New CHURCH AND ADDICTION 3/15/2013

Church is often an important factor in overcoming addiction. The right Pastor or Priest is even more important. We need to attend a Church that will consistently help us to fight addiction. A Church that will help us to never look back at the addiction that has caused us much pain and destruction. A Church that has a leader who will help us to increase our learning about how to conquer addiction until we are expert at it. A Church that has wise counsel so that we can learn rapidly. Many of you have attended Church for years but you will be shocked to hear me say that the Bible says over 100 times that we are to fear the Lord. A great Church teaches what the Bible teaches. They will teach you to obey the commandments because of a fear of the Lord.

Bible author Solomon is known as the wisest man ever to live. He says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. How can we use this to help us with addiction.

Example #1   You have a drinking or a drug problem and your old buddies invite you to join them at the party. At this point in life you just don’t care anymore that intoxication will continue to destroy you. But you just read where the wisest man to ever live said in Proverbs 23 verse ²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
³⁰ Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. ³¹ Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! ³² In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.

Good fear is believing what the Bible teaches. If you don’t care that your life here on earth will be destroyed you need to start to care about your life after you die. In 2013 there are many churches that tell you to believe what they teach instead of the Bible. If you read in 1 Corinthians 5 or 6 or Ephesians 5 that your addiction will keep you from heaven believe it. Learn from Solomon and be afraid. It is healthy fear and it is positive good fear.

Do not attend a Church that tells you that you will go to heaven even though you keep committing the same deadly sin over and over again. Only Almighty God can give you grace. If they tell you that you will get to Heaven because you attend Church then change Churches. Find one that teaches obedience. Yes we all need grace time and time again. But if the Bible says that you will not go to Heaven if you keep committing the same sin over and over again then that is your signal to quit doing it. Find a Church that agrees with the Bible or you will never overcome your addiction.

Study the Bible books of Matthew and 1 Corinthians. Then make it a priority to find a great Church. A Church that teaches obedience. Make a list of Churches you want to try. After you visit each one make an appointment with the Pastor or Priest to meet with them to see how much help they can give you with your addiction.

Some of you are currently attending a Church that says; our Church is the only way to Heaven. If they are not helping you with your addiction switch Churches right away. If what they are teaching  is not helping you, that is 100% proof that they are not the only way.

So what Churches are good? Sometimes the Assembly of God or the Nazarine Churches are good, sometimes they are not. Ask people that you know; what Churches around here really help people change for the better? Then try them and see if they are good for you. The only Christ following Churches that I would avoid are the Jehovah’s Witness (who subtract multiple verses from the Bible saying they are not true) and the Mormons (Who add multiple verses to the Bible from the writings of a very mixed up man). Avoid Churches that give you a guaranteed ticket to Heaven. If it sounds to good to be true it is. However, sometimes these Churches are great at helping you with your addiction. You can attend their and believe and follow what the Bible says and be just fine.

 Believing the Bible allows you to live in the light. It allows you to fight your way to joy through a relationship with Jesus. Find a Church that believes every verse in the Bible because it will be led by a Pastor who has real answers for you.

This week make it your written goal to find a great Church that can help you. Lastly keep working on your own to seek out help about addiction from experts, groups, books, web sites and everything else we can get help from.