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- Feb 9, 2004
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The Counselor - December 24, 2005
A young man tells a counselor the heart-breaking story of a loved one who he believed was a Christian. This person's involvement with street drugs eventually caused so much damage in this that she now even doubted God's existence, and wanted nothing more to do with his friend or other Believers.
The counselor thought for a moment, rubbed her chin, and then calmly replied: "I must tell you that I tend to believe that those who truly love God with all their hearts and souls are not so quick to totally reject Him. Mind you, I believe it is possible for those who genuinely love God to become lost, deceived and fall in to sin and deception for a while, but whether it is a week, month, year or more, those who truly love God come back to Him once the truth of their sin reveals itself in full to them. As such, if your loved one truly did love the Lord, she will again come back to Him. If she doesn't, she probably never really did."
Looking confused and frustrated, the young man pondered this response, then replied, "Maybe so, but you don't know this for sure. You are only stating what YOU believe."
"Allow me to explain why I believe this," stated the counselor as she nodded knowingly. "If a heart is truly filled with love for God, our desire will be to please HIM, and to put HIS wishes first, rather than our own. Once sin reveals itself, if we continue on in sin, we are, in essence, telling God that He is not Lord in our life, and that our way and desires are held in higher esteem than are His. You and I have no way of truly knowing what exactly your loved one's relationship with God was, but more importantly, how is it NOW?"
For the remainder of the session, the counselor went on to offer helpful advice to the young man.
Today's Daily Wisdom is not solely about the dangers of drug use, but rather, to assist those who are hurting in any way, shape or form, whether it be those addicted to drugs or alcohol, involved in pornography, involved in adultery, hateful mind-sets, and any other type of evil that is negatively affecting one's life and relationship with the Lord.
Whether you are seeking to know God and His better way, for the first time, or if you are a Believer who has fallen in to a place of ungodliness, God's love, grace and mercy is just waiting to wash over you so that you may start anew.
Contributed by Melanie Schurr
A young man tells a counselor the heart-breaking story of a loved one who he believed was a Christian. This person's involvement with street drugs eventually caused so much damage in this that she now even doubted God's existence, and wanted nothing more to do with his friend or other Believers.
The counselor thought for a moment, rubbed her chin, and then calmly replied: "I must tell you that I tend to believe that those who truly love God with all their hearts and souls are not so quick to totally reject Him. Mind you, I believe it is possible for those who genuinely love God to become lost, deceived and fall in to sin and deception for a while, but whether it is a week, month, year or more, those who truly love God come back to Him once the truth of their sin reveals itself in full to them. As such, if your loved one truly did love the Lord, she will again come back to Him. If she doesn't, she probably never really did."
Looking confused and frustrated, the young man pondered this response, then replied, "Maybe so, but you don't know this for sure. You are only stating what YOU believe."
"Allow me to explain why I believe this," stated the counselor as she nodded knowingly. "If a heart is truly filled with love for God, our desire will be to please HIM, and to put HIS wishes first, rather than our own. Once sin reveals itself, if we continue on in sin, we are, in essence, telling God that He is not Lord in our life, and that our way and desires are held in higher esteem than are His. You and I have no way of truly knowing what exactly your loved one's relationship with God was, but more importantly, how is it NOW?"
For the remainder of the session, the counselor went on to offer helpful advice to the young man.
Today's Daily Wisdom is not solely about the dangers of drug use, but rather, to assist those who are hurting in any way, shape or form, whether it be those addicted to drugs or alcohol, involved in pornography, involved in adultery, hateful mind-sets, and any other type of evil that is negatively affecting one's life and relationship with the Lord.
Whether you are seeking to know God and His better way, for the first time, or if you are a Believer who has fallen in to a place of ungodliness, God's love, grace and mercy is just waiting to wash over you so that you may start anew.
Contributed by Melanie Schurr