What is the purpose of prayer? Is it to change God's mind? How is he soverign if one CAN change God's mind? If one can't change God's mind..........then what really is necessary about it?
God is delighted with the prayers of the upright. Let's read Proverbs 15:8, "
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight." The prayers of His servants are for His own sake, so that those who are called in His name will not be spoken evil of by those who don't believe in them. Let's read Daniel 9:17-19, "
Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name."
Our prayers may be a factor to change His mind, but they CANNOT change His mind if He don't like to. He hears the prayers of the upright as a way for Him to know what they like to ask to Him, then He will be the one to decide whether He will grant them or not. So, He still had his soverignty at the same time, hearing the prayers of His people, for it delights Him to hear the words of His children. (I'm starting to cry...)
And finally, what's the deal with wine? Is it OK or not? Didn't Jesus turn water into wine for others' enjoyment?
We should know that anything in excess is bad. I'm in the field of medicine, so I know how it is detrimental to the health to intoxicate yourself with wine (if you know liver cirrhosis, then you'll get what I mean). St. Paul even advised Timothy to drink a LITTLE wine (meaning, there is a specific amount prescribed) for the sake of his health. Let's read 1 Timothy 5:23, "
Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." As we can see, wine is used for health purposes.
So, what's the deal with wine? Is it OK or not? Does it mean that if Jesus turn water into wine, is it already okay to drink and drink wine? We can see in the advertisements "Drink Moderately", but what is the definition of "moderately"? The drinker MAY have his own definition of "moderately", that even if he is already stuporous, he can claim that he's not yet drunk. I'm not saying yet that it is OK or not (for I haven't had any idea about your health condition) but just ask your doctor what will be the therapeutic range of alcohol based from your health condition. Because if I say, "It's OK", others may think that it's absolutely OK and will drink and drink according to his definition of "moderately", and if I say that it's NOT OK, how about doctors' prescriptions regarding "tincture" medications?
Why it is better not to drink wine at all if you don't have any health condition that requires you to? Have you thought about the people who are around, knowing that you're a Christian, that because of your "little" wine, others may say, "Oh! Christians are drunkards!" Would you put your soul at risk merely because of that "little" wine? The case is just like meat offered to idols, on how would those who believe it is wrong to do so will be hurt if you did eat those. Let's read 1 Corinthians 8:10-13, "
For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
Personally, if wine will make my brother to offend, I will not even taste even a drop of it. That's how I deal with wine. Let's read Romans 14:21, "
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."