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“Alcohol Lessens Control Of Health Offering Lethalness! (A.L.C.O.H.O.L)”

Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher

"Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 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 23:29-35)

IMPLICATIONS:
I asked myself the implications for my own life?
I saw important implications for my own life. One of my degrees has been in 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 even before Psychology books. I need to heed God's Word.

 I thought to myself what terminology can describe these situations for each one and couple of things came to my mind. 

1. Eyes seeing strange things made me think of the term HALLUCINATIONS.

2. Mind imagining confusing made me think of a type of HALLUCINATION.

3. Being like one sleeping on the high seas made me think of the concept of 'GETTING HIGH'

4. Being like one lying on top of the rigging made me think of  the concept of a type of 'GETTING HIGH' 

5. Being hit and thinking you are not hurt made me think of a  BLACKOUT'

6. Taking it a step further rather than being hit but beat up, and not feeling it made me think of 'BLACKOUT' too.

7. Not knowing when a drunk person will wake up and wanting another drink bought 3 concepts to mind: First, a HANGOVER, Second, a WITHDRAWAL, and finally, ADDICTION.

 As I have studied this passage, it made me think of so many students who are excited to come to college for the party scene.

I ask you now dear friends, what has A.L.C.O.H.O.L done to you in life?
Dear friend, if alcohol has not done anything to you in life, praise the Lord for it. If alcohol has affected you or your loved ones, go to the Lord in prayer so that self-control and sober-mindedness with prevail.

At Oakland International Fellowship (OIF), campus minister Eugene gave a sermon from 2 Peter 4:7-11 and addressed the dangers of alcohol when he spoke about, "The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers."

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 bars are open throughout the country and we can also buy alcohol for the home, we will be put in compromising positions so we need to ask ourselves if we want the vocabulary of HALLUCINATIONS, GETTING HIGH, BLACKOUTS, HANGOVERS, WITHDRAWALS, AND ADDICTIONS to describe us?

I know the Lord Jesus does not want this vocabulary to describe you or me.  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 then I won't be growing because a touchy feely Gospel does not help us 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.

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! May you know that God's Word is not only the Pittsburgh Standard for Living but beyond.

I wrote a poem giving ALCOHOL a personification to make people see what it does not want you to know. I hope you enjoy reading it after the anecdote.

Years ago,  I met a drunk, young man at the Forbes Ave bus stop near Hillman Library who wanted to go to Shadyside. I told him that he was at the wrong bus stop because all these buses go to Squirrel Hill but he did not believe me. I did not want to argue with him so I sat down and started to read my Bible that I carry. He told me he loved to read Revelations and asked me what my favorite passage was. I told him one of my favorite passages was from Proverbs 23:29-35.  I asked him if he would be willing to read it. Surprisingly, he did read it  "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 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 23:29-35)

Then he made an astounding comment that still amazes me. He said that all the 'Who's' describes him to a 'T'. He said he had experienced all that stuff while he was in a bar. I got to talk to him more about the Bible and it's commands for the best of our life. Finally, he acknowledged that he was in the wrong bus stop and thanked me so much for sharing God's Word with him. He also gave me a big hug. Granted afterwards, my coat and myself smelled like alcohol all the way home but it was worth it because when God uses us, He usually calls us into messy situations where we have to be willing to get messy to help others become clean especially in light of the Gospel.

You Booze, You Snooze:
(c) 2011 By Ramesh C. Reddy

Making you a prisoner they call me booze.
Have a tendency to make you loose.
Filling your life with woe
I will be your foe
Ready to give you sorrow
From me when you borrow
Creating all kinds of strife
I will be in your life
Now you will start to moan
When I affect each bone
Cause I give needless bruises
In all types of alcoholic cruises
You will have bloodshot eyes
That will not be nice
Over wine when you linger
Picking it up with your finger
You won't be fine
As you sample bowls of mixed wine
You will become mine
As you gaze at it when red
My sparkling cup you will wed
Smoothly down you I will go
To me as you bow
Like a snake, I will bite
My poisonous venom you can't fight
I will be your stinging viper
Making you addictively hyper
You will see strange sights
Filling your days and nights
Imagining confusing things with your mind
Reality, you won't find
Sleeping on the high seas
There will be no peace
Lying on top of the rigging
For life you will be digging
They hit me you will say
But I am not hurt anyway;
They beat me up this day
But, I don't feel it as I lay
Thinking when will I wake
So another drink I can make
But deadly path, you I will take
Which will give loved ones heartache
If you hang around me too long.
Your loved ones will sing a dirge song.
You think getting drunk is cool.
You won’t when I rule.
I give a black out.
And a stinking mouth.
Make no doubt.
You have entered a killer route.
Heard about sclerosis of the liver.
Well I am the giver.
Heard about abuse.
Well I let you blow a fuse.
I become your boss.
I can your life toss.
I have never come to a loss.
Drunkeness is my secret weapon of choice.
I only fear those listening to the Lord’s voice.
Cause His voice has the healing power through the noise.
He has a way of bringing my drunkards to the cure.
Making my business go down for sure.
Then I am stuck.
Unable to make the buck.
Cause the Lord is real.
Sending the help to heal.
The pain I will feel.
I am booze on the run.
My future is done.
With the Lord on your side.
Cause He will be your guide!

"Alcohol Lessens Control Of Health Offering Lethalness!" (A.L.C.O.H.O.L)/"What has A.L.C.O.H.O.L done to you in life?"

 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!

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray the prayer below, meaning it in your heart.

Prayer:
God I am a sinner. I am invaded by this deadliest virus. Many times I feel so guilty and yucky inside. I need forgiveness. I am so sorry for my sins. I have not obeyed you with my whole heart! I have gone my own way and done my own things. I  struggle with sin. I need you Jesus in my life so I can receive forgiveness and a new beginning. In the process, I can forgive others as you help me too. Thank you so much Jesus. I accept the antidote you have sent me. I believe Jesus you died for me and your cleansing blood will cleanse me from all my sins. You came back to life to save me. Thank you God I am set free, free from the bondage of sin. Hear my cry Oh Lord. I accept you Jesus into my heart. I make you my Lord and Personal Savior of my life. Thank you Father God for giving me Salvation. Thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. Thank you for being my Lord and personal Savior! I can live a life of peace with you on my side. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me! In your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN!

No matter what you feel in your heart, know that Jesus has come in and resides with you! You are not alone! To make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help!