INTRODUCTION

There are many stories of those overcome with a sense of embarrassment resulting from their actions while under the influence. As they increasingly yielded to the power of strong drink, they did things they later regretted once sober. This is what the Bible means about alcohol when it says it causes men to “stumble in judgment.” No doubt many of God’s people like Noah (Genesis 9:21-25 [21] And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. [22] And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. [23] And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. [24] And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. [25] And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
See All...) and Lot (Genesis 19:31-36 [31] And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: [32] Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. [33] And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. [34] And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. [35] And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. [36] Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
See All...) had regrets as they became sober. The Bible tells of Nabal who “was very drunken” and foolishly refused to help king David (1 Samuel 25:1-17 [1] And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran. [2] And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. [3] Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. [4] And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. [5] And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: [6] And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. [7] And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. [8] Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. [9] And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. [10] And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. [11] Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? [12] So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings. [13] And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff. [14] But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them. [15] But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: [16] They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. [17] Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
See All..., 36). When he came to himself, Abigail told her husband all that had transpired during his drunken stupor. After he heard of his foolish actions, the Bible says that “his heart died within him” (1 Samuel 25:37But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): Strong drink causes people to forget what is right and do what is wrong (Proverbs 31:4-5 [4] It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: [5] Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
  See All...; Isaiah 5:22-23 [22] Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: [23] Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
  See All...). When Ahasuerus had wine, he asked his wife to do something he normally would not have asked her to do (Esther 1:10-12 [10] On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, [11] To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. [12] But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
  See All...). When she refused, he was angry and had her dethroned. Later, he could not change his mind (Esther 2:1After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
  See All...).
• (For everyone): What are some foolish decisions that people might make while under the influence of alcohol? Is it possible that some of those decisions are irreversible?
• Have you ever been around others who were controlled by alcohol? Did they make decisions later regretted once they came to their senses?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to show you the wickedness of alcohol.
• Ask God to give you the wisdom to do right.

HYMN

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