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Go the second mile...

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38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’[ f ] 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." What would compel someone to do the exact opposite of what is expected of them? Can you imagine even doing something like what Jesus is asking us to do? It seems outrageous, doesn’t it? Well, it's not outrageous, it’s Christ-like. Jesus looks at what the past culture was, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Then He says to go beyond our vengeful nature and tap into our loving nature. If we are truly in the realm of love, everything we do would be out of love. Love would be dripping from our very pores. We would not even consider repa...

Life is a blessing ...

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Life keeps moving forward, even when you are having a bad day or when things do not go as planned. It doesn't stop to give you a moment to gather yourself, the clock keeps ticking.   The only true refuge is God, our source of strength, wisdom, love and so much more. When you feel exhausted and overwhelmed in every area of your life, it is a sign to pause and draw closer to God. Retreat into His presence and remain there, for He can carry you through the toughest days and turn the good ones into something extraordinary.  In this life... Every day is a blessing Every new person you meet is a meeting with God's creation Every conversation is honored  Every smile is heartwarming Every hug is a delight Every kiss is adored Every kind word or word of encouragement is a manifestation of love Every tear is cleansing Every frustration is a test Every trial is strengthening Every prayer is bonding time between Father and His child I'm only here for ...

Let your Yes be Yes and Your No be No

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33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. - Matthew 5:31-37 Heaven is God's throne and the Earth His footstool, Jesus reiterated this as it was written in Isaiah 66:1 . Can we truly understand the magnitude of that concept? Can we even imagine what that means? If we can, the mere thought of swearing by heaven or earth wouldn't even

Marriage is sacred and binding

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Right after speaking about Adultery, Jesus' next topic, surprisingly, deals with marriage and this is what he has to say in his sermon on the mount in Matthew 5:31-32 : 31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. I can't think of marriage without thinking about my parents. They didn't believe in divorce, for better or worse they stuck it out even when they said they would leave, they stayed together. As children, my brothers, sister, and I growing up, we got to see what a real marriage

Adultery in the Heart

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Can you truly commit adultery in your heart? Well, Jesus said you can and if He said it - it's the truth. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus continues to reveal to us the sins of the heart and how those sins have eternal consequences. Let's continue our bible study on Matthew 5:27-30 . 27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old,[ c ] ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[ d ] 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Firstly Jesus looked at "Do not commit murder." Now he refers to another commandment, "You sh...

Reconcile Before It's Too Late

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Matthew 5: 21-26 continues Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a pure heart. 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,[ a ] and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause[ b ] shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get ou...

Jesus Christ Came to Fulfill

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In Matthew 5:17-20 , during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reveals the purpose of His coming: 17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. The word fulfill means to accomplish, complete, or realize. Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill what was written in both the law and the prophets. Therefore, we cannot ignore what was written in the Old Testament. Instead, Jesus is showing us that everyth...