Bible Questions Answered-What About Drinking?

Bible Question:
My kids are 13, 15, and 17. Their friends are trying their best to influence them into drinking, what does the Good Book say?

Pam L. / Denver, Col.

Bible Answer:
Wine, beer, whiskey, alcohol, rum, schnapps, spirits, ale, tequila, moonshine, vodka, champagne, rum, gin, lager, brandy, etc..etc..etc....

Restaurants, Airlines, Hotels, Theaters, Super Clubs, Stadiums, Bars....etc.etc..etc.....

EVERYBODY'S DOING IT.....RIGHT?

Here are some interesting statistics from THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM:
* Economic costs of alcohol abuse in the U.S.A. in the year 1992 was some $148,021,000.00
* In the year 2000, 40% of all traffic accidents were alcohol related, leaving some 314,350 people dead.
* 2001 79.7% of graduating seniors said that they drank.
* 2001 51% of 8th graders said they've tried some form of alcohol, and been drunk at one time or another.
* 1999 of all deaths, death due to cirrhosis of the liver: Men 14%, Women 6.3%.

Many more statistics may be found at the following http://www.niaaa.hih.gov

Does everybody drink? (2001 statistics)
36.5% of all men ABSTAIN! ...why oh why don't we hear about them?
57.2% of all women ABSTAIN! ladies...let's speak up!

Government statistics do not lie, all men and women DO NOT drink, socially or otherwise!

Now, just what does God say about alcohol?
Here is what the Word of God says regarding drinking.

Proverbs 20:1 "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."
Same verse but from the Living Bible.

Proverbs 20:1 "Wine gives false courage; hard liquor leads to brawls; what fools men are to let it master them, making them reel drunkenly down the street!"

Proverbs 23:20 "Be not winebibers.."

Proverbs 23:29-33"Who hath woe:? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babling? Who hath wound s without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strang women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things."

Hosea 4:11 "...wine and new wine take away the heart."

Habakkuk 2:15 "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!"

Luke 21:34 "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."

Ephesians 5:18 "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."

I Peter 4:3 Living Bible "You have had enough in the past of evil things, the godless enjoy-sex, lust, getting drunk, wild parties, drinking bouts, and the worship of idols, and other terrible sins."

The Word of God tells us what we do, may offend others, (or cause them to loose faith).

Romans 14:21 Living Bible "The right thing to do is to quit...drinking wine or doing anything else that offends your brother or makes him sin."

(Now if I might, just say a word about the wine of Bible days. It was a thick grape juice that had been diluted with water, 7 times.)

Can a person live without drinking anything alcoholic...of course.

Then for many Christian people, their decision in following their Lord...has and is abstinence.

II Corinthians 6:14-18 "14. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15. And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

I Thessalonians 5:22 "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Exodus 23:2 "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil."

Psalm 1:1 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."

Those beautiful adds of young people, drinking at parties, never show the painful scenes of drunkienness, broken families, job loss, ruined health and painful addiction, one not easily broken. But there is hope for the one who turns to the Lord!

Isaiah 58:6 "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke."

Isaiah 42:7 "To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. 8. I am the Lord: that is my name..."

Matthew 28:18 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All Power is given uto Me in heaven and in earth."

Acts 2:21 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Friend, today, call on the name of the Lord, He alone has the Power to save you and to set you free, ask Him to be your Savior.
It is the Lord's will that your life be filled with true happiness!

John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."