Sunday, March 31, 2019

Valley of the Shadow of Death


                                                                                                  
We are at war and the war is not just Spiritual; it is physical! I am watching my family fall apart before my eyes! My health issues are nothing compared to the destruction that is happening to this world and in my own family! I watch them run towards destruction wasting their bodies and their minds to avoid feeling!!! I watch them make choices that will affect them and their families and their generations until they rise up and use the strength and power that can be their inheritance! The world raises them to fear and brokenness instead of love and compassion. They perpetuate this broken, weak mentality and use it to their own detriment! Our sickness and disease is visited on generations to come as a curse! We must break the cycle!!!

Exodus 34:6-7:   “…..The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,7maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, a forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Yet He will by no means excuse the guilty; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

Drugs violate our society and rape our women; it uses and abuses our men and leaves them all to wither and rot until there is nothing left! The world revolves around power, greed and vanity as if they are badges of honor instead of the corrupt, vile things that distort our world into the selfish and self-centered existence that our youth believe is normal. Etiquette, decency, morals, values, honor, integrity… where did they fall? I feel like we, the warriors of prayer and hope, grab at it and try to hold it in our hands like sand but it slips through to fall with the millions of other niceties that we have lost.

I cry out to those of you in darkness and I plead with you now! How long will you do this to yourselves and everyone around you? When will you recognize the signs and turn your life back to Him? How much are you willing to lose? You cannot be half in! You are knowingly putting idols above God and allowing it to plunge you further into darkness and bondage! Your children follow you to the depths of hell! Love them more than yourselves and hear His cries to you! You love to hide and numb yourself to your true heart’s desire. You fill it with waste and want and noise when it instinctually shoves it all aside and greedily screams that it isn’t enough! You can’t bury your wounds in alcohol, drugs, power, vanity or money! It is nothing but deception meant to keep you lost in your darkness. You would rather hide inside your destruction than turn to a world that cares nothing for you! But you are wrong!!

You find solace in it for a moment but what does it take? It takes your youth, your family, your health, your future, your salvation, your Hope! You can’t do life over; it is lost forever. The paths you choose, the choices you make, they leave an indelible mark in your genetic code! Your face and body withers and becomes rot. The bags under your eyes, diseases from your shared sin, wrinkles where the muscle used to be, sores you wear shamefully on your face while you sniffle and root for more makes you look less than human!

What do I have that makes me different? What do those who have Hope turn to? Assurance of love and eternity. John 10: 1-21:
The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
for the sake of His name.
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,a
I will fear no evil,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and mercy will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

The darkness grows in this world like a plague while our values and love for each other declines! THERE IS HOPE! He cries out to you but you drown Him out with your distractions. He sees who you were meant to be! He MADE you and destined your steps before life entered you, before you chose to step away! He knows what plans that He has for you.

 Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

It is the truth and the light of the world! You can find peace and comfort and love! By the Love and Power of Christ, we can give you comfort and nourishment. We can feed your souls and restore your health and sanity by the power of His mercy and Grace! It is real! It is True!

Daniel 2 :21: He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.

 Mat 7:7-8:Ask and it will be given to you; seek andyou will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.…

You ask for help; it is here but YOU have to be willing with do the hard stuff, through the strength of God. You can learn to rely on His strength and wisdom and be surrounded by the love and compassion that we all ache for! Be surrounded by people who have broken through the darkness and it’s walls and are safely on the other side living in Love and Hope. They are warriors of the Light who have been through the darkness and found their way Home.

Are you tired of your wounds? Are you tired of being homeless and hungry? Are you tired of chasing the shadow of who you were supposed to be and coming up empty?

Are you, or someone you know, struggling with brokenness and darkness? Please reach out for help. Stop the cycle of brokenness and destruction! Many centers, like the one in Monterey Bay have no intake fees!

Adult & Teen Challenge USA https://teenchallengeusa.org/centers We are world wide now!!!
 From the Teen Challenge USA website: "The biggest difference between us and a traditional recovery center is our focus on Christ. We call this the “Jesus Factor.” Our program focuses on the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word to give our students a guiding light. We encourage our students to form a stronger connection to their faith. This makes a huge difference in their recovery. We provide a faith-based environment to encourage healing and a new life in Christ. We instill Biblical teachings into our daily routines. We give our students the tools they need to empower themselves through God.

Throughout the years, studies have been conducted about our process. These studies show that faith in God is the main reason our students are still sober after completing the program.

Our programs usually last 12-18 months. This gives our students the time they need to reconnect with God and form a strong connection. The combination of Christian values and a long recovery period makes all the difference. Our length of stay is another big reason that our students avoid relapse. It gives them the time they need to heal and think about who they can be without depending on drugs and alcohol. They are able to create a real and meaningful connection to God."


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