Matters of Faith: "Let's Get Stoned!" Article By Rev. Dr. J Loren Russell.

LET’S GET STONED!

Reverend J. Loren Russell

Ephesians 5:18-421

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.”

My mind was drawn back to a classic song that was written by Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson for the legendary Ray Charles, called “Let’s Go Get Stoned.” The story behind its creation is that they had been unsuccessfully laboring for hours trying to come up with a song for Mr. Charles. Out of frustration, Nick suggested that they” go get stoned.” That suggestion triggered their creative juices. I am not sure whether they wrote the lyrics before or after they got stoned, but the song is a classic.

With the ready availability of alcoholic beverages, it’s easy to get drunk from the wine of the world. In this letter to the saints in the Ephesian church, Paul warns against drunkenness in the wine of the world and instead suggests getting drunk in the Spirit (the capitalization of the word Spirit indicates a proper name and not an emotional euphoria). The use of the Greek word “be” is in the present tense indicating a continuous drunkenness in the Spirit of God.

For a drunk, or as we called them in my childhood days, winos, to stay drunk, they have to keep drinking. In like manner, for saints of God to stay drunk in the Spirit, they must continue consuming the word of God, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in their hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of things to do to stay intoxicated in the word. Paul tells Timothy that he must “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). Don’t be drunk with the wine of the world but be filled with the Spirit of Christ.

Let me ask you a question, which would be the greater sin, the Pastor to show up for worship filled with wine (drunk), or showing up not filled (drunk) with the Spirit?

Let’s get stoned!

Be Blessed!

Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at Goodwill Baptist Church and is the spiritual leader of the Evangelical Church of God, both in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company/J Loren R Consulting, LLC for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting (718-328-8096) and is the producer and host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Monday nights from 8:00 – 10:00 PM on The Matters of Faith YouTube channel. Be sure to ‘Friend, Like, and Share.” Email us at mattersoffaith.mof@gmail.com. Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The eBook at www.smashwords.com/books/view/993177