WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE?
1 Corinthians 6:12, 10:23
1 Corinthians 6:12-13
V:6.12 \”Everything is permissible for me\”-but not everything is beneficial. \”Everything is permissible for me\”-but I will not be mastered by anything.
V:10.23 \”Everything is permissible\”-but not everything is beneficial. \”Everything is permissible\”-but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his good, but the good of others.
DO SOMETHING NEW
We are in a new year. Wouldn’t it be great if we did something new?
Get out of the old routine. Get into a new routine.
Do you know God wants you to do something new for Him?
Psalms 98:1
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
Draw a line, get rid of something old and do something new for the Lord.
Psalms 98 tells us to sing a new song to the Lord. Let me suggest changing your complaints to praise.
Why? Because the Lord has done some marvelous things.
It is marvelous that we are studying God’s Word together.
Think about all the blessings God bestowed upon each of us to be
Here now. We made it through the day to be on zoom.
Wouldn’t you agree it is marvelous?
Did you know that God\’s grace and mercy are new each day for you?
Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the Lord\’s great love, we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Every time you think about complaining, draw a line, change it to praise.
Psalms 22:3
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
God does not inhabit your complaints. Want to be close to God?
Just start praising Him.
SOMETHING NEW
Wake up with a praise
Praise Him in front of your co-workers.
Praise Him in front of your boss.
Praise Him on the way to work in heavy traffic.
Praise Him like you are out of your mind.
Listen to what The Apostle Paul wrote;
1 Corinthians 6:12-13
V:12 \”Everything is permissible for me\”-but not everything is beneficial. \”Everything is permissible for me\”-but I will not be mastered by anything.
Draw the line on anything that is not beneficial.
DO WHAT IS BENEFICIAL TO OTHERS
This verse is set in midst of a conversation Paul
had with the Church at Corinth about adultery and prostitution. This was common in Corinth as it is today throughout the world. It is not beneficial to the Lord, the family, or personally.
We have the liberty to do a whole bunch of stuff that is not beneficial
We have access to tons of programs on TV, the internet, YouTube. Much of it is
Not beneficial.
Many of the programs we watch promote destructive behavior that destroys relationships, families, and normal living. Many programs take us down a road away from the Lord.
So where do you draw the line?
As reported by the U.S. Department of Justice, Houston is one of the largest hubs for human trafficking in the nation. … One keynote, not all trafficking victims are people who have come from other countries. Many victims come from within our own United States borders. Jan 15, 2021
This includes child trafficking. We have major highways leading in and out
Of the city in every direction.
Every man, woman, and child has access to this dark world through
The internet on their cell phones, computers, and tablets.
We are probably not aware of how much social media affects our behavior.
Consider the negative aspects of social media
Since it’s a relatively new technology, there’s little research to establish the long-term consequences, good or bad, of social media use. However, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. (from the internet, Social Media Health guide)
Where do you draw the line?
The apostle Paul state that if it is not beneficial, get rid of it.
It all starts with us making grown up decisions.
Research says that on average people spend around 2 1/2 hours a day on these platforms and Facebook is the most popular form. But spending that much time looking at different posts has its up and downsides. “Social media can be used for good or evil, Oct 17, 2021
Very little energy is used during screen time. Most American children spend about 3 hours a day watching TV. Added together, all types of screen time can total 5 to 7 hours a day. May 24, 2021
Screen time and children: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
https://medlineplus.gov › Medical Encyclopedia
To make grown-up decisions you must know what is happening to you and
What is affecting you and your family?
Let me start with me. To relax, I might watch two to three programs on
The TV. Steve Harvey is making money. I am just being entertained.
I am helping all the actors make more money while I am non productive.
When my three grandkids come over, they are all fully vaccinated, they bring their tablets.
The oldest is 9 and the youngest is 5. Nothing we can do can
Compete with their tablets.
We have to force them to turn off the tablets to have a conversation.
It’s all right to be entertained, but too much entertainment can be distractive
From what is beneficial.
Where do you draw the line? If you draw the line, what new line do you
Replace it with?
CAN YOU GIVE THE LORD 2 HOURS OF BIBLE STUDY EACH DAY?
It\’s too bad that we won\’t allow the Bible to captivate us like social media.
The only conversation that is beneficial to us is the Word of God.
We have to decide to remove activities from our lives
that are not beneficial. If a program is not beneficial, turn it off.
We can’t get our kids to do it if we set bad examples.
We are not going to eliminate social media. But tune to programs
that are beneficial.
DON’T BE ENSLAVED BY ANYTHING
The second part of 1 Corinthians 6:12 says this;
Everything is permissible for me\”-but I will not be mastered by anything.
We draw the line on anything that enslaves.
I have been made free through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Anything that takes me away from the Gospel enslaves me.
Did you know that an hour of TV programs have 18 minutes of commercials?
They advertise a prescription for every possible ailment. Some you never heard. of. The side effects of every prescription appear more deadly than the ailment.
People can easily become enslaved to the prescriptions.
My daughter is an Internal Medicine doctor. She says people scream at her
For Not prescribing a prescription they want that is detrimental to their health.
They are more concerned about feeling good than being good.
We are influenced by everything we see and hear.
Relying on the internet for directions, eliminates our trust in God.
What are you enslaved to? Is it TV, family, sports, relationships,
Job, money, possessions, power, habits, or other activities?
Is what you crave drawing you away from Christ?
In Christ, we have the power to do all things that give God glory.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Is what you crave causing you to lose the power of God?
We have the liberty to do all things that are lawful.
Much of what is lawful enslaves.
Where do you draw the line?
Is what you doing helpful to you, the family, or others.
Is what you doing pleasing to God?
We got salvation which is the power of God.
We have to work in our salvation by Faith.
The freedom we have operates on our faith.
James 2:12-13
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
Can we be kind to one another? Can you encourage one who is difficult to be
Around. I believe that it takes more energy to find fault than it does to
Encourage. To find fault, you have to engage the mind in past activities or
What you think someone said or did. If out of the heart flows goodness, it
Will show up in your conversation.
James 2:18
But someone will say, \”You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
Your actions affect the lives of others around you. Give someone something
Good to talk about.
Where do you draw the line? Draw the line on anything that does not edify or
Build up.
SEEK THE GOOD OF OTHERS
V:10.23 \”Everything is permissible\”-but not everything is beneficial. \”Everything is permissible\”-but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his good, but the good of others.
Draw the line on anything that does not build up the body of Christ.
The commission of the Gospel is to go tell everybody about a Jesus who
Can save anybody. Your mission for today and every day is to talk about
Jesus. If Jesus is lifted up, He will draw all men to Himself.
Draw the line on anything that is not good for others.
Social media is a great platform to promote Jesus Christ.
This pandemic has given us a reason to do Church on zoom.
We don’t have to get dressed or leave the house. Just turn on
Your computer or cell phone.
REACH ACROSS THE WORLD WITH A MESSAGE OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Zoom reaches across the world. We have people in our Bible Study
On zoom that are not members of our church. We have people from
Different churches, different states, and different countries.
Use social media to draw people to Christ and lift up others.
I don’t mind you using social medial to tell me where you were when
You went out to eat, what you ate, and who you were with when you ate. But spent some time telling me about the Jesus that gave you the strength and the finances to eat.
We always tip the waiter and complain about the one who cooked the food.
Why don’t we do something new? Praise the waiter and tip the cook and
The dishwasher. People are working behind the scene gets no
Recognition. They can have a bad day too.
People are interested in your Facebook page. Don’t make Jesus a footnote
Or no note at all.
Let people know that Jesus was with you when you went out to eat.
If Jesus is the center of your page, you might not have many friends or many likes.
But somebody will get an encouraging message.
If you like sports, mention the major role Jesus played in the performance.
Some folks will not invite you to the super bowl party. But those who do, will
Want to witness the power of Jesus in the catch, the kick, and the running
Game.
RUN THE RACE FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS
Life is a race to the finish line. Everybody runs at his/her own pace.
Hebrews 12:1-2
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
We must remember, that we are not in this race alone. We affect others
Around us. Like a parent, whatever we do affect our children.
Romans 14:19-20
Let us, therefore, follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Romans 15:1-3
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.
This is a command that will cause a change in my attitude.
Can you imaging getting up in the morning thinking about how
You are going to make your neighbor feel good about him/herself?
Jesus can down from heaven to help us be better people.
His objective was to open the way for us to be acceptable to the Father.
Where do you draw the line in 2022?
FOURFOLD TEST OF WHAT I DO AND SAY
- DOES IT HELP ME GET ALONG IN MY CHRISTIAN LIFE?
- WILL IT ALLOW ME TO REMAIN FREE OR WILL IT BECOME MY MASTER?
- DOES IT BUILD UP OTHERS?
- IS IT PLEASING TO GOD?
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I ENCOURAGE YOU
TO DRAW A LINE FOR CHANGE.
Rev. M. Mitchell
