What is Lust?
Matthew 18: 9 “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.
Should We Pluck out Our Eye?
Why does Jesus paint this shocking picture [in Matthew 18:9]? I believe He wants us to take radical steps, to do whatever is necessary to deal with sexual temptation.
Today’s scripture is a good reminder for me to do a little “house” cleaning in my heart.
Now, the hand(see verse 8) and eye are not the causes of sin. A blind man can still lust and a man without a hand can still steal. *BUT the EYE is a means of access for both godly and ungodly input.
* And the HAND is a means of performing righteous or sinful acts.
We must therefore govern what the eye looks at and the hand does.
If we take Jesus seriously, we need to think far more radically about sexual purity.
The Battle is too intense, and the stakes are too high to approach PURITY casually or gradually.(1Thessaloinians 4)
Some men fall into “mental adultery” through lingerie ads, billboards, women joggers in tight pants, women with low cut blouses or short skirts, cheerleaders or dancers, movies, TV shows, and commercials of the beer-and-bikini variety. Some men’s weakness is the Sunday newspaper’s ad inserts or nearly any magazine.
So, STOP looking. And then stop putting yourself in the position to look!
**It’s a SIN to deliberately put ourselves (men and women) in a position where we’ll likely commit sin.
* Whether it’s the lingerie department, the swimming pool, or the workout room at an athletic club, Bar, Business Trip, Certain Meetings – if it trips you up, stay AWAY from it.
*Sound drastic? Compare it to gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand!
Romans 6:18 tells us we are to be slaves of righteousness and put away the man of sin. Not to partake in sin just a little bit. We are told to amputate or radically remove our thoughts or events rather than partake of them slightly. **The things which hold us back from the kingdom of god should be removed!
Prayer reaches where no flesh can reach, prayer is powerful, prayer makes things happen. We must truly stand up and take our rightful places and stand in the gap for those who are not reconciled to the Father, use
the gifts that God has place inside you and be ministers of reconciliation, BUT -BUT-BUT FIRST seek YE first the Kingdom of God and abide in the vine (Jesus).
Nothing else matters to God except we become what He has designed us to be. We are a seed that should be planted in our present. We learn to grow, serve. Don’t be afraid of the process. What is painful is necessary. It’s happening because of who We ARE in CHRIST.
The Lord will reveal strongholds that have kept you from living in victory, but YOU must ASK for that revelation.
YOU must SEEK the Lord for Truth, Understanding and “Complete Freedom”.
God has made a way for us ALL, no matter what the sin.
The blood of Christ was payment received for YOUR liberty in every phase of kingdom life.
Use this time to break away from ALL that has kept you from a deeper Personal Relationship with our Father and life in abundance.
*John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
IF WE claim Christ lives in our hearts. Have WE really taken in his Spirit; and in so doing, taken on his purpose?
(Four stages of purpose: (1)Preparation (2)The planting stage (3)The growth stage(it ends when you get what God wants you to get) (4) The harvest stage).
*Do my daily moments breathe his purpose and plan to bring life?
* Do I surrender every moment to that end of laying down my will and my plans?
*Will I follow his plan to bring life?
* Will I live out actions that create life, and grow love?
*Will I allow the actions of my life to create an attitude of LOVE as an image of Christ in the world I get to walk through each day?
Father I bless your name today. I bring you praise, glory and honor. I thank you
Lord for all your love and kindness, your mercy and your grace. Lord Jesus, I thank you for bringing me back to right standing with the Father. I thank you Lord for the sacrifice you made for my life. I thank you Lord Jesus for taking my place because I know that all that you suffered should have been my lot, it should have been me Lord and I thank you. I thank you Lord for the sacrifice you made for me.
I love you Lord. Lord I ask that you will use me as a vessel to bring others into
right standing with the Father. Use me Lord to touch those that don’t know you, and I pray right now Lord that you will soften their hearts to truly hear your word, feel your love and be excepting of your wonderful gift of salvation. Touch their minds Lord clear their minds of all cloudiness cause the mouth of the enemy to be shut and cause your sweet soft voice to be heard. Open the eyes of their hearts
Lord to see you. I thank you Lord and praise you for the restoration and reconciliation of whole families to yourself. I thank you Lord for salvation to entire cities to entire states, to entire countries I lift them all up before you Lord and shout “Salvation Comes, In Jesus name!” I praise you Lord. In Jesus name I pray. Amen