"... hope in
God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my
God." - Psalm 43:5
We are living in troubled times.
Recently, within a week of each other, two celebrities committed
suicide. As I write this, another
celebrity contemplated suicide today.
It is tragic that people have no reason to live. So many have lost hope.
Locally, we have a major opioid epidemic here in the mountains of
West Virginia. Many people seek help
and relief through substance abuse. It
is sad to see so many people destroying their lives for a quick high. For some, drugs are just an easy way to
escape pain or problems. Sadly, drug
addiction is often a super highway leading to death. When you look in the face of an addict, you see a person without
hope.
As a Christian, I know that there is an answer for substance
abuse, suicide and other destructive lifestyles. Instead of bickering over minor issues, it is time for Christians
to rise up together and proclaim that there is hope for lost, dying souls.
Some of you know that I write Southern Gospel shape-note
convention songs. After hearing a
heartbreaking episode of substance abuse & the devastation it brought to
the addict's family, I wrote the following lyrics:
Has your life reached the point of desperation?
Do you feel things have spun out of control?
There's a light shining out into your darkness,
From the One who is seeking for your soul.
Though you've been at the bottom of the barrel,
And you've lived many lonely, wasted years;
There is grace for the soul that comes repenting,
Look by faith to
the Lord through all your tears.
Only God has the power to deliver,
Only He can redeem from sin and strife;
Trust Him now without any hesitation,
By His grace you'll receive abundant life.
There is hope, it is only found in Jesus,
There is hope for the soul that's lost and bound;
So just call on the Lord in full surrender,
Come to Him, He will turn your life around.
(c) 2018
Cumberland Valley School of Gospel Music, Inc.
Sadly, many are clueless about finding solutions to the substance
abuse problem in our country. Some
think that education is the answer, but highly educated people are
addicted. Highly educated people are
taking their own lives, too.
There is hope, but it is only found in Jesus. Only Christ can bring permanent
freedom. He is the only One with the
power to break the chains of addiction and bring help to a hopeless soul.
I have found that most Christians spend a lot of time talking
about the problem of addiction, but few are doing anything about it. Let me give you a few things that we should
do. First, pray. Intercede on behalf of those addicted to
drugs. Instead of talking about them to
others, talk about them to Jesus. Pray
as if it is your own child that is addicted.
It is time for churches to make this a major emphasis of corporate
prayer. Secondly, support those who are
getting help. Many are seeking
deliverance. Let them know you care for
them & pray for them. Third,
financially support faith-based programs that are helping these precious
souls. I dedicated the above song to
Appalachian Teen Challenge, a local branch of Teen Challenge. They are faithfully pointing addicts to
deliverance through faith in Christ.
Finally, be a visual, vocal and vibrant witness for Christ
yourself. Peter wrote, "But
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give
an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that
is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15, emphasis added).
There is freedom in Jesus Christ.
There is freedom from suicidal thoughts. There is freedom from the bondage of substance abuse. Jesus said, "And ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free." Furthermore, He said, "If the Son therefore shall make you
free, ye shall be free indeed."
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