6. Encourage faithfulness in worshiping with God's people. The cultivation of relationships with other Christians will be helpful. Getting involved in service for Christ through a local Bible-teaching church will strengthen commitment.
Reassurance for Older Christians:
For those who, due to a number of changes that accompany advancing age, need to be reassured as to their salvation and eternal relationship with God, there are three areas to remember:
1. Older people, like anyone else, can continue to trust unquestioningly the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38–39, NIV).
2. They can trust unquestioningly their relationship with their heavenly Father: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12).
3. They may also trust unquestioningly the Word of God: "Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations" (Psalm 119:89–90, NIV).
Scripture
"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1).
"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1–2).
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:5–8).
DRUG ABUSE
Background
A drug is any substance which produces physical, mental, or psychological changes in the user. Since earliest times, people have experimented with drugs in an effort to escape reality. Today hundreds of millions of people are involved in drugs which range all the way from mildly addictive caffeine to illegal, deeply addictive drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
Anyone can become physically and psychologically addicted to any drug if exposed to high dosages for a sufficient period of time.
Drug users come from all walks of life. Many of the roots of dependency are to be found in insecurity, fear, guilt, disappointments, immorality and deviant sexual behavior, frustration, stress, peer pressures, and intense competition, as exemplified in professional sports. Add to these the great spiritual vacuum which has resulted in a breakdown of moral standards, the disintegration of the home, four major wars in this century, and the staggering availability of drugs of every kind to every age group, including grade school children.
Drug dependency is a problem of the whole person—spiritual, physical, emotional, and social. Once addicted, the dependent lives in an illusory world characterized by paralyzed feelings and emotional responses, mental denials and delusions, social isolation, and spiritual limbo. For many it is a helpless state, a life of no return.
The effort to withdraw from a drug addiction can be very painful, both physically and psychologically. Unmonitored withdrawal can be dangerous. Getting free from dependency, and the subsequent rehabilitation, is usually a long-term process. A strong support system involving the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical is needed.
In order to be helped spiritually, the drug dependent must desire to be helped and must take some initial step to seek such help. This is where the Christian helper comes in. We should seek his or her commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This initial step of faith should lead to a new perspective and motivation for the drug user, which will lead, hopefully, to rehabilitation and a life of wholeness.
Even after commitment to Christ, however, there is often a need to work on the personal issues that led to the addiction, such as a poor self-image, insecurity, incest, homosexuality, immorality, fear, or guilt.