N E W   L I F E

 

 

---

Some of you already understand that this web site is about reconciliation to God, through anonymous recovery, with our main focus  being on repentance.  To get us in the right frame of mind, on this topic - new life - prior to our experience, strength, and hope, let us offer a variety of quotes, for your consideration.

Here was the terrible dilemma in which our friend found himself when he had the extraordinary experience, which as we have already told you, made him a free man.

We, in our turn, sought the same escape with all the desperation of drowning men. What seemed at first a flimsy reed, has proved to be the loving and powerful hand of God. A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, "a design for living" that really works.  (bigbook page 28)

---

Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life. (1 Corinthians 15:22)

Jesus replied, “The truth is, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven. (John 3:5-6)

Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. But that is not the way it will be in the age to come. For those worthy of being raised from the dead won’t be married then. And they will never die again. In these respects they are like angels. They are children of God raised up to new life. (Luke 20:34-36)

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

For you have been born again. Your new life did not come from your earthly parents because the life they gave you will end in death. But this new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. (1 Peter 1:23)

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat her with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. If you don’t treat her as you should, your prayers will not be heard. (1 Peter 3:7)

---

Now it is imperative to understand this perfect truth for us:  we must resign from the debating society, as mentioned in the 12 and 12, on page 26, which supports the theory that we need an open mind.

Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.” Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘there is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.’ You are witnesses of all these things."   (Luke 24:45-48)

---

edited excerpt from our 3/29/04 e-mail:

in the second chapter in the bigbook, it states the following, on page twenty five.

"There is a solution. Almost none of us liked the self-searching, the leveling of our pride, the confession of shortcomings which the process requires for its successful consummation. But we saw that it really worked in others, and we had come to believe in the hopelessness and futility of life as we had been living it. When, therefore, we were approached by those in whom the problem had been solved, there was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at out feet. We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed. The great fact is just this, and nothing less: That we have had deep and effective spiritual experiences which have revolutionized our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows and toward God's universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves."

doctor bob, one of the co-founders of the original anonymous fellowship, closes his personal story with, "Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!"

so, recovery, in my opinion, is about our connection to heaven.  some believe that on the third day, after his crucifixion, "he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand." (mark 16:19)

and being able to connect spiritually with that being, through his spirit, is what makes recovery such a precious opportunity.  let us not be deceived again however.  the way we get to that connection is laid out in our twelve steps, and ultimately, coupled with our twelve traditions, in all anonymous fellowships.  they cannot be overlooked, and expect the desired results, even though some of us did try to find an easier or softer way.

---

Acceptable l Acceptance l American l Anger l Anti-Christ l Apostles l Armageddon l Beginning l Bible Study l Bible Verses l Blame l Change l Contact l Creation l Cupid l Decision l Death l Dependence l E-Zine l Faith l Fear l Focus l Forgiveness l Friend l Fullness of God l Full Promises l Full Purpose l Giving l Global Steps l God's Plan l Good News l Happiness l Harm's Way l Heart l Heaven l Hope l Home l Horrors l Human Nature l Humility l Humor l In Touch l Literature l Living Water l Manic Depressive l Merchandise l New Jerusalem l New Life l Pain l Patience l Pleasures l Power l Prayer l Promises l Purpose l Rebirth l Religion l Repentance l Resentment l Rope l Sanity l Selfishness l Selflessness l Servant l Sin l Spiritual Dictionary l Suffering l Terrorism l The self l Trust l Truth l Twelve l Uselessness l Violence l Voice l We Are l Wisdom l Worship