Benescke Janse van Rensburg

In 2016, a Chinese family bought a pet for their daughter. To their surprise the "puppy" started to eat increasingly more every day. Eventually they had to feed him a box of fruit and two bowls of noodles every day. Even greater was the surprise when the “dog” started walking on its hind legs. What the family did not know, was that this was not a dog, but an Asian black bear! The family had to call in the Yunnan Wildlife Rescue Center to remove the dangerous bear from their home.

In our lives, we sometimes get involved with things that seem harmless at first - Whatsapp messages with someone outside your marriage, gambling every weekend, money you take from work that does not belong to you, the sleeping tablets every night . . . We justify it because we believe that we are "in control" of it. Before we know it, the “puppy” suddenly starts to walk on its hind legs and we realize that we are no longer in control.

In Mark 9:43-45, Jesus says: “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into lifemaimed, rather than having two hands and to go tohell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—where their worms do not die and the fire is not quenched.’ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet and to be cast intohell,into the fire that shall never be quenched.” It sounds radical, but Jesus knew the destruction these "puppies" can cause in our marriages, our families and our futures – if we do not get rid of them.

A relationship with God is to, like the Psalmist in Psalm 139, regularly ask God to search our hearts and show us if there are any “puppies” we need to get rid of. Faith is to be obedient and then do what Jesus tells us to do: "Pluck it out. Get rid of it and move on.” Is it easy? Not always, but God is with us and He will strengthen us when we are weak. Let’s trust Him. God bless.

Father God, thank you for strengthening me when I'm weak. Please help me to identify and get rid of any “puppies" in my life. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

• See a picture of the “puppy” that was eventually an Asian Black bear at www.benescke.co.za of the social media page, Stories van hoop.

• Feedback: Please give feedback or share your testimony of God's breakthroughs in your life at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I am looking forward to hearing from you. Benescke