What is an awe-factory?
If you know anything about anatomy, then you are familiar with the olfactory nerve. The olfactory nerve transmits special sensory information, allowing us to have a sense of smell. I would like to suggest that the awe factory of our souls is the aroma of God's goodness and kindness. An awe-factory is a heart that is so much in awe of God that anything external doesn’t matter except drawing others into awe.
Christ-centered meetings in Atlanta
Yearning Over Addictions
Thursdays 6:30-8 pm
Big Bethel AME
220 Auburn
What Matters Most
Fridays 10:30 AM-12
South Atlanta Kroc Center
967 Dewey St SW
(on Metropolitan Parkway)
(Lunch at 12:30, while it lasts)
The simplest solution to addiction is
more love for God.
For those who are looking for a moment of clarity,
come hear the answer to addiction from the Bible
Christ-centered support groups are for:
• People trying to overcome addiction
• People who want to help others
• Churches that want to learn how to
start a Christ-center group
• Centers that want to enhance
their residents’ growth
Contact
Gregory Madison
216-308-5100
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Quality Christian Resources on Addiction
Looking for as much biblical information that you can find on addiction? Need material to use for a class or a group? Or do you need some help staying clean and sober? Click to find videos, book lists, articles, and quotes on how the Bible has all the answers that you could ever want for addictions.
Presenting
Turning to God from Idols: A Biblical Approach to Addictions
by Gregory Madison
Very early during my struggle with my addiction to crack (and the other addictions that went with it), I sought to discover what the Bible has to say concerning addictions. In 1996, I began a personal study describing the link between addiction and idolatry. This is now a lifetime study.
Phase I
Reason
Chapter One: Reasoning (God’s reasoning with us)
Chapter Two: The Reality of Addiction: Idolatry
Chapter Three: The Reality of Deceit
Chapter Four: The Real You
Phase II
Repent
Chapter Five: Definition and dynamics of Repentance
Chapter Six: Acts of Repentance
Phase III
Rejoice
Chapter Seven: Rejoice in the Lord
Appendixes
Includes a biblical outline on understanding, idolatry, the fear of the Lord, additional resources, forming Christ-centered support groups and more.
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An overview of the book
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Songs that speak on addictions
It was back around 1995-96 that I first began to see how powerfully God uses various artists through His sobering message of love to speak to those of us who stray from Him and turn to the idolatry of addictions. It was while living on the streets, in Kansas City, that I would frequent a food line for the homeless, hosted by a man and his wife every week, that God used this song to speak to me. The funny thing is that this is the only song that they would play (over and over again). And so, eventually, I started listening to the words. I will have to confess that the song did not have an immediate effect. It wasn’t until years later that it really, really began to touch me. And it is because of that couple’s faithfulness that I try to take a specific message into every environment that I encounter where there are those who are bound to addictions with the gift of music.
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Testimony
Turned to God from Idols
As I look back over my life, it is hard to believe that I was hooked on crack for 23 years. During that time, I participated in both Christian and secular programs (at least 14 or 15.) The programs included Veteran facilities, Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, a farm program in Colorado (owned by Denver Rescue Mission), as well as many others. Very early during my struggle with my addiction to crack (and the other addictions that went with it), I sought to discover what the Bible has to say concerning addictions. In 1996, I began a personal study describing the link between addiction and idolatry. This is now a lifetime study.
Although I had begun to find the answers that I was looking for concerning addictions, I kept going back to using. During those 23 years, the longest time that I remained sober was for 17 months (mainly because I lived away from the city, at that time.) I lived in different places for 7 years, going from one program to another. At other times, I lived on the streets and with friends (on and off drugs.) It was in the year 2003 that I decided that there was no way that I was ever going to quit using drugs again. This was the first time that I had ever stooped to that level. Since I had made such a decision, I thought that it would be best for me to go to Florida where I could find what is thought to be the purest cocaine.
After spending the winter in Florida and going back north in the summer for two years, I returned to Cleveland, Ohio. Somehow, God began to convince me that His way is best and that my actions were highly offensive towards He and my fellowman. I thought of how I was not only depriving myself but also God (as well as others.) This led to a decision to remain in Cleveland and seek out the help of my family and the faith community. I vowed to never move away until I had thoroughly allowed God to deal with my addictions and was ‘stable’. For about the next 6 years I went into the VA several times, joined different churches, and continued to read and write bible-based material on addictions.
From 2005 until 2011 I sought to develop a consistent life of sobriety. I would sometimes go for months at a time, only to return to drugs. In January 2011, I heard that my grandmother in Memphis, Tennessee was very ill. I knew that I could be of no help to her (or anyone) because of the investments that I was making on my addictions. I started doing everything I needed to do so that I would be able to assist my grandmother and her husband (86 and 96, at the time) as soon as possible.
Through the power of Christ, the strength of His Word, the prayers and support of my dad, and with the aid of a church as well as others, I was able to begin a consistent walk with Christ for 2 months before traveling to Memphis. One year after my first visit to Memphis, I moved there. And so now, the things that are most important to me are hearing God and being used by Him. True and lasting sobriety, that is pleasing to God, is found in Christ alone. To be continued…
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It is becoming more clear that the Church of the living God (in these United States, actually World Wide) is going to have to begin to become more active in presenting Christ as the means and source of sobriety.
Please don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to eliminate AA, NA, CA … God in His sovereignty uses people in that setting. God makes use of the 12 steps, also. But, is this not the only way that God is able to rescue people?
