a 365 day trip through Matthew with a key thought, prayer, focus verse and contextual verses for each day
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“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
Colossian 2:21-23
Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James 1:14-15
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’”
Matthew 15:18-19 |
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February 25
Shock! - Matthew 5:29-30
"If your right eye causes you to sin, 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 causes you to 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."
Full Text
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 life 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.
Today's Verses with Jesus
(key verses in bold)
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You must not
be guilty of adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that if anyone
looks at a woman and wants to sin sexually with her, in his mind
he has already done that sin with the woman.
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29 If your right eye causes you to
sin, 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. 30 If
your right hand causes you to 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.
31 “It was also said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife
must give her a written divorce paper.’ 32 But I tell you
that anyone who divorces his wife forces her to be guilty of
adultery. The only reason for a man to divorce his wife is if
she has sexual relations with another man. And anyone who
marries that divorced woman is guilty of adultery.
“You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘Don’t
break your promises, but keep the promises you make to the Lord.’
34 But I tell you, never swear an oath. Don’t swear an oath
using the name of heaven, because heaven is God’s throne.
35 Don’t swear an oath using the name of the earth,
because the earth belongs to God. Don’t swear an oath using
the name of Jerusalem, because that is the city of the great
King. 36 Don’t even swear by your own head, because you
cannot make one hair on your head become white or black. 37 Say
only yes if you mean yes, and no if you mean no. If you say more
than yes or no, it is from the Evil One.
(NCV) The New Century Version, (Dallas, Texas:
Word Publishing) 1987, 1988, 1991.
Used by permission.
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