7 Things Not To Do As A Follower Of Christ

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Matthew 6:1-7:6

Jesus, on the Sermon On The Mount, talks about many things that are important for a Christian should do in order to live a powerful missional life and to shine the Light of Christ brightly in their part of this dark world. But, Jesus also talk about things that a Follower of Christ should avoid and "NOT DO"!  

It's important to remember that knowing what NOT TO DO is just as important as knowing what TO DO, especially when it comes to missional living.  In this post we are going to identify 7 things that Jesus tells us not to do!  It's just a list and doesn't go into any commentary as to why or how, so I would encourage you to read the passage for yourself and meditate on it so you can gain the full weight of what Jesus was conveying.  SO, LET'S GET STARTED!

#1 Don't Do Good Deed's So Others Can See!

"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, You will have no reward for your Father in Heaven." (6:1)

#2:  Don't Pray Like The Hypocrites

"Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. I assure you: They've got their reward." (6:5)

#3:  Don't Fast Like The Hypocrites

"And when you fast, don't be sad face like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so their fasting is obvious to people. I assure you: They got their reward." (6:16)

#4:  Don't Store Up Treasures On Earth

"Don't collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal."  (6:19)

#5:  Don't Worry About Your Life

"This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?"  (6:25)

#6:  Don't Condemn Others

"Do not judge, so that you won't be judged."  (7:1)

#7:  Don't Give What's Precious To Those Who Won't Appreciate It!

"Don't give what is Holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces." (7:6)

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The Chocolate Chip Cookie/Prayer Outreach Strategy

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Jesus said on the Sermon On The Mount,

"Let your light so shine before men in such a way that they see your good deeds and glorify our Father in Heaven."  Matthew 5:16
In other words we are to do good things for other people in a way that God gets the credit for it and that includes outreach.  The Chocolate Chip Cookie/Prayer Outreach Strategy is one powerful way to do something nice for people and do it in a way that God gets the glory and so a "Door of Opportunity" might open to share the Gospel.  
This is a simple strategy that anyone can do. It would be a great activity for an Ordinary Christian to do in their own neighborhood.  It can be used to reach out into other neighborhoods to see which homes God is at work in.  
The first video explains how it works and the other three video are short testimonies of people who taught to do it and went out that same day and did. They will share their experiences in doing it with you.  

So what do you think?  

  • Can you bake up some chocolate chip cookies, take them over to some neighbors house, share with them that God loves them and you care about them, ask if there's anything going on in their lives that you can pray for them about, and then pray for them?  
  • Can you do that?  SURE YOU CAN! SO GO SHINE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST AND LET GOD GET THE GLORY!