TEXT: 1 Timothy 4:1-6
Second, we are to receive blessings with the Word of God. Our passage says, “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” There are many verses in the Word of God that warn us against libertine excesses in our earthly pleasures. For example, Ephesians 5:18 says “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” Proverbs 25:16 says, “Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.” On the other hand, Paul told Timothy to “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.” Kevin Pierpont said, “Here we have teachers convincing their followers to be careful what they put in their mouths. But what did Jesus say? He said the food we take in doesn’t make us unclean. For a teacher to command his followers to abstain from certain foods when Jesus has clearly stated that all foods are clean is to disregard the Word of God. Check everything by the book. See for yourself how a given teaching compares to the Bible.” Whenever we are given the opportunity to do partake in these earthy pleasures, we should not use man’s rules to guide our decisions. We should depend upon the Bible as our guide to what is right and good.