Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 HCSB
I had do my testimony in front of the church a couple of weeks ago. As I thought on what I was going to say, I realized I had fought a fifteen year alcohol addiction that ended with five words. Lord, take this from me! Since then I have heard of two people I care about going down the road of drug use. So as I write this and use the word alcohol or drunkenness it also applies to drug use.
Why should we not drink? I have often times heard people say stuff like I don’t have a problem, I just drink socially. If you didn’t have a problem you wouldn’t feel you should have to justify it! Second while you have the right to do anything, not everything is beneficial. (1 Corinthians 6:12) So why do it? Even if you don’t feel you have a problem what about your brother that does? Look at Romans 14:21 It is wrong for a person to do anything that causes a brother or sister to stumble. Then in Romans 14:22 we are told blessed are those who do not condemn them selves by what they approve. In 1 Corinthians 5:11 Paul is talking about immorality among members of the church. “But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with any who claim to be fellow believers but are ...drunkards ... With such persons do not even eat. ” Acts 17:24 tells us God does not live in temples built by hands. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 tells us we are God’s temple and that He will destroy anyone who tries to destroy His temple, which is exactly what drugs and alcohol do. This is why God allows us to destroy ourselves once we take the freewill to do alcohol or drugs. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states again that our bodies are God’s temple and that we should honor God with our bodies. Destroying ourselves with drugs and alcohol is not how God wants us to treat His Holy temple. Besides defiling God’s temple Ephesians 5:18 tells us that getting drunk leads to debauchery. In Genesis 9:20-25 Noah’s drunkenness allowed Ham to sin. In Genesis 19:31-38 Lot’s drunkenness allowed him and his daughters to sin. Drugs and alcohol will always lead us to sin. Think of how many people you have heard talk about getting drunk and waking up with someone they did not know. No matter what anyone tries to tell you alcohol and drugs are addictive and what ever we are addicted to becomes our master.2 Peter 2:19 and we cannot serve two masters or we will hate the one and love the other. (Matthew 6:24) So how do you stop an addiction? You can’t! It takes God and you have to ask Him. Jesus told the Pharisee in Matthew 23:26, “First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” If we let God into our Hearts, the outside will become clean and no addiction can hold us. Galatians 5:16 says walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. If you call on God and ask him to help you leave your addiction behind, He will!
MSW
Why should we not drink? I have often times heard people say stuff like I don’t have a problem, I just drink socially. If you didn’t have a problem you wouldn’t feel you should have to justify it! Second while you have the right to do anything, not everything is beneficial. (1 Corinthians 6:12) So why do it? Even if you don’t feel you have a problem what about your brother that does? Look at Romans 14:21 It is wrong for a person to do anything that causes a brother or sister to stumble. Then in Romans 14:22 we are told blessed are those who do not condemn them selves by what they approve. In 1 Corinthians 5:11 Paul is talking about immorality among members of the church. “But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with any who claim to be fellow believers but are ...drunkards ... With such persons do not even eat. ” Acts 17:24 tells us God does not live in temples built by hands. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 tells us we are God’s temple and that He will destroy anyone who tries to destroy His temple, which is exactly what drugs and alcohol do. This is why God allows us to destroy ourselves once we take the freewill to do alcohol or drugs. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states again that our bodies are God’s temple and that we should honor God with our bodies. Destroying ourselves with drugs and alcohol is not how God wants us to treat His Holy temple. Besides defiling God’s temple Ephesians 5:18 tells us that getting drunk leads to debauchery. In Genesis 9:20-25 Noah’s drunkenness allowed Ham to sin. In Genesis 19:31-38 Lot’s drunkenness allowed him and his daughters to sin. Drugs and alcohol will always lead us to sin. Think of how many people you have heard talk about getting drunk and waking up with someone they did not know. No matter what anyone tries to tell you alcohol and drugs are addictive and what ever we are addicted to becomes our master.2 Peter 2:19 and we cannot serve two masters or we will hate the one and love the other. (Matthew 6:24) So how do you stop an addiction? You can’t! It takes God and you have to ask Him. Jesus told the Pharisee in Matthew 23:26, “First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” If we let God into our Hearts, the outside will become clean and no addiction can hold us. Galatians 5:16 says walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. If you call on God and ask him to help you leave your addiction behind, He will!
MSW
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