A biblical case for disciplined use of cannabis? Prayer request

[ChristopherB]

Hello, my name is Christopher. Pray Jesus. Praise Jesus for Saving me from my old ways of sexual sin and idol worship. He is the Redeemer. Give praise!

Tomorrow morning, I am putting my medical cannabis in a lockbox and I'm locking it up for the week at least or perhaps longer. I have a medical card, but it seems that once I use it medically, I can easily slip back into regular and then into daily use. It doesn't impact my high level of functioning. I'm a graduate student with a 4.0 GPA. I excel in my counselor position at the Christ-centered temporary shelter where I work in Ohio. I attend to my marriage and life with Jesus Christ. I read the Bible and pray daily. When I use cannabis, I never get intoxicated. I am successful. I love and praise God.

I am starting to post here as a form of accountability to help me follow through with what Jesus wants for me. Using cannabis medically is not a sin. Using cannabis with discretion is not a sin, if the person avoids intoxication. There can be a tendency, though, to overuse it, and that is not a good thing, even if the person is not intoxicated by it and makes sound decisions while using it.

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Please pray for me that I am easily able to keep my use of cannabis in check and that it doesn't happen daily or even weekly. That I let go of my fascination with regular use. I have plenty of experience with giving cannabis up; but, I never want to go back to regular use, even with the high levels of productivity that I am accustomed to producing while using it.

Ecclesiastes 9:7:
"Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do."

Or perhaps I should just not use cannabis at all. My fiancée at the time, now my wife, and I talked with one of our pastors about the situation a little bit before we got married as part of our counseling and the remarriage sessions we went through. We go to a biblically based (Holy Spirit-driven) church, and he said there is a biblical case for disciplined use of cannabis, where the individual does not get intoxicated by its use.

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/cannabis-and-the-joys-of-biblical-hebrew/

THE BIBLE and CALAMUS vs. CANNABIS

THE BIBLE and CALAMUS vs. CANNABIS: With the Hebrew words for “calamus” and “cannabis” so similar, and the fact that calamus is of lesser value and also to…

standingupfortruth.wordpress.com

What Is Qaneh-Bosem? Ancient Hebrew Meaning & Bible Facts

Discover the meaning of Qaneh-bosem in the Hebrew Bible. Explore its translation, historical use in anointing oil, and links to ancient aromatic plants.

ancient-hebrew.org

Anyone else who is Holy-Spirit filled uses medical cannabis or cannabis in a way that respects biblical living?

I thank you for your prayers in advance. Thank you. Praise the Lord.

Christopher

 

[AlexB23]

Hello, my name is Christopher. Pray Jesus. Praise Jesus for Saving me from my old ways of sexual sin and idol worship. He is the Redeemer. Give praise!

Tomorrow morning, I am putting my medical cannabis in a lockbox and I'm locking it up for the week at least or perhaps longer. I have a medical card, but it seems that once I use it medically, I can easily slip back into regular and then into daily use. It doesn't impact my high level of functioning. I'm a graduate student with a 4.0 GPA. I excel in my counselor position at the Christ-centered temporary shelter where I work in Ohio. I attend to my marriage and life with Jesus Christ. I read the Bible and pray daily. When I use cannabis, I never get intoxicated. I am successful. I love and praise God.

I am starting to post here as a form of accountability to help me follow through with what Jesus wants for me. Using cannabis medically is not a sin. Using cannabis with discretion is not a sin, if the person avoids intoxication. There can be a tendency, though, to overuse it, and that is not a good thing, even if the person is not intoxicated by it and makes sound decisions while using it.

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Please pray for me that I am easily able to keep my use of cannabis in check and that it doesn't happen daily or even weekly. That I let go of my fascination with regular use. I have plenty of experience with giving cannabis up; but, I never want to go back to regular use, even with the high levels of productivity that I am accustomed to producing while using it.

Ecclesiastes 9:7:
"Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do."

Or perhaps I should just not use cannabis at all. My fiancée at the time, now my wife, and I talked with one of our pastors about the situation a little bit before we got married as part of our counseling and the remarriage sessions we went through. We go to a biblically based (Holy Spirit-driven) church, and he said there is a biblical case for disciplined use of cannabis, where the individual does not get intoxicated by its use.

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/cannabis-and-the-joys-of-biblical-hebrew/

THE BIBLE and CALAMUS vs. CANNABIS

THE BIBLE and CALAMUS vs. CANNABIS: With the Hebrew words for “calamus” and “cannabis” so similar, and the fact that calamus is of lesser value and also to…

standingupfortruth.wordpress.com

What Is Qaneh-Bosem? Ancient Hebrew Meaning & Bible Facts

Discover the meaning of Qaneh-bosem in the Hebrew Bible. Explore its translation, historical use in anointing oil, and links to ancient aromatic plants.

ancient-hebrew.org

Anyone else who is Holy-Spirit filled uses medical cannabis or cannabis in a way that respects biblical living?

I thank you for your prayers in advance. Thank you. Praise the Lord.

Christopher

Well, I do not have any info on avoiding cannabis, but I stay away from drugs. A prayer would work well for you, so I will pray for you. Also, congrats on a 4.0 GPA in university.

Ephesians 5:15-21 talks about avoiding addictions.

Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV): "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Devotional below:

Ephesians 5:15-21 - Avoiding Addictions

New month, new Bible analysis. Today's analysis will be on Ephesians 5:15-21, with a sprinkling of other verses that discuss addictions. Date May 1, 2024 Verse Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV): "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because...

www.christianforums.com

 

[ChristopherB]

Caffeine and coffee is a drug and has psychoactive properties. Most people do not get intoxicated by drinking coffee. Are you saying that people who drink coffee every day do not live biblical lives because they use a drug? I am open to where this goes.
Thank you for your prayers. I appreciate it!

 

[Laodicean60]

I occasionally use medical cannabis. I had to search for an alternative since the VA restricted the use of my hydrocodone and for good reason because I was taking more than I was allotted. Peace

 

[AlexB23]

Caffeine and coffee is a drug and has psychoactive properties. Most people do not get intoxicated by drinking coffee. Are you saying that people who drink coffee every day do not live biblical lives because they use a drug? I am open to where this goes.
Thank you for your prayers. I appreciate it!

Well, it is okay to drink coffee, but too much is bad. So, this is between you and a priest/pastor. I recommend talking to a pastor about this. As this is medical cannabis, it might be okay. Just remember, that it is best to take cannabis in a non-smoke form, as smoking can damage lungs.

 

[com7fy8]

Is there a medical condition which you are treating with cannabis?

In any case, it's not cannibalism.

 

[AlexB23]

Yo, @ChristopherB , there is a priest online here named @Daniel9v9 that could help you with this. If worse comes to worse, you can talk to your local pastor/priest at your church. Hopefully, this helps.

 

[ChristopherB]

Thank you for the support. I am going to have a longer discussion with our pastor about this situation, so thank you for inspiring me in that way.

The medical cannabis that I have prescribed is for pain. I have lumbar spine issues and the cannabis helps with it.

What is the fine line between medical use and overconsumption of cannabis?

Thank you. Praise the Lord.

Christopher

 

[AlexB23]

Thank you for the support. I am going to have a longer discussion with our pastor about this situation, so thank you for inspiring me in that way.

The medical cannabis that I have prescribed is for pain. I have lumbar spine issues and the cannabis helps with it.

What is the fine line between medical use and overconsumption of cannabis?

Thank you. Praise the Lord.

Christopher

You are welcome. It is great that you will discuss this with your pastor about the usage of cannabis.

A fine line between medical and over consumption is this: If your doctor recommends you to take X amount of grams of cannabis per day, then, do not exceed X grams per day. Eventually, if things work out well, then you can maybe reduce your dosage.

Also, it is best to probably take the cannabis in pill forms, to avoid lung disease.

Legal Disclaimer: I do not use any cannabis, nor am I a doctor.

From American Lung Association: Marijuana and Lung Health
Smoke from marijuana combustion has been shown to contain many of the same toxins, irritants, and carcinogens as tobacco smoke. Although not as carcinogenic as tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains toxins and carcinogens similar to those in tobacco smoke.

The American Lung Association encourages continued research into the health effects of marijuana use, as the benefits, risks and safety of marijuana use for medical purposes require further study. Patients considering using marijuana for medicinal purposes should make this decision in consultation with their doctor and consider means of administration other than smoking.

 

[CharlieCharles]

Thank you for the support. I am going to have a longer discussion with our pastor about this situation, so thank you for inspiring me in that way.

The medical cannabis that I have prescribed is for pain. I have lumbar spine issues and the cannabis helps with it.

What is the fine line between medical use and overconsumption of cannabis?

Thank you. Praise the Lord.

Christopher

Brother, I am going to tell you something, and I hope that you will listen to me.

You need to completely stop the cannabis immediately.

Maybe not what you want to hear right now, but it is the truth.

I was in a similar place as you, with a medical card and all. I was even in Bible College at the time. Living a double life. No one in Bible College would approve of that, and they didn't know about it either.

My other friends who knew and also used, well they aren't the serious Christian types were they?

So that is one problem is the hypocrisy. And it you were open about it then you would just cause others to stumble so that's nit an option either. We are supposed to live in such a way that is UPRIGHT and so no one can really find anything bad to say about us.

I could go on about the actual physical or mental effects and damage to your health.

But I just want you to know, you will be happier without it. What you want and need is a complete and sincere devotion to Christ. It's not about how much you can get away with. You need to be ALL IN for Christ and you need to be in ministry. Marijuana will always be a question in your mind because though you may be able to justify it somewhat, but you will never justify it 100%.

Please think about what I am telling you. If your back pain is your thorn in the flesh,..well God's strength is made perfect in weakness. You need nothing else but Christ. Imagine the strength of your testimony if you would take the difficult path to arrive at a purity in your service. Even if only for the sake of your witness to others.

God bless you in your walk and in your decisions.