When Jesus preached to take out the eye that sins, he is effectively preaching to us to take out the wicked thoughts that are in our hearts.
Be good for God’s sake.
“… pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:11-12 NIV
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds. Matthew 11:18-19
You too are the bearer of good news. The message of Jesus is in you. That is why, according to the apostle Paul, you have beautiful feet (Romans 10:15).
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Ps 16:7-8
The Greek word for ‘to forgive’ also means ‘to liberate’. Jesus came to liberate you by the power of his Holy Spirit. You are liberated to love as God loves you. Forgiveness is at the heart of every relationship. It is the essence of love.
God is love. We deceive ourselves if we think we can love God and hate other people (1 John 4:20). Love should be number one on your spiritual priority list. It should be the main thing in your life. It is, in the words of St Paul, ‘the most excellent way’ (1 Corinthians 12:31).
Laughter medicates the soul and alleviates the tension of those times; it requires us to step outside our present pain and adjust our focus. This in itself is a healing balm. ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine’ (Proverbs 17:22 KJV).
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Ps 139:23-24
But the light of the gospel has never gone out. The light of Jesus will always outshine the darkness around (John 1:5). You have that light within you by the Holy Spirit and wherever you go you bring a light greater than the darkness around you.
Every morning I say, “Father, this is going to be a great day. I thank you that I have discipline, self-control; that I make good decisions. I may not have done what I could have yesterday, but that day is gone. I’m going to do better today.”
But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 1 Corinthians 12:18-20
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. “ Matt 5:43-45
The Bible says, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…overcome evil with good’ (Romans 12:20-21 NIV). Will that change your enemy? Maybe, and maybe not. But it will change your attitude, and God will bless you for it.
You can finish well. You may have had a bad start in life. You may have messed up along the way. You may have made mistakes. You may have regrets. But you can finish well and that is what matters most.
God wants our struggles to strengthen us. Paul writes: ‘We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart. Good people have good things in their hearts…so they say good things…evil people have evil in their hearts, so they say evil things’ 34-35 NCV
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 1 John 2:9
‘He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.’ All God asks is that you give Him a chance. Start by taking time to search His Word to find out how He feels about you.
‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.’ Revelation 3:20
‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.’ John Wesley
Often the toughest times in life are those moments when all we know about God doesn’t seem to help or get us the results we want. That’s when we learn about His silence. Whenever God doesn’t say a word, He’s teaching, even in stillness.
‘The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace’ (v.11). Psalm 29
Peace in a busy world and strength to carry out all that I need to do today.
Jesus said, ‘Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16 NIV). In other words, people should be able to look at you and see the God who lives within you.
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Romans 2:1
Fear tells you that you will not be able to cope. Faith tells you that your Father in heaven knows when you will need strength to cope and he will supply all you need just in time. God will arm you with the strength that you need for whatever lies ahead.
I’ve been blessed to have what I have, and even when I had very little I was grateful. For one that does much with very little earns the right to do well with more.
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16:10
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”
Romans 12:3 NIV
‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.’ 1 Peter 3:15
Knowing that He always loves you, walks with you, defends you, supports you, and has promised to bless you in all that you do is what casts out your fear.
‘‘Perfect love casts out fear.’’
1 John 4:18 NKJV
Jesus was ‘filled with compassion’. Out of love for the people he wanted to bring them first the good news of forgiveness. But it was not just words. He also acted to heal the sick and to drive out demons. Marks 1:39-42
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Ch 7:14
“I will give them a new heart and a new mind. I will take away their stubborn heart of stone and will give them an obedient heart. Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
Ezekiel 11:19-21 GNBDC
‘When he [God] spoke, I was strengthened…’
If you are feeling, like Daniel, that your strength is gone and can hardly even breathe, you too can hear the voice of God today, saying, 'Do not be afraid… Peace... Be strong now, be strong.’ Daniel 10:19
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment…”Matt 5:21-22