Daily Bread 1-31-18

The Sermon on the mount(cont'd)

Matthew 5:27,28

27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already with her in his heart.

ref. - Pr 6:25 - Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

Eph 5:5 - For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Now we see that it the only way to find our inheritance in the kingdom is to cleanse our own hearts and minds from uncleanness. Can we do this? No. But Jesus can. In the time that this was written there was a big change coming about. The people were being told to look deeper into themselves than ever before. Christ was not there to help them limp along, he was there to help them progress. He knew that what they were doing and what they had in them would not please his Father and he was trying to show them the way. So, into deeper righteousness and in deeper commitment he was taking them. Only a few would follow out of all that heard, but that is the way it was. That is also the way that it is today. Only a few truly believe that there can be an inner transformation and that we can Iive a life that is pleasing to God. And this is why the harvest is plenteous and the laborers are few. This is why there are many called but few chosen. We have to cross over, Brothers and Sisters, from a carnal standpoint to a Spiritual one. We must call on God in Jesus' name to help us to purify ourselves from our inner most being. If this occurs, then it will begin to shine through on our outer parts as well, but until the thoughts are taken from our minds and our hearts are made pure(sanctification), we will always have that sin in us. And, according to the gospel that we have been given and the commandments that Christ gave us, we must not only refrain from the actions of sin but also the thought of it. A hard task for the carnal man, but if we cross over to the Spiritual man, it is just a prayer away!! Have a great day!!!