Spiritual Insight
“And Saul,
yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And
desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of
this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto
Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined
round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a
voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who
art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard
for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said,
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go
into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which
journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And
Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but
they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days
without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. And there was a certain disciple
at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And
he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go
into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for
one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, And hath seen in a vision
a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might
receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this
man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath
authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the
Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my
name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew
him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his
way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother
Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest,
hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy
Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he
received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And when he had received
meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which
were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he
is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:1-20)
Today’s Morsel:
You know, I grew up in what I called the church, but like Paul, I was
spiritually blinded to truth. Think about this, Paul, a well-educated man in
the law of God, and yet he was blind to the truth. Paul felt that what he was
doing was for the glory of God. He wanted to destroy this new sect that was
preaching and teaching about Jesus Christ. Even Jesus had told His disciple to
beware of the doctrine of the Sadducees and Pharisees because they say one
thing and do another. And Paul was a part of them. But Paul had to be blinded
to himself before he could see and hear the truth. And so must we all. I was
blinded to the truth of God’s word. I was blinded to who Jesus was. I was
blinded to how to live a holy and righteous life even though I went to church.
I said one thing and did another. But one night in all my blindness, in a hotel
room in Kaiserslautern, Germany, a man named Jesus walked in and removed the
scales from my eyes. And straightway, like Paul, I now preach Christ Jesus and
Him crucified. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: “But if our gospel be
hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” 2 Corinthians
4:3-4). Spiritual blindness is the worst kind of blindness one can have.
Pray and ask God to open your eyes so that you can see and understand the
truth. That is the only thing that will make you free. Don’t go into a New Year
blind. But walk into it seeing.
Sing: Open the eyes of my
heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart, I want to see You, I want to see You. To
see You high and lifted up, shining in the light of Your glory.
Pour out Your power and love as we sing holy, holy, holy, I want to see You.
Thought for today:
Are you being blinded by the doctrine of man?
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