will put on the imperishable; death will be swallowed up in victory.

Today’s verse proclaims the victory we have over sin and death when we put our faith in Jesus! I would hope to think that all Christians would believe that they have eternal life when they put their faith in Jesus. The focus of most “gospel” messages is the assurance of the forgiveness of sins and the avoidance of God’s wrath that would send us to Hell, after all! So while some Christians may wonder about what “heaven will be like” or may doubt whether or not they will make it there because they fear they have committed the “unpardonable sin” ( if your worry you have- you probably haven’t – not believing the gospel - disbelief is blaspheming the Holy Spirit) they tend to believe “heaven, or the kingdom of God, is a thing” that the faithful will receive when they die. That’s where Christians are supposed to go, after all – to be with Jesus. And it is! That’s the good news – we won’t die – we will live with Jesus forever!

But these verses also tell us we are set free of sin, but somehow that is not believed half as much as the “doctrine of heaven” or eternal life. The idea that we are given the power to say no to sin is harder to swallow apparently than – heaven, Jesus coming to rule for a thousand years, or a new heaven and a new earth! What great faith and oh Yee of little faith.

IF we can believe for eternal life, shouldn’t we also trust God when He tells us we can turn from our sins?

We should, and we can do that – say no to sin – progressively, and continuously – when we surrender to God and lay down “those weapons” – our sin – that does damage to ourselves and others.

So believe for heaven but let’s also believe for freedom and victory and let’s demonstrate that the gospel is true – we can be set free – by saying no to sin today.

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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Olford’s books for your own private study and to support his work. This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.

MORNING READING: JOHN 21

“Cast the net on the right side of the boat.” – John 21:6

Months and years have come and gone. Yes, gone forever. If I dare take stock of how I spend my time, what answers would or could I sincerely give to such questions as: “What progress have I made spiritually over the last year? What have I done to help extend the kingdom of God? How many souls have I won for Him? What fruit is apparent as a result of my ministry among God's people?” To such questions, I have to confess by way of answer that I have toiled all night and, generally speaking, have caught nothing.

Give me grace, Lord, to obey Your message to my heart –
“Cast the net on the right side of the boat.” Amen.^{^[1]}

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

Join our “Victory over the Darkness”, “The Bondage Breaker”, "Freedom in Christ" series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com.

These teachings are also available on the MT4Christ247 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MT4Christ247

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

My wife, TammyLyn, also offers Christian encouragement via her Ask Seek Knock blog (https://tammylynask.blogspot.com/ ), her Facebook Group: Ask, Seek, Knock (https://www.facebook.com/groups/529047851449098 ) and her podcast Ask, Seek, and Knock on Podbean (https://feed.podbean.com/tammalyn78/feed.xml)

“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

^{^[1]} Stephen Olford and Heather Olford, According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament, A Collection of Devotional Journals 1940-1941 (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2008).

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

A Father’s Prayers for His Children - Purity 1327

Purity 1327 04/16/2024 Purity 1327 Podcast

Purity 1327 on YouTube:

Good morning,

Today’s photo of an Eric Carle illustration of a Penguin with its young comes to us yours truly as I captured this work of art with my iPhone camera during my visit to the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst Massachusetts this past weekend. Although I saw this illustration used to wish moms a happy Mother’s day in the past, I would encourage you to check out the classic documentary film, the March of the Penguins to understand the importance of the father’s role in the Emperor Penguin’s life cycle. After the egg is hatched, it is the father who protects the egg from the cold. As the penguin grows and grows, the mother leaves the father with the egg to search for food. It’s truly an incredible testimony of the importance of the whole traditional family unit as life for the penguin just doesn’t happen without a mother and father working together to survive.

Well, It’s Tuesday and although I returned to work after a week’s vacation yesterday, my shift tour has me home to enjoy another day off today, as I am scheduled to work on Saturday. Because of a late-night reviewing more teachings from Light University for my Mental Health Coaching certification (my quest of knowledge, equipping, and validation, apparently, knows no limits) I decided to shift my daily workout down the road and enjoy an extra hour’s rest and am similarly “mailing it in” this morning with the blog and podcast in a sense, but not really.

The consequences of administering “tough love” to my adult son recently resulted in his choice to move out of my home to go to his sister’s place in Troy. He has been suffering from joblessness (he lost his job after not showing up on January), listlessness and depression over the past few months and I tried to inspire a change of mood by making him accountable for being responsible for himself both mentally and financially. Although he initially agreed to seek employment, he decided to move out when he determined some of my demands to be unreasonable, I suggested he get a haircut and when he resisted, I feared his reluctance was a sign that he wasn’t really with the restoration program and I made it a condition for staying in my home. Rather than taking my money to get cleaned up, he opted to move out. Despite a few attempts to reestablish communication, I haven’t heard from him since. While I am relieved that he is with loved ones who can support him and that he isn’t isolating alone in his former room upstairs, my heart goes out to the Lord for him in prayer each morning with the request that God would turn things around in his life to make flourish again.

While I worried that I may have pushed too far in trying to remedy my son’s problem, the mental health coach training lesson on depression that I viewed last night caused me to be reassured that allowing him to sit and fester in my home as I had been during his “gap” year(s) after his high school graduation and dropping out of community college after a semester or two, and for the first months of his unemployment this year was only enabling him. His purposelessness and depression didn’t improve when left on its own and I am hopeful that the change of venue will cause him to either get the help he needs, decide to get a job to care for himself, or both. The lesson on depression I viewed last night gave the example of a 35-year-old man living at home, who had formerly functioned normally in his high school years but who suffered losses and didn’t adapt to the transition of college. He left school for home and never left home and approximately 15 years later he was still being cared for by his parents.

I don’t know how my son is fairing with his sisters or if he is improving but I know that his story will not be the same as this 35-year-old man whom I heard about. I had been practicing what I thought was patience and understanding, and maybe I was but now I realize that my letting my son “find his own way” could be considered enabling his irresponsibility and feeding the conditions of his depression. But no more, for better or worse, no more. And I’m almost ashamed to admit the tremendous peace I have about his choosing to “find his way” somewhere else.

But it doesn’t mean I don’t love my son, or I don’t care about him. Fatherlessness and strained or estranged relationships with dads are a big crisis in our society and as I minister to men I have heard plenty of testimonies regarding prodigal children who have rejected their Christian faith and Christian fathers.

One such father who has felt the pain of separation from his children is my friend “Rafe”. Rafe was a participant in the Freedom in Christ course I facilitated this spring, and I was honored to see the Lord work mightily during the course and in his freedom appointment to give Rafe his freedom in Christ. When we lead others to experience their freedom in Christ, we often learn from them. In hearing about my problems with son, Rafe shared the following prayers and bible verses that he composed to pray for his children and for himself from the things he had learned and applied to his life from the freedom in Christ course:

I share them today with his permission and encourage you to use them or to share them if you have difficulties with your children.

Prayer for My Children

By Rafael Guajardo

I worship You Lord I praise You and I say thank You, Father. You’re so loving and kind and good and I thank You so much for Your grace and Your kindness and Your unchanging love for me and my family.

“Jesus, Jesus You make the darkness tremble. Jesus, Jesus You silence fear."

My gracious Heavenly Father, and Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ and mighty Holy Spirit,

There is nothing too difficult for You. You are so gracious. You’re so full of compassion and goodness.

You love my children much more than I do. They are Your children first and foremost and I thank You for each and every one of them.

I come in boldness to Your throne of grace, to lift up my children (and grandchildren) to You. (List Each Child by Name). Please save and deliver them for the glory of God.

Please forgive them of any and all sin they have committed against You. I stand in the gap for them. And as their earthly father I decree and declare in faith that they are saved, healed, and delivered by the mercy of God, the blood of Jesus, and the power of the cross.

May they hate their sin and may it be loathsome to them. May nothing of this world satisfy them. May they get sick and tired of what the world has to offer. Please grant them repentance.

Open up their eyes and soften their hearts. May they sense Your presence and be drawn to You this day. May they hunger and thirst for righteousness.

I call upon their holy angels to do battle on their behalf. I put a hedge of protection around them now, a wall surrounding them.

By the truth of Your word and the authority I have in Christ, I take my stand against Satan, his demons, and all forces of darkness.

I come against and bind the spirit of evil influence on them and I loose the power and influence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

I come against the spirit of confusion and loose godly wisdom to them in Jesus' name.

I break down every demonic stronghold, and power of the enemy over them in the mighty name of Jesus.

I come against the spirit of rebellion, the spirit of pride, the spirit of religion, the spirit of unbelief, the spirit of hypocrisy, the spirit of witchcraft, (the spirit of homosexuality), the spirit of sensuality, the spirit of perversion, the spirit of fear, the spirit of anti-Christ… and any other ungodly spirit that is not from the Lord Jesus Christ. By His name and His authority, I command You to get off my children now and go to a place where Jesus Christ sends you!

They are children of God, children of light, lovers of Christ and all that is good in the sight of the Lord.

Father expose the lies that they have believed about You and themselves. , May they see the truth of You and Your word. May they repent and seek Your face

May they know and understand that they are in rebellion against you. May they know and understand that they are prodigals. May they know and understand their need for salvation. May their hearts of stone be broken and may they be softened by Your everlasting kindness.

I condemn any ungodly words or curses spoken over them. I pray that You will take everything and anything out of their lives that is holding them back from having a personal relationship with You. I pray that You would take away ungodly relationships and friendships out of their lives today and replace them with godly people.

I pray and condemn all ungodly demonic, spirits, influencing social media sites, books, shows, and ungodly influencers that are holding them back from the truth. I curse those demonic and heretical sites in Jesus' name. May the enemy’s camp be in confusion and destroy themselves.

Expose the darkness and the wickedness and give them eyes to see the truth and the light.

Take away any ungodly or unholy things or objects ( i.e. tarot cards, crystals, ungodly, art, or music…) from their lives. I break the demonic curses over them in Jesus' name.

Now would You bring in all that is holy, true, and righteous in their lives. Draw them to the truth of Your word. May they seek out goodness instead of evil.

Please bring messengers of the gospel to them, wherever they turn may they hear the gospel. Bring your people to their schools, (and workplaces ). Everywhere they turn may they run into people that will love them with the gospel.

May they be drawn to godly social media sites and speakers, teachers that they would admire and respect. Bring in everything that is godly and holy so that they will be influenced to do what is right and good.

I pray that Your holy angels would continue to watch over them and keep them safe from all harm.

Holy Spirit please bring conviction of sin and grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of Your truth so that they can experience complete freedom in Christ.

May they be healed from every wound they have experienced in the church and by their Christian family and friends. May they truly forgive those who have offended them and brought them harm. May they see that there are good Christians out there who live in Your truth and walk in Your ways.

Have mercy on them and bring them back to You. Use all of their gifts and talents for Your glory. I commit them to your service. You are worthy of their lives. Glorify Yourself in them.

May they know who they are in Christ. May they know their true identity in You, Oh Lord, May they be completely free in Christ!!

May they serve you in whatever capacity that You would want them to.

By faith, I hold onto the vision You gave me of all of us standing before Your altar with our hands lifted high praising and worshiping You.

Lord as their earthly father. I pray that I will represent You in the most authentic way. Give me the father heart of God. Pour in and through me Your divine love, mercy, grace, compassion…. Love them through me!

According to Your word, Your promises, goodness, mercy, and faithfulness may they glorify You in all that they do. For You alone are worthy.

I thank You in advance for doing Your work of grace and redemption in their lives and for answering this prayer.

I trust You completely with them.

May You be glorified in their lives.

In the mighty name of Jesus, I Pray.

Amen 🙏

Scriptures for Me to Pray for My Kids

”Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free.“

Proverbs 11:21 NLT

”The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.“

Proverbs 20:7 NLT

”For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children. They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank.“ Isaiah 44:3-4 NLT

”I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace. You will be secure under a government that is just and fair. Your enemies will stay far away. You will live in peace, and terror will not come near.“ Isaiah 54:13-14 NLT

”But the Lord says, “The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children.“ Isaiah 49:25 NLT

”But now this is what the Lord says: “Do not weep any longer, for I will reward you,” says the Lord. “Your children will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy. There is hope for your future,” says the Lord. “Your children will come again to their own land.“ Jeremiah 31:16-17 NLT

”Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”“ Malachi 4:5-6 NLT

”“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Luke 6:35 -36 NLT

”Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Acts of the Apostles 2:38-39 NLT

”They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” Acts of the Apostles 16:31 NLT

”May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children. Psalms 115:14 NIV

All your children ( Insert Your Name) will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace. In righteousness you will see them be established: Tyranny will be far from you and them; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you or your children and your children’s children.” Isaiah 54:13-14 NIV

The Lord loves my children more than I do.”

So, I hope Rafe’s prayers and Bible verses encourage you and inspire you to pray for your children and to trust our heavenly Father to help them in the way they should go.

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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .

Today’s Bible verses come to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.

This morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on Death and Eternal Life

Romans 14:8 (NASB)
⁸ for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Today’s verse falls under the ninth point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Death and Eternal Life.

9. In life and death we are the Lord’s.

Today’s verse encourages us that in both life and death our purpose and our identity is grounded in Christ. The disciple’s path is the surrendered life. We choose to live for God and shape our lives to follow Him, for better or worse, in life and in death because we know that in Christ – we are the Lord’s, and nothing can separate us from the Father’s love. So we need not fear.. for God is with us wherever we go regardless of the circumstances.

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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.

MORNING READING: JOHN 19

“They took Jesus and led Him away.” – John 19:16

Isaiah prophesies the same matchless grace of the Lord Jesus when he writes, “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth” (Isa. 53:7).

Peter also says, “When He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet. 2:23). A little before this verse are the words, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Pet. 2:21).

“They took Jesus and led Him away” (John 19:16). What grace and humility are here manifest. He did not refuse to be led to the slaughter. Indeed, sacred love caused Him to be led in utter weakness that I might learn by His matchless example.

Lord, give me a measure of Your grace and humility
when I face those who would persecute me.^{^[1]}