DCLM DAILY MANNA 23 MAY 2021 — WHATEVER IT WILL TAKE
TOPIC: Whatever It Will Take (DCLM Daily Manna 23 May 2021)
TEXT: MARK 9:42-50
42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
KEY VERSE: “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched” (MARK 9:43).
MESSAGE:
“Desperate situations”, they say, “require desperate actions”! There are times that actions that are considered strange or extreme are taken in order to salvage a situation. This is more pronounced when the life of a person is involved. In battling to save the life of a critically ill person, it is sometimes considered wise and expedient to cut off part of the diseased body that is seen as a threat to the survival of the individual. When this is seen as the last and best option to help the person stay alive, every other reasoning is put aside and what will matter most is to keep him alive.
In this passage, Jesus talks about the wisdom of taking such desperate action that will be required to save one from suffering eternal death in the burning fire of hell! He considers escaping hell as a desperate situation that requires a desperate action. One must do whatever it will take to escape such place of everlasting torments, even if it amounts to losing something as precious as one’s hand, leg and eye! Whatever it is that can constitute a spiritual nuisance to anyone and can serve as an impediment to escaping hell must be jettisoned.
Christ’s teaching reveals that hell is real and must be avoided at all costs. It also shows that it is such a terrible and horrible place of eternal torments. Therefore, whatever may seem useful to us now but will eventually lead us into hell must be done away with. No possession, position or relationship should be considered too precious to give up if such poses a danger to our spiritual life. Escaping hell is a personal responsibility every believer owes himself.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Fix your gaze on Jesus everyday of your life.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 SAMUEL 6-7
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
