Even the World Gives

by Brian L. Baker

As I travel the state...working in the Missouri legislature...it is amazing to me to see the millions and millions of dollars given to political candidates. One lobbyist is reported to have established nearly 100 Political Action Committees. He uses each committee to distribute hundreds-of-thousands of dollars to candidates.

Just this month, Governor Blunt announced he was not seeking re-election. His campaign alone had amassed over $6 million. His political party has access to several million dollars more.

The fact is...people in this world give money to things they are passionate about. Believe it or not...they give a lot. So this begs the question…

What are we, as Christians, passionate about?

Paul shares his passion in Philippians 1:21 when he says, “For me living is Christ and dying is gain.” His passion was Christ. His life...his all was for Christ.

Paul also gives us instructions a few verses later in Philippians 1:27 when he says, “Just one thing: live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

What is our passion? Are we living in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel. Are we giving what we can to further the ministry of Jesus Christ? Are we giving our all?

Jesus expressed this passion. In Mark 12:41-44 we see the story of the Widow’s Gift. Jesus tells us that “she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed—all she had to live on.” Her life, her passion was the Lord.

We may never raise $6 million. We may not have big donors like politicians. However, if we give...as the widow gave...giving all we have...we can do greater things. Let our passion be Christ. Let us give more than the world by giving all we have to serve our Lord and Savior.

Encourage one another. Strive to be faithful in giving...be faithful with your time by being in Bible study and worship. In doing this...we will see God’s blessings.

God bless you all!

Seven Good Reasons Christians Should Not Drink

By Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D. (Edited by Brian L. Baker - 2007)
©1989 & February 2002 David L. Brown

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Proverbs 20:1

My heart aches for the family that lost their only two children in an auto accident recently. A drunk driver crossed the median and plowed into their car. The five-month old and, their four year old were killed. Their children wiped out. But, there is more. This tragic scene is repeated every 33 minutes. That’s right. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration a person dies every 33 minutes in an alcohol related accident. And that’s not all. An estimated 310,000 persons were injured in crashes each year where police reported that alcohol was present. That’s an average of one person injured approximately every 2 minutes.

Consider these additional statistics from the United States Justice Department: Nearly 4 in 10 violent victimizations involve use of alcohol. Also, victim reports show, on average each year about 183,000 rapes and sexual assaults involve alcohol use by the offender, as do just over 197,000 robberies, about 661,000 aggravated assaults, and nearly 1.7 million simple assaults.

The Scripture is true! "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." Proverbs 20:1. It is at the root of all kinds of problems in our country today and it has been for hundreds of years. Proverbs 23:31-32 is a powerful injunction against drinking alcoholic beverages. It says, . 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

There is clear evidence in the Scriptures that believers should not drink alcoholic beverages. In this report I list 7 Good Reasons Why Christians Should Not Drink Alcoholic Beverages. However, before we do that, we are going to look at the words translated wine, drink or drinking.

A LOOK AT THE WORDS
There are 637 references to wine, drink and drinking in the King James Version of the Bible. Most people think in today’s terms, believing that when wine is mentioned it refers to alcoholic wine. Actually, that is not necessarily true. Thirteen different words are translated "wine" in the King James Version of the Bible. The word wine has a wide range of meaning in the Bible, covering everything from grape juice, to concentrated grape syrup to alcoholic wine. To understand what the Bible has to say about drinking, we need to look at several of these words.

OLD TESTAMENT HEBREW WORDS FOR WINE
"yayin" -- It is a general term for grape beverages and includes all classes of wine, non-alcoholic or alcoholic; unfermented, in the process of fermentation and fermented. (Proverbs 31:4) The context will show whether it is alcoholic wine or not. Yayin, when used properly was always diluted with water.

"shekar" -- It is the word for strong drink, unmixed wine. The 1901 edition of THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA says, "Yakin, wine, is to be distinguished from Shekar, or strong drink. The former is diluted with water; the later is undiluted." Shekar was not diluted with water." (see Numbers 28:7)

"Tirosh" -- This word refers to fresh grape juice. It is referred to often as new wine or sweet wine. (see Proverbs 3:10; Deuteronomy 7:13)

NEW TESTAMENT GREEK WORDS FOR WINE
"oinos" is the counterpart to the Old Testament word yayin. It is a general term for grape beverages and includes all classes of wine, non-alcoholic or alcoholic; fermented or unfermented. The context has to be used to determine whether the drink was intoxicating or not. (Luke 10:34; Ephesians 5:18). Oinos, when used properly was always diluted with water.

"sikera" is the counterpart to the Old Testament word shekar. It is the word for strong drink, unmixed wine. (Luke 1:15)

"gleukos" is the counterpart to the Old Testament word tirosh. Dr. Paul Dixon says "It refers to fresh wine, a new wine" or freshly squeezed grape juice.
Now, why believers should abstain from drinking...???

1. DRINKING LEADS TO DRUNKENNESS
In the April 24, 1965 issue of Christianity Today, the article, on page 25 says, "People must be informed that the use of alcohol is not unlike Russian roulette: every tenth person becomes automatically hooked. the only solution is total abstinence." These statistics are supported by the American Medical Association.

DRUNKENNESS IS CONDEMNED IN THE BIBLE

Isaiah 5:11-- "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!"

Proverbs 23:20-- "Be not among winebibbers;" The word means to drink so much that you become tipsy or drunk.

Romans 13:13 -- "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting (drunken partying) and drunkenness (general drunken-ness)..."

Galatians 5:19a & 21 -- "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these...drunkenness..."

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

DRUNKARDS ARE AMONG THE LIST OF THOSE WHO WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
I Corinthians 6:9-11 (key verse 10) - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: …drunkards…, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

You can’t get around it, and in fact, all godly men agree that the Bible condemns drunkenness. Drunkenness is a serious matter.

2. THE BIBLE CONDEMNS STRONG DRINK ALSO
Proverbs 20:1 "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."

NOTE again, Isaiah 5:11 -- "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!"

Proverbs 23:29-31 -- "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? (30) They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.(a mixture of wine and spices) (31) Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright."

WHAT WAS "STRONG DRINK" IN BIBLE TIMES? Distillation was not discovered until about 1500 A.D. Strong drink and unmixed wine in Bible times was from 3% to 11% alcohol. Dr. John MacArthur says "...since anybody in biblical times who drank unmixed wine (9-11% alcohol) was definitely considered a barbarian, then we don’t even need to discuss whether a Christian should drink hard liquor--that is apparent!"

CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT DRINK STRONG DRINK! Since wine has 9 to 11% alcohol and one brand 20% alcohol, you should not drink that. Brandy contains 15 to 20% alcohol, so that’s out! Hard liquor has 40 to 50% alcohol (80 to 100 proof), and that is obviously excluded!
Someone will say, "since beer is only 4% alcohol, IT’S OK FOR A BELIEVER TO DRINK BEER, RIGHT?" The answer is NO! Here’s why...

3. IN BIBLE TIMES WHAT CHRISTIANS DRANK WS SUB-ALCOHOLIC, “BASICALLY” PURIFIED WATER
Remember the Hebrew word "yayin" and the Greek word "oinos" that we looked at earlier? These were the companion words for wine whether fermented or unfermented. In fact, whether fermented or not, it was MIXED WITH WATER.

Norman Geisler, former Dean of Liberty Center for Christian Scholarship, Liberty University, has written: "Many wine drinking Christians today mistakenly assume that what the New Testament meant by wine is identical to wine used today. This, however, is false. In fact, today’s wine is by Biblical definition strong drink, and hence forbidden by the Bible. What the Bible frequently meant by wine was basically purified water," purified by adding some alcoholic wine. The Holman Bible dictionary says, wine was also used as a medicine and disinfectant.

Geisler goes on to say, "Therefore, Christians ought not to drink wine, beer, or other alcoholic beverages for they are actually strong drink forbidden in Scripture. Even ancient pagans did not drink what some Christians drink today."

All alcoholic beverages used in our culture fall under the biblical classification of STRONG DRINK and are therefore forbidden. The least ratio of water to wine mixture used in Bible times was 3 parts water to 1 wine. That produced a sub-alcoholic drink that was 2.5% to 2.75% alcohol. Normally, the ratio was even higher, up to 20 to 1. Their is NO BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR CHRISTIANS DRINKING THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OF OUR DAY! What early believers drank was sub-alcoholic by today’s standards. Pastors and deacons were cautioned to steer around even the sub-alcoholic stuff (I Timothy 3:3 & 8).

The right choice is to abstain! What is your choice?

4. IT WILL CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE
Romans 14:21 says "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to "to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."

Innumerable Christians claim their "Christian Liberty" when it comes to social drinking. In order to do that, they must turn their backs on this passage of Scripture. "Sipping Saints" have given multitudes of people an excuse to drink. More than once, I have heard a believer say "there is nothing wrong with drinking in moderation. Pastor so and so even says it is OK."

The problem is, drinking often sets off a chain reaction of influences that are like tipping over the first domino. Drinking causes some to stumble, others to be offended, and many to be weakened. Studies support my statement.

According to a survey done by the Daily Journal newspaper, October 26, 1988, one of the top five reasons teenagers drink is because their parents drink. This has proven true time and time again.

Let me take it one step further. Parents, you must remember that whatever you do in moderation your child will likely do in excess.

The Bible clearly defines drinking as an activity that is to be foregone because it causes others to stumble and makes them weak (fall into sin).

There is yet another reason believers should not drink...

5. IT HARMS OUR BODIES WHICH ARE THE LORD’S
I Corinthians 6:19-20 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

I Corinthians 3:16-17 "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

The first effect of alcohol on the brain is to dull the capacity for self-criticism and the sense of caution. A lessening of care and anxiety follows this. The checks on irresponsibility and unreasonable behavior are also curtailed. Actions follow the impulses, which is dangerous. Reaction time become slower; coordination is disturbed; drowsiness follows.

Proverbs 23:29-33 gives clear testimony to the above description of alcohol on the brain. "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things."

How many of you reading this report had high school or college biology? I did, and it was great. There were several girls in my high school biology class and I must say that I especially enjoyed the fit some of girls had when we dissected frogs. But what was really disgusting, even for me, was the day we had to walk up to the big barrel filled with formaldehyde and reach in and pull out a cat to work on. That day there were several of the girls that left class and as I recall a guy or two. To this day, I remember the disgusting aroma of the formaldehyde used to pickle frogs and cats.

So, what does that have to do with alcohol? Dr. Robert Haas, M.D. will fill you in. He is a former president of the American College of Sports Nutrition. He said, "Beer, wine and hard liquor form toxic substances called aldehydes that can destroy the liver, kidney and brain cells. Aldehydes serve a useful function in preserving or ‘pickling’ dead animal tissue, but they serve no beneficial purpose in people. Alcohol dehydrates (robs) your body of its precious water supply, and along with the water go vital nutrients such as B Vitamins, calcium, magnesium and potassium."

According to Good Housekeeping, "Even in moderate amounts alcohol has noticeable effects on the body. Because it enters the blood stream it touches almost every organ, and its effects on feelings and behavior are well known."

Alcohol has adverse affects on your esophagus, stomach & intestines, bloodstream, pancreas, liver, heart, bladder, kidneys, glands and your brain.

"The most drastic and noticed effect of alcohol is the brain. It depresses brain centers, progressively produces un-coordination, confusion, disorientation, stupor, anesthesia, coma, death. Alcohol kills brain cells, and brain damage is permanent" (From-Office of Highway Safety, Madison, WI)

As believers, our body belongs to the Lord. We should not knowingly do anything that would harm it. Alcohol harms the body and therefore we should not drink alcohol.

There is a further reason you should not drink...

6. ALCOHOL IS ADDICTIVE
I Corinthians 6:12 tells us that we are not to "be brought under the power" or to be controlled by anything. The only exception is the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

Alcohol is clearly a powerful substance (Proverbs 23:35). Because alcohol is addictive, we should choose not to drink alcoholic beverages.

The final reason we will consider for not drinking alcoholic beverages is...

7. BELIEVERS ARE KINGS AND PRIESTS SEPARATED UNTO GOD
"The prophets, the kings, the Nazarites, the leaders -- those who were special in the plan of God were total abstainers" says Dr. Paul Dixon, and he is correct. Kings and public officials were not to drink (Proverbs 31:4-5). Further Dr. Dixon says "the priests of the Old Testament were to abstain totally." The Aaronic priests were not to drink because they ministered in the tabernacle before the Lord (Leviticus 10:9)

The application: Believers are a "royal" or kingly priesthood (I Peter 2:9). We are the temple of God (I Peter 2:5). We are God’s special children and should choose total abstinence.

Drinking, even social drinking, cannot be legitimately supported by the Bible. Every drink that is available today, even beer, falls into the category of unmixed or strong drink. Clearly, Christians should not drink alcoholic beverages. Drinking socially is a worldly activity and in light of the fact that believers are neither to be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2) nor love the world(I John 2:15) our choice should be clear. We ARE to be SEPARATE FROM the world (II Corinthians 6:17) and LIGHT TO the world (Ephesians 5:8; Phillipians 2:15). Perhaps social drinking has enhanced the acceptability of Christians in society, but it has not advanced the cause of Christ, and it does not glorify God! Social drinking is simply a means which the devil uses to blunt our testimony for Christ and squeeze us into his mold. There are at least SEVEN GOOD REASONS A BELIEVER SHOULD NOT DRINK. One should be enough.

The Osteen International Version...

The Osteen Bible
by Rev Michael Bresciani

This was sent to me by a pastor-friend, David Krueger of FBC Linn, Missouri. It is a very interesting read.

The word apostasy is derived from the Greek word apostasis which literally means “desertion.” In the last few years of time as we know it the Bible clearly promises there will be a falling away or apostasy in the church and in long held theological principles.

If you need to ask if an apostasy or a desertion is occurring today you probably don’t own a radio or a television set. Long held beliefs are being questioned, set aside and abandoned altogether with alarming frequency. Here are some prime examples.

On January 5, 2008 a CBN newswomen Kristi Watts interviewing mega pastor Joel Osteen posed the question “What about the s-word, the d-word and the h-word.” Osteen acknowledged that he understood that the interviewer was referring to the words sin, devil and hell.

He quickly admitted that those were words he did not use in his messages because they tended to promote a negative approach to things. With more than 1300 clear references to the devil, sin and hell throughout the bible Osteen raised more questions than he answered.

The first question might be “who commissioned him to re-write the bible. A second more important question might be what did Christ die for? Up to now we thought he died for the sins of the world. The third question is derived from the bibles own answer to the second question and is inevitable. What’s the point of the rest of the bible if that’s not true, or important?

Recent interviews with Larry King, Glenn Beck and others have proven that Osteen is a charming uplifting communicator who is hard not to like. His messages are always positive and are not unlike those of any motivational speaker or self esteem guru but he is working under the title of “pastor” and that’s were the doubt is raised.

Osteen is far from the first person to remove the parts of the bible he didn’t like. Thomas Jefferson used a jackknife to cut out all references to hell and eternal punishment from the bible. Jefferson was a “deist” and that is a common belief among all deists. One major difference between Jefferson and Osteen is that Jefferson never called himself a pastor.

The biggest question is about timing. As churches slide away from biblical tenants and secularism creeps into the church all over the world isn’t the very timing of this new “happy feel good ultra positive gospel” just part and parcel to the promised apostasy? Millions think it is!

Many of the sermons Osteen preaches are on how to deal with critics. It seems that 44,000 weekly participants in his church services and 7 million viewers of the weekly televised broadcasts are getting some flak along with him. In a success worshipping, big is better society in this country not even that kind of success can curb the doubt of many people who have only to read their bibles to see that Osteen is leaving out a big part of the story; many would say the very heart of the story.

In Canada ministers of both Catholic and protestant churches are being prosecuted, imprisoned, fined and censured for quoting verses of the bible that condemn the gay lifestyle. A movement in Canada has begun in the legislature to begin taxing church properties like Sunday school rooms, kitchens, parking lots and anything not directly used as a sanctuary for worship. Severe limitations are being considered on the building of new church buildings.

Leaders like Tristan Emmanuel an ordained Presbyterian pastor, speaker and activist who prepares Christians for leadership and service in the public square warn that America is on the same slippery slope as Canada. It may not be long before American ministers will have to answer for saying what the bible says about gays, same gender marriages, pre-marital relations and other currently not politically correct long held beliefs derived from the bible.

Europe has demonstrated that it is far ahead of either Canada or the United States in secular progressive ideas and actual legislation.

In Spain during the last week of December 2007 almost two million Spaniards took to the streets of Madrid and filled up Madrid’s famous Colon Plaza in a powerful show of unity. The Spanish were calling for an end to Spain’s socialist governments attack on the institution of marriage. The Catholics were joined by representatives of the Episcopal and other protestant churches but were all snubbed by Spain’s ruling socialist party.

Cardinal Archbishop Antonio Canizares of Toledo lambasted the socialist government and said that “Spain's family is threatened by unjust and evil laws." The ruling socialist party of Spain snuffed its nose at the Pope, Cardinal Canizares and the demonstrators with a statement that read “we won’t take a single step back” The new more tolerant government of Spain will not tolerate over a thousand years of traditional and biblically derived beliefs about marriage and the family.

The ruling party touting a more tolerant society wasn’t the least bit tolerant with the Catholic and protestant believers of Spain and concluded their response with "We will continue working to ensure that Spanish citizens are freer and have more rights, and so that, at the same time, that our society is increasingly more respectful and tolerant," referring to its "gay marriage" policy.

Apostasy is inevitable and it is the byproduct of a world that is being turned upside down and where previously held values are scoffed at sometimes just because a minority might be slightly offended. Many of the charges brought against Canadian ministers were lodged not because someone was physically accosted, libeled or maligned but only because they were “hurt.” Many are left wondering who may be “hurt” next. Perhaps convicted murders, rapists, pedophiles and burglars are hurt because we have put them in jail.

The twisted view of political correctness will continue to pervert the most established traditions and beliefs known to man until the world will be changed for good; but no good will come of it. The topsy turvy effect of the tolerance and multicultural movement is gaining exponentially in spite of warnings and bible teachings to the contrary.

Writer Ray C. Stedman said in his book “Gods Loving Word” “As a society, we have our values upside down. Our government creates entire bureaucracies to monitor minute amounts of suspected carcinogens in our food, air, and water---yet it also pays subsidies to farmers for producing one of the worst, most highly cancer-causing substances around: tobacco. We are told we must save the whales, yet we allow unborn babies to be slaughtered at a rate of 3,000 abortions per day. School teachers are allowed to teach witchcraft and New Age philosophy in our public schools, yet the Bible, prayer, and the Ten Commandments are banned. We sentence peaceful pro-life activists to prison and we turn convicted repeat killers and rapists loose on society."

Where does it end? That’s easy to answer; it ends with the physical and imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to remove forever the reins of government from the hands of men. In the mean time believers can only continue with what they know to be right according to the bible…the whole bible; with the s-word, d-word and h-word included.

Believers who know what Christ has commanded can say what Peter said after being released from prison where he was sent for preaching the gospel. When the rulers asked Peter why he kept on preaching the gospel after they had commanded him to stop he replied with “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29