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What’s the Big Deal About Alcohol?

TJ played with the straw in his Coke while Pastor Steve wadded up a napkin and tossed it in the trash. “Lots of kids at my school drink,” TJ said. “I’d never become an alcoholic, but I’m not so sure that a few drinks every now and then are wrong.”

“TJ, how do you know you won’t become an alcoholic?” Pastor Steve asked.

“I just know.”

“That’s not good enough, pal. Rehab centers are filled with people who said the same thing. The truth is, you can’t be sure a few drinks now and think won’t lead you to alcoholism.”

“But, Pastor Steve . . . I still don’t get what the big deal is. I mean, even Jesus drank! In fact, His first miracle was multiplying the wine at someone’s wedding.”

“Yeah, you’re right, TJ. And that’s the first argument every Christian teen uses when they’re trying to rationalize alcohol.”

“Well, it makes sense, doesn’t it?”

“No, it really doesn’t. Again, you’ve gotta see the whole picture,” Pastor Steve said. “And you’re only seeing that Jesus drank.”

“Well, what else is there to see?” TJ asked.

“The thing you need to understand,” Pastor Steve said, “is that Jesus didn’t create some kind of drunken orgy at that wedding. In the Greek language — the language in which the New Testament was written — there are two words for wine. One is sikera, which means ‘strong drink.’ And the other is oinos, which was about one in 20 (at the most a half percent) of alcohol.”

“I don’t get it,” TJ said.

“What Jesus made was not sikera,” Pastor Steve explained. “He didn’t make American beer. He didn’t make American 12 percent wine coolers. He didn’t make 30 percent Jack Daniels. What He made was biblical oinos, which was grape juice with a tiny bit of fermentation for purification. When Jesus turned water into wine, we need to understand that it was not the wine people are drinking today.”

“I never knew that,” TJ said.

“The Bible always condemns strong drink—sekira— strong drink. Jesus didn’t make sekira.”

“Man. That puts a whole new spin on it,” TJ admitted.

“It always does when you look at the big picture.”

“Look, I don’t want to do stuff that God doesn’t want me to do. I just wasn’t sure this was that big of a deal.”

“It is a big deal, TJ. Any time you mess with your witness, it’s a big deal. The question you need to answer is: Do you want to be known for the fact that your relationship with Christ makes you different? Or do you want to be known for fitting in?”

“Jesus. I wanna be known for following Jesus,” TJ said. “Think you could open the youth center for some hoops this Friday night? I’m gonna need an alternative to that party.”

“You got it, TJ!”

Know It!
God wants to help you develop and maintain a strong, pure and holy reputation. Will you let Him?

Read It!
1 Corinthians 1:2; Colossians 1:22; Ephesians 5:3; Hebrews 10:10.

Pray It!
Ask God to give you the courage to stand alone — if need be — for Him.

The Master Clown Part II

Before the Master Clown sent his trained clowns out to perform, he took them aside and warned them that many people would try to imitate them. “Some will pretend they, too, are clowns,” he said. “Don’t be taken in by them. And others will even wear masks to fool the world into thinking they’re something they’re not.”

“Master, will we be able to tell who the phonies are?” one asked.

“Yes,” the Master Clown said. “The only way a person can become a real clown is to come to me and ask me to make them a clown, just as I have done with you.”

The 12 clowns were sent out in pairs to various regions to bring laughter to the hopeless. And sure enough, just as the Master Clown had predicted, one of the followers ran into someone trying to fool an audience into believing he was a clown. He had painted his face and looked like one of the real clowns, but his humor was lacking something.

Matt, one of the Master’s clowns, pulled him aside and said, “Don’t you realize you’re not a clown?” The actor hushed him and warned him not to talk too loudly.

“But it’s so easy to become a real clown,” Matt continued. “I know the Master Clown personally. I trained under him. I can introduce you to him, and he’ll gladly make you into the kind of clown he needs you to be.”

“I don’t have time today,” the actor replied. “Maybe tomorrow.”

Matt didn’t give up so easily. “Don’t put it off. Please come to him now!” But the actor refused to listen and headed for his dressing room.

Phil, another clown who had been trained by the Master, soon ran across a phony as well. This actor was dressed in a bright purple clown suit accented with huge pink polka-dots. He sported a wig that was so blue, it looked as if someone had spilled a bucket of paint on his head. He stood on a street corner attempting to juggle tennis balls for the small audience who had gathered.

The tiny crowd quickly grew impatient, and the actor struggled to hold their attention. Disappointed and frustrated, the handful of people finally left. Phil approached the actor.

“Why are you pretending to be something you’re not?” he asked. “You don’t have to pretend any longer. I know the Master Clown. Let’s go talk with him right now.”

“Oh, no!” the actor begged. “I could never talk to the Master! He’s so professional. So famous. He’d never want to meet me!”

“That’s not true,” Phil insisted. “He loves people — all people. And he’d love to help you become a real clown. Just imagine—you’d never have to pretend any more!”

“I can’t,” the actor replied. “I’m just not good enough.”

“Neither was I when I first met him, but he changed me!”

“No. Not yet,” the actor said. “Some day. Some day when I’ve polished my act . . . then I’ll seek out the Master Clown.”

Know It!
God, the Master of the universe, accepts you just as you are. But He loves you too much to let you stay that way. In love, He wants to help you become the very best you can be!

Read It!
Galatians 1:10; Ephesians 3:7; Ephesians 3:20-21; Philippians 4:4-5.

Pray It!
Ask God to help you see yourself clearly in relation to Him. Have you truly come to Him just as you are? Or have you been making excuses, putting off approaching the Master?

Somehow They Found the Time!

The following famous men have made fascinating contributions to society. But besides what they’re known for below, they also have something else in common. Can you guess what the common denominator is?

• G.W.A. Bonwill: Perfected the modern safety pin.

• Doc Holliday: Wounded with the Earp brothers at the OK Corral.

• Paul Revere: Famous for his work as a silversmith, but also known for his warning to the early colonists that the British were approaching.

• Thomas Welch: Originated Welch’s grape juice.

• Zane Grey: Famous for the western novels he authored.

• William Lowell: Invented the modern wooden golf tee.

Any guesses as to what they all have in common? They were all dentists! That’s right; Paul Revere did dental work between working as a silversmith. Zane Grey wrote books between seeing patients. Isn’t it amazing that in the midst of each one’s hectic professional schedule, he still found time to become famous for something other than his career!

Time for a tough question: In the midst of your fast- paced life, are you making time for the Creator of the universe on a daily basis? Flash back to the beginning of this book. You pledged to deepen your relationship with Christ, and that involves spending time with Him every day. How are you coming on that pledge?

Now flash back to July 13-16. During those days, you renewed your pledge to spend time with Jesus Christ on a daily basis. Your summer will be coming to a close soon. The best way to prepare yourself for a new school year is to pre-prayer yourself for the new school year. So . . . the tough question still stands: How are you doing with your pledge to meet with God every day in prayer, Bible reading and devotions?

Yeah, but you don’t understand! I have a job. I have relationships. I have a full schedule! Think about this: You have as much time as the President of the United States! You have as much time as the famous dentists listed above. Each one of us has a total of 12 hours in a day. So perhaps the issue isn’t the amount of time we don’t have, but rather how we use the time we do have.

Know It!
Right now is the best time in the world to start your pre-prayeration for the coming school year. Will you do it? Solid spiritual growth doesn’t just come from reading a devotional (like this one) — though that’s part of the process. Your growth is also determined by your prayer life, Bible study and being plugged into a church and youth group.

Read It!
Colossians 2:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Hebrews 6:1; Hebrews 12:12-13.

Pray It!
Tell God you want to be spiritually prepared for a new school year. Ask Him to teach you how to pre-prayer with Him in order to develop the strong spiritual muscles you’ll need.

But . . . How Could That Be Wrong?

Maybe you’ve heard about some of the old laws that are no longer in effect but are still recorded in the law books. Though there was a reason for their existence years ago, most of them seem ridiculous now. Consider the following actual laws that are still on the books:

• Maine state law rules that it’s illegal to whistle on Sunday.

• In Normal, Il., you’re breaking the law if you make faces at dogs.

• In Hartford, Conn., it’s against the law to cross the street by walking on your hands.

• In Greene, N.Y., it’s illegal to walk backward and eat peanuts on the sidewalks while a concert is in session.

• According to the law, no one is permitted to drive more than 2,000 sheep down Hollywood Boulevard at one time.

• It’s against the law to open a pop bottle in Tulsa, Okla., unless you’re in the presence of a licensed engineer.

• In Urbana, Ill., it’s against the law for a monster to enter the city limits.

• In Memphis, Tenn., it’s illegal for frogs to croak past 11 p.m.

• The records show that in Vermont, it’s illegal to whistle under water.

• A Chicago law won’t allow people to eat in a restaurant that’s on fire.

• In Phoenix, Ariz., it’s against the law for cowboys to walk through the lobby of a motel while wearing spurs.

• It’s illegal to get married in Cleveland while wearing a bathing suit.

• In Miami, it’s against the law to imitate animals.

• Alaska says it’s illegal to look at a moose from an airplane.

When Jesus walked the earth, there were a lot of weird laws on the books. Most of them were religious laws created by the Pharisees — the religious leaders of the day. But the most interesting thing really wasn’t the law—rather it was the time, effort and creativity people put into figuring out how to get around those laws. A really important law stated that people couldn’t work on the Sabbath, and this included just about everything — including carrying a bucket of water into one’s home.

So to get around this rule, people would fill their jugs with water, leave them just outside the door, walk all the around the house, open the door from the inside and simply pick up the jug of water from the porch and bring it over the threshold of the door. Technically, they hadn’t really worked on the Sabbath, but they still got their water inside the home!

Another rule stated that you couldn’t turn over in bed more than seven times! If you did, that was considered work.

God isn’t concerned about carrying water into your house or how often you toss and turn during the night. What He is concerned with is that you realize there are still 10 important laws in His book. They’re called the Ten Commandments. Let’s take a closer look at these important laws.

Know It!
The Ten Commandments are just as relevant now as they were when God first gave them to Moses.

Read It!
Exodus 20:1-17; Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; Deuteronomy 10:4.

Pray It!
Ask God to help you understand His laws and to give you discipline to obey them.

Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery

Sexual intimacy outside of marriage is considered to be adulterous. Adultery is violating the marriage vows of faithfulness. If you’re single and experiencing sexual intimacy, you’re still violating the vows of marriage — even though you haven’t yet spoken those vows in front of an audience. The vows are still there.

The speed limit on your city streets may be 35 miles per hour. Even if you don’t have a driver’s license, the law still exists. You don’t have to be 16 and of legal driving age to break this law. You could break the law on a motor scooter. In the same way, you don’t have to be married to break the vows of marriage.

We often equate virginity with sexual purity. The truth is, just become someone is a virgin doesn’t mean he or she is sexually pure. Virginity means that someone hasn’t engaged in sexual intercourse. Sexual purity isn’t simply refraining from intercourse. Sexual purity is a lifestyle. It involves what we wear, what we listen to, what we watch, who we date, what we say.

You may have friends who “have done everything but” and claim they’re sexually pure. Again, sexual purity is much more than simply refraining from intercourse. When God commands us not to commit adultery, He’s commanding that we not experience sexual intimacy outside the bonds of marriage.

Why is it wrong? Because sex was created by God to act as a bonding agent — a sort of superglue that cements two people closer than anything else can. When we engage in that bonding experience outside of marriage, we’re becoming closer and more intimate with another human than God intended. His gifts of sex was intended for marriage and marriage only.

God not only wants to protect you physically (against sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, AIDS), He also wants to protect you emotionally and spiritually. He’s commanding you say no now, so you can have a more fulfilling yes in the future!

What if you’ve been sexually abused? Does God hold that against you? Absolutely not! You were a victim of a hideous crime, and when God looks at you, He sees a pure and a whole person.

Know It!
There are always consequences when God’s commands are ignored. He has clearly given a bright red stop light regarding sexual intimacy outside of marriage. Wait until you’ve said your vows and have been pronounced husband and wife to follow the green light.

Read It!
Exodus 20:14; Psalm 51:3; Matthew 5:27-28; Ephesians 5:3.

Pray It!
Make a pledge to God to save yourself physically and emotionally for your future spouse.

Thou Shalt Not Steal

Jesus once told the story of a man journeying from Jerusalem to Jericho. You might remember this as the story of the Good Samaritan. The man was robbed, beaten and left by the side of the road. A priest and a Levite passed by the man but didn’t stop to help. A Samaritan saw the man and stopped to help him. This Samaritan also made financial provisions for the man and made sure he was nursed back to health.

Obviously, the robbers believed “What belongs to this guy, also belongs to me. I can take whatever I want.” That’s active and blatant stealing — the most common way this commandment is broken.

But there are other ways to steal that aren’t quite as blatant. To carelessly go into debt without the means to pay off what you’ve purchased is stealing. Many people rack up huge bills on several credit cards, and then simply declare bankruptcy. To purposefully go into debt knowing you don’t have the means to pay your bills, is breaking this eighth command from God.

To be hired for a full day’s work and not put in a full day is also stealing. Taking too long on a break, coming in late, leaving early — all these habits are ways of taking what’s not rightfully yours.

We can also steal by taking someone’s good reputation and purposefully ruining it. Every time you gossip about someone and negate their character, you’re stealing from him. You may have friends who have tried to steal your faith. Perhaps they’ve laughed at you and made fun of your belief in Christ. They’re trying to rob you of something you own.

We can also steal by refusing to share with others. Jesus told of a man who was very wealthy and had much more than he needed. Instead of sharing his wealth, he simply built bigger barns and hoarded what he had. Everything you have was given to you by God Himself. It’s possible to hold so tightly onto your material possessions that you end up losing them. God meant for you to share what He has blessed you with. To refuse to do that is stealing, because you’re not giving away what God intended you to share with another in need.

Know It!
You can also steal from God by not giving Him what is rightfully His. Have you given Him complete control of your money, your talent, your service? Do you give generously in tithes and offerings?

Read It!
Exodus 20:15; Luke 10:30-37; Luke 12:16-21; Malachi 3:8.

Pray It!
Pray Mark 8:36, and tell God to make you aware of anything you’ve stolen. Then ask for His strength to make it right.

Thou Shalt Not Covet

God’s final rule for life is that we shouldn’t covet. In other words, we shouldn’t want what our neighbor has. God knows, much better than we do, that material possessions won’t make us happy. While it’s natural to admire what someone else has and even think, I’d love to have a car like that! it’s when we become envious that we’re breaking this tenth commandment. When we envy what someone else has, we become resentful of him. A covetous spirit leads to spiritual downfall.

To covet something means we begin thinking inward, focusing on ourselves and what we want and how we can get it. This naturally removes our focus from God. He wants us to forget about ourselves and become lost in Him. When we do that, we naturally want to meet the needs of others instead of constantly fulfill our own.

This final commandment from God teaches us to learn the secret of contentment — to be happy with what we have. How do learn this secret? By allowing God to produce the fruit of His Spirit in our lives — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When we’re truly living out these characteristics, we allow them to take the place of our sinful nature: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, selfishness and envy.

Since true contentment is found only in a solid, growing relationship with Jesus Christ, we need to allow Him to meet all of our needs. When you become envious of someone, ask God to help you dig a little deeper to see if there’s a more basic need you’re lacking.

For example, if you’re envious of Nathan’s being elected class president, look a little deeper. Maybe you’re feeling insecure, unappreciated or lonely. Ask God to meet your basic needs, and this will help guard against covetousness.

Which of the following statements depict an envious spirit?

• “Wow! Did you see Beth’s new car? I’d love to be driving one just like it someday.”

• “I can’t believe Alex got the new Nikes! I’ve gotta have them. Hmmm. Wonder how I can get them? He doesn’t even need new shoes. I really deserve them! I’ll watch and see if he leaves them in his locker during P.E. If he does . . . too bad, Alex! They were meant for my feet!”

• “Hi, Sami. I heard you’re moving to a new house. One with a pool. I guess you think you’re pretty special now, don’t you?”

Again, there’s nothing wrong with admiring something that someone else has — as in the first example. It’s only when that admiration becomes selfish, arrogant and destructive that it turns into envy.

Know It!
When you allow God to be the source of your contentment, you’re automatically guarding against envy.

Read It!
Exodus 20:17; Proverbs 14:30; Galatians 5:19-26; Philippians 4:11-13.

Pray It!
Pray for total contentment in your relationship with Jesus Christ.