Three life hindrances

I don’t have much to say about today’s study – what Selwyn has to say is fairly obvious - when he expresses the idea that ‘if we are to be disciplined disciples then we must learn not only to discipline our time but to discipline our whole approach to life.’

I like the way he ties the hand, foot and eye together – in regards to Matthew 18:8; ‘ … if it causes you to sin, cut it off (metaphorically).’ The points he makes are:

• The hand is part of you that takes hold of what you want. It grasps. Don’t take hold of anything unless you are prepared for that thing to take hold of you.
• The foot is what you use to approach the thing desired. Don’t walk towards something unless you are willing to take hold of that thing and have it take hold of you.
• Don’t toy with your feelings. The eye looks at the thing you approach and the heart covets. … Your first see then seek. Those who think they can indulge themselves at the point of seeing and pull back at the point of seeking are only fooling themselves.

I think the last point is a good one – it can apply to many areas – especially pornography (which can be expanded to cover Internet chat rooms, mobile phone messages and the like). I’m sure Satan likes to fool people that they can go so far and then ‘safely’ pull back – he just keeps moving the point of pulling back – closer and closer to the object of desire. What do you think?

Do you agree with Selwyn’c conclusion; ‘Discipline the beginnings and the ends will take care of themselves’ ?