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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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December 2, 1990
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Contents:
1) Teetering on the Precipice of a Drug-High
(Tom Edwards)
2) The Sermon You Preach (poem, selected, actual title unknown)
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-1-
Teetering on the Precipice of a Drug-High
by Tom Edwards
The precarious world of drugs continues to expand; and, as it does, it
gives Death increasingly more of an opportunity to seize with its
clutching hands those who have been allured into this often dangerous
and life-threatening realm. Emilio Domenech, 25, a recovering heroin
user, once stated, "If you last one year on crack you should go in the
Guinness Book of World Records." For individuals to blindly refer
to these illicit drugs as simply "recreational" is by far a misnomer. A
scientist reported that one in ten frequent crack users "has brain
seizures that could trigger serious illness or death." Sources indicate
that about 70 to 75 percent of the trauma cases at the Maryland
Institute for Emergency Medical Services are drug-related, according to
the USA TODAY. The article continued by showing that "60 percent of
trauma admissions are IV drug abusers who are dealers, assault victims
or casualties of turf battles" (Stahl).
Just recently on television's Emergency, it was shown that Heroin
dealers moving into a new area will often make sure that their drugs
will be more potent than those currently around in order to quickly
establish a "clientele." The show focused on one user who had gone into
cardiac arrest due to the strong nature of this drug. Though they tried
to resuscitate him, he soon died. Sadly, another had also lost his life
just previously from this same drug.
Drug pushers are generally not concerned about you nor your health, but
rather their chief interest is often in their own material gain.
Charles Intriago, publisher of Money Laundering Alert Newsletter,
pointed out that "$400 million represents about two days' worth of
drugs sold in the USA." It seems so crazy and unreal that anyone would
even want to jeopardize his life with these risky and illegal
substances bought from such uncaring people, yet that is exactly what
many are currently doing. John Lawn, former head of the Drug
Enforcement Administration, stated in USA TODAY (Feb. 1990) that "We
represent perhaps 6% of the world population, and we consume about 60%
of the illicit drugs...." The problem is so rampant in our country that
drugs have become easily accessible to many of even our
pre-teens. In Lowell, Indiana, a nine-year-old boy was taken into
custody for sharing crack cocaine with three other boys at Lake Parier
Elementary; he had brought it from home.
Tragically, drugs not only affect the user, but indirectly they also
affect numerous innocent non-users as well. Many of our
nation's current crimes have been drug-related. A state Judicial
Council cited from their study that "up to 65 percent of all criminal
cases in urban California courts involve illegal drugs...Another 20
percent are drug-related crimes, such as gang homicides or thefts to
support a drug habit. Blamed: the rapid spread of crack cocaine" (Paul
Leavitt, USA TODAY).
Crime is one of the ways in which the user can maintain his
habit. How else could an individual keep up with an addiction
that cost him $100 a day? This was the case of one fourteen-year-old
Milwaukee, Wisconsin boy who was finally arrested after breaking into
51 homes for the sake of his cocaine fixation. My mind has often been
boggled over how anyone could keep up with such a terrible habit.
Drug abuse is sometimes also the "motivator" towards another type of
abuse -- child abuse. According to Ann Cohn of the National Committee
for Prevention of Child Abuse, "90 percent of cases in some states" are
due to drugs. "Reported cases of child abuse in the USA rose 10 percent
last year to 2.4 million...It's the largest increase since 1985 --
caused primarily by an `explosion' in parents' substance abuse,
especially crack cocaine" (Karen S. Peterson, USA TODAY).
Dear Reader, don't endanger your life by entering the precarious world
of drugs, for one who does so often loses the mastery over his own self
and must then painfully submit to the overwhelming need of this
life-destroying habit. If you want to be hooked on something, why not
be "hooked on Jesus"? After all, He gave His life for you that you may
escape from the miseries of sin and despair and enjoy a life filled
with the blessings of His Spirit.
In closing, let us also be mindful of the fact that the Christian's
body is not to be corrupted. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, asks the
question, "...do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and
in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Cor. 6:19,20). And as we see
in the life of Paul, he did not want anything to be in control of his
life -- except for himself under God's direction. "...All things
are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything" (1 Cor.
6:12). May it also be our desire to have just one Master in heaven to
rule over our lives and to whom we will submit.
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-2-
The Sermon You Preach
There isn't a word that a preacher can say,
No matter how lovely or true,
Nor is there a prayer that his eager lips pray,
That can preach such a sermon as you.
You vowed to serve Christ and men know that you did,
They're watching the things that you do;
There isn't one action of yours that is hid,
Men are watching and studying you.
You say you're no preacher? Yes, but you preach
A wonderful sermon each day.
The acts of your life are the things which you teach --
It isn't the things that you say.
So, Christians, remember you bear His dear name;
Your lives are for others to view.
You are living examples, men praise you, or blame,
And measures all Christians by you.
-- Selected (actual title unknown)
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can
be
lost
(Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet.
2:20-22).
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First published for the Tri-state church of Christ in Ashland,
Kentucky, at 713 13th Street.
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards
tedwards1109@gmail.com
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