4-16-2010 - The Sinful Woman

Luke 7:36-50

[36] Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. [37] When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, [38] and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

[39] When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is -- that she is a sinner."

[40] Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Tell me, teacher," he said.

[41] "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. [42] Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

[43] Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

[44] Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. [46] You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. [47] Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven -- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

[48] Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

[49] The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

[50] Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."


4/16/2010 - Friday was our first Recovery meeting - and I think this is one of my favorite bible verses, because it applies so strongly in my life.

I love God so much, because my sin was SO great.... If He can forgive me for ALL that, then I owe him a HUGE debt...

The first meeting was centered around the 1st principal, 1st step.

Principle 1: Realize I’m not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.

Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor. Matthew 5:3

Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over our additions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18

Our meeting this next week will be a summation of this last week, open group discussion, and then we'll split into Gender specific groups for the last 30 minutes to an hour of the meeting.

Realizing you don't have to be perfect

One thing that is important to remember - No-one is perfect :) So, don't beat yourself up when you fail. It's ok, dust yourself off, and talk to God about it.

Romans 3:23 (NIV)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

This verse doesn't say that all the non-Christians sin and fall short of the glory of God, it says that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

We aren't perfect, God doesn't expect us to be (if we were, then Jesus wouldn't have had to die on the cross for us).

What we can do though, is learn to give all aspects over to the healing and helping hand of the Lord, so that through Him we become the best person we can be.

Even Paul admits that he wasn't perfect...
Philippians 3:13 (NIV)
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead

Beginning a recovery group

We plan on having bi-weekly meetings at the Blue Cow located in Arlington.

We will be starting these meetings on 4/16/2010 at 7pm.

Dates and times subject to change.

However, what we're planning now - is a group meeting on Friday nights, with group discussion and or step study - and then on Tuesday nights each week, we intend to hold a step study group.