Self Discipline
Mark 9:43 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:
Self discipline is the ability to control yourself and to make yourself work hard or behave in a particular way without needing anyone else to tell you what to do,
You exercise self discipline if there is a goal you want to accomplish, but you just can’t seem to follow through? Maybe you know exactly what you need to do, but just can’t seem to do it? Maybe there is a standard you need to set, but your weakness seems to be an obstacle.
Self discipline is the ability to exercise power over one's self and the ability to put one's self under control.
Being saved in Christ gives us a new nature of righteousness and holiness which makes us walk through the journey to eternal life.
Though we have been aligned with Christ and not of this world again, but we are still in the world, this makes us not immune to the temptations of the flesh and the tricks of the devil that can make us lose the eternal kingdom God has purposed for us.
Jesus was teaching His disciples on the cost that must be paid in other not to lose the glorious home being prepared for us, he thought on the parts of the body that can defile the whole body and makes the soul end up In Hell.
Mark 9:43 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: 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched
With the hand, Eve committed a sin, she touched the forbidden fruit she was not supposed to eat. Jesus' illustration gave a clearer picture that, it would have been better for mother Eve to lose those hands and still live in the glory of God, than to have both hands and being sent out of the garden and subject the whole body to death.
9:45 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: 9:46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
With our feet, we walk up to the path of sin, if our legs should be a means through which we will not get to the kingdom of God, then we should lose it and gain eternal life.
Genesis 34:1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
Dina walked down to the place of temptation and sin, and she got her life defiled by it, the purpose of God for her life got destroyed.
9:47 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:
With our eyes we became seduced to sin, many sin that man commit today comes from the lust of the eyes, Jesus was teaching that it is better to lose those eyes and gain heaven than to have full sight and end in Hell.
It was with the eyes King David saw Bathsheba, he lust after her nakedness and sinned, the consequences was great.
Jesus said, it is better to lose what is temporal in a bid to gain what is eternal. Avoiding every forms of sin that can hinder us from the kingdom of God.
Discipline yourself now, bring your body unto subjection so you can gain the best of God...
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Self discipline may seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it will yield an expected end.
Discipline yourself in this world of sin, so you can gain an eternal life of righteousness.
God bless you.
Prayer key:
1. Lord, thank you for the gift of another day in Jesus Christ name.
2. Lord, help me to discipline myself to your Will in Jesus Christ name.
3. Lord, help me not to lose my place in your kingdom to come in Jesus Christ name.
4. Thank you Lord for answered prayers in Jesus Christ name. Amen.