The Solid Rock Road

The Real Miracle Cure for Addiction

2012-01-02T15:13:00.000-08:00

When we first started The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program in Oregon, our goal was to help as many Christians in addiction as we possibly could. As a team, we created a Vision, Mission and Values statement specifically geared toward spreading the message of freedom in Christ throughout the world.

A decade later, we have seen this happen, especially since creating a website and publishing our book “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery” two years ago. Through our book and website (www.thesolidrockroad.com), people from every state in the nation and from 86 countries have learned about The Solid Rock Road. And many who are suffering from addictions have asked for help.

From the start of our Christian recovery ministry, we have acknowledged that the real help for addicts is the Holy Spirit working from within, but it must come from a person's steadfast commitment to getting set free. There must be real repentance and total surrender to God. It’s true that our counseling is wisdom-filled and our book provides insight, inspiration and guidance. However, The Solid Rock Road Christian Recovery program is simply a resource. The power to transform lives comes from God and God alone.

The only miracle cure for addiction is the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ and the process of sanctification. Recovery is all about turning away from sin -- doing a complete moral u-turn. It’s giving God the same energy given to the addiction and living a godly life based on the application of Biblical principles.

The Solid Rock Road team continues to partner with addicts in the battle for their souls. We have faith for the addicted and grace for the ministry. And we operate with our eyes wide open in order to counteract the lies of the enemy and to impart truth into the minds and hearts of God’s people. Often, we tell the hard truth the hard way because it has to break through strongholds.

Our recovery team has seen miraculous healings and deliverances and we’ve supported those who have suffered through withdrawals and temptations. Sadly, we have laid several of our Christian friends to rest who failed to overcome the battle of addictions. However, we remain confident that all those who call on the name of Jesus in the midst of their addiction, and all those who surrender to God and sanctify themselves will find freedom from addictions for a lifetime.

You can visit The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery website at www.thesolidrockroad.com. You can also visit their Facebook page and find them on Twitter.

Get Off the Yellow Brick Road: Get on The Solid Rock Road

2011-08-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

The following is an the Introduction of the book, "Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery." Here's the link to the website: www.thesolidrockroad.com, plus you can purchase the book on Amazon.com.

“This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the
Crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and
you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

Our whole family watched the Wizard of Oz the day we got our first color TV. We were young girls at the time and could hardly wait to see the movie. We were instantly infatuated with Dorothy and hated the mean and ugly lady on the bicycle. As the movie progressed, we went from being awestruck with all the color and characters to scared senseless.
     In the movie, Dorothy gets tossed around in a tornado and wakes up in Munchkinland. Her house lands on top of the Wicked Witch of the East and kills her. Thankfully, Glinda the Good Witch of the North appears to ease Dorothy’s mind and give her the magical ruby red slippers from the feet of the dead witch. Soon after, the Wicked Witch of the West shows up to terrify Dorothy – and the two of us!
     The Wicked Witch of the West is angry that Dorothy is wearing the ruby red slippers. She makes it clear that her plan is to take them from her.
     With threats from the Wicked Witch looming, Glinda and the well-meaning Munchkins direct Dorothy to the Yellow Brick Road. They assure the girl in the blue checkered dress that the road will lead her to Emerald City and the great Wizard of Oz who has the power to get her home. So off Dorothy and her little dog Toto go, completely oblivious to the danger and disappointment that lay ahead.
    Along the way, Dorothy befriends the scarecrow, tin man, and cowardly lion, all searching for something to make them more complete. Together, they follow the Yellow Brick Road, believing that the Wizard will perform multiple miracles on their behalf.
    Though pursued by the Wicked Witch of the West, Dorothy and her three companions finally find refuge behind the huge doors of Oz. Then, by accident, they discover that the Wizard is all smoke and mirrors – powerless to give the scarecrow a brain, the tin man a heart, or the cowardly lion courage. Worse yet, the phony Wizard is without power to return Dorothy to Kansas.
    Like a good witch should, Glinda re-appears just in time. Glinda tells Dorothy that she already has the power to return home – if she simply clicks the heels of her ruby red slippers and repeats the phrase, “There’s no place like home.” Dorothy follows the beautiful witch’s instructions and is immediately whisked back to Kansas and her beloved family.
    While the Wizard of Oz is a much-loved movie classic, we’ve never understood why the Good Witch waited to tell Dorothy about the power of the ruby red slippers. We wondered why Glinda sent the lost young woman down the Yellow Brick Road when there was a faster, easier, and safer way home.

The Real Yellow Brick Road
Today, millions of Christians are directed to a modern-day Yellow Brick Road to recovery from addictions. They are assured by the treatment industry that sobriety is found along many paths and in a higher power, not the higher power.
    People battling addictions get to choose from an array of recovery methods, modalities, therapies, spiritual philosophies, and programs on their journey along the Yellow Brick Road. They’re also given a long list of excuses for their inability to get and stay sober. We’ve used a few ourselves.
    Anxiety, depression, ADHD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), low self-esteem, and abusive parents are a few reasons addicts give to justify actions. The pre-treatment cure is often a stabilizing pill, which offers a temporary and false sense of well-being. (As ex-addicts, we find it hard to believe that drugs are used to treat addictive personalities. It’s one of the many ironies of life.)
    Before anyone gets offended, we acknowledge that mental health issues exist and realize that people have suffered, been mistreated, molested, neglected, and rejected. We’ve had our share of pain, so we have true compassion for anyone who has endured hardship and difficult circumstances.
    Still, there comes a time when your past should no longer determine your future – when you leave your old life for a brand new one and enact the new creation reality that God made available through His Son, Jesus Christ.
    It’s good to reflect on your life. There’s value in acknowledging the mistakes you’ve made and learning from the pain others have caused you. But Philippians 3:13 tells us to look ahead, “…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”

The Solid Rock Road
By reading this book, we pray you would fully understand the spiritual battle in the unseen world, the purpose of Christ’s suffering on the cross, and the transforming power of God.
    While Dorothy faced danger and distress along the Yellow Brick Road, she finally turned to her ruby red slippers. With a few clicks of her heels and a little bit of faith, Dorothy’s problems were quickly solved. She returned home to Auntie Em. She got her life back.
    When you choose to follow The Solid Rock Road, you find your way home. From the Old Testament to the New, the solid rock represents the foundation and teachings of Jesus Christ. From them, you can build an amazing, addiction-free life. You can wake up with hope, and live a productive and respectable life. You will also discover your destiny and leave a legacy for generations to come.
    Like the ruby red slippers for Dorothy, the red blood of Jesus Christ gives you all the power you need to turn things around. It can immediately cleanse, heal, and restore your life. You don’t have to travel far or wait a long time for the blood to work. It has been poured out for you in advance and in abundance. The blood of Jesus is readily available on your journey to radical recovery.
    The Wicked Witch of the West wanted to steal Dorothy’s slippers because she knew of their magical powers. The same is true for the devil who wants to steal your Christian power from you. If you continue in your addictions or take an unnecessary jaunt along the Yellow Brick Road to recovery, you won’t find a witch or evil flying monkeys, but you may find yourself being constantly pursued by the devil and his evil spirits.

What You’ll Learn
In this book, you’ll learn a lot about yourself, God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. You’ll also become very familiar with the enemy of mankind and how to fight and win the battle for your own soul. We’re taking you on an experiential journey that gets you home in a hurry, and gives you all the Biblical tools needed to protect yourself, along with everyone else who is in your sphere of influence.
    You don’t need magic to make your life great. You need the blood of Jesus and to learn the wonderful ways of God. You need to follow The Solid Rock Road, which is your pathway to radical recovery.

Our Disclaimer
We’re not against secular treatment programs. We know they’re necessary and the world needs trained counselors who care. However, we’ve written this book from a Christian perspective. We’re reaching Christians who continually struggle with addictions, as well as Christians in recovery who are ready to move forward in their lives and ministries.
    We are also writing for pastors, Christian leaders, and those heading up recovery ministries who are ready for a purely Bible-based system that promotes the new creation reality and assimilation into the Body of Christ.
    If you’re not a Christian but looking for spiritual answers to resolve your addictions issues, you’ll find them here. Plus, you’ll get to learn what Christians believe and why we choose a spiritually progressive lifestyle that brings change and results in purposeful living.

God is Enough!
This book reminds the Christian community that God is enough. The Word of God must take precedence in a Christian’s life – over the education, science, systems, counsel, and philosophies of any and all secular treatment programs and organizations.
    In other words, do what God has instructed you to do. Follow The Solid Rock Road and steer clear of every other path. That’s how you’ll win the battle for your own soul and model a purpose-filled Christian life for your children and generations to come.

The Heart of God in Christian Recovery

2011-08-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

We used to wonder why God wants the adoration of humans, especially since He knows our hearts. According to Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…” But it’s His way of connecting, and God knows that His presence can soften our hearts and remove evil from them.

The Bible says that David was a man after God’s own heart. If you have ever been after someone’s heart, you know what it takes to get it. You think about that person day and night. You’re consumed with what they think and remember the words they speak. You are kind and loving to that person and want to spend time with them more than you want anything else. When you have hope that love will result, you will do whatever makes that person happy and you will make sure that you touch their heart.

David deliberately put God first. He kept his heart pure and devoted to God. That doesn’t mean David never made mistakes; we know he did. The Bible tells the story of David’s lust for Bathsheba, the sins that followed, and the consequences of his poor choices.

Still, David didn’t let his past mistakes keep him from connecting with God. In fact, he was more devoted afterward and more inclined to visit the throne because he knew how much he’d grieved God. David’s temporary fall from grace helped him better understand the mercy of God.

Psalm 51:1-6 provides insight into how David’s sin and suffering allowed him to fully experience God’s redeeming love. We used scriptures from The Message because it totally reveals David’s heart.

“Generous in love – God, give grace! Huge in mercy – wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I’ve been; my sins are staring me down. You’re the one I’ve violated, and you’ve seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I’ve been out of step with You for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.”

At this point, David didn’t blame anyone else for his mistakes. He wasn’t rationalizing or justifying his behavior. Instead, he acknowledged his evil and gave God the right to change him. That’s why in Acts 13:22, the Apostle Paul refers to David as a man after God’s own heart.

We all desperately need the heart of David. This requires a change of heart. Ezekiel 36:26 reveals how God works in this realm. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

(This is an excerpt from my Christian recovery book titled "Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.") You can learn about our Christian recovery program at www.thesolidrockroad.com, and you find me on Facebook and Twitter.

The 10 Principles of The Solid Rock Road Christian Recovery Program

2011-06-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

The Solid Rock Road Christian Recovery program in Oregon was founded in 2002. Since, then the recovery team has been counseling the addicted and their loved ones, facilitated recovery groups and published a book titled Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

The following are the 10 Principles used by The Solid Rock Road recovery staff, and found in the book, published in 2010.

One: Surrender and realize your need for God

This principle brings readers to their knees before God in total surrender. The authors define the word “surrender” and discuss the difference between full and partial submission. Through stories, examples, and exercises, readers are brought to the point of agreement that Jesus is Lord, not just their Savior. This Principle includes a surrender prayer to help readers take the first step in their God-based recovery process.

Two: Empty yourself of your sinful nature so God can fill you with his Holy Spirit

This Principle teaches the difference between living in the Spirit and being controlled by the sinful nature. It provides realistic ways to begin the process of positive change by looking at defense mechanisms, masks, and false selves created for the sake of survival. By taking an honest look at who they have become, addicts rediscover who God actually created them to be. The goal of this Principle is for self-centered addicts to understand their sin nature and begin a daily process of self-denial that results in fullness of joy and purposeful living.

Three: Pray and meditate daily on the Word of God

With this Principle, the authors describe the importance of prayer and meditation and promote the concept that the way to eliminate addictive thoughts and behavior is through constant contact with God and reading the Bible. The power of prayer is discussed and described, along with reasons why New Testament believers have direct communication with God through Jesus Christ. This Principle explains in detail how to pray and where to begin reading the Bible. The authors define the word “meditation” and emphasize the importance of waiting on God. The goal is for readers to communicate with God, hear from God, and experience direction, instruction, revelation, and wisdom.

Four: Forgive yourself and others

Using personal testimony, stories, and scripture, this Principle discusses the compassion, mercy and grace of God and teaches readers the value of forgiving one’s self and others. It also describes how bitterness and resentment block spiritual growth. The goal Principle Four is to free addicts from guilt, shame, and blame shifting and to release blessing through personal acts of mercy. This Principle includes the author’s personal story involving violence and rape. Also included is a forgiveness prayer to help readers spiritually progress.

Five: Be accountable, belong, and be vulnerable

Principle Five discusses the importance of attaching to the Body of Christ and describes how secrets and deception result in isolation from people and distance from God. The goal of this Principle is to emphasize the need for getting planted in a local church and having fellowship with faithful people willing to invest in the addict’s spiritual growth and well being. We also discuss the importance of authority in the church, using several principles described in John Bevere’s Under Cover book.

Six: Stay close to God through praise and worship

This Principle describes how praise and worship free the Holy Spirit, reveal sin, are useful in spiritual warfare, and lead to intimacy with God. Since addicts by nature are consumed with their own issues of life, so this Principle emphasizes the benefits of being thankful and grateful, remembering the good, praying for others, and appreciating a blessed and lifelong relationship with God.

Seven: Seek the will of God for your life

This Principle uses John 4:34 as its cornerstone: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” The authors explain how God gives each person a unique personality and characteristics, along with a plan for using those gifts to do good in the world. The goal is for addicts to know they have a purpose and to begin a journey of discovery that results in a clear vision and mission. This Principle includes access to a spiritual gifts test that helps readers identify their ministry strengths and encourages them to begin/continue the process of assimilation into the Body of Christ.

Eight: Stay on the path

This Principle covers the value of steadiness and balance for people who have an extensive history of impulsive behaviors, including drug and alcohol abuse. The authors describe God’s path from the point of salvation, through justification by faith and sanctification. The goal of this Principle is to warn about the dangers of detours, and to emphasize the importance of finding and staying on the path. Principle Eight also provides comparisons between the path of righteousness and the path of self-will described in the book of Proverbs.

Nine: Be ready for battle: put on the full armor of God

Principle Nine shows readers how to defend themselves against the methods Satan uses to deceive and disarm Christians. It also teaches readers the importance of guarding their attitudes and hearts. The authors compare being a Christian to being a well-trained, fully armed soldier who is in the midst of a real battle. This section describes the full Armor of God in simple terms and presents an Armor of God prayer that readers can use every day. The goal of this Principle is to remind people they will experience constant temptation and attacks from the devil but must be prepared to fight and have continuous victory over their addictions.

Ten: Serve God and others

In Principle 10, readers are urged to look at their history of selfish behaviors and the consequences that followed. Readers are made aware of self-indulgences, and are instructed to serve God first and then serve others in order to become a fully attached member of the Body of Christ.

For more articles about Christian recovery, visit www.thesolidrockroad.com. You can also follow me on Twitter and become a friend on Facebook.

My Christian recovery book is on Amazon.com. Click here: http://tinyurl.com/2c3cfem

The Power of the Tongue

2011-05-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Words have power. They can breathe life or they can promote the death of one’s spirit. Many people often talk about how negative and demeaning words have stuck with them from childhood – words from their abusive parents or from mean kids on the playground.

The Bible talks about the power of the tongue. God’s word is clear that as Christians, we’re to be mindful about what comes out of our mouths. It says that we have the tendency to bless one minute and to curse the next. This means we have to forego our flesh to enact the Spirit of God within us.

The inspired Word of God reminds us that words either build or tear down. The following are scriptures that show God’s heart in this matter. (Taken from the ESV)

Proverbs 21:23
Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.

Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Proverbs 12:18
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Psalm 34:13
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.

James 3:2-10
For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. ...

Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

1 Peter 3:10
For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;

James 1:26
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

James 3:1-18
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ...

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Proverbs 15:4
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

James 3:10
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Matthew 12:33-37
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

James 3:11
Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?

Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

Proverbs 26:20
For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

Psalm 39:1
To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

Psalm 37:30
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

Proverbs 17:9
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Christian Recovery: Who You Are in Christ

2011-05-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

Many Christians who have struggled with addictions don’t feel worthy of the name. Of course, we’re all sinners and not worthy of the sacrifice Jesus made for all of mankind, but the Bible talks of mercy and redemption based on repentance.

Satan likes to keep former addicts thinking that they’re worthless, or at least less worthy than others. By doing so, there’s a higher likelihood of relapse and a decreased chance for spiritual growth.

On the other hand, Christians who not only understand what the Bible says about being a child of God, but also personalize the scriptures, are most likely to move into the sanctification process – a spiritual pattern of growth in which they set themselves apart for holy use.

Christians who have recovered from addictions have a lot to contribute to the Kingdom of God. Below is a list of scriptures with descriptions to help remind recovered addicts who they are in Christ.

•    I am a child of God. (John 1:12)
•    I am part of the true vine. (John 15:1-5)
•    I am Christ’s friend. (John 15:15)
•    I am chosen by Christ to bear His fruit.
(John 15:16)
•    I am a child of God; God is spiritually my Father.
(Romans 8:14-15; Galatians 3:26; 4:6)
•    I am a joint heir with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him. (Romans 8:17)
•    I am a temple—a dwelling place—of God. His Spirit and His life dwell in me.
(1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19)
•    I am united to the Lord and am one spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)
•    I am a member of Christ’s body. (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 5:30)
•    I am a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
•    I am reconciled to God and a minister of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
•    I am a saint. (Ephesians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2)
•    I am God’s workmanship—His handiwork—born anew in Christ to do His work. (Ephesians 2:10)
•    I am a fellow citizen with God’s Family. (Ephesians 2:19)
•    I am righteous and holy. (Ephesians 4:24)
•    I am a citizen of heaven, seated in heaven right now. (Philippians 3:20; Ephesians 2:6)
•    I am hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:4)
•    I am an expression of the life of Christ because He is my life. (Colossians 3:4)
•    I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved. (Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4)
•    I am a holy partaker of a heavenly calling. (Hebrews 3:1)
•    I am a partaker of Christ; I share in His life. (Hebrews 3:14)
•    I am one of God’s living stones, being built up in Christ as a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:5)
•    I am a member of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. (1 Peter 2:10)
•    I am an enemy of the devil. (1 Peter 5:8)
•    I am a child of God and I will resemble Christ when He returns. (1 John 3:1-2)
•    I am born of God, and the evil one—the devil—cannot touch me. (1 John 5:18)
•    I died with Christ and died to the power of sin’s rule over my life. (Romans 6:1-6)
•    I am free forever from the condemnation. (Romans 8:1)
•    I have received the Spirit of God into my life that I might know the things freely given to me by God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)
•    I have been given the mind of Christ.
(1 Corinthians 2:16)
•    I have been bought with a price, I am not my own; I belong to God. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
•    Since I have died, I no longer live for myself, but for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
•    I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I am now living is Christ’s life. (Galatians 2:20)
•    I was chosen in Christ to be holy before the foundation of the world. I am without blame before Him. (Ephesians 1:4)
•    I have direct access to God through the Spirit.
(Ephesians 2:18)
•    I have been rescued from the domain of Satan’s rule and transferred to the Kingdom of Christ. (Colossians 1:13)
•    I have been justified—completely forgiven and made righteous. (Romans 5:1)

For more articles about Christian recovery, visit www.thesolidrockroad.com. You can also follow us on Twitter and become a friend on Facebook.

You can also purchase our Christian recovery book on Amazon.com. Click here: http://tinyurl.com/2c3cfem

Forward to Follow The Solid Rock Road

2011-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

Wow! Isn’t this book timely! As a seminal approach in a world needing drug and alcohol solutions, this could just be that book.

Jamee Rae Pineda and Sherry Colby have written a groundbreaking book with Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery, which addresses a deep philosophical split in drug and alcohol treatment.

While most addiction treatments keep people on a perpetual path of coping, Jamee and Sherry open the door to freedom in God and set people on the path to achieve it. Initially, this path doesn’t seem to differ much from existing recovery systems, but it ultimately results in irreconcilable differences.

Follow The Solid Rock Road teaches that one finds freedom through the teachings of Jesus Christ, His atonement, and having an honest walk with God. The 10 Principles of The Solid Rock Road describe how one can identify their addiction, address their addiction, and subsequently be delivered from it.

This work is not bogged down with stodgy or clinical verbiage but is interspersed with anecdotal evidence that illustrates how these principles work. The personal stories from the lives of Jamee and Sherry are transparent and refreshing. Thank you for this level of honesty. It is quite helpful in showing that the 10 Bible-based Principles are more than untested theories, but instead have been applied and proven.

The book is sprinkled with life application exercises and hard-hitting questions. When completed, these will bring a person to self awareness and true change. This is a valuable handbook for life transformation.

Another important aspect of this book is that it can be used individually or in group settings. The final great feature is that the authors offer personal help and interaction for those involved in this process – the addicted, loved ones of the addicted, ministry leaders, and pastors.

As stated in this book, why walk The Yellow Brick Road when we can get on The Solid Rock Road?

-- By Pastor Steve Schmelzer

To read the book Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery, go to www.thesolidrockroad.com or to Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Follow-Solid-Rock-Road-Recovery/dp/0615337899. You can also follow the Christian recovery ministry on twitter and Facebook.

Top Excuses Christians Use to Relapse

2011-04-02T06:11:00.000-07:00

The Solid Rock Road recovery team has heard it all! People who aren't ready to change blame their relapse on everything and everyone but themselves. Even when they admit they blew it, they justify their actions and blame-shift.

At a conference in Seattle that The Solid Rock Road team attended, the speaker asked the audience what the opposite of learning was. We all looked at each other, but none of us could answer it. Then he said something that confirmed what we’ve been teaching in our recovery ministry from the day God called us into it. “The opposite of learning is blaming,” he said.

As recovery counselors, we often do more listening than talking. We can tell when someone has had enough of their addiction and its consequence, and when they haven't. We hear and see repentance, and we can spot those who aren't finished taking and blaming.

When people blame others for their problems and addictions, they aren’t learning the lessons God is trying to teach them. And since God never gives up on the lesson, they will go around the same mountain a million times until He thinks they get it.

The following are some of the main excuses Christians have for their relapse. We gathered these by asking and listening to the truth behind it all.

•   No one will know. I can get away with it.
•   No one really cares.
•   I’m only hurting myself.
•   My family and friends will forgive me in the end.
•   God will forgive me, so why not?
•   I’m bored and lonely.
•   I’m hurt or angry and I’ll show them.
•   I can’t stand the pain anymore.
•   People are always hurting or burning me.
•   I don’t know what else to do.
•   I can’t help myself.
•   I’m one of those people who just can’t quit.
•   I need to escape.
•   I need one last fling and then it will be over.
•   I’ve been good a long time so I deserve a good high.
•   I need to remember how it feels to get high.
•   Being a Christian is too hard.
•   People are expecting way too much of me.
•   I have too much pressure.

The bottom line is that everyone is busy, pressured, suffering, insecure, fearful and in need of a vacation from life. But we are called to be overcomers as Christians, and to be givers, not takers.

For more articles about Christian recovery, visit www.thesolidrockroad.com. You can also follow us on Twitter and become a friend on Facebook.

Why Do Christians in Recovery Continue to Relapse?

2011-03-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

In the Solid Rock Road recovery ministry, we’re always amazed when addicts find the right path and start living an honorable and blessed life, then suddenly change directions. It doesn’t make sense. People discover what works, they get sober, safe and happy, but an off-ramp catches their attention and away they go -- with Christian leaders warning them of danger and destruction.

We’ve asked many relapsed Christians why they went off course. Some said it was because they were bored. Others reported that they were fearful of taking the next step, or taking responsibility for their lives. Then there’s a whole group of relapsed people who claim that being a Christian is too hard. This is the biggest lie Satan tells those struggling with addictions. The truth is, it's hard being an addict. It takes a lot of money and effort to stay high and out of legal trouble.

Admittedly, the devil is the father of lies. Plus, he has installed plenty of detours to take Christians off of God’s well-beaten and blessed path. He makes the off-ramp look like an easy and fast way to get somewhere. But we all know that these insidious detours are not quick and easy. Instead, they result in spiritual death and in many cases, physical death.

No matter how many people urge their addicted loves ones to keep moving forward along God's path, many follow their addiction cycles and agree with Satan’s strategic plan for their lives. Some actually believe it's their destiny. But if God created them, He's the one with the true destiny.

As Christians in relapse wander from safety, they justify their actions with clever excuses and bold-faced lies. They also find validation for their crazy actions from people who either don’t understand addictions, or from those who share their propensity to abuse drugs and/or alcohol.

Veering off the path seems innocent enough, like taking a Sunday afternoon car ride down a one-lane country road. But it’s far from innocent. Where the devil tempts people to go is the opposite of where God wants to take them. Christians who struggle with addictions knows this in their souls, but their drug dealer is waiting and the liquor store is around the corner. Before they know it, they’ve gone way off the wagon and there’s no turning back until the damage has been done.

It’s hard for Christians heading toward relapse, or those in full-fledged addiction, to admit they’re guilty of cooperating with the dark side. It’s much more comfortable to claim they have a chronic disease and can’t help it. And that might be true for those who don’t know Christ and don’t understand the power of God or the work of the Holy Spirit, but Christians are without excuse.

No matter how well Christians in addiction argue their "I can't help it" case, the Bible wins the debate. It says we are more than conquerors.

To make matters even more clear, the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

In other words, God works on our behalf to ensure that Christians are protected from the plans and hands of the enemy. However, He leaves room for free will and people often choose Satan as their master.

What can family members and loved ones do? Pray, enter into spiritual warfare, then release them to God as the Father did in the story of the Prodigal Son. Don't make the mistake of enabling them with your love or your money. This is counterproductive to Christian principles, and doesn't help the addict in the long run.

The Solid Rock Road is a Christian recovery program in Medford, Oregon using the book “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery” to offer freedom from addictions. We also work with families on intervention strategies and creating boundaries.

Visit www.thesolidrockroad.com or follow us on Twitter and become a friend on Facebook.

Understanding Authority in Christian Recovery

2011-01-31T07:49:00.000-08:00

The more you study the Word of God and the more you pray, the more you’ll realize how much you don’t know and how much you need strength, instruction, and inspiration from God and others.

Many Christians who struggle with addictions also struggle with the concept of authority. However, those given authority to speak into your life have moral compasses that direct them toward scripture and spiritual responses, thoughts, and answers. God gives them advice and warnings meant specifically for you.

Hebrews 13:17 makes this point: “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (NIV)

You would experience radical recovery if you listened and followed detailed advice from those offering wise counsel and spiritual truth. Every time you reject good Christian advice, you miss out on godly opportunities for complete deliverance.

Over the years, we’ve asked a lot of people who relapse why they didn’t do what they were told to do. The following are the five universal answers we’ve heard:

· “I’m tired of being told what to do.”

· “My pastor (or leader) doesn’t know everything.”

· “No one understands my unique problems.”

· “The advice didn’t seem right to me.”

· “They are not God.”

No one likes being told what to do, especially if it goes against instinct and logic. But there isn’t a single scripture that includes the phrase: “If you think it’s right,” or “If you feel like it.”

There are spiritual implications when you resist or reject counsel from those in authority over you. First Thessalonians 4:7-8 provides insight: “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”

If a righteous man or woman is teaching you how to live a holy life and everything they teach is backed by scripture, you should listen and follow their instructions (obey). When you reject their counsel, the scripture says you’re rejecting God.

In The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program in Medford, Oregon, we work with individuals and groups to understand the concept of accountability, authority, surrender and obedience. You can find us at www.thesolidrockroad.com, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad and Facebook.

Why Should I Forgive?

2011-01-01T07:47:00.000-08:00

Some people will receive leniency while on the earth, but no one escapes the final judgment because God decides the ultimate fate of every person. His final review will send a person to the fiery pit of hell or to the gold-paved streets of heaven. There’s nowhere in between.

Most of us are relieved when murderers and molesters are caught and put behind bars. We also get a lot of satisfaction knowing that criminals such as these are hell bound. But don’t forget, the worst of the worst have the opportunity to get saved and repent. If they do it with an honest heart and continue to live in compliance with God’s ways, these same criminals will go to heaven.

This type of godly forgiveness can be hard to accept, especially when you or a loved one have been a victim of a serious crime or have been deeply wounded by others. And yet, in 2 Peter 3:9, we see that God offers amnesty for everyone: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Why Forgive?

It’s impossible to be ruthless and righteous at the same time. Therefore, to be right with God, we must take the high road of forgiveness. It’s not always easy, but it’s always necessary.

Christians are entitled to feel and express initial feelings of anger, hurt and resentment, but then we have to respond according to Scripture – or we suffer a serious fate: Here’s what the book of Matthew has to say on the subject: “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” (Matthew 6:14-15).

The following are a few key points to remember when working to forgive people:

Forgiveness is for ourselves and God, not necessarily for the offender.
We have to keep moving forward and forgiveness paves the way.
We cannot act as vigilantes.
Vengeance is God’s, not ours.
Our past should only influence our future in the most positive ways.
When we forgive, we break soul ties to that person and are free to enjoy life.
God says that forgiveness is our spiritual duty.
If we don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive us.
Unforgiveness keeps us bound up in resentment, anger, bitterness, guilt, and shame.
Unforgiveness blocks our relationship with God and hinders our blessings.
Forgiveness sets us free.

In The Solid Rock Road recovery program in Medford, Oregon, we teach that forgiveness is a process. We believe that it’s such an important subject, we wrote an entire chapter titled "Forgive Yourself and Others" in our recovery book,, “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.” You can check it out at www.thesolidrockroad.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Winning the Battle of Addictions

2010-12-05T06:51:00.000-08:00

There is a constant struggle going on inside your mind. It’s a war between your old and new self. For people with a history of relapse, the old self often wins. Since the old self is not redeemed, it is still of the world and controlled by Satan. If Satan controls your mind, he becomes the filter by which all information is received. Even the Word of God gets interpreted incorrectly.

Since our minds lead our actions, the devil knows that if we think bad thoughts, we’ll act badly. Joyce Meyer wrote a book called Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind. In the first chapter, she explains that Satan is strategic and creates deliberates plans to defeat us.

Meyer brings this point home early in her book when she writes, “He (Satan) knows our insecurities, our weaknesses and our fears. He knows what bothers us most. He is willing to invest any amount of time it takes to defeat us. One of the devil’s strong points is patience.”

With such a patient devil, you must make up your mind to invest any amount of time it takes to defeat him! Even though you surrendered, Satan will wait for the right time to return as your master. He’ll wait until you’re tired, you’re showing signs of weakness, you’re having a moment of doubt, or someone at church offended you. He’ll wait years if he has to.

So far, you have let Satan win the battle of your mind. But if there is one concept you must believe, it’s that when you receive Jesus, you really are a new creation, and that all things really are brand new.

It’s time for you to embrace higher-level thinking so you can mature in Christ and live soberly. You can’t move forward if you’re looking back. You have to keep your eyes on tomorrow and trust that God is who He says He is.

Galatians 4:8-9 explains: “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?” (NIV)

For information about The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program and our recovery book titled Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery, check out our website at www.thesolidrockroad.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Christian Intervention: When Someone You Love is Addicted

2010-12-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

Many Christians in addiction attend church regularly while others have quit going to church altogether. Some have completely turned their backs on God and rejected the practices of responsibility and personal accountability.

Whether functioning in the world and in church or moving into total dysfunction, Christians who actively abuse drugs and/or alcohol are selfish and create real problems for themselves and everyone in their sphere of influence. While they get what they want at any cost, their close friends and family members worry about the addict’s health, safety and spirituality.

As a counselor for both the addicted and their families, I’ve taken note that the addicted are overly concerned about getting high, and their loved ones (codependents) are overly concerned about getting them well. Both are obsessed. Both need freedom. Therefore, there’s a dire need for Christian intervention strategies.

It’s true that faith is necessary when dealing with those in addictions, but faith alone may not be enough as many have discovered. Praying for years while the addict continues destroying the family and bringing in darkness may seem like the only answer, but it’s not. In fact, The Solid Rock Road team believes that at some point, families and friends of the addicted have to set boundaries and take very bold steps to ensure that addiction is no longer part of their lives. The following Scripture in James 2:20-24 provides Biblical back-up for this philosophy:

“You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.”

So what does this mean for the loved ones of the addicted? It means that you must combine your prayers and your faith with real action. This often requires that you create a crisis – not for yourselves, but for the Christian in addiction. It's the same challenge that Abraham faced. Will you put your loved one on the altar, not knowing the results, but trusting God for the outcome?

Will you do the hard thing? Will you act in a godly and Biblical manner in order to allow God to be God? For now, pray and ask God to open your eyes, and surrender your loved one into the mighty hand of the Creator!

Check out our website at www.thesolidrockroad.com. You can also follow The Solid Rock Road recovery program in Oregon on Facebook and Twitter.

The Holy Spirit in Christian Recovery

2010-11-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

The Holy Spirit is your personal guide in your Christian walk and in your addictions recovery process. In John 14:16, Jesus tells the disciples He will be leaving (meaning crucified) but someone better will take His place. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” (NIV)

That counselor is the Holy Spirit that lives in you from the point of salvation. Counseling from the Holy Spirit is divine. It’s also free and available twenty-four hours a day. The Holy Spirit overpowers evil and is your source of strength, wisdom, and inspiration. When you are guided by the Holy Spirit, you will resist the temptation to abuse drugs and/or alcohol and enjoy complete freedom.

The problem Christians have is that the Holy Spirit doesn’t possess us. He won’t just spring up and take over our lives. We wish He would. It would make everything so much easier, and much better. Instead, the Holy Spirit lives in us, but waits for us to empower Him through surrender and the process of emptying ourselves.

When we’re under the influence of the Holy Spirit, we’re pleasant to be around. As Galatians 5:22,23 explains: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

The Bible also describes the Holy Spirit as the abiding guest (John 14:16), Spirit of truth (John 14:17), teacher (John 14:26), testifier (John 15:26), guide, voice of God, the Prophet (John 16:13), Glorifier of Jesus (John 16:14), witness to sonship (Romans 8:16), helper in prayer (Romans 8:26), and power to witness (Acts 1:8).

In Romans 8, Paul paints a beautiful picture of who we are with God. He confirms that we are not condemned, but rather protected by the power of the Holy Spirit to face adversities through His redeeming love.

Romans 8:26 says that even when we don’t know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit does and intercedes on our behalf. Obviously, the Holy Spirit knows us better than we know ourselves. Therefore, the Holy Spirit will lead you to your real Christian image, and He will help you change how you think, act, and even how you feel. When the Holy Spirit protects and feeds your soul, you won’t be so free to feed your addiction.

If you need to get set free from addictions, visit www.thesolidrockroad.com. You can also visit us on Twitter and Facebook.

A Note from the Director of the Solid Rock Road

2010-11-08T12:50:00.000-08:00

After nine years in the Christian recovery ministry, I’ve made some observations about the addicts and their families. Here’s a brief summary:

The addicts
As a former addict who was delivered by the power of God, I wonder a lot about why Christians continue to struggle with addictions. Years ago, Pastor Steve Schmelzer asked this question during one of his sermons: “Do you want to know who makes it out of addictions and who doesn’t?” Of course I wanted to know, as did the rest of the congregation. He answered it so simply. “The givers make it, the takers don’t.”

That has stuck with me, and it has proven to be true. The goal of all Christians is to live an unselfish, service-filled life. That’s why the 10th Principal of The Solid Rock Road is “Serve God and others.” If you’re all about yourself, you can’t be all about God. Therefore, freedom from addictions comes when Christians put a stop to their lusts and start to put the needs of others in front of their own.

The families of the Addicts
Denial runs rampant in addicts, but it is also prevalent with their Christian families. In faith, they pray and believe that their loved ones will win the spiritual battle and get set free. Faith is necessary, and as the director of The Solid Rock Road, I count on it a lot. However, there comes a time when the loved ones are working harder on sobriety than the addicts. At this point, they become codependent and can often get in the way of what God is trying to do.

We have a heart for the families of addicts, but we are often in a position of counseling them to do the hard thing, which is to take their loved one to the cross and leave them there. This is grueling because it often means families have to step aside and watch as their loved ones hit bottom.

But isn’t that what happened in the story of the Prodigal Son? The father let the son make his choices. He didn't chase the son down, nor did he devise 101 ways to keep his son from blowing it. Most importantly, the father didn't bring groceries to the pig pen so that his son could eat. Instead, the father lived his life and waited for the son to come back to his senses, and then back home. Of course, there was a feast waiting for the humbled and repentant son.

The Bottom Line
God is in the deliverance, healing, restoring business, but God won’t supersede the will of man. Christians in addiction have rejected the ways of God in favor of their own lusts. The Solid Rock Road team can’t change a person’s mind, but we offer the truth in love and the principles necessary to win the spiritual battle.

If you or your loved one has been taken captive by addictions or you have found yourself in the midst of codependent behaviors, we offer guidance and help with our ministry and book. Visit www.thesolidrockroad.com, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. You can also call me (Jerry Pineda, Sr.) directly at 541-778-8680.

The Problem with Christians in Addiction

2010-11-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

There’s not really one problem with Christians in addiction, but there’s one that stands out above the rest, which is separation from God. Ask anyone dealing with substance abuse issues and they will tell you that they no longer have a close relationship with God.

We hear stories about how in the midst of a person’s addiction they saw God, or God spoke to them. We acknowledge the reality of these kinds of spiritual experiences, but believe they are rare and meant to remind certain backsliders who they are in Christ. But on the whole, the sin of addiction causes a major separation.

Some addicts ask our ministry leaders, “Where is God?” Our answer is that God is still around, but he’s waiting for you to come to your senses – like in the story of the Prodigal son. And like the father in that story, God doesn’t chase after the addict. He waits and allows the consequences of choices to bring people to their bottom. It’s in their weakest moments that addicts and others allow God’s strength and enabling grace to rescue them.

Christians in addiction can’t be rescued unless they want to be. This is the troubling news for family members who work so hard to help their loved one get set free from drugs and alcohol. Often times, they work harder on sobriety than the addict. And the results are discouragement, frustration and many questions for God. Oftentimes, the loved ones of addicts find themselves separated from God because He hasn’t worked on their behalf.

The problem with Christians in addiction is that they have been taken captive and need to be set free once and for all so that they can connect with their source of life and energy, which is God.

The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program in Medford, Oregon, works with Christians in addiction who have made the decision to get right with God. The program also works with family members to help them with issues of co-dependency, which is also sin. You can call The Solid Rock Road at 541-778-8680 for more information, or visit www.TheSolidRockRoad.com. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

In addition, there’s a recovery book available titled “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.” It’s available on the website, on Amazon.com.

Follow The Solid Rock Road: Get Off the Yellow Brick Road

2010-10-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

Today, millions of Christians are directed to a modern-day Yellow Brick Road to recovery from addictions. They are assured by the treatment industry that sobriety is found along many paths and in a higher power, not the higher power.

People battling addictions get to choose from an array of recovery methods, modalities, therapies, spiritual philosophies, and programs on their journey along the Yellow Brick Road. They’re also given a long list of excuses for their inability to get and stay sober. We’ve used a few ourselves

Anxiety, depression, ADHD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), low self-esteem, and abusive parents are a few reasons addicts give to justify actions. The pre-treatment cure is often a stabilizing pill, which offers a temporary and false sense of well-being. (As ex-addicts, we find it hard to believe that drugs are used to treat addictive personalities. It’s one of the many ironies of life.)

Before anyone gets offended, we acknowledge that mental health issues exist and realize that people have suffered, been mistreated, molested, neglected, and rejected. We’ve had our share of pain, so we have true compassion for anyone who has endured hardship and difficult circumstances.

Still, there comes a time when your past should no longer determine your future – when you leave your old life for a brand new one and enact the new creation reality that God made available through His Son, Jesus Christ.

It’s good to reflect on your life. There’s value in acknowledging the mistakes you’ve made and learning from the pain others have caused you. But Philippians 3:13 tells us to look ahead, “…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”

The Solid Rock Road leads people on an experiential journey of discovery along the path of God with Jesus Christ as the foundation. On this path are the plans of God and at the end is a destiny on earth and everlasting life.

To find out more about The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program in Oregon, visit www.thesolidrockroad.com or visit Twitter or Facebook. You can also contact Jerry of Jamee Rae Pineda at 541-778-8680.

Christian Recovery: God is Enough!

2010-09-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the first step in your journey to recovery from addictions is to admit you haven’t believed that God is enough. There’s no shame in making such a confession if that’s your truth. However, once you’ve acknowledged a lack of faith or limited understanding of who God is, you are responsible for doing something about it.

No one can force truth down your throat, nor is God going to place a spiritual feeding tube in you. You have to want it and you have to get it yourself. There’s plenty of spiritual food to go around. At church, your pastor is at the pulpit preaching his guts out. Your Bible is full of the inspired Word of God. If you have doubt, then you would be wise to become obsessed with scripture about faith, the heroes of faith, and hang around people who consistently demonstrate faith.

Whether you lack faith, don’t fully understand Christian principles, or are just being stubborn, your only hope in overcoming your addictions and living a blessed life is to completely surrender to God. And, you must start claiming and believing that God is truly enough.

You can resist all you want or whine about how your situation is harder or worse than everyone else’s, but God can’t be manipulated by your tears, fears, or false promises. And if you believe that your addiction is stronger than his power to set you free, then your message to the world is that Christ’s suffering on the cross was meaningless to you.

The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program in Medford, Oregon is a template for recovery within the churches. With our website (www.thesolidrockroad.com) and book titled "Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery" people can learn to fight and win the battle for their souls, and for the souls of others. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

How to Work with Christian Co-Dependents

2010-09-24T07:23:00.001-07:00

After years of working in the addictions ministry, it’s become evident that it’s not just substance abusers needing recovery help. The loved ones of the addicts are in desperate need of their own kind of freedom. They are locked in a battle that they can’t seem to win and often become entangled in unhealthy habits that promote the cycle of insanity.

The secular treatment world refers to these loved ones as co-dependants. Like the addicts, the Christian co-dependents can’t stop their negative behaviors. They aren’t driven to drink or use, but instead are driven to “save” their loved ones. Co-dependents will go to any length to find the addicts the help they need. In many cases, the addicts haven’t even asked for the help, nor do they really want it.

Christian co-dependents continually offer spiritual advice to the addict they love. They quote scripture, pray incessantly, buy books for them, find recovery programs and create all kinds of schemes and tactics to get their loved one to stop abusing drugs and/or alcohol. Co-dependants work their tails off while the addicts enjoy a good high.

In The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program in Oregon, we often do interventions with those who are co-dependent. Our number one rule is that the person must be ready to end the cycle of insanity. If so, we lead them into a surrender process with God, followed by a series of steps that result in an intervention with the addict.

The Solid Rock Road team offers an outsider’s perspective with the added benefit of having the grace of God in the situation. Our ultimate goal is freedom for all!

If you have a loved one that is addicted, you can visit The Solid Rock Road website at www.thesolidrockroad.com, or visit us on Twitter and Facebook. You are also welcome to call 541-778-8680.

Missing Body Parts in the Church

2010-09-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

If Christians are the Body of Christ, then it makes sense for it to be healthy and fully functional. But the Body of Christ appears to be anemic, and worse yet, has missing body parts.

God created each person to be part of the church body. "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (1 Cor. 12:27) But there are Christians who have become missing body parts. Plus, there are a lot of artificial limbs that are missing the DNA of the church. These people go to church, but they are disconnected from God’s way and His truths.

When Christians become addicted to drugs and alcohol, they obviously detach from the Body of Christ because their sin separates them. But many Christians in recovery have yet to fully re-attach to the Body. Instead, they attach themselves to a recovery program.

Recovery programs are not the problem. It’s the mindset of the people that are not always in line with Biblical principles. For example, The Solid Rock Road helps people to get back on the path and to stay on it. Our goal is to assimilate every participant back into the Body of Christ. That’s why there’s a beginning and an end to our program. People graduate in order to assimilate.

However, many other Christian recovery programs take body members hostage. They help them to the right path, but then insist that the program must be a lifetime addition to their Christian journey. Often times, addicts are told that they must give back to the program, or give back to addicts, which may be steering them from their actual destiny in God.

Not all addicts have the grace and anointing for the addictions ministry. If someone is counseling addicts but it’s not their call, they have become a missing body part. The goal is to discover the gifting and the call of God on every individual’s life so they can be placed properly in the Body of Christ.

The Solid Rock Road is a Christian recovery program in Oregon that promotes freedom in Christ and assimilation into the Body of Christ. Learn more at www.thesolidrockroad.com or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. You can also call us at 541-778-8680.

Obedience in Christian Recovery

2010-08-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

In the first few verses in the book of Acts, we read that just prior to his ascension, Jesus commanded his followers to wait for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. With such an awesome promise, it’s surprising that a mere 25% of them actually obeyed. And yet, verse 8 gives us a clue as to why at least some of the 380 out of 500 followers left before the miraculous event took place.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

The command to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit wasn’t what the followers had a problem with. It was the command to go do something with that power. In other words, selfishness and self-serving attitudes were evident even in the days of Jesus.

It’s true that some followers may have been impatient and that a few may have had emergencies or outside circumstances that prevented them from participating in the original outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But history tends to repeat itself. We see in churches today that many members of a congregation want the benefits of Christianity but not the responsibilities that go with it. They come in with great enthusiasm and tout the amazing miracles of God, only to walk away when they discover that God wants something in return.

A lot of people miss out on the real blessings of God that are gained through faith, obedience and the process of sanctification. Obedience to Christ will always lead to deeper levels of relationship with God and ultimately, increased power of the Holy Spirit. Peter is a great example of this.

Directly following the impartation of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other languages, Peter found himself passionately preaching to the Jews, as described in Acts 2:14-39. The fruit of his obedience is described in Acts 2:40,41.

“With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”

With Peter as one of many role Biblical role models, it’s clear that obedience to God’s commands results in the manifestation of God’s power and the miraculous.

The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program in Medford, Oregon, is a 10-week program that teaches people about obedience. Visit www.thesolidrockroad.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Christian Recovery for Co-Dependents

2010-08-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

Since serving in a Christian recovery program in Medford, Oregon, I have discovered that addicts get all the attention, when their loved ones are often just as desperate for help. Christians in addiction meet with their pastors, they get treatment in both secular and Christian programs and are presented with many opportunities for individual and group counseling.

Christians in addiction usually have teams of people working with them on their sobriety and recovery programs. Meanwhile, the spouses and significant others of addicts do what they do best: They pray and ask others to join with them in crying out to God on behalf of their loved ones; They focus intently on the addict’s recovery, anticipating their needs and putting aside their own. In most cases, co-dependents work harder on recovery than Christians in addiction.

The Solid Rock Road not only provides a system of recovery for addicts, but works with the co-dependent to surrender, to forgive and move forward in their own walk with God. The Solid Rock Road ministry offers counseling and strategies for those whose co-dependency has clouded their judgment over an extended period of time, and whose own addiction has been to rescue the addict in their lives.

Christian counseling for co-dependents is offered by Sherry Colby, CADC1, a certified alcohol and drug counselor. The strategy portion of the Solid Rock Road’s ministry is done by Jamee Rae Pineda, who works with women to create boundaries and bottom lines with the addicts. Sherry and Jamee are the authors of a recovery book titled Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

When men are co-dependent, Pastor Jerry Pineda counsels and works with them to understand their role in enabling the addict. Jerry is the director and a lead facilitator of The Solid Rock Road recovery ministry.

To find out more about The Solid Rock Road recovery program in Medford, Oregon, visit www.thesolidrockroad.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad or on Facebook. You can also call The Solid Rock Road Christian counseling team at 541-778-8680.

How to Work with Christians in Addiction

2010-08-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

Christians who are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol have a great advantage over agnostics, atheists and people of other religions. With the power of God and the blood of Jesus, Christians can be delivered, healed and restored to experience total freedom from addictions. They can be transformed by the renewing of their minds and forgiven by God for every sin they have ever committed.

While Christians have everything they need to resist temptation and to live clean and sober lives, there is an epidemic of addictions within the church. Many Christians live secret lives, addicted to marijuana, methamphetamines, heroine and other street drugs. However, the abuse of prescription medication is on the rise as well. This includes Vicodin, Oxycodon, methadone and other pain-killing drugs.

When people get addicted to narcotics prescribed by doctors, they often run out of their drugs and have no way of getting more from the doctor. By over-medicating themselves, addicts resort to purchasing illegal prescription drugs, moving them into dangerous criminal activity.

Many pastors and leaders are at a loss for how to work with Christians in addiction. As a result, the issue of addictions in the church gets swept under the carpet or ignored altogether. Many times, pastors recommend that addicted members of their congregation get help from the secular system. While this may be necessary in some cases, the role of the church in the realm of addictions should be an offer for prayers of deliverance combined with Christian counseling.

The Solid Rock Road works with addicts and their families. The Christian recovery program in Oregon uses the book “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery” for individuals and group treatment. Visit www.thesolidrockroad.com or find The Solid Rock recovery ministry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad or on Facebook.

The History of Christian Recovery Programs

2010-07-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

Hi. My name is Jamee and I’ve been set free by the blood of Jesus!

We often hear medical professionals and addiction treatment specialists say that addiction is a disease, but this concept is a secular conclusion, not a Christian philosophy. In fact, the roots of AA were securely planted in the Oxford Group Movement, which said that addiction was a spiritual matter and must be dealt with accordingly. They blamed the problem of human existence on self, the idea of personal sinfulness, asserting that individual sin was the key problem and the entire solution was in the individual's conviction, confession, and surrender to God.

In tracing the history of the Christian recovery movement, we learn that recovery programs of The Oxford Group, The Salvation Army and other early Christian pioneers were based on Biblical principles and salvation through Jesus Christ. These recovery processes were later altered by Bill W and his AA program.

While AA acknowledges the importance of a higher power, it also allows each participant their own version of a god. In addition, Bill W promotes the concept of coping with addictions instead of standing on the premise that there’s complete freedom in Christ. This is unusual because Bill W acknowledges that he had a Christian conversion experience that set him free.

The following is an excerpt from Wikipedia (the online dictionary) that clarifies the issue: “The AA concept of powerlessness is different from the Oxford Group. In AA the bondage of an addictive disease cannot be cured only controlled and is a departure from the Oxford Group belief, which stressed a spiritual conversion that would bring complete victory over sin.”

If Christians believe that addictions can only be controlled, then like the rest of the world, they have no hope. Therefore, it’s important that Christians be reminded that Jesus died for the sins and iniquities of mankind. His death led us out of captivity and into a life of victory. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

There is no doubt that Christians must learn to walk out their freedom. But first, Christians must claim or even reclaim this free gift from God. And if we agree with the Bible that we’re new creations in Christ, then it’s important to understand how counter-productive – and perhaps anti-Christian – it is to stand up in front of a group and continually claim that you are either a drug addict or alcoholic.

The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program in Oregon helps the addicts, their loved ones, along with pastors and ministry leaders. You can visit our website at www.thesolidrockroad.com, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also read a Christian recovery book I co-wrote titled Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

The Prodigal Son in Christian Recovery

2010-07-17T08:02:00.000-07:00

The story of the Prodigal Son as described in Luke 15:11-32 is a perfect example of the Father’s patient and enduring love. Children in Sunday School are told this story to help them see God the Father in more human terms. As we mature in our Christianity, the story of the Prodigal Son can take on even deeper meaning.

Many of us have wandered from God and found ourselves to be prodigals, and many have had children raised in the church who drifted away and into the world. In these cases, the story represents the struggles of those who left the safety and comfort of their father’s house in search of the worldly life that offered the freedom they thought they needed.

In early as the second sentence of the Prodigal Son story, we see that the son was intent on leaving: His mind had been made up – the father knew that there was no room for discussion, so he gave his son the money. The prodigal left his father’s house without any regrets and began to live the life that the world offered.

Different versions of the Bible describe the son’s life while in the world as wild, reckless, loose, wasteful, undisciplined and riotous. From these adverbs we can make some assumptions, especially when we’re looking at the story of the Prodigal Son as it relates to Christian recovery in modern times.

The prodigal son felt free to do what he wanted. He didn’t want the constraints of his father’s house. He wanted to make his own rules and to live by his own standards. He wanted to do things his way. Today, wild, wasteful and reckless living usually includes abuse of alcohol and/or drugs. Since the prodigal son started off with lots of money and ended up broke, there’s no doubt that he wasted it on partying and sharing with those of like mind. People used him, and when the money ran out, they abandoned him.

The famine made things worse. Broke and without work, the Prodigal Son reached his bottom when he began to feed the pigs and wish he could eat their food. These dire circumstances brought the Prodigal Son back to his senses, which is what happens when addicts find themselves homeless, without friends, broke and without hope for a better tomorrow.

The Prodigal Son went home humbled. The father didn’t go after him, or try and save him from his circumstances. The father waited, just like God the Father waits for the addicted to return home. Sometimes, those who are co-dependent with addicts interrupt this valuable process. They can't stand to see the addict suffer, so they'll lend a helping hand to keep their loved one from suffering too much. By doing so, the addict never really has to truly repent.

In this story, the Prodigal Son doesn’t go back into the world. He takes his rightful place in the family. But today, Christians in addictions go in and out of the world, and in and out of God’s house. This isn’t a Biblical picture, and in most cases, the issue is that the prodigal has yet to be humbled and has yet to properly repent.

If you're in distress, we can help. The Solid Rock Road is a Christian recovery program in Oregon with a global outreach. The ministry and the book, “Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery” lead people back to Father God and to freedom from addictions forever. You can find us at www.thesolidrockroad.com, follow us on Twitter or become our friend on Facebook.

Christian Recovery: Taking Our Thoughts Captive

2010-06-18T08:30:00.001-07:00

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor. 10:5)

As Christians we are given the mind of Christ, and yet, our fleshly filter appears to be the default. So the challenge is, how do we switch from our natural way of thinking to access God's thoughts?

Here's the way our minds naturally work: We receive information into our brains and we process it through our life experiences. Satan is always there to add pain, anger and torment through memories, old offenses, insecurities, perceptions and other unfair means. If we allow these thoughts to persist, they literally become obsessions in our minds. We can't stop thinking about the situation, and because Satan is involved, the obsession grows and negative thoughts fester.

For those who have a propensity for addictions, these obsessions always lead to relapse. And in most cases, these obsessions will take the most devout Christian to very dark places. Many people spend days, weeks and even months and years cornered in the dark recesses of their fleshly minds.

We can avoid obsessions if we learn to take our thoughts captive as described in 2 Cor. 10:5. To do this, you must first become aware of how Satan traps your mind. And there's a simple test you can take to see if you're heading away from God's light. Compare the acts of the sinful nature with the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:16-26. You'll know where you stand.

If your thoughts have fallen into the "acts of the sinful nature" category, your job is to grab all your negative thoughts together and throw them out like garbage. You must also wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. If you can't think of any scriptures that fit your situation, simply recite 2 Corinthians 10:5, especially the portion that reads, "we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." It's best to actually personalize this scripture by repeating, "I take captive every thought and I make it obedient to Christ."

Be persistent in your spiritual battle against the enemy of your soul. Satan is determined to have your mind, so you must be even more determined to have the mind of Christ. If you have been diligent to counteract the negative obsessions, but are unsuccessful, don't give up. Instead, call your leader, pastor or faith-filled friends to help you work through it.

You will be set free. You will have the victory. God said!

Jamee Rae Pineda has co-authored a Christian recovery book called Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery . You can also find her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

Christian Recovery: Removing Shades of Gray

2010-06-10T10:23:00.001-07:00

God makes one thing clear in the Bible: There is right and wrong. He's a black and white God who doesn't promote shades of gray. On the other hand, the world has moved to the middle and become shady.

Christians in recovery not only have to get set free from addictions, but must identify wrong thinking and consider their spiritual condition in terms of black, gray and white. Most have lived on the edge, moving between the black and gray areas of life. In those two zones, church-going addicts have developed habits and mindsets that mimic the unsaved. In some cases, they have entered pure darkness.

The goal of recovering Christians is to move from the black and gray area to the white space, which is the blessing zone of God. This requires an understanding of God's ways and knowing what is right in His eyes. Most importantly, it requires the decision to do what's right according to scripture.

The Bible is the main resource for learning right from wrong according to God. This point is made in 2 Timothy 3:16. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

According to Wikipedia, righteousness "is an attribute that implies that a person's actions are justified. It can have the connotation that the person has been 'judged' as leading a life that is pleasing to God. Righteousness is also used as an attribute for God."

The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery ministry uses 10 Bible-based principles to lead people to the path of God. It gives them tools to fight the battle for their souls so they can become pleasing to God -- so that they can move from the black and gray of compromise into the righteousness of God.

As a training tool and resource of addicts, check out the book I co-wrote called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery. You can also join me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad.

The Reality of Fake Drug Tests

2010-05-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Over-the-counter drug tests are reasonably accurate, but the trouble with drug testing in general is that addicts are getting really good at faking them. The reason is that they're given plenty of help by companies out there who create fake pee and mechanical devices used to deceive the drug testers. And of course, addicts can search the Internet to find out what other addicts have done to successfully beat the system.

Most importantly, addicts are counting on the fact that no one wants to stare at the private parts of another person. This "distance" factor makes it easy to use fake pee and fake drug testing devices.

For people unaware, fake drug testing enables an addict to continue with their lying and scheming ways. Since every addict lies in order to continue getting high, this isn't that big a stretch -- although it is rather surprising how far an addict will take their deceptive practices.

For families who discover that a loved one is not only using drugs but has been developing systems of deception in order to pass drug tests, it's double the betrayal.

In the Solid Rock Road recovery ministry, we have been fooled, but not for too long. If there is an air of suspicion around someone who we're testing on a regular basis, the team will go along with it for a time, but then we use the element of surprise. Get them to take the test when they least expect it. If they refuse a test, it's the same as the test coming up dirty.

For anyone suspecting their loved one of faking drug tests, do what the addict does. Search the Internet for all the systems, products and devices addicts use to deceive the drug testers. Be smart and be wise to all the possible tricks out there so you will know what to look for.

The best way to bust a drug test faker is to have their spouse, significant other or parent perform the test with the person's pants pulled down. This may seem radical, and even embarrassing, but it works. Finally, send the urine sample to a laboratory that will do a pre-test on substances ingested that will have an effect on the drug test. You can also get a hair sample or blood test.

I have co-written a book called Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery. It speaks directly to addicts. You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad.

The Art of Dying to Yourself in Christian Recovery

2010-04-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

From the beginning of time, mankind has sought to prolong life. Whether it was learning survival techniques in the caveman days, receiving heart transplants in modern times, or looking for the fountain of youth in natural therapies, the goal has always been to live longer.

In Christianity, we are to die to ourselves every day. In 1 Corinthians 15:31, the Apostle Paul writes, "I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily." In other words, Paul willingly destroys the works of the flesh in order for the Spirit of God within to control his soul.

This does not come naturally. Human instincts are to live. With Satan's encouragement, the sin nature continually rises up to wreak havoc in our lives. Therefore, we must commit to our own death so that we can rise up in the resurrection of life in Christ.

When we die to ourselves, the Spirit of God is revealed and engaged in the battle for your mind and soul. Your spiritual death brings honor to God and establishes your place in His Kingdom. It also keeps us humble.

Go to our Twitter site at wwww.twitter.com/solidrockroad or to www.thesolidrockroad.com to purchase Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery

Moving Toward Your Destiny in Christian Recovery

2010-03-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

We have to get over ourselves so we can get to God. The devil uses proven tricks to keep you from moving to the next level with God, and he’s good at holding you back from your destiny.

How many times have you sought God and began to experience positive changes when all of a sudden you start to question everything? You begin to think negative thoughts, and say to yourself, “Who are you kidding? You’re a loser and always will be. You’re different from everyone else in church and no matter how hard you try, Christians will never accept or understand you. You’re a fake and a liar. The only people who understand you are your old friends. You relate to them. They are like you and you are like them.”

Any psychologist will tell you that your addiction is talking. While that’s a great recovery cliché, it’s not a Christian reality. In truth, the devil is reconnecting you with your sin nature, and with himself. He's telling lies and using his wiles to prevent your original God-given future from unfolding. Therefore, you must be sure to counteract every ungodly thought and forge ahead no matter what.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 3:14 that he pushed himself for a purpose. "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." You would be wise to follow Paul's lead!

In the Solid Rock Road Christian recovery ministry, Principle #7 is Seek the Will of God for Your Life. This is a valuable principle because once you understand you have a destiny in God, you will take hold of the freedom God gives and you won't let go.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. Also, look for the ministry's book Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

The Holy Spirit and Christian Recovery from Addictions

2010-03-15T04:54:00.000-07:00

The Holy Spirit is your personal guide in your Christian walk. In John 14:16, Jesus tells the disciples He will be leaving (meaning crucified) but someone better will take His place. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” (NIV)

That Counselor is the Holy Spirit that lives in you from the point of salvation. Counseling from the Holy Spirit is divine. It’s also free and available twenty-four hours a day. The Holy Spirit overpowers evil and is your source of strength, wisdom, and inspiration. When you are guided by the Holy Spirit, you will not relapse or fall back into negative patterns of behavior.

The problem we Christians have is that the Holy Spirit doesn’t possess us. He doesn’t just spring up and take over our life. We wish He would. It would make everything so much easier, and much better. Instead, the Holy Spirit lives in us, but waits for us to empower Him through surrender and the process of emptying ourselves of our sinful nature.

As Galatians 5:22,23 explains: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

The Bible also describes the Holy Spirit as the abiding guest (John 14:16), Spirit of truth (John 14:17), teacher (John 14:26), testifier (John 15:26), guide, voice of God, the Prophet (John 16:13), Glorifier of Jesus (John 16:14), witness to sonship (Romans 8:16), helper in prayer (Romans 8:26), and power to witness (Acts 1:8).

Christians in recovery from addictions can count on the Holy Spirit to help at every level. The goal is to engage the Spirit so that it has control of your soul.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com and look for a book I've cowritten called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

The Solid Rock Road and Christian Recovery

2010-03-09T04:41:00.000-08:00

Christian recovery is a well-known term, and one we use often in the Solid Rock Road ministry. However, anyone who repents from the sin of addiction is actually restored, refreshed and renewed. That's truly exciting for those of us who suffered serious consequences related to our addictions, and for those of us who have regrets.

Restoration allows us to acknowledge our mistakes, but frees us from the shame and guilt. Still, Satan will do everything possible to ensure that Christians in recovery feel condemned for their sin of addiction. If he is successful, then the formerly addicted person remains attached to the sin nature that led them down the addiction path. When they carry the heavy weight of guilt, they are desperate for relief. Often, they find a temporary solution in alcohol and drugs, which leads them through the cycle of relapse -- usually over and over.

While some people are delivered from addiction (meaning instantly over it), others like me have had to endure certain levels of suffering to overcome the propensity to abuse drugs and/or alcohol. Either way, the result is the same. We are set free.

We have to remember that Jesus gave his life for our freedom. This is not a Christian cliche: it is the foundation of our faith.

Repentance is the first step to counteracting the guilt and shame of addiction. If you need help, email me at TheSolidRockRoad@gmail.com. Also, you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. By the way, look for a book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom

2010-03-02T06:42:00.000-08:00

Freedom is a much-used term in the Christian community. People talk about it, know about and teach about. But not everyone experiences complete freedom in Christ. Since the discussion of bondage is often focused on addictions, Christians in general can overlook the strongholds in their own lives. For example, fear, anger, insecurity, lying, pride and greed are many of the ways Satan takes God's people hostage.

When Christians are bound by the work of the devil, it is absolutely necessary to be set free, no matter the issue and no matter how much of a stronghold there is. Without complete freedom, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is minimized. In some cases, the sufferings of Christ have become meaningless to people -- especially those who claim that they can't stop sinning. We know that God says He gives everyone a way of escape.

It's time to be set free and to give honor to the Lord. The following are four steps to spiritual freedom.

1. You must to want freedom more than you want anything else.
2. You must go after freedom with all your heart -- give it everything you've got.
3. You must receive freedom, trusting that Jesus died and completed the process. He said, "It is finished," which means the work has been done.
4. You must maintain your freedom, being aware of the devil's plan to recapture you.

Christians in victory know they have been set free, and they walk out their freedom knowing that the power of God has transformed their lives.

Check out my twitter account at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad.

Addiction is Like Adultery

2010-02-16T05:38:00.001-08:00

Addiction is like adultery. That's a bold statement to make, and yet I believe I have seen and heard enough to warrant such a thesis. As a counselor in a Christian recovery ministry, I'm still shocked by the selfish, untamed desire addicts have for their drug of choice.

Like an adulterer, an addict can't stop thinking about the substance they love and adore. They can't get enough, and the more they get, the more they want. Like an adulterer, an addict will lie incessantly to their wives and families in order to spend time with their lover -- the drug.

The lover has the addict's whole heart so that all thoughts and actions are focused away from all other things in their life. A fantasy world also begins. The vision and the yearning for the lover is on their mind at all times and even takes precedence over the needs of the children, their boss, their friends and all others.

The addict is so obsessed, he or she spends outrageous amounts of money on the lover and outrageous amounts of time figuring out how to be with the lover, please the lover, and have the lover please them.

This analogy could go on, but the point is, addiction is like adultery in that it destroys lives and is a major cause of separation and divorce.

Visit our website at www.thesolidrockroad.com or follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad.

Your Mind as the Battlefield

2010-02-07T07:22:00.000-08:00

The Devil Has No Manners

2010-02-02T04:12:00.000-08:00

As I was pondering the beauty of God and thinking about what a gentleman He is, I suddenly realized that the devil has no manners.

God is mannerly. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we read about how he doesn't interfere when asked not to. We also read in the Bible that we are the ones who need to seek God. We are asked to pray, to read the Word, to go after God with all our hearts. God is always there for us, but He asks that we go to Him. Seeking God is then an act of love on our part.

On the other hand, the devil intrudes and infiltrates. He sees a small opening into our thoughts and lives, and he takes it. He is an opportunist, a thief, a stalker. The devil doesn't wait for his turn, nor is he ever silent. The devil lies non-stop and often gets louder when we ask him to stop.

The fact that the devil has no manners and is in our face helps to explain why people fall into temptation and why it's so hard to say no to drugs and alcohol. But armed with this knowledge, it is clear that Christians in recovery are wise to go hard after God.

We help Christians in addiction remember how to fight and win the battle for their souls by interacting with God. Visit our website at www.thesolidrockroad.com. You can also follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad www.twitter.com/solidrockroad and Facebook. Also, look for a book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

God's Plan for Christian Recovery

2010-01-29T04:15:00.000-08:00

It’s true that God performs miracles. I've witnessed many and have experienced more than I deserve. But if God isn’t giving you the miracle you've been pleading for, He has a different plan for you. God isn't worried about what you think about His plan, He does it knowing what's best for you and with a specific lesson in mind.

God does not want to be your situational rescuer, nor will he put a bandage on your gaping wound. God wants to change your life, to change your mind and to change your heart. Mostly God wants you to put Him first and to make Jesus the Lord of your life so that you can be complete in Him.

When you fully surrender, you’ll find the strength and courage you need to quit addictive and sinful behaviors. You won’t have to go into a treatment center or offer a lifelong commitment to a recovery organization. You won’t have to claim that you are an addict until the day you die. As the Bible says, you are changed; you are a new person in Christ.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. And look for a book I've co-written called "Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery." It is coming out in Feb/March 2010.

Christian Recovery and the Value of Getting Wise Counsel.

2010-01-24T18:18:00.000-08:00

Christians can get off the path when they believe they have heard from God when it's actually their inner voice being directed by their sin nature. While this may make you insecure about whether you are divinely inspired or not, but there is a system you God set up to ensure what you are hearing is truth.

First, check it against Biblical instruction. Second, get in the habit of seeking counsel from your leaders. Even small decisions can have a major impact on your Christian life. Your leaders have been given the grace for you and are responsible for your soul according to Hebrews 13:17. Therefore, they have wisdom and good counsel to offer you.

Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." To prove this point, Solomon writes something very similar in Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.”

The best advice is to leave nothing to chance. When making decisions, don’t get prideful and religious; get guidance. Most importantly, if several wise people agree on an answer, take their advice. This may mean that you have to do something you don’t want to do, or you can’t do something you want to do. At first, you’ll hate this accountability process, but I guarantee you’ll love the long-term results.

You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. And look for a book I've co-written called Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery. It's coming out in February 2010 (or early March.)

Armor of God Prayer

2010-01-11T08:39:00.000-08:00

You have to win the daily spiritual battle for your soul. When you wake up, say this prayer and you'll walk in victory. (This prayer is in a book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery -- out in February 2010.

Stand Therefore, having girded your waist with the truth

Thank you Lord for your truth. You are truth and You alone set me free from sin and lies. Today, I choose to believe and put on the truth about who You are and who I am as Your child. Holy Spirit, lead and guide my thoughts in Your path of truth. Help me to make wise decisions today based on Your word. Help me to speak the truth in love to myself and others. And give me discernment so I know when people are speaking truth and when Satan is using lies to get me off the path.

Having put on the breastplate of righteousness

Thank You, Lord, for Your breastplate of righteousness. I put it on and it covers me today. In the name of Jesus, I take off any robes of self-righteousness or works of the law that would glorify me and distract me from the finished work of Jesus at the cross. I ask you, Lord, to help me maintain my heart with diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life.

And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace

Thank You, Father, for Your good news of peace to me. I put on Your gospel of peace. May my steps be secure and protected today. Prepare me to speak to others about Your love and the good things You’ve done in my life. Help me to live in peace and walk as a peacemaker.

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one

Father, You are a shield about me and the glory and the lifter of my head. I want to please you, Lord, with my faith in You. You’re my Savior, though I don’t always see what You are doing, or plan to do. My trust in You puts You between my enemy and me. I am forever secure in You and inaccessible to Satan.

And take the helmet of salvation

Father, thank You for saving me from sin and death. I receive Your gift of salvation, deliverance, and healing. I have the mind of Christ and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Help me to think pure thoughts and praise You. Thank You for making me a new creation. Make my mind new, and help me not to be ignorant of Satan’s plans.

And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Father, thank You for the weapon of Your Word and Your Spirit. When the enemy comes to steal, kill, or destroy me, quicken scripture to me so I can stand. May my sword (God’s Word) be exercised to defeat the enemy today. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Value of Faith in Christian Recovery

2010-01-08T07:24:00.000-08:00

No one can force truth down your throat, nor is God going to place a spiritual feeding tube in you. You have to want it and you have to get it yourself. The same is true for faith. You can hear about it, see that others have it, wish you had it and wonder why you don’t have enough of it, or you can go after faith with all your heart.

There’s plenty of spiritual food to go around. At church, your pastor is at the pulpit preaching his guts out. Your Bible is full of the inspired Word of God. If you have doubt, then you would be wise to become obsessed with scriptures about faith, the heroes of faith, and hang around people who consistently demonstrate faith.

Whether you lack faith, don’t fully understand Christian principles, or are just being stubborn, your only hope in overcoming your addictions and living a blessed life is to completely surrender to God.

You can resist all you want or complain about how your situation is harder or worse than everyone else’s, but God can’t be manipulated by your tears, fears, or false promises. And if you believe that your addiction is stronger than His power to set you free, then your message to the world is that Christ’s suffering on the cross was meaningless to you.

The Devil and Your Addiction

2010-01-05T04:55:00.000-08:00

Satan walked the earth before Adam and Eve were created, so he knows the planet’s entire history. Satan and the evil spirits that have been assigned to you from the day you were born know your history too, including every major trauma and disappointment you’ve had.

The devil and the demons are good at reminding you about how hurt you have been, how you have hurt others, all the wrong choices you've made and every other negative thing about your life. It's important to note that evil spirits never speak about the good in your life. Their job is to accentuate the negative, and of course, put doubt in your mind and follow that up with out-and-out lies.

Genesis 3:1-6 says that the snake (the devil) is cunning. When he came to tempt Eve, he first put doubt in her mind (did God really say?), and then he told the lie (you can be like God). Eve was then deceived through lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life.

This is what happens with the devil and your addiction. He starts with having you doubt you faith, then tells you a lie such as "It's okay," "This will be your last time," "You can get away with it," "You can't resist the temptation," or "You can't help it." He'll tell you whatever lie he knows you'll believe. Then once you believe, you're deceived and the cycle of addiction continues.

You can get free from addictions if you break the cycle.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. Look for a new book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery. It will be out soon.

Who is Sitting on the Throne: You or God?

2009-12-30T06:03:00.000-08:00

Whenever you depend on your own strength, God can’t give you His. When you admit you’re weak compared to God, He happily intervenes and everything falls into its proper place.

So why do we struggle with letting God be God? If it’s been proven that our lives work better when God is in control, why do we persist in doing things our own way? Why do count on our flawed minds when we have access to the mind of Christ? Why do we forget that God has the power and love we need to live a great life and be free from addictions?

We could all write out long lists filled with reasons we go in and out of our faith and submit to God intermittently. But the main problem is that many Christians are comfortable on the throne and refuse to get off.

God belongs on the throne. If you step down and put God in His rightful place, your life will be blessed.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. Also look for a book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

Christians in Relapse

2009-12-26T06:14:00.000-08:00

Prov. 26:11 describes Christians in relapse. “As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”

In your case, you can compare vomit with drugs and alcohol. Surely you know these substances sour in your system and poison your soul. Since your soul is made up of your mind, will and emotions, the poison controls the way you think, act and feel.

When you quit using drugs and alcohol, the poison leaves your system. Your soul is free to love God and the Holy Spirit is free to do His work. You are on the road to physical, mental, and spiritual recovery.

But the Bible points out that your pattern is to return to your drug of choice or the alcohol that poisoned your soul. When that happens, the Word of God says you are acting like a soul-less, amoral dog, not the Spirit-filled Christian you really are.

Relapse is preventable. You have to understand you are free once you have repented, and God's saving grace empowers you to resist temptation.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. Also, I have co-written a book that will be out soon called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

Freedom from Addictions Through Praise and Worship

2009-12-23T06:46:00.000-08:00

Praise and worship is a lifestyle, not a warm-up session for a Sunday morning sermon.

When you learn to praise and worship in your times of need or in the midst of a crisis, you will discover that it really is possible to have peace when there’s trouble brewing and negativity surrounding you. It’s possible to be content even though you don’t have what you want, or even what you think you need. Simply put, your peace and happiness don’t depend on what you get, but who you get to spend time with.

Your problems don’t stop you from getting into God’s presence. Obsessing about them, and trying to solve them on your own, are what hold you back and make you miserable.

The challenge for today is this: Set aside a half hour. Play 2 or 3 Christian worship songs, then pray for 20 minutes. This is not a prayer in which you ask God for what you want. Instead, it is a prayer of gratitude for who He is and what He's done.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. And look for a book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery

Obedience in Christian Recovery

2009-12-21T06:19:00.000-08:00

When Jesus went to the cross, He modeled obedience and surrender. The night before He was to be arrested, Jesus sweat blood in the garden of Gethsemane because He had a negative human reaction to the concept of suffering. He knew what must be done, but He didn’t want to take on the sins of the world, or to be temporarily separated from God.

Ultimately, Jesus obeyed out of pure selflessness and submission to God.
Romans 5:19 states: “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

This scripture proves two things. First, we are born with Adam’s sin nature. More importantly, through Jesus’ obedience we are offered a new way of life that empowers us to overcome our sin nature and be right with God. It also requires obedience.

Obedience in Christian recovery isn't an option. It's absolutely necessary to remain free from addictions forever.

Follow me on twitter at www.twitter/solidrockroad.com. Also, look for a book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery. It will be out in late January 2010.

The Sin of Addiction

2009-12-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

You can trace your propensity for sin back to Adam and Eve who disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Since they were the first people on earth, we are their descendants and inherited their sin nature. That all changed when we were redeemed and reborn into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

From that point on, Christ lives in us through the Holy Spirit so we have a new nature that counteracts our natural tendencies -- if and when we let it.

No doubt the battle between good and evil rages on. Though we tend to see this battle outside of ourselves, it also takes place on the inside, including our minds, hearts, and souls.

Our original Adam nature lurks about and we often acknowledge and return to it. This is called backsliding. For addicts it's referred to as relapse. Therefore, to prevent relapse, you have to acknowledge the sin of addiction and repent.

Christian Recovery Requires Conviction

2009-12-18T05:48:00.000-08:00

If you never feel convicted for the sins you’ve committed, you will continue in them. This includes your sin of addiction.

There’s a major difference between conviction and condemnation. The Holy Spirit brings conviction, which will cause you to change. In fact, it will have you doing a complete moral u-turn. The devil promotes condemnation, which results in your feelings of guilt and shame, but has no power to help you change.

The grace message is one of the most beautiful truths in the Bible, but it is not the only truth. Yes, God forgives you of your sins when you repent, but there are many scriptures that describe a state of apostasy in which the hand of God is permanently removed from someone’s life. We’re not sure where God draws the line, we just know He does.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. Also look for a newly published book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery

The Value of Meditating on the Word of God in Recovery

2009-12-16T05:53:00.000-08:00

What you think about, or what you obsess about, becomes your meditation. If you think about your drug of choice all day long, that's what you meditate on, and it's no wonder you can't stay sober. You have to retrain your brain to think godly thoughts. The Bible says you can do all things through Christ Jesus, so this isn't an impossible task.

Make up your mind to read the Bible, think about what it says, and pray to God. You may be doing one or two of these things, but you really need all three actions to stay fully connected to God, who is your source of life and energy.

This connection allows truth to penetrate your soul and your spirit to rise above your sin nature. When you disconnect from God, you are in human default mode. This means that you are being directed by your inner voice, which has gotten you into trouble your whole life.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. And look for the book that's about to be published called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

Gratitude in Christian Recovery

2009-12-12T08:08:00.000-08:00

When you're in the midst of a battle, it's hard to see the good in your life. Still, your freedom depends on your connection with God and His Son Jesus Christ. In other words, no matter what your circumstances are, you are still a Christian.

Last night, my son said something that really touched my heart. He's been going through a major trial, and has admitted that he's been feeling disconnected from the heart of God. Finally, when it appeared that he was at the end of himself, he realized something. I would call it a revelation. He said, "I'm just grateful to be saved. That's enough for now."

It was a simple statement, but carried a powerful message. When it seems like we can't win the battle, or our life isn't going as planned, we can rely on salvation to give us hope and fill the empty places.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

The Heart of God and the Mind of Christ in Christian Recovery

2009-12-11T04:41:00.001-08:00

Whether you lack faith, don’t fully understand Christian principles, or are just being stubborn, your only hope in overcoming your addictions and living a blessed life is to completely surrender to God. You have to believe that the power of God and the blood of Jesus is enough to set you free forever.

God can’t be manipulated by your tears, fears, or false promises. And if you believe that your addiction is stronger than His love for you and His power to deliver you from drugs and alcohol, then your message to the world is that Christ’s suffering on the cross was meaningless to you.

At this point in your addiction, what you really need is supernatural heart surgery and a divine brain transplant. You need the mind of Christ and the heart of God – the purest form of recovery. You need to love others the way God loves you and you need to think like Jesus was sent to earth to be a servant.

You can read more about getting free from addictions forever in a book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery that's coming out in January 2010. Also, follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad.

Is it the Devil or is it You?

2009-12-10T05:28:00.000-08:00

In our Christian recovery ministry, people talk a lot about how the devil is destroying their lives. And though we see the damage Satan does, we also see that Christians are often their own worst enemy.

The devil can tempt you -- and he will -- but ultimately, you make the choice to continue your sin of addiction. The Bible says that you are given the ability through Christ to resist all temptation. Therefore, your recovery depends on you making the right choice.

This sounds way too easy. In a way, it is. You complicate the matter by justifying behaviors, blaming others for your weakness, and living in the past.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. Also, look for a book I've co-written called "Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery." It will be out in January 2010.

Freedom Comes When God is First

2009-12-09T06:41:00.000-08:00

God wants to take first place in your life and be the source of power for all things.
God is way more powerful than Satan. Unfortunately, you may see Satan as the one with all the power. But the reason you can't resist him is because you’re surrendered to him. If you transfer your obedience to God, you will be shocked and amazed by His power, love and grace.

This is your first step to overcoming addictions forever. Think about God more than you think about your drug of choice. If God is first, then He will be on your mind and His righteousness will become you.

You can see this as simplistic or you can see this as an amazing opportunity to be quickly transformed. I challenge you to soak yourself in the presence of God and be immersed in His Word for one month straight. Go to very church event and Bible study you can. Make dates with faithful people who will build you up spiritually. Get prayer every day and be in prayer every day. You will see the power of God, you will be able to resist the temptations and you will be free from your addictions.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. And look for a book I co-wrote called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

Christian Recovery: Put On the New You

2009-12-08T09:15:00.001-08:00

Why would you want to live as your old self when you have a completely new identity in Christ? For Christians in recovery, the answer can be the difference between continual relapse and freedom for a lifetime.

The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 4:22,23: "put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."

Paul was talking to Christians -- reminding them of their identity as sons of the king. We have to kill the sin nature at the cross of Jesus so that new life can emerge. When we say goodbye to who we were, we welcome the new us. That is what Christian living is all about. We become a new person that looks more like Christ, and that is in a continual progression of spiritual growth.

If you're hanging on all or parts of your old self, you can't be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Ask God to show you what you must let go of so you can enjoy the gift of true righteousness and holiness.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

Christian Recovery and the Battle for Your Soul

2009-12-07T08:52:00.000-08:00

If your soul is made up of your mind, will and emotions, then your soul directs the way you think, feel and act. So it's no wonder that God and the devil want to control your soul. God wants you to have the mind of Christ, to come under His will and to take all your thoughts captive into the obedience of Christ.

On the other hand, the devil wants you to be controlled by your sin nature. He wants you to think the old way, he wants you to protect your self-will and he wants you to be moved by your emotions. In other words, the devil likes it when you act on impulse and not on principle.

In the Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program, we teach you how to win the battle for your own soul. No one can do it for you, although there is an Army of God to support and assist you when you've made the choice to change. God doesn't possess your soul, although it would be great if He would. You must fight the spiritual battle so you can give your soul to God. That's how you win.

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. Also, look for the book Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery that's coming out in January 2010.

The Solid Rock Road Leads to Jesus

2009-12-06T08:22:00.001-08:00

It's really clear that addictions to drugs and alcohol are on the rise, even in Christian communities. As a result, more and more Christian programs focus on the addict and their issues. In the Solid Rock Road ministry, we believe that Christians must focus on the new creation reality -- not themselves.

The power of God and the blood of Jesus set us free from addictions. We just have to believe what the Bible says. The New Living Translation of 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells it like it is: "But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it."

If you believe the Word of God, then you can resist all temptation. In our book: Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery, we offer 10 Bible-based principles to get and stay free from addictions forever. It will be out in January 2010. Meanwhile, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

Christian Recovery Brings Total Freedom

2009-12-04T05:57:00.000-08:00

Many people get sober and are better able to cope with life. But coping isn't thriving. Coping is attempting to overcome, which means that those who are just coping have yet to experience victory.

For Christians in recovery, the power of God, the blood of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit result in a life transformed. In the Solid Rock Road program, we call this radical recovery.

If you are a Christian battling addictions and continual bouts with relapse, you need to claim the freedom you were given as a gift when Jesus died on the cross. You must agree to suffer all the way to the cross, die to yourself and be renewed into the image of Christ.

Follow us on www.twitter.com/solidrock road. We'll let you know when you can purchase our Christian recovery book titled "Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

Prayers for Passion

2009-12-03T06:05:00.000-08:00

If you're wondering why you aren't getting the results promised in the Bible, you may want to check your passion meter. Are you half-hearted in your Christian walk, or are you ready to do whatever God says?

Most Christians who tend to relapse are more passionate about the things of the world than they are about the things of God. If that's you, you might want to repent and empty yourself of your sinful nature so God can fill you with His Holy Spirit.

You need the fire of God to transform your life. I suggest you start with prayer. I'm not talking about empty prayers in which you beg God to make your life better. I'm talking about fervent, righteous prayers that the Bible says will "avail much."

I've co-written a book that can help you get back on the path and live a full Christian life. It's titled: Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery. It will be out in January. Meanwhile, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

Freedom from Addiction is a Gift from God

2009-12-02T05:19:00.000-08:00

You don't have to wonder if you'll ever be free from addictions, you already are. Jesus paid the price for freedom on the cross, and said "It is finished." If you understand the new creation reality, you know that you've won the battle for your own soul. But if you don't, then you will most likely continue to relapse.

Freedom is a gift from God. Will you receive it? Do you even believe it? So many Christians in recovery have discovered that everything they needed to live a lifetime of sobriety is found in the Bible. You can read about the strength of God, the transforming power of God, the deliverance of God, the protection of God, the promises of God and so on, but you must have faith that it is all true.

God is enough. You don't need a program or a group of people to depend on. You must simply become dependent on God.

Follow me on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/solidrockroad. And look for a book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

Christian Reocvery and the Power of God

2009-12-01T06:13:00.000-08:00

In 12-step programs, you're told that your struggle is one day at a time. In Christian circles, the Bible tells you to pick up your cross daily. The Bible says you are a new creation "Behold, all things have become new." The Bible encourages believers to suffer with Christ, which means we have to pick up our cross every day and deal with our issues properly. As Christians, we're expected to suffer ALL THE WAY to the cross, not halfway, not most of the way -- all the way!

Christians in recovery must agree with the Bible, not a secular program where you depend on your self-will to make it one day at a time. In 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul says this: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness." WOW! That's awesome.

Acknowledge you're weak and allow the strength of God to do what you haven't been able to do. With the grace of God, you'll experience a lifetime of freedom from addictions.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. Also, look for a book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery.

Christian Recovery and the Word of God

2009-11-30T14:39:00.001-08:00

If you're a Christian and continually relapse, you don't need a program, you need a better understanding of scripture, suffering and obedience. The Bible says you are more than a conqueror, you are a child of the living God, you are a winner and you have the mind of Christ. It also says that we are to pick up our cross daily and that Jesus must be our Lord.

You must believe that the Word of God is your answer to every problem, including your addiction. If you don't believe that, then you are in spiritual danger. If you trust the Word, then you will be willing to do whatever it takes to please the Master. He says to obey is better than sacrifice.

You may want to read a book that includes these concepts and gives more answers to the spiritual battle at hand. It's called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery and its coming out in January 2010.

Meanwhile, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

Surrender and Realize Your Need for God

2009-11-30T02:47:00.000-08:00

If you're a Christian in recovery, the most important thing you can do is surrender to God. You may think you've already done that just by getting saved, but if you continue to struggle with drugs and alcohol, then you really haven't.

When you surrender, you trade your will for God's will. This isn't a nonchalant act. In fact, if it doesn't hurt and it isn't hard, then it most likely won't last. Surrender means you give up, you let go, you say "yes" to every command in the Bible.

When you surrender and realize your need for God, you get the strength of God to fight and win the battle for your own soul. You renounce the works of the flesh and willingly kill your sill nature. In the process, Christ in you rises up and the grace of God empowers you to resist temptation.

Simply put, surrender gives you all the power you need to live a clean and sober life forever.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. Also, look for the new book I've co-written called "Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery. It's coming out in January 2010.

Claim to be a Christian, Not an Addict

2009-11-29T05:25:00.000-08:00

According to the Bible, we're new creations in God. That means we're changed, we're different, we're made new. This is an amazing reality, but one that many Christians in recovery seem to forget.

You can't claim you are an addict for the rest of your life if you claim you are a Christian. You must see yourself as transformed, and you must believe that the power of God and the blood of Jesus is enough for you to resist all temptation. When you continually claim your addiction, you are empowering your old self to rise up.

Your old self is the problem. You must walk in your new creation reality so that you can live as a victorious, addiction-free Christian forever. This is what the Bible says, and this is what the blood of Jesus has done for you.

Follow The Solid Rock Road ministry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad, and look for our book to come out in January 2010 called "Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery."

The Christian Recovery Path of Sobriety

2009-11-29T04:42:00.000-08:00

To stay sober, you must discover the path God has created, go down it and stay on it. There's safety on the path of righteousness, plus a lot of learning, growing and getting set apart from the world.

The Solid Rock Road ministry describes this path and warns of taking the so-called Yellow Brick Road to recovery where the end is filled with smoke and mirrors. The path of God directs you straight to the cross of Jesus Christ.

Along the path, the devil will tempt you into taking detours. These off-ramps appear to be safe and seem like a faster way to get where you're going. But, they send you in circles, which results in you entering another one of your cycles.

Follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad. And look for our book: Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery coming out in January 2010.

Christian Recovery Requires Forgiveness

2009-11-26T07:07:00.000-08:00

There's no doubt that as a Christian you understand that addiction is unacceptable. However, you often find yourself in a continual state of relapse. You get sober, your life gets better, you feel better, then you start to focus on the negative aspects of life, and you give in to temptation and relapse.

While there are many reasons for relapse, a major one is that you may have missed the important step of forgiving yourself and others. Forgiveness isn't an option. According to the Bible, we are all commanded to forgive. More importantly, if you want to be forgiven, you have to extend forgiveness.

Forgiveness starts with yourself. Many Christians in recovery feel shame and guilt. These emotions are not of God and will bring condemnation. Take yourself to the cross of Jesus Christ and allow yourself to feel the pain of your life. See the truth and admit what you've done so you can have true remorse and you can repent. Repentance is important because it causes you to do a complete moral u-turn.

Our book is coming out in January and includes a chapter on Forgiveness. The book is called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery. For now, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad.

Freedom from Addictions God's Way

2009-11-23T06:56:00.000-08:00

I have not always been a good girl. In fact, I've been very bad. But knowing this about myself doesn't make me feel condemned, it makes me grateful to be who I am today.

Gratitude is the reason I co-wrote the book "Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery." It's a way to show my appreciation to God for giving me back the life He originally intended. I don't live in the past, but I acknowledge it so I won't forget the pain, the confusion and the hopelessness I felt in my addiction.

I love being clean and sober. And I love that the Bible provided the truth that set me free, and answers every question I ask about life.

Christian Recovery: Your Temptation and Your Testimony

2009-11-19T08:24:00.000-08:00

You can't have a testimony if you haven't had a test that you have passed. The reality of relapse is that you continually have to retake the test of temptation. Therefore, if you're sick of taking the same test over and over, then you have to study and commit to passing that test once and for all.

Can you imagine taking the same spelling test for years and years? Wouldn't you be determined to pass it so you can move forward and get smarter? And wouldn't your teacher make sure you learned the words you've already been given before she gives you another set of words to spell? If your school teachers won't let you fake your way through, why would God?

The simplest way to understand your chronic relapse is to see that God wants you to resist temptation based on HIS strength and the grace he's given. God expects you to change your pattern so that you can get out of the cycle of addictions. If He hasn't delivered you out, then you're test is to resist, resist, resist.

In the Solid Rock Road ministry, we teach you how to resist. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad, and look for our book "Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery

God's Grace is Sufficient for Christians in Recovery

2009-11-17T15:24:00.001-08:00

Many Christians who battle with addictions believe that grace means that God is quick to forgive. While God forgives when we repent, it's vital to understand the true work of grace in our lives.

There is a saving grace and an empowering grace that follows. It's the grace of God that enables Christians to get set free. Grace is the way of escape. Think of the acronym that many people use for the word grace: God's Riches at Christ's Expense.

If we have God's riches, then what could we possibly be missing? If God delivers, then we have deliverance. If he heals broken hearts, we're healed. The only thing that's missing is a complete understanding of what Christ accomplished at the cross.

Christian recovery really depends on Christians living in grace as defined in the Bible.

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

Radical Recovery Requires Radical Change

2009-11-15T06:01:00.000-08:00

A book I've co-written called Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery describes the battle of addictions and provides 10 Bible-based principles to fight and win. The book is due out in December, but for now, it's important to understand that Christian recovery is different from worldly recovery methods and techniques.

We have the amazing grace of God that not only saves, but enables Christians to resist all temptation. We have the blood of Jesus that cleanses, and the Holy Spirit as our counselor and guide. We have God who is all knowing, all powering and everywhere present. What more do we need? Nothing.

We don't need years of therapy, nor do Christians in recovery need to claim they are addicts for the rest of their life. Instead, they can claim they are new creations and free from addictions, starting right now.

Radical recovery happens when Christians take hold of all that God offers and puts His principles into practice. Radical recovery is simply acknowledging that God is enough. It's turning your life into an overcomer's legacy and allowing God to change our hearts and our minds.

I urge every Christian who struggles with addictions to enter into the radical Christian lifestyle.

Visit me on Twitter at wwww.twitter.com/solidrockroad

Christians in Recovery Must MakeJesus their Lord

2009-11-12T03:49:00.000-08:00

Christians who battle with addictions are often asked to look for the root of the problem. Some will say that life has taken its toll, while others blame Adam and Eve or point their fingers at evil spirits. However, if the blood of Jesus has saved you and the Bible is there to instruct you, you have to look deeper to find the real root.

For most Christians in recovery, the root is self-will. Look in the mirror and ask yourself if Jesus is your Lord, as well as your Savior. If he's your Lord, you'll serve and obey Him. If not, you'll live as if you are the ruler of your own world.

The word 'obey' is a tricky one. It means doing something you don't want to do. In order to serve, you have to quit being selfish. Now do you see the problem?

Follow The Solid Rock Road ministry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad.

Keys to Christian Recovery

2009-11-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

Satan infiltrates. God waits.

Many Christians in addiction are waiting for God to do something miraculous when God is waiting for a relationship. When God doesn't posses them or prevent them from abusing drugs and alcohol, they start to believe that Satan has more power. They complain that God doesn't care and that the temptation is too great. They can't resist because God hasn't rescued them.

Satan infiltrates the minds of addicts. He has access because of the sin of addiction. So it makes sense that Christians who battle with addictions will think like the devil. But even in the midst of addiction, God has created ways to escape.

Christians have access to the Holy Spirit, which is Christ living in us. Those in addiction must agree to kill their sin nature and access the Holy Spirit to receive the mind of Christ. God wants relationship, then submission and obedience. He wants it His way, and He'll wait until you're ready to do it.

God's Presence in Christian Recovery

2009-11-11T05:51:00.000-08:00

Your problems don’t stop you from getting into God’s presence. Obsessing about them, and trying to solve them on your own, are what hold you back and make you miserable. Many Christians in addiction use drugs and alcohol to dull the pain of their mistakes, or to forget the issues of their life. But addiction increases misery and further separates you from the One who has the help you need.

Misery has a mind of its own if you let it persist, but it's what you've come to know and accept in your life. Your addiction promotes your misery, and vice versa. It’s a vicious cycle that you have to break if you really want to live a clean and sober Christian life.

If getting to God isn't easy, you must persist in seeking Him! God's presence is where you'll find peace in the middle of chaos, and where you'll find your way of escape. Insist on meeting God. Start with putting on Christian worship music, then praise Him and pray to Him. Don't leave until He shows up.

Radical Recovery from Addictions for Christians

2009-11-10T06:46:00.000-08:00

The radical lifestyle of addicts never ceases to amaze me, even though I've done my share of partying and admit to being equally outrageous. If you battle with addictions and are a Christian, you would win if you lived as radical a Christian lifestyle as when you were in the height of your addiction.

Your addiction to drugs and alcohol occupied your mind and dictated your actions. Everything in your life evolved around getting your drug of choice and consuming it. You went to bed high and you woke up wanting to be high again. You tended to your addiction at all moments, sometimes ignoring your work, family, friends and children in the process.

If you switched your pre-occupation to serving God and others, you would never relapse again. You would establish a legacy of sobriety and move into your destiny. I've co-authored a book titled "Follow the Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery" which provides 10 Bible-based principles that takes readers on an experiential journey of discovery. It will be out in December.

Meanwhile, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

The Army of God in Christian Recovery

2009-11-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

Statistics prove that the battle of addictions is heating up. With the number of addicts on the rise and new drugs emerging, the world is faced with devastating affects on families and in communities.

The church is in the same kind of trouble. The devil will stop at nothing to kill, steal and destroy and he's using the weak-minded to infiltrate the Christian world with more and more addiction issues. Therefore the Army of God must stop at nothing to annihilate the plans of the enemy. We've got to take radical action to eliminate the sin of addiction.

The Solid Rock Road Christian recovery system provides training for Christian soldiers. A book written by Jamee Rae Pineda and Sherry Colby offers 10 Bible-based principles that take readers on a spiritual journey of discovery and freedom from drugs and alcohol.

Follow the Solid Rock Road Twitter to find out more about the system and to learn when and where the book will be available. www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

Resist the Temptation to Use Drugs and Alcohol

2009-11-09T06:06:00.000-08:00

Most people who battle with addictions say they can't resist the temptation to use drugs and alcohol. This may be true for some individuals, but this should never be said by Christians. The Bible refutes that statement in 1 Corinthians 10:13 when the Apostle Paul writes, "No temptation (or trial) has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted (or tried) beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (or trial) will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it."

That's an amazing scripture and one that Christian addicts should get in their hearts. If you are a believer, then you know that all scripture is by inspiration of God. Therefore, He is speaking directly to addicts in 1 Corinthians 10:13. He says He has made a way of escape. That means you CAN resist because God is faithful to give you a way out.

The question is, are you faithful? Do you have faith that God is enough?

You can follow The Solid Rock Road on Twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

Christians Addicted to Drugs and Alcohol

2009-11-08T06:55:00.001-08:00

Christians addicted to drugs and alcohol attend churches all over the world. Many are in ministry, keeping their addiction a secret, but knowing in their hearts they have crossed the line from user to abuser. Obviously, not every person addicted to drugs and alcohol is homeless or lives under the bridge. They are your friends, family, neighbors, and fellow church members.

It doesn't matter if a person is a church-going addict or a backslidden addict. Both are in sin and must first admit they can't control their drinking and can't stop doing drugs. To get free, they must first be truthful, then live in the truth, which is the Word of God. Christians in addiction don't need to find a new program, they already have the Bible. Truly the power of God will deliver when Christians surrender and commit to being obedient children of God.

The Solid Rock Road ministry provides 10 Bible-base Principles that will transform the lives of Christians addicted to drugs and alcohol. You can find us on twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

The Servant Heart in Christian Recovery

2009-11-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

As a Christian, you’re called to a standard that extends beyond human nature. Ultimately, your love and service to others mirrors the condition of your heart. The goal as you walk along the Solid Rock Road is to soften your heart according to the Word of God, and in so doing, soften your heart toward the lost and to Christians and others in need of your help.

A hard heart cannot model Christ, nor can it serve without selfish intent. Therefore, Christians who practice the sin of addiction must get in the habit of serving others. Look around your church. There are single mothers and the elderly who could use your compassion and your practical assistance. During the holidays, offer to feed the homeless at a nearby shelter, or purchase presents anonymously for a family suffering from financial distress.

Make up your mind to do at least one good deed every day, and create a list of ways you can be of value to your family, friends and neighbors. When you think about other people and do random acts of service, you will think less about yourself and have less time to think about doing drugs and alcohol.

Check us out on twitter at www.twitter.com/solidrockroad

The Sword of the Spirit in Christian Recovery

2009-11-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

Temptation is no excuse to give into addictions. Every Christian is tempted with something, but we're all expected to resist using the Bible as our resource. Even Jesus was tempted by the devil during his 40 days in the desert. And since Jesus is our model and we're to have the mind of Christ, all we need to do is follow his lead when temptation strikes.

In Matthew 4:4,7 and 10, Jesus’ response to the devil’s temptations started with “It is written.” This should be your response when tempted to use drugs or alcohol. Ephesians 6:17 refers to the Word of God as the Sword of the Spirit. In other words, your greatest offensive weapon in the spiritual battle of addictions is scripture. If you learn to wield the Sword, you can kick the devil's butt and win the battle for your soul.

Get in the habit of reading your Bible every morning. Start your day empowered by the Word of God. Don't leave home without your Bible so it's easily accessible if you're suddenly hit with temptation. And memorize victory scriptures so that you are fully armed at all times. Remember, Jesus died on the cross so you could be free. When he said, "It is finished," he meant it. You are victorious.

Christian Recovery and the Spiritual Battle

2009-11-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

Christians understand that a spiritual battle exists. There really is a fight between good and evil in the unseen world -- the devil and his demons versus God and his angels. In the middle of this battle is mankind, choosing sides and often becoming passionate about what they believe.

Those who call on the name of Jesus have pledged themselves as soldiers in the Army of God. They have chosen to fight for good, and have agreed to separate from the ways of the world. Romans 12:2 gives Christians good advice. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

In the Solid Rock Road Christian recovery program, we are passionate about using the spiritual weapons of warfare to fight the battle, and to have the mind of Christ in all things. We believe that Christians battling addictions have everything they need to overcome temptation and to live a clean and sober life.

Christian Recovery and the New Creation Reality

2009-11-06T08:13:00.000-08:00

The secular recovery community believes that once an addict, always an addict. But this is not true for Christians who understand they are transformed into the likeness of Christ. Many scriptures support this concept, but especially 2 Corinthians 5:17 which states, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

Christians who struggle with addictions must accept this new creation reality for themselves. With a recovery ministry called the Solid Rock Road, we teach participants 10 Bible-based principles that give them the information and spiritual weapons they need to fight and win the battle for their souls once and for all.