My name is and I am an addict. I love The Core of My Addiction by Fireflight. The lyrics come from the 12-step recovery program; however, the out-of-control obsession is not for mood-altering, mind-altering chemicals like alcohol and other drugs. Neither is the message about the many other things we let take control of our lives: sex, pornography, food, internet, social media, video gaming, gambling, work, career, money, shopping, exercising – you name it and we can become addicted to it. This song refers to Jesus being the core of our addiction. Christians are obsessed with Jesus because of who He is and what He did for us on the cross. We are obsessed to follow His teachings because He is not only our Savior – He is also Lord of our lives.
Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me…” (Matthew 12:30). And, after the not-for-real disciples quit following Jesus because they considered He was asking too much of them, He turned to the twelve and asked if they wanted to leave as well. Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68). Peter, Andrew and company dropped everything to follow Jesus. You might say they were addicted to Jesus because, just like an alcoholic or drug addict will go to any length to get loaded, they went to any length to be with Jesus.
So enough of this worthless, half-hearted dabbling in Christianity! Enough of this middle ground faith whereby we live for Jesus IFFF it is easy – IFFF it is convenient – IFFF we don’t have to sacrifice too much. That idea of Christianity is a lie from the snake oil salesmen who disguise themselves as preachers while lining their pockets with the cash of the gullible who hear exactly what they want to hear: convenient and entertaining Christianity. (Paul writes in II Corinthians 11:14, “…even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light”.) Instead, we need to get our bibles open and get to know Jesus better because the better we know Jesus the more we will love Him and be addicted to follow His radical demands with reckless abandonment of our lives. We will be overwhelmed by His love and sacrifice on the cross and He becomes the core of our addiction.
Read Matthew 4:17-22; 19:16-30 and ask yourself if you are like the rich, young ruler or the disciples. Then listen to The Core of My Addiction by Fireflight.
Matthew 4:17-22
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 19:16-30
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
“Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.