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The Inner Spiritual Eyes

His eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. (Mark 8:25)

You and I, dear friends, individually, and if we belong to a company of the Lord's people, that company, will only make progress toward that full, ultimate end of God in Christ if we have a spiritual vision of Jesus Christ. Vision is essential to progress. Is it necessary for me to stay with the word "vision"? I am not thinking about something objective that you see with your eyes of flesh. It is something that has happened inside of you, and your inner spiritual eyes have been opened. You can say, "I have SEEN, and that has revolutionized my life. That has put me on my feet. That has set me on a course. That has become a dynamic in my life which, in spite of myself, keeps me going." Yes, thank God, it works like that.

I know the aspect, the factor, of our responsibility, but God help you and me if it is all going to be left to our responsibility and what we do! I tell you and this may have been your experience, or it may interpret your present experience many, many times I would have given up the race. That is an awful confession! Indeed many times I have given it up in my heart. It became so difficult that I could go no further, so I gave up. It was not, therefore, my persistence that enabled me to go on, but what the Apostle calls "the power that worketh in us." What is that? The Holy Spirit has put a dynamic in us and we have seen. We cannot un-see! We cannot go back. The seeing may fade, and it may even be eclipsed by days of darkness and trouble. We may know what Paul meant when he said: "We were pressed out of measure, beyond our strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life" (2 Corinthians 1:8). That was a terrible thing for the greatest of all apostles to say! What happened? Did Paul give up and say: "Well, I cannot go on!"? No, not at all! "The power that worketh in us" got him on his feet again and again. Let Elijah seek out his juniper tree and say: "Take away my life!", but the Lord does not agree. He has given Elijah a part in His great, eternal purpose, and so he will come up again.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. § Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

We walk by faith, not by sight. § We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. § An inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away [is] reserved in heaven for you.

Col. 3:2;  1 John 2:15;  Matt. 6:19,21;  2 Cor. 5:7;   2 Cor. 4:16,18;  1 Peter 1:4

He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden.

My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. § All these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

“Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. § Aaron held his peace. § It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. § He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Gen. 49:15;  James 5:10;  1 Cor. 10:11;  Job 2:10;  Lev. 10:3;  1 Sam. 3:18;  Ps. 55:22;  Isa. 53:4;  Matt. 11:28,29;  Matt. 11:30

Doctrinal - Experiential

Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you" (Rom. 6:17).

The only true, consistent, and Christ-honoring experience is that which emerges from clear-cut faith in the explicit facts of the Word. Sound doctrine is the one basis for a mature walk and effective service. "Thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine" (1 Tim. 4:6).

"We must remember that our death to sin was once for all accomplished at the Cross. There the believer shared the death of the Lord Jesus; for when he became a believer, the life he received was life in Christ, that is, life out of death, resurrection life,  newness of life'; and the relation to sin and the law which Christ had, became those of the believer! Our experience of it all is simply the entering by faith into what has already happened at the Cross.

"God now commands each of us to reckon ourselves as having died with Christ to sin - and therefore as now dead unto sin; and as having risen with Christ, and therefore now alive to God (Rom. 6:11). Now it is always on the basis of what God has done that He asks us to reckon, to appropriate. God makes the facts and tells us to take the attitude that befits these facts; and when we obey, He increasingly works our experiential victory in and through us." -W.R.N.

"Give attendance . . . to doctrine" (1 Tim. 4:13).

God, My Praise (Study In God - All I Need-19)

Reflect His Love