International Day against Drugs Abuse & Illicit Trafficking & United Nations International Day in support of Victims of Torture.
TOPIC: MODERATION
Read: Romans 14:12-23
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. The Law of Love
14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 For he who serves Christ in these things e is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.
21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.
23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
MEMORISE:
Let Your gentleness be known to all men, The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:5)
EXPOSITION
When the use of something is not known, it’s abuse is unavoidable. Nations of the world dissipate a lot of resources towards waging war against drug abuse. However, the social menace and ill is still very rampant! God created all creatures purposively and the end results is to bring pleasure to Him (Rev.4v11).
There is nothing taken in excess that does not have adverse effect. Even the normal regular foods and drinks are advisedly to be taken moderately.
More so, in such a manner that glorifies God. (1 Cor.6v20). Remember, it was out of the fermented grapes that Noah made wine with which he drank himself to stupor! (Gen.9v21). Allowing your regular banana or orange to get fermented for days will leave it prone to secretion of alcohol, which consequently intimidates! God expressly gave specification of food and drinks to Israel as a peculiar nation in the Old Testament (Lev.10:9-10).
This indicates that God is interested in His people’s spiritual well-being as in their physical aspect too (3 Jn.2). Although, no security agent arrest you for taking four tablets of Paracetamol as against two or three, something else can do! What if the effect damages your system? We must be very careful to do things moderately. You may say non-alcoholic drinks have no negative effects, however, too much of these are detrimental to your own health, in one way or the other.
No one can actually tell the number of lives lost prematurely to drug abuse! How many have got insane, depressed and irresponsible due to narcotics? What has given rise to unabated killings, banditries, terrorism and violence, is not far away from this menace. The Bible, according to king James version, says that our moderation must be known to all men. (Phil.4v5)You can always be an agent of positive change in the society by sharing this message.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord, deliver our youths from the rampaging scourge of drug abuse.
2. Father Lord, help each believer to understand the need for rest. God rested having working for some days.
3. God, shine Your light into the lives of Your children to know what they are overdoing.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
2 Chronicles 3:9 – 6:18, Acts 3:21 – 4:16
HAVE A PLEASANT SATURDAY……………..SHALOM