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For those believers in NA and AA that are trying to keep their commitments and are failing...place your trust in Jesus that He will do it.
Matthew 5: 36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
The probelm with NA & AA is that it is double-minded. The focus is split between a higher power and doing the best you can by yourself and through the unreliable support of others that cannot always be there for you when you need it. Essentially, it is making a vow or a commitment to do something by the flesh by forswearing it under a belief in a higher power... which NA & AA gives a broad application for anyone to choose any higher power to live by and to swear by in making and keeping those commitments in the NA & AA.
Making a commitment to do something by a higher power means forswearing as you are saying you are going to do it.
That is what making a vow mean to the Lord.
Numbers 10:2If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
It is a boasting of self will. Look beyond the hype of success stories and look at your own. If successful, those in NA & AA will congratulate you as you did it, not your "higher power". You did it by keeping your commitment to overcome. You receive tokens of rewards by length of time for doing it. That is to your glory, but how long is that glory lived? For if there were any assurances that man can do it by keeping those commitments, then why the tokens of rewards and support from others?
Here be the promises of God to rest in Jesus to do His work in you:
Matthew 11;28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
John 6:28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Philippians 1:6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Galatians 5:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Philippians 3:2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
2 Corinthians 3:3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.4And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Mathew 28:Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Hebrews 2:18For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
1 Corinthians 10:12Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Romans 6: 11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Psalm 118:8It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
Psalm 100:3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
1 John 3:3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Jude 1: 24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
May the Lord enrich your relationship with Him as you find Him helping you to live as His by grace so that you may give Him all the glory and praise and thanksgiving for what He has done that man by the flesh cannot do.... though some glory in themselves for a short time as some do even falsely. Trust Jesus to be Your Good Shepherd as well as Your Saviour. That is why the just shall live by faith.
1 Peter 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
You are not alone in your trials as others have gone through it as well as through other kinds of trials and have gotten through them thanks to Him. AND He is with you always so that you are never alone as our hope is in Him and thus our victory is assured.
Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Matthew 5: 36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
The probelm with NA & AA is that it is double-minded. The focus is split between a higher power and doing the best you can by yourself and through the unreliable support of others that cannot always be there for you when you need it. Essentially, it is making a vow or a commitment to do something by the flesh by forswearing it under a belief in a higher power... which NA & AA gives a broad application for anyone to choose any higher power to live by and to swear by in making and keeping those commitments in the NA & AA.
Making a commitment to do something by a higher power means forswearing as you are saying you are going to do it.
That is what making a vow mean to the Lord.
Numbers 10:2If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
It is a boasting of self will. Look beyond the hype of success stories and look at your own. If successful, those in NA & AA will congratulate you as you did it, not your "higher power". You did it by keeping your commitment to overcome. You receive tokens of rewards by length of time for doing it. That is to your glory, but how long is that glory lived? For if there were any assurances that man can do it by keeping those commitments, then why the tokens of rewards and support from others?
Here be the promises of God to rest in Jesus to do His work in you:
Matthew 11;28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
John 6:28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Philippians 1:6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Galatians 5:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Philippians 3:2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
2 Corinthians 3:3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.4And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Mathew 28:Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Hebrews 2:18For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
1 Corinthians 10:12Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Romans 6: 11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Psalm 118:8It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
Psalm 100:3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
1 John 3:3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Jude 1: 24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
May the Lord enrich your relationship with Him as you find Him helping you to live as His by grace so that you may give Him all the glory and praise and thanksgiving for what He has done that man by the flesh cannot do.... though some glory in themselves for a short time as some do even falsely. Trust Jesus to be Your Good Shepherd as well as Your Saviour. That is why the just shall live by faith.
1 Peter 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
You are not alone in your trials as others have gone through it as well as through other kinds of trials and have gotten through them thanks to Him. AND He is with you always so that you are never alone as our hope is in Him and thus our victory is assured.
Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.