So They Say

So They Say

1 Corinthians 10: ²³ “We are allowed to do anything,” so they say. That is true, but not everything is good. “We are allowed to do anything”—but not everything is helpful. ²⁴ None of you should be looking out for your own interests, but for the interests of others.

 

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“It’s alright to drink” people convinced me as they cited numerous reasons. I cautiously bought in. One night on a business trip, we went out drinking, We drank 18 pitchers of beer between 3 people. I was driving and somehow we made it back to the hotel in one piece.

 

Many messages were at the front desk for us. The 9-1-1 emergency system that we programmed was down and we had to go into work immediately. I was not in a good position to work or drive and I was putting people in danger.

 

• There have been many times when I allowed myself to do anything.
• There have been many times when I bought into things without knowing limits.
• There have been many times when I did not assess if “this” thing was good for me or not.

 

Paul seems to be addressing “fitting in.” “They say” implies there was an argument placed in front of those who were trying to live a life for CHRIST, but did not know how. He agrees, “We are allowed to do anything – but not everything is helpful.”

 

• GOD says to me “I have forgiven you for all your sins.”
• GOD says to me “I have remove your sin from you as far as the east is from the west.”
• GOD says to me “I will wipe away your tears.”

 

JESUS gives me some amazing promises I can truly rely on with no catch. I mean, HE doesn’t say “I forgive you”, then blasts me with “But you didn’t follow the rules that one time on Tuesday at 12:34 PM.” HE truly forgives me. HE then gives me the HOLY SPIRIT, who cannot stand any sin I do, and places HIM inside me to comfort me, instead of judging me.

 

Now, I have a choice. I can feed the HOLY SPIRIT inside me, or I can feed the lust inside me. Both are there and are fighting with each other. I can also choose to limit myself or maybe even do without. The HOLY SPIRIT also says to me “forgive” when my flesh wants to hold onto past hurts. I am not good at limits or forgiveness, BUT GOD shows me the way, little by little.

 

• Do you feel free to do anything, but may be doing some harmful things?
• Do you know you are forgiven, yet are blatantly still doing some habits that may not be pleasing to GOD?
• Will you run every thought past GOD so the HOLY SPIRIT will guide you in your actions so the interests of others can be for HIM today?