BBD 06.27.05 Who Has Woe?

#1 · June 26, 2005, 9:59 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on June 26, 2005, 9:59 pm
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

Join the Burning Bush Prayer Group! Send and receive prayer requests and be
a part of a great ministry. More than 400 wonderful people make up this
group. To join send an email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
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The Burning Bush Devotional

1,243 New Subscribers since November 2004

06.27.05

Who Has Woe?

(Originally sent 01.13.03)

"Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who
has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at
the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when
it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at
the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will
see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will
be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at
the top of the mast, saying 'They have struck me, but I was not hurt; they
have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek
another drink?'" Proverbs 23:29-35.

In Modesto, California a man had his head split open by a brick and was
taken to the hospital. The police investigated thinking that someone had
attacked the man. However, witnesses said that he was throwing a brick into
the air trying to see how high he could throw it. But at 2:30 A.M. in the
dark it is hard to see a falling brick. The man lost track of the brick and
it hit him in the head. Why would anyone do such a stupid thing? The police
department said that alcohol did appear to be involved in the incident.

We automatically understand when we are told that alcohol or drugs are
involved in some act of stupidity. We understand because we know intoxicated
people often do irrational things. Here are some ugly facts just for
alcohol. Alcohol is a contributing factor in: 65% of drownings; 53% of all
highway deaths; 50% of spouse abuse cases; 38% of child abuse cases; 54% of
those in jail for violent crimes; and 49% of those convicted for murder or
attempted murder were intoxicated when they committed the crimes. Of course
alcohol abuse is very damaging to the physical body as well.

Then there are illegal substances such as methamphetamines, which can cause
heart palpitations, nausea, and damage to blood vessels in the brain,
shortness of breath, mental confusion, malnutrition, anorexia, severe
anxiety and depression. A more severe manifestation of chronic toxicity is a
state of paranoia closely resembling paranoid schizophrenia. Psychotic
symptoms include visual and auditory hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and
delusions of parasites and bugs in the skin. Continued use may lead to
permanent damage to the brain or death. One former user of meth states: "It's
like selling your soul to the devil. When I was high, I felt alive for the
first time in my life. While I was using, I thought nothing could touch me.
I was beautiful and perfect in my meth world. In the real world, my body was
rotting from the inside out." (Methamphetamine information from the County
of San Diego Methamphetamine Strike Force website.)

Do you have woe, sorrow, contentions, complaints, wounds without cause, and
redness of eyes?
Why not come out of the darkness and the self-inflicted misery? Instead of
worshipping alcohol and illegal substances do as the apostle Paul urges: "I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2)." Your mind and
your very life can be transformed and renewed through the turning from the
things of this world to the things of God. The formula for relief is simple:
Prayer, Bible and Church add them up and they will equal the power of God to
overcome whatever addiction you may have. It really depends on you. Do you
want help and really want to change your life? If you do God has the power
and it is available for free (Philippians 4:13; Philippians 4:19).

Copyright © 2005. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

The Crossmap Christian Search and Portal is a wonderful resource. I would
like to encourage you to visit this great site at www.crossmap.com. Crossmap
has recently added the Burning Bush Devotionals to their site. You may visit
Crossmap's sister website, the online version of the Christian Post at
www.christianpost.com.

If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page www.theburningbush.org.

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org

Streaming Videos of our services including my sermons are posted at:
www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
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You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 400 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A closely related website is
Peoplefaces which seeks to help those in need
peoplefaces.ohzone.net/index2.htm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

Join the Burning Bush Prayer Group! Send and receive prayer requests and be
a part of a great ministry. More than 400 wonderful people make up this
group. To join send an email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at http://www.theburningbush.org

The Burning Bush Devotional

1,243 New Subscribers since November 2004

06.27.05

Who Has Woe?

(Originally sent 01.13.03)

"Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who
has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at
the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when
it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at
the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will
see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will
be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at
the top of the mast, saying 'They have struck me, but I was not hurt; they
have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek
another drink?'" Proverbs 23:29-35.

In Modesto, California a man had his head split open by a brick and was
taken to the hospital. The police investigated thinking that someone had
attacked the man. However, witnesses said that he was throwing a brick into
the air trying to see how high he could throw it. But at 2:30 A.M. in the
dark it is hard to see a falling brick. The man lost track of the brick and
it hit him in the head. Why would anyone do such a stupid thing? The police
department said that alcohol did appear to be involved in the incident.

We automatically understand when we are told that alcohol or drugs are
involved in some act of stupidity. We understand because we know intoxicated
people often do irrational things. Here are some ugly facts just for
alcohol. Alcohol is a contributing factor in: 65% of drownings; 53% of all
highway deaths; 50% of spouse abuse cases; 38% of child abuse cases; 54% of
those in jail for violent crimes; and 49% of those convicted for murder or
attempted murder were intoxicated when they committed the crimes. Of course
alcohol abuse is very damaging to the physical body as well.

Then there are illegal substances such as methamphetamines, which can cause
heart palpitations, nausea, and damage to blood vessels in the brain,
shortness of breath, mental confusion, malnutrition, anorexia, severe
anxiety and depression. A more severe manifestation of chronic toxicity is a
state of paranoia closely resembling paranoid schizophrenia. Psychotic
symptoms include visual and auditory hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and
delusions of parasites and bugs in the skin. Continued use may lead to
permanent damage to the brain or death. One former user of meth states: "It's
like selling your soul to the devil. When I was high, I felt alive for the
first time in my life. While I was using, I thought nothing could touch me.
I was beautiful and perfect in my meth world. In the real world, my body was
rotting from the inside out." (Methamphetamine information from the County
of San Diego Methamphetamine Strike Force website.)

Do you have woe, sorrow, contentions, complaints, wounds without cause, and
redness of eyes?
Why not come out of the darkness and the self-inflicted misery? Instead of
worshipping alcohol and illegal substances do as the apostle Paul urges: "I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2)." Your mind and
your very life can be transformed and renewed through the turning from the
things of this world to the things of God. The formula for relief is simple:
Prayer, Bible and Church add them up and they will equal the power of God to
overcome whatever addiction you may have. It really depends on you. Do you
want help and really want to change your life? If you do God has the power
and it is available for free (Philippians 4:13; Philippians 4:19).

Copyright © 2005. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

The Crossmap Christian Search and Portal is a wonderful resource. I would
like to encourage you to visit this great site at http://www.crossmap.com. Crossmap
has recently added the Burning Bush Devotionals to their site. You may visit
Crossmap's sister website, the online version of the Christian Post at
http://www.christianpost.com.

If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page http://www.theburningbush.org.

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org

Streaming Videos of our services including my sermons are posted at:
http://www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 400 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A closely related website is
Peoplefaces which seeks to help those in need
peoplefaces.ohzone.net/index2.htm