Subtopic "Fatal Attraction"

Psa.27:4 "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple."

St. Mark 9:43-48 "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:(vs44)Where the worm dieth not, and the fire that never shall be quenched:(vs45)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: (vs46)Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.(vs47) 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:(vs48) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

PREMISE

The Pulpit Commentary on page 31, comment on St. Mark 9:43-44 BETTER DIE THAN SIN "Christ is speaking here of injuries which we may do ourselves or others. Most men guard themselves carefully against physical injury. They insure against accidents, avoid miasma, and attend to the first appearance of the external assault, but is unsuspicious of treachery within. In a moral sense, it may often be said "A man's foes are they of his own household". The allusion to the hand, the foot, and the eye indicate that the causes of sin are found in our nature; that evil is natural to us as the use of these members. Sins spring from within:"Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts". When acts are repeated, habits are formed which become part of ourselves. Then these habits are allowed for and excused by others, so that we no longer get our attention directed to them as otherwise we might do, and notoriously regarded as a personal peculiarity. Yet though it seems a part of ourselves, God says, "Cut it off and cast it from thee". 

Subtopic: "Accept What God Allows"

Text St. Mark 14:32-36 "And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.(vs33) and he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; (vs34) And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. (vs35) And he went forward a little , and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. (vs36) And he said, Abba Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt."

PREMISE

The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.16, pages 271-272, a comment on St. Mark 14:32-36  1."Thy Will Be Done!" Is To Be the Abiding Desire Of Our Hearts. The habitual contemplation of the Divine  will is likely to lead us to desire its fulfillment. We shall see, if faintly, the wisdom, the goodness, the pure purpose, which that will expresses. It is a desire for the Divine Father to do and carry out his own will in his own house on earth, "as it is in heaven." Seeing God in all things, and having entire confidence in the unsullied wisdom and unfailing goodness of the Father on high, it desires both that he should do his own will in all things, and that by all that will should be sought as the supreme law. It knows no good outside of the operation of that will. Within its sphere all is life, and health, and truth, and goodness; without is darkness and the region of the shadow of death.