POP 393 - Connected to the Vine

Our connection to God in the process of change, healing, and recovery is of supreme importance. It’s hard enough to overcome sexual compulsion, sexual addiction, or addiction to pornography with the Lord, let alone without the Lord. Even secular recovery programs such as Alcoholics Annoymous affrim the importance of your relationship to a "higher power" to the process of recovery, and at least 6 of the 12 steps directly mention this reality. Step 2: accept that a higher power, in whatever form, will restore your sanity Step 3: make a decision to turn your will and life over to a higher power Step 5: admit to a higher power, another human, and yourself the nature of your wrongdoings Step 6: accept that a higher power will remove your character defects Step 7: humbly request the higher power remove your shortcomings Step 11: use prayer and meditation to connect with the higher power If we're serious about being better men, we must have a relationship thing going on with God, and not just a religion thing. Tony asks a critiically important question at the end of this episode, and the way you answer the question has profound implications for your life! 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:4-5 Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  II Corinthians 5:17 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  I John 5:12 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:13 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  Galatians 2:20