(Isaiah 5:11)
Before I even start, I know Jesus drank wine.
In
that culture at that time, there was no bottled water, even tap water. Wine
was used in that day much like we use water today. Jewish scholars have
reported that the average wine drank in the days of Jesus had a very
small alcoholic content. I am also not going to try and lay a guilt trip on
anyone who has a glass of champagne on New Year's or a glass of wine with
dinner, or a beer every now and then. I have never been one to condemn
people for the decisions they make, just try to point them to scripture and
let the Holy Spirit deal with them. As I say so often, you cannot force
someone to do something. It takes the Holy Spirit moving on a person's
heart to
change. On top of all of the scriptures in the Bible that support
abstinence from alcohol, I often use 1 Corinthians 6:19. In context, this
verse is
dealing with our bodies in sexual matters, but it is also appropriate for
use in the area of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and piercing.
Rather than preach to you on the issue of alcohol, let me refer simply to
that one verse and ask you if you feel it is right to pollute the temple of
the Holy Spirit with something as harmful as alcohol that alters your state
of mind. I am going to let you pray on that question and work it out with
the Lord. For Christians, alcohol also becomes a stumbling block for those
nonbelievers in your life. Not only is it harmful to your temple, but is
also a bad witness to those you are in contact with. Never forget, your
strongest testimony is how you live your life before others.
Respecting the intelligence of those who receive this devotional every day,
I am not feeling led to say anything more about this issue. The supporting
scriptures for abstinence are very clear. The reasons to abstain from alcohol are equally clear. Like everything, it is up to you and the Lord to work it out in your own life. I will tell you, like any bondage, if this happens to be yours, God is able to deliver you...whenever you are serious about quitting and
ready to let Him. Pray today and ask God if this is an issue you need to deal
with, and listen to the Holy Spirit as he talks to you.
I love you, pray for you every day, and am always here to help. I realize
there are many dealing with a bondage to alcohol. I fast and spend many hours in prayer for those who are battling with alcohol addiction. Please feel free to email the names of someone that you know who is addicted to alcohol to bkeller@liveprayer.com. I have seen needs miraculously met by the power of God. I believe firmly in personal responsibility in overcoming the problems in our life, working with the power of God. I want to unleash that divine power into the lives of those you know and love in bondage to alcohol. Working in conjunction with the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, we will see people delivered and set free from the hold alcohol has on their lives. OUR GOD IS ABLE!
