ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE PART 3 of 9

TEXT - EPHESIANS 5:18

INTRODUCTION

TONIGHT I AM GOING TO CONTINUE WITH MY SERIES OF MESSAGES ON THE TOPIC OF BIBLICAL MORALITY.

DURING THE LAST FEW WEEKS WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE TOPICS OF GAMBLING, HOMOSEXUALITY AS WELL AS SEXUAL DISEASES.

TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE.

IN A GALLOP POLL ON AMERICAN DRINKING HABITS 81% OF ADULTS SAID THEY CONSIDERED ALCOHOLISM TO BE A MAJOR NATIONAL PROBLEM.

ONE OUT OF THREE FAMILIES REPORTED THAT ALCOHOL HAD CAUSED TROUBLE IN THEIR FAMILIES.

IN THE UNITED STATES HALF OF THE POPULATION DRINKS, AND 15% ARE ALCOHOLICS.

THE RESULT OF THIS TERRIBLE SOCIAL STIGMA IS THAT OVER 25,000 PEOPLE LOOSE THEIR LIVES IN ALCOHOL RELATED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS EVERY YEAR.

NATIONALLY, ALCOHOL IS A FACTOR IN 57.6% OF ALL MARTIAL VIOLENCE, 41.3% OF ALL CHILD MOLESTATION, 59.6 PERCENT OF ALL MURDERS, 53.9 PERCENT OF ALL RAPES, 60% OF ALL DIVORCE CASES AND 45.9 PERCENT OF ALL THEFT CASES.

ONE STUDY ON DRINKING FOUND THAT 46% OF ALL TEENAGE SUICIDES HAD BEEN DRINKING ALCOHOL BEFORE TAKING THEIR LIVES.

THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INDICATES THAT 47% OF ALL INDUSTRIAL INJURIES IS LINKED TO ALCOHOL ABUSE.

A U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REPORT PROJECTS THAT THE TOTAL ECONOMIC COST OF ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM WILL BE OVER $100 BILLION THIS YEAR.

ALONG WITH THIS DRAMATIC INCREASE IN ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS IS THE TREND THAT CHRISTIANS, WHO USED TO OPPOSE DRINKING, ARE NOW RELAXING THEIR OPPOSITION TO SOCIAL DRINKING AND ADOPTING DRINKING HABITS THAT CLOSELY RESEMBLE THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AS A WHOLE.

IN EVER-INCREASING NUMBERS, ALCOHOL AND DRUG RELATED PROBLEMS WHICH WERE ONCE RESTRICTED TO THE SECULAR SEGMENT OF OUR SOCIETY ARE NOW FINDING THEIR WAY INTO THE CHURCHES OF JESUS CHRIST.

BEFORE WE CONSIDER WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ALCOHOL AND DRUGS I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT FIVE THINGS THAT CAN LEAD TO ALCOHOLISM.

DR. ROBERT FLEMMING OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYS, "MOST ALCOHOLICS ARE NOT PSYCHIATRIC CASES, BUT NORMAL PEOPLE."

SOCIAL DRINKING: ALCOHOLISM IS NOT THE RESULT OF A PERSONALITY PROBLEM, BUT RATHER, IT STARTS WITH SOCIAL DRINKING. THE REASON FOR THIS IS BECAUSE ALL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES CONTAIN ETHYL-ALCOHOL WHICH IS A HABIT FORMING DRUG. OFTEN TIMES PEOPLE START TO DRINK BECAUSE IT WAS OFFERED OR MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM AND THE PERSON FELT PRESSURED TO DRINK.

DEPENDENT DRINKING: THIS IS WHEN YOU TAKE A DRINK ON A REGULAR BASIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE STRESS OR PROBLEMS OF LIFE GET TO MUCH FOR YOU TO HANDLE. 80-90% OF ALL DRINKING DONE ON TV SHOWS PORTRAY DRINKING IN THIS WAY.

PROBLEM DRINKING: YOU DRINK QUICKLY, OFTEN GULPING IT DOWN. YOU SNEAK DRINKS AND ALSO LIE ABOUT HOW MANY YOU HAVE HAD. YOU CAN CONTROL WHEN YOU BEGIN, BUT NOT WHEN YOU STOP.

CHRONIC DRINKING: YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER YOUR DRINKING HABITS AT ALL. YOU CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING DRUNK AND SOBER AND NEVER ADMIT THAT YOU ARE AN ALCOHOLIC.

DESTRUCTIVE DRINKING: IN THESE CASES MALNUTRITION IS COMMON ALONG WITH CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER, NERVOUS AND GASTRIC DISORDERS. YOUR PERSONAL HYGIENE IS IGNORED, YOUR EYES ARE BLEARY, FACE IS BLOATED AND FLUSH. YOU END UP STEALING TO SUPPORT YOUR HABIT AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE FINANCES YOU END UP ON "SKID ROW" AND HOMELESS.

LET'S LOOK NOW AT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE.