<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Romans 13;14<div><br></div><div><b>14. &nbsp;But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>(We read this same verse yesterday, but I did not address the last half of the verse.)</div><div><br></div><div>To <i>‘make provision’</i>&nbsp;means to plan to serve the flesh or obey it as authoritative over us. &nbsp;It does not mean we can not eat when we are hungry.</div><div>Walking by the Spirit requires not only that we <i>“put on the Lord Jesus Christ,”</i></div><div>but that we, <i>“make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” &nbsp;</i></div><div><i>&nbsp;</i></div><div>The key here is to discern or distinguish the difference between what is ‘sufficient’ and what is ‘excess.’</div><div><br></div><div>This principle applies to virtually all aspects of our physical/fleshly appetites, food, drink, rest, all forms of pleasure. &nbsp;Over indulgence in&nbsp;any of our fleshly appetites, passions, and desires actually produce slavery.</div><div><br></div><div>We are free in Christ to enjoy everything, but we are to become enslaved to nothing and no one but Christ, and through Him, the will of the Father.&nbsp;(see, 1 Corinthians 6;12)</div><div><br></div><div>Alcohol taken in moderation has virtues. &nbsp;<i>“Thou dost&nbsp;caused the grass to grow for the cattle&nbsp;and plants for men to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden&nbsp;the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man’s heart.” &nbsp;</i>(Psalm 104;14&amp;15)</div><div>Jesus, miraculously gave the gift of ‘good’&nbsp;wine at the wedding in Cana. &nbsp;(see, John 2;10)</div><div>Further, Jesus comments on the difference between ‘new wine’ (unfermented) and ‘old wine’ (fermented)</div><div>saying, <i>“And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” </i>(Luke 5;39)<u></u></div><div>Jesus himself drank alcoholic wine and&nbsp;was accused of being a drunkard, <i>“ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; The son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ &nbsp;Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” </i>(Matthew 11;18&amp;19)</div><div><i>&nbsp;</i></div><div>History reveals that at the Passover Meal wine was ‘sipped’&nbsp;at four points: &nbsp;At the beginning of the Seder during the ‘Kiddush’ (a blessing upon the wine and a Sabbath meal), at the end of the main part of the ‘Haggadah’ (the story of God’s deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt), at the end of the Grace after Meal (called the Birkat Ha-mazon), and finally at the end of the ‘Nishmat’ hymn (Birkat ha-Shir, <i>“The breath of every living thing will bless the Lord”</i>), this final fourth&nbsp;cup of blessing is refilled, it is also called the ‘Cup of Melchizedek’ which remembers the Priest/King who gave wine and bread to Abraham and blessed him.</div><div>The name ‘Melchizedek’ means, ‘King of Righteousness’ (a title and foreshadowing of Christ our High Priest and King).</div><div><br></div><div>Alcohol in itself is not sinful, but if used to excess it becomes very dangerous. &nbsp;It is addictive, it impairs our thinking, speech, and co-ordination. &nbsp;Scripture warns us,&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div><i>“ Wine is a mocker, strong drink, a brawler; and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” &nbsp;</i>(Proverbs 20;1)&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div><i>“Do not look at wine when it is red, when it’s sparkles in the cup, and goes down smoothly. At the last, it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. ‘They struck me,’ you will say, &nbsp;‘but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.’“ &nbsp;</i>(Proverbs 23;31-35)</div><div><br></div><div>God by the Holy Spirit gives us the gift of “Self-Control.’ &nbsp;At all times, Believers are to be available as servants of God. (see, 1 Corinthians 9;19)&nbsp; Addictions, impairments, and obsessions make us unavailable to be God’s servants.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, bless us to know, <i>“Every &nbsp;good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” &nbsp;</i>(James 1;17)&nbsp;&nbsp; Bless us to receive and enjoy them with thanksgiving, and in moderation, all to Your glory dear Father. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric/Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</div><div><i><br></i>Meditate upon, Galatians 5;24.<br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Romans 13;14
14.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
(We read this same verse yesterday, but I did not address the last half of the verse.)
To ‘make provision’ means to plan to serve the flesh or obey it as authoritative over us.  It does not mean we can not eat when we are hungry.Walking by the Spirit requires not only that we “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,”but that we, “make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”   The key here is to discern or distinguish the difference between what is ‘sufficient’ and what is ‘excess.’
This principle applies to virtually all aspects of our physical/fleshly appetites, food, drink, rest, all forms of pleasure.  Over indulgence in any of our fleshly appetites, passions, and desires actually produce slavery.
We are free in Christ to enjoy everything, but we are to become enslaved to nothing and no one but Christ, and through Him, the will of the Father. (see, 1 Corinthians 6;12)
Alcohol taken in moderation has virtues.  “Thou dost caused the grass to grow for the cattle and plants for men to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man’s heart.”  (Psalm 104;14&15)Jesus, miraculously gave the gift of ‘good’ wine at the wedding in Cana.  (see, John 2;10)Further, Jesus comments on the difference between ‘new wine’ (unfermented) and ‘old wine’ (fermented)saying, “And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” (Luke 5;39)Jesus himself drank alcoholic wine and was accused of being a drunkard, “ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; The son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’  Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” (Matthew 11;18&19) History reveals that at the Passover Meal wine was ‘sipped’ at four points:  At the beginning of the Seder during the ‘Kiddush’ (a blessing upon the wine and a Sabbath meal), at the end of the main part of the ‘Haggadah’ (the story of God’s deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt), at the end of the Grace after Meal (called the Birkat Ha-mazon), and finally at the end of the ‘Nishmat’ hymn (Birkat ha-Shir, “The breath of every living thing will bless the Lord”), this final fourth cup of blessing is refilled, it is also called the ‘Cup of Melchizedek’ which remembers the Priest/King who gave wine and bread to Abraham and blessed him.The name ‘Melchizedek’ means, ‘King of Righteousness’ (a title and foreshadowing of Christ our High Priest and King).
Alcohol in itself is not sinful, but if used to excess it becomes very dangerous.  It is addictive, it impairs our thinking, speech, and co-ordination.  Scripture warns us, 
“ Wine is a mocker, strong drink, a brawler; and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”  (Proverbs 20;1) 
“Do not look at wine when it is red, when it’s sparkles in the cup, and goes down smoothly. At the last, it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. ‘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 will seek another drink.’“  (Proverbs 23;31-35)
God by the Holy Spirit gives us the gift of “Self-Control.’  At all times, Believers are to be available as servants of God. (see, 1 Corinthians 9;19)  Addictions, impairments, and obsessions make us unavailable to be God’s servants.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, bless us to know, “Every  good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”  (James 1;17)   Bless us to receive and enjoy them with thanksgiving, and in moderation, all to Your glory dear Father.  In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/Eric/Grandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”
Meditate upon, Galatians 5;24.

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