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Beer Me for Jesus or Milk Me for Jesus...?

Walk with Jesus

Eric House made a post on 11-16-11 that apparently caused an uproar that amassed over 16 views of his blog...16! He knows how to work a crowd into a frenzy. The blog was great in that (short version) it encouraged all believers to be Spirit led in how we interact with others for the purpose of sharing the gospel. Sometimes the spirit may, in freedom, lead you to have a beer (as the example used) and I am sure the word "beer" triggered the record high (in the life of this blog series anyway) views. I am sure 12 of the 16 viewers left the church over it, 2 of them got drunk because they saw it as the "go" sign for drinking and still getting to go to heaven and the other two were our elders checking on what Eric did this time :) For a potentially shocking read, check out Matthew 11:19 and see how some people saw Jesus...no seriously, stop and go read it.

Eric's blog, in my opinion, was a very biblically driven blog on how God desires to use His spirit to lead us in preaching the gospel (aka - loving God, loving others). Not by our own logic or "religious" thinking but by His moment by moment guidance as true followers of Jesus. I do have to admit that sometimes my personality flinches that way too easily...not necessarily toward beer but flinches to "my" freedom in Christ. In other words, a selfish flinch and focus on what I want. I have a tendancy to think, "I am strong enough in my faith to watch this rated R movie, or have a drink or run with scissors...and if you get offended or think I must not be a very strong Christian", my thought is "get over it you uptight, legalistic geek" (that was a little strong but you get the point of my sinful attitude). Because that egotistical, prideful thinking is my typical reaction, God has been very faithful to take me where He has in my quiet time recently.

"For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking in love." Romans 14:15

Read the chapter. It talks about the freedom we have in Jesus BUT for the purpose of the Lord.

"For not one of us lives for himself and not one dies for himself; for if we live we live for the LORD." Romans 14:7-8a

I have read this chapter many times and have used it, I believe rightfully so, in defending what I and/or my family has done (for one thing or another) against Christians, who I thought were being a bit legalistic, in trying to say what we were doing was sin. For example, our family at Halloween, sets up a firepit and a pot of chili in the driveway and our kids dress up, all for the purpose of interacting with our neighbors in order to get to know them to share the gospel with them, that night or in the future. BUT, again, I was shocked that God used such a familiar passage to seriously convict me of something different. In all that reading and "defending" myself with Romans 14, it was like I had never read the verses above in red. We have freedom in Christ BUT never forget the greatest commandment "love God and love others" (Matt. 22:37-40). Here is an "in your face" verse; "The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love."...NOT God chooses to love but He is literally love and if you don't love others, well, you must not love God.

God, by his spirit, may lead you to say "beer me" and in total freedom...and if for the purpose of getting the opportunity to speak His name to a neighbor or co-worker, then I am willing to bet Jesus would smile in heaven. BUT DO NOT FORGET to pray for His spirit to lead you in flinching toward loving Him by loving others...that may lead you to say "milk me" instead (**DISCLAIMER**you may want to word it differently as you may get thrown out because of how that can sound to a waiter or waitress...that wouldn't be good for your witness).