Alcohol & Money

Recently, a couple of members from our church asked some good questions during a Weds. night meeting--"What does the Bible say about alcohol" and "Is it wrong to pray for financial gain?"
I like the challenge of questions like these because it gives us Christians an opportunity to go to God's Word, the only authority, and see what it says about very real issues we face today. Here are the verses I shared with them and I hope it will be helpful to you as well. Acts 17:11 -Barry

ALCOHOL & DRINKING CONSIDERED FROM SCRIPTURE

It is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

Warnings against
Proverbs 23:29-35
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.
35 They struck me," 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."

Clouds judgment
Proverbs 31:4-5
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

Medicinal use
Proverbs 31:6
6 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress;

1 Timothy 5:23
23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) [this was a note from Paul to Timothy]

It is better to be filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 5:18
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

IS IT WRONG TO PRAY FOR FINANCIAL GAIN?
Consider these Scriptures.

It is wrong to love money but money itself is not evil.
1 Timothy 6:10
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Are we asking for selfish reasons or for God’s purposes?
James 4:3
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Jesus answers every prayer according to His will
John 15:7
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Seek God first and He will honor you.
Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

We are to pray for daily provision.
Matthew 6:11
11 Give us this day our daily bread,

We are to invest what God gives us for His kingdom. Whoever is faithful with little will be given more
Matthew 25:14-30
Parable of the Talents

God provides for His children, in general.
Psalm 37:25
25 I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.