I want to share a perspective on the controversial subject of drinking alcohol. I know...there are some eyebrows being raised right now! ha ha. But this topic has been introduced, debated and watered down in many churches as well as Christian homes in recent years. Unfortunately, I have had someone very close take a stand that drinking was "not a bad thing" and began to participate in it. Now a few years later this person is addicted to alcohol and its effects have had many sad results in their life, marriage, job and eventually in their children's lives. What? This will not happen to you? Is that what you tell yourself? Well being someone in ministry; I have seen the negative effects alcohol has had on many people's lives...unfortunately many in the church do not know or do not see it because there is something called confidentiality. If only people would be transparent about their pain...then others would not also fall in the same pit.
I don't know about you but when I hear of or when I see a professing Christian drinking; my respect level of them goes down dramatically. I mean, is there anything more strange? I can visualize a new Christian just coming to know Jesus that sees a member of their church drinking, and how that can make them either feel empowered to do the same or feel disappointed in the lack of witness shown. I have also seen a new convert that struggled with alcohol and God miraculously delivered them of their addiction; just to become disillusioned when the person that led them to the Lord was seen drinking. How disheartening is that?
Because of free will our actions have consequences; and just because we don't see them immediately doesn't mean there are none. The truth is that everything we say and everything that we do creates an effect that can be good or bad and many of those aren't seen but are unseen. Let's not even talk about the physical ailments as well as the spiritual implications! (Drinking alcohol is like "pickling" yourself from the inside out!) There is a reason that we are to set ourselves apart from the world and not be like them. Doing so gives God more room to work in our lives and doing the opposite, well just shows who is really in control of us.
"Don't drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of Him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:18-20 The Message
It's not the act of drinking or whether or not it's a "sin" that really matters here. We could debate on this for a long time. Trust me...I have been involved in many of a discussion and have heard so many uses of scriptures leaning one way or the other. And no group talk I have ever been involved in could ever agree on the subject. So I am not going to even use all the scriptures that everyone else uses. I am going to appeal to the heart today and not in the head knowledge of the thing. In reality, it is the character behind the thing that really matters. It is the WHY.
Why is it necessary for you to drink? Isn't the Spirit of God enough for you? What are you trying to fill? Is it because it tastes good (and we ALL know it doesn't!) or do you have another motive? Are you drinking for comfort or because you are in a bad mood? Am I drinking due to stress or due to peer pressure? Who should you be going to when you are in pain, sad, stressed, etc?
Why is it necessary for you to drink? Isn't the Spirit of God enough for you? What are you trying to fill? Is it because it tastes good (and we ALL know it doesn't!) or do you have another motive? Are you drinking for comfort or because you are in a bad mood? Am I drinking due to stress or due to peer pressure? Who should you be going to when you are in pain, sad, stressed, etc?
We were made to be filled with the praises of God and to show Him glory. This is our purpose of being His creations! Any person can find silliness and stress relief from drinking alcohol. But you are NOT just any kind of person! You may even argue that you have never been "drunk" and you only use alcohol for pleasure or "social" occasions. So then I ask, why do you drink at all? What is the purpose then? If this isn't a stronghold in your life, then can you let it go for Christ's sake? It is easy to say something doesn't control you until you are asked to let it go. As the verse above states, it is better to drink from the Spirit and sing songs of praise than to be filled with a substance that cheapens the life God gave us, no matter what that substance is! And the bigger picture here is that anything that we cannot give up for Christ is a stronghold, end of the discussion.
"Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God's people, who are set apart by faith in me" Acts 26:17-18
This was taken from Paul's encounter on the road to Damascus. This is Jesus talking to Paul. He says that we Gentiles are set apart BY FAITH in Him. It's one thing for God to come in and break the chains of addictions of sin to give us a new life, but it's yet another thing for us to step out in faith of what Christ did in us and remain pure! It DOES take faith though to live a life of purity, showing the world the life-giving power that comes solely from God. I have FAITH that Christ lived the most narrow lifestyle, pursuing purity to be set apart for His Father, even to the point of dying for ME. Faith requires action. I walk out my faith by setting myself apart for God alone, living as Christ lived so that the captives might find life in He who lives in me.
Just like Saul who killed Christians and hated them had an amazing encounter where he was converted to Christianity by a bright light! Isn't that just incredible? The Word says that his eyes were "opened" immediately yet he could see nothing. He was immediately made aware that he had been deceived! Could it be that you think that what you are doing or what you believe is totally correct but in reality you have been deceived? Could it be that the enemy is trying to steal the promises that God has given you and has entrusted you with? Just like Saul scales fell away from his eyes to show the real truth of his situation. The truth was so incredible that his name was changed to Paul. Now that is revelatory truth!
In our own home; which is the pastor's home of our church; our son has on occasion used Rum to make Bananas Foster and used Jack Daniels whisky to make a sauce for our steak. Don was upset that our son bought it and used it to the point of argument; but agreed that upon tasting the food that it was incredibly delicious. So there the bottles sat up in our top cabinet. For all of you who know my husband; he used to drink. Now, he was never tempted from the alcohol; but he would open that cabinet and see those bottles and it would remind him of situations in his past that he considered horrible and that he was ashamed of. It was a time where God came in and intervened and saved him from himself and Don did not like the fact that these bottles were sitting there mocking him. It could be a doorway and he didn't want any part of it. We also noticed that our son had bought a few more things to "try" out in different recipes. Our home was quickly turning into a home of compromise. It was becoming something less than what God would be happy with. It took someone close to us losing their job and about losing their mind due to alcohol for us to talk to the boys about us never making compromises like that again in our lives. We would never again let it in our home. Together we poured it all out and decided that if Bananas Foster did not taste good without using Rum, well then we would just choose another dessert. Plain and simple.
After all...is there any end to the life lived like the world? So if alcohol is acceptable in our world, why not drugs, shacking up, abortions, homosexuality, lying, killing, stealing and any other thing that may so easily beset us. Any of these things we could argue about and if we find enough people to agree with....we could justify it! Maybe today you are saying...I would never do those things! I just take a drink here or there. You may be exclaiming as well, "Jonna, you are being a little crazy and going to extremes by saying all of this!"
"Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith." 1Peter 5:8-10 The Message
Well maybe I am a little crazy; but God is calling us to be aware and to be intentional in these last days. We are to be aliens, radical and different and non-conforming.,,,.right? What does the Bible say will happen in the last days, anyway? What things will be destructive and lead people down the wrong path? The Bible is clear that there will be such a strong deception and that if it were possible even the elect would be deceived. What seems white will be actually black or what seems like the truth will be in reality a lie. There will be countless deceptions in every area of life that will lead people astray. Being led the wrong way in life brings bitterness, unhappiness, destruction, and depression but being led down the wrong path spiritually is far more dangerous. I am just here to remind you about that warning.
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20
If you find yourself getting upset about this article and wanting to debate it...well lets just say then; that is why I wrote it. There is NO topic more controversial in the mainstream Christian world right now than this. We are called to be DIFFERENT! And in believing that alcohol; which is a mind-altering drug; is okay then you are being deceived. We are to strive to live a life of purity and to say "no" to ANYTHING that seems contrary to the Word of God. It doesn't have to be a big debate either...deep down everyone that I have talked to about drinking say that they never have a clear conscience about it at "first". But then it gets easier and in time they "really just don't care" what other people think. Well, that was your first indication! The Holy Spirit in you will always try to give you a way out of a compromising situation. The more you ignore the voice then the further away that it becomes and you will find yourself one day waking up and wondering, "How in the world did I get to this place in my life?"
Let me encourage you with this; the next time that you decide to fast...choose alcohol to permanently delete from your home, your life and your "social time". Maybe it hasn't been a struggle for you personally; but you know that it isn't a good witness for others or for your children. There is NO greater thing then to live a life of obedience and honor to your savior. He will grant favor to those who put Him first in their lives. Don't you want to honor Him with everything you do, say and wherever you go?
I am no longer my own for I am called to be a light in the darkness. If by drinking, I cause a stumbling block and dim the light of God in me, then I have no desire nor ambition to ever let it touch my lips. I will put my life on display to show how powerful my God is, giving up anything that tries to diminish the work of God in my life. May you make the last time you drank your "last call for alcohol".
Adjust your Crown!
Jonna
Just like Saul who killed Christians and hated them had an amazing encounter where he was converted to Christianity by a bright light! Isn't that just incredible? The Word says that his eyes were "opened" immediately yet he could see nothing. He was immediately made aware that he had been deceived! Could it be that you think that what you are doing or what you believe is totally correct but in reality you have been deceived? Could it be that the enemy is trying to steal the promises that God has given you and has entrusted you with? Just like Saul scales fell away from his eyes to show the real truth of his situation. The truth was so incredible that his name was changed to Paul. Now that is revelatory truth!
In our own home; which is the pastor's home of our church; our son has on occasion used Rum to make Bananas Foster and used Jack Daniels whisky to make a sauce for our steak. Don was upset that our son bought it and used it to the point of argument; but agreed that upon tasting the food that it was incredibly delicious. So there the bottles sat up in our top cabinet. For all of you who know my husband; he used to drink. Now, he was never tempted from the alcohol; but he would open that cabinet and see those bottles and it would remind him of situations in his past that he considered horrible and that he was ashamed of. It was a time where God came in and intervened and saved him from himself and Don did not like the fact that these bottles were sitting there mocking him. It could be a doorway and he didn't want any part of it. We also noticed that our son had bought a few more things to "try" out in different recipes. Our home was quickly turning into a home of compromise. It was becoming something less than what God would be happy with. It took someone close to us losing their job and about losing their mind due to alcohol for us to talk to the boys about us never making compromises like that again in our lives. We would never again let it in our home. Together we poured it all out and decided that if Bananas Foster did not taste good without using Rum, well then we would just choose another dessert. Plain and simple.
After all...is there any end to the life lived like the world? So if alcohol is acceptable in our world, why not drugs, shacking up, abortions, homosexuality, lying, killing, stealing and any other thing that may so easily beset us. Any of these things we could argue about and if we find enough people to agree with....we could justify it! Maybe today you are saying...I would never do those things! I just take a drink here or there. You may be exclaiming as well, "Jonna, you are being a little crazy and going to extremes by saying all of this!"
"Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith." 1Peter 5:8-10 The Message
Well maybe I am a little crazy; but God is calling us to be aware and to be intentional in these last days. We are to be aliens, radical and different and non-conforming.,,,.right? What does the Bible say will happen in the last days, anyway? What things will be destructive and lead people down the wrong path? The Bible is clear that there will be such a strong deception and that if it were possible even the elect would be deceived. What seems white will be actually black or what seems like the truth will be in reality a lie. There will be countless deceptions in every area of life that will lead people astray. Being led the wrong way in life brings bitterness, unhappiness, destruction, and depression but being led down the wrong path spiritually is far more dangerous. I am just here to remind you about that warning.
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20
If you find yourself getting upset about this article and wanting to debate it...well lets just say then; that is why I wrote it. There is NO topic more controversial in the mainstream Christian world right now than this. We are called to be DIFFERENT! And in believing that alcohol; which is a mind-altering drug; is okay then you are being deceived. We are to strive to live a life of purity and to say "no" to ANYTHING that seems contrary to the Word of God. It doesn't have to be a big debate either...deep down everyone that I have talked to about drinking say that they never have a clear conscience about it at "first". But then it gets easier and in time they "really just don't care" what other people think. Well, that was your first indication! The Holy Spirit in you will always try to give you a way out of a compromising situation. The more you ignore the voice then the further away that it becomes and you will find yourself one day waking up and wondering, "How in the world did I get to this place in my life?"
Let me encourage you with this; the next time that you decide to fast...choose alcohol to permanently delete from your home, your life and your "social time". Maybe it hasn't been a struggle for you personally; but you know that it isn't a good witness for others or for your children. There is NO greater thing then to live a life of obedience and honor to your savior. He will grant favor to those who put Him first in their lives. Don't you want to honor Him with everything you do, say and wherever you go?
I am no longer my own for I am called to be a light in the darkness. If by drinking, I cause a stumbling block and dim the light of God in me, then I have no desire nor ambition to ever let it touch my lips. I will put my life on display to show how powerful my God is, giving up anything that tries to diminish the work of God in my life. May you make the last time you drank your "last call for alcohol".
Adjust your Crown!
Jonna
