A wise man once said pain is the touchstone of spiritual
growth.
That means Pain is necessary, But Suffering is optional.
You see suffering is living in the past, avoiding the
future, and neglecting the now.
Most people don't grow up because they are afraid to face
and be rid of the suffering and pain that's blocking them from the touchstone.
The touchstone is the path to progress. That’s the pain to move to the next level.
It is said we practice spiritual progress rather than
spiritual perfection.
Right there those who fear pain stop. They minimize and
justify and use progress as an excuse for failure.
The word progress means to move forward in growth and
development towards a goal.
Progress like a seed planted is sure and like an arrow in a
bow true.
Progress is reality.
Progress is maturity.
Perfection in a mature man is simply giving your very
best.
Progress like success is intent and deliberate.
Progress is like the kind of faith that says nothing happens
by coincidence.
Listen, if it is to be it is up to me.
You see the word touchstone means - A standard or by which
something is judged or recognized.
Have you ever met a man that you know had something special,
something great?
Tell me by what standard or criteria were you judging his
greatness by?
It should have been by his courage to face his own fears,
walk through and then reach out to teach it to others.
You see cowards and failures are those who cannot or will
not face their own fear, walk through their own pain and come out on the other
side.
Greatness is not being afraid of failure rather greatness
comes out of failure.
Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he
finally succeeded. He's quoted as saying - experience is the thing of supreme
value in life.
But in order to have your experience work for you. You've
got to go through the pain so you can see the touchstone.
You see winners do what loser can't do or won't do.
A loser won't ever do inventory on his own character, but a
winner will do inventory every night along with amends, prayer and meditation
and then reading and studying.
For the winner, Failure is not an option but part of the
progress.
Babe Ruth considered by sports historians to be the greatest
athlete of all time and once famous for setting the home run record, also holds
the record for strikeouts.
Louis Pasteur was only a mediocre pupil in his undergraduate
studies and ranked 15 out of 22 in chemistry studies but he went on to invent
penicillin.
Listen most listening to my voice or reading this message
have had complete failure in life. The
word normal should be eradicated from your vocabulary.
If you are to be successful there must be a revolutionary
outlook in the way you view life. There
must be a change in your approach. Life
must take on new meaning. Let me
explain.
Many want change but refuse to change their belief system.
Listen Einstein said the same level of thinking that created
the problem cannot be the same thought process or belief system that creates
the solution.
There is only one that can truly change your mind and belief
and that one is God…
There is one who has all Power. THAT...ONE...IS...GOD…
MAY YOU FIND HIM NOW!!!
Listen we've talked about fear.
We've talked about pain.
We've talked about progress.
We've talked about being successful in every area of our
lives, but there can be no success without GOD.
Check it out; if I can’t change my mind, or my belief system
without God, then I've got to learn to accept Gods’ will for my life. It is only then that my belief system will
change.
If I change my belief system…..Then I change the way I
think.
If I change the way I think, then I change the actions I
take.
If I change the actions I take, then I change my character.
If I change my character, then I change my circumstances.
If I change my circumstances, then I change my destiny.
When my destiny changes, I begin to tap into Gods’ Purpose,
Pattern, and Plan for my life. To put it
as plan as possible, I begin to operate in Gods’ will for my life. In this
state, all sort of remarkable things begin to happen.
I must learn to accept Gods’ will No matter how I feel.
Repeat it after me.
I must accept Gods’ will No matter how I feel.
Believing in God is not feeling.
Believing in God is a fact.
Let me Illustrate;
The planet Earth is rotating at 1, 37.3 miles per hour on a
23 degree global axis for equal sunlight distribution without deviation or
failure.
The Earth is so perfectly situated at 92.96 million miles
from the Sun that if it was 5 degrees closer it would be an uninhabitable
Tropical Jungle, and if it was 20 degrees farther it would be an uninhabitable
Arctic Iceland.
Can you say precise, intent, and deliberate.
That means God is on the throne and He is in complete
control.
You might say but why do I have to believe in God to produce
this change?
Listen most people only go to God when they are in a bind,
when they are up against the wall.
This
would be like a man who is sick in His body. He goes to the Dr. who tells him
his specific problem. He then gives him medication and tells him to eat fruit
and vegetables daily, which he does, BUT he smokes a pack of cigarettes a day
alone with this regiment.
This is how most people approach God. They know they need
spiritual help.
They may say a few prayers when in need, but that's it.
After that it’s business as usual.
They are always looking to the heavens wondering where God
fits in all of IT.
Listen up, if you are having issues in life that won't move, Whether relational, financial, spiritual or physical, YOU
must realize that you need to stop living in Self Will. You must come to believe that you are the
common denominator with your problem.
Get out of your thinking.
Get into the Mind of God.
Listen, God will not give His power to a person who has not
shown himself worthy of it. He is not obligated to bless you if your house is
not in order. You must clean the House
to your heart. God will not give you the
Power until your HEART changes.
Your
heart will show through in your actions and behaviors, but also your mouth will
begin to speak and believe in God’s word because now you have a heart for Him.
It is with the mind that you believe, but it through your mouth
that your heart speaks.
Listen, Your physical heart is the vital organ that pumps
your life's blood throughout your body.
Your spiritual heart does the same. It is the center of your
being apart from your self that allows for God to manifest Himself within you.
This is your Spirit. It is your HEART. This spirit is God.
We all have one Spirit and that is where God dwells.
The Word of God is the only thing that gives instruction on
how to heal, develop, and strengthen your Spirit Man. For us at this moment, the Big Book of Alcoholic Anonymous is God's Word.
Listen, if your heart has been broken God has a solution. A broken heart is when your spirit has been
attacked by life issues. I’m talking
about Alcoholism, addictions, Death, Divorce, Molestation, Racism, Mental
Illness, Illiteracy, Poverty and all those things that cause us to falter, fall, and self destruct.
These all take away from the Spirit and cause fear and with
fear the faith has to remove itself.
The word of God renews my mind to tell it in spite of my
circumstances to trust God for We walk by faith and not by sight.
The word convicts you when you're out of alignment with God
so you don't receive His consequences.
The Word increases Faith because faith comes by hearing and
hearing by the word of God.
The word decreases my selfish nature so that God can
increase inside of me.
The word shows me Gods purpose pattern and plan so I can run
this race of life with Him and Be still and know that He is.
Through the word I
learn what God's Will is for my life,and that way I can be healed.
The Big Book of Alcoholic Anonymous is God’s will for the
healing of the alcoholic/addict.
The Big
Book of Alcoholic Anonymous is the most vital piece of information in the earth
realm to the newcomer at this time.
