Oh Yes It Is Friday… Good Morning Everyone!
Yesterday, I visited a dear friend in jail. My heart aches so badly for this friend. My family has spent the good part of six years doing everything we could to help this guy get a new start in life. No matter how much progress we ever seemed to be making, something would always come along and KNOCK HIM BACK DOWN. You guys ever known someone like this?
While I was in jail with him yesterday, we talked about his past. We discussed the specific factors that PROGRAMED his destructive nature. He told me, as he has many times before that no matter how hard he wanted to change, something very Strong would keep pulling him back down. He talked about rejection, guilt, and poor self esteem. He explained about how he was told from as far back as he can remember that he would never become anything… that he was worthless to everyone.
Sure… every person has an excuse for his or her actions. However, some people in this world clearly have a much more difficult time CHANGING DESTRUCTIVE PATTERNS. They are programmed for failure… and even though they feel warm and fuzzy at times over the DREAM of changing their ways… the program always knocks them back down. They are simply living the way they were programmed to live… UNTIL they are reprogrammed to live differently!
I believe that this kind of reprogramming necessitates a combination of spiritual and mental breakthroughs. Long term destructive patterns need to be broken spiritualy first… and then mentally. Over time, humans get taken over by dark forces, they are beaten into oppression, and left far too weak to resist these forces on their own. This is where leaders walking in spiritual authority can help! There is no spiritual stronghold so powerful that it cannot be broken!
After the spiritual forces are dealt with, the process of mental reprogramming begins. This is where a new program is installed to replace the old one. For my friend, he desperately needs to be able to see the real possibility of a better him. He needs to be able to see the version of himself that God sees! He needs help believing that he CAN CHANGE and HE CAN LIVE OUT A BEAUTIFUL DESTINY.
Look at humans and you will see that most of us have the same potential. We have similar bodies and similar brain capabilities… yet, one becomes a drug dealer and another becomes the Pope! Have you ever wondered what would happen if we could go back in time and place the drug dealer in the environment that programed the Pope, and then place the Pope in the environment that created the drug dealer? Sure, there would be exceptions to the rule… but for the most part we would see that people become what they are programed for.
Let’s help more and more people become the most beautiful version of themselves possible! I believe that my friend will LIVE to see a genuine IDENTITY TRANSFORMATION! Our love and prayers for him and his family, combined with a serious endeavour to lead him into transformation will make the difference!
I am praying for all you guys today… see you tomorrow!
Hey Pastor Chuck!
Wow, what a moving thing for you, your friend and all families involved. My heart bleads equaly for him. It’s people like that, you just want to help out so badly, and your heart hurts, because you can only do so much. I learned in seeing my wife go through her hard times, that no matter what I tried to do to help her, I just couldn’t humanly do it all. At the time I wanted to help an get her help, but she didn’t want it. It took her hitting the bottom an realizing a change was in order making her want help. She told me a few times that when she hit the bottom an couldn’t stand another second of herself, she stoped an thats when she heard the still small voice of God. A few hours latter she was on her way to Teen Challenge in Athens WV. She let herself go there. She wanted change, and they helped give her the tools to rebuild her mind, today God has made her new, an helped renew her mind. After she went into the program I often wondered, why it took so long. Then God brought it to mind one day, that inorder for people to have a savior, they have to have a need for a savior. Arn’t we glad that we have Jesus Christ as our savior. I can’t imagine steping into a new day without him.
Chuck I don’t know your friends situation, but perhaps he to could go to Teen Challenge. Don’t let the teen part fool you. They helped my wife with the tools to change, her willingness and wanting to change enabled God to Reprogram her mind. If you need a contact let me know. They do have pleanty of prisoners up there. And all of them will tell you they are glad to be there.
Wow Chuck! That is very powerful and SOOO True! I have been faced with the same thing my whole life-however, I've always had my kids (Jessie for one) to help keep me striaght. Also, God always had my back that I didn't end up killing someone or myself when I was out drinking and driving (for many many years) or taking rides with strangers when my kids were little and we had to walk everywhere and strangers would stop and aske me if I wanted a ride and stupidly I would accept-with my precious babies in tow. But, yes, it's a hard hard thing to break how we are programed. I'm not sure if Jes has shared with you the struggles I face every day to remain close to God and to continue to live the life He would have me live. I want so bad to take control of my life and do what I think I should do. And, I still get so angry over things that don't matter! I can't stand that, but it happens and then I end up moping for days, maybe even weeks because I feel like I let myself down, my kids down (by yeling & screaming at them over nothing!) and ultimately God down. And then I begin to slack off on my dialy meditations and reading of the scriptures and I forcefully make myself go to church on Sundays because it's so important to me to hear God's word, to feel it, and to bring me back out of this slump. It's awful, Chuck, it really is…this constant struggle. But, when we focus on God and keep our hearts, and our minds on Him, we are never alone in the battle. However, for me at least, it does take a little more-like reading your blogs every day. Getting another person's perspective sometimes helps make things clear for me. Or just to see that someone else may have a similar experience (or in this case, struggle). Anyhow, this is your blog so I better get off here now. But thank you so much for sharing this! It has touched me in many ways! God bless you and your friend. I will pray for him also, because PRAYER IS POWERFUL! And I know that God answers!
Excellent… well spoken Rhonda. It does take more than reading a blog or some other kind of daily devotional in order to enjoy sustainable betterment. These messages are created to give people a fresh start… to create the kinds of thoughts that will inspire transformation. And I'm so happy you are getting blessed! Your story is beautiful… because God is right now bringing you into the finest days of your life.
I've always felt that no matter how bad things have been for a person, the future is always filled with POSSIBILITIES! Five years of BLESSINGS can trump over a lifetime of curses! If you're still alive after all you've been through… God must have something AMAZING just ahead! Your daughter, Jessica is going to make history! Have another super day! Thanks for being so enthusiastic about my blogs! God bless you!!
Chuck,
My heart goes out to this young man. I know that he is a really good person and wants to do what is right. God has big plans for his life and that is why Satan attacks him in every way he possibly can. Let’s love him like Jesus does and encourage him. With Jesus, it is NEVER too late. I have seen this situation in my own family and once he truly surrenders, God can and will change him. With a family like Destiny praying and encouraging him and his family, and with Jesus, we will see a transfromation in this young man. I cannot wait too see how God uses all of this for his glory!!
Wow……….I hope to get my brothers to read your blog. It is amazing that I can talk til I am blue and the face and nothing changes in their hearts. There lives go on as normal. Normal in the sense of drinking and drugs from time to time. I pray and I am always there for them, but I know what it is like to believe that no matter what something is holding you back and pushing you down on your back and telling you to just give up and wait and die. It was in that moment I got angry with God and just kept plugging away at getting heart to heart with God. I remember laying on the floor kicking and screaming and beseaching God to just make all the lies stop. They didn’t in a day or two but over a two year period, I become who God wanted me to be. It was because I did not give up and prayer warriors were praying for me. My husband would keep playing teachings, christian music, and read me the Bible when I physically couldn’t. It was at that time God was letting me know that it was worth the pain and the fight. I would not change it for a second because I now know God on a deeper level. Even more then when I was youngin’ and thought I was born again. Chuck you were one of those warriors who prayed for me and with me. I thank God for you and the time you spent praying with Randy for me. It is because of you guys that I was able to keep up the good fight. People need men like you in their lives. I will be praying for your friend because I know when we press into God He can transform our identity. I will be praying for you to have the strenght to endure sticking in there for him. It is when we give up on others that they need us the most. Keep fighting the good fight and tell your friend the bars can’t hold him!!!!
Thanks for the very kind comment Nuala… you are so correct about the "not giving up" thought. This is where the real battle for miracles takes place. After we have prayed and before we have recieved what we have have prayed for. This is the place of "confession." We must hold on to our faith and specifically, the "confession" of that faith! And this is never easy… but if we can hold on more often, we will all see so many more miracles! Have a super day!!
Outstanding Kathy… and you are right! You have seen this victory first hand… and your faith is felt in your comments! Now is the time for SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION… and I beleive it's very possible. Thanks for sharing your amazing love!
You guys have such an amazing story! I smile every time I think about it! In fact, I smile real big everytime I think of you guys! It’s going to be crazy to see your amazing future! By the way… I moved your comment to this post. You had it under another one. Hope you dont mind!