January 30, 2024

How should Christians think about alcohol?

Proverbs 23

Ashley Watkins
Tuesday's Devo

January 30, 2024

Tuesday's Devo

January 30, 2024

Tuesday's Devo

January 30, 2024

Tuesday's Devo

January 30, 2024

Big Book Idea

Living wisely—God's way.

Key Verse | Proverbs 23:31-32

Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup
and goes down smoothly.
In the end it bites like a serpent
and stings like an adder.

Proverbs 23

1  When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
    observe carefully what 1 23:1 Or who is before you,
2  and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to appetite.
3  Do not desire his delicacies,
    for they are deceptive food.
4  Do not toil to acquire wealth;
    be discerning enough to desist.
5  When your eyes light on it, it is gone,
    for suddenly it sprouts wings,
    flying like an eagle toward heaven.
6  Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; 2 23:6 Hebrew whose eye is evil
    do not desire his delicacies,
7  for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. 3 23:7 Or for as he calculates in his soul, so is he
    “Eat and drink!” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
8  You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
    and waste your pleasant words.
9  Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
    for he will despise the good sense of your words.
10  Do not move an ancient landmark
    or enter the fields of the fatherless,
11  for their Redeemer is strong;
    he will plead their cause against you.
12  Apply your heart to instruction
    and your ear to words of knowledge.
13  Do not withhold discipline from a child;
    if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14  If you strike him with the rod,
    you will save his soul from Sheol.
15  My son, if your heart is wise,
    my heart too will be glad.
16  My inmost being 4 23:16 Hebrew My kidneys will exult
    when your lips speak what is right.
17  Let not your heart envy sinners,
    but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.
18  Surely there is a future,
    and your hope will not be cut off.

19  Hear, my son, and be wise,
    and direct your heart in the way.
20  Be not among drunkards 5 23:20 Hebrew those who drink too much wine
    or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
21  for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
    and slumber will clothe them with rags.

22  Listen to your father who gave you life,
    and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23  Buy truth, and do not sell it;
    buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
24  The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;
    he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.
25  Let your father and mother be glad;
    let her who bore you rejoice.

26  My son, give me your heart,
    and let your eyes observe 6 23:26 Or delight in my ways.
27  For a prostitute is a deep pit;
    an adulteress 7 23:27 Hebrew a foreign woman is a narrow well.
28  She lies in wait like a robber
    and increases the traitors among mankind.

29  Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
    Who has redness of eyes?
30  Those who tarry long over wine;
    those who go to try mixed wine.
31  Do not look at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup
    and goes down smoothly.
32  In the end it bites like a serpent
    and stings like an adder.
33  Your eyes will see strange things,
    and your heart utter perverse things.
34  You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
    like one who lies on the top of a mast. 8 23:34 Or of the rigging
35  “They struck me,” you will say, 9 23:35 Hebrew lacks you will say “but I was not hurt;
    they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
    I must have another drink.”

Footnotes

[1] 23:1 Or who
[2] 23:6 Hebrew whose eye is evil
[3] 23:7 Or for as he calculates in his soul, so is he
[4] 23:16 Hebrew My kidneys
[5] 23:20 Hebrew those who drink too much wine
[6] 23:26 Or delight in
[7] 23:27 Hebrew a foreign woman
[8] 23:34 Or of the rigging
[9] 23:35 Hebrew lacks you will say
Table of Contents
Introduction to Proverbs

Introduction to Proverbs

Timeline

Author and Date

Proverbs itself mentions Solomon (reigned c. 971–931 B.C.) as author or collector of its contents (1:1; 10:1), including the proverbs copied by Hezekiah’s men (25:1). There are also two batches of sayings from a group called “the wise” (22:17–24:22; 24:23–34), and “oracles” from Agur (30:1–33) and Lemuel (31:1–9). No author is named for the song in praise of the excellent wife that ends the book (31:10–31). Although Proverbs was begun in the time of Solomon, it probably was not in its present form until the time of Hezekiah (reigned c. 715–686 B.C.).

Theme

The goal of the book is stated right at the beginning (1:1–7): to describe what wisdom is and to help God’s people become wise. Wisdom is founded in the “fear of the Lord,” and it enables believers to express their faith in the practical details of everyday life.

Audience

The book is addressed to a young man. The situations he will face while he is young receive much attention. These situations supply concrete examples from which all readers can apply lessons to their own lives. Anyone who is wise and who pays attention will benefit (1:5) from this instruction.

Reading Proverbs

The reader of Proverbs must seek to understand the various types of people the book describes. The most obvious characters in the book are the wise, the fool, and the simple. Proverbs urges its readers to be wise, which means embracing God’s covenant and living out the covenant in everyday situations (compare 2:2; 10:1). The fool is the person who constantly opposes God’s covenant (1:7b). The simple is the person who is not firmly committed, either to wisdom or to folly; he is easily misled (14:15).

The first nine chapters of Proverbs are “wisdom poems” that urge the reader to pursue wisdom. The main section of Proverbs—the concise, memorable statements of two or three lines—begins in 10:1. Proverbs often seem to be mere observations about life, but their deeper meanings will reveal themselves if the following questions are kept in mind: (1) What virtue does this proverb commend? (2) What vice does it disapprove of? (3) What value does it affirm?

Key Themes

Proverbs offers wisdom on a wide array of topics from daily life: diligence and laziness (6:6–11); friendship (3:27–28; 18:24); speech (10:19–21); marriage (18:22; 19:14); child rearing (22:6); domestic peace (15:17; 17:1); work (11:1); getting along and good manners (23:1–2; 25:16–17; 26:17–19; 27:14); eternity (14:32; 23:17–18); and much more. It shows that “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8).

  1. God’s will is intensely practical, applying to every aspect of life. A proper relation to God involves trying hard to understand his truth, and then embracing and obeying that truth.
  2. A life lived by God’s will is a happy life (3:21–26).
  3. A life lived by God’s will is a useful life (3:27–28; 12:18, 25).
  4. A life lived by God’s will does not just happen. One must seek after it (9:1–6).

Outline

  1. Title, Goal, and Motto (1:1–7)
  2. A Father’s Invitation to Wisdom (1:8–9:18)
  3. Proverbs of Solomon (10:1–22:16)
  4. The Thirty Sayings of “the Wise” (22:17–24:22)
  5. Further Sayings of “the Wise” (24:23–34)
  6. Hezekiah’s Collection of Solomonic Proverbs (25:1–29:27)
  7. The Sayings of Agur (30:1–33)
  8. The Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1–9)
  9. An Alphabet of Womanly Excellence (31:10–31)
The Global Message of Proverbs

The Global Message of Proverbs

Proverbs: Wisdom for the World

The book of Proverbs is not simply a collection of “wise sayings” for life. It is heaven-sent help for stumbling sinners all over the world from every walk of life who are willing to listen to something other than their own fallen instincts. The “fool” in Proverbs is not someone who lacks intellectual capacity but one who stubbornly lives out of his own fallen intuitions, resisting instruction and correction. Likewise, the wise person in Proverbs is not someone who is intellectually superior but someone who humbly places himself beneath the authority of God. Such wisdom is for all God’s people everywhere.

In his great mercy God has clearly shown wisdom to the world—both through the instruction of his Word and in the person of his Son. The book of Proverbs summarizes true wisdom as rooted in the “fear of the LORD” (Prov. 1:7). In Jesus such wisdom takes on new clarity and glory as the one who is the “wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24) and who “became to us wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:30). God’s global people are to receive such wise instruction, to base their wise living in the fear and worship of God, and to testify to a lost world about God’s saving wisdom.

God’s Wisdom Is Theological and Practical

In one sense wisdom is very much universal. It is difficult to find a culture or tradition without its own legacy of wise sayings. Some of these are culture-specific; others reflect the shared human experience.

Scripture’s admonition and exhortation about wisdom, however, is clear. Our faith is not to rest on man’s wisdom but is to be rooted in God’s power (1 Cor. 2:5). The wisdom of this world is “folly with God” (1 Cor. 3:19). Ultimate wisdom is from God (1 Cor. 1:30) and is revealed by God (1 Cor. 2:7). True wisdom is theological and God-given. Those who lack wisdom are to “ask God” for it (James 1:5). It is the Lord who gives wisdom (Prov. 2:6). In Proverbs 9:10 God’s people are reminded again that, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (compare 1:7). True wisdom is not the handy tips for life that get handed down from generation to generation among those who do not know God. True wisdom is divine. It is rooted in God’s own saving revelation to his people.

God’s wisdom is not only theological; it is also practical. Indeed, wisdom is practical because it is theological. Theology impacts daily life, and this is clearly seen in the instruction of Proverbs. Everyday life issues are addressed, including parental relations (Prov. 10:1; 15:20; 19:26; 23:25), marriage (5:18; 12:4; 18:22; 19:13–14; 31:10), money (3:9; 10:4; 11:1; 15:16; 16:11), and the power and danger of words (4:5; 7:5; 10:19; 16:24; 17:27). These are life issues that affect people of every age and place. Proverbs provides a picture of both the blessed life grounded in the fear of the Lord and the danger-filled and foolish life of those who despise the Lord’s wisdom and instruction (1:7).

God’s Wisdom Is Individual and Global

Individual wisdom. For every person, in every place, in every time, the message of Proverbs rings true: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). Wisdom from above is not mere advice or pithy sayings. Rather, the worthiest and most blessed advice flows from God, when he has his proper central place in the heart and worship of each individual created by his hand and in his image.

Global wisdom. The message of Proverbs is also global. This is true, first, because only God’s wisdom comprehensively instructs and skillfully dissects with perfect insight the hearts of mankind from every place and for every time. God’s wisdom is global, second, in that God’s global people are called to global engagement and a global mission. The Lord is not a tribal god. The teaching of Proverbs is not tribal lore. God’s wisdom is eternal and global. And God’s people are called to be instruments, through word and deed, of teaching his wisdom to the world. Those who are wise in God represent God to the world. For example, the wise exhibit generosity to the poor and the needy (Prov. 14:21, 31). The wise in God speak enduring and reliable wisdom to a world desperately looking for life-giving counsel. The wise in God feed even their own enemies (25:21).

Taking God’s Saving Wisdom to the World

In the book of Proverbs the Lord has equipped his people to fulfill his global and eternal purposes. God’s purpose is to reveal himself to and then through a people who will bring eternal blessing to the world, and that purpose is still unfolding around the world today (Matt. 28:18–20). In his kindness God has made known both the path of the wicked (Prov. 4:14) and the path of righteousness (12:28). The one leads to destruction and the other to life (11:19).

When love and grace is observed by the world in the lives of God’s people and supremely in the cross of Christ, it is indeed “folly” to them (1 Cor. 1:18, 21). But “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:25). The wise in God share the good news of the wisdom of God in the gospel of Christ with nations both near and far. Such sharing, when it lands on receptive ears, is “like cold water to a thirsty soul” (Prov. 25:25).In grace God is opening blind eyes through the gospel to his glorious wisdom. In grace he has shown us and empowered us toward a life of God-honoring, upright living. In grace he will use us as his global ambassadors till the day we join in the angelic choir proclaiming, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen” (Rev. 7:12).

Job Fact #9: Proverbs in Job

Fact: Proverbs in Job

Proverbs in Job. In 17:5, Job may have been quoting a proverb to warn his friends not to make false accusations against him. Proverbs are an effective and memorable way of stating a truth. The book of Proverbs is a rich resource of such wisdom.

Proverbs Fact #1: Wisdom

Fact: Wisdom

Wisdom is a key term in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The word can mean “skilled at making sound decisions in life.” Proverbs 9:10 states that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”

Proverbs Fact #4: Garlands

Fact: Garlands

Garlands were wreaths woven from leaves and flowers. They were worn around the head or neck during various celebrations such as weddings. They were also symbols of honor for military success. In Proverbs, they symbolize the honor that comes from following the way of wisdom (4:9).

Proverbs Fact #7: The simple person

Fact: The simple person

The simple person (7:7) is one of the primary character types described in the book of Proverbs. The term describes someone who is immature and easily misled (14:15).

Proverbs Fact #10: A different kind of security

Fact: A different kind of security

A different kind of security. In biblical times, if a person was unable to pay his debt, the consequences could be serious. The whole family could be sold into slavery. If someone put up “security” for another person, he promised to pay that person’s debt if he was unable to do so himself. Proverbs teaches that putting up security for another person is generally unwise, since those who do so risk losing everything if the other person cannot pay his debt (11:15).

Proverbs Fact #27: Gluttony

Fact: Gluttony

Gluttony refers to excessive eating. The Bible condemns gluttony as well as drunkenness. Proverbs teaches that eating and drinking in excess can lead to poverty (23:19–21).

Proverbs Fact #28: Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs

Fact: Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs

Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs. Although most of the Proverbs were collected or written by King Solomon, who reigned from 971–931 B.C., the book of Proverbs did not exist in its present form until the time of King Hezekiah, some 200 years later. Hezekiah and “his men,” probably his scribes, recorded chs. 25–29.

Proverbs Fact #29: Rock badgers

Fact: Rock badgers

Rock badgers are small cliff-dwelling animals closely resembling guinea pigs. They live and forage for food in large groups and are good at hiding. They are best known for posting sentries that alert the group when danger is near. Perhaps it was this mark of wisdom that earned them a mention in Proverbs (30:26).

Proverbs Fact #22: Mixed wine

Fact: Mixed wine

Mixed wine. Since the process of distillation had not yet been invented, the wine of ancient Palestine had a low alcoholic content. Sometimes, people added various herbs and spices to the wine to increase its potency. The drunkenness described in 23:29–35 could have been caused by drinking such “mixed wine” (v. 30).

OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

Romans 3 OT Reference
Sinful Condition
v. 10, none is righteous Ps. 14:3/53:3; Eccles. 7:20
v. 11a, no one understands Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 11b, no one seeks for God Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 12, all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one Ps. 14:3/53:3
Sinful Speech (note progression from throat to tongue to lips)
v. 13a, b, their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive Ps. 5:10, Septuagint (English, 5:9)
v. 13c, the venom of asps is under their lips Ps. 140:3
v. 14, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness Ps. 10:7
Sinful Action
v. 15, their feet are swift to shed blood Prov. 1:16/Isa. 59:7
v. 16, in their paths are ruin and misery Isa. 59:7
v. 17, and the way of peace they have not known Isa. 59:8
Summary Statement
v. 18, there is no fear of God before their eyes Ps. 36:1
Study Notes

Prov. 23:1–3 The rich host may be using his wealth to manipulate his less-wealthy guests to do his bidding. His hospitality is deceptive.

Study Notes

Prov. 23:4–5 The workaholic is encouraged to be discerning enough to desist in his pursuit of wealth. suddenly it sprouts wings. Wealth is fleeting; there should come a point where a person decides he has enough, and that he will devote some of his time and effort to activities that bring no financial reward. See also note on 8:18–21.

Study Notes

Prov. 23:10–11 The Redeemer of the fatherless is the Lord himself (see Ps. 19:14; 119:154). He is perhaps portrayed here as the near kin (Lev. 25:23–25; Introduction to Ruth: Key Themes, “Redemption”).

Study Notes

Prov. 23:12 Wisdom cannot be acquired without determination.

Study Notes

Prov. 23:13–14 This saying clearly affirms the place of corporal punishment in child rearing. The father punishes in this way to teach the child, not to vent his anger. The goal of such discipline is developing the child’s character. In these verses, he will not die and you will save his soul from Sheol are parallel ideas. Sheol here is the place where the ungodly go after death (see Ps. 49:14; note on Prov. 7:26–27). Discipline equips the child to continue in the way of eternal life.

Study Notes

Prov. 23:17–18 Instead of envying those who ignore God’s way, pleasing the Lord should be the believer’s top priority (v. 17). Such a path is the only true hope for a future (see 24:14, 20; Ps. 37:9–11, 34, 37–38).

Study Notes

Prov. 23:26–28 The phrase give me your heart should guide parents in their task of child rearing. Their goal must be the deepest source of the child’s thoughts, words, and actions. observe my ways. Parents must live as an example of virtue for their children. In particular, the parent reminds the child to avoid a prostitute and an adulteress. Such persons are as deceitful as a robber. They lead one to betray their family (v. 28).

Study Notes

Prov. 23:33–34 Your eyes will see strange things. A drunken person cannot perceive the cause-and-effect connections of events. On the top of a mast is a picture of instability.

Study Notes
Proverbs Fact #22: Mixed wine

Fact: Mixed wine

Mixed wine. Since the process of distillation had not yet been invented, the wine of ancient Palestine had a low alcoholic content. Sometimes, people added various herbs and spices to the wine to increase its potency. The drunkenness described in 23:29–35 could have been caused by drinking such “mixed wine” (v. 30).

S3:022 Proverbs 23

Listen Now

Dive Deeper | Proverbs 23

For many years, Christians have had differing viewpoints about alcohol. If we aren't careful, we can be tempted to make some hasty generalizations. But when it comes to convictions like this one, it's important that we ask, "What else does the Bible say about this?" As I asked this question, here's what I found.

If I'm not careful, my takeaway from Proverbs 23 could be, "Drinking alcohol is a sin." I suggest to you . . . it depends. Proverbs 23:29-35 gives a warning about the negative effects alcohol can have. Scripture explicitly calls drunkenness sinful (Ephesians 5:18; Luke 21:34; Isaiah 5:11), but I also see Jesus using wine when it was appropriate (John 2:1-11; Luke 22:14-20). If drinking were a sin, Jesus would not have taken part. So, I must dive deeper. Scripture calls believers to be of sober mind (2 Timothy 4:5) and to live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25), and self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Like all things the Lord has given us, alcohol can be a blessing (Psalm 104:14-15; Ecclesiastes 9:7; 1 Timothy 5:23). However, when used outside of God's design, it can lead us down a path that no longer aligns with God's will. It can cause us to sin (Ephesians 5:18). In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul instructs us to do all things to the glory of God, so perhaps a better question to ask ourselves when forming our view of alcohol is, "When I drink alcohol, am I still able to bring God glory?" How I answer that question will impact how I answer the next: "Is it sinful when I drink alcohol?"

When I reflect on my early twenties, I wasn't walking with the Lord, and alcohol was new and exciting. I do have some fun memories, but even more of my memories are painful and full of shame. The mistakes I was most ashamed of were a direct result of drinking too much and losing control. These moments are part of my story, which led me to Christ. Because of His grace, love, and redeeming power, I no longer feel ashamed of those moments. If that's a part of your story also, please hear me when I say, there is hope because we have a Savior who is ready to heal and redeem your story, too (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This month's memory verse

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

– Ephesians 4:2

Discussion Questions

1. Has alcohol impacted your life positively or negatively? How?

2. Has drinking alcohol ever caused you to do something you regretted later? If so, have you accepted Christ's provision and trusted He has or can redeem those moments? 

3. If you choose to drink alcohol, what steps can you take to help ensure it won't cause you to sin?

As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!

MS

Michael Scaman

A reformation: of manners Navigating "Life's Banquets" with Reverence with Sagacity – Insights from Proverbs 23 as if by William Wilberforce I have often felt that God Almighty has placed before me two great objects: the suppression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of Manners . Permit me to elucidate upon the tenets of etiquette drawn from the sagacious Proverbs 23, offering prudent counsel for those navigating life's banquets: Prudent Observation in Distinguished Company as a caution: Proverbs 23:1-3 : "When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive." Weighing Wisdom Above Inordinate Pursuit of Wealth: Proverbs 23:4-5 : "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." Selecting Companions of Virtue: Proverbs 23:20-21 : "Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags." Upholding Boundaries and Justice: Proverbs 23:10-11 : "Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Defender is strong; he will take up their case against you." Embracing Discipline and Erudition: Proverbs 23:12 "Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge." In adherence to the timeless precepts of Proverbs 23, these admonitions beseech individuals to exercise mindfulness, strike a harmonious balance, exhibit sagacity, having keen perception, sound judgment, and wisdom,. in relationships, champion justice, and ardently pursue wisdom and discipline in the enduring journey of life. I am, dear sir, yours most sincerely. in the spirit of William Wilberforce
HS

Hugh Stephenson

Proverbs 23 in two parts – Reflecting on verses 4-5. Toil is the right word. A few years ago a good friend showed me this verse from Psalm 127 - “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Since my parents grew up in the Great Depression, they taught me that economic security was everything. I learned that lesson well and set that as my life goal. When I hit my goal in my 20’s I just raised the bar. Then I kept hitting goals and raising bars for another 30 years. It became less and less satisfying even to the point of emptiness. The phrase “anxious toil” from the psalm fits perfectly. In both passages I note the word “for”. The phrase after that explains to me why my toil was in vain. “for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven” “for he gives to his beloved sleep.” From Matthew Henry - “Be not of those that will be rich. The things of this world are not happiness and a portion for a soul; those that hold them ever so fast, cannot hold them always, cannot hold them long.” After coming to Watermark I learned about the hole in my heart that only God could fill. Up to that point I was filling it with stuff and things. When that got empty, I turned to my addictions to cope. It did not take long for God to show me how He could instantly fill that hole in my heart. All I had to do was surrender my will to His. Today my striving is to know the nature, character, kindness, and goodness of God more and more. As I do that, I know that I am among His beloved and he will give me sleep.
HS

Hugh Stephenson

Proverbs 23:22-35 Today the truth of the opening verses blares out at me like a neon sign - “Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.” Prodigal Babylon is the place no one listens to their parents and the place where they sell truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding, (Luke 15 and much of the OT). Its only them and their “authentic selves”. Oh yes, and their participation trophies. It is the place where I live with 2 adult children who are prodigals. In early November a few years ago I awoke to an email with a set of demands about sleeping arrangements over Thanksgiving. God is patient with me, (2 Peter 3:9), and calls me to model this patience with those who are as rebellious as I was/am. My workday does not schedule in time for calm and reflective responses to prodigal insanity. Yet, God calls me to love them as He loves me; to respond to them as He responds to me. I worked with Amy on a loving and caring response that reflects the truth and wisdom. My prayer today is to listen to my Heavenly father, to buy the truth and not sell it, and to buy wisdom, instruction and understanding. --------------------------------------------------- Adding in verses 9, 13, and 14, 9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words. 13 Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. 14 If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol. In the prodigal ministry we define a prodigal as one who is not walking with God. I’d add that by default, I can walk with God or walk with myself, self-reliance in other words. Eventually, most of us come to see the complete insanity of this mindset. Even if you’re a secular person you must have others provide advice and counsel along the way. But then you have the other problem we see- rather than wise counsel the prodigal is in the company of fools. Then we see the truth of 1 Corinthian 15:33 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sadly, it took most of my adult life before I embraced the truth of these verses and the wider truth of God’s word. Even more sadly I see many participants that come to Prodigal and then leave after a few weeks. What God calls them to do is just too hard for them. Those are sad moments as we know what is most likely to happen. But we still pray for miracles.
HS

Hugh Stephenson

So here we have verses 27-35 on alcohol. Of course, I have subject matter expertise. Among the most impactful truths I learned in recovery is this: In a broken world I need a coping mechanism. Since I am created as a relational being I need healthy relationships to flourish. In not getting those I fallback into whatever is handy and easy to help me cope. It took a long time for me to accept that they are permanently temporary. There is no long-term fix. Who would ever settle for a “permanent temporary” fix. You just go round and round and never get anywhere. It’s the definition of insanity. Sadly, most people who struggle for worldly fixes never move away from them. A family member went through every 12-step group there was. And wasn’t any better. The best answer for the relational brokenness that is a permanent feature of this side of heaven is the only relationship that will always work and will never disappoint. Jesus. I promise.
GJ

greg jones

Great deeper dive this morning emphasizing a nuanced reading of scriptures that is based on scriptures. Thank you for the ministry work you’re doing. Everyone has a story and past negative narratives rarely turn positive without positive interventions. Thanks again for the dive.
SB

Sue Bohlin

SUPER devo today, Ashley. The most practical teaching I think I've read read on JTJ since I jumped onboard in 2007. I so appreciate the balanced, nuanced view of alcohol. It all comes down to the same question we need to ask about everything: "Can I do this to the glory of God?" Did Jesus drink wine to the glory of the Father? Absolutely. Did He ever cross over the line into too much? Never. Not a drop. Can we do that? Yes! It's not too much of an ask when the Holy Spirit is providing self-control for us to bear as fruit.
LD

Lindsey Driscoll

Ashley, thank you for your deep dive into Proverbs 23 as it relates to alcohol, sin, and Gods best for us. Q1- reading Proverbs 23:29-35 sadly reminded me of chooses with alcohol during my college years where I knew Gods goodness but chose my own way. I can remember the feeling described in Proverbs 23:34 being one who was “sleeping in the high seas, lying in top the rigging.” Not the most positive physical memories. Q3 - Fasting or abstinence from Alcohol is helpful to ensure that it does not cause me to sin. With any vice: excessive podcasting, scrolling blogs, or seeking comfort; I can confess and ask the Lord to show me if this sin rules over me as I go without it. Psalm 119:133 says: Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
CF

Collin Fletcher

Great devo and analysis of that portion of the chapter, Ashley! Much of my story is the same, and I really liked how you provided encouragement at the end about the redeeming work Christ has done for us. I also like the reminder about doing all things to God's glory.
AL

Amy Lowther

1. Both. In a positive way, my friends were drinking alcohol but, they did not force me to drink alcohol. In a negative way, I have had friends who were nice, but they became consumed with alcohol. They went from being consistent and peaceful to inconsistent and chaotic. 2. I don’t drink alcohol, and I have never had a drink of alcohol. I think Christ will help me remain not drinking alcohol. 3. It is important to know what you are drinking, why you are drinking, and who else will be drinking at the same time. It is also important to have designated transportation when drinking alcohol. Ashley - Thank you for sharing your ideas. Thank you for saying, “The mistakes I was most ashamed of were a direct result of drinking too much and losing control”. I agree “drinking too much and losing control” when consuming alcohol can contribute to mistakes. God’s “grace, love, and redeeming power” are great tools to use in recovering from mistakes and can help prevent repeating those same mistakes.
JC

Jason Cromwell

Knowing your limits is always important. I have no problems myself because I set up strict rules for myself when it came to Alcohol when I turned 21. I would only drink when I was happy or for a good time. I never drank when I was angry or sad or for any other reason that people give. Since I spend a good chunk of my time with fellow Christians I follow "The Law of Liberty" from Romans 14 since I do have friends in AA . Plus I'm usually driving so I can't drink anyway.