This broadcaster has 174 show archives available on-demand.
Keep up-to-date with this broadcaster on social media and their website.
May 2, 2020 9:00 am
Mike and Robby talk with Mike's good friend Chuck Reich.
If not stories of hopelessness turned to her house today if not for God friend Chuck Riche and my college you interdiction yet. Chuck is a friend of mine we actually met on a mission trip in when I was in Haiti with the Raleigh first assembly and Chuck was actually highlighting the ministry down there with the Joelle June and it's an orphanage that he that Joe while on takes kids and stuff like that and and that's pretty much what Chuck because he highlights other ministries and actions he's actually been here in North Carolina he's interviewed the Piedmont rescue Mission.
His website is Horizon media studios.com Horizon media studios.com or ATC TV.org and it it shows about what he does but Chuck actually has a great background he was in the United States Air Force and when he got out of the Air Force. He was saved in July 1999.
Chuck, can you tell us a little bit about that and to figure out around guys you guys are amazing. Good work you're doing. Love your show that you back in July 99 I was about 31 years old at that point.
When I got out of the Air Force. There was no boundaries, so to speak that there are when you're in the military and went back to smoking pot and drinking beer on the weekends and pick up some college classes can be a rock star facing a record deal. New York is my early 20s 23 years old and introduced the freebase cocaine. My cousin and man I was. I was hooked immediately. So little you know for 23 to 30 for seven years. Just selling off my music equipment pawning everything off-line, conniving just to go get another crack rock so by July 99 I was down 241 pounds and found a lawyer representing all the drug dealers I had in it like to give us cash but to give me all the crack I wanted so I cried out to God, hail run about a law firm and have a cash flow problem running his business and for Bibles will put my hand on July 4 weekend 1999 and then opened up before I finally had a curiosity opened up one of a minute first book of Samuel chapter 1 verse 14 Chile bursa jump out of minutes of much you come your gentle way line and got flipped on me your kind have to be smoking crack, cello and smoke it correctly is good still overhead and will open the Bible's numbers would just jump out at me as crazy.
So when you went when you said that he knows July 4 99 and for Bibles were put in your hands. And when you cried out to God right then. Did you just quit smoking crack right then and there.
Was it. Now it's coming out. Listeners want to hear but is very patient with me out smoke crack and read the Bible and have porno magazines on the other side of the hotel room and I remember coming across Joel chapter 2 verse 25 I can restore the years the locusts anyway, about wasted seven years of my life smoking dope and my you know I had a baby with a girl ousting strippers clearly had cash eventually had a baby with one of them.
She went back to my parents house.
My daughter Valerie was just turning one on July 7, 1999 that's what I remember the birthday and when I opened up that book. The first annual chapter 1 open up to the front of the Bible like loose Bible is this and said a gift from a friend dated July 7 97.
My daughter was born July 7 98 and here is a couple short, they sort of July, 799 I like. I think is a fine no couple years ago so we put my daughter's birthday in front of this book and Mike so again chills come rushing over my head, but so yeah, you know, and that Bielecki came from a jugular's house. His parents were ministers, but he was a follicle so I'm feeling good about the street. Somehow the house Bible landed in the box editions of mine and got back to my my studio apartment is a crazy story but God is a way of putting his word in your hand if you if you want. Getting go to Psalms 107 today. It's almost the perfect story of people who are rebellious and how the sudden the brokenness to cry out to the Lord and he he delivers on the people give thanks the Lord for his goodness. But there's that whole Psalms 107, like I'm sure a lot of people can relate to that yellow band you have ideas so you go to Bible Gateway over Bible.com everybody should have a Bible app on their phone is almost an plus a 6 1/2 billion copies for your answer should be at least 45 in your house if you got a little plug for the book of Psalms 105, it says, oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his mercy endures forever. They said someone is sigh 107 Psalms 107 starting the first verse will give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his mercy endures forever, but the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered out of the lands from the east and from the last of the north and south is a story of homeless people burst forth, they wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way. They found no city to dwell in hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them and they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses led them forth by the right way that they might go into a city for a dwelling place of Piedmont rescue mission as a city for dwelling place for those in the need a new start and over that man would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness for his wonderful works for the children of men, for he satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
Section 2 years addiction after 107 verse 10 those who sat in darkness. I smoke crack and in dark rooms record in darkness in the shadows of death bound in affliction and irons that sounds like addiction. Verse 11 because they rebelled against the word of God and despise the Council of the most high God. How many people her just say no to drugs right that's got a message for you to come up with that anyway because they rebelled against the word of God and despise the Council, the most high.
Therefore, he brought down their heart with labor. He fell down and there was none to help you. The theme verse 13 then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death broke their chains and pieces. Oh, that man would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of irons into another section will click it and let you guys talk fools because of their transgression because of their iniquities were afflicted their soul aboard all manner of food.
I was down 241 pounds and they want to eat as want to keep some smoking. Note in a Jew near the gates of death, is the theme they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. He saved them out of their distresses. Verse 20 regular bingo. He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their distractions so that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness was wonderful works to the children of men. Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoicing. Now one of the most powerful interviews I ever did was his lady name Shelley and she'd been a hooker and now she ended up in a huge drug deal in Turkey and got arrested and put in the Turkish Dale if you can imagine she is and she said that this place would be like one of the most terrific places you could possibly think of, and but she said for the first time in her life. She felt free yet free from what you know men were demanding from free from you know she didn't get a drugs and always different things were happening and a missionary apparently bribed a couple guards and smuggled her in an English Bible. So all that she had was you know that that Bible and you know she had a grandmother that he been praying for which I'm sure had a huge thing to do with it and she says that she's running but right now just a name Shelley line. Just amazing stories, she gets saved in prison and the US government make some kind of funny deal where there exchanging prisons with turkey prisoners with turkey and she gets out. Now she's got this Bible and she doesn't want to go to waste. As she stuffs it in the mattress is only like to be able to speak English in the entire prison riot right and she's put sticks this English Bible enter mattress. What about three years later, she gets a call from Turkey like are you the Shelley Lange that was the present bought out by gotta tell you how you saved my life because of you I was in Turkey for drug better than an one night I'm sleeping in my mattress and I feel this lump that I reach in and here's Bible right right that's her answer is you are telling your your story Jack, I couldn't help but think in both those ladies cases.
I know they cried out in their distress and and he sent them his word. I just a phenomenal example of what you're talking about. So they said they cried out in distress, jock, and in so you know out of all of our listeners. Chances are, there's a good number of listeners who have some sort of addiction right now. Now it may be alcoholic people in our country are starting to do something they want out of 5P 1/5 are you addicted to something. All I would say five out of five that has got space because you know you when you think of all the things you can be addicted to you can be addicted to porn you can be addicted to food you can be addicted. I'm in my own addictions. They would make a list like that. This is it. Yeah. Also, sinful nature, so that what Jesus said in John eight regular bassoons is a slave to sin of the sun set you free your free indeed. So so and II guess what I'm asking Chuck as if somebody's listening right now they say you know what shock and all this is good and great but I'm addicted to pornography on addicted to men of addicted to women on addicted to gambling whatever it is in the listen essay. I've got this habit I got something that I've got going on and I want to quit, but I just feel like I can't quit ice cream ice cream for your nails and fill in the blank yeah that's that's me.
I screamed so but if if if they're saying, what would you say to them, to encourage them. So what I found was people with addictions.
They quit trying to quit. That's the one thing they quit quit trying to quickly keep the phone down and I get frustrated I cannot God just understand this is my deal. This is some illegal items of Otis and how he made me well you know if I lie a lot. God making a liar right or if I like this field of God make me a thief right now that I'm married, I still want to sleep with every pretty girl exceeded God make me an adult or no, we just have a sinful nature to ourselves. And so what I would say is the answer comes from Jesus. Jesus is the answer, he says, seek and you will find asking you receive seek and you will find knock and the door will be open to you for some people just praying for God fix me and they stop right there like this like you have to go to the hospital to see a doctor and he gives you prescription you gotta go to the pharmacy. Gotta fill it and you gotta take it as prescribed whatever God is and how God is going to stick to the changes with everybody and again I'm a preacher here, I completed a spark of a dime. But to keep a conversational. Now they'll ask God will answer, but they gotta seek widow I need to go. I need to get up from here and go somewhere you need to surround yourself with people of the same desire to do people want to quit.
I play AA and NA. These twelve-step groups. They work in community so I've heard Rick Warren celebrate recovery. Christ centered twelve-step groups. He says if you want to be forgiven. All you gotta do is ask God and you'll be forgiven first John one night you that your sins is faithful and just as but if you want to be healed. You gotta confess for one another. James says, confess your trespasses one to another, and pray for one another that he might be healed. So my word to somebody who's trying to quit if you need to get in the community with people who are trying to quit and get victory not overnight, but over time progress will you know it's interesting when you are saying that one of the things that came to my mind was that it says in Scripture it says do not be fooled that bad company corrupts good character right people, places and things they say. Gotta change. People play something. Sounds like if not for.if not for God leads God doesn't push you know he leads and what's our job to follow. The question is, where is he leaving me who relating me to first place you want to lead you to the good Christ centered, Bible believing church when he said in verse 20 he sent his word and healed them.
His word will renew your mind the way you think about things is the way you act in a way to you. Believe everything everything the FAFSA foundation your belief system is really your doctrine why you do what you do when you what is the Romans 12 renew your mind so the renewing of your mind will be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind when you read the word and you hear good preachers expound upon the word help you understand while in the other thing that you were saying before when you were saying, does God make me an adult you know I want to sleep with pretty women work. I enjoy drinking alcohol to access or whatever and you know does God make me a drunk. What actually says in James chapter 1 verse 13 it says let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempted, he any man, but it says each person is tempted when they are drawn away by their own lusts, so that it's like even even when somebody says why I'm doing this but I don't really want to do it when I get from that versus will yeah you really want to do it or else you wouldn't keep doing it right there and how could become patient has to have a desire to do what's wrong. There's bondage inside of that it's not like neurologist in of this happened you know somebody is abused as a child church sexually and then they begin to make agreements with. I'm no dirty laundry in this kind of thing and there's all sorts of forgiveness that comes into the middle of all that, and so when Chuck was talking about being in community with seeing other people's brokenness and getting inside gives you. It is pretty easy for us to judge people and say what they would just decide not to let you know that there's a lot of stuff inside that brokenness, that has to do with generational curses that I do with things that that happened to them that they were young that were not of that Satan's been after your glory Mike since before you and Emma soon as he saw you on the scene.
He he knew in a lot of different ways how to come after you and so it's it's fascinating to me, that is, I was in community if I talk about my own struggles with pornography. It was true that community I saw while there's a way for me to talk to Jesus about this very thing and go down inside of the woundedness and brokenness where he can show me the agreements that I made. Okay. And the things that I have allowed myself to believe that take away the lie right. Chuck is error lies that led to all those things that exactly that we buy into and with those lies were in bondage.
When we take off the lies, then all the sudden their freedom.
But the beauty of hanging around with broken people that are honest about how they got broken for it is not a hint of dignity.
Those those lies we've all been hurt and there are things that make us feel better. And that's really what were going through self-medicating looking at things that make you feel better doing finger medicating so and that's gonna talk about. They were in the shadow of darkness while Jesus is the light of the world and when he shut and he shined a light on it in community and you bring it out to the devil want you to isolate and think you're the only one going to. There's no reason, understand, and this is just the way you are. Yeah, this is the way you are the God is working on is working on all that. So maybe every listener will you drive in whatever say God is still working on a say that out loud. Gotta still working on the still working on where the pot use the potty where the clay run a spinning wheel on these molding and shaping us every day to be more and more like him so he you see the finished work and were frustrated because were not finished were not perfected yet will be perfected long step in the glory to get that new spiritual body in heaven. There's no more sin and here you know we have that daily battle and if you are struggling. That's actually a good sign at the Holy Spirit in you and your wrestling with it.
People are sitting like crazy and have no conscience about it at a badge and I think that's a very solid actually heard justices last week about that this man was out hunting with this rich man who was not a Christian and he missed a shot and he fell down on the ground started just praying God please forgive me I'm a broken man.
I'm trying to do right and data that is on the rich man says you know you struggle so much. You Christians you know what I'm, you know, I don't believe in God and I don't have to deal with all that struggle and he said how can you explain all the struggle of you being a Christian. About that time or two more dots flyover and they both shoot one of those Dutch guys but with those the ground immediately just flopped over the bed and the other one goes to the ground is broken wing and its top along the ground and he goes so I think I see the picture. He said you see those two ducks and one that struggling to still live pictures of the live event but what I love most about God is that he meet you right where you're at it, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved, yet so many people use that is the salvation that's my ticket to heaven.
Now it sounds it saves you from right now K2 for the next step saves you from stupid absolutely. Do you if and it little usually do this, but just something totally right now Chuck if if there's somebody out there, and in there is who struggling with a some sort of an addiction.
We just asked Chuck if you wanted to say a prayer for them real quick yeah out also to go to so celebrate recovery.com put in your ZIP Code and Ashley all celebrate recovery groups around you.
One different in the 12 step celebrate recovery group that Jesus Christ is the highest power. Satan is a higher power.
The angel is a higher power.
Jesus is the highest power not to preach that Matthew 2018. After Jesus rose from the dead. Verse 18.
He says all 2818.
This is all authority in heaven and earth is been given to me to keep statement question is rose in a dead after three days right right all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. So he is the highest power. So let us pray father the name of Jesus.
Yes power the blood revelations 1211.
They overcame the evil one by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. Everyone listener right now has a story you know all the details.
Lord in Psalms 139. He said you know when we lie down you normally rise up, you know what our thoughts are far off, you know, working to save a fully same. You are all knowing and godliness asking to meet us right where were at. And lead us today lead us to the right people you the God who sets doors that no man can open and guided. We also know that you open doors.
No man can shut you open the door for us today to move forward. So by the power of your spirit. You said that the Holy Spirit the power that raised Jesus from the dad lives inside of us got up, you can raise to use in a dad you can help us overcome addictions and strongholds hurt habits hangouts overview the healer lease. The counselor you are the comforter, so any listener who is listening right now. We ask that peace that surpasses all understanding to come upon them, knowing that your sovereign urine control used on the plan and a purpose for our lives. We want that today were calling upon your name for salvation. This can't upon the name of Jesus for deliverance lead us Lord, get us into the right community with people where we can encourage one another and pray for one another that we may be healed in the mighty name of Jesus we pray, amen, that that was also my eye.
I feel like there strongholds right now that out there that are being broken right now in the name of Jesus chucked so if not for God. You've got some if not forgot stories as well you you had a helicopter story.
Well, you know, I think God is no such thing as a coincidence. As a matter of fact, and 39 book of the Old Testament written in the Hebrew language there is not a word in Hebrew for coincidence or sip, circumstance or happenstance because there are none.
Everything happens for a reason. Look at somebody and say you believe everything happens for a reason though, so yeah nobody will argue with you.
You may not know why right away their eating habits for reason and down some of those coincidences.
The church can sometimes cause him. God winces yes I like that got him to soak for divine appointments crossroads right so it is also a lot of sowing and reaping going on. If I make bad decisions. This can be a bad output so God doesn't get the blame for that man gets the blame for her stupid decision something is both going on. I think a lot of sowing and reaping based on her decisions and is God interceding in getting in the middle of the of the situation. Divine appointment. Yeah man, and at the end of the day, you know, sometimes of the things you see or that you hear while you're thinking about it. It's like wow that's that's an amazing coincidence. Yeah, I may need you to give you about the helicopter story not to have this much time for that kind of a story I got 3100 songs on my playlist in my iPhone I'm I'm pulling out of New York. I'm driving south and start to drive to Washington DC, and in my playlist is Stephen Covey's seven habits of highly effective people. So as I'm driving to Washington DC. I look over my right hand car window and there's the US, one Marine helicopter coming in, ready to fly over my car and I think wow president could be on that helicopter. He's not ready to fly right over the roof my car.
I had planes go by when you go past an airport flick. The plane goes out of your car. That's pretty cool that a helicopter is a helicopter to US one Marine one. Whatever the president may be on it and as the helicopters going over my car.
Stephen Covey saying hey listen you need to schedule your your your planner by the week days in a week keep you have a weekly planner weekly planner if you plan by the week.
It gives you the helicopter view client.
Man, what are the chances of that that's on my phone. There's nothing else to talk about. Sounds like a helicopter and he says helicopter, and God gives mewith helicopter overhead and right away I said this must be an important message for me. You look at my planner and plan and that's why Buddy's weekly planning a weekly planner and that's important to a day by day we attack your week any beauty physically plan by the year. It's like the skyscraper view it in any skyscrapers in Washington DC for the visual but that I just thought I was an amazing coincidence.
I share that with you and I go man with it with the eyes of that happening, you know that God gives you helicopter and with all the traffic in stop and go and he just kind it out.
Raymond is a lot going on in the universe God to be messing with my little playlist and kind things out me to hear something and see some of the same time so I remember it, but he still has time for you. It's like he's one-on-one with you. He's one-on-one with everybody he knows what you think he knows what you're at he's leading you times 7 billion people. This is mind-boggling stuff here. I gotcha. And Robbie, what clearly is not for God this week as we discussed this this morning that we take a look at that helicopter view of our life that there are some things that we know that that were addicted to comfort especially in the signs.
It may be that God pointed out to us as we been seeking comfort. And here's the hope man that we been praying about that we can all take a good hard look at where Jesus would take us in and begin to cry out for his work cry out for those things that you talked about pastor. That's right.
And if you want to check them out.
Chuck given your website for today Michelle is answering the call, ATC PV.org answering the cost of the question is are you answer the call of God upon you to let it go to voicemail. Diane, thank you for listening to my shows arrive on iTunes is not God. More information on my contact God.life