Sunday Devo - October 1, 2023

1 Corinthians 6:12
"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
 There are certain questions in life that we don’t need to think about or pray about. Why? Because God has already clearly addressed them in the Bible. For example, we already know that it’s not okay to steal because God tells us, “Do not steal” (Ex 20:15).
But then there are some things that we’re unsure about. For a Christian, are they right or are they wrong? The good news is that we can set up some safeguards in our lives to help us determine what we should do. Before you engage in that activity you’re uncertain about, ask yourself:
First, does it bring you under its power? In this verse Paul is saying, ‘I must not become a slave to anything. I don’t want to be under the control of anyone or anything except Jesus’.
Second, does it build you up spiritually, or does it tear you down? Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:23, all things are lawful for me,  but not all things edify. You should avoid anything that could tear you down spiritually, that will keep you away from the people of God, or keep you from Christian fellowship, or take the edge off your desire for prayer or Bible study.
Third, do you have an uneasy conscience about it? Romans 14:23 cautions us: “If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning”.
Fourth, could your activity cause another believer to stumble in their faith? 1 Corinthians 8:9 says, " But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak."
Let's guard our hearts with all diligence!

-Pastor Mike