Ramesh C. Reddy
Managing Editor
Hi everyone :)
May you come to know the awesome mercies of the Lord and His everlasting grace for He has redeemed you and you are His precious in His sight and all the commandments He gives are for our own good because we are never out of His love or reach! Amen!
Quiet Times (Psalm 83, Proverbs 23, and Matthew 23)
“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?” (Proverbs 23:29)
“Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowels of mixed wine.” (Proverbs 23:30)
“Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly” (Proverbs 23:31)
“In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.” (Proverbs 23:32)
“Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me up, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?” (Proverbs 23:33-35)
I found it interesting that the word “WHO” was used in this passage 7 times. Six of the times a question is asked and the 7th time an answer is provided.
I realized that the 6 questions have significance even to this day as the questions are asked:
1. Who has woe?
2. Who has sorrow?
3. Who has strife?
4. Who has complaints?
5. Who has needless bruises?
6. Who has bloodshot eyes?
I found the answer in v. 30: “Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowels of mixed wine.”
It is those people that have woe, sorrow, strife, complaints, needless bruises, and bloodshot eyes.
I asked myself where can these 6 things be present and what came to mind is where the BOTTLE exists, these things can be present. A bar scene or a household where drinking is out of control came to my mind.
I saw the first 4 being intangible effects of alcohol and the last 2 being tangible effects of alcohol on a person who lingers over wine and goes to sample bowels of mixed wine. I believe this type of wine is wine that is alcoholic in nature.
I saw the solution to avoid these situations in v. 31: “Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly” (Proverbs 23:31)
This commandment is not with reason as I saw tons of other reasons to avoid those situations. Verse 32 provides the beginning reason by making the statement, “In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.”
What stuck out in my mind is the phrase, “In the end” because it made me think that for the moment no matter how much drinking we do nothing may seem to be happening but than before we realize it, enough venom enters our body to slowly destroy it and soon that poison can take over as Scelorosis of the Liver or immediate poison that could cause death because our metabolism could not handle it. These are only some of the consequences.
It made me really excited to see the symptoms mentioned in Scripture ahead of any psychology textbooks. The textbooks mention what God has already revealed in His Word.
I wanted to examine those symptoms and looked at v.s33-35: “Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me up, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?” (Proverbs 23:33-35)
One of my majors has been psychology and so reading these verses in the Bible made me so excited after I learned similar things in psychology. God’s Word already reveals the symptoms of getting drunk on alcohol.
I thought to myself what terminology can describe these situations for each one and couple of things came to my mind.
As I have studied this passage, it made me think of so many students who are excited just to come to college to party and have a good time.
I ask you now dear friends, what do you do with alcohol?
Dear friends, the Lord loves you so much and sets rules not to hurt you but to help you. At the spur of the moment on Thursdays, Fridays, and the Weekends it may seem awesome to just hang out with friends and party by drinking, drinking, and drinking. Nothing may seem to happen but the venom of the alcohol can take its toll on the Spiritual, Physical, Psychological, and Social dimension of your life slowly and then that venom will poison you. I learned temporary pleasures whatever they maybe are just not worth it if they conflict with the Word.
The Lord wants you to be healthy and take care of yourself. Alcoholic beverages do not provide safety in the long run. Think about the starting 6 questions of the passage including the last 7 symptoms and effects of getting drunk on alcohol and see if anyone comes to your mind where you know those things have occurred. For you will find if they have not occurred in your life at the moment, they would have occurred in someone’s life because God’s Word provides the Truth.
As school is about to open soon, we will be put in compromising positions and we need to ask ourselves if we want the vocabulary of HALLUCINATIONS, GETTING HIGH, BLACKOUTS, HANGOVERS, WITHDRAWLS, AND ADDICTIONS to describe us?
I know the Lord Jesus does not want this vocabulary to describe you or me. You when I study God’s Word, I love learning messages of comfort and assurance. It would be nice if those were the only messages I got out of God’s Word but than I won’t be growing because a touchy feely Gospel does not help in the wrong run.
There are times what I learn are hard for me to share because they are not popular topics to be addressed but I am reminded that if the Lord teaches me something and whether it be an encouraging word, an exhorting word, etc I should share it and so I have shared this Quiet Time with you too.
Each day I read a Psalm, Proverb, and Gospel chapter according to the day it is. For example, today I read Psalm 83, Proverbs 23, and Matthew 23. The first few days when I began to again share with you what I have been learning, I was comforted by assuring passages and the love of the Lord. Slowly, as the days went by the Lord was teaching me things that I need to implement in my life. Yesterday’s and today’s Quiet Times have been one of those days but those passages still show the love of God.
I did not learn that drinking is a sin but getting drunk is a sin from this passage for it affects not only us but those around us. Think to yourself the number of lives that have been lost because of the BOTTLE. That is why I do not even touch the BOTTLE and ask for God’s grace. If there is a beer I drink, I like to call it ROOT BEER.
Friend, if you have been part of a household where alcohol rules, I wish I had the words to say to comfort you but this I know, the Lord wants to comfort you and bring healing in those situations. The Lord provides help in different ways and calls out to us, Come to me all who are heavy laden and burdened, and I will give you rest. Wear my yoke, for I am gentle and humble and give rest to your souls. (Matthew 11:28-30)
If you are personally struggling with addiction to alcohol, the Lord can intervene in your life too and help you. Don't let the enemy deceive you into thinking that you have to be clean and sober before you can come to Jesus. On the contrary, Jesus said, I have come not for the righteous but for the sick.
This verse is so powerful because in our weaknesses, the Lord can work and then His glory will be revealed and shown. So friend, if you have not been close to the Lord because of the bottle, don't let that stop you. Come to the Lord and ask for His help. He is willing my friend, and He can bring healing.
May you come to know the love of Jesus and know that whatever commandments and rules the Lord sets, they are for our good and well-being and He loves us and accepts us as we are. Jesus loves you so much. May you know His love and know alcohol lessens control of health offering lethalness but Jesus everyday seeks us seriously!
Alcohol Lessens Control Of Health Offering Lethalness! (A.L.C.O.H.O.L)/”What do you do with Alcohol?”
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for your Word and how your Word addresses current issues and current events of today too. Oh Lord, I pray that you will guide us and lead us Lord. And Lord help us to avoid compromising situations and give us the strength and willingness to endure through peer pressure and not give in but only give in to you. If there is an addiction we want, we want to be addicted to you Jesus! Please help us Lord and I pray for those who are struggling with addiction to alcohol and those that try to find happiness and identity in the bottle. Please Lord intervene in people’s lives that we know that have taken that path. Thank you so much Jesus. I thank you so much for the relevancy of your Word for all of us as we study it and meditate on it. Also, I thank you Jesus for dying for our sins and coming back to life to save us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! I thank you for your help and accepting us as we are. Amen!
Love in Christ,
Ramesh