Drug Raids

So Friday night there was a huge drug raid that went on here in our town. It was a 3 county project that aimed at cracking down on those who deal crack cocaine and other illegal drugs. Any of you out there have a serious addiction? I have talked about illegal drugs and addictions before. This instance hit close to home, literally, considering it was practically in my front yard. And after reading the list of people arrested, I saw a good friend I had in high school was one of them. Apparently he has not changed much since high school and has stayed on the same path. It got me to thinking that I could have been one of those names on the list had I stayed on that same path.

I am all for law enforcement cracking down on drugs for that slavery of addiction to drugs and money causes the addict to do things he otherwise would not. Lying, cheating, stealing, sometimes even killing. I must admit though, my heart aches for these addicts as well. We are responsible for what we sow, I don't deny that. Yet when we make a bad decision that causes us to become a slave to an addiction that is hard to overcome it can be hard to recover from that bad decision since it leads into a cycle of bad decisions. Romans 6:17-19 "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification."

I really feel that we need to pray for people who are addicted and so wrapped up in this drug world. I truly believe a lot of them will never be able to quit and get out of this slavery to drugs and money without the awesome hand of God interceding. Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Many of us know this verse and it plainly tells us that with God we can overcome addiction any anything for that matter with Him.

I know it sounds crazy to some, but I ask that you pray for these drug addicts. James 5:15-16 "and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up and if he has committed sins they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."

At church yesterday I asked to put these people arrested on our prayer list. And it turns out they were one step ahead of me by having a basket with all the names of the people arrested since it is public record in the paper. They asked us to take a name and pray for that person as much as possible in the days to come. Number one I love our church and number two, it really gets us to putting others before ourselves. Think if we could all do that, put others needs and prayers before our own. Jesus did just that for us.

May God grant us the gift of seeing the beauty in all things and all people.

With love and prayers always,

C.