The Intoxicating Cup of Sinful Pleasure

It is not expected that a Christian who awakens an appetite for worldly pleasure is able to clearly see why God would forbid that which has inflamed their passions.

The prophet Isaiah gives strong warning in regard to this. I’ve just spent three days listening to testimony of “conservative” Idaho where the majority of those testifying are making argument to include what God calls sin be declared as natural and immutable rights.

This is no small matter. This does not deserve to be ignored, pastor. What is happening before our very eyes should call every God fearing parent to action, should cause every pastor to prepare his next sermon in fear and trembling reverence to Holy God, and should strike every citizen with a renewed interest in who they vote for.

What we’ve known was happening has happened.

An agenda promoting the normality of sexually deviant behavior has become an accepted norm. Sinful pleasure is an intoxicating cup.

Listen, this is not a new message. This has been the appeal of sin from the introduction of sin into the world.

Here is the warning from Isaiah: “Woe to those who…” (Isaiah 5:11-14)

• Rise early in the morning to pursue what is forbidden.
• Stay up late into the evening to feed a spiritually depraved apatite that seems to never be satisfied.
• Participate in this atmosphere with mirth, excitement, and pleasure.
• Consider the deeds of the Lord as silly, boring and useless.

The actual path of these actions do not deliver on the promise of a complete life. Isaiah warns…

• People end up slaves and lack knowledge
• Honorable men are famished.
• The thirst for more is never satisfied and really delivers a parched condition.

The final result…

• Hell is enlarged
• Those who crave such an intoxicating drink of fleshly desire, as jubilant as it seems, descend into a pit that never gives what it (falsely) claims.

What do we do? I offer three considerations…

1. Parents: Repent! You are the ones most responsible for what your children think of God. If God and his church is treated as lightly as many professing Christian parents do then there is little surprise that your children will embrace a similar opinion of God. You actually have tremendous influence upon your children. They indeed own their own opinion of God and responsible to respond to his holiness in light of their own depravity, but you have been purposely placed in the role of parent.
   1. Consider forms of entertainment that contradicts God and his word as an enemy of God. This is serious.
   2.  You are training your children in the way they will go when you whet that appetite of sensual cravings.
   3. Show your children your pleasure in God. Their sinful nature is a pursuer of pleasure.
2. Churches/Pastors: Repent! I’ve listened to men representing churches and God speak silly, foolish things in the past three days. Will anyone in our culture hear a public word from you? Or are you going to continue to remain behind your safe fortresses you’ve built? Speak today with as much compassion, joy and delight in God as you can. The promoters of godlessness are. Why shouldn’t you who have tasted the goodness of God speak with more?
   1. Consider the forms of entertainment you are presenting. Then stop trying to entertain. Entertainment makes people numb. They think less and lack knowledge becoming slaves to the ones entertaining them.
   2. Stop trying to offer forms of “Christian” alternatives. Is there really anything more attractive in all of the created universe as the un-created God of the Universe? We only open an appetite for the alternative rather than a craving for God.
   3. Warn the nation of the wrath of God with an appeal to repentance and surrender to the lordship of Christ.
3. Local, state, and national government: Repent! You do not have sovereign authority to behave against God. You are in an amazing place wielding with the least reaching jurisdiction of all. Do not legislate immorality. Do not declare “holy” what God calls sinful. The only way a people can be a self-governing people is when there is a freedom from a far reaching government.

It is possible for the favor of God to return to the land. But do not expect it until we humble ourselves, becoming passionate pursuers of the Holiness of God.

Isaiah 5:11-14 (NASB)
¹¹ Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, Who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them! ¹² Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, Nor do they consider the work of His hands. ¹³ Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; And their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst. ¹⁴ Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth without measure; And Jerusalem’s splendor, her multitude, her din of revelry and the jubilant within her, descend into it.