An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about painkillers and other drugs. This follows this post about a degenerating culture. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

Addictions to Prescription Painkillers Are Epidemic!

 by Don Hooser 3 comments Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Many people are plagued by addictions. One of the most common and most harmful addictions is to prescription painkillers. How can you avoid this sort of addiction? If you currently are addicted to these drugs, how can you get help? Read to find out!

Could you or someone you know be addicted to pain pills?
Quick relief from severe suffering is a welcome blessing, but prescription pain medications often turn into a curse when abused.
When you think about drug abuse and drug addictions, you may tend to think of three images: rich superstars (think Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley), foolish kids, and “bad” people who often end up in prison. But there are millions of “good” people, young and old, who are addicted to prescription drugs, often without anyone else knowing about it.

The commonly abused prescription drugs

When you hear about addictions to “drugs,” you may think first of street drugs, such as cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine (“meth”). But the number of people addicted to prescription drugs is greater than the number of addictions to all three of those street drugs combined.
The prescription drugs most commonly abused are the ones most commonly prescribed , which fall into three categories:
1. Opiods (narcotic analgesics, i.e., pain relievers) such as oxycodone (Oxycontin and Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin) and meperidine (Demerol).
2. Sedatives and tranquilizers such as Valium, Xanax and Nembutal.
3. Stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and Dexedrine.
The most commonly abused category? The painkillers . And because addictions to painkillers in the U.S. are epidemic, even among expectant mothers, there is also an epidemic of babies who are born addicted to painkillers . The suffering newborns then have to be gradually weaned off that drug. Very, very sad.

What is addiction? What is “drug abuse”?

Addiction can be either a physical (biological, chemical and pathological) or psychological dependence (an emotional longing for the effects of the drug—which can lead to physical addiction). People often experience both at the same time.
When an addictive substance is regularly ingested, that person's body will eventually build up a tolerance to it so larger amounts are needed over time to achieve the same result. This temptation to increase the dosage often leads to addiction.
Be forewarned that physical addictions are often permanent, which means the addicted person will have a life-long battle trying to resist the temptation to relapse into again using that drug.
Addictions to prescription drugs usually occur only when the prescription is “abused.” Abuse includes many easy-to-make mistakes: taking more pills or more frequently than prescribed, taking them after the pain has stopped, mixing them with alcohol or other drugs, taking a medication that was not prescribed for you, or using similar prescriptions from more than one doctor.
Once addicted, a person usually feels desperate because the withdrawal symptoms can be terrible. He might go “doctor shopping” (going to several trusting doctors to obtain similar prescriptions), search for sources on the Internet, go to unscrupulous “pill mills” or stoop to buying on the street illegally.

Why are most prescription painkillers so addictive?

To better understand the power of painkillers, let's compare opiates and opioids . Opiates are extractions from opium poppy plants. They include morphine and codeine. And morphine is frequently processed chemically to produce—guess what— heroin for the illegal drug trade.
The painkillers are opioids that are synthetic or semi-synthetic but chemically similar to opiates. The addictive properties of the painkillers are similar to heroin and morphine!
Opioids give some people a mild emotional uplift. This too can present a temptation to abuse the prescription, especially for someone who is depressed.
If these facts were more widely understood, there would be more healthy fear and respect for the potential risks involved in taking narcotic painkillers.

Youth addiction and adult addiction

Youth painkiller abuse often starts with young people “experimenting” by taking a “leftover” medication that was prescribed for someone else like a family member. Motivations include curiosity, thrill-seeking or an urge to relieve anxieties.
When adults (of any age) become addicted, it generally is because they have abused their own prescriptions. When there is drug abuse, addiction can occur within only a few weeks.
The good news is that when a patient takes an opioid painkiller for only as long as there is severe pain, strictly follows the prescription and is closely monitored by one doctor, it is rare that he will become addicted.
The main point of this message is this: Please don't let yourself become addicted to anything. Prevention is a thousand times easier than any cure! Stay alert for any early-warning signs of addiction!

If you or a loved one is addicted, seek help right away!

Valuable and thorough information on addictions is abundant, including many helpful Internet websites.
If you suspect that you or a loved one is addicted, begin by educating yourself. If you are addicted, please, please seek help. People very seldom overcome an addiction on their own.
If a loved one or friend is addicted, please don't put him on a guilt trip. Address it like any other medical problem. He's already feeling terribly ashamed and fearful. What he needs from you is respect, compassion and encouragement as well as your gentle guidance.
If an addicted person will also rely on God for comfort, guidance, motivation and strength, he has a huge advantage! Trying to conquer an addiction may seem like an impossible task. But Jesus Christ said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27).
The United Church of God has a special website— Breaking Free Journal —devoted to helping people break free from the chains of addictions and other self-destructive behaviors. It does not give medical advice, but you will find it quite helpful and encouraging. Go to breakingfree.ucg.org . To read about addictions, click on Topics and then click on Addictions  .

Addictions painkillers pills prescription drugs drug addictions opiates opioids Christian Living

You might also be interested in...

Do You Know Anyone Struggling with an Addiction?

Don't take it lightly! Suicide among a particular set of Americans is on the...

Beyond Today -- How to Stop a Porn Addiction

How to Stop a Porn Addiction

Having invaded hearts and homes, pornography has become a prolific crisis....

• 

  Don Hooser

  United Church of God Pastor

  Don Hooser is a minister and writer for the publications of United Church of God. He and his wife Elsie live in McKinney TX, a suburb of Dallas. He was born in Dallas and grew up mostly in east Texas. Elsie is from Detroit, Michigan. They have three grown children, Amy, Randy, and Danny. Mr. Hooser graduated in 1963 from Southern Methodist University with a degree in mechanical engineering, and graduated in 1966 from Ambassador College, Big Sandy. Don and Elsie married two days after Don's graduation.

Mexico continues to push HEROIN on the U.S.!!!

A timely post from http://www.vdare.com about Mexico's heroin. This follows this post about pro-gun laws. This follows this post about rap songs referencing Donald Trump. This follows this post about Pope Francis's opinion of Mexicans.
You can follow me here.

A young woman with a baby picks heroin poppies in Mexico--which will be sent north to poison Americans.

<

Ann Coulter: OK, Who Ordered The Mexican Heroin?

>

---

Ann Coulter

A+ | a-

See, much earlier, by Sam Francis: What We Really Get From Mexico, November 21, 2002.
Heroin use in the United States increased by nearly 80 percent between 2007 and 2012 alone, and the New York Times’ main reaction to this depressing fact is to be overjoyed that the new addicts are mostly white.
The important point is not that ragingly addictive drugs are sweeping small-town America, young lives are being cut short, or that we lost one of the most talented actors of his generation to a heroin overdose. What matters is that that the drug epidemic is not having a disparate impact.
Excitedly reporting that “nearly 90 percent of those who tried heroin for the first time in the last decade were white”—yay!—the Times claimed that, with white kids dying from heroin overdoses, their parents are taking a “more forgiving approach” to heroin addiction.
Assuming that’s even true, are grieving parents the best source of public policy recommendations? If we’re basing our drug policies on the feelings of parents whose kids overdosed on drugs, how about having the parents of kids who have been raped and murdered write our death penalty laws?
Columbia professor Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw [Email her] lamented that if only whites had been dying of heroin overdoses sooner, “the devastating impact of mass incarceration upon entire communities would never have happened.”
The implication that black people have always had a more “forgiving” approach to drugs—and whites are finally catching up—is insane. Black leaders have been begging for more aggressive drug laws forever.
In the ’90s, members of the Congressional Black Caucus repeatedly held hearings on the crack epidemic, crime and drugs. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., called drug traffickers “a greater threat to our national security” than Communists. Jesse Jackson demanded “a comprehensive war on drugs.” Lee Brown, Clinton’s African-American director of national drug control policy, said that “that the legalization of illegal drugs would be the moral equivalent to genocide.”
Nor did black citizens take a particularly “forgiving” approach to their children’s drug addictions. In March 1987, The Miami Herald told the story of an African-American woman who called the police on her own son, telling them to arrest him, when his drug habit led him to burglarize homes in their neighborhood.
By contrast, the Times’ big ideas for reducing heroin addiction in America are: (1) stop stigmatizing drug use; (2) stop imprisoning drug offenders; and (3) make a heroin antidote, naloxone, widely available, so Americans are prepared when their friends and relatives overdose.
The Times objects to stigmatizing behavior only when it doesn’t really mind the behavior. It never advocates a “forgiving approach” toward things the Times dislikes. There will be no “forgiving approach” to abortion-doctor killers, Catholic priests who molest children or corporate polluters—though those behaviors may also result from a “disease.”
Instead of trying to prevent abortionists from being shot, why not give them bulletproof vests?
Rather than stigmatize priests who molest kids, shouldn’t we put them in “diversion” programs, and have STD antidotes available for the molested children? And do we have to use such loaded term as “molest”?
How about “compassionate counseling” for socially irresponsible corporate conglomerates? Lets try recasting them in a less stigmatizing light—avoiding words like “polluter” or “contaminate,” and instead using terms that convey a chronic condition, like “rent seekers”?
If the Times had any genuine interest in reducing drug addiction, I suspect the paper would prefer the “stigmatizing” approach. It might even advocate policies to stop drug addiction, rather than policies to treat it.
As Rangel said in a 1992 speech to the National Press Club: “We all know that the availability of heroin and cocaine on our streets is because our borders are a sieve. I would like to believe that if the communists were still alive and well, and they were pushing bombs into communities that could cause the havoc, the pain and the cost that drugs are, that somehow the Secretary of State … would be involved.”
Rangel is right. The drug problem exploded in the U.S. after we opened our southern border to one of the world’s major drug-supplying countries: Mexico. The vast majority of all drugs in America—heroin, cocaine, marijuana and, increasingly, methamphetamine—are brought in by the people of Mexico, who make our country a more diverse tapestry of cultural richness.
In 2010, 38,329 people died from drug overdoses, twice the number a decade earlier. More people died of drug overdoses than from automobile accidents (30,196), murders (13,000) or gun accidents (700).
About 90 percent of heroin in the U.S. is brought in by Mexicans. In 2013, U.S. authorities seized 2,162 kilograms of heroin coming across our southern border—compared to 367 kilos in 2007. The government has estimated that 660,000 Americans are using heroin and more than 3,000 are dying of it every year—because Mexico is boosting the supply.
And yet in a major front-page article about America’s “heroin crisis” last weekend, the Times never mentioned Mexico.
Even when Mexicans dump illegal drugs on our country, it’s America’s fault. As the Times explained in an Aug. 30, 2015, article, Mexico increased opium production by 50 percent in 2014, “the result of a voracious American appetite.”
In what other circumstances do we absolve the seller of a dangerous product because a buyer exists? It’s not the hit-man’s fault—that lady wanted her husband dead.
In any event, the “appetite” argument may work for pot, but America did not place an order for black tar heroin. According to a DEA agent quoted in The Washington Post, Mexican drug pushers stand outside American methadone clinics, selling their wares. Hey, señor, have you heard of this?
Despite the Times’ neurotic obsession with the racial breakdown of heroin users, it seems sublimely uninterested in the ethnic composition of heroin pushers. This is more than the left’s usual affection for criminals.
Contrary to the clichés, most drug dealers aren’t black: They’re Hispanic. In 2013, 48 percent of drug offenders in federal prison were Hispanic. Only 27 percent were black and 22 percent white.
All the left’s blather about drug laws being used to lock up “black bodies” is a lie. Once again, the left is using African-Americans as a false flag to push policies that help Democrats, but hurt black people.
The Times doesn’t mind black neighborhoods being seized by Mexican drug cartels. It doesn’t mind if more white people die from heroin overdoses. The Times just wants to increase the number of Hispanics out of prison, on their way to citizenship, so they can start voting for the Democrats.
Ann Coulter is the legal correspondent for Human Events and writes a popular syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate. She is the author of ELEVEN New York Times bestsellers—collect them here.
Her book, ¡Adios America! The Left’s Plan To Turn Our Country Into A Third World Hell Hole, was released on June 1, 2015.

Falling police numbers have created deep problems in the inner cities

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about police. This follows this post about the Iraq War.  For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
Please follow me here for continued posts.

In Brief...World News Review Anarchy and Disorder Increase in England

Posted on Jun 29, 2000 by Cecil Maranville, John Ross Schroeder Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Add to my study list

Login or Create an Account

With a UCG.org account you will be able to save items to read and study later!

Sign In | Sign Up

×

The crime correspondent of The Daily Telegraph recently wrote: "Falling police numbers have created deep problems in the inner cities with violence and disorder amounting to 'anarchy' outside pubs and clubs at night in London, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester." These are four of England's major population centers.

The crime correspondent of The Daily Telegraph recently wrote: “Falling police numbers have created deep problems in the inner cities with violence and disorder amounting to 'anarchy' outside pubs and clubs at night in London, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.” These are four of England's major population centers.
Some city forces are policing difficult areas with only half of the officers available five years ago. For this and other reasons (i.e., the general breakdown of society), mindless thuggery is definitely on the increase in England.
Somewhat symbolic of what is happening to British society were the thousands of pounds of damage caused to a London bus by rioting pupils. The indignant bus company CEO reacted by personally driving this bus to the school premises and showing the headmaster the massive damages to the interior. Then he promptly cancelled all runs to this London school.
Of particular concern were the London riots that occurred on the first of May when the finest officers of the Metropolitan Police squared off against 4,000 anticapitalist protesters near the Houses of Parliament. But before these violent rioters were fully brought under control they had managed to deface Sir Winston Churchill's statue in Parliament Square plus a treasured war memorial in the area-both historic symbols of British willingness to protect their national integrity.
Churchill is a national hero universally credited with being one of the most important World War II leaders who helped save the world from fascism. In many people's minds he was Britain's man of the century. Yet these violent thugs deliberately desecrated his statue and daubed it with the word “murderer.”
Daily Mail columnist Lynda Lee-Potter commented, “This vile anarchic army of would-be destroyers was recruited through the Internet. The potential viciousness on the day appealed to every failure, every embittered useless troublemaker and yob in the land.
“The genuine protesters were totally swamped by those who had destruction in their hearts”(emphasis added). But the Bible counsels all who would place themselves in a position where they could be potential accomplices to the desecration of revered national monuments. “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people” (Exodus 22:28 Exodus 22:28You shall not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of your people.
American King James Version×). Also: “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil” (Exodus 23:2 Exodus 23:2You shall not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shall you speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
American King James Version×).
A whole generation in Britain has not been taught even the most basic of biblical teachings-the Ten Commandments. We are now reaping the bitter fruits of our careless neglect. ( The Daily Mail, The Economist, The Daily Telegraph (all London).)

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about alcoholism. This follows this post about problems with Catholic priests. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
Please follow me here for continued posts.

What does an alcoholic look like?

 

  by United Church of God Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Add to my study list

Login or Create an Account

With a UCG.org account you will be able to save items to read and study later!

Sign In | Sign Up

×

Many would likely be surprised to find that functioning alcoholics and people who regularly abuse alcohol are today in all walks of life.

People who regularly abuse alcohol as a coping mechanism for life, and those who are afflicted with the American Medical Association-defined disease of alcoholism, go to great lengths to hide their abuse or addiction. Far too often, spouses, friends and family members become unfortunate enablers, allowing the alcoholic the capacity to continue abusing.
Only an estimated 2 to 3 percent of alcoholics match the stereotyped image of a “skid row drunk,” stumbling around in an alley or under a bridge. Most alcoholics and alcohol abusers go to great length to hide the dangerous level of drinking they indulge in.
Alcohol abuse creates much broader problems than are typically formally attributed. Almost any law enforcement official or probation officer will confirm that roughly 75 percent of all crimes resulting in a prison or jail term involve alcohol in some form.
And it for certain doesn’t stop there. Alarmingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, a University of Washington study released in 2012 showed that up to 15 percent of U.S. surgeons had experienced problems with alcohol abuse. That’s higher than the 9 percent general rate of reported alcohol abuse in the American population.
One of the organizers said that it’s possible that the percent of surgeons with alcoholism is underestimated in this study. Why? Just like other abusers of alcohol, the people who were less likely to respond might have shame and fear associated with their alcohol abuse and dependence. Nobody wants that stigma.
The Talbott Recovery Center in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the most successful rehab centers for treating physicians, nurses and other professionals struggling with alcohol and substance addictions. Their medical director stated:
“There is this issue of personality traits in our patients. Obsessive compulsive, avoidant and passive-aggressive personality are over-represented in our patient population. Our patients have a dense blind spot to the manner in which their fixed ways of thinking, behaving and dealing with real life situations interacts with their addiction and impacts their lives in many different ways” (https://www.talbottcampus.com/index.php/about-us/medical-directors-message ).
And if alcohol is “no respecter of persons” when it comes to surgeons, physicians, nurses, radiologists and other medical professionals, what does that mean for you?
As noted elsewhere in this study aid, occasional and moderate use of alcohol is permissible from a biblical perspective.
But alcohol used to mask chronic symptoms of anxiety, depression, interpersonal issues, family or work problems and other issues can quickly and decisively lead to a progressive emotional, physical and spiritual condition where things will go badly in a hurry. Let’s face facts: If you’re hiding how much you’re drinking from others (who probably at least already suspect that something’s up), then you’re already in trouble.
The good news is that being in trouble with alcohol doesn’t mean that you’re dead. But it does mean that you need to get out of denial, get honest and get help . Stop trying to fix things, to manage things, to control things. Humility, self-honesty, and surrender are on your list. The sooner you take action to start on a road to recovery, the faster things will turn around for you.
There is hope!

‹ IntroductionupAre you just an occasional heavy drinker, or on the way to serious health issues? ›

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about addictions. This follows this post about the Wise men of the bible. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
I am leaving TWITTER SOON. Please continue to follow me here.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana: Mankind's Big Problems

by Kevin Greer

Source: freeimages.com/theswedish

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that approximately 17 million Americans are afflicted with alcoholism or a related disorder, and that only 15% of this group ever receives treatment. Alcohol-related deaths are the United States’ third highest preventable cause of death, with tobacco as the leading factor.
The CDC estimated almost 20% of U.S. adults smoked cigarettes in 2011. The Foundation for a Drug-Free World similarly records that over 94 million Americans have used marijuana at least once, making it the most common illicit drug in the nation today.
When such prevalent and serious obstacles present themselves, it is important for Christians to turn to God’s Word for answers and guidance.

God’s Created Benefits

Interestingly, these three, common, addictive substances are derived from plants that are part of God’s creation which He gave mankind control over from the Garden of Eden forward (Genesis:1:11-12 [11] And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
[12] And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good., Genesis:1:29-31 [29] And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
[30] And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
[31] And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.). God states that He saw that these plants were “good,” not unhealthy, evil, or even addictive. Why? The answer is that they have been perverted both by Satan and our own human nature to many sinful uses. Just because God called them good doesn’t mean that everything we do with them is good.
Alcohol can be made from many plants, each with their own group of uses, but what about tobacco and marijuana plants? They too have an interesting set of benefits. Tobacco has many gardening applications, especially as an insect repellant. Tobacco also has value in its homeopathic and medicinal use, including relieving skin inflammation, improving dental hygiene, and caring for insect bites. Marijuana has industrial potential as a fiber, including being used as a textile, paper pulp, plastic composite, thermal insulation, reinforcement for cement, fiberboard, and animal bedding. The plant can further be used for its oilseed in a plethora of products from shampoo to bread and yogurt to dietary supplements. These functions help show us how God’s creation can benefit us even when it seems impossible.

Satan’s Sinful Perversions

Intoxication, getting drunk or high, is something that is denounced by God, however. Galatians:5:19-21 [19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
[21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. lists “drunkenness” negatively as a sinful “work of the flesh,” thus something for Christians to avoid. The book of Proverbs contains several admonitions with regard to substance abuse, specifically alcohol. In Proverbs:23:29-35 [29] Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
[30] They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
[31] Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
[32] At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
[33] Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
[34] Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
[35] They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again., such abuse is compared to a “serpent” and a “viper,” and further, that it will cause our heart to “utter perverse things.”
As a result, it becomes clear that seeking to get drunk or high is sin. This is because it can cause us to “forget the Law” (Proverbs:31:4-5 [4] It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
[5] Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.). What law? God’s Law! When under the influence, we lose our judgment, make poor choices, and do things we would ordinarily never do. We also experience a lack of control of our body. Christians are responsible for their actions as budding members of God’s Family, and our ability to think clearly is compromised when we are intoxicated.
Finally, utilizing these substances to push our bodies to the limit is unhealthy, and can permanently damage our bodies, which are God’s Temple for the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians:3:16-17 [16] Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
[17] If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.). God wants us to take care of our bodies, and an addiction would only separate us from Him as a form of idolatry.

Alcohol in the Bible

As a final point, alcoholic beverages are sometimes attacked for their harmful qualities, but are also spoken of positively in the Bible. In the command to attain our hearts’ desires at the Feast of Tabernacles, we are told we can spend our money on “wine or similar drink” (Deuteronomy:14:26And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,). Jesus Christ’s first recorded public miracle was to change water into wine for a wedding celebration (John:2:1-10 [1] And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
[2] And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
[3] And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
[4] Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
[5] His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
[6] And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
[7] Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
[8] And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
[9] When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
[10] And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.), and He instituted wine as a Passover symbol for His blood throughout all generations of His Church (Matthew:26:27-29 [27] And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
[28] For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
[29] But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.).
Moderation and wisdom are required when employing God’s creation. Always look to what God has to say on a matter, especially on a subject as vital to your life as this. If you or someone you know struggles with alcoholism or other addictions, please consider reading our free booklet: Overcoming Alcoholism: There Is Hope! Nothing should ever be used to intoxicate us, lest it come between us and our loving Father.

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about marijuana use. This follows this post about the Islamic State. For a free magazine subscription or to get the books recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.
I am leaving TWITTER SOON. Please continue to follow me here.

Wanna Get High?

article by Dan Dowd

So, is marijuana a harmless drug or a gateway to all kinds of trouble?

"Come on, it's cool! Everybody's using it. Don't be so uptight." Maybe you have heard others ask, "What's the big deal?" So, is marijuana a harmless drug or a gateway to all kinds of trouble? Here are a few facts about marijuana to help you think vertically:
• U.S. government statistics put marijuana use at 23.9 percent of 10th graders. For high school seniors, it is 32.4 percent (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2008 survey, nida.nih.gov). While these numbers are high, it's hardly "everybody."
• Although the primary agent in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), more than 400 other chemicals are present in marijuana smoke. Many are the same harmful compounds found in cigarette smoke.
• While there are no complete statistics about marijuana's contribution to traffic accidents, the effects of marijuana are well-known: severely diminished alertness, concentration, coordination and reaction time. In this respect, driving under the influence of marijuana is similar to driving under the influence of alcohol.
• A very high number of hard drug users started with marijuana. While not every user of marijuana goes on to harder drugs, many do.
• In the United States, there were more than 750,000 arrests for marijuana possession in 2007, the latest year for which statistics are available (fbi.gov).
Although the Bible doesn't directly address marijuana, it does address its effects. Proverbs:23:21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. says, "For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags." And 1 Corinthians:6:9-10 [9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
[10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. adds, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards , nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."
Marijuana use, as with other illegal drug use, has effects similar to alcohol abuse. Reject the instant drunkenness of marijuana. VT

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about a "pastor" who smokes marijuana. This follows this post about the still missing Malaysian plane. This follows this post about the prophetic implications of "Blood Moons."  For a free magazine subscription or to get the book recommended for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632. You can follow me at blogspot here and at twitter here https://twitter.com/brianleesblog. Please consider following both in case one goes down!

I'm a pastor who smokes marijuana

 

What does God think of the recreational use of pot?

Media Download Options [ Download Media: right-click on link ]
filesVideo
MP4 VideoAudio
MP3 Audio - I'm a pastor who smokes marijuana

[Steve Myers] Legalizing recreational use of marijuana is in the news again.  Now recently, Colorado and Washington approved that – they legalized the recreational use of pot. And of course, many people are coming out in support of that, and it's become a controversial issue in quite a few states. In fact, on one of the internet websites, people are putting up posters in support of smoking pot. In fact, here is one that I copied off the internet. And it says, "I'm a youth pastor at a large church, and I smoke marijuana every day that I'm not at service (Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday)." And it says, "My Lord still loves me."
Well, that brought a question to my mind. What does God really think about smoking pot? What does He really think about the recreational use of marijuana? Is that something that God approves of? Or do we not even bother to think about what God's perspective on it is?
Well, there's an interesting passage over in the book of Galatians, in Galatians chapter 5, beginning in verse 19. God talks about the deeds of the flesh – the normal, everyday, human way of thinking and actions that are a result of that. And here's what He says. He says, "Those deeds of the flesh are evident. They are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery" – and the list goes on. And then he says, "Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians:5:19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,).
Now, the interesting thing – the word for "sorcery" here is the word – let's get that C out of there – for sorcery, is the word " pharmakeia ". Pharmakeia . It's the same Greek word that we get the word "pharmacy" from. It literally means "drugs" – the use of drugs, the administering of drugs. And you might think, well, why does sorcery have anything to do with drugs? Well, the context was taking into account the fact that witches, or those that would practice sorcery or witchcraft would either smoke the drug, they would rub the drug all over them, they would eat it, and then they would become in a state of mind, where that – evil spirits then could affect them. And so, that became associated with the drug use. And so, when you read this in the New Testament, he's not just talking about being a witch, he's not just talking about sorcery, he's talking about the effects of that drug.
Well, drugs can have good effects. You can go to a pharmacy and you can get a painkiller that is a necessary thing for a medical situation. And that's not what he's talking about here. But here, we're talking about recreationally using drugs. Do you want to be in stupored state of mind? Is this relaxed, open mind the kind of thing that God wants you to have? Well here, he points to the fact that this is something that could keep you out of the kingdom.
In fact, it's not the only section of scripture where this is mentioned. There's even another section over in the book of Revelation where it talks about the same type of thing. Revelation chapter 9. It says, "Mankind didn't repent of their sorceries" (Revelation:9:20-21 [20] And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
[21] Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.). And once again, that's that word for pharmakeia . They didn't repent of, what we could say, their use of drugs – the kind of use of drugs that's going to put them in a state of mind that they don't have full control of themselves. Because that's exactly opposite of what God wants for us. God says He's given us a spirit of love and of a sound mind – a mind that is in control of our senses, a mind that is going to be a thinking mind that can control circumstances, and what's going to come in and what's going to go out of our minds. And so God says, "Think about that". Don't lose control of your mind, take control of your thoughts and your heart. God says that's a very important thing.
In fact, in the proverbs, I think this whole concept is also talked about. When you look at what it says in Proverbs:23:21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. – in God's Word Translation it says, "Drowsiness will clothe a man with rags." Do you put yourself in that kind of state of mind? It's not a good thing. The results will not be good. He says, "Later it bites like a snake, and strikes like a poisonous snake." You read that down to verse 32 and verse 33, "Your eyes will see strange sights, your mouth will say embarrassing things" (Proverbs:23:32-33 [32] At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
[33] Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.).
Does that sound like anything associated with recreational drug use? You see, God says that's a problem. That is a problem, because that's not the spirit that God has given us. So I think you should keep that in mind – the recreational use of pot or other drugs is something that God despises, because we lose full control of our thinking, and God says that's not the way he wants us to be. He wants us to have a spirit of love and of a sound mind.
That's BT Daily . We'll see you next time.

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the benefits of ending drug usage and other bad habits. This follows this post about Facebook's expansion of gender choices in order to taunt states such as Arizona, which were using the traditional definition of marriage. This follows this post about Mardi Gras. For a free magazine subscription or to get the book shown for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886- 8632.

Change and Live

3 comments

What hinders you from living joyfully? Is a habit or a worry crippling you emotionally? God stands ready to help. Discover how.

Media Download Options [ Download Media: right-click on link ]
filesVideo
MP4 Video - Low QualityAudio
MP3 Audio - Change and Live

[Darris] I will call him "tattoo guy" because he had tattoos all over his body, down his legs, up both arms and up his neck. He had a couple of studs hung from his mouth, and the image was pretty fearsome.
I would see this gentleman working out most every day that I went to my local gymnasium. This guy was pretty serious about weightlifting. He worked hard. He worked fast and he took very few breaks. He ferociously pumped the iron and he had all the sound effects working.
One day in the locker room I struck up a conversation with him. He told me that the rush that he got from weightlifting was very similar to the rush that he got from doing drugs. I was quite shocked by what he said and so I asked further. He told me that he had done drugs. He had done meth, heroin, cocaine--they were all a part of his habit for years. And he had been in and out of drug programs, rehab and prison. But now he was clean, and he lifted weights to get the same feeling that he used to get from drugs.
I was curious. "What," I asked, "caused you to kick your drug habit?" His answer surprised me, and it may surprise you. It gave me a vital key to understanding change.
Join us on Beyond Today as we look at what can make us "Change and Live."
[Announcer] Join our host, Darris McNeely and his guests, as they help you understand your future on Beyond Today !
[Darris] What if you were diagnosed with a disease that could be reversed by changing your lifestyle? Something like heart disease.
Could you change? You say, yes? Maybe you should think again.
The odds are 9 to1 you wouldn't change.
That's right. In an article called, "Change or Die," Alan Deutschman shares this surprising statistic. 9 to 1 that you would not make a lasting change to reverse the sentence hanging over your head.
Yet, there are many things about our life that every one of us would like to change. But how do we make the changes that are important to us? How can we begin to change habits and attitudes that have been with us for so many years?
When was the last time you actually changed something about your behavior?
Maybe it was to lose weight. Maybe it was to stop smoking. Maybe you really decided you needed to control you anger, or stop whatever other compulsive behavior that you know you have to get under control.
We all know how hard it is. We know we need to make changes and yet, every year millions make what are called "new year" resolutions of all kinds--most are never realized.
We have good intentions. We start off well and most of us truly desire to change habits and behavior that we know is not good and can actually harm our health. And yet, it is extremely difficult.
Let me give you an illustration. Let's look at health care--a big issue in America, and most parts of the world. It consumes a lot of money. And yet a small percentage of the population consumes the majority of what is spent on health care in the United States. Usually for diseases that are by and large behavioral--this is, we cause them by things we do.
And 80 percent of the health care budget, of companies, is consumed by essentially five behaviors: smoking, drinking too much alcohol, overeating, stress, and not enough exercise.
Those five behaviors consume most of the problems that people have to pay for. Let's look at one. Heart surgery takes a lot of time and claims the lives of a lot of people, today. People go through heart-bypass surgeries. They have stents put in because of any number of different reasons.
Studies show that two years later, 90 percent of those who have had that have really not changed their lifestyle. They may start off with good intentions, and change for a while, but time and circumstances cause them to revert.
It's interesting. Knowing there is a disease that can kill and stats show that most people do not change.
So again, I ask, why is it so difficult? And why do we fight change even when we know that it is in our best interest?
I was taught this a number of years ago. I learned it in one of my classes. I didn't believe it. Years and years of experience have taught me just how difficult it is. You study behavioral science and they show you that change most often happens, most by people, when you speak to people's feelings. That's when change that is effective and usually long lasting take place.
When a person's heart is reached at an emotional level, a person is more likely to make a lasting change.
The Bible--God's Word--confirms this fact. God speaks to us through His Word and He speaks to us at a very deep emotional level. And when we react to it, it produces a lasting change.
But as we look at our life and all of these different habits that we have, what can make us change? What really pushes us in those directions?
There is a lot of myths about what may cause change. A crisis can hit and people will change for a period of time. They get a diagnosis and fear sets in. Fear can be a motivating factor--understandably so. Facts sometimes for some people, logical information, causes them to change. Sometimes people will change very gradually. Kicking a smoking habit is often attacked by people by making a gradual change, by cutting back on nicotine, over a period of time. Sometimes it works. I have seen it work with people.
There is another myth and that is, people just can't change. And that is a big myth because we can change!
Now, any one of these, fear or a crisis, can produce change, a measure of change and in some cases, even a lasting change.
I look at my own father who was a two-pack-a-day smoker for all of his adult life. One day my dad woke up with a cough that wouldn't go away. He thought he had cancer, and whatever or whoever he talked to, whatever diagnosis that came his way, he decided one day to stop smoking. And he quit cold turkey. He was fearful of what might have happened, and he did quit, and it was a lasting change.
But you know what? The statistics show nine others don't always do that. And I have known a number of people who because of whatever going on in their life, really didn't do it.
Behaviorists know that effective lasting change is often made by appealing to the emotion and reaching people at a deeper level than just facts, a momentary crisis, or even shock and fear.
I learned this a long time ago in my years in counseling with people in various situations. I would often run across people who were lonely and depressed. And they were in some self-destructive patterns by either additions, their eating habits, stress, or not getting enough exercise, and doing certain things that they could easily change. And, I would encourage them and in some cases, basically tell them what they needed to do in changing their lifestyle, and it wasn't always motivational enough to create a change. And there was frustration, and it created challenges and difficulties.
It took me a long time to learn the lesson that a person who is lonely, a person who is depressed, or some other chronic emotional problem, and that cigarette, that bottle of Jack Daniels, that drug even, is a replacement for what is empty and what is missing inside their life. It is their crutch to get them through a day! And if they quit, and just went cold turkey off of it and it didn't take care of that emotional need inside of them, they were still lonely and depressed, and they said what good is this? And they'd rather live a shorter life, at least happy because of the crutch of the addiction, rather than a longer life and not being able to deal with some of the other emotional problems which were at the real heart of what they were struggling with. It took me a long time to learn that lesson.
At the opening of today's program, I told you a story about a fellow that I called "the tattoo guy." So, what happened to Tattoo Guy? I'm going to come back to that story, in just a moment. There is a very important lesson there for all of us.
This program is designed to help you make changes, to begin a process of changing and living, to help you to a better quality of life. We are offering a free study guide today, Transforming Your Life . This booklet contains a lot of valuable information and it is going to help you find your way to some improved habits that are lasting and effective. It'll take a bit of study. It will take some work with the Bible, but it will help you. And I am going to tell you more about it in just a minute.
You can read this booklet, Transforming Your Life online at BeyondToday.tv . Or, you can request your free copy and it will be sent to your home by calling: 1-888-886-8632. You can call right now if you wish, jot the number down and call at the end of this program.
All right, let's get ourselves back on track to find out what Tattoo Guy taught me.
Here is what behavioral scientists have learned about making changes in people.
That joy is more powerful than fear. Joy is an emotion that runs deep into our reactions. Joy is a quality that is cultivated by deliberate choice. And joy is a quality of life that is spiritual. The Bible reveals that it is also a fruit of God's Holy Spirit .
Joy is a quiet confidence, an unmovable confidence that God's holding your hand and guiding you through life--during the good times as well as the bad times.
Joy is a deep feeling of contentment that flows from a choice that we make to live a better life because of someone or something beyond ourselves.
You see, when a person is convinced that they will feel better or have a better quality of life, they are more likely to change behavior. Let me take you back to the story of Tattoo Guy, the guy that I met in the gym. I told you about his story at the beginning of the program.
Tattoo Guy lifted weights. He would get a rush of adrenaline from lifting weights, pumping that iron most days of the week. And he said that he got the same rush that he would get when he used to do drugs. Now Tattoo Guy was a pretty scary looking guy with his studs in his face and the tattoos all over his body. One day we struck up a conversation and he began to tell me a story.
And as I listened to him, I could tell that there was a softness beyond his rough-looking, fearsome exterior.
Here was a man who had been in and out of drug rehab programs, and in and out of jail for his drug habit. Nothing in those measures--the drug rehab or the jail--caused him and convinced him that he needed to change the destructive habits of drugs. Yet something else did.
I was curious: "What caused you," I asked, "to kick your drug habit?"
Without hesitation, he said, "My daughter. My daughter said she did not want to visit me in jail anymore." He said, "My daughter convinced me I needed to change."
I was stunned. But I was also pleased. And he was too. It was very obvious.
Tattoo Guy cleaned up his life because of the joy he felt being with his daughter, helping her grow up and being a better influence for her.
We all know that drug and alcohol addiction are vicious habits. They destroy countless lives, cost society billions of dollars every single year. We all know that whoever kicks those habits and makes permanent change does so because something happens at their deepest, gut-level of emotion.
Any program, any cure for those addictions to be truly effective must eventually reach an addict at their deepest emotional level.
There's a song I like to listen to. It's called, One Day at a Time . It is written by a recovered addict. There is a stanza from it that sums it all up.

"It was something I was too blind to see, I got help from something greater than me. And I have to learn to live my life one day at a time!"

My friend, Tattoo Guy, was willing to change because of his little girl. To him his daughter was "something greater" than himself. When he saw her and what his behavior was doing to her, he then took the steps to clean up his life.
Let me ask you. Is there a habit that is killing you but you just can't change? What is it that might be crippling you maybe emotionally, or keeping you from living the life that you want to live, and becoming the person that God wants you want to be?
Is it drugs? Is it alcohol? Smoking? Overeating? Or a sexual addiction?
Maybe it is emotional pain? Fear? Anger? Maybe it is an abusive past that affects you so deeply today, you can't shake. You can't move away from it?
What is it that keeps you crippled, challenged and fighting for a sane, balanced and happy, joyful life--right now, today? What is it? What habit is keeping you from changing? What is keeping you from really experiencing life at the highest level? A happy, contented, safe, emotional life?
You see, Tattoo Guy was willing to change for his little girl. And I say, God bless him!
Here is the question: Who is your "little girl"? Who in your life is big enough and important enough to make you change and to help you start living life at a much higher level?
That's who you need to find! Find that person, or find that cause that will make you change and to make you begin to live for something beyond today.
Tattoo Guy was moved to change because of the love that he had for his precious little girl. You might not have a little girl, but you do have a God. Can you be moved to change because of God's love for you?
What God offers to each one of us is not too far. It is not something that is unknowable. It can be known. You see, God has not taken His message, His instructions, His words to us and hidden them off some place in a secret vault way up in heaven or wherever, and only a few people can find it. You can find it! You can access it!
God's message is close to you. It can be on your lips and it can be in your heart. And God's message can change your life for the better. All you have got to do is to choose--today, to begin to make the choice and to make it so. And begin that process that can help you pull yourself out of the rut of life that you are caught and in which you are trapped.
There is a wonderful passage in the book of Deuteronomy 30. It says, from God--it is really a message to all of us:

"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land" (Deuteronomy:30:19-20 [19] I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
[20] That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. NLT).

And so the question comes down to each of us, can we change? Can we change for God? Can you make a life change for the better to become like God in character and thought, and do it today?
This is really the essence of what our life is all about. When it is all summed up from what we read in the Word of God, and what the message of the gospel really is, it is that God is our Father and that He is building a family. That's it! That is the essence of the message of the gospel of the Kingdom of God. It is at the heart of what Christ Himself brought, what He taught.
The Kingdom of God is about a divine, spiritual family that God is building. And He wants you and I to change when offered the opportunity and today to begin to live as a member of His family--now! And develop a relationship with Him today, in this life, to make this life better. There is no need for us to keep continually knocking our head against the wall.
Your life can be better as a result of that choice, to go with God. It's this understanding that can be a catalyst for change and help you live.
I had a chance encounter in conversation with a former drug addict who looked into his daughter's eyes and heard her plea for him to change. And he did. He made a change away from a destructive habit at the physical level. Deep down he saw that he had to do that. There are bigger changes that he will make I am sure at some point in his life when he has a chance to know God and make a change in that way.
For you and I today, can we look into the Word of God, hear His voice and change because He wants us to change and to live?
God holds out to us the hope of a present life that can be full of joy, and meaning and significance in this chaotic world. Today, we can share a taste of a life to come--a life that is good, a life that works to create joy in place of fear. A lot of people live life fearful of many things and as a result, it doesn't work. God wants to give us a life that works; a life that can help us to get out of bed every morning with a desire to make a difference with our life. That type of life is a foretaste of a better world to come when Jesus Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. And we can begin to get a foretaste of that life from that world today, right now! We don't have to wait.
So stop condemning yourself to a life of futility and problems. Look at what life has dealt you, and yes, it may have dealt you a bad hand. But also look at what you may have dealt yourself--what you have done to yourself. And realize ultimately, whether life has dealt you a bad hand or you have made some bad choices, right now it is a time to draw a line and to make the choice. Draw a line over the past, make a choice, pull yourself out of that nosedive and start flying a straight and true course. Grab hold of God's offer right there, very close, very near to help you live today!
And Christ is ready to intercede for you and to help you.
In Romans:8:34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us., one of the most beautiful passages in all of the New Testament, the apostle Paul wrote these words. He said, "Christ Jesus who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." And as a result of that, he asks the question, "Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" (Romans:8:34-35 [34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? NIV).
And right there at that verse, you can add in your own line or two of your own life of what you have created. Or what has been dealt to you that, in a sense, separates us from the life we truly want. Well Paul goes on in verse 37. He says, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans:8:37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. NIV) because He is making intercession for us today.
And you can have access to that power, and to that life, and to God our Father. You are at a turning point. This message that we are giving you on this program today, and all of our programs and all that we offer on Beyond Today , can help you transition to a new mindset and a new lifestyle that can impact your life beyond today. It can impact your life for all eternity. And there lies the answers to help you answer the big issues of life that are in front of you at this time. And the choices you make can make a difference. And it's all worth it!
Before we go to our panel discussion today, let me make you an offer to help your understanding of today's subject.
It's our free study guide of our booklet, Transforming Your Life . This booklet will give you specific and spiritual goals to begin making effective changes in your everyday life.
It's a study aid that will help you change your thought process , and shows how our High Priest--Jesus Christ, could be working in your life today . If you're ready for a change in your life, you should get this booklet, this study aid, now.
You can get it online at BeyondToday.tv. BeyondToday.tv .
And if you would like us to mail you a copy, we are glad to do so. You can request it right now by calling: 1-888-886-8632. 1-888-886-8632. And if you live outside of North America, you can also write us a letter at the address on your screen. Request the booklet. We will be glad to send it to you.
When you order Transforming Your Life , you're also going to receive a copy of our Good News magazine --a bi-monthly publication put out by the United Church of God. You can have a deeper understanding of your Bible when you read The Good News .
The Good News will help you clearly see, with a biblical perspective, where world events are heading right now.
The Good News is paid for by the generous support of our donors, so we can offer it to you completely free of charge.
Call: 1-888-886-8632 or go online at BeyondToday.tv for the Bible study aid Transforming Your Life and our free magazine, The Good News .
We've been talking about making change in your life. And I gave the example of a friend at my health club, I called "tattoo guy" and what made him leave a life of drugs and addiction. Now I'm joined by fellow Beyond Today hosts, Gary Petty and Steve Myers, to continue this discussion.
Gentlemen, what are some examples of people that you have seen make dramatic changes, lasting changes in their life?
[Gary] You know Darris, I can talk a lot about examples from just counseling people but one that comes to mind is from my own family. When I was six years old, my dad was a chain smoker. And my mother actually prayed that God would help him overcome his smoking. And one day he had a headache so bad that he couldn't even think. It was terrible. And he asked God that if God would take the pain away, if this is really because of his smoking, he would never smoke again. And the pain went away. So he never smoked again.
His motivation at the beginning was fear, fear that God would bring the pain back, but over time it changed. He made a permanent change because he had a relationship with God, and that was so important to him, that joy, that it kept him from going back.
[Steve] I met a young man in prison. He had made some terrible choices in his life, was serving out a ten-year sentence. And as we talked, and as he realized he needed to change, he wasn't like that other eight out of nine that didn't change. Especially many of those in prison don't change their lives once they get out.
But he said a couple things that were really interesting to me. He said I don't want to live this way. And he used the freedom that he finally obtained as a motivation. That freedom meant something to him. That he could finally have the freedom to make the right choices and it was something that inspired him in his life, and he learned to draw close to God and count on Him. And it inspired me too, to see that it was possible to change and make big changes in your life.
[Darris] I once had a couple that I was counseling. The husband was running around committing adultery on his wife and she got to the point where she told him that, that's enough. And pack your bags and leave. And he got so distraught that he called me, and wanted to come and talk. And he showed up at my house late one night, and we sat down and talked for a couple of hours. And he was so shocked, again it as crisis. It forced him to make a choice. He changed. He said he wouldn't do it any longer. And you never known in those situations because adultery is a pretty addictive situation that people get into. But, his change stuck because I think he rekindled a joy with a relationship with his wife, and a love developed that then made that change permanent.
I think that people have to come to a point where they make a choice and decide too, that they want, need and must do better. Be better, make a change and that leads then to that deeper emotional level at some point where the change becomes permanent. But, I think there are a lot of good programs, there are a lot of self-help plans that are out there for people making change, and we don't discount any of that.
But lasting, deep change is going to come when you and I are emotionally involved and we feel the joy that that change brings in a relationship with that other person, something beyond ourselves and God Himself.
So please remember the free offers that we made to you today. You're going to want to order a copy of the Bible study aid, Transforming Your Life . It covers in great detail key principles beyond what we have talked about here today to help you improve your life. And, you are going to also receive a free subscription to The Good News magazine. The number is toll free: 1-888-886-8632. You can read both, The Good News and Transforming Your Life online at BeyondToday.tv .
If you like our program, you can also watch Beyond Today and BT Daily anytime on YouTube or on our Roku channel .
Every time I think of Tattoo Guy, I smile and take heart. It reminds me that people can change--no matter how horrible the habit or the lifestyle. My chance encounter with a man who kicked his drug habit is a great lesson for each of us to remember. Tattoo Guy changed and he began to live for the sake of his daughter.
How about you?
Can you change and live because your Heavenly Father wants you to live well today and forever in His family? The choice is yours, and God stands ready to help you when you decide.
Thanks for joining us and don't forget our free offers, and be sure and tell your family and friends about our program. Tune in again next week for another edition of Beyond Today and join us in praying, "Thy Kingdom come." For Beyond Today I'm Darris McNeely. Thanks for watching.
[Announcer] For the free literature offered on today's program, go online to BeyondToday.tv . Please join us again next week on Beyond Today !