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Daily Inspirational Devotionals
Hard Sacrifices And if your hand … causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. (Matthew 5:30) The hard teachings of Scripture often call for hard sacrifices. Sometimes Jesus does more than step on your toes. Sometimes he gets very, very personal. He calls you to do things that you never expected. He asks you to follow him through doors that you don’t necessarily want to darken. He beckons you to surrender things you hold dear. To give more than you were prepared to give. To suffer more than you were prepared to suffer. To forfeit rights to which you feel entitled. To pay a higher price than you ever imagined it might cost to be a disciple. “So if your eye—even if it is your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away,” says Jesus. “It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:29). I don’t know about you, but I need my eyes. Both of them. I use them every minute of the day. Surely he doesn’t expect me to give them up! “And if your hand—even if it is your stronger 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 be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:30). How fast does Jesus think I could type with just one hand? There’s no way I could do without both of them. Surely he wouldn’t expect that. We all know what Jesus was saying. He wasn’t advocating self-mutilation but was asking for the highest level of self-sacrifice and surrender. He was telling us that if we are really serious about our faith, we will do whatever it takes to remain pure and faithful. Even when it hurts. Even when it’s something we don’t want to give up. Having trouble keeping your eyes pure with a TV in the house? Do you find yourself in a constant battle to keep from watching the wrong kinds of programs? Then maybe it’s time to put the television in the garage. Struggling to keep from thinking about a flirtatious young coworker? Maybe it’s time you put in for a transfer. If something in your life is causing you to sin, you have an obligation to do something about it. To cut yourself free, no matter how painful. It’s a hard teaching but a critical one for those who are serious about their relationship with Christ.
Today’s Reading Matthew 5:29-30 Reflection Are you willing to make the hard sacrifices for Jesus? What sin do you struggle with most? What would Jesus have you give up to overcome it?
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The best-selling Left Behind series has captured the attention of millions of readers, and it has changed lives. It has brought millions of believers the motivation to examine their hearts. Are you ready to embrace eternity? Live each moment as if it could be your last? Your future is more important than your past. Where you are going matters more than where you have been. What you do from this day forward means much more than what you have already done. You may be affected by your past, but you are not defined by it. Not in the eyes of God. What does it mean to embrace eternity? It means grasping each breath as if it could be your last, living life moment by precious moment with your feet planted firmly on earth but your heart aimed squarely at heaven. It means learning to embrace the role of dual citizenship—living in one world while belonging to another. It is a lifestyle of living like there’s no tomorrow and then dying so that your real life can finally begin! This 365-day devotional explores the themes introduced in the Left Behind series—themes of salvation, grace, obedience, and faith. New believers as well as mature believers will find a message of faith that will inspire and motivate daily.
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