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Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Conquering Self, The Enemy Within - The Key to Victory and Righteousness - Matthew 5:29-30

Image result for image of the enemy within
Jesus Himself taught us about the enemy within self.

"29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." - Matthew 5:29-30


Jesus understood that the flesh can be weak.

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." - Matthew 26:41

Paul talked about it too.
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." - Romans 7:18


"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." - Galatians 5:17


The parable of "an ancient old man"

Every evening the Old Man was feeling very tired.

When his assistant asked him why he was tired, he answered:
“I have got much work to do every day:
·         I have two hawks to tame,
·         Two hares to train,
·         One dragon to take care of,
·         One lion with which I fight every day, and
·         A patient to look after

The assistant wanted to know what all this meant.

The two hawks are my eyes, he said, which I must take care of so they won't see anything which will harm me.

The two hares are my legs. I must control them, so they won't lead me to sin.

The two eagles are my hands. I must work with them to earn my living.

The dragon is my tongue. I have to keep it under control.

The lion is my heart. With it I must always struggle.

The patient is my body. I have to take care of it (but not out of self-love) so that my soul can remain in it.


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