July 31

No one can live righteously without living soberly too. Godliness might allow you to taste of these pleasures as garnish but not to feed on them as solid meat. Sad to say, some live in pleasures as if they could not live without them.

Once the aroma of enticements rises to the brain and intoxicates a man's judgment, he is so enchanted that he cannot think of parting with them. When the Jews started to thrive on Babylonian soil, for example, they were willing to lay down their bones there rather than return to godliness in Jerusalem. A master never minds his servant having plenty of food and drink, but he does not appreciate it if that servant becomes drunk just when he has a responsibility to perform. Yet this drunken man can do his master's business about as well as a Christian over-charged with creature-comforts and worldy fascination can serve his God in holiness.

Fruit eaten out of season is bad. Scripture speaks of "a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing" (Ecclesiastes 3:5). In certain seasons the power of holiness will not allow something which is acceptable at another time.

The Lord's day is an example-- all carnal pleasures are inappropriate then. God calls us to higher pleasures and expects us to put aside everything else so we can taste His goodness. "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord" (Isaiah 58:13-14). It is impossible to taste the sweetness of communion with God and honor Him in sanctifying His day unless you deny yourself carnal pleasures.

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