SERIOUS ACTION: 5 Steps to a Changed Life

So if your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand or one foot than to be thrown into eterna96l fire with both of your hands and feet. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.  Matt. 18:8-9

So it's FRIDAY!!!!  While we are at the end of another blogpost recapping this past Sunday's message on dealing with sin, have you done it?  You know........cut it off, or gouged it out?  See while doing nothing seals your fate, when you decide to take action....well that leads to a changed/better life.  There was this group in the mid-late 90's called Dru Hill from Baltimore that performed a song " 5 Steps (from Heaven) and I'd like to give you 5 Steps to having a better life due to dealing ruthlessly with your OWN SIN:

First you must FEAR APATHY:  Come to the reality that your sin issue is serious, and not down play it.  It's not OK...that you ___________________.  Just ask yourself " If eternity is really a long time.....is it worth me spending it in torment?" As a kid I remember not doing certain things simply because I feared my mom....that healthy fear (respect) kept me and my siblings out of trouble with the law.

Second STARVE WHAT FEEDS YOUR TEMPTATION:  the only way to beat sin, is to flee from it as we are instructed in 1Tim 6:11, 1 Cor. 10:13-14.  Fleeing from it doesn't mean you don't or won't crave it, but like in detox, you have to separate yourself from what has become and addiction and not only that....replace it with something that will fill that hole: Jesus!

Third, BET ON OBEDIENCE:  in scripture we are told 1Sam. 15:22 that OBEDIENCE is BETTER THAN SACRIFICE....so in other words, we all know if we would just do right, we'll reap RIGHTEOUS RESULTS.

Fourth, CRAVE BETTER:  I've seen it many of times...you can take the Israelites out of Egypt, but taking Egypt out of the Israelites is a wholly different subject.   Just look at pop culture...how kids given a golden ticket to a major University or to professional sports really struggle with leaving the ghetto in the ghetto.  Taste buds are really important, they lead to cravings when we taste something that is stimulating.  Taste of the LORD and see that He is good.....become stimulated to crave more of Him.

Lastly BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF/SOMEONE:  If you feel like you are spiritually stagnant.....others already know.   You just need to be real, and as James 5:16 encourages us to do CONFESS YOUR SINS ONE TO ANOTHER, PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER and be HEALED....see your healing hinges on your being REAL and TRANSPARENT. 

My prayer is that you will take the steps necessary to leading and living a life that brings righteousness to you and all those whom God has blessed you to be able to impact and influence.  Your ability to truly put feet to your faith is on WHO DO YOU LOVE?  If you really LOVE GOD, you'll take these FIVE STEPS, and you can't help but then LOVE PEOPLE!  Have a blessed weekend! LGLP