Do you want to be happy?

Philippians 1
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace
Grace and peace. Grace is God's gift to us. Free. No charge. No work prerequisite. No perfection. No awards. Just believe in Jesus Christ. That he died. Was in the tomb three days. God raised Him from the dead.  He is in heaven.  He is our intermediary between a Holy God and sinful man, us. We can talk to God because of Jesus. God talks to us because Jesus makes us holy! 

Peace. 
I Peter5
5In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”[a] 

How do we find peace? Humility. Count others better. Serve others. Most importantly, serve God. If you serve God, you will serve others. You will be humble. You will be at peace. 

Are difficult people the enemy?

Romans 13
8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[c] 

Are difficult people the devil? Are difficult people all sinners? I know you are probably thinking, YES! Well, maybe, and maybe not. What about people who are not difficult? Are they not sinners just because they are not difficult?

Well, let's look at difficult people. First, there must be some sin or they wouldn't be "difficult" right? However, we must never let ourselves fall into the trap of focusing on others' faults. Remember, we are ALL sinners! No one is perfect. So, we can't say they are sinners outright. Maybe they just disagree with us? Or maybe they really are bigtime sinners? Well, unfortunately for that argument, we all are!

So, let's switch our focus from the difficult person to perhaps a cause of their (and our sin). Let's look at the originator of sin, Satan. Satan came into the garden and really messed things up (remember Adam and Eve made some bad choices also). Eventually, Satan was thrown out of heaven and lost the battle in heaven when Christ died on the cross and God raised Him from the dead. Yea!  Well, guess where he is now! You guessed; right here! Satan and his cohorts are right here on the earth right now!  He is waging war here since he has lost in heaven. This won't last forever. He was only given a period of time by God to be down here, and then he is a goner. The Bible tells us he only has a limited time. However, while he is here, he wants to do as much damage as possible. How?  Well, the best way? Use the Christians!!!!  Make Christians think they are better than others. Make them think difficult people are the problem.

That brings us right back to difficult people in our lives. Basically, difficult people are not the problem; sin is.  Satan is. The good news is, God sent His son to cover all of our sins and set us free from the yoke of sin. If you know someone who is difficult, instead of complaining, share Christ with them. As a Christian, I am still a sinner, but I am a sinner set free from the guilt and shame of sin! So, I should want to share that with others. Shouldn't I?

What should we do everyday? Love everyone, and remember when they are difficult, it is the sin you should not like, not them. We must remember that we have the armor of God to protect us from falling for Satan's temptations. We must be in the Word and pray unceasingly! We must share the Good News!

Father,  please help me to remember that I should hate the sin and love the sinner of which I am foremost. In Jesus name.  Amen

John 3:30

John 3:30
He must increase,  and I must decrease.

I have heard this verse several times in the past few days.  At church, as 32 people were baptized and we celebrated College Park's 30th year anniversary, this is what I heard over and over again! The pastor pointed out this is a God thing; it is not about us. He must increase; we must decrease.  If we focus on God, the focus on Him increases. If everything focused on God, how could life not be perfect!

When we say He must increase, and we must decrease, we don't mean that we do not have to do anything anymore. We don't mean God will do everything...although He can if He wants to.  God likes to include us in the things He is working out here on this earth. He likes us to be part of things...to learn...to grow...to be His hands and feet. We just have to ensure we don't make ourselves the focus instead of God.  This focus on self is easy in our generation. Everything is all about instant gratification!  So, focusing on God, is counter-intuitive to this day and age.  However, when we do focus on God, instead of our instant gratification, we will see wonderful things happen. For instance...

Today, my devotional was about being in unity in Ephesians 4:1-16 - Unity and Diversity. It seems to connect so well to the increase/decrease theme. The church is one, yet we are all diverse and given unique talents. If we focus on ourselves, we start comparing/contrasting our talents, jealousy and envy set in, discord has arrived. However, if we focus on God, we realize we shouldn't be envious of other's talents as they are gifts from God for a specific purpose.  God ensures everyone will have the gift(s) they need, so that His will is accomplished. So that He can increase and we will decrease.

So, whatever your gift, or gifts, use them regularly and humbly, so that Christ will become greater and we will become less. Praise others for using their gift(s) regularly and humbly.

All for His kingdom! 

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Amazing. We know that we don't get to heaven through doing good things (works). It is only by God's freely given gift of Jesus Christ that we get to pray directly to God, have the Holy Spirit in us for guidance and wisdom, and know that we are free because Christ has already taken the punishment for every sin we could commit. That is fantastic news! Can't get any better than that, right?  Then I read Ephesians 2:10, and it turns out life can get better! 

Not only is all of this given to us freely, but God knows we will be so grateful and want to show our love for Him to others out of gratitude that, according to Ephesians 2:10, He has already decided there are some things we could do to help others learn about the truths we have learned and have the freedom we have. He has already planned some "good works" for us to do!  We are always in His thoughts, His plans, His love.

Anyone who thinks this creation came from some explosion that accidentally put everything together, has not read the Bible. Only in the Bible, can you see how God has been weaving everything together since the beginning of time! 

What an awesome God we have!  What a privilege to be part of His plan!

Control yourself, not others

Colossians 3:23-24
23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 

Today's devotion was about submission.  You know in Ephesians 5 where it tells wives to submit to their husbands, husbands to love their wives as themselves, slaves to honor their masters, children to obey their parents, father's not to exasperate their children, and masters to treat their slaves correctly? So, basically, no matter what is going on in this fallen world, we are to be submissive, or respectful, to others for their sake not ours.

Well, well, well. That is a really great idea, but let's get a reality check. This is really hard to do! How hard is it to do? One person commented that when they became a Christian, people noticed a change in them. They became a good person: no more swearing or lying or course jokes. However, then they noticed that there were a lot of people who appeared to be "good" and many of them were NOT Christians. That is so true; I know lots of people I think are much kinder and more considerate of others than I am and these people are not Christians.  

So, what is the difference? How am I a good example if people who are not Christians can be kinder and more patient than I can? How can people tell Christians apart from this world?  The answer: Ephesians 5. Submit yourselves one to another. If you submit to one another, you don't have to have your way, you want what Christ wants.  You do what others want, as long as it is in God's will, because it is the right thing to do and it allows others to know they are important to us and God. We seek God and His teachings and pray unceasing to stay close to Him, so that we can know His will and submit to it. 

If God knows everything and is everywhere and is all powerful, we would be crazy not to submit to His will...His perfect will.  We need to submit to others, not our own little agenda in order to reflect Christ.  We need to control ourselves first, through the strength of Christ, and not try to control others. God will take care of "the others." Then, and only then, will people look at us and say, they are different; they are not just kind and good. They are different! We are different, because our focus is on serving Christ!

What happens when Christians don't get along?

Ephesians2:26-29
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

I read a great devotion on Christian unity today.  It really hit home. As Christians we are all loved, forgiven, given peace, given joy, given strength. You are probably thinking, this doesn't sound new to anyone. Then...we step in and try to do things ourselves, our way, and we really mess it up.

We had some friends who are also Christians. I think we got along okay, maybe even better than that.  Then we started attending the same church. Strangely,  instead of growing stronger in faith together, everything changed for the worse. Eventually, instead of peace, joy, and love, there was discord, distrust, discomfort, and suspicion! You are wondering what happened? So am I!

Look at today's lesson though, I see that maybe we assumed everything would be snuggly and cuddly because we were (and are) all Christians, and we were going to the same church. What a snugly and cuddly little package deal, right?  Nothing is wrong with that picture, except Satan doesn't want that. 

Well, it turns out, snugly and cuddly take a whole lot of work, and all that work has to be based on the Cornerstone. If just one part is about us and what we want or what we want to feel instead of all about Christ, then the very opposite happens. The devil will have a foothold! And he waits for those moments, and then jumps in like a ferocious lion. 

Believe me, for us at this point in time,  the devil has a foothold in the relationship! He is tearing our relationship apart piece by piece, and it seems to be happening very easily. Now, let's not forget that for Satan to do this, we are probably making the mistakes ourselves, maybe because we felt so safe in the fact that we are all Christians. That safety allowed us to drop our guard. We said things we shouldn't have; we took offense where no offense was meant; we watched for the negative stuff. What fun Satan must have dividing Christians from the inside out! We didn't even see it coming! What is worse, we helped him because we let our guard down about what could happen if we shifted our focus from Christ to us and our snugly, cuddly relationship. 

All is not lost, though! We are all one in Christ. Our relationships will be renewed. Christ wins in the end. I am praying to focus on Ephesians 2 today! We are all heirs according to the promise, and we will not be lost as God holds all of us in His hands. Somehow,  despite our mistakes,  God will see us through this and we will come out on the other side next to God, stronger and more faithful Christians than we were before. 

Father,  please help us to remain strong in you, to focus on only you in order to demonstrate Christian unity.  Amen

What difference does Jesus make?

I have been going through a Read the Bible in a Year program.  Their post today was very interesting and food for thought. It was about focusing on what has already been done for us,  not what we need to do.  If I spent time everyday appreciating what Christ did for me, what a different person I would be!  That is what I am praying for now! Here is the link to the site.  I have copied the text below it.  I hope you see as much peace, purpose, meaning, forgiveness, and joy in it as I did! 

http://www.bibleinoneyear.org/bioy/commentary/1384http://www.bibleinoneyear.org/bioy/commentary/1384.  

They have an app also! 

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September 23 Day 266

What Difference Does Jesus Make?

• ‘My life has completely changed. I now look at the world through different eyes... I feel love for everyone and an inner peace that I never imagined could exist.’
• ‘I had been living my life in a dark hole, I was carrying a great weight on my shoulders... that burden has gone... and I am filled with great hope, joy, excitement and love, and all I want to do is to serve Christ in whatever form he chooses.’
• ‘I feel like I have found love and conquered death in one day.’

I have interviewed hundreds of people around the world who have come to faith in Jesus. The question I ask over and over again is, ‘What difference has Jesus made?’ and the genuine answers above are typical. As we read in today’s passages, the difference Jesus makes is massive, eternal, and impossible to comprehend fully.

1. Permanent forgiveness

Psalm 110:1-7

Jesus made forgiveness possible through his one perfect sacrifice for our sins. He was uniquely qualified to do so as the ‘King of kings’ and ‘Great High Priest’.

Jesus clearly saw this royal psalm of David as referring to himself (v.1, see Matthew 22:42–45; Luke 20:42–44). It is one of the most frequently quoted in the New Testament. Two lines of Old Testament prophecy come together in this psalm.

• King of kings
  Although it is about a human king, it points forward to a divine King who will be King over all kings (Psalm 110:5).
• Great High Priest
  The writer of Hebrews quotes this psalm as referring to Jesus (see Hebrews 7:17–22) as the one who is the priest forever in the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). Neither Melchizedek nor Jesus were Levites. But both were priests – not on the basis of their ancestry, but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16).

Whereas the Old Testament priests were temporary, Jesus’ priesthood is permanent: ‘He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself (v.27). ‘You’re the permanent priest’ (Psalm 110:4, MSG).

King Jesus, thank you that you made the one perfect sacrifice for my sins so that I can be forgiven and my life can be utterly transformed.

2. Peace and reconciliation

Ephesians 2:1-22

‘Peace’ is a word that sums up all the blessings Jesus brings to our lives. Christ came and preached the possibility of ‘peace’ to everyone (v.17).

Jesus is seated, after his resurrection, at the right hand of God, as prophesied in the psalm for today (Psalm 110:1). Being seated implies rest and peace. You died with Christ, were buried with him and have been raised with him and are now seated with him in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6). You can enjoy his peace and rest as you go about your daily life.

Paul describes life without Christ in these terms:

• ‘you were dead in your transgressions and sins’ (v.1)
• ‘you followed the ways of the world’ (v.2)
• ‘gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts’ (v.3a)
• ‘objects of wrath’ (v.3b)
• ‘separate from Christ’ (v.12a)
• ‘outsiders to God’s ways’ (v.11, MSG)
• ‘foreigners to the covenants of the promise’ (v.12b)
• ‘without hope’ (v.12c)
• ‘without God in the world’ (v.12c)
• ‘far away’ (v.13)
• separated by the ‘dividing wall of hostility’ (v.14b)
• ‘strangers or outsiders’ (v.19, MSG).

Paul describes the difference that Jesus makes in these contrasting terms:

• ‘raised up with Christ’ (v.6)
• ‘seated with him in the heavenly realms’ (v.6)
• ‘God’s handiwork’ (v.10)
• ‘created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do’ (v.10)
• ‘brought near through the blood of Christ’ (v.13)
• ‘reconciled to God through the cross’ (v.16)
• ‘access to the Father by one Spirit’ (v.18)
• ‘fellow-citizens with God’s people’ (v.19)
• ‘members of God’s household’ (v.19)
• ‘a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit’ (v.22).

The contrast between the prior alienation – from ourselves and from God – and the peace and reconciliation that Jesus brings, could not be greater. It is Jesus who makes the difference. We are made alive with Christ (v.5). We are raised up with Christ (v.6). We are saved through faith in Christ (v.8). It is in Christ Jesus that we are brought near (v.13). It is through Jesus that we have access to the Father by one Spirit (v.18). Jesus Christ himself is the chief cornerstone of the new temple, the church.

The only command that Paul gives us in this passage is simply to ‘remember’ this amazing transformation that Jesus brings to our lives (vv.12–13). So often we can forget that being a Christian is all about what Jesus has done for us, and get caught up in what we are doing. This passage helps us to stop, remember, and give thanks to our amazing saviour for all he has done for us.

Lord, thank you for your great love for me. Thank you that you are rich in mercy and have made me alive with Christ. Thank you for the utter transformation you bring to my life.

3. Purpose and meaning

Isaiah 55:1-57:13

The Bible is one long invitation to come to God. In the opening chapters of Genesis, after Adam’s rejection of God’s perfect plan, God calls to Adam with an anguished cry, full of both love and anger, ‘Where are you?’ The book of Revelation ends with the invitation from the Spirit and the Bride who say, ‘Come!’

Jesus often invited people: ‘Come to me’ (Matthew 11:28), ‘Come to the wedding banquet’ (22:4), ‘Come to me and drink’ (John 7:37). In this chapter, God once again issues an invitation to come.

‘Hey there! All who are thirsty,
   come to the water!
Are you penniless?
   Come anyway – buy and eat!
Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.
   Buy without money – everything’s free!’ (Isaiah 55:1, MSG).

The invitation is urgent and universal. It is addressed to those who are unsatisfied. The New Testament sees it as Jesus’ invitation to us (see Acts 13:34–35). In this chapter we see four reasons why we should come to him:

• Jesus alone can satisfy the hunger in your heart
  Without Jesus we are thirsty (Isaiah 55:1). We labour for what does not satisfy (v.2). The opening verses echo the cries of those selling their wares in Babylon, the centre of commerce in the ancient world. The message is this: material things do not satisfy. Without God we are always partly empty, experiencing a lack of fulfilment and a feeling of dissatisfaction.
  
  The offer of Jesus is free. It is to ‘you who have no money’ (v.1). It is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). The promise is that as you come to Jesus ‘your soul will delight in the richest of fare… your soul will live’ (Isaiah 55:2,3). Those who come to him are deeply satisfied. God does not offer you junk food, but a feast. His words are ‘life-giving’ and ‘life nourishing’ (v.2, MSG).
• Jesus’ love and mercy is great
  Repentance is necessary in order to enjoy God’s presence fully (vv.6–9). It involves turning away from sin: ‘Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts’ (v.7a). I like the child’s definition of repentance: ‘being sorry enough to stop’.
  
  Repentance involves turning to God: ‘Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon’ (v.7b). No matter how far we have fallen, God will forgive us. He is ‘lavish with forgiveness’ (v.7, MSG).
• Jesus is the life transformer
  ‘You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow’ (vv.12–13).
  
  The immediate application of this passage was to the departure of the Jews from Babylon. Israel was to ‘go out’ from Babylon and go back to Jerusalem in ‘joy’ and ‘peace’.
  
  However, the prophecy will not reach complete fulfilment until the return of Jesus Christ. Then, nature itself will be renewed and restored. We have a foretaste of this now, in this life, but the ultimate fulfilment of these verses will come when Jesus returns, in the new heaven and new earth.
  
  The Bible is not only the story of the human race, but is the story of the whole of creation in which the human race plays a central and crucial role.
• Jesus has a purpose for your life
  God’s blessings were never intended to be enjoyed selfishly (vv.3b–5). They were to overflow to others. You can’t offer to others what you have not received yourself. But when you have enjoyed a blessing, pass it on.
  
  As Paul puts it in today’s New Testament passage, you are ‘God’s masterpiece’. He created you anew in Christ Jesus so that you can do the good works he planned for you long ago (see Ephesians 2:10, NLT). Your life has a purpose. Your story is important. Your dreams count. Your voice matters. You were born to make an impact.

Lord, thank you that you invite me to come to you to drink the water of life. Thank you for the massive difference you make to my life, both now and into eternity.

Pippa Adds

Ephesians 2:10

‘For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.’

One of the reasons we were created is to do good works. I wonder what God has 'prepared in advance' for me to do today.

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You can be so much more...just ask God!

Annie F. Downs wrote this today:

Everything good in me is for the glory of Christ (Philemon 1:6). Our strength is limited, but His strength is vast. Our hope wanes, but His hope is eternal. His Word says His riches and power are now ours (Ephesians 1:18-19). Let’s believe Him.

Imagine what you could be, do, accomplish for Christ if you simply asked Him for the things you need. Do you need wisdom? Ask! Do you need more understanding? Ask! Do you need more of ______? Ask! 

If you ask so that God can be glorified, He will give you what you need. 

After asking God for more of Him, have you noticed you seemed wiser, or smarter, or more patient, or more insightful? That was God, not you!  I look at all the things I have learned,  and quite frankly take credit for. I am embarrassed at this moment that I took credit for any of it. God gives us everything! How could I take credit for any of it? 

Sometimes I am used by God to play the piano. Everytime I sit down to play, whether prepared or not, I pray for the Holy Spirit to do what needs to be done. I don't even know where the notes come from most of the time (well, yes, I do, the Holy Spirit)! They are not from my vast musical training, that much I know for sure, because I don't have a vast musical training background,  just some lessons and a love for the piano and music!  I am not an accomplished pianist; just a willing one! 

Thank you, Father,  for continually using unqualified, sometimes ungrateful, people such as myself to do your good works!  Amen!

The Trinity. Do you understand it?

It has been easy for me to say I know what the Trinity is. I have heard about it over and over again. I think everyone knows it is the inclusive name we have given the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However,  it has been very difficult for me to understand the complexities of it, to get past the surface of the concept.  

Recently, it eems that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit have been popping up frequently in my readings! God is trying to teach me something! Today, this one, from SheReadsTruth.com, helped me understand the Trinity concept in a little more depth! I am sure there is more to come! 

http://shereadstruth.com/2015/09/21/every-spiritual-blessing-2/

I don't feel like it.

Romans 3
19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. 21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness is given through faith in[g] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

We are given a great gift.  God sent His son to die on the cross for our past sins, our present sins, and our future sins. He doesn't want us to worry about what the world has decided we should do; He wants us to worry about glorifying Him.  We can only do that by remaining close to Him through prayer and reading the Bible.  We will know what to say and do. So, pray and read the Bible.   It is that simple.

Well, you are probably thinking, what about the days when we wake up and we just don't want to do it. We are tired,  we will be late for work, we don't feel close to God. Just do it. Just do it, and keep doing it. God will never fail us. He had made sure we already have a Saviour who will cover all of our wrongs.  Our job is not to doubt, but to continually try to glorify God.

Jesus, help! I don't feel like it today!  Help me stay close to God today and always.  Amen.

God makes everything right...despite us!

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did; sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Laws might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. - Romans 8:1-4

We constantly try to do things in our own will. When you decided what to do first today,  did you ask God if that is what He wanted you to do?  Did you ask if that was the way He wanted you to do it?  You are probably thinking that if you did that, you would never get anything done! Think so? Then try it!  Find out for yourself! 

As for me, everytime I check in with God first, everything works out in the long run...even if it wasn't what I had planned.  Everytime I rush in and fix it myself without checking with God first, it gets pretty messed up.

I am not saying that everything will go the way you had hoped. It won't, but if you ask God to guide you, you will do His will, not yours, and His will is perfect. His will won't always make sense, because it will be God's plan, not yours. You will not be privy to the details until they roll out on front of you. 

God is in control. His plan is perfect. Rest in that knowledge. Trust in Him.

Father, we pray for your guidance in everything as we go through this day. Thank you for your help! In Jesus name I pray.  Amen.

Drinking...what does the Bible say? Should Christians drink? I thought I knew the answer...

I have been reading about this, as I do not subj but know several people who do.  I also know for a fact the Bible doesn't say not to drink at all except in Proverbs where it states one should not drink in order to govern well. However,  when my kids were younger,  we took a strong stance on drinking knowing what I had seen alcoholism do to people in our family. 

Now, we don't say anything because the Bible doesn't say you shouldn't drink. Right? Well, for some reason,  this topic still bothers me.  I know it is the Holy Spirit trying to tell me something. What? Well, I read the two following posts which reference scripture. They are food for thought. Even though drinking is not prohibited in the Bible, it is most times not a good option.  

Here is a summary from John Caldwell that I think resolves this for me at this point in time. 

Taking all this into consideration, isn’t it best to remember the words of Paul? “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others” (1 Corinthians 10:23, 24).

Of course, if I apply this to drinking,  I would be a hypocritic if I didn't apply it to other things: overeating, ,television marathons,  couch potato marathons,  etc.  Hmm,  I have really opened a cam of worms so to speak! 

First article

From: Sermon number 196
There are no little sins.
VI. Drinking - Others regard social drinking as a little sin.
 A. Many are heard to say, “What does it hurt if I take a drink?”
 1. A man once spilled some acid on his trousers in the shop where he worked. That night he noticed a tiny red spot on his leg, but he thought nothing about it. Later the spot grew larger. He went to the  company doctor, who said it was nothing serious, and who gave him salve to rub on the spot. But it got  worse and worse and he was taken to the hospital. He died 5 days later leaving a wife and children without  a husband and father.
 2. Drinking alcohol is like that! A person begins to drink a little, but his drinking gradually increases until it enslaves him and becomes the master of his life.
 B. There have many fine men and women who started drinking a little to be sociable.
 1. They reasoned, “It won’t hurt me,” but as time passed they became enslaved to the drink and it turned  their lives and the lives of their loved ones into a living hell.
 2. Strong drink will drive wit out of the head, money out of the pocket, health out of the body, happiness out of the home, salvation out of the soul.
3. One time a man asked brother Tant this same question. “What does it hurt if I take a little drink?”  Brother Tant said, “I suppose it is no more a sin to drink a little than it would be to steal a little, or cuss a
 little, or lie a little, or whip your wife a little, or even kill a man a little!” I think this was an excellent
 answer.
 4. The man who wants to take a little drink should also think of the effect his example will have on others who see him. His ability to take a little and stop does not mean that the boy or girl who imitates him will be so strong. He may cause them to stumble.
 a. Jesus warned against this. (Lk. 17:1).
 b. Someone has written these words which I think are worth our careful consideration.

Have You Ever Known

• A man to lose his job because he drank too little?
• A doctor to tell a patient, “Your chances would be better if you had been a drinker?”
• An employer of a man of an important place to say, “Give me a drinker every time?”
• A wife to say, “My husband would be the best man in the world if he only drank more?”
• A husband to say his wife would be a better mother to his children if she spent more time at the cocktail bar?”
• A defendant in court to seek acquittal on the plea, “If I had been drunk I would never have committed this crime?”
• An insurance company to offer reduced rates to drinkers?”
• A community to lists its taverns, beer parlors, and road houses among its advertising assets?”
• A chief of police who advocated more liquor as a means of reducing crime?”
• A community that wanted it saloons open election day to secure more honest votes?”

Conclusion.
 I. Beloved, scientists tell us that one speck of dust in the control instruments of a giant plane can throw a plane off its  course. They say lint from a man’s clothing can made a guided missile miss its mark. And our so-called little  sins can throw us off the track of righteousness...

Second articleCrossroads Christian Church

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CAN A CHRISTIAN DRINK ALCOHOL?

By Barry Cameron

September 14, 2015

This blog, originally written in September 2012, continues to be one of the most popular and most shared.

On Monday night, news broke that Olympic gold medalist snowboarder, Shaun White, had been charged with vandalism and public intoxication. On my Facebook wall, I posted the following comment: “This just in . . . and the gold medal for character enhancement, once again, goes to alcohol.”

For years, well-meaning, sincere Christians have debated the subject of drinking. Let me be clear by saying there isn’t a single verse in the Bible that says a Christian cannot have a drink; although the Bible clearly warns about the destructive and addictive nature of alcohol (Proverbs 20:1;21:17; 23:29-35; Ephesians 5:18) and is very clear that drunkenness is always wrong (Romans 13:13; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 4:3;Habakkuk 2:15; 1 Corinthians 5:11).

The Bible is also clear that mature Christians should avoid causing others to stumble by drinking (Romans 14:21), and that leaders ought to avoid drinking alcohol (Proverbs 31:4-7) and cannot be given to drunkenness (1 Timothy 3:3, 8 Titus 1:7.)

I have yet to hear from anyone who drinks how alcohol enhances anything or blesses anyone. Max Lucado said, “One thing for sure, I have never heard anyone say, ‘A beer makes me feel more Christlike . . . Fact of the matter is this: People don’t associate beer with Christian behavior.”1 I’ve yet to see how it improves someone’s testimony or makes anyone a more effective witness for Christ. Quite the contrary, like Shaun White mentioned above, or Richard Roberts, Oral Roberts’ son, who was arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma, driving under the influence, the result doesn’t enhance your testimony. Rather, it takes away from what testimony you had.

Recently, a friend of mine, former mega-church Pastor, John Caldwell, wrote an article in Christian Standard magazine called To Drink or Not to Drink? Here’s the link to his article. John’s article explained why he has personally abstained from drinking alcohol and dealt with the bigger issue of the contemporary church becoming more and more like the world.

Not surprisingly, a number of people responded to John’s article and some called him to task for taking such a strong stand against drinking. In response to the responses, my good friend, Ken Idleman, former President of Ozark Christian College and now Pastor of Crossroads Christian Church in Evansville, IN, wrote these words, which are among the very best I’ve ever read on this issue. I asked Ken for his permission to share them here.

“Okay, I am conscience bound to weigh in on this one…. For a minute, forget about making a definitive case for or against ‘drinking’ from the Bible. Here’s the truth from logic and real life. No one starts out to be an alcoholic. Everyone begins with a defensive attitude saying, ‘I’m just a social drinker and there is nothing wrong with it!’ no one says, ‘It is my ambition that someday I want to lose my job, my health, my self-respect, my marriage and my family. Someday I want to be dependent on alcohol to get through my day.’ yet, this is the destination at which several millions of people have arrived. Why do you suppose that is? It is because alcohol is promoted and elevated as a normal/sophisticated activity in life…. It is also expensive, addictive and enslaving. People get hooked by America’s number one legal drug. And just like all illegal drugs, alcohol finds it way into the body, the bloodstream and the brain of the user/abuser.

I had two uncles whose lives were wrecked by alcohol. The exception you say? Hardly. It is not what they wanted when they dreamed of their futures when they were in their 20s. Praise God, they were wonderfully delivered in their 60s when the grace of God became real to them. And can you imagine it?…. They got their lives back by becoming total abstainers by the power of the Holy Spirit!

One of my most memorable conversations in the state penitentiary in Jefferson City, MO, was with a young man facing a 28-year prison sentence for the brutal sexual assault of his own 8-year old daughter. I will never forget the image. The tears literally ran off his chin and splashed on his shoes as he gushed, ‘I guess I did it. I don’t know. I was drunk at the time.’

Listen, some of those who are defensive in response to Dr. Caldwell’s thoughtful and courageous article will want to revise their text if, in a few years, they discover that they were able to handle their drinking just fine, but their son or daughter could not. Answer honestly. Could you live with the knowledge that your dangerous exercise of Christian liberty factored into your children’s ruin? Or, if your loved one is killed some day in a head on collision by a driver under the influence who crossed the center line, will you still be defensive of drinking?

A good friend during my growing up years was the only child of social drinking parents. When his folks were away, he would go to the rathskeller [German for tavern] in the basement where he developed a taste for alcohol. I won’t bore you with the details. He is 65 today. A broken life, broken health, broken marriages, a broken relationship with his only son, a broken relationship with his only grandchild, a broken career and a broken spirit that…. Tragically…. He tries daily to medicate with the alcohol that led him to this tragic destination.

Hey, thanks for indulging my rant. Like my friend John Caldwell, I confess to setting the bar high for Christian leadership [especially] when it comes to aesthetic holiness. Call me a ‘right-wing fundamentalist.’ Call me a ‘throw back to the days of the tent evangelists.’ Call me a ‘simpleton.’ Call me a ‘minimalist.’ but, if you do, go ahead and also call me a ‘watchman on the wall’ where the welfare of my family [children, in-laws, grandchildren] and my church family is concerned.”2

Personally, I’ve yet to have my first beer and have no desire to start now or to drink alcohol of any kind. At the same time, I don’t judge those who believe they have freedom in Christ to drink. But when asked, I always tell people I don’t believe it’s the best choice.

The bottom line is this: the question really isn’t CAN A CHRISTIAN DRINK? Rather, it is:SHOULD A CHRISTIAN DRINK?

© 2012. Barry L. Cameron

1 David Faust, Voices From The Hill, (Cincinnati, OH: Cincinnati Bible College & Seminary, 2003) 252.

2 John Caldwell, “To Drink or Not to Drink,”Christian Standard 11 August 2012, 18 September 2012.

Link

What do you think?  Should a Christian, or anyone, drink?