Celebrating New Year's Eve

     Since New Year's Eve is tomorrow night, I was impressed to look at the Scriptures that reinforce my present understanding of God's instruction in I Peter 4: 1-6.  These Scriptures spell out some past behaviors people had before coming to know the Lord Jesus, such as "living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry." He tells us that we have spent enough time doing those things before, (I know I did)  and that we shouldn't spend the rest of our earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. (vs. 2) He also says we will have to give account to God for how we live here, and be judged accordingly. (vs. 4,5)
     I looked up the word "revelings" which is used in both Peter and Galatians, and it means "to let loose." Whenever we choose to "let loose" or choose not to let the Spirit control us, our flesh, which is always close by, knocking at the door, will come in and try and fulfill it's lust. Nothing ever good comes out of this! In fact, something bad always does. Sin. Sin, I am finding out in my years on earth, ends up hurting us and others, and erodes our spiritual lives. Yes, God will forgive, but if we go into it knowing it is wrong, and do it anyway, expecting God's forgiveness, that is another thing, which I would not dare try and judge, but it is a situation, which seems very precarious and daunting, and one we would be wise not to make a habit of.
     I think you can see the connection here with New Year's Eve celebrations. Alcohol is usually involved, which leads to the temptation to " let loose" in all other areas, because of it's effect on our mind and emotions.
     Today, a great number of people who call themselves His, are "wine drinkers." Many of them think this is a sophisticated form of alcohol, which is harmless. But, my friends, alcohol is alcohol, whether it is drunk out of a beautiful wine glass with bejeweled decoration on the crystal stem, or  from a dark bottle in a paper sack by a homeless person in the gutter. The former just "looks" better, and is actually more deceiving to the individual, as to it's harm , because of this.
     Consider your ways this New Year's Eve. Is it really necessary to have to "celebrate" it? What exactly are you celebrating? Are you just doing it because "the world does it?" This is telling in itself. The most important question, though, is how does God feel about it? Have you committed it unto Him? We have One and only One to celebrate, and we don't need to use alcohol to do that, because we have His Spirit.