Ears to Hear and Eyes to See

[Copper25]

Acts 28:27) For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

How many people into today’s world fit this condition? Choosing to shut their ears to the truth and purity of the Gospel and rather opening their ears to fables, myths, and falsehood. It is a sad time where some many cannot discern right from wrong, not being able to tell apart good from bad. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” This verse describes perilous danger in today’s society. “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” Yet how many people trust in their own ability to discern and please God in their lives. The snare, the hindrance, is when people don’t lean to God for understanding, on the word to see what is acceptable and what is not. You cannot be sanctified without the truth, being knowledgeable and keeping the truth in the midst of our heart.

Who can prosper without the guidance of God Almighty, who holds all influence and control? “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. This is not said in vain, because without His guidance we are in darkness, stumbling, and cannot see. The word can cut through falsehood in every way; this is why application is key. Anyone can store biblical knowledge but without application what growth or spiritual progress can be made? You can know “thou shalt not steal”, “thou shalt not commit adultery”, and “thou shalt have no other gods before me”, but putting them in to practice and being knowledgeable on how to keep and obey them is an entirely different matter. We can try our best, but it is written “man at his best state is altogether vanity”, so we need to seek and press toward the Lord prayerfully, “seek his face forevermore”, means just that, daily and diligently, nothing less, lest our hearts wax gross becoming vulnerable and susceptible to evil and spiritual corruption.

 

[Lion_of_Judah]

Who can prosper without the guidance of God Almighty, who holds all influence and control?

Well, Bill Gates did alright.

Mike Holmgren for another.

..and then there's Joel Osteen and Rick Warren. ..just sayin.. in answer to your question.




..just sayin.

 

[amadeus2]

Who can prosper without the guidance of God Almighty, who holds all influence and control?

Well, Bill Gates did alright.

Mike Holmgren for another.

..and then there's Joel Osteen and Rick Warren. ..just sayin.. in answer to your question.




..just sayin.

Wrong kind prosperity.

"Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches." Psalms 73:12

 

[Lion_of_Judah]

Wrong kind prosperity.

"Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches." Psalms 73:12

To quote someone I respect much:


"You cannot help the poor, if your one of them."


LoJ

 

[amadeus2]

"Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." Acts 3:6

To quote someone I respect much:


"You cannot help the poor, if your one of them."


LoJ

 

[Enow]

Acts 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

How many people into today’s world fit this condition? Choosing to shut their ears to the truth and purity of the Gospel and rather opening their ears to fables, myths, and falsehood. It is a sad time where some many cannot discern right from wrong, not being able to tell apart good from bad. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” This verse describes perilous danger in today’s society. “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”

It could be a condition in the church as well since the falling away of the faith is to occur first before the son of perdition is revealed. Did not Jesus prophesied of false prophets in Matthew 7:13-27 & Luke 13:24-30 where before His appearing for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb that it will be so bad that only a few will find it? Is this the result of broadening the Way to God by putting someone else or something else with Jesus as if there is another Door to go to besides Jesus? How is that not seen as climbing up another way? How can this not even be seen as breaking the commandment in approaching God the Father through the Son only? Is it not by the Son that we have received the Spirit as promised for coming to and believing in Him? And yet how can our ears be not dull of hearing as our hearts waxed gross from our first love for moving away from the rest we have in Jesus to go to another door? By forgetting their first love and for not striving to enter through that straight gate, many believers will not be ready at His appearing and why should they be of they refuse to heed the call of the Spirit and the faithful witness of the Bride to come to Jesus to drink the water of life?

Revelation 22:16I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

John 4:10Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 6:35And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

And yet we have believers hungering and thirsting for more of God stil by ignoring the promise that they are filled and shall never thirst again for believing in Jesus. They are not heeding His sayings, and thus your quoted verses can be applied to the churches as well.

Amos 8:11Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: 12And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. 13In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.

May God cause the increase and restore the wayward to the path of righteousness for His name's sake. May they remember their first love and have all eyes turned towards the Bridegroom by His grace for He shall be appearing soon.

1 Peter 2:24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.