JUST DO IT!
JAMES 1:22
THIS MORNING, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, JUST FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF YOUR TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO JUST DO IT! BRO. PASTOR, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? JUST DO IT! WELL AS I READ THROUGH A PAST DAILY BREAD DEVOTIONAL GUIDE, I CAME ACROSS A TITLE “JUST DO IT!” ALONG WITH READING THAT WE ALL CONTINUE TO SEE THE NIKE COMMERCIALS THAT ALSO STATE, JUST DO IT.
THE NIKE AD HAS TO DO WITH EXERCISING THE PHYSICAL BODY. IT GIVES US AN IDEA THAT NO MATTER WHAT, NO MATTER HOW LONG WE WORK OR HOW TIRED WE GET, WE SHOULD JUST DO IT. KNOW I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO REALIZE THAT NOWHERE IN THIS AD IS EXERCISING OF THE SPIRITUAL BODY CONVEYED. YES PHYSICAL EXERCISE IS NEEDED TO KEEP OUR BODIES FIT AND STRONG.
BUT I TELL YOU THIS MORNING THAT WE MUST EXERCISE OUR SOULS. THESE OLD BODIES ARE ONLY TEMPORARY DWELLING PLACES, BUT OUR SOULS MUST BE PREPARED FOR AN EVERLASTING RESTING PLACE. WE MUST EXERCISE OUR SOULS BY BEING DOERS OF GOD’S WORD. WEE SEE IN OUR TEXT THAT JAMES TELLS US TO BE DOERS OF THE WORD AND NOT JUST HEARERS ONLY.
JAMES GIVES US A CALL TO ACTION. HE GOES ON TO TELL US IN THE TWENTY-THIRD VERSE THAT IF WE HEAR THE WORD AND DO NOT DO THE WORD, WE ARE LIKE A MAN SEEING HIMSELF IN A MIRROR AND NOTICING SOMETHING WRONG, SUCH AS MAYBE HIS HAIR OUT OF PLACE OR MAYBE A CROOKED TIE OR EVEN A STAINED SHIRT, YET DOES NOTHING TO CHANGE IT.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO HEAR GOD’S WORD AND NOT DO IT SHOWS A LACK OF CONCERN OR GENUINE FAITH FOR GOD’S WORD. YOU SEE A GENUINE FAITH WILL PRODUCE REAL, CHANGES IN PERSON’S CONDUCT AND CHARACTER. THE ABSENCE OF CHANGE IS A SYMPTOM OF A DEAD FAITH. NOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IN ORDER TO DO THE WORD OF GOD, THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE MUST JUST DO.
THE FIRST THING WE MUST JUST DO IS TO READ THE WORD OF GOD. THE BUSINESS OF DISCIPLES OR FOLLOWERS OF GOD IS TO GROW IN THE WORD. WE ARE ALL BABES IN CHRIST. WE ARE TO INCREASE STRONG IN CHRISTIAN CHARACTER, TO ADVANCE IN SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND IN FAVOR WITH GOD. THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL AS A MEANS OF GROWTH TO A CHRISTIAN, IS THE BIBLE.
FROM THE BIBLE WE LEARN HOW TO BE A CHRISTIAN. THE BIBLE IS FOOD TO BE APPROPRIATED OR TAKEN AS YOUR OWN. AS FOOD IS TO PHYSICAL BODY, THE BIBLE IS TO THE SPIRITUAL SOUL. IT GIVES YOU THE NUTRIENTS, VITAMINS AND MINERALS NEEDED TO GROW. THE WORD OF GOD IS MARROW TO THE BONES OF THE GROWING CHRISTIAN. BROTHERS AND SISTERS WE MUST FEED UPON THE BIBLE.
WE RECEIVE FROM IT THE TRUTH WHEREBY WE GROW. IT IS THIS TRUTH THAT DEVELOPS MORAL FIBER; THE TRUTH THAT MAKES US STRONG AND VIGOROUS; THE TRUTH THAT KNITS THE MUSCLES, CALMS THE NERVES, AND WARMS THE BLOOD; THE TRUTH THAT CREATES SPIRITUAL ENERGY AND DEVELOPS CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. THE BIBLE IS TREASURE TO BE SEARCHED FOR.
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT BY CAREFUL STUDY AND SEARCHING WE ARE TO MAKE THE TRUTH OF THE BIBLE OUR OWN POSSESSION, UNITING IT’S TEACHINGS INTO OUR CONDUCT AND CHARACTER. MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF READING THE BIBLE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET MUCH OUT OF IT.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS I WANT TO TELL YOU THIS MORNING, THAT IF THESE PEOPLE WOULD FORM A HABIT OF READING THE BIBLE AS IT SHOULD BE READ, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT. YOU SEE THE BIBLE SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY AND SYSTEMATICALLY.
IF ONE RUNS THROUGH THE BIBLE WHILE READING IT, IF THEY ARE READING IT TO EASE A GUILTY CONSCIENCE OR TO KEEP A PLEDGE, THEN THAT PERSON SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO GAIN ANY GREAT STORE OF ITS TRUTH. IN ORDER TO GET TO THE HEART OF DIVINE TRUTH, YOU MUST MEDITATE UPON THE WORD.
PSALMS CHAPTER 119 VERSE 97 STATES “O HOW LOVE I THY LAW! IT IS MY MEDITATION ALL THE DAY.” PSALMS 49 VERSE 3 STATES; “MY MOUTH SHALL SPEAK OF WISDOM; AND THE MEDITATION OF MY HEART SHALL BE OF UNDERSTANDING.” BROTHERS AND SISTERS NOT ONLY SHOULD IT BE READ CAREFULLY AND SYSTEMATICALLY BUT ALSO SINCERELY AND PRAYERFULLY, AND WITH THE DESIRE TO ABIDE BY ITS TEACHINGS.
I TELL YOU, YOU CAN KNOW THE ENTIRE BIBLE WORD FOR WORD, BUT IF YOU DO NOT ABIDE IN IT AND LET IT ABIDE IN YOU, THEN IT DOES YOU NO GOOD. MANY PERPLEXING PROBLEMS OF CONDUCT THAT WE ENCOUNTER CAN BE SOLVED BY KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND A WILLINGNESS TO MAKE OUR LIVES CONFORM TO ITS TEACHINGS.
QUESTIONS REGARDING VARIOUS FORMS OF THE WORLD’S AMUSEMENT AND RECREATION WILL FIND IMMEDIATE AND FINAL SETTLEMENT IN THE LIFE OF ONE WHO KNOWS AND IS WILLING TO FOLLOW THE OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF GOD. THIS BOOK NOT ONLY INSTRUCTS US ON DAILY LIVING BUT IT ALSO INSTRUCTS US ON HOW TO INTERACT WITH GOD. NOW THE NEXT THING WE MUST JUST DO IS PRAY.
ONE NEEDS TO INCORPORATE A REGULAR HABIT OF PRAYER INTO HIS/HER LIFE. HABIT IS A THING OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE. ONE DEFINITION OF A HABIT IS A GARMENT THAT FITS WELL AND ADJUSTS ITSELF TO THE BODY. PRAYER SHOULD BECOME LIKE THAT GARMENT, FITTING WELL AND ADJUSTING ITSELF INTO THE PROGRAM OF THE DAY. IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE HABITUALLY, THEN THE ABILITY TO DO IT AT ALL BECOMES FORGOTTEN AND LOST.
SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT TAKE REGULAR PHYSICAL, LOSES NOT ONLY THE ABILITY, BUT ALSO THE DESIRE TO EXERCISE. THE SAME THING IS TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO PRAYER. YOU SEE A PERSON HABIT OF PRAYER SHOULD BE SO THAT HE IS SO CLOSE TO GOD TO WHERE HE CAN SPEAK TO HIM AT ANY TIME, JUST LIKE SPEAKING TO A CLOSE FRIEND.
WE SHOULD KNOW THAT WHEN SAYING OUR PRAYERS WE SHOULD HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE AND TIME FOR IT AS STATED IN MATTHEW 6:6.
TO BE ALONE WITH GOD, IN A PLACE FREE FROM INTRUSION, WHERE ONE CAN BARE HIS SOUL TO HIS OWN EYES AND SEE HIMSELF AS GOD SEES HIM, THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS BETTER. BROTHERS AND SISTERS IT SEEMS THAT IT IS HELPFUL TO PRAY WHILE THE DAY IS YOUNG. MARK 1:35 LET US KNOW THAT JESUS KNOWING WHAT PROBLEMS THE DAY MIGHT BRING, OFTEN WENT OUT BEFORE DAWN TO PRAY.
MORNING PRAYER MAKES DUTY EASY AND DELIGHTFUL. IT PUTS THE DAY IN PERSPECTIVE, SO THAT WHATEVER STORMS MAY COME, NO MATTER WHAT STRANGE SITUATIONS YOU MAY RUN INTO, YOU KNOW THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL. WHATEVER PROBLEMS YOU ENCOUNTER YOU KNOW THAT GOD CAN WORK IT OUT.
WHATEVER TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS COME, MORNING PRAYER ASSURES YOU THAT AS THIS SAYING THAT I HAVE SEEN SAYS, “NOTHING CAN HAPPEN TODAY THAT GOD AND YOU CAN’T HANDLE.” BROTHERS AND SISTERS THE THIRD THING WE MUST JUST DO IS TO ATTEND CHURCH. CHURCH ATTENDANCE SHOULD BE REGARDED AS ESSENTIAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUAL LIFE AND CHARACTER.
WHEN WE NEGLECT COMING TO GOD’S HOUSE, WE SIN. THOUGH WE HAVE BIBLES IN OUR HOMES AND A PLACE FOR PRAYER, HEBREWS CHAPTER TEN VERSE TWENTY-FIVE TELLS US “WE MUST NOT FORSAKE OUR ASSEMBLING TOGETHER.” HEBREWS 10:26 GOES ON TO SAY THAT “WE SIN WILLFULLY” WHEN WE DO. I TELL YOU MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY CARELESS ABOUT THIS HIGHLY IMPORTANT MATTER.
IT SEEMS THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE OF THE MESSAGE THEY RECEIVED THROUGH THE YEARS FROM VARIOUS PERSONS IN THEIR LIVES WHO NEGLECTED CHURCH ATTENDANCE. YOU SEE AS CHILDREN SOMEONE MAY HAVE SEEN MOMMA SEND THEM TO CHURCH, BUT MOMMA DIDN’T GO. THEY SAW DADDY SEND THEM TO CHURCH, BUT DADDY DIDN’T GO.
I TELL YOU THEY SAW AUNTS AND UNCLES SEND THEM TO CHURCH, BUT AUNTS AND UNCLES DIDN’T GO. BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NO LONGER CAN WE TELL OUR CHILDREN DO AS I SAY AND NOT AS I DO.
WE MUST SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THEM TO FOLLOW. AND WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT WE DO SET AN EXAMPLE. WHETHER IT BE GOOD OR BAD, WE ARE SETTING AN EXAMPLE TO SOMEONE. NOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS, SINCE WE KNOW HOW WE SHOULD READ GOD’S WORD, HOW AND WHERE TO PRAY, AND HOW IMPORTANT CHURCH ATTENDANCE IS, WE ARE KNOW MORE EQUIPPED THAN EVER TO, JUST DO IT!
WE CAN NOW UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED TO ENGAGE IN EVERY POSSIBLE FORM OF CHRISTIAN ACTIVITY. THIS INCLUDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE CHURCH, SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, AND ALL OTHER PLACES OF CHURCH WORSHIP. WE CAN NOW JUST DO OUR BEST TO USE THE TALENTS OR GIFTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE HIGHEST POINT OF EFFICIENCY.
ALL IN ALL, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU THIS MORNING IS TO FIND YOUR PLACE IN THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY AND JUST DO IT! WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO GO WHERE THE LORD WANTS US TO GO AND DO WHAT HE WANTS US TO DO. MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, AS I HURRY TO A CLOSE, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE CALLS FOR UNTIRING DEVOTION TO HIGH IDEALS, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEN WHOSE FAITH AND PURPOSE DOES NOT FADE.
MY FRIENDS, WE HAVE THE PROMISE OF OUR SAVIOUR THAT IF WE ABIDE IN HIS WORD, AND HIS WORD ABIDE IN US, WE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH THAT MAKES US FREE. I TELL YOU DON’T LET THOSE SO CALLED FRIENDS TALK US INTO DOING SOMETHING WE KNOW IS WRONG. WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF HOW WE DRESS AND ACT. REMEMBER, WE ARE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.
WE SHOULD NOT LET SATAN BRING US DOWN. WHEN THOSE SO CALLED FRIENDS TRY TO INTRODUCE US TO THE BAD THINGS IN LIFE, WE SHOULD JUST SAY NO AND INTRODUCE THEM TO THE PLAN OF SALVATION. I TELL YOU WE SHOULD INTRODUCE THEM TO THE ONE WHO CAN GIVE THEM THE HIGHEST HIGH IN THE WORLD!
BROTHERS AND SISTERS WE SHOULD INTRODUCE THEM TO THE ONE WHO CAN MAKE A WAY OUT OF NO WAY! WE SHOULD INTRODUCE THEM TO THE ONE WHO SUPPLIES ALL OUR NEEDS! BROTHERS AND SISTERS WE NEED TO INTRODUCE THEM TO JESUS! HE’S A BURDEN BEARER!
JESUS, A BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS;
JESUS, BREAD WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY;
JESUS, WATER WHEN YOU’RE THIRSTY;
JESUS, HE’S MY FRIEND WHEN I’M LONELY;
HE’S A MOTHER FOR THE MOTHERLESS;
HE’S A FATHER FOR THE FATHERLESS;
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHEN FRIENDS TALK ABOUT YOU, JUST DO IT! WHEN THINGS GO WRONG ON THE JOB, JUST DO IT! WHEN YOU COME TO THE END OF YOUR ROPE, JUST DO IT! NO MATTER WHAT STORMS MAY RISE OR WHAT WINDS MAY BLOW, JUST DO IT! JUST GO OUT AND DO THE WORD OF GOD. SHOW THE WORLD WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR YOU.
BE A DOER LIKE JESUS CHRIST, WHO WENT ALL THE WAY UP CALVARY MOUNTAIN, HUNG BLED AND DIED, FOR YOUR SINS AND MINE. WHO STAYED IN THE GRAVE THREE LONG DAYS. BUT I TELL YOU AFTER THAT THIRD DAY GOT UP WITH ALL POWER IN HIS HANDS. JESUS GOT UP WITH THE POWER OVER DEATH, HE TOOK AWAY DEATH’S STING, HE TOOK AWAY THE GRAVE’S VICTORY.
HE GOT UP THAT YOU AND I MIGHT BE SAVED. JESUS DID IT FOR US, NOW LET’S JUST DO IT FOR HIM! WHEN HE TELLS US TO GO, JUST DO IT! WHEN HE TELLS US TO WALK, JUST DO IT! WHEN HE TELLS US TO RUN, JUST DO IT! AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHEN HE TELLS US TO STAND STILL, JUST DO IT! JUST DO THE WILL OF GOD. I TELL YOU THIS MORNING, YOU DON’T KNOW LIKE I KNOW, WHAT HE’S DONE FOR ME.
BUT I KNOW IF GOD CAN DO IT FOR ME I CAN JUST DO IT FOR HIM. AS I LOOK BACK OVER MY LIFE, AND I SEE WHERE GOD HAS BROUGHT ME FROM, IT GIVES ME MORE REASON TO JUST DO IT! WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE GOODNESS OF GOD, AND ALL THAT HE’S DONE FOR ME, MY SOUL CRIES HALLELUJAH! THANK GOD FOR SAVING ME.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AS WE GET READY TO LEAVE HERE TODAY, I CHARGE YOU TO JUST DO IT! GO OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS, JUST TEACHING AND PROCLAIMING THE WORD AND THE GLORY OF GOD. I TELL YOU GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE JUST DID IT!
I CHALLENGE YOU THIS MORNING TO JUST DO IT!
ON YOUR JOB, JUST DO IT!
IN YOUR HOMES, JUST DO IT!
ALL AROUND YOUR TOWN JUST DO IT!
JUST TELL SOMEBODY EVERYWHERE YOU GO THAT JESUS JUST DID IT FOR YOU AND YOU HAVE TO JUST DO IT FOR HIM!
