I Can. I Should. I Will.

We've been talking all week about things we can do in Christ. Yesterday we were reminded that we have the freedom to do lots of things, but that doesn't mean we should do them all.

"I have the right to do anything," you say--but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"--but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV)

You know the old saying, "Just because you can doesn't mean you...should." Here are a few things to consider as you think about what you can, and should, do.

Can I...

...Love God with my whole heart, mind, soul and strength?

...First seek His Kingdom and His Righteousness, Be thankful for and content with what God has given me, work as for the LORD, and manage it all for HIs purposes?

...keep a sober mind so that I maintain self-control and conform my will to God’s?

...love my neighbor as myself, whether my neighbor is a brother or sister in Christ, simply another person, or my sworn enemy?

...speak only the truth and do it in love, making my words a gift that will build up the hearer into Christ who is the head of the church?

...trust God’s call to singleness, treating other people with all purity as a brother or a sister?

...trust God’s call to marriage, loving my spouse as Christ loved the Church and laid down his life for her?

...be sexually pure in my singleness, faithful in my marriage, enjoy only my spouse, and receive any children as a gift?

...bring up my children in the training and instruction of the LORD, without exasperating them, so that when they grow up they will not depart from it?

...grow in my faith and understanding of God, resist the devil, draw near to God walk with Him through the power of His Spirit that dwells in me?

...live this life so consistently that even those outside Christ’s church will see God at work, be drawn to Him, and begin walking with HIm as well?

"I have the right to do anything," you say--but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"--but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24 NIV)

How about you? Can you? Should you? Will you?