[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]If Thine Eye Be Single (Matthew 6:22-23)[/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]Matthew 6:22-23[/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness![/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]Here when Jesus speaks of the eye, He's talking about your spiritual perception the way you see things spiritually. Your eye (or your spiritual perception) effects your heart (your conscience, will, and emotions). Jesus wants your eye to be full of light (full of truth). That way your body will become subject to truth. And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32). So if you can perceive truth and embrace that truth, then you can bring your whole body into subjection to truth. Paul said, But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, (1 Cor. 9:27). The only way you can do that is through the truth of God's Word.[/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]If your eye (or your spiritual perception) be evil and full of the lies and deception of the enemy, then the whole body is filled with darkness and you cannot bring it into subjection, because your flesh is in control. If your spiritual perception has been darkened (like all of ours was when we were in the world), if it has been darkened by lust, pride, deceit, the will of the enemy, then we walk in lust, pride, deceit and the will of the enemy. Our body (or our walk) becomes darkened by our perception. We can't see. How can the blind lead the blind? He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth (John 12:35). Therefore, we walk after the flesh. [/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]2 Corinthians 4:4 says that the god of this world (satan) hath blinded the minds of them which BELIEVE NOT. Believe not what? The TRUTH of God's Word. Lest the LIGHT (or the truth) of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Don't let satan deceive you into not believing truth. That's how you end up in darkness. The light of Christ reveals truth to us and keeps us from walking in darkness as long as we don't reject it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]Jesus said, Ye are the light of the world, (Mat. 5:14). Then He says in John 12:35, Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you. In other words, keep living according to light (according to truth), so that the darkness that is in the world doesn't overtake and overcome you and put out the light of Christ that's in you. It starts with your perception with the eye. The light of the body is the eye. The devil wants to blind you to truth, but Jesus came to open the blind eyes. And He does that through the Word of God.[/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]When you begin to walk in light, you cannot associate with darkness any longer. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath LIGHT with DARKNESS? (2 Cor. 6:14.) You have to separate yourself and walk that straight and narrow. Let them talk about you and call you weird. They're supposed to. Wherein they think it strange that ye run NOT with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you (1 Pet. 4:4). But Jesus said, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad. You got a great reward in heaven! (Mat. 5:11-12). [/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]You have to walk separate from the world, because they love darkness rather than light (John 3:19). They hate that light of Christ that's in you, and they want to put it out because it exposes their sin. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness you WERE once darkness, but now are ye LIGHT in the Lord: so walk as children of light (Eph. 5:7-8). Walk according to light according to the truth that God has revealed to you through His Word. Walk in obedience to it.[/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]Do you know you can quench the work of the Holy Spirit in your life through disobedience? God can be showing you something or telling you to do something and your refusal to obey will stop the Holy Spirit from completing that work in you. That's how you stop growing in God. You become a hindrance to your own self. Quench not the Spirit (1 Thes. 5:19). That's why obedience is better than sacrifice.[/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 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... If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us (1 John 1:5-7,10). [/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]Walking in darkness to truth is a result of the Word not being in us or us refusing to believe and obey it. God has called us to walk according to the truth of God's Word. The Holy Spirit is the One who leads us into that truth, but in order for that truth to change us and bring forth fruit in our lives, we have to submit to God and obey the truth that He is revealing to us.[/FONT]
[FONT=Sylfaen, serif]If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. In other words, if your spiritual perception is sound in truth and you embrace that truth, then you have power over your flesh, and God gives you grace to walk in the Spirit and bring forth fruit in your life.[/FONT]
strange... all relevant writings from the period that talk about a 'good eye' are Hebraic euphemisms for generosity when it comes to giving to charitable deeds. A person with a 'good eye' is generous... A person whose eye is 'dark' is stingy....
the context of the verse is everything....
i would get carried away...
i think on this occasion my messianic background works in my favour....
Steve
p.s. as reference i cite the book "Understanding the difficult words of Jesus" by Bivin/Blizzard; "Jesus the Jewish Theologian" by Brad Young; "Jewish New Testament Commentary" by David Stern; "The Power New Testament" by William Morford; and last but not least "Cyberlizard Translation of the Gospel of Matthew" by myself (available via my profile/website (though it is not the most recent revision).
p.p.s. just found this link as a side note - http://eutychusnerd dot blogspot dot com/2008/10/good-eye-bad-eye.html
I believe our perception is crucial. Here is an excerpt from a newsletter I just received from Cathrine Brown of Gatekeepers in Scotland.
Dear Friends,
I was pondering what 2009 might bring when the Holy Spirit broke into my thoughts with this phrase, "It is a year of increase for some and decrease for others."
Immediately following these words, I had a vision in which I saw Jesus looking out to the horizon. He handed me a pair of binoculars. I put them to my eyes "right way round" and was able to see clearly. Everything was magnified just as one would expect with a functioning pair of binoculars. Everything increased. Just after this the Lord took the binoculars from me and turned them "wrong way round". I put them back to my eyes and everything in my vision became smaller, decreased and what was near seemed even further away that when viewed with the naked eye. The Lord looked at me as if pre-empting my next question and said, "Whether you experience increase or decrease will depend on your focus."
As we enter into 2009 God is calling us to see things through His eyes. There are a number of things that I believe the Lord is speaking about 2009. I will list these (in no particular order) mindful that we see in part, and what I bring today is only a small part of what the blessed Holy Spirit is speaking to His bride at this time.
2009 WILL BE A YEAR OF SEPARATION
Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Israel and Egypt. (Ex 11:7)
As in the days of Moses, it will be evident those who are the Lord's and those who are not. This separation will be seen both in judgement (for the rebellious and disobedient) and conversely in advocacy (for the humble and obedient). The church will be judged for her compromise and complacency and a call to holiness is reverberating from heaven to earth. The nations will be judged for apostasy, but even in the midst of judgement God is longing and willing to be merciful to all who will repent. The message of repentance is central to the Kingdom message Messiah preached, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. Mt 4:17
For those who walk closely with the Lord and have honoured His holiness, 2009 will be a year when they will experience advocacy; when Heaven shall defend those who cannot defend themselves; when the Lord will work in power for the powerless and speak for those who have no Voice. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of every thing I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Jn 14:26-27
I believe our perception is crucial. Here is an excerpt from a newsletter I just received from Cathrine Brown of Gatekeepers in Scotland.
Dear Friends,
I was pondering what 2009 might bring when the Holy Spirit broke into my thoughts with this phrase, "It is a year of increase for some and decrease for others."
Immediately following these words, I had a vision in which I saw Jesus looking out to the horizon. He handed me a pair of binoculars. I put them to my eyes "right way round" and was able to see clearly. Everything was magnified just as one would expect with a functioning pair of binoculars. Everything increased. Just after this the Lord took the binoculars from me and turned them "wrong way round". I put them back to my eyes and everything in my vision became smaller, decreased and what was near seemed even further away that when viewed with the naked eye. The Lord looked at me as if pre-empting my next question and said, "Whether you experience increase or decrease will depend on your focus."
As we enter into 2009 God is calling us to see things through His eyes. There are a number of things that I believe the Lord is speaking about 2009. I will list these (in no particular order) mindful that we see in part, and what I bring today is only a small part of what the blessed Holy Spirit is speaking to His bride at this time.
2009 WILL BE A YEAR OF SEPARATION
Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Israel and Egypt. (Ex 11:7)
As in the days of Moses, it will be evident those who are the Lord's and those who are not. This separation will be seen both in judgement (for the rebellious and disobedient) and conversely in advocacy (for the humble and obedient). The church will be judged for her compromise and complacency and a call to holiness is reverberating from heaven to earth. The nations will be judged for apostasy, but even in the midst of judgement God is longing and willing to be merciful to all who will repent. The message of repentance is central to the Kingdom message Messiah preached, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. Mt 4:17
For those who walk closely with the Lord and have honoured His holiness, 2009 will be a year when they will experience advocacy; when Heaven shall defend those who cannot defend themselves; when the Lord will work in power for the powerless and speak for those who have no Voice. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of every thing I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Jn 14:26-27
I believe our perception is crucial. Here is an excerpt from a newsletter I just received from Cathrine Brown of Gatekeepers in Scotland.
Dear Friends,
I was pondering what 2009 might bring when the Holy Spirit broke into my thoughts with this phrase, "It is a year of increase for some and decrease for others."
Immediately following these words, I had a vision in which I saw Jesus looking out to the horizon. He handed me a pair of binoculars. I put them to my eyes "right way round" and was able to see clearly. Everything was magnified just as one would expect with a functioning pair of binoculars. Everything increased. Just after this the Lord took the binoculars from me and turned them "wrong way round". I put them back to my eyes and everything in my vision became smaller, decreased and what was near seemed even further away that when viewed with the naked eye. The Lord looked at me as if pre-empting my next question and said, "Whether you experience increase or decrease will depend on your focus."
As we enter into 2009 God is calling us to see things through His eyes. There are a number of things that I believe the Lord is speaking about 2009. I will list these (in no particular order) mindful that we see in part, and what I bring today is only a small part of what the blessed Holy Spirit is speaking to His bride at this time.
2009 WILL BE A YEAR OF SEPARATION
“Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Israel and Egypt.” (Ex 11:7)
As in the days of Moses, it will be evident those who are the Lord's and those who are not. This separation will be seen both in judgement (for the rebellious and disobedient) and conversely in advocacy (for the humble and obedient). The church will be judged for her compromise and complacency and a call to holiness is reverberating from heaven to earth. The nations will be judged for apostasy, but even in the midst of judgement God is longing and willing to be merciful to all who will repent. The message of repentance is central to the Kingdom message Messiah preached, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Mt 4:17
For those who walk closely with the Lord and have honoured His holiness, 2009 will be a year when they will experience advocacy; when Heaven shall defend those who cannot defend themselves; when the Lord will work in power for the powerless and speak for those who have no Voice. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of every thing I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jn 14:26-27
i just remembered this. your post reminded me of the word that was given at church yesterday: this year it'll be all about our WALK with God. i'm so glad God is confirming His Word.
