Do you need to perform some radical surgery before something in your life causes you to sin? Do you need to take a scalpel to some habit or attitude or set some boundaries to protect your marriage or someone else’s? And on the subject of marriage, what does the Bible say about divorce? Is it ever allowable for a Christian? What if you’re just not happy or you have fallen out of love? What does God say about these very real issues? Jesus addressed all these things in the “Sermon on the Mount” in today’s New Testament reading.

Are you struggling with any of these questions and concerns or do you know someone else who is? The Bible encourages us to seek help and godly counsel when necessary. So, is it possible a biblical counselor could help? Find out more about what biblical counselors do and how it could be just what you or someone else needs.

Welcome, to “God’s Word Day by Day” where I blog through the Bible in a Year. I hope you’ll join me every day. If you’re not already signed up, you can do it here. This year I’ve added a couple of new features. First, check out the “Free Resources” tab at the top. You’ll find a downloadable, printable PDF with “Going Deeper Study Questions” for each day’s post. And … starting with yesterday’s post, you’ll find the daily “Bible in a Year” posts on YouTube. When you sign up for the daily emails, you’ll receive a link to both the Soul Survival posts here and the YouTube videos. So, why wait? 

Today’s Readings:

Genesis 11 & 12
Psalm 4.1-3
Proverbs 1.28-33
Matthew 5.27-48

Do You Need Some Radical Surgery?

Matthew 5.27-48:

Surgery & Boundaries

There is so much in this section of the Sermon on the Mount.

In Matthew 5.27-30, Jesus talks about plucking out eyes and cutting off hands, what we sometimes refer to as “radical surgery.” He wasn’t advocating self-mutilation. He was using exaggeration to make the point that we need to get rid of things that cause us to sin. We need to take a God-empowered scalpel and do some radical surgery on them.

For example, let’s say you work with someone to whom you feel attracted. Perhaps you start confiding in one another, going to lunch, etc. If either or both of you are married, it’s not appropriate! Time for radical surgery. You need to cut it off, immediately!

We deceive ourselves into believing we’re not doing anything wrong and we can handle it, but it’s one of the snares of the devil. And if it has already gone too far, you need to find another job, get a transfer to another department, or make yourself accountable to someone. And, if you are married and it’s already gone too far, you need to confess it to your spouse (you may need to seek godly counsel about how to do that)! Radical, yes, but that’s exactly what Jesus was talking about here!

I’ve talked to many women and men caught up in sexual immorality. They often say the same thing, “I didn’t mean for this to happen!” But they failed to heed the warnings and do the radical surgery necessary.

When There Isn’t a Problem

If you’re married, discuss these issues not necessarily because there is a problem, but to protect your marriage. Do it because you value your relationship and each other, but especially to glorify God. Set boundaries for yourself; set boundaries as a couple.

Agree to not build friendships, go to lunch, or spend time alone with anyone of the opposite sex. Agree to not have secret passwords or social media accounts. Be open and honest with one another. It’s that simple. And if you’re single, have the same respect for someone else’s marriage. Even if both of you are single, you need to set boundaries and flee from situations where you are tempted to sin.

If you would like to listen to more on radical surgery, you might want to check out Dr. Stephen Lawson’s YouTube video on the subject. I’ve included a link at the bottom of this post. It’s important to remember as we think about the subject that we don’t do these things to earn anything from God. It’s not works righteousness. We should do them because we want to honor God with our lives.

Biblical Divorce

In Matthew 5.31-32, Jesus addresses one of the limited reasons believers can divorce, in this case, for sexual immorality. Paul expands on the subject in 1 Corinthians 7.15 where he says that if an unbelieving spouse leaves or divorces a believer, the believing spouse is not under bondage in such cases. Those are the only two biblical grounds for divorce.

There is no such thing as irreconcilable differences for two genuine believers. If you’re struggling in your marriage or considering divorce, seek out a biblical counselor and go, even if you have to go alone. You can contact the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) to find a counselor near you. God has a plan to use whatever has happened for your good and His glory (Rom. 8.28-29).

That does not mean that a wife (or husband) must simply endure abusive, sinful, or illegal treatment at the hands of her (or his) spouse. God has made provisions in His Word to protect us, but we often fail to take advantage of them (see Matthew 18.15-17; Romans 13.1-4). A biblical counselor can help you make a plan to protect yourself and use the resources God has provided.

Biblical counselors also help with issues like depression, fear and worry, anxiety disorders, addictions, sexual issues, emotional problems, and the whole host of things we deal with in a fallen world. And in most cases, biblical counseling is free of charge.

What is Biblical Counseling?

Perhaps you’ve heard terms like biblical counseling and Christian counseling. Perhaps you have wondered about the difference or maybe you didn’t even realize there is a difference. If you would like more information about biblical counseling, I would encourage you to listen to this short podcast. And if you believe you might benefit from help in some area, you can find a counselor near you on the same website.

The Nature of Biblical Counseling

Loving Our Enemies

In Matthew 5.43-45 Jesus said we are to love even our enemies. Biblical love isn’t primarily a feeling. Jesus is not commanding us to have loving feelings for our enemies but to do the things biblical love requires. A good place to start is with God’s concise definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13.4-8a.

A Note of Caution

And just as God’s commands on marriage and divorce aren’t meant to put anyone at risk, loving biblically doesn’t necessarily mean you should have an ongoing relationship with someone who has abused you (or allow your children to be endangered). Neither does it mean that you don’t take appropriate biblical or legal action. And it doesn’t always mean the removal of all consequences in someone’s life as we talked about yesterday in “When You’re Struggling with Shame.” But it does mean that you should forgive, deal with any anger and bitterness, and pray for him or her.

Allow God to speak to your heart about these issues. Ask Him to help you forgive, seek reconciliation where needed, and love biblically.

Today’s Other Readings:

Genesis 11 & 12:

Let Us Make a Name for Ourselves

In chapter 11 we have the story of the Tower of Babel (vv. 1-9).

Then they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth’ (vv. 3-4).

God had told them to scatter and repopulate the earth; instead, they decided to build a city and a tower to make a name for themselves. The issue was their pride and rebellion against God’s command.

So the Lord confused their languages and forced them to scatter (vv. 7-9).

This was the origin of Babylon, a city synonymous with pagan idolatry and an enemy of God’s people. It would come to symbolize the world’s systems of finance, politics, and religion.

Psalm 4.1-3:

The Lord Who Hears

The Lord will hear when I call to Him (v. 3b).

That simple statement expressed the psalmist’s confidence in the faithfulness of God!

What about you? Do you pray like you believe He hears? And then trust Him with His answer, whether His answer is “yes,” “no,” “not now,” or “I have a better idea”?

Proverbs 1.28-33:

The Fruit of Going Our Own Way

Sometimes when we refuse God’s wisdom, we discover too late that we don’t like the consequences of our choices. God is always faithful to forgive us if we humbly come to Him and ask, but He doesn’t always remove the consequences of our choices.

Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies (v. 31).

How much better it is to choose God’s way from the start.

But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil (v. 33).

This is a great truth for young people who grow up in the church. Often, they know the truth but decide they’re going to try what the world has to offer. Too late they learn that what looks enticing from the outside is not what it appears to be.

Pre-marital sex, for instance, may lure them with its offer of love and excitement, only to reward them with disappointment, heartache, and other consequences that can follow them into their future marriages.

We can’t control every choice our children make, but we can faithfully teach them these truths from an early age, not just in our own words, but from God’s Word, because it is His Word that is “the power of God to salvation” (Rom. 1.16).

Closing Thoughts:

Do you need to do some radical surgery? Is there some area where you have failed to ask for God’s wisdom or where you have been ignoring His warnings?

Could your marriage be better protected by a discussion about boundaries and a commitment to follow through?

Do you need to seek out good biblical counseling in some area of your life?

What has God shown you through today’s readings? Take a minute and share your thoughts.

Coming Up:

As we continue through Genesis, we will read more about Abraham and Sarah and be introduced to Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Rachel, Leah, Esau, and Joseph, just to name a few. We’ll witness sibling rivalry, murder, favoritism, idolatry, deception, manipulation, and revenge. But through it all, we’ll see God’s sovereignty and grace and find hope for the messes we make of our lives (Rom. 15.4).

In the New Testament, we’ll look at Jesus’ outline for prayer, talk about our functional gods, and consider those scary words, “I never knew you!”

I hope you’ll join me and, if you haven’t already,  take the challenge to read through the Bible with me this year. Even though we may do it imperfectly or miss a day here and there, I find when we set it as a goal, we read far more of God’s Word than we would otherwise. I know we all get far too much email these days but having the daily devotion pop up in your inbox each day can serve as a general reminder to get into God’s Word. It goes out at 6 a.m. MST.

You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest, and now listen on YouTube. Just click on the social media icons or go to my YouTube channel. 

Blessings as you grow in Christ,

Donna ♥

Note about this post:

I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer. 

I recently read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”

I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.

Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)

I sometimes LINKUP with these blogs.