Cut It Out!

“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. Matthew 18:8

Cut off your hand or foot! What is Jesus saying here? Often when Jesus spoke he got peoples attention. He knew how to make a point, so is Jesus instructing us to literally cut off our hands and feet? No of course not, its symbolic for cutting out our sin

Satan plants many stumbling blocks to trap us into sin, drugs, alcohol, pornography, greed, these are all stumbling blocks that cause us to lose our soul. Jesus is saying Cut Them Out! Cut out the temptations that are causing you to sin, for its better to live without the temporary pleasures of this world then spend an eternity condemned.

“If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. Matthew 18:9

Jesus goes on to say the same thing, whatever sin is causing you to stumble, Cut it out! Its better to suffer in this temporary world than to lose your eternal salvation with God. But many people continue to “live like there is no tomorrow” but for Christians there is always a tomorrow, as death is not the end but just the beginning!

Don’t lose your soul for temporary pleasures, Cut them out in Jesus Name Amen!

Who Do You Say I AM?

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15

Who do you say Jesus is? This is what Jesus wants to know, he is not interested in what you heard from your pastor or what you read online, he wants to know what do you think? In your heart, mind, and soul who do you say Jesus is?

This is what Jesus asked his disciples, they began echoing thoughts and rumors they heard from around them. They said we heard you were John the Baptist resurrected, some were saying you are the prophet Jeremiah, others are saying you are the prophet Elijah, but Jesus doesn’t care about hearsay , he wants to know what do you really think!

Do you believe Jesus is just another prophet or do you believe Jesus is the Son of the living God? Doesn’t matter what your friends or family think , what do you think? When you have to stand before him face to face, who do you believe you will be looking at?

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:16-17

Finally Peter had the boldness to declare what is in his heart, he declared Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God. How could Peter have known this? Jesus never revealed this to Peter, all the rumors about Jesus were wrong.

It was revealed to Peter by the Holy Spirit, Peter maybe couldn’t explain it but he knew Jesus is the Messiah, God in the flesh. How do you say Jesus is in your heart?  Jesus doesn’t want to know what you were taught, he wants to know what is in your heart? Amen

Form Of God

Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, Philippians 2:6

Jesus existed in the form of God, these are the words from the Apostle Paul inspired by The Holy Spirit. Here is a clear example of the teachings of how Jesus is God in the flesh. Its pretty clear what Paul is revealing to us, the more amazing thing is, even though Jesus was God in the flesh he denied himself to be a Suffering Servant and pay the ransom for our sins.

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:7

Jesus emptied himself, meaning he denied all his power and authority , to become the sacrificial lamb. If people want to know why do I love Jesus so much, or talk about him so much, just read and understand what these scriptures are telling us. God loved you enough, to come down in human form, to save your life!

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

Jesus had a mission, to bring truth and save our souls. Was it an easy mission? The mission was so impossible that only God himself could accomplish it. The agony of thinking about his obedient death on the cross, made him sweat blood, but Christ did it for us anyway!

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, Philippians 2:9

There is no name above the name of Jesus! God in the flesh, who became the servant for you! Come to the cross and worship the name above all names Amen!

Deny Yourself

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. Luke 9:23

When we look at Christianity today, it has become the exact opposite of what Jesus taught. Preachers have not become more like “self help” salesmen rather than ministers of God. Everyone is looking for “ their best life now”, looking for prosperity and fame.

Jesus is telling us to “Get over ourselves”, stop worrying or pursing the things of this world. Give up the lust for the things of this world and pursue righteousness with God. This is obviously hard for many to do as we are carnally minded. But until we “Deny Ourselves” we can’t become a true Christian

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. Luke 9:24

Jesus even goes one step further, if you continue to live carnally minded for the world, you will lose your life. The only way to gain eternal life, is to be crucified with Christ. Most people when they see the cross, they only see Christ on their. However we must all become crucified and resurrected to be “Born Again”

If you want eternal life, you must lose this carnal life first. You can’t live in the flesh and expect to walk in The Spirit.  Take up your cross daily, humble yourself, be willing to suffer for the Kingdom of God is at hand in Jesus Name Amen!

Not Of This World

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15

Do you ever feel out of place in this world? Feel like you just don’t fit in? This isn’t a bad thing, as anyone who loves this world doesn’t love God. What does this mean exactly? Does this mean we shouldn’t care about the planet? No this is speaking symbolically of the things or lust of this world. You look at our culture, the music and movies, it’s a filled with immorality. The world lives for the flesh and the spirit

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 2:16

Pride and lust don’t come from God, they come from Satan. They are used as traps to enslave us in sin and death. Fix your eyes on Jesus and not on the things of this world. For the things of this world are temporary, but the kingdom of God is eternal

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

So what should we do as Christians? Should we just live in a cave, separated totally from society? Jesus has called us to be the light and salt of the world, how can we do this if we don’t associate with the world? Be a good example for people, show them the resurrection power of Christ living through you! Be a testimony! But dont conform to the evil ways of this world, be transformed in Jesus Name Amen!