Spiritual Blindness

This week has been one of great challenges and unexpected news. It has also brought into my life physical blindness in one eye, thus creating many emotional responses and initiating many interesting thoughts. One is “What would I do if I become completely blind?” “Who can I trust to lead me in the darkness and protect me from danger?” It is in answering these questions that I realize everything I need for success is inside of me and that no matter what happens, God will lead me and provide what I need.

The good news is that after many tests, my eyes are seeing perfectly. The bad news is that my temporary blindness is likely caused by cholesterol or blood clots breaking loose and blocking the path between my eyes and my brain. The retina specialist found scar tissue in the right eye that was caused by a TIA, (a pre-stroke of sorts) but fortunately, my body was able to absorb the clot and prevent it from entering my brain. The really bad news is I am now at high risk for a stroke. The really good news is that I do not fear the future because I am solidly in the hands of God. Heaven awaits…

However, this blindness has made me think about the dangers of spiritual blindness. I have been writing a lot warning people to recognize the growing number of wolves in sheep’s clothing, but by comments I see on FB and other social media, I can tell many are not reading, nor heeding the warnings straight from Bible scripture and prophecy. This has inspired the sermon you will hopefully read, understand, and make the adjustments in your thinking as necessary for enlightenment. We are in scary and trying times, but Jesus is with us and gave us the Holy Spirit to prevent spiritual blindness. We need only ask…

What I am witnessing is people being blown to and fro. Faith and hope are being tossed from one end of the spectrum to the other as news “lights up” our dark world. Unfortunately, the news you are receiving has a twist or a spin depending on the storyteller. It is not the LIGHT of God, but a fake illumination of someone else’s agenda and perspective.

Allowing the news to control ANY of your emotions is a fool’s game and you are letting man lead you astray instead of following God’s Word, which will lead you to His promises of safety, security, peace, and prosperity. By believing the lies, you are letting man pretend to save you with (bad) advice when in reality there is only one savior and one truth and that is found in God!

The real travesty that I am witnessing is that people are spewing falsehoods, criticism, and hate based on these false teachings. They are repeating false information as if it came from God Himself! The reality is MANY of these people are ignorant of the actual truth but refuse to open their minds enough to SEE and UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH! God’s truth!

God says it is simple to know the truth. Our Holy Spirit lives inside of us to teach and lead us if we only ask and then be quiet and listen. The Bible tells us if we knock, the door will be answered. If we ask, we shall receive.

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Also Luke 11:9)

However, if you ask for discernment and guidance, you must be willing to put pre-conceived ideas out of your mind and be ready to hear the truth as it is. This is not the truth as seen through your prejudices, experiences, and perceptions and it is definitely not believing those so-called truths you hear from others.

It seems as if EVERYONE has a podcast or news show and is now claiming that their truth is reality, but who are we to believe? If we listen to all these people we will just become more and more confused. GOD told us the truth long ago and eyes that can see and ears that can hear recognize that biblical prophecy is playing out in front of our eyes. “MANY false prophets will arise and they will DECIEVE MANY.” (Matthew 24:11) DO NOT BE DECIEVED!!!!

Do not be deceived as you grasp at straws trying to make sense of the world currently surrounding you! These multi-faceted falsehoods leave you feeling angry, scared, worried, and lacking in the peace God has promised you. When you truly GRASP The Truth, no matter what circumstances arise, you will find peace, love, security, and kindness within your soul. These positive feelings will allow you to let the turmoil around you bypass your house and you will no longer be involved in all the negativity that clouds your mind, words, and daily life. You can be set free if you choose to listen to, and follow, your Holy Spirit.

John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Spiritual blindness makes you feel as though your life is in the path of a tornado that keeps changing direction. First, you hear some good news that aligns with YOUR beliefs and you feel happy and reassured. The next minute you hear what you feel is bad news and your emotional state plummets. It’s a never-ending roller coaster of mind, body, and soul-damaging emotional reactions. You are constantly challenging your adrenal system to keep up with the ever-changing external environment and then it gets completely worn out leaving you feeling drained and lacking energy. This is NOT God’s plan for your life as He expects us to stand firm in The Word so you can enjoy your life in peace and contentment.

Spiritual blindness binds you up destroys your quality of life and replaces your faith with fear. No one living in fear thinks rationally or makes good decisions. The following scripture immediately came to mind as I wrote my outline for this sermon and sums up what happens when we step away from the chaos humans have created and step into the presence and security of our Lord:

Ephesians 4:14 “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

This is your life when you are enlightened and led by God:

Psalm 23:1-4 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul, and He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

[Psalm 23:1-4 meaning. He restoreth my soul — Brings back my life from destruction; and converts my soul from sin, that it may not eternally perish. Or, after it has backslidden from Him, heals its backslidings, and restores it to His favor] It is COMFORTING!

God has a righteous path for us if we fervently seek the truth. Conversely, our world is one of lies and deceit. Our world is the epitome of SIN! Do not become a sin just because you are surrounded by it.

As I close out I want to explain who we are in the Kingdom of God and the purpose of the above-discussed staff and rod. We are SHEEP. We are the sheep God gave to Jesus. Jesus is our Good Shepherd and the Bible tells us that God expects Jesus to protect and safely return His sheep back to Him. John 6:39 “And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those He has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” Meaning we experience the joy of being with Him forever!!

The staff and rod help the shepherd. The staff has a hook and can gently grab the sheep who are wandering off and pull them in close for protection and safety. The rod is a symbol of discipline and correction, only to be used as necessary to keep the sheep where they need to be; in God’s care. It can also be used as a weapon to protect the sheep against those who seek to devour and kill them.

Humans being the sheep is the perfect analogy. It is well known that sheep are the first to wander off aimlessly and are likely to end up getting hurt or killed. Sheep are also the least likely to find their way back into the fold on their own, so a shepherd has to be vigilant, strong, and protective. This means the shepherd must work very hard to keep the sheep close and out of trouble when the sheep’s instinctual desire is to wander away…

We are defiant sinners. Stubborn and hard-headed. We must recognize that we are fully embroiled in Spiritual Warfare with two factions fighting for our very souls and that means we must do our part to SEEK the truth, SEE the truth, REPEAT the truth, and LIVE the truth. Eternal life depends on it! Amen. ><>

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