Living A Lie

    Living a lie is easy, as a former addict, I can tell you it gets easier with time.
  It starts out so simple, you give in to a craving, a hunger that is always there, just
under the surface. Satan knows our addictions and puts thoughts in our minds,
sometimes after we've been straight for years.
The Bad Thoughts
    Our thoughts can be good or bad for us, it's like the devil on one shoulder and God
on the other. The one you turn to, the one you pay attention to, is the direction you
will go.
    Satan always starts in the mind, it could be visual, a hunk or a babe, it could be
a familiar smell, like cigarets or grass or even fried food, it could be an
unquenchable thirst, for beer or something stronger. All of these cravings start in
the mind, if we dwell on them, the cravings become so strong that we act on our
cravings.
    The big lie, we tell ourselves, is I can do it this once and never again. One drink
for an alcoholic is never enough. One cigaret for a nicotine addict is the beginning
of addiction all over again. A bag of fries, for a food addict, is all it can take to start
you on an eating bing. One magazine, one video, one rendezvous, is all it takes for
a sex addict to fall back into old patterns.
The Good Thoughts
    If we listen to God, he will provide a way out of these bad thoughts. If you've
done a twelve step program before, re-due it before you start your addiction again.
If you have never done one, find a meeting in your area. Any counseling center will
have the programs in their area or someone to contact. A pastor, if you are a
Christian is a good place to start.
    I know your thinking a Christian addict, it may surprise you but the percentage
of addicts and divorce, are the same in the church, as in the world.
Does that tell you the strangle hold that Satan can put on people ?
The Lies
    The problem with lies, is like the old Lays potato chip commercial, bet you
can't eat just one. I'll bet you can't just tell one lie. One lie leads to another lie,
leads to another lie. They get to be like a tall sand castle, it looks great, but one wave
and it all crumbles.
    Secret sins, we call them, but secret from who? God, no God knows we are going
to fall before the thought hits our brain. A secret to Satan, no he knows our
weaknesses and will hit us with them as often as possible.
    No, we try to keep our sin secret, from the ones we say we love the most. We
look in the mirror and say I'm OK. We tell our spouse that nothing is bothering us,
though it's tearing us up inside.
    The lying gets to be easier as our conscience gets buried with our sin and our
lack of character. The old saying goes, a man's word is his bond. Your word
means nothing anymore, that is always where sin takes us. Sin will take us as far
down as we are willing to go.
How far down will you go, before you say ENOUGH!
The God Answer
    We know that God is the answer to all our problems, but as a recovering addict,
I can tell you, it takes teamwork to fight theses problems. Someone to call before
you start your addiction again. Someone to go to a meeting with you. A friend
that loves you enough to sit with you and fight the addiction, instead of buying
the substance for you. Someone to pray with you until the craving passes. We
need a support group, Satan thrives in our seclusion.
    It supposed to be our church family we can turn to, but with the sin of gossip
in our churches, we end up killing our wounded souls. That is what's important
about anonymity in these help groups. First name only, until you are ready to help
others. Believe me there are support groups begging for people that are far enough 
along in their recovery, to help others.
         If you can help others be set free, find a meeting.
      If you need to be set free, find a meeting.