SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS IS A TWO SIDED COIN !

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who simply Refuses to acknowledge that God Exists ? Perhaps their perspective is that Nature or some “scientific theory” trumps any idea of a Supreme Being or Creator. Once this simple explanation, although far from “simple” is espoused, it becomes Much Easier to focus on SELF. Self Reliance, Self Wisdom, and Self Rule. In studying 2 Corinthians 4, it was interesting to read the Apostle Paul’s message to the people of Corinth concerning God’s Word and The Gospel. Paul specifically talks about the Gospel he preaches being “Veiled” to those who are perishing. He further explains that “the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the Image Of God.” He continues, telling them, “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of the darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s Glory in the face of Jesus Christ.” The god of this world is clearly satan. It should not surprise us as Believers and Followers Of Christ that satan would strive to keep God’s Light out of the Hearts Of Men. Satan has come to deceive, lie, and Destroy. Is there any better way to do this than to keep a person’s Heart and Mind “Veiled” from God’s Light and Truth ? I see so many people who will not even entertain a conversation about Jesus without a meltdown. It takes many forms; often denial, ridicule, and a deflection to the offensive, racist, blame game. I find it amazing that a heartfelt sharing of Faith and Hope could bring forth such emotional condemnation and uncontrollable discourse….yet it becomes easier to understand when one contemplates “Spiritual Blindness.” We see this push throughout our culture and the various arenas of communication and focus that the world pushes consistently in our faces. So often, these “messages” can parrot the words we often find in Scripture, but they do not share the same “TRUTH” that God was Speaking. Satan loves to twist words like Love and Kindness to create Confusion and Doubt. GOD IS ALWAYS ROCK SOLID IN HIS MEANING AND CONSISTENCY. The world will talk about love and fairness but with one caveat : “as long as you follow ‘their rules and actions’. What we are seeing is the simplicity of A Hardened Heart. A heart that is unwilling to yield to God, God’s Word, or God’s Will ! It is a terrible place to exist, as it yields confusion, bitterness, and most of all PRIDE. Jesus encountered it throughout His time on earth among us, and in God’s Word, we are privy to the Truth and Understanding that will guide our lives and also guide us as we Share The Gospel With Others:)

THE NATURAL PERSON DOES NOT ACCEPT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD FOR THEY ARE FOLLY TO HIM, AND HE IS NOT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. 1 Corinthians 2:14

TO OPEN THEIR EYES, SO THAT THEY MAY TURN FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT AND FROM THE POWER OF SATAN TO GOD, THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND A PLACE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH IN ME. Acts 26:18

KNOWING THIS FIRST OF ALL, THAT SCOFFERS WILL COME IN THE LAST DAYS WITH SCOFFING, FOLLOWING THEIR OWN SINFUL DESIRES. 2 Peter 3:3

There is also another CHALLENGE that WE, as Believers In And Followers of CHRIST must also be aware of and recognize. It is simply the other side of The Spiritual Blindness Coin….and it is prevalent throughout the Christian Churches of old, and also today. It masquerades as Faith, but it becomes UNDONE when measured against GOD’S WORD AND TRUTH. Many, many denominations of the Church today have allowed people to redefine Sin, and confuse it with Grace and Love. Cultural behavior that is at odds with God’s Laws and Ways are simply ‘repositioned’ as needing to measure up to Love and/or Kindness, portrayed in a way that is Not GOD’S WAY OR TRUTH ! We have SPIRITUALLY BLIND LEADERS moving Immature and Emotional Christian People into SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS WITH FALSE TEACHING, INTERPRETATION AND DISCERNMENT. Their Judgement will be in God’s Hands, but it is easy to sense that Jesus might possibly not recognize them as HIS. False Teaching is a very important Focal Point on the Journey toward Holiness, Righteousness, and Transformation in God’s Eyes.Throughout Scripture, False Teaching and False Prophecy often led God’s People astray. In a great many of his letters, The Apostle Paul warns the Christian Congregations to be aware of False Gospels ! JESUS HIMSELF spoke strongly against the teachings of the Religious Leaders who “added to’ and ‘took away from’ God’s Word. We know that the ‘prophet’ Baalam in the Book Of Numbers shared ‘prophetic words’ with Balak, the King of Moab. Interstingly, God did give Baalam true messages about Israel’s Blessings and Future, but Baalam also sought counsel from Baal, a Canaanite diety. This prophecy was aimed at the destruction of God’s Chosen People. The Message is clear: God can Provide the Message and Truth, but in a Hardened Heart and Spiritually Blind Viewpoint and person, IT CAN BE VERY WRONG ! BE AWARE CHRISTIAN ! Many who lead God’s Sheep are actually Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing or Hirelings. Good intentions often lead to a Path Of Destruction. They do not even recognize their own FOLLY:( Solid Biblical Teaching focused on God’s Truth and Word is a CRITICAL place to Center one’s worship and Faith In and Around. Jesus made it very clear in a somber passage of Scripture Just How He Viewed One’s Heart And Faith. JOHN 10:27…MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM AND THEY FOLLOW ME. Simple Question : WHOSE VOICE DO “YOU” HEAR AND FOLLOW ???

MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE , AND I KNOW THEM, AND THEY FOLLOW ME. AND I GIVE UNTO THEM ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HANDS. John 10:27-28

“NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS TO ME,’LORD, LORD’, WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT THE ONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN . ON THAT DAY MANY WILL SAY TO ME, ‘LORD,LORD, DID WE NOT PROPHECY IN YOUR NAME, AND CAST OUT DEMONS IN YOUR NAME AND DO MANY MIGHTY WORKS IN YOUR NAME ? AND THEN I WILL DECLARE TO THEM, “ I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME YOU WORKERS OF LAWLESSNESS.” Matthew 7: 21-23

Ponder these Scriptures you have just read….and Measure Yourself ! Is it not Obvious that simply being a ‘believer’ and doing ‘churchy’ things is Going To MISS THE MARK ?! GOD is Focusd and Concerned that OUR HEARTS AND OUR EYES ARE FOCUSED ON HIM, AND ESPECIALLY ON HIS TRUTH ! He requires us to be ‘Discerning’; He requires us “To Abide In Him”, not play the squishy ‘Culturally Proper Christian’ Game ! Are your eyes Wide Open and SEEING HIM ? Or are your Eyes OPEN AND BLIND TO HIS TRUTH ? Has the world and satan captured your gaze into a false and perverted sense of morality and loving kindness ? Are you afraid to ‘offend’ someone because you think a false truth is somehow Loving ? Sin Is Sin. Truth Is Truth. Is there a Greater Love you can give someone than GOD’S TRUTH ? Is there a Greater Harm you can do to someone than to teach them LIES that move them Away From God ? The Majesty Of God is that HE CREATED US IN HIS IMAGE TO BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM…and HE gave us the Choice through Free Will. WILL YOU SEE HIM AND DESIRE HIM, OR ARE YOU HAPPY TO LIVE AND WALK IN SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS ? If you are holding THAT COIN, it will define you, no matter the side you choose. Perhaps, it is time to ‘drop’ the coin, and GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS CHRIST:) His yoke is light…His faith is Steadfast….and HE WILL BE YOUR WAY,AND TRUTH AND LIFE:) May it BE SO ! EYES AND HEART OPEN TO JESUS/JAA

AND I WILL LEAD THE BLIND IN A WAY THEY DO NOT KNOW; IN PATHS THAT THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN. I WILL GUIDE THEM; I WILL TURN THE DARKNESS BEFORE THEM INTO LIGHT; THE ROUGH PLACES INTO LEVEL GROUND. THESE ARE THE THINGS I DO, AND I DO NOT FORSAKE THEM. Isaiah 42:16