Spiritual Blindness

Spiritual Blindness

By Pastor Gary Wayne

When I read the Bible, do I believe what I read, or do I read what I believe.
When I approach scripture to get it to say what I want, then my mind is already closed to the truth that is there.

Text: Mark 6:49-52, Luke 11:33-36

Lu 11:33 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.
33 No one would think of lighting a lamp and then hiding it in the basement where no one would benefit. A lamp belongs on a lampstand, where all who enter may see its light.
34 "The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.
34 The eyes of your spirit allow revelation light to enter into your being. When your heart is open the light floods in. When your heart is hard and closed, the light cannot penetrate and darkness takes its place.
35 "Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness.
35 Open your heart and consider my words. Watch out that you do not mistake your opinions for revelation-light.
36 "If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light." (NKJV)
36 If your spirit burns with light, fully illuminated with no trace of darkness, you will be a shining lamp, reflecting rays of truth by the way you live. (Passion Translation)

In ver. 34 The Jews used a phrase to describe someone who had bad character by saying “they had an evil eye.” Our attitudes flow out of our heart.
Pr 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”

Context of Luke 11- Jesus was speaking to a group of religious people who refused to even consider that He was the Messiah.

Earlier in this passage, Jesus talks about them demanding a sign, when almost everything He did was a sign.

It was as if there was a lit candle made available for them to see everything needed, and they put a covering on it and hid the light – then asked for light.

The hardest time I have in learning is when I think I already know what someone is trying to teach me.
My mind has already come to a conclusion.

And when I have been in church the majority of my life, and when I have already studied this out, preached this, taught this – I can have a closed mind to what God is trying to communicate to me.

My spiritual blindness is often self inflicted – my pride that “I already know this” closes my soul to the Holy Spirit’s truth.

35 Open your heart and consider my words. Watch out that you do not mistake your opinions for revelation-light.

Sometimes the intensity of the moment can blind me to truth.
Mark 6:49-52

Context - In Mark 6, the 12 were sent out and they witnessed signs and wonders (v.13) They saw the feeding of the five thousand.(ver,30)
V.52 “For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.”

What’s that saying – “It’s hard to teach an old dog a new trick?”
Why?

What I feel this morning is for us to take a moment and simply ask:
Holy Spirit what are you saying to me right now?

God, open the eyes of my heart.
Reveal places of blindness I have induced.
Holy Spirit let me not have “old dog” syndrome.