Not my words. Taken from a Facebook post my daughter shared.
1. I can’t be sober-minded if I’m not sober.
2. Alcohol has an assignment: destruction.
3. Alcohol is a depressant. Anything that depresses should be avoided at all costs.
4. I don’t want to make my brother or sister stumble in the name of exercising my “Christian liberties.” My choice to drink could lead to someone’s demise.
5. Alcohol skews my judgment.
6. Alcohol leaves me worse, not better.
7. What I do in moderation, my children will do in excess.
8. Even the unsaved know I shouldn’t drink. Bible in one hand, beer in the other — any lost person could point this out as a confusing contradiction.
9. Alcohol doesn’t bring others closer to the Lord when they see me drinking, but further away.
10. Alcohol doesn’t bring me closer to the Lord when I drink, but further away.
11. I want to be fully awake and ready for the return of Christ, not drowsy, sluggish, or hung over.
12. Show me a family for whom alcohol has made a positive difference in their lives. You won’t be able to.
13. I have never heard anyone say, “Wow, that gin and tonic made me feel so Christlike!”
14. I want to avoid all appearances of evil.
15. Alcohol makes it much harder for me to practice the fruit of self-control.
16. Alcohol causes me to lose my filter.
17. Alcohol is a legal mind-altering drug.
18. Alcohol is addictive.
19. Alcohol is a numbing agent for pain and sorrow only Jesus can heal.
20. Many regrets are associated with alcohol. (I can give you a whole bunch!)
21. No one has ever said, “If only I had taken a drink, things wouldn’t have gotten out of control.”
22. Alcohol causes me to act in ways I normally wouldn’t.
23. Alcohol kills brain cells.
24. Alcohol is a counterfeit and provides a false peace.
25. The Bible says that no drunkards will enter the kingdom of God. Being drunk starts with one drink. I don’t want to see how far outside the lines I can color when eternity is at stake.
26. Alcohol is a waster — money, gifts, talents, destinies, and so on.
27. Alcohol leads to really bad behavior. It is a factor in 50 percent of violent crimes.
28. Alcohol distracts and derails you from living the victorious life for which Christ died.
29. Wisdom is the principle thing that I need to pursue at all cost; alcohol makes me stupid.
30. Alcohol has ruined many, many, many marriages and families.
31. The only influence I should be “under” is God’s.
32. The Bible tells me to be alert; alcohol delays my reaction time.
33. If I don’t start drinking, I’ll never have to stop.
34. Alcohol severely tarnishes my testimony.
35. Don’t want your teenagers to drink? Yep, same reasons apply to you.
36. God is holy; alcohol is not.
37. Alcohol and prayer don’t mix.
38. Alcohol and Bible study don’t mix.
39. Alcohol lowers my resolve to resist temptation.
40. Alcohol = Brokenness (broken lives, health, dreams, and so on)
41. When the world sees us drinking, it sends the message that Jesus isn’t enough.
42. Moderate drinking? How about moderate pornography or moderate heroin use or moderate lying or moderate adultery?
43. Christians are called to live a life of total surrender and separation from the world.
44. Alcohol makes me forget. It can make me forget that I am married, that I am saved, and so on.
45. “I don’t get drunk. I only have one or two drinks.” If they didn’t affect you, you would drink soda.
46. I should never look to the glass or bottle for joy, which can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ.
47. Alcohol fills my mind with impure thoughts.
48. If it could hinder my faith walk or love walk or dishonor the lordship of Jesus Christ, I need to forsake it.
49. Alcohol doesn’t help me run the race that Jesus has marked before me to finish with more accuracy. It does the polar opposite.
50. I want the Lord to be pleased in everything I do in my life! Drinking alcohol does not please the Lord.
Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging:
and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Titus 2:6-8
Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Titus 2:1-5
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
1 Timothy 3:2-5
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
Proverbs 21:17
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man:
he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Proverbs 23:29-35
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 31:4-5
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine;
nor for princes strong drink:
Lest they drink, and forget the law,
and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
