Revelation 3:17
Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing!" And do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.
The emperor has no clothes on...
The fairy tale story of an emperor who went to a tailor to get a new set of clothes made. The tailor was so fearful of what the emperor might do, that he concocted a plan to make the emperor think that he was going to wear a suit that was more beautiful and breathtaking than anything that had ever been made before by any tailor, anywhere in the world. It was a one of kind suit. The tailor painted such am impressive picture with his words that the emperor would not doubt his words. The power to be deceived.
So, as the emperor was walking down the street, people everywhere began to ooh and ahh! at the emperor's new suit. "Beautiful"...."How lovely is the suit the emperor is wearing!". No one dared say what the truth was....the emperor was naked. It took a little boy who saw the truth, to exclaim out loud for everyone to hear, "Hey! The emperor has no clothes on."
Addiction is much like the suit of clothes the emperor thought he was wearing.
The power of the heart, especially one steeped in sin, has the ability to cloud minds and skewer judgement. It can literally take the truth and twist it to such a degree that a person will swear up and down that they do not have a problem with drug's and/or alcohol. The only way to combat this is with on going truth. To make them stand in front of a mirror and let themselves see that they have no clothes on, so to speak. To hold up to them the truth about the destruction they have brought on themselves. Truth is the ultimate weapon when dealing with sin on any level. Little by little you keep the truth in front of the addict and you do so through loving them. Not the syrupy, gooey, love that some think is from God...but the tough kind of love that won't let them go, even though they grow angry, and may retaliate against any effort to make them see....the God/love doesn't give up.
Jeremiah 17:9 reads: The heart is (not "was" or "Shall be") deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it?
The truth about the heart being deceitful works two way. The human heart has the ability to deceive others and yet, at the same time, deceive itself. It takes a divine intervention to bring a person around to the painful truth of what they have done and their need to be saved from themselves. But such is the love and purpose behind God's conviction and invitation to change. This is the starting point to a new life and a new way of living. By seeing yourself as God sees you. No excuses for what you have done. No running away, but because of the pain and suffering you are going through, you face it head on and allow God to bring healing to you. Now you're ready to change.
God on you....
mb
2 comments:
I had no problem knowing that I was a liar and deceived or tried to deceive everyone around me! I even came to the point that I didn't want to manipulate others but I never got free until I realized that I was deceiving myself first and foremost!!! The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. But we first lie to ourselves. Then I found out that I didn't have a drug problem, I had a ME problem!!! God promised to put His spirit in me and to remove my heart of stone and give me one of flesh turned to him who is TRUTH! and knowing TRUTH (Jesus) has set me free indeed! finally. His call is to Believe and obey to love. love Him with all we are and others as ourselves. And the kicker to me is that it is Him that works in me to desire to do His will and gives me the strength to do it! Its all about Him! He even provides the proper self-denying love we are to share. Loving God and others and ourselves for who we are not what we do and don't do. Really Amazing Grace! love you, Ty
Mike thank you for displaying this kind of love to me always! your example was key to getting me to where I am now. love you, Ty
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