Charcter: Being Sober Minded

I have noticed something in passing here of late. Many friends, some acquaintances, have a new found love with wine. They show off their evening class of red wine, and their feet up. Or they host a social, and the main course is wine/beer. And this has not felt right to me. It has troubled me...

A little back story.

My parents divorced when I was my son's age (2 1/2). My daddy never drank, and not until I was a teenager, young adult do I recall him twice having a beer. My mom and dad did drink: in the evenings, socially, on the weekend. Them and their friends.  In fact, I became a mini bartender, mixing their drinks for them.

So, no surprise, I turn 21 and I started to drink. For me it was mainly socially when I went out dancing. But occasionally it was a glass of wine in the evening. After I called off my engagement/wedding, my best friend's solution was to have a weekend of partying. After that, anytime I had even just one drink I would get sick. So I basically stopped, but every now and then I would try another drink, to end up sick again.

Fast forward to July of 2008, I am living in Pasadena, TX and a friend from college is in town, having spent several months on an oil rig. Her and I meet up for some Tex-Mex and margaritas. Again I get sick. Then that Sunday my Assistant Pastor preached, in the evening service, on drinking. I felt convicted that God was telling me I was to not drink. And I have not to this day.

God prepared me to be the wife of the man I love dearly. My husband has never had a drink, he felt from a young age that he was to not touch the stuff, and so he does not. And if I had been a drinker when I met him, well we would have only met, and there would probably not be an Abigail or a Stone.

I full-heartedly believe that were I to drink alcohol it would be a sin for me. Many friends of mine do not have this conviction, but others do. And honestly, the consumption of alcohol is a hot topic issue in the Christian community.

There seems to be two schools of thought on the topic:

• Drinking is a sin, and Christian's must not do it.
• Consumption in moderation is perfectly fine.

I did a survey on faith and drinking habits, and only a handful of people responded. But the answers mimicked the two schools of thoughts.

Overall, I think it is both. I believe, for individuals like myself, it is a sin to drink. I have had that conviction almost 9 years later, and it has not waned at all. And I know many who are of the clergy who as leaders of congregations publicly have vowed to abstain as an example for their flock. I know that to be employed by my church there is a morals portion of the employment contract where you promise to not drink, publicly or privately.

If you feel convicted by the Holy Sprit to not drink, that is what you must do. To ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit would be direct disobedience to God.

Now, if you do not have that conviction, then you are free to drink.

But, the question is, should you?

In the NIV translation,

 1 Corinthians 10:32 states:

Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—

You might be able to control who you are under the influence, but what we must remember is that our actions effect not only ourselves. Every choice we makes has consequences (good and bad) for others.

What if you are the only example of Christianity someone sees? And what if they see you drink, as a professing Christian, and decide for themselves that it is fine for them to drink, even though they have a family history of alcohol dependency? If you as a Christian do fine with drinking, they might think the same for them? Or what if someone is on the cusp of being a believer, and they see your Facebook page with you partying it up every Saturday evening, and your tagged location Sunday morning is church? They might be a bit confused.

Throughout the New Testament there are verses on drinking (Ephesians 5:18, 1 Peter 5:8, 1 Timothy 3:8, and many more), and Proverbs and Isaiah have a few things to say on the matter too. But my number one argument for believers who do drink is the following:

Romans 12:2 (ESV)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

A follow up verse is Romans 14:21 (ESV)

It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

 

As a believer and follower of Christ we are to be set apart from the world and show the world that we are different because Christ lives in us. As a believer there should be a marked difference in how we live. And if there isn't, well friend, evaluate your life, humble yourself and evaluate if you are a child of the King of kings.

So while I think that drinking comes down to a personal choice, I believe if you profess Christ, whether it be a sin to you or not, you should not drink. Remember the Prodigal Son, upon his return he acknowledged:

Luke 15: 17 & 18

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you."

Our actions effect not just us. If we sin, others are effected, some people for whom we will never know. But take heart, it is not just our sins that effect others, our obedience to God effects others. Think of every choice you have as a drop falling into a pool of water, there are ripples. Good or bad, the ripples move out from us. So, by choosing to abstain from alcohol, in obedience to the Holy Spirit or due to the commands in Romans 12 & 14, there will be consequences, in the positive in the lives of those around you.

Serving: Beside my husband I stand

Jessica (31), Brock (29), Abigail (4), & Stone (2)

Last night was a sweet night for my family. During our church's evening service, my husband along with six other gentlemen were ordained as deacons. And the scripture that comes to mind for most people, for when deacons were established in the church is Acts 6. Now, my Pastor explained that the word distribution, is similar to a word used I believe in 1 Timothy, where deacons were commissioned. Pastor also noted that as with the events in Acts 6, our church too "ordained" seven men to serve.

Acts 6 (NLT)

Seven Men Chosen to Serve

6 But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

² So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. ³ And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. ⁴ Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”
⁵ Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). ⁶ These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.
⁷ So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

 

 

It was an amazing experience last night. I have seen a few ordination services in the years I have lived here, but to be in the service is a different experience. To have the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Deacons, plus our Pastor and Assistant Pastor pray over each man was such a experience. I was able to see that every person prays differently. I heard the words of some, but I also saw how they laid hands. Even my Father-in-Love was able to pray over us as a couple, as he is a deacon in our church too. It was touching to have such personal prays prayed to/over us.

 

So what does it mean to be a deacon? I have been in some churches where the deacons run the church basically, due to smaller size of the congregation. Our church does not operate that way. We have our ministers, then we have committees to take care of the running of the church. All of which is brought forth to the congregation. The deacons are in place to serve.

 

• Lord's Supper
• Widows
• Procession of Banners at Christmas

Just to name a few ways.

 

As part of the training to be a deacon, my husband has assisted in the distribution for the Lord's Supper several times this past year. Now that he is officially a deacon, if there is a widow who signs up, we could be assigned a widow. I am most excited about this serving opportunity. If my husband is assigned widow, it will be an opportunity for my husband and I to show our children yet another way to serve the Lord. We can show them the scriptures then live it out in front of them. But from what I have heard, sometimes there are not enough widows signed up. I am not hoping for anyone to be made a widow, but I do hope my family is in consideration to serve if one does sign up.

 

The Christmas banners are such a beautiful part of our church's Christmas pageantry.  Every year our church puts on "The Singing Christmas Tree." On our church stage, a huge Christmas Tree is put up, and that is where the choir sings from, while below it a drama unfolds revealing the story of Christ. At the end, after an altar call is given, the deacons (not all) bring out banners, walking through the congregation and bringing them to the stage.

 

It is prayful event on who will carry which banners. A committee prays over which deacon will carry which banner The banners were made well over 20 years ago by women in the church. And each one is a name/characteristic of God. They are absolutely gorgeous!

 

The Singing Christmas Tree - 2015

 

Our Assistant Pastor lead the sermon last night. He spoke on Palm Sunday, and how as Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, He wept.

 

Not silent tears, but "wept" here means wailing, or even sobbing. Heart wrenching tears. His Sermon hit the heart. And as you know, if you have read my blog for any time, I am in a Precept class on Revelation. Pastor Jon explained about how this world is corrupt (then and now), how the people are lost. He managed to bring his sermon together with the Rapture. When Jesus wept, Jerusalem had already had Solomon's temple destroyed, Zerubbable had rebuilt it (not as glorious as Solomon's), and Herod had expanded it. Jesus was dedicated in the temple build by Zerubbable and expanded by Herod. In the scriptures we reviewed last night, Luke 19:41-43, Jesus prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple that would take place about 35 years after his ascension to heaven.

 

In 70 A.D. Titus fulfilled the prophecy in Luke 19: 41-44 (NLT)

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

⁴¹ But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. ⁴² “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. ⁴⁴ They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

 

Pastor Jon went into how since 70 A.D., close to 200 years ago, Jews have not been able to offer up sacrifices. But, scripture does tell us that the temple will be rebuilt, and Jews will offer sacrifices again. But this will not happen until the Church age ends, and the dead and Christ and those alive as believers are raptured to heaven. After this, Israel will make a covenant with a man who will usher in a "peace" after a large portion of the earth's population disappears. They will be allowed to rebuild their temple.

 

Friends, the furniture has already been bought for the 3rd temple. There is a section in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem that is housing all the furnishings for the long awaited new temple. My Pastor and Assistant Pastor both have seen it with their own eyes. Israel will make a covenant with this man, who will 3-1/2 years later will break the covenant, and desecrate the temple. That man is the Ant-Christ. I have so much more on this matter that I want to share, and I will as part of my summer writings. I want to finish my Precept studies before I start compiling my notes.

 

But I am convicted, and if you have truly delved into the Word of God, you will be convicted to action.

 

I heard a quote last night by William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army. It went along the lines of, "Every Pastor ought to be held over the fires of hell for 24 hours, so the will recognize the urgency of salvation." Friends, we must spread the Gospel. Jesus Christ is the good news, He is our peace, and we have a very large, lost world around us who will all go to hell if they do not turn from their evil ways, and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. Today is the day, for we are not promised tomorrow.