October 16, 2016 Teaching Outline

                                       The Road To Recovery: “REPAIRING RELATIONSHIPS”

 
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger...along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."                          Ephesians 4:31-32

 
Realize I'm not God, I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.
 
Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, and that He has the power to help me recover.
 
Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ's care and control.
 
Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself, and to someone I trust.
 
Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects
 
Evaluate all my relationships, offer forgiveness to those who've hurt me and make amends for harm I've done to others except, when to do so, would harm them or others.

 
                                              WHY FORGIVE THOSE WHO'VE HURT ME?
 

• Because God has forgiven me.

       "Never hold grudges.  Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."              (Colossians 3:13, LB)
 

• Resentment doesn’t work--it’s foolish and unhealthy!

 “To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do."  Job 5:2, GN
 
  "You are only hurting yourself with your anger!"  Job 18:4, GN
   

• I will need forgiveness in the future, from God.

  "When you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive you your sins too." Mark 11:25, LB
 

                                              HOW DO I FORGIVE THOSE WHO’VE HURT ME?
 

• I must reveal my hurt.
• I must release the offender.
• I can replace my hurt with God’s peace.

 
          "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts..." Col 3:15
 
"Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, for as it springs up it causes deep trouble hurting many in their spiritual lives.”  Hebrews 12:15, LB

 
 
                                               MAKE AMENDS TO THOSE I'VE HURT?  HOW?
 

• Make a list of those I've harmed and what I did. 

 

• Think how I’d like others to make amends to me.

  "Do to others as you'd have them do to you."  Luke 6:31
 

• Ask the question--is this action appropriate?

 "Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal."       Proverbs 12:18
 

• Refocus my life.

 "Put your heart right, reach out to God...then face the world again, firm and courageous.  Then all your troubles will fade from your memory, like floods that are past and remembered no more."        Job 11:13-16, GN