Peter and John caused a little trouble for themselves one day speaking to the people, there were 3000 believers at this time during the Acts of the Apostles. Peter had just healed a crippled beggar and some of the high priests and Sadducees wanted an explanation of this healing. We pick it up in Acts 4: When they asked Peter & John, “By what power or what name did you do this?’’ Then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is the stone you builders rejected, has now become the cornerstone."
This part about the cornerstone that Peter is talking about was an Old Testament prophesy in Psalm 118:22. Isaiah says this, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.” Isaiah 28:16 This is foundational work we are talking about here and as your Recovery Coach I want you to get this, I pray you get it. At the core of your being! If Christ is the Cornerstone of our foundation then reconciliation with God is our goal. God doesn’t force us to come home; he just patiently waits for us to get there. This is the hope and faith written about in Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we can’t see.” There is a solution. In step two of the 12 steps we come to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity and then in step three we made a decision to turn our will and our life over to the care of God. The “Big Book of AA” refers to a man who Tumbled out of bed fell to his knees and felt overwhelmed by a conviction of the presence of God.” He stood in the presence of infinite power and love, “thus, was our friends cornerstone fixed in place. Pg 56 AA. A few pages later it says “This is the how and the why of it. First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn’t work. Next we decided that hereafter in the drama of life; God was going to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are his agents. He is the Father, and we are his children. Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom.” Big Book, AA pg 62. I honestly do not spend much time in the big book or at secular recovery meetings but I respect the 12 steps from a biblical perspective and believe that the values of the 1st three steps (honesty, hope, faith) built by the foundational work by insuring that our Cornerstone (Christ) and our Keystone (God) is properly in place will tell us if our building of recovery will crumble or stand.
The right foundation is the solution: Paul writes, “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with Him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ, and this is true for everyone who believes no matter who we are. For everyone sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God with undeserved kindness declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty of our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin.” Romans 3:21-25 This portion of scripture sets the foundation, gives us a clear solution and explains why Jesus died on the cross. If we have a Repentant Heart, have Engaged the Word of God. Have been honest about what we have done when we were in charge of our life, then we are ready to fix the Cornerstone of our new building in place. We are setting the foundation of recovery. We are the building and we house the Holy Spirit, He lives in us. There is much work to do; we must rebuild the temple of God for God. Working the first three steps of recovery is crucial to your foundation, work with someone who has a solid foundation. A solid sponsor, accountability partner, or life recovery coach can help you get the results you are looking for.
By Bill A. Gaspard, Life Recovery Coach
For mor information on Recovery Coaching visit our website at http://www.christianrecoverycoaching.com/ or email me at billa.gaspard@live.com
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