Putting the Past in the Past

One of the best Christian bands is Casting Crowns. What is so amazing about their music is that it is clearly filled with grace and mercy, but their songs are also filled with correction. Songs like “If We Are the Body” call Christians out on the unloving attitudes that we often have toward others. Including often shunning fellow believers.

My Own Worst Enemy

During this past week, our song was from Casting Crowns, “My Own Worst Enemy.” You can listen to the song and read the lyrics by clicking the video below:

This is a song that truly reveals the person who often most stands in our way – ourselves. The truth is that we can criticize Satan all we want. We can blame him for the mistakes that are made. We can say that he is the one leading us to sin. He truly is evil in every way. However, when push comes to shove, we are our own worst enemies.

It is perplexing. We want the best for ourselves, but we rarely choose that. At Hope CDA, one of the things I hear most often is that a participant knows that he should not choose to do something. He has every reason not to do it. He does it anyway.

Why does this occur? A line in the song covers the answer quite well. That line says, “Lord, help me feed the life I’m trying to live and starve the life I’m trying to leave.” We often feed the things that hurt and destroy us. We know they are not good, but we feed them while starving the life that God wants for us.

The Conundrum in Each of Us

Romans 7:15 tells us this: For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. There has likely been no person who ever walked more in the Christian way that the apostle Paul. He truly gave up so much to follow Jesus and his understanding and application of the Scripture to his own life is beyond words. Yet, he didn’t even understand his own actions.

He knew what he was supposed to do but simply did not do it. He knew what he was not supposed to do but simply couldn’t stop doing it. It is the most perplexing part of being a human being. We make choices that simply don’t make sense.

These choices do have a foundation, however. It is often our past that leads us to the bad decisions we make. In the song, we are told, “I could’ve sworn I put him in the ground. But looks like he’s found his way out.” We think we have put our past in the past, but it finds a way to creep itself back into our lives. That could be through guilt or shame. You may encounter someone you’ve not seen for a long time. You may also be reminded of past trouble or issues that others refuse to let go of.

These things can be challenging. They can be angering and depressing. They can draw up and spur a lot of emotions, but there is one thing that they cannot make you do – cave to the feelings. The song begs Jesus to “break the chains and set me free.” Jesus has the answer to all of those past hurts, struggles, shame, and thoughts. He ensures that we don’t have to fight this battle on our own. He is there to rescue us; to rescue us from our worst enemy.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

At the start of this year, the theme for Hope CDA was established – Fall, Goliath, Fall! Satan was no longer ruling in the lives of our men, staff, or volunteers. The lies and tricks that Satan brings that have stood in the way of our success needed to fall. Those “Goliaths” were no longer going to have victory.

This was a commitment we made, and we have stayed fervent in our commitment to beating the plans of Satan. However, I will say that I was not as prepared as I should have been for how Satan would fight back. He has been a liar from the start, who came to kill, steal, and destroy, and he is doing his best to bring that to Hope CDA.

He is also doing his best to bring that to House of Hope. Jessie Frerich, the Executive Director, at this program has also made the same commitment to destroying the plans of Satan. She is also seeing Satan battle and try to create turmoil in her program and her family.

Both of us want our participants, staff, donors, and volunteers to put their pasts in the past and for all of us to no longer be defeated by the plans of Satan. We have a God who has fully equipped us with His armor (Ephesians 6:10-18). We ask you to join us in praying for our two programs. We also ask you to join us in defeating your worst enemy. Let’s put on the armor of God and crush the plans of Satan, sending him back to hell bloodied, bruised, and defeated!

Hope Good News

Darren Daugherty joined the Hope CDA program on Thursday. Darren completed the ASAC program on Wednesday and interviewed before our guys on Thursday. They loved our brother and we welcomed him right away… Steve Yarbrough also interviewed before the guys, doing so on Wednesday. He will return to the program this coming Wednesday after completing the ThriveNow program… This past Tuesday, retired Pastor Roger Grandia delivered the message for the Night of Encouragement. Roger blessed us by having graduate Troy Lloyd and his wife Melanie Lloyd come and share a part of their testimonies. It was truly spectacular… Dr. Robert Pannier was honored to preach the message at Good News Baptist church this past Sunday. You can view this message by clicking on the link below:

Volunteer Opportunities

For those looking for some great ways to volunteer at Hope CDA, we have two amazing opportunities for you. If you are a person who loves to pray and feels called to go to the Lord, looking to change things in the spiritual realm, please join our Prayer Team. Prayer is a powerful tool that Christians can use to defeat the plans of Satan, and Satan is coming for Hope CDA. Please join us in helping to defeat his plans by joining this team. If you are interested in joining the team, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Tahsha Jones (Tahsha.J@HopeCDAcr.org).

In addition, we are looking to make some important changes in the program at Hope CDA. This includes working with men earlier in the program to find employment prior to graduating. If you are interested or can assist in resume building, job interviewing, filling out applications, or other areas related to employment, please contact Tahsha Jones.

Prayers for the Week

We ask you to join in prayer for these things:

1. We pray for both Hope CDA and House of Hope. We pray that Satan and his plans will be crushed and that we will serve God from a position of victory.
2. We pray for Steve and Darren. May Darren find the pathway that leads him to a life of success. May Steve get back on that pathway and no longer allow his own worst enemy to lead him astray.
3. We pray for Dustin Strand, who will interview before the guys on Monday looking to enter the Hope CDA program. May God lead him to the place where he will find peace, love, and sobriety.
4. We pray for our own worst enemy to no longer have victory in our lives. That we may embrace the words of Isaiah 43:18-19.

Tuesday Night of Encouragement

On Tuesday, it will be a night of testimonies. Kaleb Duerre and Josh Hansen will both graduate in April. Both will give their testimonies on Tuesday night. This promises to be an incredible evening, as both have amazing stories. In addition, Compass will lead us in worship following the testimonies. Join us at 5:30 p.m. for dinner and at 6:00 p.m. for Kaleb and Josh.

On Tuesday, March 2, Pastor Paul Hennings from FaithLife Church will be our featured speaker. Paul always delivers an amazing message, and we know he will have a great one for this evening as well.

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