Tag Archives: alcohol

by | June 15, 2020 · 10:31 pm

The Unspoken Variable In the Death of Rayshard Brooks

The following video was recorded this afternoon as part of our “afternoon devotionals.” It was recorded while I was waiting with my wife and mother for seating at Cracker Barrel in Augusta, GA.

I had just watched the news conference on Fox News (on my phone) while waiting for my mother to receive her chemotherapy treatment. It literally made me both sick and angry, for out of all the praise for their deceased relative, none of the family laid any blame on the fact that Mr. Brooks had been overly intoxicated.

Just like the disgraceful Mayor of Atlanta, Ms. Bottoms, they blamed the police for the “murder” of their loved one. Not once did they consider the role alcohol played in the actions of Mr. Brooks, nor how if he’d been sober this probably wouldn’t have happened.

Folks, let me be clear, I cannot show you definitively from Scripture that drinking alcohol is a sin; it’s not. However, I most certainly can make a strong case for avoiding it! I love the way the New Living Translation interprets these particular words of wisdom from King Solomon:

“Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.” – Proverbs 20:1 NLT

Like I alluded to at the beginning of this post, having a drink, a beer, or whatever every now and then will not send you to hell: it’s not inherently a sin (Romans 14:17-23; 1 Corinthians 10:23-33; Colossians 2:16; 1 Timothy 5:23).

However, the unwise will disregard the warnings and end up meeting their Maker a lot quicker than those who can think and act with a clear head.

Don’t let yourself be controlled by something that makes you do stupid stuff. The consequences can be deadly.

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Filed under Alcohol, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Bible Study, current events, Life/Death, wisdom

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by | September 28, 2018 · 1:54 pm

The Elephant In the Kavanaugh Hearing Room

My friends, we are going to disagree on different things, and whether or not Justice Brett Kavanaugh should be on the Supreme Court of the United States is probably one of them. Some (well, a few) people I highly respect think voting for Judge Kavanaugh to be confirmed is insane, and that we should at the very least be doing an additional FBI background check into the allegations of rape as presented by Dr. Dianne Ford.

Then, there are others like myself who think it’s insane to believe that the whole fiasco being spread across the airwaves and social media is an example of the worst Washington, D.C. has to offer those who are pro-life, support traditional definitions of marriage, and did not vote for Hillary Clinton in the last presidential election.

However, one thing has been an integral part of both testimonies: ALCOHOL.

Let me go on record, if I haven’t already, by stating that I do not believe it is biblical to categorically claim that consuming beverage alcohol is a sin; there is no scripture that says it is, only those of which some may attempt squeeze out an implication (they eisegete rather than exegete). However, there is plenty of scripture that clearly spells out the dangers of unwise consumption and abuse of alcohol, all of which is sinful and destructive.

For just a moment, would somebody stop praising Dr. Ford for being a brave victim while I back away while I temporarily back away from defending the qualifications of Judge Kavanaugh? Why were these people allowed to publicly consume alcohol when they were teenagers? Why did Kavanaugh’s upper-crust high school yearbook glorify teenage drunkenness like it was a right of passage? Where were all the adults when all these supposed drinking parties took place?

Who drives their 15-year-old daughter to a party where alcohol is going to be consumed and then does nothing about it when she comes home smelling like booze?

What is so wonderful about teenagers knowing the names of drinking games?

And, Judge Kavanaugh, you were proud to remain a virgin until marriage, but nowhere in your study of Scripture was it obvious that drunkenness could lead to situations in which you might find yourself asking, “What did I do last night?”

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has conflicts? Who has complaints? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has red eyes? [30] Those who linger over wine; those who go looking for mixed wine. [31] Don’t gaze at wine because it is red, because it gleams in the cup and goes down smoothly. [32] In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper. [33] Your eyes will see strange things, and you will say absurd things. [34] You’ll be like someone sleeping out at sea or lying down on the top of a ship’s mast. [35] “They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I didn’t know it! When will I wake up? I’ll look for another drink.” [Pro 23:29-35 CSB]

Guilty or not, the elephant in the room is the foolishness of those who think alcohol played no part in this. It did – big time. And the footprints are trackable through the ruined lives who abused the stuff.

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Filed under abuse, Alcohol, America, current events, politics, wisdom

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by | January 9, 2018 · 1:34 pm

Wisdom and Alcohol: A Proverbial Perspective

A Little Background

One of the most controversial topics among some Christians is the subject of beverage alcohol. For some, there is nothing worse than taking a sip, while for others there’s nothing wrong with having a drink with every meal, including breakfast.

I was brought up to believe that drinking any form of alcohol (unless it was in Nyquil cold medicine) was a downright sin, and those who did drink, even rarely and in moderation, were either “backslidden” or probably not true followers of Christ.

Well, a lot of grape juice has flowed under the bridge since then, and my views about alcohol have modified over time. After a considerable amount of study, my understanding of the subject must be discussed within the context of wisdom and grace, not license or law. I simply cannot find a clear, biblical mandate for total abstinence; yet, neither can I find justification for uninhibited consumption.

To put it another way, I’m not going to tell you what to do – it’s between God and you.

“Proverbial” Thinking

The whole reason for bringing up the subject of drinking alcohol is that on my other blog, ProverbialThought.com, the natural rotation of posts has now fallen on Proverbs 31. It is in this chapter that we read not only of the “perfect” woman (we all know there’s not one, of course – except my wife), but also of a mother’s concern for what her royal son should drink.

Therefore, I will ask you to read the following posts for which I am going to provide links. We may not all agree on the topic, but hopefully what I wrote in my commentary on Proverbs will provide some helpful insight.

“The King’s Beverage”: a commentary on Proverbs 31:4-7

 “Give Them Wine”: a commentary on Proverbs 31:6-7

But do remember this: Don’t do anything – drink, abstain, or whatever – without being fully convinced in your own heart. A very important lesson to remember can be found in the Apostle Paul’s words to the Christians in Rome…

Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats. It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin. – Romans 14:20-23 CSB

I would love to continue this as a discussion in the comment section.

What do you think about the words of Paul? What do you think of my commentaries on Proverbs 31?

Let us know what you think, and why.

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by | July 5, 2016 · 12:09 am

Alcohol and Fireworks: A Retrospective

Things reportedly heard on July 4th…

after a long day of BBQ…

and a few too many “adult beverages”…

before, during, and after shooting off fireworks.

  • Wooooooooo!
  • ‘Merica!
  • Don’t point that at me!
  • Launch it from yer hand! You chicken?
  • Woooooooo!
  • Yeah!!! Stick one in the fire ant mound!
  • Daaaaayam, bro! Does it hurt?
  • We need to save some of these to shoot down the drones.
  • Roll Tide!
  • Hey, man! Where’s the gasoline?
  • I’ll light it…you hold it.
  • How fast is the fuse?
  • Anybody seen the baby?
  • Put it on your head! I dare ya!
  • Dude! Get the Roman candles! I got an idea!
  • I bet you can’t hit me with it!
  • Duuuuude. Just don’t tell anybody, man.
  • Hey! Watch this!
  • You ain’t hurt. Just stick it in the cooler…it won’t burn long.
  • Hold still a second! I wanna take a picture of it!
  • I made this one, myself! Just light it and run.
  • If I look at it, it’ll start hurting. What’s it look like?
  • Anybody know the number for 911?

A word to the wise: Drinking and explosives don’t mix.

 

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by | April 14, 2015 · 1:35 pm

He Didn’t Strike Me Dead

I pray the following will encourage someone.

Confession time… I shook my fist at God, cursed Him, and asked him to kill me where I stood.

It was around 15 years ago in Kentucky, and it was a bad time in my life, needless to say. It wasn’t that I had lost almost everything except my wife and children; God was doing a work in my life, purging me of my pride.

The Unfaithful One

Kentucky offered a step up in what was proving to be an already successful career. On top of that, I thought by moving to Christian County (get that? Christian? A sign?), a place where at the time there were thirteen churches without pastors, surely God was opening a door for me to preach. Yep, things were looking great, and it was all about me.

Long story short, not only did my new position not pay the expected $90k+ a year, it was completely done away with! No longer could I afford the nice house in the historic district, or the nice car, or the private education for my girls; it took working four part-time jobs just to keep the power on! What was worse was watching my wife wait tables and clean houses (with a smile, no less) just to make ends meet.

That’s when full-blown depression set in. We’re talking suicidal thoughts, counseling, meds, nearly getting committed…you name it.

One evening, on my way home, I stopped by a liquor store  (they actually have drive-thru’s in KY) and bought a bottle of Kentucky bourbon. I had not eaten anything all day, so on an empty stomach this non-drinker decided to down a bottle of alcohol while walking around our neighborhood. After much contemplation, I’d already determined I was too fearful to kill myself, so I tried a different approach – tell God exactly what I thought of Him and His so-called “plan” for my life.

Literally, with my fist clenched and thrust toward the sky, I cursed God with every word I could think of. I condemned Him for letting me be humiliated; for bringing me to this point and abandoning me; for making me think everything would work for the best. I literally dared God – I begged God – to take my life. Like I had told a former prayer partner whom my wife had called on my behalf, just to try to talk some sense into me – he said, “Don’t you know you have a family who loves you? – I just didn’t care anymore.

Again, it was all about me.

The Faithful One

But even at that moment of total despair and resentment, that “still small Voice” was hard to drown out with my obscenities and vulgarities. “I love you,” He said, “and I know you don’t really mean what you’re saying…and even if you do, I still love you.”

I didn’t want to hear it! Like a little boy throwing a tantrum, I was bent on pushing the envelope, just to make God angry back at me, I suppose… just to hear the kind of response I wanted to hear – confirmation I was worthless – which in turn would prove I was right about God.

But my Father was patient (Psalm 86:15). When I was faithless, He was faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). And when I came back to my senses, when I begged to be forgiven for the blasphemous things I’d said, He didn’t condemn me (Romans 8:1). No, on the contrary, He sat me on His knee, put his arm around me, and gently whispered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we [are] dust.” – Psalm 103:12-14 

Friends, I am so thankful for the mercy and grace of God! All glory and honor are His! My God is Faithful and True!

Do you know Him?

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Filed under Alcohol, Christian Living, Christian Maturity, Depression, Faith, God, Life Lessons, Love of God, self-worth, worship

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