Christ, the Big Book,the big D, and Me

eTo Christ I conceded the certainty of a great man, not too closely followed by those who claim Him.    Pg. 11 3rd edition Big Book

He went on talking and told me that he had found the plan has a basis for love ,and the practice of Christ’s injunction ”Love thy neighbor as thy self.” pg. 236 3^rd edition Big Book

If there was a devil he seemed boss universal, and he certainly had me.

Pg. 11 3rd edition Big Book

God and the Devil

Must a Christ be crucified in every generation for the benefit of those who have no imagination   George Bernard Shaw

Christ, is a title, Jesus is the name, the man from Galilee who could rarely rub two shekels together and could make no claim to lay his head night or day. A fellow so plain, that you could not pick Him out of a crowd, and could easily disappear amongst the rash and the well even in his own little home town, where no pity or good was ever found. Love and tolerance was his code as he traveled the dusty and wind swept back roads healing the sick, lame and terminally ill without purse or script

The Devil likes two kinds of people, those who dismiss his existence, and those who want to know too much about him.  C.S. Lewis

The Devil on the other hand is a man of wealth and taste. He goes by a virtual cornucopia of names; the father of ALL lies has appropriate monikers for every time and for every age. He lives beyond grace and has no shame to mar his claim of a misery that Demands Company, for it is after all his stock and trade,   Old scratch, the author of the itch that is beyond reach ,and a beauty that is beyond belief.

As the rumor goes he resides in New Jersey just south of the Goethals Bridge and the sulfur and brimstone terminals. A hop skip and a jump to the worm in the rump of the Big Apple. He never sleeps, and never rests, but he finds entertainment watching the Jersey devils hockey team in league with the best. Sometimes his allure is more than we can endure and without help it is too much for us. There is one who has all power, that one is God, may you find him now!

Eph. 6: 12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

A body in motion tends to stay in motion, as a body at rest tends to get drunk

There is a law irrevocably degreed, that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The law of opposition comes into play. There is opposition in all things, for nothing grows without an opposing force. When you go to the gym and lift weights gravity is the opposition. It strengthens bones and builds muscle. A butterfly struggling to free itself from its cocoon, that struggle strengthens it wings that enables it to fly off majestically. When we begin the spiritual work of the Twelve Step process we are often opposed spiritually as we try to free ourselves from the cocoon of addiction.  A bottle of booze long since hid will seem to miraculously materialize. A drug long since forgotten will be found in an inside coat pocket. The opposite sex with your favorite addiction in tow will make themselves known. These things and more will occur when you’re the most susceptible, during periods of restlessness, irritability, and discontent, physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, when we are, hungry, angry, lonely and tired .And with that temptation a way to escape has been made. Get on your knees and ask God to remove the craving, call your sponsor and other program members for support, and get to a meeting, be forthright and let the folks know what you’re going through so we can circle up and keep you in our prayers and less I forget seek out someone you can help and be grateful for the ability to act and not be acted upon. And this too shall pass “for patience is bitter, but its fruits are sweet” remember all this has been given to you for your growth by an all knowing and all loving God.

The battle royal rages, spirits have been a plague throughout all time and all ages. King alcohol, demon Rum, little Sir John (Barley corn) proved the strongest at last, for tinker can’t dam neither kettle nor pot without a little Barley corn. (13^th century dirge “John barley corn must die”)

The Twelve Step process was a gift from a loving God and the gift of service is how we stay happy Joyous and free and on the road to happy destiny.

For when we are in the service of our fellow beings are we not in the serve of our God and when we are in that service are we not divorced from self-dilution self-seeking and self-pity and in that moment is that not when we make our  contact with our creator? Who lives from moment to moment, eternity to eternity, life everlasting? The magic word in A.A. is Action and more Action, for faith without works is dead.

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Joseph