Pubdate: Sat, 11 Aug 2001 Source: Winston-Salem Journal (NC) Copyright: 2001 Piedmont Publishing Co. Inc. Contact: http://www.journalnow.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/504 Author: Billy Graham GOD WILL HELP YOU LEARN TO GET BY WITHOUT DRUGS Q. I'm writing you from my drug rehab center (cocaine). Drugs have really messed me up, and I'm tired of hurting my family and myself. But I'm really afraid of what's going to happen when I get out of here and that I'll get back on drugs. Pray for me. Thanks. - K.S. A. Thank you for your letter - and one reason I wanted to print it is because some people still believe that drugs are harmless, and if you become involved with them it doesn't really matter, because you can leave them any time you want to. But almost every day I get letters from people like you who have discovered that it isn't true. Instead of your controlling them, drugs like cocaine soon will control you. Their evil power is almost beyond belief, and only God can deliver a person from such a strong addiction. What the Bible says about alcohol applies to every other drug as well: "In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper" (Proverbs 23:32). God has been with you in the past, whether you have realized it or not, sparing your life and leading you to help for your problem. Now realize that he is still with you, and will be with you even when you leave there. I know this because Jesus died for you. By faith ask Christ into your life. Then turn to him every day for the help you need. In addition, think through now what you need to do to avoid temptations in the future - such as moving to a new area, or getting a new set of friends who love God and won't pull you down. - - Write to Billy Graham in care of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, P.O. Box 779, Minneapolis, MN 55440, call 1-(877) 2- GRAHAM or visit his Web site at www.billygraham.org - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom