November 14th, 2004, Sunday Morning

"Rise from Drugs"
Personal testimony from pastor Dr. Ted Stone and his student, Phil


TESTIMONY SPOKEN BY "PHILIP" AND DR. STONE, IN FIRST-PERSON

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• This is the public testimony of Philip, a student at Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX
  
  
  • I thank all the private benefactors who contribute to the seminary
    
    
    • You're funding future students such as myself and impacting God's Kingdom--the full measure of which will only known when the saved enter Heaven
    
    
  • I wish I could say I was asked by Dr. Ted Stone to work with him because of some academic achievement or unique skill; however, he asked me to join him because I was a former drug addict
  
  
• I first began using drugs at age 12 and my life began to subsequently plummet
  
  
  • I began the same as everyone else: smoking weed and drinking alcohol
  
  
• Of all the addicts I've met, I have yet to meet one who began by shooting $1,000 worth of heroin or drinking a case of Jack Daniels daily; it just doesn't work that way--you start small by smoking that first joint or drinking that first beer
  
  
  • It's important to make your first decisions carefully at your early age because of the lasting effects of substances
  
  
• At 14, I was told by school officials to stop coming to school
  
  
• I was placed in an adolescent care center, where the caregivers told me, "don't do drugs--take your medicine;" "don't smoke weed--take Prozac;" "don't shoot Heroin, drink beer;" "Don't buy their drugs--buy ours"
  
  
  • After a year, I declared that philosophy failed and I left the center, continuing to use drugs
  
  
• The prescription drug problem in America is as much of the problem as illegal drugs
  
  
  • Ritalin is so structurally similar to cocaine, its used interchangeably in medical research
    
    
  • In recent years, some states report more deaths due to antidepressants than cocaine and heroin
    
    
    • 2 Dec 04 Reuters report: 44% of all Americans on at least one prescription in 1999-2000--one is which being antidepressants
      
      
    • 4 Dec 04 A.P. myway™ report: Teen says antidepressants led to slayings
      
      
    • In 2003, 214 million prescriptions were written for the U.S. population of 290 million people (74%)
  
  
• I didn't want to stay with family which was alright because they didn't want me
  
  
  • So my dad drove me and my belongings to live with a man convicted for capital murder of a police officer
  
  
• In the summer of 1997, the Dallas police were summoned to my place for a dispute between myself and a neighbor
  
  
  • The officer was a southern Baptist; he didn't interrogate me or beat me up--but he shared Jesus with me
    
    
    • I heard of Jesus since I was a child but until that day I thought Heaven was for good people and hell for bad people like me
      
      
    • Matthew 9:12: Officer Smith explained that Jesus came to heal the sick and lost--not the healed and saved
      
      
    • Then I understand that Jesus came for lost people like me; Officer Smith explained it to me--someone with long hair, tattoos and a 9 millimeter in my pants--for an hour and a half in the front seat of his squad car
      
      
    • I was very impressed with the officer's love; it was genuine and authentic--and people can sniff out whether you're genuine or just playing a game with them
      
      
      • I was impressed the officer wanted to see me saved even though I didn't care none for religion or cops
      
      
    • I wanted to know where the officer got a hold of whatever joy and love he had to come for someone like me because now I wanted it, too
  
  
• I didn't want to go to the officer's church alone so I tried to bring some of my buddies--but I had none
  
  
• That Sunday in June 1997, Dr. Ted Stone was speaking at Baptist Church in Mesquite, Texas
  
  
• Two things he said caught my attention:
  
  
  • #1. Ted--in his 60s--walked across America in 1996--from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles; 3,600 miles--30 miles per day
    
    
    • In 1998, he walked from San Francisco to Virginia Beach
      
      
    • In 2000, he walked from Nuevo-Redo, Mexico, to the Canadian border outside Detroit
  
  
• #2. Ted--the pastor himself--used to be a drug addict; but no longer since he's recovering by God's grace--the same hope I've learned
  
  
• With Jesus Christ in my life, I found hope to permanently break my drug habit--that I didn't have to be a drug addict for life, as opposed to the Galilean theory that once you become something, you're that way until you die
  
  
• I wish I could say that when I became saved, my recovery was instant--but it wasn't
  
  
  • I began using drugs when I was 12--it was all I knew
    
    
  • The only buzzwords I knew my whole life were "drug dealers," and "prostitutes;" I was unfamiliar with the church's buzzwords
    
    
  • It was a long, hard road out of addiction because I was a terrible, stumbling man--a sinner--only saved by God's unreasonable grace
    
    
    • Philippians 4:7 and Romans 5:20: According to God, (if you're saved) no sin can outweigh God's grace to forgive you of it and this forgiveness cannot be understood by man
    
    
  • After Ted's last walk I accompanied him on in 2000, I stumbled; I went back to Dallas and tried to get cleaned up but fell flat on my face
    
    
  • I had a needle in my arm daily; I was seeing stuff crawling into my skin that wasn't really there and the people I saw looked like demons
    
    
  • I was a hard addict: I would pull my car over to the side of the road to get water from a puddle so I could shoot up; I'd have to read a newspaper to know what day of the week it was
  
  
• On September 10th, 2000, Dr. Stone canceled his speaking engagement to be with me at my apartment because he knew I was dying
  
  
  • He arrived as I lay collapsed in my apartment
    
    
  • When I woke up, I found Ted on his knees, praying--crying out to God (not 911, the police or doctors) to help me; and for his faith, God responded
  
  
• I had been to the gates of hell due to my stupid decisions; but the Lord reached down and snatched me out of the devil's pocket
  
  
• We serve the living God who loves each of us; you are never so low that God's hand can't reach you
  
  
• God has a plan for each of us--a plan involving reaching others in this world
  
  
• I am humbled and at home every time the church door is opened
  
  
• Every time I fail, Ted and other Christians help me back up; God loves me with an unreasonable love
  
  
• Share this unreasonable love with others in the cold, dark world because we're in the warm, lit church
  
  
  

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  DR. TED STONE

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• I grew up in a good family, became a Christian early, accepted the call to the ministry then rebelled and became a drug addict; I know the terrible and terrifying consequences--I was in prison four years and three months and God gave me another chance
  
  
• I was privileged to walk across America three times (3,650 miles each) after the age of 60
  
  
• I walked, delivering the same message to those I encountered in my three walks across America that I gave to my student, Phil
  
  
• I want to speak to the young people of America on the necessity of surrender
  
  
  • It's not a pretty word but that's what it's about: giving yourself up for something greater
    
    
  • If you have a serious addiction, you can only rid it by replacing it with something stronger; and there's nothing stronger than the lasting faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior in your life
    
    
  • Whether you're 85 or 8, God needs you to serve Him
  
  
• Speaking to Southwest seminary students recently, I was asked, "What scripture was most important to you during your darkest days in prison?"
  
  
  • 1 John 4:19-21: I replied, "We love Him because He first loved us."
  
  
• The hope I've preached for years is that Jesus Christ is the answer to every problem
  
  
  • He's not A answer but THE ONLY answer to the drug problem and all problems on earth
  
  
• During my first walk, I encountered a couple from First Baptist Church who ran to me, claiming, "God sent ya!"
  
  
  • The couple said they'd read my first book, "Somebody special"
    
    
  • Their son Mark, 18, was just arrested for capital murder of a convenience store clerk
    
    
  • They claimed since I, Ted Stone, had a second chance, so could their son
    
    
  • They're not afraid to express themselves and cry in church because they know the church members love and support them in spite of what Mark did
  
  
• During my walk across America, I stopped at the Anheuser-Busch company in St. Louis, Missouri
  
  
  • I stopped to deliver a message on behalf of the young people of America because of the their Budweiser and Bud Light beer advertisements
    
    
  • Their ads work to convince viewers alcohol is a great thing to have; that beer is used by successful and happy people
    
    
  • I asked them to change their advertising tactics and they later responded with a letter thanking me for my concern and that I'm sending a false message by comparing "a cold beer on a hot day" to the greater drug problem in America
    
    
  • But the drug problem can happen in anybody's family; it's not confined to families with a history of alcohol or drug abuse
  
  
• For everyone who has the discipline to take it or leave it, there's another who can't
  
  
  • Romans 14:21: At best, it becomes a risky gambling game; and even if you can handle it, what about children who will watch us with drinking a six-pack during the Football game? You only serve to weaken them
    
    
  • Will they think it's cool because dad and brother do it? If they develop that problem because of first watching you, could you bear the guilt of allowing that to happen?
    
    
  • QUESTION: If you're a social drinker, would you prayerfully consider giving it up for someone you love so they can grow up to honor the Lord?
  
  
• Praise those setting good examples around others
  
  
  • The saved represent Jesus and must live like it
    
    
  • Romans 8:9: Our bodies are the temple of God (meaning God lives within you) and we must treat it as such
  
  
• In 1998, I spoke at Village Baptist Church in Oklahoma City and met a man who said, "my dad is a terrible/violent drunk"
  
  
  • The family held out hope dad could get help to get better because they believe Jesus is still healing today; but dad spit and cursed at them
    
    
  • They tried to tell him about Jesus' Gospel but their dad laughed at them
    
    
  • Some of the family members eventually gave up, thinking it would be better if he had died so the remaining family could have peace
    
    
  • But I--a stranger--came to Oklahoma City and witnessed to that daddy
    
    
    • He wouldn't listen to his family but he listened to a stranger and decided to accept Christ as his Savior (become saved)
    
    
  • He quit drinking that day and hasn't had a drop in six months
    
    
  • His family got to see the good man he could be without the smell of alcohol on his breath and Jesus Christ in his heart
  
  
• Just as God came down to earth for Phil, He will come for you; do not give up hope
  
  
• We, the saved--who represent Jesus--are the only hope this lost world knows
  
  
  • If we turn our backs on Him, Jesus will not be pleased but disappointed and we can't afford to do that to Him anymore
  
  
• Revelation 21:7: This promise from God: "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son"
  
  
• God didn't come to earth to do His miracles, directly; He does them through saved people
  
  
• Genesis 4:9: As opposed to Cain, who committed the first murder (of his brother), we ought to be our "brother's keeper"
  
  
  • (Your brother or sister, in the Bible's context, is anyone and everyone in this world you encounter)
  
  
• God is still on His Throne and Jesus is still healing people
  
  
• He worked in Phil's life, my life and the lives of the people I encounter, only by His suffering and dying for His sins (of which He had none) but ours
  
  
• The greatest choice in my life was at 10 years old when I made the decision to follow Jesus Christ
  
  
  • I rebelled for a while after being saved but God never turned His back on me
  
  
  CLOSER

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• If you surrender to Him today, it will be the best day of your life
  
  
• I want you to be forever free by His grace--make this the greatest day of your life
  
  
• QUESTION: When's the last time you prayed in a public place? Do you know someone who's hurting from a drug addiction or dependency? Do you know someone lost--at school, work, or home?
  
  
• We, the saved, can't afford to be quiet! We must be getting down and dirty where they are in the mud to help lift them out
  
  
  • The lost are depending on us; we are Jesus' representatives on this earth
  
  
• It's not about magic or a canned act but your true testimony of how Jesus Christ saved you