So, this past weekend at C3 in the Park (a worship service put on by our church targeted at the young adults in the area) we looked at Mark 9:42-47. The next day, in our precepts study on 1 John, we had to read Matthew 18:7-9 as part of our homework. 

First off, I love how sneaky God is...I mean that in the best way. Lol. It's just awesome how He will make sure that you truly get whatever it is He's trying to tell ya. 

Anyway, in case you don't have your Bible near by, Matthew 18:7-9 says this:

Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

Okay, so in our precepts study, we were trying to see how this passage parallels what 1 John 2 says.  And during our discussion, someone brought up some guy that was trapped (under a boulder I believe). In order to get out and save his own life, he chopped off his own arm (I'm pretty sure it was his arm). Try and imagine that. Imagine cutting off your own arm so that you could live.

Now, after talking about this during the study, something dawned on me. This guy cut off his arm to save his life. His physical life. I think that if we were in a similar situation, no matter how hard or scary it may be, we'd do everything within our power to save our own lives. We'd have all the courage in the world if it meant we didn't have to die, right? Well, at least I think I would.

So if a life-threatening situation like that could cause one to cut off a limb, how much more courageous do we need to be in regard to our eternal life? 80 some-odd years on this earth is nothing compared to an eternity after death.

As believers, we are called to holiness. We are called to live lives pleasing to our Father. So, that means we need to cut off the "limbs" that are hindering us from our walk. Whether it be people, television shows, music, activities, etc., we should let them go. We can't continue our walk with Jesus if we're stuck in the pleasures of the world. The Bible's quite clear on that.

I'm starting to get rid of some things in my life that aren't helping me live a Christian life. It's not easy. But whoever said following Christ was easy? A little sacrifice on our part doesn't even begin to compare to the sacrifice He made.

Please pray that God helps me with this, because like I said before, it's not easy. I'll be praying for whoever's reading this, praying that you get rid of any unhealthy "limbs" so that you can be walking with Christ.

Good night,
Ciara