Verse 4

The above picture is of my mom and her brothers and doesn't have anything to do with the verse for today, but I couldn't find any of people drinking beer.

Proverbs 31:4 "It is not for kings, O Lemuel--not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer" (NIV)

The Bible talks of wine a lot and people have used these verses about alcohol to either promote drinking or to demote it. In my opinion (only my opinion) Proverbs 31:4, and the few verses after it, give us good reason to stay away from strong drink. King Lemuel's mother advises him to stay away from alcohol, and the verses following this counsel further her argument.

Ecc. 10:16-17 say, "Woe to you, O land whose king was a servant and whose princes feast in the morning. Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time--for strength and not for drunkenness." (NIV)

Jesus said that drunkards (along with a lot of other law violators) will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Personally, I think people are better off without drinking alcohol period, because it does cloud judgment even after only one drink. Ask anyone who's lost a loved one due to a drunk driver if alcohol is a wonderful thing.

My mom and dad drank quite a bit as I was growing up. I remember my dad holding my mom's hair out of her face as she threw-up after drinking a whole bottle of creme-de-menthe. I remember the times they had headaches and we weren't to talk. I remember the card parties and everyone had beer. Some of the guys were so drunk they were smashing their beer bottles into the wall and my mom said, "Don't come in here! There's glass all over the floor!" I have no good memories of alcohol, and no, I didn't drink as a teen and I don't drink now.