Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Friends and Associates”
Our Bible verse for today: “Wise friends will rescue you from the Temptress – that smooth-talking Seductress … So join the company of good men and women, keep your feet on the tried and true paths.” Proverbs 2:10; 20 (The Message)
Our thought for today: “Good friends will hold us accountable.”
I’ve never been an alcoholic or drug addict, but I’ve known many people who were. Over the years of my ministry as a Pastor I’ve spent a lot of time ministering to men and women struggling with substance abuse issues. I’ve visited them in jail, worked with their families to overcome the damage, and I’ve helped many of them get into recovery programs.
All of the best recovery programs are based upon the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step model. A key part of the success of that model is the requirement that every participant in the program have a sponsor or accountability partner who will hold them accountable for their actions, and who will be there for them to help them through the times of struggle and temptation.
This is something that AA does well – much better than the church. Accountability is Biblical and it’s something that all Christians should be doing for each other. But we don’t. We’re actually pretty bad at this. When it comes to confronting wrong behavior and holding each other accountable for our actions, most of us are timid and remain silent when we should bold and we should speak up. That’s a shame and we’re all the worse for it.
In Proverbs 2:10; 20 Solomon addressed this issue and he noted how fortunate and blessed the person is who has an accountability partner to speak truth into their life. Such people help us to see when we’re going astray and they guide us back onto paths of righteousness and good choices. We need this. All of us do.
Years ago I had a friend who was a younger man and he struggled greatly with pornography. He recognized it for the problem it was and he had a genuine desire to overcome it, but he also knew it had a powerful hold on him and so he needed help. To his credit he sought me out, confessed the sin, and asked for my help in defeating it. We agreed that we would meet once every week for lunch and the first question I would ask him is whether or not he had viewed any pornography. His commitment was that he would always answer that question honestly. I was also available to him 24/7 on the phone if he was facing a moment of weakness.
He did have moments of weakness and there were times when he gave in to it, but overall the accountability he had with me went a long way towards helping him break free from that pattern of sinful behavior.
Do you have people in your life you have given permission to hold you accountable? People who love you and who have the boldness to speak directly and honestly into your life? You should. In fact if you don’t, you are suffering for it. None of us can or will be the man or woman God wants us to be if we don’t have people holding us accountable in the most important areas of our lives.
I encourage you to make sure you have at least one friend like that. Make yourself accountable to someone.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 