monte
05-16-2007, 12:58 AM
I've heard it said, "I drink to forget." Forget what? "I don't know...., I forgot." Funny isn't it? Well, maybe if you can't relate. Personally, I can. I find no humor in it at all. Oh, I don't mean to sound prudish about this, it's just...., well, let me explain.
Before I seriously settled into the ministry, I was a drunk; capital 'D'
darlin', with all the trimmin's. I went fourteen rounds with Bud before a TKO prevented me from answering the bell for the final round. Good thing, I was headed for a knock-out, or worse. I spent two R&R's in rehab, a near fatal auto accident, and the closest one can get to losing it all without busting thru the bottom of the barrel. I'm still recovering from all the consequences of my actions, re-actions, dissatisfactions, and all the other 'tions' you've prob'ly never heard of. I die daily. "For the wages of sin is death," but, I'm rising from the grave; little by little, day by day, from now until forever, because of a man called Jesus. Sounds easy doesn't it? Don't you bet on it. He did his part when he conquered death, hell, and the grave. Now, it's up to me. He won the war for me, but, I still have a fight on my hands...., will have until the day I die. I don't go toe to toe with Bud today, but I have been known, as Jacob did, to 'wrestle with the Lord'. When you get a hold of him, don't let go. For, as it was with Jacob; he keeps blessing me, and blessing me, and blessing me some more. What's more, I don't feel beat up the next day, having to apologize for my 'tions', and swearing to God that I'll "never do that again."
When I think of wrestling with the Lord, I'm reminded of this story of two fellas who left out to go fishing one morining. They hitched the boat to the back of the truck, and away they went. Now, they were known to be good christian men, but also liked to have a little 'fire' water now and then, if you know what I mean. No, we're not talking about the Holy Ghost, though they claimed to have that to, especially this particular morning. By the time they were just about lakeside, they were...., let's see...., how can I put this...., 'two sheets in the wind'. All along the way they kept talking about how good God is, and a six pack into it, he got better and better and better. As they neared the dock, they had to climb up the over-pass (you're getting ahead of me aren't you?) and the driver (who also owned the boat) said to the other fella, "I've been really wrestling with the Lord lately. I think this time, he's got me." The other man, sitting in the passenger seat, happened to look back through the rear window and saw the boat come lose from the truck and disappear as they went over the hill. He looked over at his friend and calmly said, "Brother, I believe you're right. He's also got your boat." Word is, they caught nothing. Point being: if you want to keep it, don't mix it. Light has no fellowship with darkness.
I'll tell ya what I do miss about being a loser, yeah, that's right, 'loser'. You see, if you're under the influence of a mind altering substance and not filled with the Spirit, you're losing out on the greatest gift ever given to man. I'll sip on that any day of the week and never worry about a hangover. You want to know the best part of it all? It's free! It doesn't cost a dime. Jesus took care of that...., on the cross.
So, why did I waste all those years and missed opportunities for a better life for me, my family, and whoever I might have been a difference maker for? I don't know. You tell me. When you get it all together, let me know so I don't have to keep fighting. I'll read your notes and follow them word for word. Until then, Ill keep Jesus in my corner. I don't think we'll have to worry about 'throwing in the towel!' Now, that's GOOD NEWS!
Before I seriously settled into the ministry, I was a drunk; capital 'D'
darlin', with all the trimmin's. I went fourteen rounds with Bud before a TKO prevented me from answering the bell for the final round. Good thing, I was headed for a knock-out, or worse. I spent two R&R's in rehab, a near fatal auto accident, and the closest one can get to losing it all without busting thru the bottom of the barrel. I'm still recovering from all the consequences of my actions, re-actions, dissatisfactions, and all the other 'tions' you've prob'ly never heard of. I die daily. "For the wages of sin is death," but, I'm rising from the grave; little by little, day by day, from now until forever, because of a man called Jesus. Sounds easy doesn't it? Don't you bet on it. He did his part when he conquered death, hell, and the grave. Now, it's up to me. He won the war for me, but, I still have a fight on my hands...., will have until the day I die. I don't go toe to toe with Bud today, but I have been known, as Jacob did, to 'wrestle with the Lord'. When you get a hold of him, don't let go. For, as it was with Jacob; he keeps blessing me, and blessing me, and blessing me some more. What's more, I don't feel beat up the next day, having to apologize for my 'tions', and swearing to God that I'll "never do that again."
When I think of wrestling with the Lord, I'm reminded of this story of two fellas who left out to go fishing one morining. They hitched the boat to the back of the truck, and away they went. Now, they were known to be good christian men, but also liked to have a little 'fire' water now and then, if you know what I mean. No, we're not talking about the Holy Ghost, though they claimed to have that to, especially this particular morning. By the time they were just about lakeside, they were...., let's see...., how can I put this...., 'two sheets in the wind'. All along the way they kept talking about how good God is, and a six pack into it, he got better and better and better. As they neared the dock, they had to climb up the over-pass (you're getting ahead of me aren't you?) and the driver (who also owned the boat) said to the other fella, "I've been really wrestling with the Lord lately. I think this time, he's got me." The other man, sitting in the passenger seat, happened to look back through the rear window and saw the boat come lose from the truck and disappear as they went over the hill. He looked over at his friend and calmly said, "Brother, I believe you're right. He's also got your boat." Word is, they caught nothing. Point being: if you want to keep it, don't mix it. Light has no fellowship with darkness.
I'll tell ya what I do miss about being a loser, yeah, that's right, 'loser'. You see, if you're under the influence of a mind altering substance and not filled with the Spirit, you're losing out on the greatest gift ever given to man. I'll sip on that any day of the week and never worry about a hangover. You want to know the best part of it all? It's free! It doesn't cost a dime. Jesus took care of that...., on the cross.
So, why did I waste all those years and missed opportunities for a better life for me, my family, and whoever I might have been a difference maker for? I don't know. You tell me. When you get it all together, let me know so I don't have to keep fighting. I'll read your notes and follow them word for word. Until then, Ill keep Jesus in my corner. I don't think we'll have to worry about 'throwing in the towel!' Now, that's GOOD NEWS!