Recovery And AbrahamRecovery And Abraham

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Intro – Recovery and AbrahamIntro – Recovery and Abraham Try something – parallel recovery and the Try something – parallel recovery and the

challenges of recovery with the life of challenges of recovery with the life of AbrahamAbraham

Abraham – founder of Israel – “Patriarch”Abraham – founder of Israel – “Patriarch” Lived 2200 B.C.Lived 2200 B.C. Lived in Ur – modern day Kuwait – one of the Lived in Ur – modern day Kuwait – one of the

most important cities in the world at that time, most important cities in the world at that time, and considered to be one of the first cities and considered to be one of the first cities inhabitedinhabited

Advanced city – university, library, wealthyAdvanced city – university, library, wealthy Worshiped moon god, NannarWorshiped moon god, Nannar

Human sacrifice and sexual immoralityHuman sacrifice and sexual immorality

Genesis 12 – “The LORD had said to Abram, Genesis 12 – “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the father’s household to the landland I will show you. I I will show you. I will make you into a great will make you into a great nationnation, and I will , and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing, and will be a blessing, and all peoples on earth will all peoples on earth will be blessed through yoube blessed through you.’”.’”

3 promises – land (unknown location), 3 promises – land (unknown location), son/nation (no children), blessing to whole son/nation (no children), blessing to whole world (Make a huge impact on the world)world (Make a huge impact on the world)

Promises included in 3 promises – guidance, Promises included in 3 promises – guidance, protection, provisionprotection, provision

Don’t know what experience he had with God Don’t know what experience he had with God prior to this time – what caused him to believe prior to this time – what caused him to believe what God saidwhat God said

Leaves for Canaan – 500 mile trip – Age 75Leaves for Canaan – 500 mile trip – Age 75 Wealthy (servants and livestock), nephew Lot, Wealthy (servants and livestock), nephew Lot,

wife Sarahwife Sarah The Parallel to RecoveryThe Parallel to Recovery

1.1. Great promises and blessings if one follows Great promises and blessings if one follows this new way of life – living healthy, following this new way of life – living healthy, following God’s design and planGod’s design and plan

2.2. Radical decision to step out on this journey – Radical decision to step out on this journey – to change life and how you live it – many would to change life and how you live it – many would laugh at you and criticize youlaugh at you and criticize you

3.3. Challenges and costChallenges and cost

An honest salesman – “I want to give you An honest salesman – “I want to give you something great – so great, it boggles your something great – so great, it boggles your mind – but here is what it will cost”mind – but here is what it will cost”

1.1. Always elements of change and unknownAlways elements of change and unknown2.2. Times that will push you out of your comfort Times that will push you out of your comfort

zone – when you will be stretched to the zone – when you will be stretched to the breaking pointbreaking point

3.3. Times of failure – and the failure may result Times of failure – and the failure may result in some painful consequencesin some painful consequences

4.4. Times of confusionTimes of confusion5.5. Times of doubt and discouragementTimes of doubt and discouragement6.6. Times where you are asked to do stuff that Times where you are asked to do stuff that

feels dumbfeels dumb

7.7. Times where you will need faith in GodTimes where you will need faith in God

8.8. Times where God seems absent or that He Times where God seems absent or that He doesn’t caredoesn’t care

9.9. There will have messy situations to deal with – There will have messy situations to deal with – life will not be black and white, with easy life will not be black and white, with easy answers and solutions to the problems you’ve answers and solutions to the problems you’ve created, or find yourself increated, or find yourself in

10.10. Times where people will disappoint youTimes where people will disappoint you

11.11. Times where things do not go as you thought Times where things do not go as you thought they wouldthey would

12.12. Times where things get worse instead of Times where things get worse instead of betterbetter

13.13. Times of conflictTimes of conflict

14.14. Times where old behaviours and wounds Times where old behaviours and wounds surface, when you thought they were behind surface, when you thought they were behind youyou

15.15. Times of mundane and boring – where you do Times of mundane and boring – where you do the same stuff over and over, but you see no the same stuff over and over, but you see no evidence that it’s making a differenceevidence that it’s making a difference

16.16. Always being asked to live a life of deferred Always being asked to live a life of deferred gratification – to keep doing the right thing gratification – to keep doing the right thing even though you don’t see anything positive even though you don’t see anything positive happeninghappening

17.17. Always dealing with temptations to get off Always dealing with temptations to get off tracktrack

18.18. Times when you will have to stand all alone – Times when you will have to stand all alone – when you follow God – His design and plan – when you follow God – His design and plan – when no one else iswhen no one else is

19.19. There will be a few times that call for great There will be a few times that call for great sacrificesacrifice

Question – What’s the point? The cost seems Question – What’s the point? The cost seems to outweigh the benefitsto outweigh the benefits

1.1. Abraham – the “Friend of God” Abraham – the “Friend of God” Only person in the Bible who is referred to Only person in the Bible who is referred to

as a friend of Godas a friend of God Not talking about warm fuzziesNot talking about warm fuzzies This is the greatest blessing anyone can This is the greatest blessing anyone can

experienceexperience To know God intimately, to trust Him totally, To know God intimately, to trust Him totally,

which results in total surrender to Him.which results in total surrender to Him.

Point - In order to give Abraham the greatest Point - In order to give Abraham the greatest blessing – becoming an intimate friend with blessing – becoming an intimate friend with God - God had to teach Abraham the most God - God had to teach Abraham the most important lesson one can learn – that God is important lesson one can learn – that God is motivated only by perfect love and wisdom, motivated only by perfect love and wisdom, and He is totally reliableand He is totally reliable

““Faith in a faithful God will stretch one to the Faith in a faithful God will stretch one to the limits of their physical, emotional, social, limits of their physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual beings; but the intellectual, and spiritual beings; but the stretching will serve only to expand their stretching will serve only to expand their capacity to know God and in that knowledge capacity to know God and in that knowledge to discover the vast potential of life lived by to discover the vast potential of life lived by faith.”faith.”

Abraham was like us – he failed, struggled, Abraham was like us – he failed, struggled, had many frustrations, but he kept followinghad many frustrations, but he kept following

Two thoughts to considerTwo thoughts to consider

1.1. Recovery usually begins by viewing God as a Recovery usually begins by viewing God as a 911 Operator or a Repairman911 Operator or a Repairman

I call out to God only when I have a problem. I call out to God only when I have a problem. Otherwise, I pretty much ignore Him.Otherwise, I pretty much ignore Him.

True recovery is a faith walk. But it is not just True recovery is a faith walk. But it is not just trusting that God’s design (“healthy”) is best; it trusting that God’s design (“healthy”) is best; it must go beyond that - It is getting to know the must go beyond that - It is getting to know the person I am trusting – it is about a relationshipperson I am trusting – it is about a relationship

True recovery means growing in a relationship True recovery means growing in a relationship with God where He becomes your friendwith God where He becomes your friend

This must be a real relationship – you express This must be a real relationship – you express anger, confusion, desires, etcanger, confusion, desires, etc

2.2. If your goal in recovery is just to stay clean, or If your goal in recovery is just to stay clean, or to get kids, or to get a wife, the cost of to get kids, or to get a wife, the cost of recovery will often outweigh the benefitrecovery will often outweigh the benefit

Another way to look at it – why bother doing Another way to look at it – why bother doing all this work if I don’t end up getting my kids all this work if I don’t end up getting my kids back or getting a healthy spouse?back or getting a healthy spouse?

Healthy Attitude – I will fight the good fight Healthy Attitude – I will fight the good fight of faith for the rest of my life. I can’t of faith for the rest of my life. I can’t guarantee that I will get some of the things I guarantee that I will get some of the things I want, and that will hurt. But that’s OK want, and that will hurt. But that’s OK because my greatest desire is that God because my greatest desire is that God become my best friend. I will trust Him with become my best friend. I will trust Him with the other desires.the other desires.