"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit
adultery.' But I tell you that anyone
who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his
heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out, and throw it away. It
is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be
thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and
throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your
whole body to go into hell."
Good Thursday Evening, my dear brothers and
sisters. Thursday and the day we pray for churches, schools and
families.
Also please pray for the family of Dave and Karen
Enloe (Dave is one of the Enloe men). Karen's brother was killed when hit by
car in a hit and run accident last evening. Please pray for the family. Pray
for Billie Jo Ritchey, traveling protection for Tom Sansoni and his group as
they leave for the "Holy Lands". Also for Charles, Janet and McDuff Wotring as
they are traveling in their Antique Bus motor home.
It's The Law 3: Matthew 5:27 - "You have heard that it was
said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that
anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in
his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out, and throw it
away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole
body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it
off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than
for your whole body to go into hell." (NIV)
Don't you just love how Jesus teaches and also sets examples
of how we should live? Let's look at the scripture of today and we know that one
of the ten commandments is "Do not commit adultery." But here Jesus is telling
us even more. He is telling us men that if we look at a woman with lust we have
already committed adultery, but let's not mistake that for looking at a woman as
you talk to her or even telling them how nice they are dressed, or you like
their hair if you notice a change. Or even building people up by saying
something like "you look nice today." And men, have you ever had a woman tell you
something like, "hey, look in my eyes not down there" as your eyes dropped to
check out some cleavage? And yes, I plead the fifth on that one. Let's face it, guys, when someone dresses like that, we men tend to take a look. Again, Jesus
is telling us not to look in lust, which to me would mean looking at them with
bedroom eyes. And while Jesus was talking about men and using men as the
example, women, you are not harmless in this. I have seen women taking a good
long look at a man's "tush" as they walk past.
So now, what is the example of gouging one's eye out or cutting
off a hand? Jesus does not want you to take an eye out or cut off a body part,
but He is showing us a very strong example of how bad hell was/is/will be. Now
you can just think about how bad it would hurt and how hard to live without one
hand, and if you just wacked it off think of the pain, and compare that with the
pain of hell, so we know that the pain of hell must be really, really bad, and
remember it goes on forever and ever. Again Jesus is also giving us great
quotes and great "talking points" for us to take to the world as we tell the
good news. So how do we tie this into good news? Think about it, is it not
good news if people tell others the pain of hell? Think about it, we do not
know the pain of hell, and we pray we never will, but since we do not know the
pain of hell, we surely can relate to the pain of the loss of a body part. If
you can't, then talk to a veteran who has given up a limb or limbs for their
country. (Thanks veterans, THANK YOU JESUS.)
Dear Father in Heaven, forgive us of our sins and our sinful
thinking, and help us not to lust for others. Be with the Enloe families, and
also Karen Enloe's family. Please comfort them in the loss of a loved one.
Please heal those on our daily prayer list per your will. Even, Lord, when we do
not list them daily, please, You know our needs and ask Your will be
done. Please grant safety to those on the road and in the air. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Now go forth and share your blessings. Love ya, Pastor
Dan.
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