But, it looks like there is no web version this time, so…

Enjoy and let me know what you think:

IT’S TIME TO FORGIVE

When is the hardest thing in the world to do, the best choice to make?

When it’s forgiveness.

You don’t have to be a church attendee to have this pounded into you; Dr Phil or Oprah get the job done there. Forgiveness restores relationships, brings peace amid conflict and changes the face of everything from family to politics.

While forgiveness is hard, it is exponentially amplified when you, the victim, had little to no part in the initial hurt:

• I mean he’s the one who walked away, right?
• She’s the one stabbed me in the back, remember?
• After what he did to me, he doesn’t deserve forgiveness!

That’s what makes verses like this so very hard: Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:13).

Forgiving as Christ forgave means unconditional, undeserved, unrestrained forgiveness of those who hurt us most. There’s no call for confession, no sign of regret. Christ forgave us while we were still sinners, and He asks us to do the same.

I believe this particular theological principle is called “NoWayishJoseish” in most of our personal doctrines.

Friends and family won’t let us forget the hurt, little things like songs and calendar dates stir up the pain, and we’ve become so comfortable with the misery we really wouldn’t know what to do without it.

So, we just live with the turmoil and convince ourselves its just the way it is. We continue to make regular visits to the temples and shrines of our distress where we worship what we hate.

But, what if God gave us this incredibly difficult command to forgive, not only to fix others, but to restore the forgiver?

Imagine walking a hiking trail with some friends and you suddenly feel a stinging on your calf and hear the terrifying sound of a rattle rustling back into the bushes.

Your friends sprint into emergency mode, “We have to get you to a hospital!”

But, you refuse.

“I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I was on the path, right where I should be. I have been wronged! That snake was way out of line, and I am completely right. I refuse to leave this spot until that snake comes back and apologizes!”

Really?

You may be logical. You may be convincing. You may be 100% right.

You’re still going to die.

That snake is not coming back. And, you have to get the poison out of your system.

One of the benefits of forgiveness is that it releases you from the pain, the anger, the past and the poison.

It’s the hardest work you’ve ever done, but sometimes it’s the only way. Don’t forget, when you forgive the deepest wounds, it’s never one and done.

That kind of forgiveness requires multiple applications, but it’s worth it. This is your life we’re talking about!

That snake is not coming back, but we still have to get the poison out of your system.

It’s time to forgive.

I love those, and… I hate those. When you have a real-deal “Aha” moment it can be incredible relief, even victory. Or, quite often it can plummet you into a spiral of depressive humility because of personal stupidity.

Guess it just depends on the particular “Aha” you are experiencing.

I love seeing these moments in my kids. I still remember watching ‘just past toddler’ Noah trying to pound a screw into some scrap wood with a hammer. When I introduced him to a screwdriver… I was a genius.

The Prodigal Son story is one of those stories that tends to lead people to their own “Aha” moment, generation after generation. Relationships restored, addictions admitted, hypocrisy revealed… the list goes on and on.

Ironically, it’s an “Aha” moment within the story itself that is at the heart of Jesus’ teaching. It’s not that the incredible love of the Father, or the overwhelming stupidity of the younger son, or the amazing hope of redemption take a back seat to anything else. But, they all pivot on the gut-wrenching “Aha” moment of this wayward, reckless kid!

If you haven’t read the story in a while, do it now (Luke 15:11-24), but if it’s a fresh story for you just reflect on this passage:

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Lk 15:17–20.

“When he came to his senses…” I am sure that many of you reading this right now are praying for a child, a spouse, a friend to have that spiritual light come on and come to their senses.

In the same way, I hope that many of you reading this are open to the possibility that God might be wanting to knock a little sense into you.

That phrase “when he came to his senses” is actually very interesting in the original language (eis heauton de elthōn). If you read the English Standard Version, or even the good ol’ King James Version, you already know the phrase is really different from the New International Version I just provided.

These other versions replace “when he came to his senses” with “when he came to himself”, and honestly, its the most accurate translation.
What does it mean for him to “come to himself”? I think it reveals three very important reminders for anyone praying for their prodigal, or for those of us who acknowledge our prodigal ways.

1. A prodigal can’t be convinced, they have to figure it out. You know there were conversations that would have taken place in a household like that which we don’t see reflected in this story. The Father pleading for his son to reconsider, a sibling rolling his eyes and mumbling words like moron, and respectful servant humbly asking him to consider the consequences. Still, none of it mattered. A true prodigal is one that is only going to learn things the hard way. They aren’t interested in alternatives, opinions, reality or even the truth. They have decided what they are going to do, and the only person that is going to convince them otherwise is themselves. If you’re acting the prodigal, and reading this gives you a little “Aha” moment, then consider yourself blessed. You don’t have to hit rock bottom.
2. A prodigal needs to see themselves as they really are. This phrase “came to himself” literally means that prior to this moment he had been beside himself. A true prodigal often has characterized their world and is living an out of body experience seeing only what they want to see. They have labeled the wise influencers in their life fools, the ones who love them interferers, the places of hope and security they call boring and stupid. Most importantly, they have come to believe themselves to be the wisest, hippest most clued in of all. To do this, they have to be beside themselves… it’s the only way possible to bow down at the altar of “themselves”. For a prodigal to turn it around, they have to come face to face with themselves in the mirror of reality, and not those carnival mirrors they have been using for years.
3. When a prodigal comes to themselves, they need to do something. Just admitting they’ve been a jerk, hurtful, dumb is not enough. Think about it, when is “I’m sorry” really enough? I know, I know, I know, you hyper religious types are automatically wanting to call me out and say that God’s grace is sufficient, you can’t add to or take away from that. Too true, but I also see a Scriptural theme that says, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, Ro 6:1–2). In fact, “coming to himself” is a Hebrew/Aramaic expression for “repented.” Repentance is an action, a 180 degree turn, it is a definitive change! The prodigal stays prodigal unless a change is made.

Whether the Prodigal is one you love, or the prodigal is you, it’s important to remember that prodigals have to come to their senses by coming to themselves.

• You can’t convince them, they have to figure it out for themselves.
• They have to start seeing reality and not the world as they have created it
• They have to take some steps in the right direction.

Then, no doubt the Father will wrap them up, restore them and give them back new life.

So, I’ve pulled out something from my past to share, in hopes that you will take it and turn around to share it yourself.

Back in the day I used to be a hardline HTML code writer and built websites for churches and ministries. I also toyed around with a little video animation. That’s when I came up with this video version of what is called One-Verse Evangelism… I prefer to call “God’s Plan, Simplified!”

Please watch it, download it, email it, embed it, post it… whatever you can do that you think might make an impact.

It’s just something I want to share with you, hoping you might share it with others. The download link is just above the video.

Lord Jesus, we are all broken, frail and messed, but in your hands we can be made to do mazing things. Please help today be the day that you start to use us to do amazing things in the life of someone else. In Jesus name, Amen.

By the way, if you have stumbled across this site and would like to make a change; if you need to turn things over to God, then pray the prayer at the end of the video and shoot me an email. I’d love to help get you started on the journey!

Andy’s Email

Right click the link below to download:
DOWNLOAD THIS VIDEO

Something to share from Andy Addis on Vimeo.

It was a small lunch gathering, but an awesome people and a great time.

Sorry about the backlight…. nothing I could do about the environment… just think of it as a podcast with moving shadows!

The teaching is from 2 Thessalonians 3

11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.

Don’t Grow Weary from Andy Addis on Vimeo.

I remember driving from Great Bend, Ks, to some secluded mountain park in Colorado that I couldn’t get you to today if you paid me a million dollars. I was an early grade schooler with the family at an annual family reunion.

At some point in the afternoon the kids were getting hungry and restless, but dinner was still a couple hours away. That’s when my step dad and uncle decided to take the kiddos on a little mountain hike.

You know, something just long enough to distract the kids and be back in time for the big ol’ potluck.

It was fun at first, and as a kiddo, I wasn’t keeping track of time, but even a mildly ADD child like myself could tell we’d been out there too long.

So, I started paying attention to some details before I made the discovery:

• Step dad and uncle kept having us rest while they stepped aside for a ‘whispered’ argument
• Uncle took off his T-shirt and started tearing strips off and tying them to trees
• The look of terror on their faces when we kept finding those pieces of his shirt

It all lead to my conclusive discovery: there was no denying it, we were lost!

Though the adults never admitted it, all the kiddos new we were lost when we emerged from the tree line just after dark and all the mommas lost it.

Lots of hugging’ and cussin’ (the former at the kids, the latter at the men).

It’s a painful thing to be lost. It’s a scary thing to be lost and not know it.

Still, lostness is one of the dominant issues of the gospel.

• The story of Genesis describes the beginning of our lostness.
• The Old Testament chronicles a people of lostness.
• The Gospels find the answer to lostness.
• The entirety of the New Testament is manual for lostness recovery.

In fact, Jesus gave His personal vision/mission statement in Luke 19:10 when He said, “The Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost.”

That’s what Jesus is all about, the reason He came and the purpose of the cross and the grave. Lostness is a condition that is curable, and Jesus doesn’t have the answer, He is the Answer.

I don’t think there is a Christian alive who denies the centrality “lostness” as a biblical theme. We are even grateful, awestruck and worshipful about it. One of the church’s favorite songs includes the line, “I once was lost but now I’m found.”

The problem isn’t with our own appreciation for being found, forgiven, rescued and redeemed. The problem is the disconnect for those who are still lost.

Pastor Perry Noble has said, “Found people find people.”

Pastor Ed Young, Jr, echoed, “The radically rescued, rescue radically.”

We need to rekindle an urgency, a passion, a fire for reaching the lost!

It is our responsibility.

Our church is about to start a series called LOST focusing on the 3 parables of Jesus concerning lostness. We often see the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the prodigal son as messages of grace and mercy for those who have wandered and squandered in life.

But, if you read closely, Jesus had a deeper meaning. Obviously, grace and mercy extended to the lost is an appropriate application of these stories.

However, the fact that Jesus told all three stories in a row, to an audience of the over-churched (known as the pharisees), in response to church people talking smack about the lost gives these three stories a much dire inference.

Jesus wasn’t talking to the lost… He was talking to the found. He was making it very clear that found people find people, the radically rescued rescue radically and that if we are going to be like Jesus we have to be about His mission: to seek and save the lost.

So, here’s what we are going to do: pray for those you know who are not going to church, invite them to services with you (again and again and again), serve them in whatever ways you can that will draw them to Jesus, and talk to them about what Jesus means to you.

By the way, on that last one, you can’t really mess up your own story… it’s your story, so, have no fear.

Whatever church you attend, make sure that you are on a mission. This weekend, bring someone with you because if you are going to be like Jesus, you have to make your passion, mission and desire seeking what He is seeking.

Can you save yourself by jumping upward in a crashing elevator? Is it possible to fly using a lawn chair and helium filled balloons? Can ninjas really catch arrows shot at their head?

Now that’s some high quality entertainment!

One of my favorite parts of that show is the fan (or ‘not so much’ fan) letters they receive. It’s crazy to me how some people will dogmatically hold to a belief in something that is undeniably proven BUSTED. Or, how some will completely refuse the reality of something that was crowned PLAUSIBLE and has 60 minutes of video footage to back it up.

“I don’t care what the Mythbusters say, you can pop popcorn with your cellphone… I’ve seen it on YouTube!”

When it comes to myths, some people just don’t care about reality; they’ve just chosen what they believe and they are going to stick to it no matter what.

This is just as big a problem in the spiritual realm. There is some Spiritual Mythbusting that needs to be done, and we all have to be open to the evidence and not just believe what we heard back in the day.

Here’s a spiritual myth that needs to be busted: God will not give you more than you can handle.

Hold on, hold on, hold on. Put down the pitchforks and torches. Let’s not go mob just yet, but instead let’s test this one out.

I believe that God will ask you to do things, and require things of you that will absolutely crush you. I know it’s comforting to think that God would never do that, but you and I have both seen individuals and families that have been seriously damaged.

Financial concerns, mission opportunities, health battles; you name the scenario and we have seen some people come through it with flying colors (whatever that means) and seen others utterly devastated.

To add to the confusion, often its the ‘Godly’ family that is sinks, and the disconnected folks who seem to rise above.

Huh? What’s this all about God? Doesn’t Your Bible promise that we won’t be given more than we can handle?

Nope.

Most people take one verse from the New Testament to construct this “We could never be smushed” theology, but if you really look at it…that’s not what it says:

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Obviously, this passage is about temptation. God does promise to not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. Which, by the way, means whatever your excuse/rationale for succumbing to the sin eventually boils down to this descriptor… it’s lame.

“Lord, I know gluttony is wrong, but its my birthday and it would be rude of me not to eat the entire cake they got me. I’m just trying to practice thankfulness and be a good example. I’m going to eat this whole cake, for Jesus.”

Not saying resisting temptation isn’t difficult, and at times doesn’t seems like a day hike through hell. But, scripture is clear, even at it’s most difficult God promises “a way out.”

The problem is that’s a promise for undergoing temptation, not for walking through the paces of life!

Sometimes we get dealt a hand that seems impossible: cancer, divorce, depression, unemployment, etc. The weight is crushing. The pressure is mind numbing. The heat is boiling.

Unfortunately, we have all too often seen people, marriages and lives crumble under that kind of pressure. Many of us reading this today are in the midst of a storm, we’re ducking for cover where there seems to be none, we’re fearing that long, slow slide in failure.

And, in the middle of those circumstances we question God, and remember that we were taught, “He’ll never put more on you than you can bear.”

So, quietly inside we sarcastically respond, “Yeah, right…”

Then there are these other people, families, businesses and churches. We see them from a distance, completely amazed as they persevere through situations twice as difficult as ours.

We’d celebrate with them, if they didn’t make us so bitter… I’m just sayin’.

What’s the difference?

Well, first you have to bust the myth. God will give you more than you can handle.

If He didn’t, how could He receive any glory? We’d just have a world filled with people who are only challenged with things they can handle.

But, God allows us some difficulties and spurs us to some challenges that are far beyond our abilities to excel or even cope. This way, we can turn to Him and allow His work and power to flow through our lives and do what we could never do!

Too often, the difference between disaster and deliverance is resting on dependence.

We will be given more than we can handle, and in those moments we have the right, the permission and the expectation to turn to our God and see Him come to the rescue.

Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Psalm 33
16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Deuteronomy 31:8
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged

.

Will God give you or allow to come to you more than you can handle? Yes. But, that question focuses too much on the one part that always breaks down… The human part.

Will God be faithful to deliver those who turn to him in times of trouble? Absolutely! Just like it asks in Genesis18, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

In the midst of the crushing weights of this world and the terrifying goals and desires placed in your heart, turn to God. He is able.

This myth is BUSTED.

By the way, ninjas can catch arrows, and I am almost a ninja. Just sayin’.

The boys are with Grandma in Kansas, I am with 700+ grade schoolers at camp in Texas, and my wife is on the mission field in Africa.

Literally, the Addis’ are all over the world.

I haven’t been able to talk to my wife since she left on Saturday, and the 6 am phone call this morning was awesome.

Actually, the first call that rattled me out of bed was a series of, “Hello, can you hear me?” statements that were completely unreciprocated. So, frantically, I pulled up SKYPE on the computer and dialed the same number that just called me.

I was pretty sure it was my wife since the caller ID showed about 45 numbers… obviously not a telemarketer.

When I got through, the missionary on the other end said Kathy was there and she’d be very excited to talk… so was I.

Here’s what’s amazing… God has my wife on a mission trip and I have no doubt she is growing, learning and being reshaped by His hand, even as I write these words. But, in the same experience, God is teaching me new things about something completely other.

I have a Bachelor and a Master’s degree in communication, but I learned a whole new lesson on how to talk to my spouse after this early morning phone call which put my education to shame.

Timing – I normally do not appreciate phone calls that double as wake up calls. I remember the slow and steady transition of hotels moving from personal wake up calls to computer calls. I was so thankful, because I didn’t have to be “Christian” when I answered the electronic wake ups. I hate being fake nice, and I’m not good at.

When Kat called this morning though, I stumbled out of bed, tripped over a dozen cords and unashamedly hollered into the phone trying to get my voice to make it to Africa even if the cell phone wouldn’t. My camp roommate Daniel shot me an understanding look, but you could could see he was thinking, “Really? 6 am… really?”

Guess I was his wake up call.

The lesson learned, when you get a chance to connect with your spouse, there is no bad time. Make the most of every opportunity.

Content – When you’ve been married 16 years and have spent nearly everyday of that together, there are so many things you want to say if you don’t talked for days. But, I found myself intentionally leaving out the little irritating things: receipts that need to be put in the checkbook, things that need to be returned to the store, small little schedule changes. I just thought, “These things aren’t even on the radar of important junk, just shut it Addis!”

In fact, I tried to avoid my favorite subject of all times: me. I just wanted to know was she safe, hows the team, you feeling ok, what do you need?

We tend to sweat the small stuff and make it big stuff in marriage. Sure, marriages don’t fall apart over issues like missed items on a grocery list, but when that irritant turns into a disappointment over a mess up on the schedule, which turns into a fight over an ill thought out comment, which leads to a long-term grudge based off of misperceptions… then we have a problem. How much better would it be if we just ignored the small stuff and focused on the big things that really matter.

The lesson learned, when you talk to your spouse focus on the big things and let the little stuff be little stuff.  Keep your conversations focused on the important.

Prayer-  In these days I don’t have many opportunities to speak to Kathy, so I am talking less to her and more about her to my heavenly Father.  I feel more connected to her and intimately with her because I am breathing out prayers for her all the time. And, in our early-morning conversation I needed to know specifically what it was that she needed prayer for…

I’ve been  focusing on her safety, and while I will continue to pray that for her no matter what she suggests, her number one concern was for physical endurance. They’ve been up for hours with no sleep in sight and the whole team is going to need supernatural energy. I would not know that if I  had not asked.

Actually praying for your spouse is really important, too. Right at the end of our conversation when I could tell she was getting ready  to run, I just prayed a 15 second prayer over her. She cried. And, every male reading this knows that when you make your wife cry over good things… you are the man.

The lesson learned, prayer prepares you for deeper level conversation with your spouse and often is that deeper level conversation. Pray for and pray with your spouse if you want to really communicate.

Value- I heard my wife  say it and I  said it at least a dozen times in our short conversation, “It’s so good to hear your voice… I miss you… I love you.” All this while I was sitting there watching my computer screen show Skype minutes tick away and the dollar amount rack up. Our short conversation was no little change, but I refused to try and get off the phone until she said she had to leave.

Who knows the next time she’ll find Internet service in that third world country? Who knows the next time she’ll get to borrow a missionary phone? Who knows how precious these moments are for husband and wife separated by two continents and an ocean?

I held back letting her know how much the phone call was costing not because I didn’t want her to know. I didn’t bring it up because it didn’t matter.  Getting those few minutes of actual talk time was well worth the dollars.  I think too many times in marriage our spouses feel undervalued because we offer our quality and quantity time to other things and people. We often just throw our time scraps in the direction of our spouse, when they should be getting the very best from us.

How many times have we learned valuable family information from somebody outside the family, and simply responded, “That’s news to me”? How many times have we sacrificed the relationship with our spouse to kid’s sporting events, presumptuous friends and church activities, and the job that we don’t even like?

We need to value our spouse and the way that we spell value in marriage and family is T…I…M…E.

The lesson learned, that every conversation with your spouse is precious and you need to guard that time to prove just how precious it is.  Use your time as a tool to communicate the value of the spouse you are talking to.

I am sure there are many other things I should have learned from this conversation, but right after I rolled out of bed to talk with her I had to roll into another “fun-filled” day at camp.

It will be busy, desperately important and a huge focus of my time. But, that will not stop  me from breathing out prayers for my boys and my wife. Reminding me to long for them, and preparing me for the next conversation.

Lord, please let me be a better listener than I am a talker. Help me to communicate the value, the love and intimacy with every conversation. And, please help my wife and all the other missionaries to finally get their bags today. It’s been five days since they’ve had a change of clothes and I’m sure that it’s not helping the mission. I pray You bring their bags to them today as a show of Your compassion and mercy. In Jesus name, amen.

When you get a chance to connect with your spouse, there is no bad time. Make the most of every opportunity.

When you talk to your spouse focus on the big things and let the little stuff be little stuff.  Keep your conversations focused on the important.

Prayer prepares you for deeper level conversation with your spouse, and often is that deeper level conversation. Pray for and pray with your spouse if you want to really communicate.

Every conversation with your spouse is precious and you need to guard that time to prove just how precious it is.  Use your time as a tool to communicate the value to your spouse.

Second, we all need God’s Word, but don’t wait for a crisis to start getting into it…

In the word… from Andy Addis on Vimeo.

Bible Study tools:

1. Bible Gateway

2. Reading Plans at Youversion

3. Logos.com

Psalm 15:1 Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?

Lord, I really want to be a man who is close to You. I don’t want to visit You on weekends, or keep in touch with You throughout the day. I want to ‘dwell’ with You. To walk with You, and run with You, to serve You with a passion up close and personal. To live on Your holy hill would be to finally arrive. Lord, may my eulogy include these words… “He dwelled with God.”

2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart

Your word is clear, if I am to dwell with You, there are some standards You have for Your traveling companions. Blameless is not a word I would use to describe me… ever. Even by comparison to other human beings I clearly see my frailties and faults. But, I am overwhelmed that You see me through two different lenses. These are ways that I cannot begin to see myself, but I am continually overjoyed that You see me. First, You see my effort. Like a child learning to walk You do not expect me to run as an Olympic athlete. You cheer and support and pick me up when I fall, so long as I am running towards You and not away. Still, even when I run away… You chase me. Second, although I never have been blameless and seldom speak the truth of my heart, You see me through the veil of Jesus Christ. So, to You, I am as blameless as Your Son. I could not be more grateful.

3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,

To dwell near You Lord, I need to dwell well near others. Correct my tongue and keep me from speaking the things that would never come out of Your mouth. Let me live toward my neighbors as one that embraces Your Golden Rule, who generously breaths out the benefit of the doubt to all and who breaths in peace and unity at all costs. God, please let my life before others never be a hindrance to my life with You.

4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,

May I be sickened in my stomach by the same things that sicken You. Evil, thievery, judgementalism, dishonesty, brokeness and pain. May I not be able to stand the things that You will not stand for, and may my fear and reverence for You lead me to action, passion, purpose and plans, again and again. Let my courage not waver in the face of Your adversary, embolden me to pick up where others leave off and challenge me with carry the banner that You place in my hands that I might run to the center of the battlefield. When it costs too much, when it risks everything, when it defies all logic, when the pain is too great… may I keep my oath, even when it hurts.

5 who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Let me not find comfort in acting as others do, allowing compromise to make me greedy, proud or mean; at least, not more than I already am. May I never take a thing at the expense of another, even if it’s “Just the way it is” and “Everybody else is doing it.” May I value others as highly as You do, may I never be shaken by the empty promises of a broken world, and may I always value my testimony above anything else this world can offer. It’s the only personal picture I have of You. Lord, let me never sell out; for I am already purchased.

God I truly want to dwell with You. And, I know that I have slummed with my sorrows and camped out with my sins. But, I am ready to change my life. I am ready to live for You. I am ready to live in You.

I am ready to be the man I should be.

What is the process, biblically, for helping that person up. It would be really good to know, especially when that person is you.

Restoration from Andy Addis on Vimeo.

^{Galatians 6:1}Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.