April 2008
The Monthly View comes forth each month
as I spend time in God’s presence
receiving what He would have me share. I
pray that you will be encouraged while visiting
this web site, so that faith will take you
to new levels of God’s grace. And
that you will “…keep yourself
in the love of God, looking for the mercy
of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
1
Victim or Victor
Many prisoners go through a grief process
similar to what the victims of crime of
catastrophe go through. Prisoners have a
lot of time to think about how they ended
up in prison. Reasoning “if only”
or “what if?” haunts their thoughts
and dreams. They seem to blame others and
deal with severe anger and desperation.
Often, the circumstances which led to the
criminal choices are seen by the perpetrators
of crime to be due to the actions of other
people and events, or even crime that had
been committed against them.
The Lord spoke through the prophet Zechariah,
saying: “Because of the covenant [agreement]
I made with you, sealed with blood, I will
free your prisoners from death in a waterless
dungeon. Come back to the place of safety,
all of you prisoners, for there is yet hope!
I promise this very day that I will repay
you two mercies for each of your woes!”2
The point is this: Both the victims of
crime and the perpetrators of crime have
a choice. Will they remain what they are
or become a victor through Jesus Christ?
We are all victims because of the Fall of
man, until we agree in our hearts that Christ
took our victimhood by becoming the sacrifice
for our sins. 3
God’s love, righteousness and gift
of faith abounds when we “by the mercies
of God present in our bodies a living sacrifice
[in Christ], holy, and acceptable to God.”
4 It’s time
to turn it over to God and have a breakthrough
“For every child of God defeats this
evil world by trusting Christ to give the
victory. And the ones who win this battle
against the world are the ones who believe
that Jesus is the Son of God.” 5
Victim 1969
A victim is the one who allows his life
to be governed by external circumstances.
I allowed people and events to govern my
actions. I blamed my parents, Manson and
drugs for my situation, instead of taking
responsibility for my own choices.
The result of my disobedient heart was
pride, rebellion, anger, and death. My wrong
thoughts, beliefs and attitudes caused tremendous
pain, suffering, despair and futility. “My
Personal recovery Graph” will help
you to understand my depravity and recovery.
“There is a way that seems right to
a man, But its end is the way of death.”
6
Self-centeredness ruled my life instead
of Christ, until the Lord opened my eyes.
As the Psalmist sand: “For the Lord
looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
from heaven did He behold the earth ; to
hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose
those that are appointed to death.”
7 The Lord saved me
from the sentence of death.
Victor 1975
Admitting responsibility for my sin, that
placed Christ on the cross, brought victory.
Jesus never blamed anyone, but went willing
to His death for us. As I humbled myself,
taking up my cross, saying no to self, I
became able to love, forgive and bring freedom
to others through Him. Jesus said; “If
any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross daily, and
follow me.” 8
The responsible life is one of much pain
and self-sacrifice. The crisis of life brings
patience, maturity, hope and love. Those
willing to endure the cross, can powerfully
witness God’s love to an unbelieving
world. Self-sacrifice is the foundation
upon which law of the universe is built,
the law by which it operates. If sacrifice
were not the supreme law of the universe,
would God, the supreme ruler of the universe,
operate on that principle?
This Abounding Love outreach has been witnessing
God’s love for three decades, only
because the Lord gave me the ability to
respond through His grace. The Lord had
led me to unveil my Lifelong Learning Packet
this month, which demonstrates what they
Lord has done. It is never too late to yield
to God and become responsible, no matter
how far you have fallen. God’s love
never fails. 9
Vision Today
The vision of the cross and resurrection
of Christ makes us victors. My vision for
life is to glorify God by serving others,
not things. God’s message is simply
repentance from loving self to loving others;
from knowing truths to being true; from
being a victim to being a victor.
Through Calvary God is saying to us, “This
is the throne of the universe, not only
for Christ; it is the only pathway to power,
authority and ruler ship for everyone.”
The Apostle Paul could say, “Thanks
be unto God, who always causes us to triumph
in Christ.” 10
That he might be a victor and not a victim
of his circumstances. He put heart and soul
into his Christian experience.
This is my vision for life. As King Solomon
wrote; “Where there is no vision [no
redemptive revelation of God through Christ],
the people cast off restraint; But happy
is he who keeps the aw [ God’s word].
A servant will not be corrected by mere
words; from though he understands, he will
not respond.” 11
Won’t you respond today?
I’m providing you my Recovery Glossary,
defining recovery words that will help you
understand the vision of the cross. Mediate
upon these words for wisdom. Choose a life
based upon God’s promises, the truth
found in the Bible. As a result, you will
rise up in freedom and be a blessing to
all those around you, instead of a curse.
Pray out loud:
Our Father in Heaven, great is your name
and the sacrifice of your son, Jesus, which
has the power to turn me into a victor.
Thank you Father, because you always cause
me to triumph in Christ’s victory
[making me a conqueror] through the cross
and resurrection. I trust in Jesus for the
victory that is available through His grace.
He takes from me, that which defeats me.
I nail all that defeats me in this world
to the cross. Thank you Father for giving
me the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ.
I am victorious and abundantly alive in
Christ in whose Name I say: Amen!
Scripture References:
1 Jude 21
2 Zech. 9:11,12
3 2 Cor. 5:21
4 Rom. 12:1
5 1John 5:4,5
6 Pro. 14:12
7 Psa. 102:19,20
8 Luke 9:23
9 1Cor. 13:8a
10 2Cor. 2:14
11 Pro. 29:18,19
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