Are You A Christian Addict?

I received a phone call today to pray for someone I have known for over 40 years that has begun using drugs. When I say this person has begun using drugs I mean he has begun using them ‘again’. It has been a vicious cycle of drug addiction for this brother who states he is a Christian and loves God. Some who read this will say if he is drug addict he cannot be a Christian and this post is not about whether or not he is a Christian but about the various addictions that many who say they love God struggle with.

Think about it, every sickness and disease that attacks those who do not say they are disciples of Jesus also attacks those who are disciples. The difference is or should be that the delivering, healing power of God to change the situation should be operative in the life of believer. But is it? What about Christian addicts; no I don’t mean just drug addicts but food addicts, attention addicts, approval addicts, sex addicts, church addicts etc. Yes, church addicts. Church addicts are those people addicted to the habit of ‘all things church’ rather than committed to a true relationship with Jesus Christ. Life for the church addict is going through the motions with my church, my pastor, my denomination, my ministry, my anointing, my purpose and all things out of habit rather than relationship.

To make sure we are on the same page an addict is defined as a person who is addicted to an activity, habit or substance and let’s face it many Christians have activities and habits that they are addicted to.

We often compartmentalize these habits and say this one (such as food addictions) is not as bad as this one (such as drug addiction) but what is God’s perspective since they both harm you?

I know it can be challenging to wrap your mind around the fact many people (Christians included) eat themselves to death but obesity is on the rise and the body of Christ definitely has its contributing percentage to the stats.
Addict also means to habituate or abandon (oneself) to something compulsively.

Some Christians justify their addictions by saying “I’m okay” because their habit does not fall in the category of drugs or sex—the so-called bad addictions. Ladies and Gents ANY ADDICTION IS A BAD ADDICTION. Without a doubt God desires every one of his sons and daughters to be FREE from addiction, no matter what the addiction is. A tiney thought ….njs

Greed Built This House

I did catch a portion of Larry King’s interview with Bishop TD Jakes of the Potter House Dallas, TX . Many topics were addressed including the possibility that prosperity preaching contributed to the housing crisis that we are facing today. What role, if any did prosperity preaching and a “go get your stuff mentality” play in creating the economic downturn we are currently experiencing? Many financially unqualified people were able to secure home loans well above their ability to repay those loans. Ask me how I know; I know this because I was one of those people. Everything on my application was true, nothing falsified and the cost of the mortgage on the new house exceeded the amount that is recommended as a portion of income that should be spent on a mortgage. So why did I do it? I did it because God told me to do it. But God didn’t tell everyone to do it and not all who obtained homes above their means were Christians or were associated with the institution of church. Obviously, lenders and others need someone to blame for the house that greed built.

Would God tell me to get a house I could not afford? He would and He did because it wasn’t a house HE couldn’t afford.

Long story short; I was enjoying a beautiful fifty year old home when in a time of prayer God spoke to me that he would give me a new house. I did not learn till later that the purpose of the house was so I could relocate my totally disabled mother from another state to spend her last years with her children. Despite the fact that I should have been strained financially I wasn’t. God provided over and above all that was needed and I was blessed to care for my mother in her last years.

Greed built the housing crisis. Why did lenders lend so much money to people who did not qualify? Why did they write so many risky balloon payment contracts? Many of those contracts were written without making sure the homeowners understood how enormous their payments would become. And what was the responsibility of those purchasing the homes? Didn't they have the responsibility of making sure they could afford them and that they understood the terms and conditions of the contract they were signing?

We can spend the next twenty years sorting out who is to blame or we can move out of and vacate the house that greed built. Natural houses aren’t the only houses greed has built.. Greed has taken sexual perversion to new heights, greed has impacted our youth, our government, our faith, our communities, our job market--virtually every aspect of our lives. This is just another tiney thought but don’t let greed build your house…...

Here Kitty Kitty!

If you’re an animal lover you’re probably going to hate me for asking the question but inquiring minds want to know! Where do we find owning or having household pets to the extent in which we have them today in the bible? Carla Nash, the woman disfigured by her friends chimp (click here to read) has recently been on the news and a recent story I read about a cat attacking its owners (click here to read) and the family that has gone 'hog wild' by relocating (click here to read) in order to keep its pet pig prompts this tiney thought.

There are some countries in which certain animals are considered sacred, but this post isn’t about them it’s about us---Christian America. Have we in America gone so far with our love for animals that we have turned them into idols as well? The pet industry makes billions of dollars catering to people’s love for their household pets no matter what kind of pet it is.And it's absolutely true you can train them to do amazing things...but they are still pets, right? Cats and dogs seem to top the list but the extent people go to and through regarding their pets makes you wonder if we’ve gone to far and what does God have to say about this? Some Christians love animals more than they love other people. Other races and other cultures etc.
If my husband didn’t travel frequently we’d have a dog and I’m certain he’d pamper it and baby it and it would be spoiled rotten but here’s a hard question—were our beloved cats and dogs intended to be a part of God’s food chain for us? I am absolutely fascinated by God’s creativity in creating animals with so much intelligence, the things animals do amaze me. I don’t know anything about dogs but I’m trying to find out where I can see one of those little tea cup sized dogs, they’re so cute.

By the way, if you followed this post from Twitter  or Facebook don’t unfollow me just because I’m asking a question-LOL.

People run back into burning homes, go into deep depression, spend billions of dollars on their pets while many humans in our country are starving and homeless. I’m not saying it’s wrong to have pets; I’m asking your thoughts on what if anything does the bible say about pets. Have we as american culture turned ‘pets’ into idols? We have entire organizations dedicated to animal rights while at the same time we struggle to master human rights and equality. Definitely something we need to take to God in prayer…. Just another tiney thought.

Death First!

I am always inclined 2say "Life and Death" but d actual verse says "DEATH & LIFE"... we have 2 die 2self B4 we LIVE in Christ... Prov 18:21

I am inclined to say Life and Death are in the power of the tongue but the verse says death and life are in the power of the tongue-when you really think about it we have to die to our desires before we can truly LIVE in Christ. We talk often about speaking life to ourselves but we omit or conveniently forget that self has to die daily. The same tongue that is used to speak LIFE should be the same tongue that says to YOU its time to DIE to my will and be alive to the will and purpose of God for my LIFE.

More of HIM and less of me is my prayer.

Impacted Anybody Lately?

I had a wonderful time today celebrating the Christ in my mother-in-law Margie, she’s truly beautiful inside and out. Although it was a birthday celebration there was a time of sharing our testimonies. It’s so important to share where God has brought us from…. Many shared regarding the impact Margie (I call her mom) has had on their lives. One lady shared how Margie’s testimony caused her to want to pray for God to show her herself and by doing so she has seen change in her life. Yes, change. To often Christians forget that transformation is God’s desire for us . Just saying we are Christians and going through ‘outward’ motions that make us look religious and pious is not God’s plan for us. The transformation that he desires for us is an inward work that shows up on the outside.
Superficial change is just that; superficial change. Surface level change never last and never elevates us to that place of knowing that we are growing in Christ.
What does it mean to be transformed? To be changed? To look at the real you and see the changes God has made IN you?
Transformed? Transformed in simple terms is metamorphoo  and it means to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure and this is what God is expecting us to do. The process of metamorphoo is the same process a caterpillar goes through to become a beautiful butterfly. I'm not going to go into the process of becoming a beautiful butterfly because there is plenty of info available on Google. LOL
I just want to know what does it say when we say we are Christians yet we never ask God to show us ourselves so that we can become more like Christ ourselves and have impact on others?

Going Through Is Just That

I guess I don’t need to tell you that I haven’t blogged for a while now, right? You can also visit me at http://www.njstevenson.blogspot.com/ and http://www.twittistry.blogspot.com/. Since April 2009 I have not had full range of motion in my left arm, in October I had surgery to try to regain range of motion. As much physical pain as I am experiencing I am reminded daily of the many people around the globe that live in pain. Not just physical pain but spiritual and emotional pain also. Many times as we are going through our process of growth we think we are having it hard until we meet someone who is having it harder. Think about it, I’m sure you are going through something …..
And on occasion what we are experiencing is referenced as a “light affliction” but it doesn’t feel so light when you are the one going through it. People often say God won’t put more on you than you can bear, I disagree. I think God won’t put more on you than HE can bear. Anything that comes your way you can handle THROUGH Jesus.
There are just some things in life whether you are a Christ follower or not that have to be endured. Through much prayer we come to a place of peace in the things that we have to face and we face them in strength, emerging with the victory. You can go through and come out alright or not. Your choice. Jus another tineythought.

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There is such a need for us to pray and to pray one for another. Beginning 2010, I will have a weekly time of prayer dedicated to covering the prayer request I receive via Twitter. I will announce the day of the week in December. To minimize spam we are not accepting prayer request via DM. You are invited to join me in praying.