Celebrate the New Year

 Would you be surprised to know that Jesus Christ loved to party?  That God actually created wine to cheer man & gladden his life!

To some He was known best for attending big parties, filled with friends who didn't make it in high end social circles.  Together with Jesus they enjoyed drinking, eating and dancing... Jesus' divine debut was at a party where he turned water into wine!  Jesus loves people and people loved hanging out with Him.  

In Matthew 11 Jesus refers to himself as someone who goes around eating and drinking, hanging out with lower classes, condemned by 'religious royalty' but finishes His statement with "but Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."

Like in Ephesians 4:26 we can/should end all actions with “but do not sin”  Celebrate with joy, but do not be gluttonous because overindulgence will always lead to entitlement and when we feel entitled -- pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth all seem like good things we want/deserve. DEADLY is written all over them & drunkenness distorts & deceives...

Ephesians continues in 5:14-18

"So it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk,
not as unwise but as wise,
redeeming the time
because the days are evil.
Therefore
do not be foolish,
but understand
what the Lord's will is.
Do not get drunk on wine,
which leads to reckless indiscretion.
Instead,
be filled with the Spirit."

I separated the lines because when in a paragraph form I find myself skipping over and not noticing all of what this is saying to me. Go back, read it again... We are encouraged to joyfully celebrate the many gifts from God, but do not cross that gluttonous threshold into drunkenness (loss of self control in any way) because it leads to "reckless indiscretion" ~ an opening of a door into evil. Even just a little crack, a little sliver allows for a foothold where evil can begin its insidious work.

Cain was warned that evil lay crouching at the door. I think he thought he had a handle on it.... I think he thought he was strong and smart enough to play with that fire and not get burned, but evil is nothing if not sneaky, patient and tireless. Evil will outsmart you, evil will overpower you... My friend, evil will outlast you. We must rely on God alone for our strength because we are not equipped to defeat the enemy without HIM. John 16:33 ".... In the world you will have great trouble. But take courage, I (Jesus) have overcome the world!"

An ultimate word of encouragement, "What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

I pray that blessing and wisdom will lead your joy filled life & a happy new year!

In Christ ~Wendy

PS If you have read this far you may enjoy some additional thoughts...  I admit that when I write, I have this fantasy/hope that the reader will pour over it and even go to the listed scriptures, reading them in different translations (biblehub.com is my favorite spot!) and going to the commentaries and parallel verses to increase understanding!!  This is what I do when I get a thought to ponder.  It is the most difficult thing for me to keep my writing short (& I hope, sweet!).  Maybe you will chuckle along with me right now, that my target audience today is my son's college buddies!  I fantasize that they are truly moved and that they will be excited that the creator of the world made fermented drink to gladden man's heart but also concerned that they don't "over-do" it and put themselves in peril, breaking the heart of their savior!  Yes, I am delusional when it comes to it!!  

With thanksgiving and supplication I send up my prayers that people & especially young people, all over the world will be wise and cautious, celebrating the new year, worshiping Jesus Christ as their savior and living a peace & joy filled life that surpasses all understanding.