Russian Roulette

Mar

09

2015

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Mar

09

2015

First Let me say I apologize if I bore anybody with medical updates, but so many are e-mailing and asking how they can help that I feel compelled to offer brief updates. I ask that you direct your prayers for Teresa’s surgery. My pain is gone and except for some numbness in my fingers and a little lingering soreness in my back, I don’t even notice it most of the day.

Some might say that my recovery is a scientifically explainable occurrence because the inflammation and swelling have been reduced and are no longer putting pressure on the nerves; however one look at the images reveal bone spurs are still up and down the back of my neck. I choose to attribute it to God’s healing power and I believe it is a direct response and His answer to prayers coming in literally from all over the world.

I will not endure another 4 hour agonizing surgery today. I have a nerve study on Friday to determine the location from which the numbness is emanating, but that will be a snap. Teresa will meet with her surgeon and oncologist who will administer radiation Tuesday after next; please pray that the surgery will remove all of the cancer and go well.

Saturday a young man came by my office to see me. He looked like he had just walked out of an executive boardroom and was not my typical tattooed person who seeks help with piercings emanating from every orifice. He was clean-cut, articulate, college educated and smart. A friend had asked me to meet with him because he was a complete alcoholic and he feared for this young man’s life. His brother had tried to burn down his parent’s house and then eventually committed suicide and it appeared that this young man might follow his path.

I listened as he told me his roommate had just died from too much alcohol combined with cocaine. Then he told me that he had been charged with domestic abuse to his girlfriend who is a fellow alcoholic, (though he said he didn’t hit her and that her bruises came from her being a drunk too and falling down constantly). He was going to meet with his parole officer today.

Now this guy is not a normal alcoholic. He is one of those binge drinkers who might go some time and not touch anything and then for some reason he will go on a binge and drink himself senseless, drinking everything he can get his hands on and finally to include rubbing alcohol, mouthwash, or anything that has alcohol in it. He had been in rehab numerous times and the last time he was rescued his blood alcohol content was 7.6%.

Death waiting to happen!

I asked where he went to rehab and he responded that the last time he went to a faith based center. He did splendid and after a while even worked his way into the administrative office and counseled fellow patients before his release. The thing I related to him was that I assumed that he knew that if he continued to drink it was only a matter of time until he would end up in prison or die.

He readily agreed with that.

I asked where he went to church and he stammered and said he wasn’t going anywhere and had “kind of fallen away”.

I mentioned that the only way to succeed was to make Jesus number one in his life. Then I asked him if the next time he fell off the wagon and he was to die in a drunken stupor what did he think would happen to him.

He said that he hoped he would get into heaven.

I asked him why God would want to allow someone like him into heaven whereby he and His church would have to spend eternity with him.

He said that he guessed maybe he wouldn’t get into heaven.

I laughed and assured him that God loved him more than he could imagine and had even sent his son to die in exchange for all of our sins including his. I explained that if he was ever going to make any progress it must be founded on the blood of Christ and it is what Christ did on the cross that cleanses us and prepares us for spending eternity with Him and not by being good or anything we might do on our own. I asked if he had ever committed to Christ. He said he had done so as a child.

To make a long story short I spent the better part of two hours explaining the entire salvation plan, and then particularly how important it is to find a church that doesn’t look down on him for his past and has a Celebrate Recovery program. (I told him AA refuses to advise of anything but a “higher power”. Celebrate Recovery openly states that it must be done through Christ.)

He prayed the sinner’s prayer following my lead and committed the rest of his life to Christ. Halleluiah!

So today he meets with his probation officer. I’m praying for him. I gave him my phone number and told him if he felt the urge to drink or wanted me to help get him into a quality faith based rehab program to call me anytime 24/7. He knows what will happen if he does take that first drink. Alcoholics have to come to the realization that they cannot EVER become a social drinker. The only solution is total abstinence. It is like playing Russian Roulette. At any time the cylinder may stop on the chamber that contains a live round that will end his life.

I finished by telling him that he must now put on the full armor of God because satan will intensify his effort and with a vengeance will try to tempt him back with every formidable tool in his arsenal including discouragement and disappointment.

Please pray for him right now. This young man has plenty to offer the world if he can just stay sober and grounded in his faith. He told me he would come to our church next Sunday; I truly hope to see him there!

Know anybody you can help today? Why not spend some time with them?

2 Cor. 4:18

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

March 9, 2015 – Click here to listen

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