“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has babbling? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long at the wine, those who go to seek mixed wine.”

— Proverbs 23:29-30

Some today call alcoholism merely a “disease.” The Bible calls it drunkenness. But you know, it is an interesting “disease” because the only way you can become an alcoholic is to get drunk. The Bible says that no drunkard will enter into the kingdom of heaven (see I Cor. 6:10).

Someone has said that if alcoholism is a disease (and certainly when a person becomes addicted and enslaved by it, it takes on many aspects of a disease):

It is the only disease that is contracted by an act of the will…
It is the only disease that is bottled and sold…
It is the only disease that provokes crime…
It is the only disease that bars the patient from heaven.

It is a tragic “disease” in America, and it is found among many young people today. Many who are turning away from drugs are turning to alcohol. This is even true of churched young people. Having a drink is one thing, but we should not do anything—including having a drink—if it causes our brother to fall away from the faith.

The Bible says that we should not be drunk with wine but instead be filled with the Holy Spirit. Having the joy of the Lord inside takes away the empty hole that some try to fill with drunkenness.

Lord, on this New Year’s Eve, we know that many will turn to the bottle for solace. We ask, Dear Father, that instead they would turn to You. Thank You for this past year. We lay the new one at Your feet…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, OUR
HEARTS CAN BE AT REST.