Joshua 15-17; 1 cor. 8

“But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” 1 Cor. 8:9-13

We live in a day when people boast of their freedoms. Preachers sitting in their professors chairs smoking cigars and drink a beer while teaching the Bible. These self indulged, pride filled proclaimers of Christian liberty, know nothing of Paul’s kind of love. It is my right to my freedoms I hear people say. In the mean time fellow believers are falling because they can’t walk in the same freedom. I recently was talking to a couple who for years have been pretty free about their alcohol consumption, it is their freedom, there is only one problem their twenty something daughter is now an alcoholic. It was free flowing with moderation in their home but their daughter doesn’t have the same kind of freedom and now without the Lords intervention they have years of sorrow ahead of them. I pray for the Lords deliverance for this young woman. We must be lead by love not what simply feels good. I recently heard of a church that was encouraging their small groups to have more alcohol available so they can reach their unsaved friends easier. Well what is next nude hot tubes or medical marijuana parties. You might get more people to come out but they will be far from being disciples. Let’s keep our hearts pure and put our freedoms behind the love of others.

Pastor Rick