I have known people who are always drinking, drunk or of under the influence of alcohol. We all probably know someone like this, or have been there ourselves. It is an addiction that a person slowly gets themselves into. Alcohol has ruined more lives and marriages than we care to count. That is why we have laws against being drunk in the public, or driving under the influence of alcohol. We have programs to help people who are alcoholics, but for these programs to work, a person must admit that he or she has an alcohol problem. Most people who are alcoholics don't realize they are or if they do realize they are, they won't admit they need help.
How many times have you heard someone tell you that they could quit anytime they want to? But they like to drink and don't plan on quiting. How many times do we read that a family has been killed by a drunk driver? How many young people have died in car accidents when someone has been under the influence of alcohol, or the driver was drunk? How many husbands have come home drunk and beat their wives or children? I could go on with endless tragic occurrences that have affected human life. When you look around at life, we have all seen, or heard, or been involved with or affected by alcohol.
Families are suffering daily because of this intoxicating liquid. The dictinary defines it as: a colorless, volatile, flammable liquid, (C2H5OH) that is the intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors.
[How Alcohol Damages the Body]
Liver disease, the most prominent of the related disorders, is the leading cause of death in alcoholics. Pancreatitis may also develop with alcohol abuse. Degenerative changes in heart and skeletal muscle also can develop with chronic alcohol consumption. Reproductive disorders in men and women are associated with alcohol abuse; alcohol-associated testicular atrophy may contribute significantly to sexual problems in male alcoholics. Both acute and chronic alcohol consumption can alter the chemistry and structure of the brain.
I was going to give you a detailed account of the damage caused by alcohol, but you would probably not read it all. Besides, this is one subject that I feel strongly about and could go on and on. But I want to give you some Scriptures that deal with drunkenness.
First, Paul tells us not to associate with any so called brother who is a drunkard.
1Corinthians;5:9-11:(I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with the idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-not to even eat with such a one.) Paul tells us not to associate with a brother or sister who has a pattern of consistent sin in his or her life.
1Cotinthians;6:9-10(Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.) Once again, we all sin but these are people who practice these sins as a consistent life style.
Directions on how we should live are given to us in the Bible as well.
Romans;13:13-14(Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the flesh, to fulfill its lust.) Peter also tells us not to continue in the same lifestyle as we lived before Jesus Christ came into our lives.
1Peter;4:3(For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lust, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.) He also tells us what our friends will think of us when our life changes to please Jesus.
1Peter;4:4(In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.) So when you live for Jesus, you will be ridiculed.
2Timothy;3:12(Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.) This doesn't say that you might suffer, it states a fact that you will suffer. So we are instructed not to live our life in drunkenness, or as a drunkard. If we do, we are told that we will not inherit the kingdom of God.
If alcohol has control of your life, you are a slave to alcohol. But there is a way of escape.There is someone who can set you free from bondage or slavery to alcohol. Jesus can set you free from slavery to sin.
Galatians;5:1(Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.)
We are told that by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. PRETTY SOBERING, isn't it? I pray that you will let Jesus help you become free.
God Bless You!
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