Getting right with God, Yourself and others

Confess
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16”

1. What wrongs, resentments or secret sins are keeping you awake at night? Wouldn’t you like to get rid of them?
2. What value do you see in confessing, in coming clean of the wreckage of your past?
3. What freedom do you feel from the verses in Romans 8:1 and Romans 3:23-24? What specifically do the phrase “no condemnation” and “no guilty” mean to you?
4. After you complete Principle 4, you will find four areas of your life begin to improve. You will be able to face the truth, ease the pain, stop the blame, and start accepting God’s forgiveness. In what areas of your life will each of these four positive changes help your recovery?
I can be more honest with……
I can ease my pain by…..
I can stop blaming……
I can accept God’s forgiveness because of…..

Admit
1.In Principle 4 we are asked to give our inventory three times. Who are we to confess it to and why?
2.Most of us find it easier to confess our wrongs to ourselves and God. We seem to have difficulty in sharing them with another person. What is the most difficult part for you? why?
3.What’s your biggest fear of sharing you inventory with another person?

Ready
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will life you up. James 4:10 ”

1. Have you released control? List the areas of your life that you have been able to turn over and surrender to Jesus Christ. List the areas of your life that you are still holding on to, attempting to control them on your own power.
2. What does the phase “easy does it” mean to you? What area of your recovery are you attempting to rush—looking for the “quick fix”?
3. Explain the differences in seeing a need for change and being entirely ready to accept positive change in your recovery.
4. Sometimes it is difficult for us in recovery to see the positive changes that God is making in our lives. Have you been able to accept and enjoy your growth? How?

Victory
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 ”

1. As you voluntarily ???? to every change God wants you to make in your recovery, how does Romans 12:1-2 help you know that real, positive change is possible?
2. In Principle 5 you need to as God to help you identify the defects of your character that you need to work on first. List the changes that you want to ask God to help you work on.
3. Real change comes from the changing our minds. List your action plan.
Defect of character…
I need to stop doing…
I need to start doing….
4. what does humility mean to you? How will being humble allow you to change?

Amends
“Happy are the merciful,” and “happy are the peacemakers.”

1.Once again you need to admit the past hurts—what others did to you and the harms that you caused to others. Explain how holding on to your past resentments and guilt has blocked your recovery. Be specific.
2. What does the phase “not for them ” mean to you?
3. What does the phase “donot expect anything back” mean to you?

Forgiveness
“Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31”

1. As you look at the three kinds of forgiveness (Accept God’s forgiveness, Forgive others, and forgive your self), which one of them was the easiest for you? Why?
2. What do the words of Christ found in John 19:30 (“it is finished.”) mean to you/
3. Do you owe God an amends? When will you give it?
4. Have you forgiven yourself? What past actions in your life do you still feel guilt and shame about? (List them, pray about them, and work on them in the next lesson).

Grace
“My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you. 2 Corinthians 12:9.”

1. How has Jesus Christ used your weakness and turned them into strengths?
2. How can you model God’s gift of grace in offering your forgiveness and making your amends?
3. In Principle 6 we are not trying to get even. Christ paid the price for all of our wrongs. What does “speaking the truth” in love mean to you?
4. Why is it important that you focus only on your part?