Have you thanked Him?
Have you praised Him?
Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?
Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?
1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
Last Saturday marked the official opening of the JEREMIAH TREEHOUSE. This is an expansion of the ministry of the JEREMIAH TREE in Xenia, Ohio my hometown. It is a place that through relationships folks are connected to Christ and to resources.
The TREEHOUSE is a recovery house, a sober living facility led by a wonderful team and a powerful hand-selected man of GOD, Jeff C.
It is a house for men who are suffering in addiction.
Their mission is:
…dedicated to (sharing) the grace and transformational power of Jesus Christ to redeem men whose lives have been caught in the prison of addiction. Through the power of the gospel, the fellowship of the body of Christ, and the engagement of community, it is our prayer that the men who come here will experience true freedom in Christ, restored relationships, reunited families, and promising futures.
Some of you might be asking why a “sober house”, why a “recovery residence”?
Well at the risk of being a little clinical this morning, the evidence is continuing to support that addiction is a chronic illness in need of a chronic care approach. And while often we, especially “we” in the church want to singularly label addiction as a moral failing the truth of the matter it is a relapsing brain disease as well.
It is sin AND sickness not either or.
And due to the fact that 50 to 69% of individuals relapse, including this author, 6 to 7 times within 12 months of a treatment, sober living opportunities help to bring those staggering numbers down.
For when individuals are released from hospitals or treatment centers only to return to their old people places and things, they relapse more often than not. That is why if we can offer a “place” that shares “the power of the gospel, the fellowship of the body of Christ, and the engagement of community” the percentages improve and people do RECOVER and are SET FREE!
It is why sober living facilities across the State of Ohio county of Greene
But enough with the recovery housing lesson for today.
I share the opening of the JEREMIAH TREEHOUSE as a testimony of GOD’S faithfulness to those who seek Him (You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart - Jeremiah 29:13 NIV). And what can happen when we embrace these commands…
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’ – Matthew 25:36 MSG)
And I was addicted and you gave me a place to recover. - (my addition)
For when we do GOD moves.
GOD opens doors.
GOD brings help.
GOD honors.
GOD establishes hopeful opportunities!
AND GOD changes circumstances NOT JUST for the hurting but the helper too.
In fact while at the open house I had the chance to spend a minute with a budding friend and colleague, Mike. Mike is a POWERFUL force in the world of Celebrate Recovery. He has helped to start 7 CR recovery meetings in the Miami Valley , he mentors some of the men at the TREEHOUSE and he is part of our upcoming REFUGE/CHAMPIONS efforts for HOPE OVER HEROIN Miami Valley
He like me is a recovering alcoholic. And he has quickly become a valued partner and mentor. He is an obedient servant of CHRIST!
Yet as we were sharing all he could do was speak of the blessing that he gets everyday in SERVING the LEAST of THESE. In fact he was burdened because he believes the CHURCH is missing out on the SUPERNATURAL and changing blessing that comes with doing what the LORD said to do. (The Lord’s eyes are on those who do what he approves. His ears hear their prayer… – 1 Peter 3:18 GW)
So that leads me to a couple of things today; some things we all can do:
1. Pray for the recovering. Whether they are at our partners TREEHOUSE, REFUGE, GENESIS PROJECT, SAFE HARBOR
2. Remember the call to serve the least of these is not reserved for the sober living facilities it is for all of us.
3. Seek GOD for how you can do just that.
4. Prepare to be blessed.
For the LORD eyes and ears are open to you and waiting to bless you and you bless others!
That is exactly what we should do…
We will explode with love, with compassion, with hurt for those who are hurting, and with joy for those who rejoice. We will explode with a desire to be more, to be better to be close to the One who made us.” ― Katie J. Davis
I love you all.
Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)
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