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\ / WHAT JESUS DID! -- http://www.heartlight.org/
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Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Shock!
"If your right eye makes you sin, then take it out and throw
it away. It is better to lose one part of your body than to
have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand
makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to
lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go
into hell."
-- Matthew 5:29-30 (ERV)
KEY THOUGHT:
Although treated as an antiquated concept in much of Western society,
sin is very much a concern to Jesus. Sin is dangerous because it harms
us in our walk with God. Sin is dangerous because, through us, it can
cause others to sin. Sin is dangerous because our sin directly hurts
others. Sin is disastrous because it separates us from God. Jesus
wanted to get his disciples' attention. He wanted us to know that sin
is horrid and dangerous. So he uses language that is best described as
hyperbole to shock us into realizing that we must deal with sin in our
lives. We must deal with it seriously and get rid of it. Jesus
elsewhere emphasizes that sin is what comes from the heart and causes
the actions on the outside. It seems to me unwise to think he is
speaking literally here since he goes to great lengths to emphasize
that mere external changes don't create lasting change in us. What is
needed is an internal change that works itself out into the external
lifestyle. Just because God is gracious doesn't mean he takes sin
lightly. We must never presume upon grace and use it as an excuse to
keep falling back into the same old sinful failures. Jesus wants us to
deal with the sin in our lives today.
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Holy and righteous Father, I do not want to take my own sin lightly.
Neither do I want to let it defeat me. Please empower me to put to
death the misdeeds of the body as you promised. Please help me keep
from taking my sin lackadaisically. In Jesus' name. Amen.
>> NEW: Phil's What Jesus Did devotional is now
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>> The WJD! web page has related scriptures and the
>> full text of today's key passage. Read it at:
http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/matthew/0225-wjd.html
>> For further study of today's passage, use our
>> online Bible study site: SearchGodsWord.org!
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Matthew+5:29-30&sr=1&t=erv
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