Our grandson, Brayden, just had a tonsillectomy today.  He’s had years of earaches and sore throats and it was keeping him from doing what he needs to do.  He has a job to do.  He’s a 3 year old.  He needs to be playing to learn!  If he can’t play, it’s harder for him to learn!  So, the doctor said:

CUT THEM OUT!

Years ago, a friend’s son got sick.  He didn’t get better.  They took him into the doctor, and he rushed him to the hospital…his appendix had ruptured, and the doctor said:

CUT IT OUT!

Twenty-one years ago, I was minding my own business, sitting down on the edge of my bed when something went pop in my knee.  When I got to the doctor, he said my meniscus was torn, and the only way to relieve the pain was to:

CUT IT OUT!

Twenty-two years ago, I was in so much pain with cramping that the doctors had me on narcotics 24/7.  After a month or so, I asked the doctor what we could do to cure the endometriosis, and he said:

CUT IT OUT!!

Jim’s grandmother couldn’t see – cataracts. When she saw the doctor, he said:

CUT THEM OUT!

One of our daughters found lumps in her breasts.  Praise God they were not cancerous, but to make sure the doctor said:

CUT THEM OUT!

Everyone of us, after having the surgeries, were more capable to function.  If we had not cut off the troublesome, infected, blinding item, life would not be the same moving forward…if there was life at all.

Matt 5:29 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.

Matt 5:30 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.

I like my right eye – especially since I am an artist.  I like my right hand – especially since I am right handed! So, they don’t offend me at all!

NKJV takes my excuse away:

“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.”Matt 5:30 NKJV

Jesus talked about the eye causing you to sin, following his dissertation about seeing a woman and lusting after her. Body parts can’t cause us to sin…but IF you have a problem lusting after what you see – cut out your eyes so that you will not have that temptation.  If you have a problem with taking things that are not yours – cut off your hand so that you will not have that temptation.  That used to be the Muslim way of handling thieves! In some areas, they still do!

CUT IT OUT! CUT IT OFF!

Matt 18:8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.”

Matt 18:9 “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.”

This past summer, I had three surgeries on my right foot/ankle.  I ended up actually walking, with out a boot, about 4 to 6 weeks from May 5 through October 30. I spent most of the summer in a wheelchair.  I was not able to drive or take myself to my doctor appointments.  I was at the mercy of anyone that was willing to help me out.  I like my right foot.  I like my left foot.  Two days ago was the first day I’d been able to walk on the beach without a boot of some sort.

Today, I walked on the beach barefoot.
Today, I skipped on the beach, barefoot.
Today, I waded in the water, barefoot!

Today I could stand because when my doctor looked at my ankle on the MRI, he said “we need to cut out the bad stuff, and graft in good stuff.”

Cut out bad stuff so that it can be replaced with good stuff.

I had horse heart grafts in my ankle for two different shredded tendons.

I had shots in my knees to replace the torn, shredded miniscus.

Jim’s grandmother had lens implants that helped her see.

Our daughter has peace that she’s not going to have to fight breast cancer.

My friend’s son had antibiotics to help fight the infection. He did not die.

Brayden will be able to function. He will be healthy.

As a Christian, we are told that if something is causing us to fail, we should cut it off.

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

Eph 4:25-27 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

Col 3:8-9 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

God intends for us to be separated from our sin…

Heb 4:12 For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

We don’t have to cut off our feet, hands or eyes.  God’s point is that sin is so detrimental to our relationship with Him, that it would be better to have the sinning part cut out.  Of course, we know that it is the heart that is deceitfully wicked….and that our heart motivates our hands, eyes, and mouth.(Jer 17:9)

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

When the surgery healed for my knee, I had to go through rehab…I had to believe that I had a ‘new’ knee.

After Nana’s surgery – she had new sight.

After the horse grafts in my ankle, I have a new ankle.

After Brayden’s surgery, I pray he will have new health.

After choosing Christ, and turning away from sin, we are new creatures.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And God does His part, as the great surgeon:

2 Cor 5:18 And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

And then we have the duty to do the rehab:

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Eph 4:23 – 24 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col 3:10 And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Infections can kill, breakdowns can lame, lumps can cause fear, malfunctions can immobilize, but God has provided medical knowledge to remove these, fight these.

Sin maims, lames, immobilizes us as Christians.  There is a passage that even indicates it could keep us out of the Kingdom.

Rehabilitation doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey.  I had to learn to walk with my new ankle step by step.

As Christians, we have to learn to walk as Jesus walked, step by step.

Gal 5:24-25 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Even in our walking – we are NOT ALONE!

Ps 37 : 23-24 The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand.

Is 41:10 Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Is 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Some will say that life is a beach…and I say ‘bring it on’….I pray that I will walk each day of the rest of my life walking with Jesus!

Thank you for joining me in my journey!

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

1. 100 days challenge – moving – check- 60 minutes, 2 mile walk on the beach
2. 100 days challenge- blog – check
3. 90 days Bible Reading – check-I’m in Deuteronomy-will catch up with CDs on the way home.
4. 50 days T-Tapp – check – I did SATI walking – WITH ARMS!
5. 21 days Fasting for Food – check? I have to compromise a little, but I’m staying as total as I can.