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Going w/out wine for 1 week

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Posted by: mellie73

This may sound silly, but I need to do this- felt led to do this. There's alot of controversy about drinking wine- many say it's wrong, period, and many say "as long as it's not in excess"- so honestly I'm not quite sure on the subject, but anyways, I drink 1 glass maybe 3-4 nights a week- I just love the taste and it unwinds me- relaxes me. Many of you know I have a hairloss issue that is genetic & I need a miracle- there's no other way as rogaine has done about all it's going to do. Sometimes it's esp. hard to deal with and my nerves get edgy & a glass of wine helps. This has been a 4 yr thing so far- an issue- everyday- for 4 years. So it's been a lonnnng time & I just really want a miracle, as I'm very young and don't want to wear a wig.
So,
I told God that I would go without wine for 1 week and if I see any small change- even in texture, whatever- then I will know that the wine has been preventing me from having my prayers answered. Any little thing- I'll TAKE IT- trust me, I need a breakthrough- I don't care how small. I'm thinking maybe the wine has prevented me from getting that breakthrough and I can TOTALLY give it up if I know that it really is a sin, even if it's 1 glass, so please pray that God will reveal the truth to me in this matter. I'm not addicted to the stuff, & if it's wrong I won't be buying anymore. I wouldn't want wine- something I'm not even addicted to- to prevent me from getting my prayers answered. Thank u! Hope everyone has a blessed week!


Posted by: StevenHenderson

I know exactly what you are talking about. The point that I believe God would want to make to you is that He doesn’t want you to be a slave to anything, except Him. I know that might sound harsh, but what I mean is that God doesn’t want you to be under control or in the power of anything except Him. Alcohol is one of the things that can keep people in it’s power. I think that its best to stay away from it all together, but I have to be honest, I do have a glass of wine every now and then. Also for Valentines Day my wife and I got drunk together. Now a lot of people might condemn me for that and put burdens on me that I wouldn’t be able to bear. But God did not condemn me. But He did let me know that He doesn’t ever want me to do that in a party environment with friends and things like that. Why? Because He knows my weaknesses. He knows where the devil will try to tempt me. Now God delivered me from drugs and alcohol, I was once under their power. But now I am not, because of His power. So now you have a good thing to talk to God about. Use this opportunity to allow Him to show you what is sin and what isn’t. It’s easy for people to tell you what is sin, and it’s easy for us to misread the Bible so everything it says sounds condemning. Ask God to read the Bible to you, it will bring you Life. He can open it up to you like nothing else, and make it’s meaning clear. And the best part is, is that it will be directed personally to you, every time. From Him to you, and let me stress, if He reads it to you it will bring you Life. And as drinking hindering your prayers to God… I don’t know. I know that the devil tried to make me think that everything I was doing that could even remotely be wrong (pertaining to a new Christian) was hindering my relationship with God. Eating ice cream, playing video games, eating chocolate, that’s the way he works. If you are having a problem with your character, and you think that something is hindering you from God, it is God’s job to change you, He is the Potter. You are the clay, it is your job to stay on the wheel. Here’s another example. You are the branches and He is the Vine. He is what gives Life, you just need to stay attached to the Vine. So how do you do that? Pray, talk to Him. Show Him that you are interested in having a relationship with Him. That is your job, that is the act of will that you need to perform. And remember if anyone ever thinks that they changed who they are, they are wrong. If anyone is able to change, it is because of God’s power doing the changing and helping the person make the right decision. God will give you Help. I hope all of this makes sense, I had something else I was going to say but it totally spaced my mind. If I remember I’ll right back.
With love,
-Steven


Posted by: mellie73

Thank you- no, it doesn't sound harsh. I wouldn't say it has "control" over me- I just enjoy it and it relaxes me. I appreciate your prayers! I really want God to speak to me and move me this week of prayer and fasting. God bless you!


Posted by: Christy Demoran

Quote:
Originally Posted by mellie73
This may sound silly, but I need to do this- felt led to do this. There's alot of controversy about drinking wine- many say it's wrong, period, and many say "as long as it's not in excess"- so honestly I'm not quite sure on the subject, but anyways, I drink 1 glass maybe 3-4 nights a week- I just love the taste and it unwinds me- relaxes me. Many of you know I have a hairloss issue that is genetic & I need a miracle- there's no other way as rogaine has done about all it's going to do. Sometimes it's esp. hard to deal with and my nerves get edgy & a glass of wine helps. This has been a 4 yr thing so far- an issue- everyday- for 4 years. So it's been a lonnnng time & I just really want a miracle, as I'm very young and don't want to wear a wig.
So,
I told God that I would go without wine for 1 week and if I see any small change- even in texture, whatever- then I will know that the wine has been preventing me from having my prayers answered. Any little thing- I'll TAKE IT- trust me, I need a breakthrough- I don't care how small. I'm thinking maybe the wine has prevented me from getting that breakthrough and I can TOTALLY give it up if I know that it really is a sin, even if it's 1 glass, so please pray that God will reveal the truth to me in this matter. I'm not addicted to the stuff, & if it's wrong I won't be buying anymore. I wouldn't want wine- something I'm not even addicted to- to prevent me from getting my prayers answered. Thank u! Hope everyone has a blessed week!

mellie 73,
The lord said to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. I dont know where to find it, but if i had time i would. The Spirit is saying to me. If your heart is convicted in any thing, if your looking to anything other than to the Jesus for comfort, for peace a way of escape, then the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart about giving it up. One person can be convicted of something that anoter person is not. but you are not supposed to do something around someone if it causes another person to fall or stumble. Back in the day wine was used as a medicine for the stomach, and actually can relax you and help you unwind. But if you start to look for joy or peace in a glass of wind, the Lord will convict your heart and you need to rid yourself of it. I heard a Preacher say nothing good ever came out of a bottle of wine or booze, even if you drink socially, and dont depend on it, for some one to see you drink as a christian, they think it is ok and it gives them the go ahead in their hearts to drink, and they may not be like you, able to handle just one drink. It would cause them to drink in excess, and become drunk and cause sin in a persons life. Jesus is the source of all Joy and relaxing. When you really get serious with the Lord and some serious worship and praise, and unwind in Him that is the true means of relaxing and joy! Anything else is artificial. It causes others to stumble and fall. Any tool of the devil should not be used in our hands. I know this to be true in my own life. I tried to compromise, but it never worked and i came to hate liquior, any kind! I started with a few glassed, and a few years down the road, i was drinking a fifth a day! Its like leaving a crack in your armor! satan looks for the cracks, so he can come in unexpectedly and stab you before you know it. They say a little red wine is good for the heart, but not if it causes the heart to become cold, and layers can form, before we recognize it. Its easy to fall prey to things that temporialy take away stress, and we start to look to them for relief, instead of Jesus. One way i recognize things that are wrong for me is, if it is the way of the world. The world will tell you to have a drink and relax, you deserve to be able to unwind after a hard day. Or have a beer. Jesus said we are in the world, not of the world. And we should be seperate, we should not do as the world would have us do!
Father in Jesus name i come, with Praise and thanksgiving for giving mellie73 clearity of mind about what the Spirit is saying to her. Guide her and show her YOUR way for her Lord. pour out the Fire of the Spirit upon her and speak to her heart. Jesus YOU said to ask the Father anything in YOUR name and YOU would give it to us. Mellie 73 is asking YOUR will Lord, i know YOU will answer. Thank YOU Jesus, We love yOU Lord!!


Posted by: mellie73

Thank you Christy- I know everything you're saying, and I only had 1 glass at home- kinda like my "winding down" at the end of the day, but it certainly helped if I was anxious and/or irritable. Kinda just makes me sleepy to be honest. Makes me sleep like a baby.
I wish it wasn't a sin. I don't drink much, but I really like it. The wine I buy tastes like fresh grapes. I'm going to miss it if I realize it's a sin, even to have just 1 glass.
Doesn't seem like it should be a sin. It's not strong, doesn't make me mean, don't drink with others unless it's a "family" get-together & we all have a glass. I really like the stuff. Even my pastor said, "I think 1 glass is ok, but does it have to be a 16 oz.??"
I kinda agree, BUT, the only doubt I have, is that, I've been praying and fasting for my hair to regrow for 4 yrs. It temporarily got better, then went back to getting finer and finer and thinner and thinner, so I'm thinking, "Maybe the wine is preventing me from having my prayers answered?"
This is a HUGE deal to me!!! I used to have beautiful, long, thick blonde hair and now it looks like old lady's hair & is soooo fine & thin and fragile & see-through, & it's even turned brown. I was a natural blonde until 2 yrs. ago. Rogaine has turned it dark. I just don't feel like myself. I feel like I look older than I am. It sucks. I don't have to be a beauty queen, but I would like to at least feel confident and not so insecure.
So, I'm going to try to go longer than a week w/out it, maybe a month, and see if God gives me a breakthrough. I'll take anything. So, I know if I see a breakthrough, that I need to totally give wine up- that it is a sin afterall. For better hair I could quit cold-turkey forever!
Anywhoo, thank you and please be praying for me!! God bless!!!


Posted by: StevenHenderson

The Lord put it on my heart to write back, actually to say pretty much the same things that Christy said, so I won't say it all again... except that I want to stress that we don't want to make others stumble. This can go both ways, we can do things that may go agaist others consciences and make them stumble. And we can also force our convictions on to other people, when at first they were fine with doing it, but now because of other people forcing their convictions on them they feel condemned. We have to follow our convitions in the Lords power. We can not do it on our own, without the Holy Spirit we will fail every time.
With love,
-Steven