(Clip) Believer It is Not All About What Not to Do

Do you know what sort of Jesus you do not find in your Bibles? We do not find the sort of Jesus who didn't smoke, didn't drink, didn't watch irated movies, didn't send his children to public school, didn't come late to church. We don't find that Christ. You say, what? Listen, my emphasis is this. You don't find this Christ of negative emphasis in the pages of your Bible. Acts 10.38 doesn't say that Jesus went about not doing evil. That's not the Jesus of the Bible. You say, what? You're saying He did evil? No! I'm just saying that's not the issue. It's not the issue. So often you find religious people professing Christians. Well, what's wrong with that? I don't do that. You know, the typical fundamentalist attitude. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't dance. So? You say, oh, what? The pastor's saying you can? You can? I'm saying this, we're called to be followers of Christ. When you do spiritual inventory, sure, it's good if you haven't viewed pornography this week. It's great if you haven't beaten your wife this week. Brethren, those things are a given. If that's the level at which you're trying to live your Christian life, my friend, you are missing the whole point of why Jesus Christ saved a people. Have you ever read? He saved a people for His own possession. And what would chiefly characterize them? The fact that they don't do bad? Brethren, that they be zealous of good works. That's it. Get away from this negative-oriented kind of Christianity. You know, you ask some people about their Christianity and it's like it's all the negative. It's all about what they don't do. Listen, Jesus didn't save us just to stop doing the bad things. Of course, He did that. Of course, by the Spirit to put to death the deeds of the body. Of course that. But doing good. Doing good. This is the will of God. That by doing good, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. In the same way, doesn't Scripture say, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in Heaven. Right there in Ephesians, we came across it. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. Brethren, this is the heart and soul. Again, when we talk about making it a primary endeavor of your life to pray, one of the primary endeavors of our lives is doing good. With so many people, I didn't miss church on Sunday. Listen, church going, well, that's good. Not forsaking the assembling together of yourselves is good. But why do we come together? To stir up one another to love and good works. You see, that's the issue. You being here, that's only to equip you for the real work. To go out these doors and among one another and among the world out here in the midst of all this. Brothers, sisters, do good. Let that be the banner that flies over your life. Do good. Don't just live your life not getting drunk. Then selfishly seeking to live for your own profit and your own good. Look for every occasion to do good. Look for opportunities. In your secret prayer, ask God, please, open doors. It's amazing how many times my wife has said, I asked the Lord for an opportunity to evangelize and He brought it. Almost instantaneously, like that day. Right away. I find that to be true too. You ask the Lord for opportunities to do good, the door will swing open. Just ask Him. Ask Him. This excerpt comes from the full sermon, A Three-Fold Chord, Secret Prayer, Doing Good, and Self-Denial. The full message can be found on illbehonest.com