Walking Worthily As an Amputee

"... Let's not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to live a morally pure life, here's what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment you catch it in a lustful leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral trash pile. And you have to chop off your right hand the moment you notice it raised threateningly. Better a bloody stump than your entire being discarded for good in the dump." (Matthew 5:27-30, The Message)

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A few Sundays ago, we received a message entitled Endeavor to Walk in the Unity.

That evening I watched an episode of I Survived on the Biography Channel. This series "allows survivors to explain, in their own words, how they overcame unbelievable circumstances -- offering insight into what got them through the experience that changed their lives forever."

This TV program contains subject matter that can be disturbing to some viewers. The survivors and their testimonies are awesome and amazing to say the least.

The Holy Spirit leads me there to show me His truth.

In this particular episode, a man recounted how his body got caught in a drilling machine. He was working in a field all alone that day. He was miles away from anyone. No one could help him.

He had two choices. Cut off his leg to free himself and live or do nothing and die.

He chose to be free and live. He cut off his leg.

It was no coincidence that Sunday's message, the TV program, and the scripture above were given to me by the Spirit.

To walk in unity with Christ by His Spirit, we are going to have to amputate things in our lives as the Spirit leads so that we can walk worthily of our high calling in Jesus, in unity in Him.

No one in Christ is exempt.

Just as no one can come to the Father except by Him.

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Scripture taken from The Message. ©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.