1. MAN UP BIBLE SERIES MAD MEN: OVERCOMING OUR ADDICTIONS LESSON FOUR

2. THE REAL WORLD IF YOU WATCH ANY TV TODAY YOU SEE ONE THING. REAL MEN LOVE BOOZE. ANY SPORTING EVENT. BOOZE IS THE COMMERCIAL OF CHOICE. IF YOU GO TO AN OFFICE PARTY. BOOZE. GO TO A BAR B QUE. BOOZE. CHRISTMAS GIFTS AT THE OFFICE. BOOZE. AUCTION PRIZES AT EVENTS. BOOZE. HERE ARE THE STATS ON DRINKING: MORE THAN HALF OF US DRINK WEEKLY. 20 PERCENT HAD A DRUNKEN BINGE IN THE LAST MONTH. 10 PERCENT OF US CLASSIFY OURSELVES AS HEAVY DRINKERS. WE AS SALVATIONISTS COME FROM A TRADITION OF ABSTINENCE. WE HAVE SEEN THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL FIRST HAND. WATCH A FEW EPISODES OF “COPS” AND YOU WILL SEE THE DESTRUCTION OF DRINKING. LIVES ARE LOST. PEOPLE INJURED. LIVES FOREVER CHANGED. BOOZE IS SEEN AS A WAY TO ACT AND BE A MAN. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH OUR MORE DESTRUCTIVE. IF YOU ARE ADDICTED TO ALCOHOL THIS LESSON IS FOR YOU.

3. THE REAL WORD 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) 13 NO TEMPTATION ] HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MANKIND. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED [ BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN ENDURE IT. JAMES 4:7 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) 7 SUBMIT YOURSELVES, THEN, TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU. 1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-12 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) 9 OR DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT WRONGDOERS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? DO NOT BE DECEIVED: NEITHER THE SEXUALLY IMMORAL NOR IDOLATERS NOR ADULTERERS NOR MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN [A] 10 NOR THIEVES NOR THE GREEDY NOR DRUNKARDS NOR SLANDERERS NOR SWINDLERS WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 11 AND THAT IS WHAT SOME OF YOU WERE. BUT YOU WERE WASHED, YOU WERE SANCTIFIED, YOU WERE JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD. 12 “I HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO ANYTHING,” YOU SAY—BUT NOT EVERYTHING IS BENEFICIAL. “I HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO ANYTHING”—BUT I WILL NOT BE MASTERED BY ANYTHING.A TITUS 2:11-12 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) 11 FOR THE GRACE OF GOD HAS APPEARED THAT OFFERS SALVATION TO ALL PEOPLE. 12 IT TEACHES US TO SAY “NO” TO UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY PASSIONS, AND TO LIVE SELF-CONTROLLED, UPRIGHT AND GODLY LIVES IN THIS PRESENT AGE. PHILIPPIANS 4:13 NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) 13 I CAN DO ALL THIS THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.

4. REAL TALK WHY DO MEN DRINK TO EXCESS? HAVE YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW EVER HAD TO STOP DRINKING? ____HOW DID THEY DO IT? IS THERE HOPE WHEN IT COMES TO OVERCOMING ALCOHOLISM?

5. REAL STEPS HOW TO OVERCOME ALCOHOL ABUSE:  GIVE YOUR HEART AND LIFE TO GOD. BECOME A CHRISTIAN. (JOHN 3:16 -17)  PRAY FOR DELIVERANCE. (PHIL. 4:13)  ONE DAY AT A TIME. FOCUS ON THE PRESENT. (MATT 6:34)  MODIFY AND CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE. ( ROM. 12: 1, 2 )  CHANGE PROSPECTIVE FROM YOURSELF TO GOD. (HEB12:2)  SEEK HELP FROM A FRIEND. (1 COR. 6:12)  JOIN A SUPPORT GROUP. (ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS) ( TITUS 2:12)  DO NOT GIVE UP EVEN IF YOU FAIL THE FIRST TIME. (JAMES 4:7)

6. TIME TO CLOSE ALCOHOL ADDICTION NEEDS MORE THAN A SIMPLE BIBLE STUDY. THIS IS INTENDED TO BE A STARTING POINT IN THIS BATTLE. YOU MAY HAVE BATTLED THIS BEFORE AND LOST. YOU MAY HAVE OVERCOME ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE. I WANTED TO ADDRESS IT SO THAT MEN WILL BEGIN TO LOOK AT THEIR LIVES AND DETERMINE THAT THEY NEED HELP. YOU CANNOT DO THIS ALONE. YOU NEED GOD. YOU NEED YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. YOU NEED YOUR CORPS OFFICER. YOU NEED A SUPPORT GROUP LIKE AA. YOU MAY NEED TO ENTER A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM LIKE THE ARC. ALL THESE TOGETHER CAN OFFER THE KIND OF SUPPORT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO OVERCOME THE DESTRUCTION OF ALCOHOL ADDICTION. THERE IS HOPE. ONE DAY AT A TIME WE TAKE UP OUR CROSS AND FOLLOW CHRIST. YOU CAN DO THIS. YOU MUST SO THIS. TIME TO MAN UP!