JDS,

Beautiful!  I was touched reading your post regarding the alcoholic.  I too was once like the man who cried so hard when I felt God's love for me and the hope of deliverance from my alcohol addiction over twenty years ago.  Jesus set me free!

Maybe there are different kinds of alcoholics or addicts.  One that enjoys his sin and the other who is bound and can't get free on his own but truly wants to be free.

It was God's love that set me free.  Love is so powerful.  On my walk as a Christian there are times when condemnation, which is of satan, gets ahold of me and I can't do anything as a witness for Jesus.  Satan tells me I am not good enough and who will listen to me as I am not perfect.  But this is not of God.  The bible tells us there is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  Satan has his way of keeping Christians from spreading the good news by feeling condemned.  When I feel God's love and acceptance, I find it easy to witness because it's His love that gives me power.  Yes, the Holy Spirit will convict us of sin, but it is to keep us on the right path and it is without condemnation.  God's mercy is fresh and new every morning.

A long time ago, after I was born again, I had been asking God to give me His heart.  He did.  I was passing through a trailer park one evening and lights were on in this certain trailer and I could see this man sitting alone at his table with a bottle of beer in his hand.  It was at this time that I felt God's heart.  Words cannot describe the feelings that came over me.  It was so overwhelming.  God's strong compassion and yearning for this man to be whole was unimaginable.  I cannot describe it but it was so much for me that I asked God to take it away because it would literally break my heart.  God loved this man so much and it was hurting God to see this man bound. This man had only to call on Jesus in faith and he would be set free.

When I finished reading your post, the song "Oh how He loves you and me" came to mind.  I had not heard that song in a long time.  I had to go and find it and listen to it online.  I found it on youtube.

Here is the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkqxcDp4QSU

The first part is "Jesus loves me".  I hope it blesses you as it blessed me hearing these beautiful words.

    O, how He loves you and me
    O, how He loves you and me
    He gave His life
    What more could He give
    O, how He loves you; O, how He loves me
    O, how He loves you and me

    Jesus to Calvary did go
    His love for mankind to show
    What He did there
    Brought hope from despair
    O, how He loves you; O, how He loves me
    O, how He loves you and me

I don't think that many alcoholics who love being one would visit The Five Doves, but I know that those who are looking for hope and deliverance could very easily be found here and I pray that they would just open their heart in faith to call on Jesus for He loves them so very much.

Thank you again for your beautiful post JDS.  God bless you.

Ruth