Celebrate Recovery Sapulpa

06/03/2026

See you tonight at CR!
6pm at First Baptist Sapulpa

06/02/2026

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭16‬:‭8‬-‭9‬

S:
“But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬
“Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

O:
One might think that effective work for the gospel is when things are going right.

Paul’s focus was on sharing the gospel. He understood that when he confronted people about their lazy, carefree, and sinful approach to God there would be adversaries.

Tim Keller says we must understand the following two groups of Christians we often see.

One group fails to see the depth of their sin. The other group fails to see the depth of Christ’s righteousness imparted to us.

When we don’t have a proper view of our sin it produces cheap grace and easy beliefism. These individuals have their born again card but they haven’t changed their lives a bit.

In the other group are those that don’t grasp Christ’s provision. They look like the Pharisees and are really under the burden of guilt. They are withdrawn, moralistic, and legalistic.

Why?

They don’t understand the gospel.

Salvation through grace alone through faith alone through the work of Jesus Christ alone.

Double imputation.

Substitutionary atonement.

So on one hand we have those who are culturally withdrawn and the other those who culturally accommodate.

We tend to think all the danger is in one of those two areas.

When you are withdrawn from the world no one sees your good deeds and glorifies God.

On the other hand those who accommodate the world are never persecuted.

When you live purposefully for the gospel you will be approved by some and persecuted by others. If you are experiencing only one of those, something might be off center.

A:
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭16‬:‭13‬-‭14‬
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.”

P:
God please open my eyes and heart to the ugliness of my sin. How I subvert you and live in treachery. Likewise please open my eyes and heart to the beauty of your righteousness that now covers me! What love! What wondrous love! Amen

06/01/2026

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭2‬

Scripture:
“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”

Observation:
There is one true gospel.
The Book of Mormon isn’t it.
The deuterocanonical books aren’t it.
The Quran isn’t it.
The Shruti and the Smriti aren’t it.
The Tripitaka isn’t it.

So what’s the difference between Protestant Christianity and all other world religions? Couldn’t the rest of them say the same thing, that their way is the only way?

Love is the answer.

God desired a perfect relationship with his creation. We messed that up. We sinned. Through that sin came death. God provided a way back to his desired perfect relationship through the death of his son. His son was without sin and paid the death price for us. He died in our place. He then conquered the grave so that death wouldn’t be the end for him or for us. If we confess with our mouth and believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord we will be saved. Saved from what? The power, penalty, and presence of sin! We will live in the love relationship with God for eternity that he desired from the beginning.

No other religion offers this type of love relationship with God. Investigate them. Compare them to each other. Satan is a liar. You will see their similarities and how Satan takes a truth of scripture and twists it into something else to pull us away from God.

Application:
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭58‬
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Prayer:
God please keep my eyes and heart fixed on you. You are the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except by you. Please make me effective and efficient for you. May love be my currency. When squeezed, stressed or hurt may the fruit of your Spirit be what others see and not my selfish flesh. I want others to see you and not me. Amen

06/01/2026

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬, ‭26‬

S:
“So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.”

O:
With spiritual gifting the focus should be on building up the church.

When church leaders ask for volunteers in a certain area what they often hear is, “I would but that’s not my spiritual gifting”.

Being gifted by God in a certain area doesn’t mean we don’t step up when a need arises somewhere else.

Spiritual gifting as with other topics Paul has addressed what we don’t read about is personal preferences or lone wolves.

What we do read about is a love for God and a love for other people. This requires abiding in Christ. Abiding in Christ changes us into a new creation where love, humility and selflessness are driven by the peace and power of the gospel.

A:
Be all in for building up the church. Encourage, equip, and edify others to do the same.

P:
Oh the power of your gospel, Lord! The power to set the captives free and step into peace and reconciliation with the father. Your blood covers me. Your grace and mercy surround me. Your righteousness washes over me. I long to know you more!What an amazing thought and experience to have the loving God residing in me! Amen

05/30/2026

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭13‬

Scripture:
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Observation:

Chapter 12 was about spiritual gifts and their use within the body of Christ.

Chapter 13 is the love chapter.

It is fitting that instructions on love follow instructions on the importance of diversity and unity within the body.

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭51‬:‭10‬
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64‬:‭8‬
“But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Application:
Pray that during the sanctification process my heart would be changed to become more like Christ’s.

Prayer:
Change my heart Oh God -

“Change my heart Oh God, make it ever true.
Change my heart Oh God, may I be like You.
You are the potter, I am the clay, mold me and make me, this is what I pray.” Amen

05/29/2026

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭4‬-‭6‬

S:
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.”

O:
“The diversity of divine persons within the unity of the Trinity should be reflected in the diversity of gifts within the unity of the body of Christ in Corinth. Therefore Paul wants the Corinthian church to understand how their unity can be enhanced by appreciating the variety of gifts God has given them.” - ESV Study Bible.

A:
Take time to reflect upon and appreciate the variety of gifts God has given the church.

P:
God please help me to see and be content with your sovereignty in all things. The ekklesia is yours, held together and equipped by you for your person, purpose, and plan. May we glorify and magnify your great name! Amen

05/28/2026

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬

Scripture:
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

Observation:
In my Bible verse one stands alone.

Paul had a real relationship with Christ. This genuine relationship changed everything. It changed his name and his life’s purpose and plans. Paul’s desire was that believers experience the same relationship with Christ that he had. As a father talking with his children often wants to get their point across quickly and clearly, the most complete and concise way for Paul to instruct the believers in Corinth was to tell them to imitate him.

For Paul to tell a congregation to imitate him took; boldness, assurance, confidence, faith, discipline, and most of all love.

This message is consistent.
‭‭
Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬
“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬
“What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬-‭10‬
“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭11‬a
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings…

1 Peter 1:13-16
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭48‬
“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Application:
More is caught than taught.
Draw near to God and have a loving relationship with him. The light of this relationship will shine in the darkness and others will be drawn to it.

Prayer:
God I love you and want to bring glory and honor to you. May my life be a living sacrifice to you. I have counted the cost and you are worth everything, including my life. Amen

05/27/2026

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭5‬

S:
“For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”

O:
Many will hear God’s words and see His works and not come to true faith.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭19‬
“For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”

A:
Disobedience flows from unbelief.

P:
God please help me to do everything for your glory. When your glorification is held paramount everything else is weighed appropriately. May all creation submit and sing to your glory today and forevermore! Amen

05/26/2026

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬

Scripture:
“I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”

Observation:
The gospel changes everything.

Paul is laser focused and is single minded. It’s all for the sake of the gospel. Nothing else matters.

Paul practices self control and discipline not to make him a better version of himself but so that he can be used by God to the max!

In verses 19-23 he uses the word “win” 5 times.

Win means being used by God to share His good news with others. They need to be ready to hear the good news. Paul did not want to put forth any baggage that would be a point of contention for someone else not coming to the faith.

God’s glory is paramount. It’s the only thing of value and importance.

Application:
Fix my heart on God. When I truly love him I will want to tell others about him. This love relationship floods out every lesser thing and thought.

Prayer:
Knowing You Jesus:

“Now my heart's desire is to know You more. To be found in You and known as Yours. To possess by faith what I could not earn, all-surpassing gift of righteousness.
Knowing You, Jesus
Knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love You, Lord”
Amen

05/26/2026

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