Thoughts on Discipleship by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

GOD MADE ALCOHOL!

What a wonderful thing God did when He made alcohol! It has a very important basic purpose in the progress of humanity. But as with many other things, sinful men have learned ways to misuse and abuse it, and that is the very essence of sin: missing the mark; wrongful use. Noah learned, arguably through innocence, what the wrong use of alcohol could do. But since that time, men have chosen to use it as a beverage more than medicine.

Now, due to the desire for alcohol the people of Arkansas are staring at the possibility that they can no longer exercise the right of local governance to have their families to live in areas where alcohol is not merchandised as a beverage. The issue has been put before Arkansas voters and will appear again. If passed, some “Alcohol Amendments” automatically turns every Arkansas County wet regardless of the expressed will of the people who live there. It gives bars and liquor stores the right to operate next door to churches, schools, and day care centers, too.

What is at stake here is local governance, make no mistake about that! The ABC, (Alcoholic Beverage Control) Board has already circumvented the will of voters in dry counties by issuing the farce called “Private Club” status that any hamburger joint can acquire by simple application. So folks can sin by the misuse of alcohol most anytime they want. But the big buck-hungry enterprises want in on it too. They sponsor amendments to destroy local governance throughout the state. Here then is another reason that personal participation in elections is extremely important.

If everyone, and I do mean everyone, does not cast a vote, they can be sure they are casting a vote for the encroachment of sinful substance abuse that will come to their neighborhoods in a manner they do not want, but will be unable to do anything about. This cannot be underscored enough! Even if one does not agree about the misuse of alcohol, he should be extremely concerned that he is going to lose his local rights, and big money is poised to cash in by destroying even small neighborhoods.

FOR THOUGHT: Speaking up about local and regional issues continues. Expressions of thanks should be made to God regularly for this freedom and right to do so. It is important what one speaks up about negatively and positively. Is your voice being heard?