I had planned to write about something else today. Due to the discussion in our Digging Deep group about social drinking, I’d like to recommend an audio in this blog forum today, instead. There are some who have already posted some excellent resources in that discussion. “What the Bible Says about Drinking” by Don Blackwell is something you can rely on to help make your decisions, particularly the word studies he has exposited therein.
Because this subject is so very timely and because the horrific results of drinking have touched your family in some way, I want to strongly recommend that you take the time to listen to this short audio: http://www.westhuntsville.org/Audio/Uploaded/06052011AM.mp3.
For the life of me, I cannot understand the reasoning behind any Christian wanting to have any part of one of the deadliest games people play in America today. When I look around and see the devastation caused by alcoholics— people who never, ever intended to become such—I am just amazed that any Christian could think social drinking is a good idea for God’s people.
I hope that you will listen. It’s important. I hope that you will keep Romans 12:2 in your heart as you do. The fact that the world is peddling a neatly packaged, yet very deceiving and damaging lie, should have nothing to do with my decision about whether or not I will have a glass of wine.
Finally, I’d like to tell you that I have spent time with a faithful Christian widow. She was not an aged woman when her husband died. Her husband died the painful and agonizing death of an alcoholic. His decision, one day, was simply to have one glass of wine daily with his dinner. There are those today in his family who have followed in his footsteps and the devastation continues.
And the worst part of the story is that similar scenarios replay themselves over and over in the society in which we live. No one intends to have a drinking problem.
Wine is a mocker. Strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise (Prov. 20:1).
Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. (Romans 12:2)
Alcohol means children go without guidance.
Alcohol means being placed in a closet as a child.
Alcohol means doing without food, for paychecks are spent on liquor.
Alcohol is seeing a dad try to murder his wife in a drunken rage.
Alcohol means having to sit in a car while your dad sees how close to the edge of a mtn he can get before he plunges off the side.
Alcohol means kidnapping, police, courts, hospitals, foster homes and so much more. Alcohol means the separation of families. It means deprivation, embarrassment because utilities are turned off. It means going without as a child. These are just a few 9f the reasons one should abstain, but God said it best. Don’t do it. Its causes much pain for all involved. Great lesson!