2012 September 29 - Morning Manna

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

Today's Morsel: A professor of chemistry wanted to teach his 5th grade class a lesson about the evils of liquor, so he produced an experiment that involved a glass of water, a glass of whiskey and two worms.

"Now, class. Observe closely the worms," said the professor putting a worm first into the water. The worm in the water writhed about, happy as a worm in water could be.
The second worm, he put into the whiskey. It writhed painfully, and quickly sank to the bottom, dead as a doornail.
"Now, what lesson can we derive from this experiment?" the professor asked.
Johnny, who naturally sat in back, raised his hand and wisely responded, "Drink whiskey and you won't get worms." Humor.

I had a man tell me that he got hooked on alcohol because as a young altar boy he was given fermented wine to drink for communion. And because this was a weekly thing, by the time he reached his twenties, he was hooked on alcohol, smoking, and his life was totally out of control. Solomon said that wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Why did Solomon say that? Because alcohol destroys people's ability to reason. It makes people do and say things that when sober they would never say or do. Alcohol gives you a false sense of bravery and confidence. It destroys homes, families, careers, and relationships. Solomon again says, Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds 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 strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again" (Proverbs 23:29-35).

Paul tells us that drunkenness is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) and that drunkards cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-12). If we say that we have wisdom, then alcohol should not be a part of our lifestyle.

Sing: Drinking at the springs of living water, happy now am I, my soul they satisfy; drinking at the springs of living water, oh, wonderful and bountiful supply.