Saturday Night Musings

Just how much do Americans drink? Last year, Americans drank enough for every person (303,824,640—July 2008) to have taken down 7 bottles of liquor, 12 bottles of wine, and 230 cans of beer. Here’s the kicker: The U.S. ranks 40th in the world in alcohol consumption and one-third of Americans don’t even drink!

What did the wisest man in the world have to say about Drunkenness? Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Proverbs 23: 20, 21

We are warned in the Bible to separate ourselves from the drunkards here is this world because we will most certainly be separated from them in heaven. (See I Cor. 5:11; 6:9-11; and Gal. 5:19-21) Let me be clear: we are separatist, not isolationist. We have a mandate to reach all men with the saving message of the Gospel of Christ. It is the only life-changing message that can turn men from drunkenness to Christians.

The habitual excessive use of alcohol will cause any one to become incapable of having and using sound wisdom. It will make you stupid! Drunkenness will make anyone to become a nuisance in the family, community, and in the work place. Drunkenness will get you locked up in jail. Drunkenness will cause bankruptcy, poverty, and sickness. It will lead one down a wide path of moral and spiritual ruin to a sudden stop. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging and whosoever in deceived thereby is not wise.

Look at the drunkard from the bottom of his drinking glass. There is more sorrow in that glass than anyone could ever believe it could contain. It will never bring happiness, only heartache. Bills won’t get paid and babies will have no milk to drink. Homes will suffer divorce and death will come early. Friends will become foes and joy will be turned into judgment. Scars will mark the drunkard and sight will be blurred. The glass will never satisfy when emptied and the gladness will turn to gluttony. It will go down smoothly, but will surface into sourness.

When the last drop has been swallowed, it will bite like a serpent, and will sting like a viper. What was meant to just a time of pleasure leads to promiscuity. Your eyes will drift and in a heated moment of desire, one’s wedding vows have been broken. Now a drunkard is guilty of adultery. Gentleness will turn into grief as you seek a bed in the midst of a tempestuous sea having no idea where you are or what danger you may be in. Though the drunkard feels no pain as they slumber on a bed of filth, they awake not knowing where that had been, or with whom, and awake not know how close they came to death’s door of eternity. Like a dog that returns to his vomit, the drunkard will return to be bottle. They will seek it again. Is not the drunkard stuck on stupid!

But such were some of you. You are no longer a drunk, but a disciple of Christ. You have confessed the sin of unbelief, repented of your sorrow over sin, and trusted in the saving grace of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Thank God for His mercy!

It seems to me that every drop of booze would be better at the bottom of the sea.

Visit: www.cliffhartley.com

Almost half the world (over 3 billion people) live on less than $2.50 a day. 1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children in the world). 640 million live without adequate shelter, 400 million have no access to safe water, 270 million have no access to health services. 10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (or roughly 29,000 children per day). Global Issues: 3/22/09

What did the wisest man in the entire world have to say about the Poor? Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Proverbs 21:13

God made the poor and the rich alike; he is the maker and the rewarder of them both (Proverbs 22:2). Both cry alike. Both have needs. The rich cried and took their own lives during the 2008 stock market crash. The rich want bigger barns and the poor want better meal barrels. They live either in the abundance of plenty or the ashes of poverty. The cries of the poor are heard in the ears of the rich, yet the poor will never cease from the land. It does not matter how many entitlement programs a government can implement for the poor, the rich and the poor will always live together.

The cries of the poor are heard. God’s ear is not deaf that he can not hear nor is his hand slack that he can not give. He has told those who have the power to give, to open their hand wide to their brother. If he asks for your coat, give him your cloak also. There is not a cry cried that ever goes un-heard. There is not a prayer prayed that the Lord can not answer nor a burden that He can not lift. He wants us to ask that He might give. He gives to those through those who are able to give. Through Him, there will be always enough to meet the needs of the entire world. He is listening, so call now!

The ears of the prosperous are stirred. Those who have ears to hear, hears the cries of the poor. They hear the groanings of the half dead which have been robbed and beaten by thieves, willing to lift them from the gutter, get them care and pay the bill. Their cry has touched the Good Samaritan’s ear. Having the mind of Christ, they move with compassion and grace and say: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Luke 4:18

The tears of the proud are poured. He that stops his ears to poor will cry, but will not be heard. (Is anyone listening to Bernie Madoff?) They will seek the Lord but they will not find Him. Like Esau, they will find no place of repentance though they seek it with tears. They have rejected him who became poor that many might be made rich, only to find others rich while being tormented in flames. They will enter hell where there will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Turn to the Lord today or turn away in sorrow because of your riches. The Gospel is free to all men, accept it!

It seems to me if we give to the poor the Lord will give more than we had before.

Visit: www.cliffhartley.com

On Jan. 21, Gallup began tracking daily the percentage of Americans who approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as president. 70% approved of his presidency in February of 09. As of this date, it has slipped to 52%. 10% disapproved of his presidency in Feb of 09; it now has risen to 41%. The honeymoon is over in Washington and the free fall has begun. Could be pride?

What did the wisest man in the entire world have to say about Pride? A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit. Proverbs 29:23

The first of the seven deadly sins which God hates is pride. These six things doth the Lord hate: yea seven are abomination unto him: A proud look… (Proverbs 6:16, 17). Note: God does not hate the person of pride but the pride in the person. Man was created in the image of God. A proud look does not reflect the Father. God hates pride; whosoever is guilty should repent.

Pride is a person’s decision. A man’s pride shall bring him low… He chooses to be prideful. He makes a choice to follow after the author and father of pride—the Devil. It was Satan who fell to the lowest part of the earth to slither and eat dust when lifted up with pride. God did not make him full of pride, he chose that path.

Pride will take a person in the wrong direction. A man’s pride shall bring him low… It will take him on that broad road which leads down to hell. Pride is not the sin that will send any to hell, but a sin that will keep one from repenting of the sin that will dam the soul forever in hell. Repentance is being sorry for your sin (the sin of unbelief and rejection of Christ) and turning from that sin to Jesus Christ as Savior. The right direction is on the narrow road which leads up.

Pride will make a person different. … but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit. People filled with pride believe they are better than others. Haman thought he was better than Mordecia and Nebuchadnezzar thought there was no king like him. Haman was hanged and Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like and ox. Pride turns people into monsters. Honor is the badge of humility. Pride and honor can not live together.

There will come a day when all pride indeed will fall—at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. In that day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made of himself of no reputation, and took upon himself the form of a servant. He humbled himself and became obedient unto the death of the cross. Let this mind be in you. Humble yourselves now, repent, and turn from your sin.

It seems to me if any desires to be what one is not, then humble your self in the sight of God and he will lift you up. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Visit: www.cliffhartley.com

Unemployment rate rises to 9.7 percent in August, highest level in 26 years; 216,000 jobs lost. WASHINGTON (AP) — The unemployment rate jumped almost half a point to 9.7 percent in August, the highest since 1983, reflecting a poor job market that will make it hard for the economy to begin a sustained recovery. Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

What did the wisest man in the entire world have to say about Labor? The labor of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. Proverbs 10:16

Labor is hard work, just ask any mother who is about ready to deliver a child!

America needs to get back to work. Major jobs, lucrative salaries, better benefits, and less hours is not the answer to the worst economy in more than a quarter of a century. Spending billions of dollars to stimulate the economy is not the answer. The answer rests with God’s plan: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The righteous makes better workers, better neighbors, better businesses, better friends, better spouses, better families, and better students. Why? Because what they do, they do for the glory of God first and the betterment of the country second. They are never out of work due the lack of work and they will always have work because of their God-given talents, abilities, gifts, and the calling upon their lives. What they do is for life now and life in eternity. They believe the love of money is the root of all evil, they believe that sin is a reproach to any people, and they believe if a man does not work, neither should he eat. They have the promise of God that they will never be forsaken or begging bread. These never retire and they will labor until Jesus comes.

The wicked, however is another story. The ungodly sows to the flesh and reaps a whirlwind. In their efforts to get all they can and can all they get will not be worth one thin dime when health is needed (Ted Kennedy), freedom is desired (Bernie Madoff), or their kingship continued (Michael Jackson). It is not if you die, but how you will die.

Jesus said: I must be about my Father business. Again he said: My Father works hitherto, and I work—when the ox is in a ditch, the Good Samaritan knows no day off. The ceaseless activity of the Father is to reach all men with the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. To bring men to repentance of their sin and to trust the blood of His Son is the answer for life now and forever. The righteousness of the Father tends to life.

It seems to me if you are out of a job, ask God what you can do for kingdom work. God will use you immediately and there won’t be enough time in your life to get it all done!

Visit: www.cliffhartley.com