Recently I posted an article challenging Christians to take a compassionate view towards drinking alcohol, especially in public. The article was based on choosing to stop something out of love in order to not stumble someone else. Of course, someone read the title of the article and posted a negative comment about how legalistic it was to attack drinking when we should be feeding the poor and doing something that really matters instead sitting around judging everybody for drinking. I offended them by saying their comment showed a lack of intelligence. I probably shouldn’t have done that, but it was obvious they did not read the article and were simply pushing their pro-drinking (or now pro-toking) for Christians in the name of liberty agenda.
Why am I bringing it up? Because God says… Blessed are you if you walk in the law of the Lord. The word “blessed” means “Oh how happy.” God says you will be happy if you live your life according to His Word. He says that if you listen to the stories of His past faithfulness (His testimonies) and live according to those proven ways of life, you will be happy. Who doesn’t want to be happy? It’s not legalism to say if you live God’s way you will be happy. It’s simply the truth. If you don’t want to be happy, then live however you want. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not going to heaven. It just means you’ll be a self seeking, self gratifying, miserable Christian. It’s your choice to be miserable if you want to be and then you’ll feel justified to have a drink to calm your nerves.
My office is right next to an AA meeting place. It’s a constant reminder to me that I need to walk in love by denying myself of something that I enjoy in order to be an example of God’s love. For the people that struggle with addiction, it matters whether I drink or not. My liberty becomes permission to go back into their bondage. Remember, you are a city on a hill and your light is shining brightly in this dark world. Let Jesus shine.
Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord ! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Psalms 119:1-2 NKJV
Roxie and I love you!!!