We remember hearing, "I was saved thirty-nine times, but none of them took until I worked all of the Twelve Steps of anonymous recovery, and then practiced the twelve spiritual  principles*, to God's satisfaction."

     Those of us that are on the path of anonymous recovery fully understand Matthew 3:7-8;  But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he denounced them. "You brood of snakes!" he exclaimed.  "Who warned you to flee God’s coming judgment?  Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God."

      We had to clear up the old life, with the first nine steps in the anonymous recovery program, before the following scriptures made any sense to us.  But we do understand John 14:6; Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one can come to the Father except through me."

     What many people perceive as life, here on this planet, may or may not have anything to do with God.  The life that was rejected by Adam and Eve, that God did create, when they went for the tree of knowledge, is understood by very few people!  But we understand that the entire ministry of Jesus Christ is about, "The Kingdom of God is within you."   And we perfectly understand that God let his son have twelve disciples, so that his son could learn what his father wanted to teach him.  Then his last words on the cross were, "Father, it is finished, I commit my spirit to you."

* Anonymous Recovery spiritual principles: link

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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)

He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven. (Eph. 1:7)

They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! (2 Cor. 5:17)

Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?  You do not belong to yourself, (1 Cor. 6:19)

For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. (Col. 1:13)

But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. (Gal. 3:13)

Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. (Eph. 1:4)

So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son. (Eph. 1:6)

If you fully obey the Lord your God by keeping all the commands I am giving you today, the Lord your God will exalt you above all the nations of the world.  You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: (Deut.28:1-14)

God loves you dearly, and he has called you to be his very own people.  May grace and peace be yours from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 1:7)

...always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God's holy people, who live in the light. (Col. 1:12)

If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God and carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always have the upper hand. (Deut. 28:13)

All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. (Rev. 21:7)

Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? (Rom. 6:2-11)

Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Col. 3:12)

Long ago the Lord said to Israel: "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.  With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. (Jer. 31:3)

He will keep you strong right up to the end. (1 Cor. 1:8)

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-33)

When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure.  It was a spiritual procedure—the cutting away of your sinful nature. (Col. 2:11)

I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Gal. 2:20)

...that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (Eph. 2:5)

For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. (Col. 2:12)

Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are his dear children. (Eph. 5:1)

"You are the light of the world - like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see." (Matt. 5:14)

"You are the salt of the earth." (Matt. 5:13)

It is God who saved us and chose us to live a holy life. (2 Tim. 1:9)

But now you belong to Christ Jesus. Though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought near to him because of the blood of Christ. (Eph. 2:13)

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Rom. 8:37)

God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. (1 Cor. 1:30)

We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. (2 Cor. 5:20)

We know that God loves you, dear brothers and sisters, and that he chose you to be his own people. (1 Thess. 1:4)

In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word.  And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession. (James 1:18)

We know that those who have become part of God's family do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot get his hands on them. (1 John 5:18)

He has made us his kingdom and his priests who serve before God his Father.  Give to him everlasting glory!  He rules forever and ever! Amen! (Rev. 1:6)

And since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too.  But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. (Rom. 8:17)

All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did.  And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. (2 Cor. 5:18)

He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds! (1 Peter 2:24)

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world. (1 John 4:17)

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners.  You are citizens along with all of God's holy people.  You are members of God's family. (Eph. 2:19)

And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you.  And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. (Eph. 1:13)

...and you are complete through your union with Christ.  He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe. (Col. 2:10)

Guard me as the apple of your eye.  Hide me in the shadow of your wings. (Ps. 17:8)

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:1)

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21)

We know that God loves you, dear brothers and sisters, and that he chose you to be his own people. (1 Thess. 1:4)

Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done. (Col. 2:7)

"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:34-35)

We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.  And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. (Eph. 2:20)

And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature. (2 Pet. 1:4)

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Eph. 2:10)

And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. (Phil 1:6)

"My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me." (John17:21-23)

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19)

But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:16)

"I assure you, anyone who believes in me already has eternal life." (John 6:47)

The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. (Eph. 1:14)

"The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness." (John 10:10)

And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:4)

If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7)

Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. (Eph. 2:18)

"These signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them." (Mark 16:17)

For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. (Phil. 4:13)

"The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." (John 14:12)

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. (Col. 2:6)

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. (1 John 4:4)

I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. (Phil. 3:14)

For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death. (Rom.8:2)

"I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me," (John 10:14)

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

But thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume. (2 Cor. 2:14)

For it has pleased God to tell his people that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. For this is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in his glory. (Col. 1:27)

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