Part 2 - Hard Core Choices

Stephen Bennett

'Start choosing to live out your strength, and you will discover it grows each time. We must let our strength show up. Remember a man's addictions are the result of him refusing his strength.'
John Eldredge - Wild at Heart

In the beginning God created grapes. He was fully aware that intoxicating wines would be fashioned by man as he trod the winepress in the sun. The Bible says, 'He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine that makes glad the heart of man.' Psalm 104:14-15. God also foreknew that man would fall into sin, and would have the propensity to go hard for forbidden fruit, swim on the dark side, and out do himself in excessive behavior. In fact God drowned the whole world because of excess, often caused by alcohol, and saved only one family - Noah's.

Adam and Eve had only one choice presented to them in the Garden of Eden - they could not revel in the forbidden fruit of the knowledge of good and evil - to eat of it brought death to the human race; we are now a product of that disobedience. Today we have a multitude of fruit choices that could either be good or evil for our lives. The continuous use of various kinds can numb our brains, cause heart attacks, ill health, or create addictions and cravings many have a hard time controlling. They become our comfort rather than God - defile our temple, contribute to causing sin without godly restraint, or break our disciplines that should lead us on a good path - the way only God lights. The world is a garden; we are told that all God made is very good - for our joyful use and pleasure. Yet the stimulating things we have manufactured from His goodness can have a corrupt face. They can often become our own forbidden fruit; the simple reason is that it does us no good. Our choices need to be wise.

Many people in the contemporary church over indulge and abuse alcohol, sometimes worse than when I was a non-Christian in the world partying - it has made me question the validity of being so liberal. It is also amazing how we can become accustomed to what is around us in the life of a church culture. It is also apparent that many people lean on stimulants to kick start a day, cover pain or hurt, or try and fill that void that only intimacy with God can complete. "Should this be?"

Is alcohol something we should follow as God's end-time generation? Should we really be stimulating ourselves with various intoxicating liquids and substances, which can suppress and distract our God given sensitivities? Is it worth dulling our hearts and the uniqueness of our gifts, from knowing Him with intimacy, and fulfilling His purposes in our lives? Are we really friends of God, walking in the reverential fear of the Lord?

Our good God created the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He fashioned us from dust, and gave us choices. Eve looked at the fruit and asked herself, 'should we or shouldn't we?' She had a little help with her decision - a sly, lying, mesmerizing hiss, changed the course of her history, and ours. It has been said that there are no dos and don'ts in scripture - this could not be further from the truth, especially in the area of alcohol use and its consequences. God told Adam and Eve "don't eat," yet they did, and paid the price. Do we have an ear to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to us today about these things? Do we know the wisdom and revelation of what the Bible actually teaches? Do these things really affect our lives more than we think? What ground do they give, what doors do they open to the devil - the enemy of our souls? What is the hard core truth?