Maimed, but saved

Mat 5:29 “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.
Mat 5:30 “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.

Both the right hand and the right eye are extremely important in the bible. Jesus is saying you have to value your sanctification and your access into eternity with Him far more than even things that are “vital” to your natural life. I have recently bumped up the level of protection on my internet content filter from what’s called a “blacklist,” blocking what’s known to be bad but letting everything else in, to a “whitelist,” which only allows you to access the web sites that you specifically allow. I did this after I wasted a lot of time last saturday surfing the web.

Scripture references:

Right eye:

1Sa 11:2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, “On this [condition] I will make [a covenant] with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel.”
[ Zec 11:17 "Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock! A sword [shall be] against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither, And his right eye shall be totally blinded.”

Right hand:

Gen 35:18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. [Benjamin = "Son of the right hand"]
Gen 48:14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid [it] on Ephraim’s head, who [was] the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh [was] the firstborn.
Exd 15:6 “Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
Deu 33:2 And he said: “The LORD came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand [Came] a fiery law for them.
1Ki 2:19 Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king’s mother; so she sat at his right hand.
Job 40:14 Then I will also confess to you That your own right hand can save you.
Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me; Because [He is] at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Psa 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence [is] fullness of joy; At Your right hand [are] pleasures forevermore.

(more verses…)

The meaning of lust

Mat 5:27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.‘
Mat 5:28 “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust¹⁹³⁷ for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

From the Strong’s Concordance:

G1937
ἐπιθυμέω
epithumeō
ep-ee-thoo-meh’-o
From G1909 and G2372; to set the heart upon, that is, long for (rightfully or otherwise): – covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).
(emphasis added)

I’ve been meditating and praying through Matthew 5, and the Lord is showing me the link between lust, adultery and idolatry. When we look at a person or an image to lust, we are worshiping that image, we’re setting our hearts upon that image or person instead of the Lord. Epithumeo comes from two greek words, epi, which means upon, and thumos, which means passion, or literally, “breathing hard.”

Overcoming the world

 Jhn 16:33     These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Rom 12:21     Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
1Jo 2:13     I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him [who is] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.
1Jo 2:14     I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him [who is] from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
1Jo 4:4     You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1Jo 5:4     For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.
1Jo 5:5     Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Rev 2:7     “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ‘
Rev 2:11     “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ‘
Rev 2:17     “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives [it].” ‘
Rev 2:26     And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations–
Rev 3:5     He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Rev 3:12     He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And [I will write on him] My new name.
Rev 3:21     To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Rev 17:14     These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those [who are] with Him [are] called, chosen, and faithful.”
Rev 21:7     He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Passion for Jesus

I just got back home from a five-day trip to IHOP-KC.

While nothing can compare to what the Lord did in my life during my first IHOP trip, this (fourth) trip was definitely a blast, and the Lord blessed me and spoke to me in so many ways. It really amazes me how clearly I hear Him when I’m up there. I was there for the “Passion for Jesus” conference, but I skipped all the breakout sessions for more Prayer Room time, and I also stayed an extra day there, returning today (Monday) instead of yesterday (Sunday). The trip ministered to me in more ways than I can write about, and I was so blessed by the prophetic team. I am looking forward to visiting there more often. I’m not exactly sure what took me so long to return there (hadn’t been there in six months).