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Hope after Addiction
Pastor Paul Karanick tell the story of Adrienne and her brother Chris.
As a child, Adrienne was best friends with her brother Chris, but when he began hanging around the wrong friends and started doing drugs and alcohol, it all changed. His addiction turned him into a totally different person. He became angry, abusive, and untrustworthy. His addiction affected the entire family. He finally went too far and Adrienne never wanted to see or speak to him again. 50 years later, Chris sends Adrienne a text message.
From the Bible
Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when He stepped out onto the land, a man from the city met Him who was possessed with demons; and he had not put on clothing for a long time and was not living in a house, but among the tombs. And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, and said with a loud voice, “ What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” For He had already commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into the desert. And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; because many demons had entered him. And they were begging Him not to command them to go away into the abyss. Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding there on the mountain; and the demons begged Him to permit them to enter the pigs. And He gave them permission. And the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. Now when the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported everything in the city, and in the country. And the people came out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. Those who had seen everything reported to them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been made well. And all the people of the territory of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Him to leave them, because they were overwhelmed by great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city what great things Jesus had done for him. Luke 8:26-39
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