In Galatians 5:25, the Apostle Paul admonished us, If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. There is a tremendous difference between living and walking. Our being alive is dependent on others, but walking is self-dependent. It is our mother and father who are responsible for our being alive, but we are individually responsible for our walking. Any time we let someone else do our walking, we cease to walk and start to ride. In the spiritual realm, we are alive because of God’s action:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. (I Corinthians 15:45)
God allows us to do our own spiritual walking. He will guide our steps and support us if we falter, but He will not do our walking for us. One fast food restaurant boasts, “We do it all for you.” But God doesn’t make that same claim. He will give us dramatic, instant deliverances, but then He commands us to follow through with the day-to-day disciplined walk that lives out that deliverance. When we do, we begin to mature into His stature.
Progression
Walking has to do with progression. Unlike plants that are stationary, man can advance and move forward. In Japan, I saw a Bonsai tree the size of a seedling although it was seventy-five years old. In the mountains of California, I once viewed the Bristol Pines which were almost four thousand years old but about the size of regular trees. A few miles away, I marveled at the giant sequoia trees and redwoods that were almost as old but massive enough to prove their age. Regardless of how long these trees had lived, none of them had moved even an inch away from where they first sprouted. They had life, but not forward progress. Man, on the other hand, has the potential to progress; he can advance; he can achieve; he does not have to remain stationary and stagnant. If a man does not progress, he is considered to be “vegetating” – becoming like one of those stuck-in-the-same-spot trees. Perhaps this is why the Bible speaks frequently and pointedly about walking. God wants us to be progressive achievers.
When Paul challenged the Roman believers to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4), he seems to have handpicked his terms. He chose the Greek word for “walk” which means to progress at one’s own volition rather than the term that implies a regimented march. Thus, he suggests that the Christian walk is to proceed from the freshness of the spirit man rather than from a mechanical following of the letter of the law. The term “newness” means new in nature rather than simply new in time. Three Greek words were available for the apostle to choose from for the word “life.” His choice was zoe (the life of the spirit man), rather than bois (the life of the physical man), or psuche (the life of the soulical part of man). In other words, our Christian walk is not to be an emotionless march through life dictated by a disciplined system of “do”s and “don’t”s barked out at us by a spiritual drill sergeant; rather, we are to be always progressing – but not on a regimented timetable that prohibits us from stopping to smell the roses along the way. Walking in newness of life is walking in the spirit where there is liberty, righteousness, peace, and joy.
The Many Facets of a Christian’s Walk
Honesty – Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. (Romans 13:13)
Faith – For we walk by faith, not by sight. (II Corinthians 5:7)
Good works – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
Love – And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. (Ephesians 5:2)
Wisdom – Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. (Colossians 4:5)
Truth – I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. (II John 4)
Without condemnation – There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
Peace – And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:16)
Worthiness – I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. (Ephesians 4:1)
Circumspectness – See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. (Ephesians 5:15)
Increasing knowledge of God – That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10)
Fellowship with Christ and cleansing from sin – But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (I John 1:7)
Not after the flesh – That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:4)
Not after human manners – For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (I Corinthians 3:3)
Not after craftiness – But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. (II Corinthians 4:2)
Not in the vanity of our minds – This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind. (Ephesians 4:17)
After the commandments of the Lord – And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. (II John 6)
Not disorderly – Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. (II Thessalonians 3:6)
The Human Spirit – Gateway to Divine Expression
These qualities and functions certainly are God-produced, but they are actually products of the human spirit that has been touched and regenerated by the Holy Spirit. When we look at the scriptures and see that, many times, the term “spirit” is spelled with a capital “S” rather than a lower case letter, we immediately think that the reference is to the Holy Spirit. However, we must remember that the original Greek text had no capitals. The capitals were added by the King James translators in 1611. Therefore, it is just as likely that the passage should be read with a small “s,” meaning human spirit. I would contend that, when Paul speaks of walking according to the spirit, he is not talking about the Holy Spirit but about the human spirit. If we look at the whole context of Galatians chapter five, we will see that Paul is describing the confrontation between the flesh and the spirit. It is only logical that if Paul is talking about the human flesh, then the opposite would be the human spirit. If he is talking about the detriment of living according to the human flesh, then we should think that the flip side or antithesis of that could be living according to our human spirit. I don’t think he is talking about living according to the Holy Spirit. If he were talking about the Holy Spirit then it would mean that God would do it for us. In reality, most of the passages that refer to living and walking in the spirit are actually referring to our human spirit. These benefits come from our born-again nature.
When my sons were young, all we had to do at our house was mention the word “walk” and the whole house would come alive. The dog would snap up her leash, run to the front door, and begin to jump eagerly until we met her there to open the door. Our boys would pull on their shoes and beg for someone to tie the laces. When they got a bit older, they would head for the storage shed to get a bike or go-cart. My wife and I would grab hands and leave the chores and cares of life behind for a few minutes as we strolled across the front lawn and down the walk. This is exactly the scene that should take place in our spirit man when we realize that our God has invited us to walk with Him. When we realize what the results of our fellowship walk with Christ can be, we will truly relish the opportunity to take the time to walk with Him.
Galatians 5:16-18 tells us that we will no longer fulfill the lusts of the flesh or live under the soulical rule of the Law if we walk in the spirit. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Verses twenty-two and twenty-three describe the wonderful fruit of walking in the spirit. This fruit is the spiritual answer to the destructive works of the flesh. Every work of the flesh is a direct antithesis to the spirit-directed life:
WORKS of the FLESH FRUIT of the SPIRIT
(A Self-Directed Life) (A God-Directed Life)
Adulteries, fornications Love
Lasciviousness, foolishness Joy
Deceit Peace
Murders Long Suffering
Evil Eye Gentleness
Wickedness, evil thoughts Goodness
Blasphemy Faith
Pride Meekness
Thefts, Covetousness Temperance
The next verse sums up the power of walking in the spirit by saying that those who live this way actually have crucified the flesh and its affections. That means that the old man is dead and powerless. What a wonderful provision – by simply walking in the spirit, the carnal forces over our lives are totally eradicated. Because we are no longer living under the devil’s power, we are free to mature into the full stature of the new man who lives in us – the one who is developing from the DNA implanted by God Himself.
Walking
Walking in the spirit is not a regimented march, but there are some guidelines given in the scripture to help us develop a more beneficial spiritual life. To make them easier to remember, I have listed the key words in an order that spells out the word “walking.”
Worship – But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23)
Attention – My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. (Proverbs 4:20)
Live – That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:6-7)
Know the spirit – For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:11-16)
Imitate Christ – He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (I John 2:6)
Nourish Your Spirit – Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:7-8)
Grow – But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)
Going through these various steps to produce the ultimate product of “walking” seems to be symbolic of a truth that if we take enough steps, we are walking. Have you ever purchased an item to find that the box says, “Some assembly required”? Upon opening the package, you find a sheet or manual with a number of steps to follow in order to put your item together. This step-by-step instruction is called “walking you through the process.” Paul, as a Hebrew rabbi, was an expert in step-by-step instruction called halakah, from the Hebrew word for “walk.” Because much of his writings involved this regimented goal-oriented teaching style, he sometimes used a strong Greek term for “walk” which carried with it the force of a disciplined walk rather than a casual stroll. He drops in this strong term just often enough to reconfirm that we must take our Christian walk seriously and diligently work at it even though we are not to feel that we are on a grueling march. Perhaps that’s the reason he strategically positions the word “should” in Romans 6:4, We also should walk in newness of life. He knows that it is an obligation which some will not fulfill.
In the early passages of the Bible we meet three individuals who demonstrated the fact that our walking with God is a result of our personal choice. The first person given the choice to walk with God was Adam. In Genesis 3:8, he made a free-willed decision not to walk with God. When the Creator visited the Garden of Eden and invited His creation to join Him for a stroll, Adam and his wife hid from the Almighty because of the shame of sin that had gripped them. Because they refused to walk with their Savior, they lost the paradise they lived in and the heaven that lived inside them.
The next individual who is mentioned as walking with God was Enoch. Genesis 5:24 says that Enoch walked with God and he was not for the Lord took him. Apparently, the heavenly Father was so pleased with the fellowship that He had with Enoch that He simply invited him to walk right out of this earthly realm into the heavenly paradise. How dramatic it is to see the contrast between Adam and Enoch – one lost paradise and one gained it – all because of the decision to walk away from God or walk with God.
It is in Noah that we see some principles concerning what it means to walk with God. Genesis 6:9 declares that Noah walked with God, but the full story is spread over several verses. Verse 5:29 tells us that his life was characterized by comfort. In verse 6:8, we find that grace was another integral part of Noah’s life. Chapter seven opens with the statement from God Himself that Noah’s life was one of righteousness. But it is in Genesis 7:5 that the secret of Noah’s successful walk with God is revealed. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him. In Noah’s life – or yours or mine – the key to spiritual success is to diligently obey all of His commandments. Comfort, grace, and righteousness always blossom in the life of a man or woman who chooses to walk with God and obey His commandments. It is the key to having (or losing) paradise! It is no wonder Paul told us that we should walk in newness of life!
Perhaps the only person who has ever experienced walking totally in newness of life was Jesus Christ Himself, who told us that His key to living was to say and do only as He was directed by the Father.
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. (John 5:19)
Yet, living and walking in the spirit portion of our human nature may not be as simple as it sounds. The Apostle Paul tells us that our physical makeup is constantly struggling against the spiritual portion, resisting every attempt that we put forth to live and walk only according to our God-consciousness.
But what are the good results of our walking in the spirit? According to Galatians 5:16-18, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We will no longer be under the Law because the power of the Law works through our carnal man. We will be freed from the flesh by walking in the spirit. According to Galatians 5:22-23, we will be able to produce the fruit of the spirit. Galatians 5:24 adds that we are able to crucify the flesh with all of its lust and affections. It is one thing just to live where we are not subject to the flesh, but we enter a totally new dimension when the whole matter of our fleshly life has been crucified! In the first case, the lust of the flesh is still there, haunting us; we just aren’t fulfilling it. In the second case, that lust is crucified, and we are totally done with it. There is a total freedom from it because it doesn’t exist anymore.
Our walking in the spirit will produce stronger and stronger results every day. But the key is birthed in recognizing the difference between our soul and our spirit. We must make the decision to walk in the spirit and not in the soul because the soul will lead us into confusion. It is only when we walk in the spirit that we come into this dynamic powerful life we have been talking about. The key to that is to do just like David in the story of his battle with Goliath: stop looking at things through natural eyes. There is only one thing that separates the spirit from the soul – the Word of God. In everything that happens in our lives, we must determine what the Word of God says about that individual situation. We must fill our hearts so full of the Word and the covenant of God that when we see Goliath, we don’t see his sword, his spear, or his size; the one thing we see is what he is in relationship to the Word of God: an uncircumcised Philistine! If he is not in covenant with God, we are seated in a heavenly place above him; and he is, therefore, no problem to us!
The Human Soul – Gateway to the Total Personality
In Romans 8:6, Paul gives us what I consider to be the key to tipping the scales in that battle between the spirit and the flesh. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Here he brings into play that extra part of our personality – the part that we have already suggested is more under our own control than the other two parts – the soul. Although most English Bibles translate the term “mind” here, the words that flowed from the apostle’s pen were “spiritually souled” and “carnally souled.” In other words, Paul was expressing to us that we can have our soul linked either to our spirit or to our flesh. I often envision this verse as depicting a light switch which can either be in the up position to illuminate the room or in the down position allowing the room to be invaded by darkness. Just as there is no neutral position for the light switch, there is no neutrality for the soul; it must either link with the spirit and produce life and peace or it will link with the flesh resulting in death.
In Mark, Jesus said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (verses 7:20-23)
On the other hand, there are beautiful qualities, which will come out of the born-again spirit, when we are led by our spirits.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
This is what flows out of a man who is walking in his spirit. When we are walking in our soul, the things that are the final result are very similar to the things that are in the flesh realm. Our spirit man is the only place where there is a division – a drastic change from that of the carnal man.
James shows us the relationship that the devil has to our lives. The devil enters our lives through our souls and then works on our bodies and eventually destroys our spirits. The soul is the part of our being that has desire in it. The mind decides to think about something. The will decides to act on it. The emotions say, “Oh, that feels good.” Our soulical man is the realm where desire enters in. The body is the part of man that commits the sinful act. When desire enters in through the soul and actually works in the body, it finally leads to death in the spirit man. When the devil tempts us, we are drawn away by our own lust. The devil enters in through the soul if lust lives there. When the desire is conceived, it brings forth sin in the physical realm. When this cycle is complete, it brings forth death in the spirit man.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. (James 1:13-16)
James goes on to explain how that God also enters into us through our soulical man. He brought us forth by the Word of God, which we received first in the soulical man – the mind, the will, and the emotions. The mind understands the Word of God. The will decides to act on the Word. The emotions say, “Yes, that feels right.” The mind, the will, and the emotions hear the Word. The Word gets implanted in the spirit man. Once it is implanted, we are to be doers of the Word in our physical man.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:17-22)
We have to let our lives move into the spirit realm. To be victorious Christians, we must move into the spirit realm where we understand the Word of God and our covenant standing so that every decision we make comes through the filter of the Word of God. At that point, we will get out of the soulical instability and get into stability with God. When we have a God-directed life, our lives will bear the fruit of the spirit.
Educating the Soul
Since we have authority over our soulical realm, we must learn how to force it to link with our spiritual, God-conscious, born-again part. We must learn to develop solid spiritual character.
Educators tell us that we learn by two methods: emotional implantation and repetition. When a very powerful event happens in our lives, the lesson – whether positive or negative – associated with that event is imprinted solidly on the blackboard of our memories and becomes almost impossible to erase. On the other hand, anything which is repeated often enough – whether true or false – will also become indelibly etched on our memory bank and we wind up believing it whether we really want to or not. The two learning models are basically the same as the evolutionist’s versus the creationist’s view of the birth of the Grand Canyon. The evolutionist says that the gorge was carved by a little bit of water over a long period of time. The creationist says that the canyon was produced in a very short period of time by a huge amount of water. Whether it is a little thought constantly repeated over a long period of time or a huge thought impacting instantly, the result is all the same – awesome landmarks in our mental and emotional landscape.
Realizing that we can become just as susceptible to remembering and believing the negative and false as we are to being impregnated with the positive truth of the Word of God, we must learn how to guard our thinking so that we do not believe a lie and be damned (II Thessalonians 2:11-12) or, at least, be stunted in our spiritual development. Paul wrote that God has given us powerful weapons for the specific purpose of taking captive the thoughts that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God in our lives, and for pulling down the strongholds that can become fortresses in our thinking. Strongholds can prevent us from believing and acting on the truth that causes us to develop into the mature believers we are called to be. (II Corinthians 10:4-5, Romans 8:29-30)
The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, has given us helpers to advance us along in the maturing process. In Ephesians, Paul claims that through their input into our lives we can actually come into the perfect man who is in the full measure of the stature of Christ. Since the word “perfect” means mature, we see that the five-fold ministry’s job is to mature us into the full measure of Christ and that their job is not considered complete until they have accomplished this end result.
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-15)
A friend of mine once wrote to me testifying to the power of having God-appointed ministers who could speak into his life, “If I remember correctly, the last time we talked, I wasn’t in such great shape. Things have turned around dramatically since then. There have been so many changes in fact that I could not possibly go into them all. In a nutshell, I finally got my head together and began really believing what the Bible says, and speaking the truth out of my mouth instead of mouthing the lies the devil has fed me lo these many years. I credit the transformation to several things, not the least of which is the teaching ministry of men who showed me the importance of spending quality time praying in the Holy Ghost. If you spend time doing that, the Holy Ghost has the opportunity to teach you things you could never get otherwise. That’s not the only important thing, but it is probably the best place to start.”
Dr. Kenneth Hagin explained the workings of these ministries by pointing out that they function in three main areas of responsibility which include: perfecting or maturing the saints, doing the work of the ministry, and edifying the Body of Christ. He pointed out that Jesus will not consider that their job is complete until the Body of Christ is all in the unity of the faith, all believers have the full knowledge of the Son of God, the church has developed into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (the perfectly mature man), and Christians are no longer children who can be deceived by false doctrines.
To help us understand what is involved in leading the Body of Christ through the maturity process, Dr. Hagin explained that there are three stages in natural and spiritual development. The first is babyhood (I Peter 2:2), which can be identified by three characteristics: innocence (II Corinthians 5:17), ignorance (Jonah 4:1), and irritability. The next stage is childhood (Ephesians 4:14), which also bears three characteristics: unsteadiness, curiosity, and talkativeness (Proverbs 10:19, Ecclesiastes 5:3, Proverbs 17:22, Ephesians 5:4, Matthew 12:36). The final stage is manhood (Ephesians 4:13), which also has three characteristics: esteeming earthly things lightly (Hebrews 11:24-26, III John 2, Psalm 1:1-3), deadness to censure and praise (I Corinthians 4:3-4), and ability to see God at work (John 14:21, I John 3:22). Dr. Hagin went on to say that we mature through receiving godly knowledge (I Peter 2:2, I Corinthians 3:2, Hebrews 5:12-13) and that we must mature to a full knowledge of God (Ephesians 4:14, II Peter 1:2-4). He pointed out that Paul prayed two powerful prayers for the Ephesians to receive this knowledge. (Ephesians 1:17-19, Ephesians 3:14-21) He also added that maturing is aided by the power of a positive confession (Acts 27:21-25) and suggested several declarations that Christians must make: I belong to God, I serve God, and I believe God. Bro. Hagin also taught that men fall into three spiritual categories. The first category is natural men who are not born again. (I Corinthians 2:14) These men are motivated by demons (James 3:15, Ephesians 6:12) and receive their knowledge through their five senses. The second category is carnal men (I Corinthians 3:1-3) who are born again – and possibly even filled with the Spirit (I Corinthians 1:4-9) – but are not living the Spirit-led life (Romans 8:6). The final category is spiritual men who know what belongs to them in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3) These men understand wisdom (I Corinthians 2:6) and have renewed thinking (Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:10, Ephesians 4:23-24). Just as the natural man receives his information through his five senses, the spiritual men also receive their information through their five senses; however, this is where the five-fold-ministry comes into play. The five-fold ministry gifts have been described as the five senses of God for the Body of Christ. The apostle represents sight because he sees what God wants in a community. (I Corinthians 9:1) The prophet is the hearing of the Body since he hears the word of the Lord. The evangelist constituted the smelling since he is able to tell when our lives are a sweet savor to God. (II Corinthians 2:15, Ecclesiastes 10:1) The pastor is the feeling because he, like the good high priest and the good shepherd, is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. (Hebrews 4:15) The teacher can be seen as taste in that he can help us to taste and see that the word of the Lord is sweet like a honeycomb. (Psalm 119:7-14) One of the main areas of influence these ministers can have upon our lives is to help us renew our thinking process to come into alignment with God’s thoughts. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:2 that the key to living lives which are not conformed to the nature of the world but are in alignment with the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God was to be found in renewing our minds. As we have already mentioned, the way we think and the concepts we believe are determined by what we are taught – either through repetition or by emotional implantation. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we are cautious as to which people we allow to be our teachers and mentors. Whether we would readily acknowledge it or not, most of us are being mentored by sports personalities, television anchormen, movie stars, and music idols. If we intend to mature in Christ, we must realign our attention to be under the tutelage of true spokesmen of God. At the same time, we must be diligent to train our ears and hearts not only to hear what is being taught but also to hear it discerningly so that the truth can become effective in our lives. (Hebrews 4:2)
Like a personal trainer at the fitness center, these ministries help the Body of Christ to exercise their spiritual muscles and develop into maturity.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)
Jesus told us to be careful how we hear, implying that we must censor not only what we hear but also the mindset with which we hear and the filters which we force the message through before we allow it to impact our lives. (Luke 8:18) Two people can hear exactly the same words with two totally different interpretations because of their predetermined disposition. For example: if we hear that the stock market is going down, one man will hear the news as a warning that it is time to sell and get out of the market before the bottom drops out; another will hear the news as a message that it is time to buy as much stock as possible because it is selling at bargain-basement pricing. Both heard exactly the same facts and figures, but each interpreted them differently because of his personal bias. You may not be what you think you are, but what you think – YOU ARE!
If we are careful as to how we hear, the truth imparted to us by God-given ministers will work effectively in our lives to bring us to a mature spiritual man so that the perfect image of Christ can be formed within us. If our spiritual mentors can help us to think properly, we will live and mature properly. Proverbs 23:7 proclaims, For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. Notice that Solomon uses the word “as” indicating that it is how we think – not what we think – that determines who we will be. If what we think about were the determining factor, all American boys would become convertible sports cars by the time they were sixteen; by the time they were twenty-one they would all have turned into girls, and they would all become a million dollar bills by age thirty. In raising my sons, I have been constantly aware that they were going through these stages of concentration on cars, girls, and money; but I knew that no matter how much they meditated on these things, they would never become them. On the other hand, I was keenly aware that the way they were thinking about these topics would determine who they were to become. Therefore, I saw that my role as their father was to guide them in how to think about cars, girls, and money. Thinking about cars would never make them actually become automobiles, but the way they thought about cars would determine the kind of drivers they would become. Therefore, I knew that I needed to focus on helping them think of cars as something other than toys, status symbols, and weapons – otherwise, it would be dangerous to be on the road at the same time with them. Thinking about girls would never make them actually become women, but the way they thought about girls would determine the kind of husbands they would become. Therefore, I knew that I needed to focus on helping them think of girls as something other than sex objects or ego enhancers – otherwise, they would become abusive husbands with no hope of happy, stable marriages. Thinking about money would never make them actually become dollar bills, but the way they thought about money would determine the kind of spenders and investors they would become. Therefore, I knew that I needed to focus on helping them think of money as a tool to accomplish their goals and as seed for sowing into the future – otherwise, they would be facing a future characterized by unhealthy greed and debilitating debt.
Remember the story of the twelve spies who went to check out the Promised Land. Of the dozen men who explored the territory, only Caleb and Joshua ever got to actually live in the land and enjoy its bounty. All twelve saw the land and thought that it was a wonderful place, which flowed with milk and honey. However, two of the men had a different way of thinking about the land, its inhabitants, and – most importantly – themselves. It was how they thought that made the difference. Ten saw the land and thought that it would swallow them up (Numbers 13:32); two thought of the land as God’s generous provision (Numbers 13:27). Ten saw the giants and thought that they were too big to hit (Numbers 13:28); two saw them and thought that they were too big to miss (Numbers 13:30). Ten saw themselves as grasshoppers (Numbers 13:33); two saw themselves as well able to take the land (Numbers 13:30). All twelve of these men were chosen for this reconnaissance mission because they had leadership qualities (Numbers 13:2). By today‘s standards, they would have all been Ivy League graduates with perfect SAT scores. But only two actually developed into leaders. The difference was all in their minds – the way they thought about the facts they learned.
In Corinthians, Paul addressed the issue of maturing (or failing to mature) when he flatly stated that it was the church’s carnality that kept them at the baby stage. (I Cornithians 3:1-3) Later, he told them that it was possible to move forward in maturity and gave himself as an example of one who had put away childish thinking in order to mature (verse 13:11) and commanded them that they too abandon immature thinking and understanding (verse 14:20). To the Colossians, he wrote that they could become the new men that God wanted them to be through proper knowledge. (Colossians 3:10) A similar injunction to the Ephesian church (verse 4:23-24) is preceded by a warning that it is those who remain as children that will be deceived by false and deceptive doctrine (verse 4:14). The Apostle Peter (I Peter 2:2) and the author of Hebrews (verses 5:11-12) use the metaphor of food – progressing from a baby’s sustenance of milk to a mature person’s diet of meat. This emphasized the necessity of solid instruction in the Word of God as the formula for spiritual growth and maturity.
Both Paul and Peter, the two outstanding pillars of the early church, admonish us to establish solid thought patterns as a key to our spiritual survival and maturity.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (I Peter 1:13)
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (II Peter 1:1-11)
Minister Potato Head
Remember the little Mister Potato Head toy you used to play with as a child? Well, since you saw him last, he has grown up, been to Bible school, and is now ordained into the ministry. He is now, Minister Potato Head and he has some important messages to communicate through the little push-in facial features that give him his characteristic appearance – little plastic body parts that make holes in his potato head.
Who we are to become will be determined by how we think in our hearts. We know that the five-fold ministry is placed within the Body of Christ to help us adjust the way we think in our hearts – or, so to speak, help us get the truth “into our heads.” When I was growing up in the Deep South, we used an expression to describe things that we really didn’t want or need: “I need that like I need a hole in my head.” Even though I’m not sure where the expression came from or what it meant exactly, I want to use that old expression today to express the opposite of what it communicated back when I was a kid. The next few thoughts are as necessary to our spiritual maturity as having some holes in our heads. You see, there are three gateways to the heart that are entered through the holes in our heads. If we can understand how these gateways work and how they interact with our hearts, we will realize the value of the holes in our heads. Our ultimate goal will be to become like the three little monkeys who “see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil.” In doing so, we will be able to mature into the image and likeness of Christ – beginning at the inner part of our hearts and working out to the full man.
The Mouth
When we enter a room, we readily realize that it is hot, cold, or comfortable. If it seems a bit chilly or a little warm, the first thing we do is check the thermometer to see what the temperature is. In our personal lives, our mouths are the thermometers of our hearts. Jesus Himself told us:
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew 12:34)
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:45)
Think of any bottle that you might purchase in the supermarket. When you open the cap and start to pour out the contents, the only thing that comes out is what’s inside. I’m sure that you are thinking that this is such an obvious truth that it is strange for me to take the space to even mention it. Have you ever stopped to consider that the opening in the top of the bottle is called its “mouth”? If the bottle has pure water in it, only pure water will come out of its mouth. If the bottle contains poison, only poison will come out through its mouth. The same is true with our mouths; what is in our hearts will eventually spill out through our lips. Just as a thermometer tells us whether the furnace is working, our mouths are true indicators of what the spiritual temperature is inside our hearts.
When the fire of the gospel is roaring full blast inside our hearts, the thermometer of our mouths will soar upward. The prophet Jeremiah testified, Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. (verse 20:9)
On the alternate end of the spectrum, the Apostle James taught us that the mouth can also become a raging fire if the flames of hell itself are boiling in the heart:
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. (verses 3:1-6)
Notice that in the middle of this discourse, the apostle mentioned the relationship between our tongue and becoming perfect or mature; conformed to the image of Christ. Of course, it is true that we can sometimes guard our speech so that what is inside our hearts is not revealed. We’ve all had those moments when we had to “bite our tongues.” However, I have observed that there are two situations in which the secrets of the heart are revealed. The first is in a sudden stressful moment. Just think about the last time you hit your thumb with a hammer or when some careless driver cut in front of you in traffic, almost causing an accident. I’m sure that you even shocked yourself with some of the words that erupted from your lips. The other time is when we are on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum – when we are relaxed and in a totally comfortable, non-threatening environment. I have personally experienced this scenario all too often with ministers as they have gathered for private fellowship after the church service. Men, who just minutes before were preaching faith and love, will often be overheard expressing their doubts and verbalizing criticisms. The relaxed atmosphere of stepping out from in front of the crowd had opened up the gateway of their hearts to expose their true spiritual temperature.
In Psalm 141:3, David expressed his desire to guard his mouth and even acknowledged that his lips were a gateway. Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. However, it is in the following verse that we see that the true heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity. His son Solomon confirmed that the heart is the source in Proverbs 4:23, Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Even though he also wrote that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21), Solomon acknowledged that the very wellspring of life is in the heart of the man.
Jesus gave a very thought-provoking teaching when He admonished us to cut off our hands if they offend us and to pluck out our eyes if they cause us to sin. (Matthew 5:30) If we were to follow this teaching explicitly, I’m afraid that the entire church would be populated with blind amputees. However, even those of us who are not able to translate Greek and exegete the text like Bible scholars can sense that the Master must not have been demanding that we begin to mutilate our bodies over every sinful thought or deed. We, somehow, instinctively understand that Jesus meant that the wickedness resided not in the physical member of the body, but in the sinfulness of our hearts – exactly what Jesus confirmed in Matthew 15:19. The truth is, that if it is too cold or hot in a room, the thermometer cannot alter the situation; the problem has to be dealt with at the furnace. So it is with our lives; our mouths are neither our problem nor the solution. They are only indicators of what churns in the heart. Any correction must come in the heart.
The Ears
I’d like to quote a couple of lines from a song I learned in Sunday school:
Be careful little eyes what you see,
Be careful little ears what you hear.
If the mouth is the thermometer of our heart, our eyes and ears can be considered to be the thermostats of the heart. No matter what we do to the thermometer, it will not alter the condition of the furnace; however, we can change what is happening in the furnace by adjusting the thermostat. In the same way, what we allow to enter through our eyes and ears will affect the temperature of our hearts.
As Christians, we obviously know that the first and foremost thing which we need to allow to enter our inner man is the Word of God. Jesus said that His words were spirit and life. (John 6:63) If we want life to flow out of our hearts, we must ensure that life is flowing in. The only way to do this is to make sure that we are constantly getting a steady diet of the Word of God. Just one example of the life-giving power in the spoken Word of God can be seen in the vision given to the prophet Ezekiel who was commanded to prophesy to a field of dead bones.
Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. (Ezekiel 37:4-10)
Imagine the power that the Word of God can have in our lives if it can have such a dramatic effect on the totally dead, dismembered, decayed, and dried out corpses of a long-forgotten army. Unfortunately, all too many of us refuse to truly hear and absorb that life-giving Word. In the same context in which Jesus made His proclamation concerning His words being spirit and life, many of His followers turned away because they found His teaching to be too difficult and too demanding. When Jesus turned to His close disciples and asked if they would also abandon Him, Peter responded, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (John 6:68)
Even when the truth becomes a “hard pill to swallow,” we must determine that we will not forsake it because the Word of God is the only ingredient that can properly fuel the furnace of our faith.
Also, no matter how much we try to adjust it, if the thermostat is faulty, we won’t get any results from the furnace. In the spiritual realm, we can have defective hearing, which will short-circuit the effectiveness of the Word of God. There seem to be several basic hearing problems that plague the human race. The first one is that we simply can’t hear from God because we don’t belong to Him. Jesus addressed the religious Jews of His day plainly, He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. (John 8:47) The second condition is spelled out in Hebrews 5:11 where the recipients of the letter were addressed as being dull of hearing. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
I’m sure that all of us can relate to Mr. Drysdale, the banker on The Beverly Hillbillies, who used to stick the telephone receiver in his desk drawer when his wife would call. We’ve all sat through lengthy lectures and seemingly-unending phone calls until we reached the “saturation point” where words seemed to begin to flow in one ear and out the other. We may be able to afford putting our brains in neutral on a few such occasions, but not when it comes to hearing the Word of God. Jesus warned us to be careful about not only what we hear but also about the very way we hear. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. (Luke 8:18)
We have to be careful as to how we hear because humans have selective processing, the tendency to hear what we want to hear. I’ve seen this demonstrated time and time again as I’ve had students giving reviews of a class that I had just taught. It never ceases to amaze me how so many students hear so many things that I never said in the lectures. Their minds were programmed to one frequency and they could only hear that particular message no matter what was actually said in the class. One student who was in a number of my classes would always wind up summarizing every lecture with, “Let your light so shine before men so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” no matter what the topic of the class was actually about. Two people can hear exactly the same thing through two totally different sets of ears. To prove this point, simply ask any husband about his last discussion with his wife – or vice versa.
Perhaps this is the reason that the New Testament repeats the command, He that hath an ear let him hear, at least fifteen times. God gave us spiritual ears to hear what He is saying to the churches, but it is up to us to keep them tuned in and sensitive to His voice. In the parable of the sower, Jesus demonstrated that the Word of God could be sown into unproductive fields with no lasting result or that it could fall into fertile soil and produce an abundant harvest. Interestingly enough, He concludes His remarks with one of the admonitions concerning having listening ears, implying that the ear is the key to having the productive soil for the Word of God. In other words, the ear can be the thermostat that raises the temperature of the heart! (Luke 8:8)
A missionary friend of mine in the Dominican Republic had a problem with the portable generator he needed for a crusade he was doing. When none of the local mechanics could figure out what was wrong with the machine, my friend resorted to calling a friend of his on the cell phone. By simply listening over the phone to the sound that the generator was making, Juan Carlos was able to diagnose the problem with the generator and explain to the missionary what needed to be done to get it working properly. Now that’s what I call an attentive ear.
God is looking for people with that same kind of spiritual hearing. That’s why He insisted to each of the seven churches in Revelation that if anyone has an ear, he should hear what the Spirit is saying. In addition, He gave us that same admonition at least nine times during His earthly ministry. (Matthew 11:15, 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23, 7:16, 8:18; Luke 8:8, 14:35)
James warns us that we must not be forgetful hearers (verse 1:25) who hear but not with an attentive ear that causes us to remember and act upon His instructions. In verse twenty-two, James explains that the root cause of such hearing problems lies not in our ears themselves but in the fact that we deceive ourselves – a malady which Jeremiah describes as being a condition of the heart (verse 17:9). James makes a parallel statement when he equates heart deception with an unbridled tongue. (verse 1:26) He makes another intriguing comment concerning wicked men, saying that they nourish their hearts as in the day of slaughter. (verse 5:5) Many translations render this phrase to fatten the heart, but a couple make it even more graphic: “indulged your fancies” (Twentieth Century New Testament) and “stupefied yourselves with gross feeding” (Weymouth’s New Testament). So, what is the bottom line? Our human inclination is to be so self-absorbed that we can’t control our lips or our ears. We can be so self-focused that we simply can’t force ourselves to talk about the things of God or listen purposefully when He tries to talk to us.
The third hindrance to hearing the Word of God is that, sometimes, we simply don’t want to hear it! Let’s look at the story of the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter twenty. Verse one plainly states that God orally spoke the Decalogue in the hearing of the entire camp of Israel. However, if we continue the story as it is recorded further on in the chapter, we will see that the people begged Moses to become an intermediary between them and God. They did not want to continue hearing directly from the very mouth of God. Instead, they devised a plan wherein Moses would hear the direct voice of God and then communicate His messages to them second-hand. They simply did not want the responsibility of hearing directly from God. I assume that they – just as we often tend to be – were more comfortable with a second-hand gospel because they knew that there might be a margin of error if it passed through a human channel, giving them an excuse for continuing in their unrighteousness. On the other hand, if they heard from the divine source directly, they would be without an excuse.
And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. (verses 18-22; also Deuteronomy 5:22-27 and 18:16)
The solution when people don’t want to hear is to inspire them by demonstrating before them a life that has benefited by hearing God’s voice. Moses’ life inspired Joshua to wait at the tent of meeting in anticipation that he too could hear from God. (Exodus 33:11)
The fourth complication is that we often can’t recognize God’s voice when He speaks to us. The lad Samuel had this difficulty when God first spoke to him. In the third chapter of I Samuel we find the story of how the Lord called him three times before he finally recognized that it was God Himself calling rather than his mentor Eli. However, if we read the rest of the story, we will see that Samuel developed an exceptionally clear ability to recognize the voice of the Lord. He became known as a “seer” because he could hear the whisperings of God concerning even the most secret of divine mysteries. In fact, the people of the region actually developed a fear of him, always cognizant that he might “read their mail” and expose the “skeletons in their closets” or reveal the “dust that they had swept under the carpet.”
Several years ago, I tuned into a nature show on public television to find that the subject that day was elephant seals. Honestly, these animals must be the most unattractive creatures on the planet. Pardon my bluntness, but they are downright ugly. I learned that these animals have no part to play in human economy except that their droppings can be used for fertilizer. What an insult – not only were they ugly, but their only contribution to society is that they go to the bathroom. I was really puzzled as to why the television network had spent thousands of dollars to send a crew to the Falkland Islands to shoot the footage; why they were airing the show; and, most of all, why I was wasting my time watching it.
Suddenly, I saw something – these animals were excellent teachers of learning to hear God’s voice. The cow elephant seals all give birth at the same time, and no mother will nurse another seal’s calf. Thus, it is necessary for each cow and calf to establish a way of identifying one another. This is done through honks and grunts that the mother and baby practice hour after hour. When they are separated in the vast, chaotic herd of thousands of these ugly beasts, the mother’s voice, though mingled with hundreds of other honks and grunts, beckons the calf back home. The baby only learns to distinguish that voice after hours and hours of constant drill; in the same way, we only know God’s voice after spending time in His Word and prayer. If we will give ourselves as much to prayer as we give to natural interests, we will never mistake a deceiving voice for the inner witness of God.
As in the case with the people of Samuel’s day who were afraid that he might reveal their transgressions and shortcomings, the fifth reason why we cannot hear the voice of God is because we are simply afraid. This has been a common problem since “day one.” It was fear that drove Adam and Eve into hiding and away from their daily time of fellowship and conversation with God. (Genesis 3:8-10)
The sixth problem we have in being unable to hear the Lord is that we often do not give diligence to what we hear. In Exodus 15:26, the Lord, speaking concerning our health and healing, said that we must diligently hearken to His voice and give ear to His commandments in order to partake of His divine provision. While Deuteronomy chapter fifteen speaks of release from financial and physical bondage, verse five limits these provisions to only those who will carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord and observe all His commandments. The twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy contains an oft-quoted roster of blessings, but we must realize that the opening two verses limit these benefits only to those who hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord and that verse fifteen turns all the blessings into curses for those who will not hearken unto His voice and observe all His commandments and statutes.
For just a minute, let’s think on totally natural terms. Suppose you ask someone for directions to a specific place. Imagine that the instructions are a bit complicated with several turns, some to the left and some to the right. If you listen with only a casual ear, you will likely make the first turn with no difficulty and possibly take the second turn correctly; however, by the time you are at the third crossroad, you will be confused as to which way to turn. You’ll probably be totally lost before reaching the fourth road.
Unfortunately, we are all too satisfied turning a nonchalant ear to God and, therefore, missing the precise plan He wants to lay out for our lives. Think of the detail that God gave Moses when He laid out the plans for the Old Testament Tabernacle; it took seven full chapters of Exodus (chapters 25-31) to spell out the pattern for the structure and the priestly order. But, more importantly, notice the preciseness with which Moses followed each detail when he implemented the blueprint. (chapters 36-40) The reward for this attention to detail was an invasion of the presence of the Lord so overwhelming that Moses was not even able to enter the Tabernacle. (Exodus 40:34-35)
We must learn that God is not in the habit of giving suggestions, but direct commands that He expects to be followed explicitly. However, we will never be able to follow them in minute detail unless we learn to listen with diligence. I remember being in a service when a prophetic word came forth in which the Spirit reiterated three times that the Lord is God and that His people should kneel before Him in worship. As soon as the prophecy had ended, the moderator of the meeting took the podium, “We’ve all heard the Holy Spirit’s admonition, so let’s stand up and praise the Lord.” Fortunately, I was in a position of leadership within the body so that it was not out of order for me to step up and correct the moderator by reminding the people that the Holy Spirit had directed us to kneel – not stand – and to worship – not praise. No matter how sincere he may have been, he was wrong and would have led the people astray because he did not hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord in the prophetic message.
The Eyes
In his reflections as he came to the conclusion of his afflictions, Job remarks, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. (Job 42:5) These remarks open to us a new vista of understanding concerning another one of our abilities to know God. When we hear, we hear the Word of the Lord; but if we look, we can actually see the Lord Himself! Tragically, there are many hindrances that keep us from actually seeing Him as we need to. Like Adam in the garden, we may simply not want to see Him. (Genesis. 3:10) Or, like Isaiah in his encounter with God that awakened him to the wickedness that poured from his lips, we are afraid that seeing God may sentence us to judgment for our unrighteousness. (Isaiah 6:5) Perhaps we are like Manoah and his wife who feared that such a divine encounter would take their very lives. (Judges 13:22)
The more common malady, however, is the simple fact that all of us are blind to one degree or another. Many of us have taken color blindness tests where numbers are arranged in patterns of similarly colored dots. Depending upon the degree of color blindness we suffer, we will be able to pick out the hidden numbers on some of the pseudo-isochromatic plates but unable to distinguish the pattern on others. In my own personal case, I have a rather marked degree of color blindness – so much so that my eye doctor once asked me if I had trouble telling the red and green lights apart on a traffic signal. I have also had a few humorous situations occur when I have mistaken objects because I thought them to be a different color, such as the time Peggy sent me to pick up her green suitcase. As far as I could tell, all her suitcases were black; therefore, I never figured out which one she wanted.
We also suffer from faulty vision in that our minds actually overrule our eyes in many situations. For example, when we look at optical illusions, our minds make us see things in ways that are actually not true at all. A common illusion shows the drawing of two men on a pair of lines that converge beyond the sketches. Because the lines trick our eyes into thinking that the men are standing on a road that vanishes in the distance, one of the men looks like he is far bigger than the other one. Once we take away the lines, we can readily see that the two sketches are actually the same size.
This physical test for color blindness and the games we play with optical illusions can help give us a little insight into what Jesus meant when He explained that He taught in parables because some people had eyes to see and others did not. Just as we all look at the same dot patterns yet not all of us can see the hidden numbers, only the ones who have enlightened eyes will be able to see the message inside the story.
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. (Matthew 13:3-16)
When Jesus made His statement about having eyes but not being able to see, He was quoting Isaiah 6:9-12, a significant Old Testament passage which is repeated at least four times in the New Testament. (Matthew 13:14, John 12:39, Acts 28:24-29, Romans 11:7-8) We can begin to understand why we are often unable to see even though we have seemingly perfectly good eyes by looking at a couple of clues Paul left us in his first letter to the Corinthians: Spiritual things are only discerned spiritually.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (I Corinthians 2:13, 14)
Notice the marked distinction between two contrasting worlds of reality – the natural and the spiritual. In the natural realm, we get human teaching; in the spiritual realm, we get teaching from the Holy Ghost. Paul goes on to say that those who are part of the natural order are unable to receive the truths of the spiritual realm – and, in fact, consider them to be foolishness. In the previous chapter of this same letter, Paul had already pointed out that the wisdom of the gospel is foolishness to the unregenerate. To them, it is foolishness to love your enemy or to give when you are in need. However, as he pointed out in the early part of chapter two, this same message which is foolish to the unsaved is wisdom to the redeemed – a wisdom that is hidden until we are enlightened by the Holy Spirit and, therefore, made perfect or mature.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (I Corinthians 2:4-10)
In his second epistle to this church, Paul gives two reasons why we have eye problems. The first cause is that our eyes are blinded and the gospel is hidden from us by the devil.
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. (II Corinthians 4:3-4)
Remember Nicodemus’ clandestine interview with Jesus? He wanted to know the secrets of the kingdom of God and he was shocked to learn that it is impossible to even see the divine kingdom without being born again. (John 3:3) Nicodemus did not understand natural – much less, spiritual – things. The god of this world has done such a good job of blinding the eyes of his subjects that they cannot see the kingdom that is presently among them. (Luke 11:20)
The second reason the apostle listed is even more tragic: we have voluntarily put a veil over our eyes. It is one thing to be blinded by an antagonistic force, but it is a totally different matter to willingly blindfold oneself in order to avoid the illuminating light of God. In Exodus chapter thirty-four, we read the story of how the people of Israel asked Moses to place a veil over his face to filter out the blinding glow on his countenance when he descended from his mountaintop sojourn with God. Paul explains the spiritual ramifications of their request.
And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (II Corinthians 3:13-18)
God not only shows us the condition and its cause, He also reveals the cure. In His very first sermon, Jesus declared that He was anointed to give sight to the blind (Luke 4:18), and His ministry proved that He did, in that many blind received their sight – a miraculous ministry that continued under the hands of the disciples after Jesus’ ascension to heaven. (Matthew 9:27, 11:5, 12:22, 15:30, 20:30, 21:14; Mark 8:22, 10:46; Luke 7:21, 14:13, 18:35, 24:11; John 5:3, 9:1; Acts 9:12) In His message to the seven churches of Revelation, the Risen Lord confronted the Laodicean church because they saw themselves as healthy, wealthy, and wise. Jesus, on the other hand, recognized them as needing eye salve to correct their blindness. (Revelation 3:18) The context of His message to the church reveals that this healing is actually repentance – the only cure for both blindness caused by the diabolical work of our enemy and the self-induced blindness resulting from our own willful actions!
If the first step to the remedy is repentance, the subsequent step must be to use what vision we have been given. Remember that Jesus said that His reason for teaching in parables was because some were not given the ability to see. To the unregenerate Pharisees, He gave few parables; instead, He pointedly told them to repent. (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3, 13:5) It was to the disciples who were beginning to see properly that He addressed the parables and even agreed to give some explanation of them. When Jesus began to explain the parable of the sower to these disciples, He added that the ones who had such ability would be given even more. (Matthew 13:12) They were the fertile soil in which just one seed of the gospel could germinate and produce thirty, sixty, or even one hundred revelations. In a subsequent discourse, Jesus emphasized the point.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. (Matthew 25:29)
Our ability for spiritual insight will increase if we put it to use. Yogi Berra is quoted as having said, “You can observe a lot by looking.” Although he was not a theologian, he seemed to understand a truth that is demonstrated in the Bible. In Acts chapter three, we read the story about the first miracle healing through the church after the Lord’s ascension. It is interesting to note the various verbs used to describe the action of seeing. In verse three, the lame man is referred to as “seeing” Peter and John as they neared the temple. The next verse says that Peter “fastening his eyes” on the invalid, commanded that he “look on” the apostles. Notice the progression in the intensity of the verbs. When the lame man was only seeing, he had no spiritual insight and remained subject to his crippling condition. When the apostle fastened his eyes on the beggar, he focused his attention in a way that he had never done before. It is certain that Peter had noticed this man many times as he had gone in and out of the temple over the years; however, today was different – there was a purposeful awareness that had never been there before. Finally, the afflicted man was directed to look – an action verb conveying purpose and expectant anticipation. That look of faith brought the man out of his physical dimension into the spiritual reality where he was able to receive his miracle. The author of the book of Hebrews also directs us to move from simply seeing the host of faithful witnesses to taking a purposeful focused look at Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2) The implication is that deliberate and purposeful focusing of our spiritual attention can enhance our ability to see into the things of the spirit realm. Hebrews 5:14 declares that we can develop our senses – suggesting our hearing and our sight – by purposefully using them. If we have become blinded by deliberately placing a veil over our eyes, certainly we can undo that deficiency by concentrated focus.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)
Paul even numbered himself among those who had limited clarity in vision when he testified in I Corinthians 13:12 that we (including himself) see through a “glass darkly.” But he also proclaimed that there was a day coming when we would “see face to face.” His point was that we can anticipate total revelation at the final resurrection; however, that resurrection power is already working in and through us today. (Ephesians 3:20) Additionally, we have the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our present lives as a foretaste of the power of that kingdom to come; therefore, we can expect to grow in clarity of vision as the Holy Spirit enlightens our present understanding. (I Corinthians 2:10) That is why Paul dedicated himself to praying for the church to receive the Holy Spirit’s impartation for spiritual vision.
I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:16-18)
Many – if not most – believers suffer from Christian myopia, a nearsightedness that keeps us from looking at the full picture. Eighty-nine percent of American households own an average of three Bibles, yet fifty-two percent of Americans rarely or never read the Bible and only thirty-three percent say they read the Bible at least once a week. If we don’t read God’s Word, we will never be able to see the full truth that He wants to reveal to us. Even more significant is that those who do read the Bible often fail to allow the Bible to read them. To genuinely be healed of the spiritual blindness in our lives, we need to allow the light of the truth of the scripture to illuminate the obstacles that have blurred or obstructed our vision. (Matthew 7:3) Some people neglect spending time in study of the scriptures using the excuse that they can’t understand so much of it. The truth is that we shouldn’t be bothered by what we don’t understand in the Bible; rather, we should be concerned about what we do understand but have failed to apply to our lives. Once we begin to seriously read and apply the Word of God, we will discover that our vision gets more and more clear and accurate.
Another application of eye salve comes in a bottle labeled “forgiveness.” According to the beloved disciple John, our eyes can be blinded by walking in unforgiveness toward those around us.
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. (I John 2:9-11)
One of the characters in the movie Patch Adams was a patient in a mental institution whose characteristic behavior was to get into the face of each person he met, hold two fingers in front of him, and demand, “How many fingers do you see?” Of course, everyone thought that he was crazy because of this erratic behavior; however, Patch Adams eventually realized what the gentleman was up to. When Patch looked beyond the fingers and gazed at the man himself, the fingers were out of focus. Suddenly, he saw four – not two – fingers! The point of the object lesson was that we need to learn to look at the people whom God places in our lives rather than at the problems they may cause us. If we continue to focus on the problems, we will never see the people as God wants us to see them; we are blinded and walk in darkness. From my own personal experience, I can testify to the power of changing the way we see others. As a graduate student in seminary, my major professor became more of a tormentor than the mentor he was supposed to be. Every encounter I had with him was a confrontation. It seemed that he saw his mission in life as hindering rather than helping me earn my degree. No matter how hard I tried, the situation didn’t seem to improve. That is, until the day he made an off-the-cuff statement that let me see into his personal self. I realized that he was having trouble at home and that he was bringing his frustrations and anxieties from home to the office. Apparently, I had become the brunt of his emotional release. When I realized what was happening, I mentioned to him that I was going to pray for him and his family. Instantly, his attitude changed and our working relationship took a one-eighty! Magic? No, it was the blessing of God, because I got my vision in proper alignment. From the moment I started praying for him rather than about him, I was seeing him the way God wanted me to see him. When I was able to stop seeing him as a problem and begin to see that he had a problem, I began to see him from the viewpoint of God.
I love the stories where the detective sees what everyone else overlooks. The detective has the ability to see clues that are hidden in plain sight. Sometimes, that extra insight can be the difference between life and death. When God wrote a personal memo on the wall of the Babylonian banquet hall, the devil and all his sorcerers demonstrated their lack of spiritual insight when they tried to read the words that were written plainly before their faces. Mene, mene, tekel, upharsin was a list of the coins in circulation in their empire. They could not go beyond the surface meaning of the names of their coinage. Certainly, the Almighty was interested in more than just pocket change in His personal visit with the leaders of a great empire. Only Daniel – with his ability to understand what everyone else was simply looking at – was able to see that the name of each coin also had a second meaning. Just as our term “nickel” means a five-cent coin but also names a kind of metal, mene meant “to measure” in addition to naming their currency. Just as our term “quarter” means “one fourth” in addition to naming our twenty-five-cent coin, tekel had a second meaning of “to weigh.” Like our term “half” signifies the fifty-cent coin as well as meaning “fifty percent,” pharsin [u is the term for “and”] meant “to divide” as well as designating a monetary value. The terms mene and pharsin also seemed to suggest the rising empire of the Medes and Persians. All this revelation was “as plain as the handwriting on the wall,” but the magicians were blind to it.
The most tragic of all shortsightedness would be failing to see God when He is present and active in our lives.
Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? (John 14:8-9)
As both a preventative and corrective measure for this kind of spiritual blindness, the scripture continually commands us to diligently and purposefully seek God. For those who seek the face of God, the most popular promise is in II Chronicles 7:14, which says that He hears from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Psalm 24:4-6 says those who seek the Lord have clean hands and a pure heart and are in line for blessings and righteousness from their God.
Whether we will be able to see the Lord depends on the condition of our hearts. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8) Certainly, the pure in heart will see God in “the sweet by and by” of our eternal abode, but the truth is that we can begin to see Him in the “bitter here and now” of our temporal residence. Moses had this privilege (Exodus 33:11), but this was also extended to all God’s people.
And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night. (Numbers 14:14)
The Heart
Of course, there may also be internal problems in the furnace itself, which will cause difficulties even when the thermostat is working perfectly. Remember how the two men who walked with the Risen Lord on the road to Emmaus summed up their encounter with Him? Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:32) What they had seen and heard had turned up the thermostat to their hearts. John Wesley said “amen” to their testimony when he chronicled a journal entry concerning his conversion to Christ on May 24, 1783, “In the evening, I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change that God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”
When we have the physical discomfort we call “heartburn,” we may reach for an antacid to alleviate the condition. This medication is simply a buffer compound which is mostly a neutral substance containing a mixture of salt and base. The characteristic trait of this sort of compound is that just a little will go a long way; in fact, one brand claims to absorb eighty-seven times its own weight in stomach acid. The same thing is true in our spiritual lives. There are many things which – if we allow them inside of us – will eradicate our burning hearts. Just a partial list includes such things as sin, human reasoning, fear, sorrow, pride, carnality, doubt, drunkenness, disappointment, lust, and negativism. The disturbing truth is that (like an antacid) it only takes a little for them to have major results.
The ninth chapter of John records the story of the healing of a man who had been born blind. The disciples’ initial reaction to the poor man’s condition was to ask if the blindness was a result of the man’s own sin or a recompense for his parents’ sins. As we read through the full story, we eventually come to understand that the real focus of the chapter was not so much on the physical blindness of the man and any sin that might have been related to it; the real point of the story is that spiritual blindness is the result of our sinfulness.
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. (John 9: 39-41)
According to both the Old and New Testaments, a hardened heart seems to be the basic malady that blocks the effective Word of God.
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. (Psalm 95:7-11)
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Hebrews 3:7-4:7)
Let’s think briefly about the night after the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. If there was ever a time when we would expect the disciples’ faith to be “off the charts,” it would have been this night when they had personally taken part in the creative miracle of multiplying a little boy’s sack lunch into a banquet that fed thousands. Yet, if we read the story all the way to the end, we see that instead of walking away from this experience as faith-filled men, the disciples were superstitious, worried, afraid, nervous, confused, and confounded. They had not been able to comprehend the miracle that they had taken part in. They had experienced a miracle from God but had failed to experience the God of the miracle.
Then when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. (Mark 6:49-52)
Notice the explanation that is given as to why the disciples had difficulty: their hearts were hardened. In a quick survey of the Bible, we will discover that hardness of the heart is associated with not being willing to listen to and obey the voice of God. In some cases, hardness comes from outright rebellion. Probably the most well documented case of a heart hardened by rebellion was the Egyptian pharaoh who repeatedly refused to hear the oracle of God spoken through Moses (Exodus 7:13, 8:15). Likewise, when the king of Israel refused to hear the words of Jeremiah which he spoke from the very mouth of the Lord, his action was labeled as “hardening his heart.” (II Chronicles 36:13) Ezekiel accused the whole nation of Israel of this condition because they were unwilling to hear the Word of the Lord. (verse 3:7) Jesus labeled the people of His time as subject to this malady, saying that it was a work of the devil to keep them from salvation. (Mark 10:5, John 12:40) Unfortunately – as we see in the case of these well-meaning disciples – a hard heart can be the unexpected by-product of a heart of compassion that gets “out of focus” by concentrating on the work of the Lord rather than the Lord of the work.
I’m sure that we have all heard the story of the elementary school boy who was told to sit down and behave in class. He muttered under his breath, “I am sitting down on the outside, but standing up on the inside.” Even though his was a deliberate expression of rebellion rather than the unintentional hardness of heart that we as Christians often experience, the story does help us see clearly the difference between the internal motivation and the external manifestation. The trouble that we experience externally is generally the fruit of the evil that is working internally.
In the beginning of this section, I suggested that we should be like the three monkeys who “see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil”; well, now I’d like to suggest that we not be like some of the vegetables we see in our local supermarket. We want to avoid being like the potato that has eyes but can’t see. We don’t want to become like corn, which has ears but can’t hear. We certainly can’t afford to follow the example of lettuce with a head but can’t think. Nor can we imitate the artichoke, which has a heart but can’t feel. Jesus explained that all these problems resulted from a “gross” heart.
For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Matthew 13:15; see also Deuteronomy 29:4, Isaiah 6:10, Jeremiah 5:21, Ezekiel 12:2, Mark 8:18, Acts 28:27, Romans 11:8)
Though the King James meaning of “gross” may read more like “fat” and “dull” – words we find unattractive to start with – the contemporary dictionary rendition is even more dramatic. A quick look at the synonyms immediately reveals that this condition is something we want no part of: disgusting, sickening, vulgar, nasty, crass, uncivilized, dreadful, repugnant, grotesque, and bizarre. In the next verse, the whole picture changes when Jesus describes the hearts of those who are no longer “vegetable Christians” as “blessed,” which can be defined as: holy, sacred, sanctified, hallowed, consecrated, set apart, and happily complete!
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. (Matthew 13:16)
The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them. (Proverbs 20:12)
The very familiar story of Mary and Martha may help us bring the whole issue into perspective. Martha busied herself trying to serve the Lord while Mary disciplined herself to sit at His feet. Of the two, Mary was commended as having chosen the one necessary thing whose benefits (personal fellowship with God) cannot be taken away. (Luke 10:38-42) While Martha’s eyes, ears, and heart had “waxed gross,” Mary’s continued to be blessed. Even though the blessings of our fellowship with the Lord cannot be taken away from us, we – like Martha – can give them away in our attempt to busily serve Him. We must determine that – like Mary – we will remain in that quiet place at Jesus’ feet because it is there that we can mature into the full measure of His stature.
