A Monthly Publication of Impact Ministries. December Changing Our Spots. Why I Wear This Mask. Peace. Walking in Love Meditation

Transcription

1 IM December 2011 P ACT A Monthly Publication of Impact Ministries Changing Our Spots Why I Wear This Mask Peace Walking in Love Meditation

2 If you enjoyed Escape from Codependent Christianity you will love the new, expanded edition, Take Control of Your Life! You won t find the term codependency in the Bible, yet it motivated Adam at the fall of man, it is the root of all addictions, the destroyer of all relationships, and it is consuming our world. The greatest weakness of the Church has been our failure to set people free. We reach people who are addicted, but instead of helping to set them free, we simply transfer their addiction onto the local church, the pastor, or some religious program. The result is a church full of hurting people who are not free. This book identifies how the world system of codependency has swept through government, education, family, and the Church; but more than point out the problem, it points out the only cure. You can break the destructive patterns in y our life! Book $ S/H ebook $9.99 Books Ordered Now Will Be Shipped in January! To order call ext. 301 or online at impactministries.com ** Original Revised Book Title: Codependent Christianity ** 2

3 Changing Our Spots For a number of years Impact Ministries had a state certified substance abuse program. We worked with local drug courts as well as parole and probation officers to help remedy the drug problem in Madison County. Working with addictions is so very helpful for working with problems that do not seem so extreme because addiction is simply a macrocosm of less destructive dysfunction. In other words, it is just like any other behavior problem; the only difference is that in addiction all the subtle issues are magnified so we can look at them closer. All destructive issues emerge from the feeling of lack. They become addictive and repetitive when codependent thinking drives us to attempt to meet that need through some outside source. Therefore, in treating addiction we were able to see an exaggerated presentation of how people struggle with daily problems. After all, codependency is the mother of all addictive behavior. In addiction you are simply seeing codependency taken to the extreme, but it is the same codependency that works in any form of self-centeredness or selfgratification. All repetitive, destructive behavior is based on an emotional addiction of some kind! We did an intake interview for every substance abuser entering our program. It was very sad to watch the family get their hopes up as they listened to this interview. They heard their loved one answer all the questions just as they should and they heard them make all of the right commitments; they actually thought they were making headway. But those of us who led the program knew that just the opposite was true. As long as a person has an addiction they have one thing on their mind: fulfilling that addiction, satisfying the craving. During the Intake phase they said all the right things just to get us to stop asking them questions. But all the time they were answering the questions they were actually thinking about how they were going get drugs the next time. Like all issues, we may intend to do the right thing, but as long as we have a feeling pulling at us we will eventually fall prey to the feeling despite our willpower. Most people labor under a false idea that mustering enough willpower to just say no will end substance abuse, moral, or ethical problems. Whether you're dealing with substance abuse, lying, immorality, or any other form of dysfunction there is one thing that you must know: when there is a conflict between feelings and willpower feelings always win. The idea of just saying no is something that was (con t on page 4) 3

4 4 Changing Our Spots (con t from page 3) dreamed up by someone creating an ad campaign. Substance abuse counselors believe that substance abuse is a disease. (I understand the physiological aspects of alcoholics, and the physically addictive properties of some drugs.) The mental health community thinks that all emotional dysfunction is a sickness. The Church thinks that all sinful behavior should be overcome by willpower. The Bible, however, gives us insight into the delusional thinking that willpower is enough to change any of our destructive behavior. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. (Jer. 13:23) Willpower is never enough! For us to change our spots, we have to influence ourselves at the deepest part of our being! By the time a problem of any kind becomes repetitive or addictive it has reached the level of cellular memory and it may have even reached the level of heart beliefs. In either case it has reached the level of feelings. When any problem reaches the level of feelings it is rare that a person will ever actually overcome those issues. Very few people ever apply biblical truth in a way to overcome their problems. People tend to seek forgiveness for destructive behavior which is freely given in the Lord Jesus. But few move forward from there to experience real victory. The key to absolute victory starts in dealing with thoughts, emotions, and feelings. For many years I did not understand the difference between emotions and feelings although I had a clear handle on emotions and how they work in relationship to your thoughts. Emotions emerge based on our conscious thought. To change our emotions is as easy as changing what we are thinking about. We've all experienced this phenomenon. We can be feeling tired and lethargic when the phone rings and it's a friend wanting us to do something really fun. Instantly everything changes! Our energy and emotions change because our thoughts have changed. So there is a basic rule concerning emotions: emotions follow thoughts. It is important, however, to understand the distinction between emotions and feelings. Emotions change very quickly and they are usually more exaggerated when they emerge; therefore, it is quite easy to recognize emotions. It is also easy to recognize the link between the emotions we are experiencing and the thoughts we are thinking; so, dealing with emotions is not that subtle or difficult. Feelings, on the other hand, are much more subtle. Feelings emerge in a way that makes it difficult for us to detect what is occurring. Feelings are very deep, very strong, and very subtle. Feelings emerge like water heating in a pot. You don t know anything is happening until it begins to boil. One of the differences between feelings and emotions is in relationship to thoughts. Thoughts give rise to and direct our emotions. Feelings, on the other hand, emerge and give rise to thoughts and behavior. But feelings usually move our thoughts and behavior before we recognize what is actually happening. That is when you find yourself asking, Why did I do that? Or, Why did I say that? Feelings can move us to action before we have time to think. Studies show that our heart perceives what is occurring before our mind does. The heart evidently connects to the world around us on a level that is much different than our senses. The five senses see, hear, smell, touch, or taste information and send it to the brain. The brain interprets that information which creates emotional reactions. However, studies indicate that nearly one minute before the brain even begins that process the heart already perceives what is occurring. Jesus said, For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matt. 12:34) That word abundance is understood as excess or possibly overflow. When the heart overflows we speak or act before we have time to think. Based on Scripture and scientific research we know the heart can drive you to a reaction before your mind even knows what is going on, much like our example of boiling water! This means that the only hope I have of not repeating destructive behavior is to put off old feelings and beliefs that are based on my old way of thinking. This is called dying to self. Jesus said, He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (Jn. 12:25) That past life with all its destructive beliefs is encoded in our cellular memories. It s like a blueprint of how we chose to respond to the world when we were sinners by nature. It is our survival mechanism for the life we once lived. It is the way we found love, acceptance, and happiness and until it is resolved it is still driving our

5 reactions and choices. This is why our life today looks much like our life has always looked. Paul called it the old man. He said we must put it off and put on the new man. Put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4:22-24) I love how this is interpreted in The Message Bible: We do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything and I do mean everything connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. One of the major realities of put off/put on is this: that you cannot put on a new belief until you have removed an old one.... the only hope I have of not repeating destructive behavior is to put off old feelings and beliefs that are based on my old way of thinking. There are many ways we can apply the put off/put on exercise. We can make it a part of our daily prayer, worship, and confession time. We can do it when we recognize a feeling that is taking us some place emotionally that we do not desire to go. We can apply it when we see ourselves repeating destructive behavior. We can do it in meditation as we send away offenses and feelings, and then envision ourselves living and functioning in harmony with our identity in Christ. This can be done with the Limitless Living Meditation. We can use releasing, a powerful technique I have taught you for years. The most preemptive way to deal with this is to immediately send away (forgive) pain or offense the moment you experience it either in a relationship or interaction. My newest series Wisdom for Healing takes you step-by-step through the understanding of how feelings, thoughts, and emotions become part of our cellular memory. See the ad on page 9 for more information. Becoming the Person You Want to Be In this groundbreaking book Dr. Richards shatters the ultimate illusion that limits every believer. He helps connect you to a new sense of self-worth that will unleash the power of God in your life in a way you have never before experienced. For the first time you will know how to simply put off the old man and put on the new. Book $ S/H ebook $8.99 Are you tired of repeating the same cycle? Do you feel like what you do is never good enough? Are negative feelings robbing your life of joy? Do you sometimes feel you can t find light at the end of the tunnel? Do you want to be in control and predict your own future? Are you ready for the rollercoaster to end and the good life begin? Millions of others have these same feelings; you are not alone. But you CAN end your repeated struggles and break out of destructive cycles. You can end the frustration and begin to live your dreams. ORDER Breaking the Cycle TODAY! Book $ S/H ebook $ ext. 301 OR online at impactministries.com 5

6 Why I Wear This Mask! In the mid-1970s I came to an incredible revelation: I realized that at the heart of nearly every person's life struggle is the inability to give and receive love. Since love is the deepest need that a human being has, this issue touches every fabric of one s life. It is only when a person experiences genuine love that they have the capacity to function as God created us to. Because God is the only source of true love, He is the only one who can meet the need that we have for agape love. Through counseling for 35 years that revelation has been confirmed time and time again. As I looked closer at people s struggle with experiencing love I realized that part of the issue was that the majority do not accept themselves. When working with people who need God s intervention in their life I often test them to identify core beliefs - those most fundamental beliefs upon which we build our relationship with God, ourselves, and the world. When those core beliefs are negative, it doesn t matter what you believe at a more shallow level, you cannot get faith to work. When a person is struggling to break through to victory I have them make the statements: I want to prosper. I deserve to prosper. I am qualified to prosper. Very often, even though intellectually they answer in the affirmative, when we test for their heart beliefs they answer in the negative. The majority of people feel unworthy for the promises of God and at the heart of this doubt is usually rejection of self. What we call rejection is an emotional syndrome where a person feels rejected, they reject themselves to some degree, and they reject others. No matter what psychological language is used to describe the many nuances of this complex issue, it is nothing more than the unwillingness to give and receive love, and we all suffer from this to some degree. It is the seat of every emotional and spiritual problem. To the degree that a person rejects him/herself they will create a mask and WE ALL HAVE MASKS! When testing people to determine their behavior patterns we find that the majority has a way they see themselves, who they become under pressure, and who they present to the world. There are others who are so rigid they are the same in all three categories. Regardless of how their patterns play out, few people are who they really want to be and few really know and understand themselves. 6

7 Most of us have been molded into a particular way of expressing ourselves by life s experiences. We learned how to cope with the world by being the clown, the peacemaker, the fixer, or the victim. But the way we cope with the world is not our real identity; it is a mask we wear because it is the only way we know how to survive. It is the way we believe we will be accepted. Within the dynamic of our family influences we cultivated an identity and this identity is a mask; it is not really who we are, it is the way we survive. The subconscious mind remembers every event in your life; in fact, those events that created strong emotions became a part of your cellular memories, or as Jeremiah 17:9 says in the original language, footprints on your heart. These footprints or cellular memories, once encoded into your cells, not only shape your emotional identity, but they shape your physical health and quality of life. They define who we are! When we came to Jesus we were told to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead IN OUR HEART and confess Him as Lord as the result of that heart belief. When we believe something in our heart there is an immediate change in our sense of self. If we have actually believed and embraced Jesus as Lord we start a journey of transformation and we begin to work that new identity into our life. If He is our Lord we seek to be like Him, and to do so means we must follow His teachings. This is not legalism or dead works but the natural expression of a commitment to Lordship. Following Jesus as Lord will bring about a lifetime of yielding to transformation, of putting off the old man and putting on the new man. The old man is every aspect of that identity that was created separate from God! But religion usually just offers us a new mask. This is who you OUGHT to be! So we pretend we are as we ought to be to gain acceptance from the religious community. Even more destructive, we put on a mask and pretend to be who we think we need to be in order to be loved and accepted by God! Because we did not know or learn our new identity in Christ we held to the only identity we had - that which was defined by our past life. We adopt the mentality that says, I am a saved sinner, and as such we think it is our job to become who we should be. The reality is that we were sinners. We are saved and we are a new creation. We must now put on the new man i.e., the new man that resides within us. The problem is that in our heart we still believe we are the sum total of our life s events. Our mind may accept that we are a new creation but our heart does not believe it. In our walk with God we have not continually put off the old man when those old tendencies arose. Instead, we blame it on the devil or we start counseling. Some simply succumb. This is just the way I am. The most deadly are the religious who justify their carnal feelings and attitudes through self-righteousness. But rarely does anyone simply send away attitudes and feelings that are inconsistent with our new righteous nature. Our entire life should be a journey of putting off the old and putting on the new. The only other option is to continue wearing a mask, to assume a false identity, to live less than God created us to live. When we submit to Jesus as Lord we get back on track with this wonderful journey. Life becomes an exciting adventure of growth and development. As we discover our true identity we soon discover our life s purpose. With each transition life becomes fuller, richer, and more rewarding. Watch LIVE IMPACT LIVE 7:30 pm CST Impactministries.com On Demand Available 11 pm CST til 8 am CST Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. Dwight D. Eisenhower 7

8 Thanks a Lot! Thank you for being there for us, Dr. Richards! I thank God for your obedience to bring the truth that set us free about the scriptures, meditation, and spreading the good news of God s love for us. I have been listening to you and attending your meetings [in our area] from the first day you came here to tell us about the Grace Message. I have been diligent in doing the homework, prescriptions, reading the Bible, and listening to your series because my desire was to always follow the Lord. I am a visual person so I have no problem visualizing things except in the area of grace. To visualize God accepting me, never being ashamed of me, being inside me, and never leaving me, was a Wisdom for Healing problem; but since I have done and continue to do Heart Physics I am visualizing, hearing, and believing that I am accepted, loved, favored, set apart, blessed, and called. There is a great deal of peace in my heart. This process has taken me back and I can now see how much God was for me and kept me in His grace. I was my worst enemy and restricted myself. I am more confident in the new me. Because I was diligent in doing my homework and listening to tapes I can see I was led by the Spirit of God. I brought the truth, but it was not with mercy and grace, it was under stress and strain. As a result people rejected the truth because it was the way I presented it. As a result, I saw myself losing when I followed Jesus and didn t see the opportunities God presented to me. This put me into a whirlwind of fear, rejection, and disappointments. Putting off and putting on with Heart Physics is helping so very much, I am learning to love myself and others. I am learning to leave the process to God and know that the outcome will be good. It is such a relief to trust in the inner man who is getting more and more on the outside. I was responsible at the age of 11 years old {because my dad and mother passed away} for younger children, a home, and going to school. I put on a lot of defensiveness, rejection, ego, and especially feeling alone. I find myself praying the transformation prayer, taking these garments off and putting on the armor of God. I literally feel these garments coming off and God alone becomes my rock, fortress, and refuge. This causes more joy, peace, and love in my walk with God. I continue to do the meditation, with and without your tapes; it is making the Scriptures so alive, helpful, and real and I look forward to every morning spending time in the Word, much more than I ever did before. Scripture was always a light for me, but I cannot tell you how much more the truth in the Word has become real and part of me. I can look into Jesus' face and receive what He has for me: His promises and His faithfulness. Thank you for doing what you do, spreading the Good News. I consider you as my pastor. It took me a long time to do Heart Physics, but I am so very glad I did and I encourage others to do it. God bless you! ~KN~ Dear Jim and Impact Family, Thank you so much for the ebook copy of the revised "Codependent Christianity." I am delighted to hear that you re-wrote it as well as adding new material and I love the new title: Take Charge of Your Life! I learned so much from the original book about myself (and it wasn't pretty), but it provided wisdom, and ways to change my reactions and perspectives that were life-changing. Some of those changes have been very slow in becoming reality in my life, but I gained excellent "before and after pictures" from each chapter that have encouraged me to keep applying the truth to my thinking until it becomes mine. I read the "original" version [Escape from Codependent Christianity] in 2004 for the first time, and re-read it at least once or twice every year through Actual changes became more evident in 2007, when I began teaching through the book in a church recovery ministry. It was in processing the concepts of each chapter to form them into questions that I really began internalizing the life-giving truths. Again, thank you for resurrecting such a powerful book, and bringing it to a much larger audience!! I'm living less co-dependently and more honestly every year! ~MY~ I just ordered more Heart Physics sets and Wired for Success books - they are going to be my Christmas presents this year! ~AB~ 8

9 Negative experiences that occur from conception throughout our entire life are buried in our physical body, stored as frequencies, and imprinted onto our cells. These negative experiences are so powerful they actually influence the programming of our DNA, thereby shaping and programming our entire life. Every cell and each organ of the body must vibrate at specific frequencies to maintain optimal health; therefore, exposure to any dissonant frequency can cause serious health problems. Every word, thought, emotion, and feeling has a frequency that either supports health or destroys it. Unless destructive frequencies are transformed they lie in wait for our blood! These frequencies are stored as cellular memories that not only undermine the function of healthy cells, they reemerge in the form of feelings that become part of our belief system even though they were never chosen and may be completely irrational. As feelings they drive our behavior, dictate our health, and influence every aspect of our life. These buried beliefs are seldom remembered but never go away. They reemerge as feelings that affect the way we think, talk, or act and influence the way we make decisions. Since every seed bears after its own, these subtle feelings drive us in behavior that always produces after its own kind. Until we can change our feelings our life will be an evergrowing syndrome of more of the same just as Jesus warned in Mark 4: Wisdom for Healing follows the scriptural admonition to seek wisdom when we are facing difficulties. Wisdom is the practical application of truth to solve the problem. You will learn Wisdom for Healing CD $56+ S/H DVD $ S/H MP3 $20 firsthand how to recognize these subtle negative feelings before you act on them. You will discover how specific feelings influence specific dis-ease! And you will learn powerful tools to use to stop the feelings. This is your chance to end life-long negative feelings and transform them into positive, healing, productive feelings. Many of your repeated physical problems will simply disappear as you transform the root feelings that feed them! This program is an absolute must for everyone who intends to live a healthy physical and emotional life! Supplemental Tools to be used with Wisdom for Healing I Believe in God Meditation The Nine Virtues Meditation Walking in Love Meditation CD $20 + S/H MP3 $20 CD $20 + S/H MP3 $20 CD $20 + S/H MP3 $20 Wisdom for Healing SPECIAL 20% OFF! Series including Meditation CDs! CD $93 + S/H DVD $144 + S/H Watch for the release of 1 more meditation exercise and the Wisdom for Healing Workshop! To Order Call ext. 301 OR Order Online: impactministries.com 9

10 10 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men! (Luke 2:14 NKIV) Peace for Christmas If there is one emotion (feeling or reality) that I am completely addicted to it is peace. Call me a peace freak and I ll say that s right. I may even like it too much; at least it is safe to say I crave it. I always have and I hope I always will. I don t know what it is about peace that is so attractive to me, but it completely has my attention. I grew up in a home with a lot of peace in it, except for the chaos I created (and you know I was good at that.) I never remember a cross word between my parents. I am sure they had some, but either I don t remember it or I ve repressed those memories. Either way, I grew up thinking peaceful was what home was supposed to be like, you know, a safe place - a place that you could find rest and comfort. Then I started my own home and soon realized that not everyone had the home life that I did. Peace didn t come by default it was something you had to pursue. Those of you who know our story know that Sherri and I have been married twice to each other. Our first marriage was awful. During our second wedding ceremony we both accepted Jesus and our lives were transformed. Although we were now born again, we still had the same old learned behavior, and even though we were Christians, we didn t treat each other like we were. Yeah, but this is supposed to be an article about Christmas, right? I ll get to that in a minute. Our lives were conflict and chaos and we accepted that as our reality. But deep in my heart there was a hunger, a longing for that peace that I knew as a kid growing up. So, I started learning about peace, praying about peace, craving peace, and finally Sherri and I started our pursuit of peace. In a short time our home started to change. Sure, we had the occasional setback but, for the most part, peace became the standard. You see, this whole season is about peace. That was the announcement of the angel in Luke 2:14. The angel was telling us about the arrival of the Prince of Peace. With the angelic announcement God was announcing a change. He was stating His purpose in Jesus coming to Earth and it was to bring about His reality of peace with all men. No longer would man be at enmi- Peace ty with God because of sin, rather the Prince of Peace was born to finish the restoration of man s severed relationship with God once and for all. He began by implementing His government of peace between God and man. It was the beginning of something so wonderful, something so beautiful, that it has rocked this planet ever since: God being at peace with man because of His birth, death, and resurrection. All that is necessary for all of mankind to enjoy this promise is to believe on the Lord Jesus and receive His forgiveness. As a believer though, for many years I had a very different view/reality/relationship with God one of fear and discontentment, trapped in my own dead works, thinking that I needed to do something beyond the work that Jesus accomplished - not fully knowing that Jesus did everything through His birth, death, burial, and resurrection to bring me into a loving, peaceful relationship with my Father. Coming to this understanding completely changed my view and perception of God. It rocked my world in a most wonderful way. So with the angelic announcement and the prophecies from the Old Testament now being fulfilled, we are granted access to have a fully peaceful and peace-filled relationship with the Father through Jesus. And beyond that, we can have peace with each other especially those of our own family. So this year for Christmas my desire and prayer for us all is that we experience God s peace in a most wonderful way in our hearts and in our homes. I pray that your holiday season is so full of peace, peace like never before, that it marks the 2011 holiday season as the best Christmas season ever. Peace, Jimmie Bratcher To hear more from Jimmie & Sherri Bratcher & Ransom Ministries go to jimmiebratcher.com.

11 LOVE, ROMANCE, PASSION WE ALL WANT IT, WE ALL SPEND OUR LIVES SEARCHING FOR IT, BUT FEW OF US ACTUALLY FIND IT. We want to find that special someone the look in their eyes, that special touch, the sensation of butterflies in our stomach when they walk into the room and we wish those feelings could be there for life. They can! Finally, a no-nonsense book about finding love, developing love, growing in love, and recovering lost love. Whether you are newly engaged, happily married and seeking to go to the next level, or trying to recover a lost relationship, this book is for you. There are none of the tired old clichés here, no more idealistic formulas; this is a book of proven life principles that will open the secrets of lasting love and endless romance to you. Every day couples go to counselors, do all the right things, and take all the right steps, but their hearts are never changed. The emptiness is excruciating. The loneliness is devastating. You weren t looking for a formula, you wanted real love. You really can feel the passion that you never thought possible. You can discover the godly secrets to intimacy. You can turn your relationship into Utopia. Don t settle for a life of just existing together. Don t accept anything less than an exciting relationship of passion and romance. Reach out, take the hand of the one you love, and journey together with Dr. Jim Richards as you discover a fresh new look at marriage, relationships, romance, passion, and love yes, incredible, consuming love. We Still Kiss gives you the tools to be in love for the rest of your life. Find out how you can experience a lasting love that is better than you ever dreamed possible! UNSELFISH, FORGIVING, HONEST, HOPELESSLY ROMANTIC LOVE Special Book Price $ S/H Hurry! Offer Ends To Order Call ext. 301 OR Online at impactministries.com 20% OFF! 11

12 3516 South Broad Place Huntsville, AL impactministries.com Return Service Requested Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Huntsville, AL Changing the way the world sees God! Free World Changer Message! Hooked on a Feeling! December 2011 NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: ST/PR: ZIP: PHONE: ( ) Is this a new address : Yes No How do you prefer to receive Impact Magazine? US Mail Please send me I Believe in God Meditation $20 US + $7 US S&H $ Please send me The Nine Virtues Meditation $20 US + $7 US S&H $ Please send me the Walking in Love Meditation $20 US + $7 US S&H $ Please send me Wisdom for Healing $56 US + $9 US S&H $ $ US + $9 US S&H $ Please send me Wisdom for Healing SPECIAL w/ 3 Meditations $93 US + $10 US S&H $ $144 US + $10 US S&H $ PLEASE CHARGE MY CREDIT CARD MC Visa Disc Amex Card No. Exp. Date Signature: To Order by Phone or Get International Shipping Rates Please Call Ext. 301 Impactministries.com