Daily Devotional for Monday November 8, 2010

People are Addicted to Many Things

(John 10:10; Psalms 91:3; 2 Timothy 4:18; 2 Peter 2:9)

While we most commonly think of addiction in relationship to drugs and alcohol, the fact is, people are addicted to many things that can put them in bondage; not only drugs and alcohol but food, smoking, gambling, sex, shopping, and work are just a few. ALMOST ANYTHING CAN BECOME AN ADDICTION WHICH PUTS YOU IN BONDAGE AND WILL SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD. Many years ago when I was living in rebellion to God's call on my life, I drank too much, I dabbled with illegal drugs, and gambled. I understand what it is to be an addict. I understand the bondage you are put in from your addiction. What better way to destroy a person's life than by getting them addicted to ANYTHING.

At first it is seemingly harmless. It isn't a big deal. All addictions start out that way. Addictions are actually nothing more then a way to escape the reality of your life. And EVERYONE, listen to me please, EVERYONE has a different way of escaping. While you may never ever consider buying and using illegal drugs, YOUR escape is found at the grocery store. Someone else has no problem with food, but THEIR avenue of escape is sex. Each person is different but EVERYONE can fall into some form of addiction.

The sad part about addiction, it ultimately becomes a bondage. It affects every part of your life, your relationships with family and friends. It affects your performance at work and school. Every addiction has health consequences. It eats away at the precious gift of life God has given us. The hours upon hours you spend involved with your addiction is precious time God has given you that you have wasted. Worst of all, it separates you from God and drives you to run from Him. You then become an easy target for the enemy to drive even deeper into your addiction, driving you even further from God. My friend, being away from God is the WORST place anyone can be!!!

One of the common bonds we have seen throughout the course of human history is the dependence people developed to escape the reality of life. The incredible drug problem we face in this country is not a new phenomenon. The use of alcohol has been common by people through the ages. Man learned how to escape the reality of life using drugs and alcohol early on in his existence, and the world we live in is no different than at any other time in human history.

To understand why so many people during their life have turned to ways to escape life, we must first look at WHY. The basic human experience has not changed at all since the Garden of Eden. As children we are affected by those who raise us and our environment. Our lives are shaped in those early years by where we live, where we learn, and where we play, as well as by all of the people in each area of our life. As we become young adults we begin making our own decisions, decisions based largely on that foundation laid in our life as children. We begin to experience life on our own, we are old enough to understand more of what life is all about, and we begin exploring all of the new feelings and experiences that come with being a young adult.

As we hit our 20's, 30's, and 40's, we become focused on working, earning a living, getting married, and having a family. From 50 and up we start to look at life from a different perspective, since our life is now winding down. We tend to focus on health issues, retirement, and ultimately our own death. Along this journey everyone deals with the death of loved ones and friends, financial problems, where to live, health issues, school and work problems, and relationship conflicts. These are common problems we all face during the course of our life. How we handle these problems becomes the challenge we all have to deal with.

Finding avenues of escape is not complicated. Most start out experimenting early in life to see what they like. The fact is, the result of escaping is that "high" feeling, that period of time when you seem to escape reality. Actually, you have escaped nothing. You have simply found a way to escape reality for a while, and during that time the problems you were facing seem to be gone. That too, of course, is not true, since your problems didn't go away, you simply found a way to block them out. What has actually happened is you have added to them, since any addiction has harmful consequences. After finding a way to escape that you enjoy, it then becomes an option or choice you can make during times in your life when things are not going well. Unfortunately, it becomes a bondage that is part of your daily life.

The problems with addictions are found at every stage of life. The experimentation usually starts out when you are younger. What you are doing is opening the front door of your life and asking the enemy to come inside. You are asking the enemy if he is thirsty or hungry. You are telling him to take his shoes off and relax. You have done to your life the same as if you went and had keys made to your home and passed them out on the street to total strangers. Addiction mostly occurs in adults. When we think of addiction, we get the mental image of the junkie in the alley, or wino. he fact is, most people are functioning addicts!!!

They go to school, they work, they have families, they go to church, yet their addiction is a part of their life. They can not live without it. When you welcomed the enemy into your life by experimenting, you didn't know how difficult it would be to make him leave.

I love you and care about you so much. I want this word today to accomplish two things. First, for young adults, even older adults, DON'T OPEN YOUR LIFE TO THE ENEMY BY EXPERIMENTING WITH THINGS THAT CAN PUT YOU IN BONDAGE! The consequences can literally cost you your life!!!

Secondly, for those who are in an addiction today, STOP. I realize that it is not easy. Many of you have found out how to use you addiction to ease the pain of life's trials and tribulations. The fact is, you are just compounding them. The only answer to the day-to-day issues we all have to deal with in life, is a personal relationship with Christ. Only though Christ does it all make sense. Only through Christ do we have the hope and strength to carry on through those difficult times in life.

Whatever temporary relief you may get from your addiction is just that, temporary. You have not solved the problem, just compounded it. For those who are addicted, get help. Only the power of God can kick the enemy out of your life. But there are many fine Christian-based programs to help you overcome your addiction. Meet with your pastor. Call a local pastor if you don't have a home church. God is still in the deliverance business, but you first have to want to be delivered. THAT is the key. YOU have to make the first step. God will strengthen you and help you each step after. But YOU have to choose to break whatever bondage you are in.

I will be spending 6 hours, from 6pm through midnight Friday in prayer for those who are battling with addictions in their life. Maybe this is not an issue in your life, but is in the life of someone you know. I will be fasting all day and praying that night, believing God for you to find freedom from the bondage that you are in. I will be praying that you have the courage to finally tell the devil, "enough is enough", and cry out to God to help set you free!!! Expect a miracle, because the power of the Holy Spirit is greater than any addiction there is. Know that my Bible proclaims, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper"!!! I am believing for deliverance and victory in the lives of those who are in bondage!!

***As we prepare to open the "9-11 Christian Center at Ground Zero" January 1st, I am excited to be able to offer those who are able to help me with the initial funding an incredible way to honor someone you love! As you know, we are in the process of raising the $500,000 we need for the opening of the center primarily through 100, $5,000 units. We will be placing a gorgeous plaque in the lobby of the new center with 100 engraved leafs, each one in honor or memoriam of someone special in the life of the person giving the unit for that leaf.

In addition, for a special gift of $100,000, we will name the new chapel in honor of a person the donor designates. We are also looking for one special donor to give a gift of $100,000 in memory of the victims of 9/11 who will be honored in the 9-11 Memorial Prayer Room that will become a must-see for the many daily visitors to ground zero.

COUNTDOWN TO 100!!! Wow, God is great! As you know, I am looking for people to help me with 100/$5,000 units to give us the $500,000 we need to fund the opening of the new "9-11 Christian Center at Ground Zero." We have our new permanent home which will be announced in a major press conference in NYC at the location Wed. 11/10 at 10am.

The $500k covers our Liveprayer.com operational expenses through the end of November ($60,000 in shortfalls through the end of October plus $40,000 for November), the Liveprayer TV program in the NYC market that begins Monday December 6th and will be seen every Mon-Fri on a major secular network to promote the new evangelistic center and acquire new financial supporters ($50,000), the deposit for the 5 yr lease ($30,000), and our expenses for the current services at the NY Marriott during November ($20,000), and the funds we need for construction of the space and purchase of everything we will need for the new center ($300,000).

So far, we have had 2 units sent in, plus, one dear friend can only take 1/2 unit and is looking for someone to take the other half, and another friend of the ministry has issued a challenge to match the next 3 units. That means your unit will be doubled! Please pray about stepping up today to help me with one or more units and let's see this need covered in the next 2 weeks!

To make a special gift to the 9-11 Christian Center at Ground Zero, you can send your gift to Liveprayer on your major credit card at our website www.liveprayer.com under the "Donation" button, or you can give from your PayPal account by using my email address, bkeller@liveprayer.com , or you can mail it to: Liveprayer, 6660 46th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33709. One the credit card or PayPal form after your name simply mark (9-11). Also, in the notes section of your check mark (9-11). This will insure all of the gifts towards this special projects go to that cause. All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible.

--->I really need several people who have the ability to help me today, since the bulk of our October operational budget has still not been met. If you can overnight or wire to our bank $5,000 or more, please contact me for the instructions at: bkeller@liveprayer.com

WE ARE GOING TO BRING GOD'S TRUTH TO TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DAILY, SEE WOULS WON FOR CHRIST, AND CHANGE THE SPIRITUAL DEIRECTION OF THIS NATION!!! WILL YOU HELP ME???

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller