Guard Your Eyes

Happy Sunday. Last week we saw that Jesus taught that you could have your treasure in the wrong place. Today we see just how dangerous it is to have your eyes on the wrong thing. In the Bible, the eyes are often a metaphor for the heart. These are the words of Jesus from Matthew 6:22-23.

There he said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of Darkness. If then the light in you is Darkness, How great is the darkness."

There's a saying in the computer World: garbage in, garbage out. Your machine will only contain the things that you put into it. That is so true in our lives. If all you think about is work, well, that's what what you think about, and your family will likely suffer. If all you think about is yourself, others will suffer.

If all you think about is negative, all around you will suffer. Jesus made it clear that if what you look at is healthy, what you focus on is healthy, you will be well. Let's talk about that for a moment. All of us should read scripture. We're told in Psalm 119:105 that God's word is "a lamp for our feet and a light for our path."

And if our lives are filled with scripture, if we know what God teaches, it's very likely that our lives will be healthy and blessed. As a husband, for instance, I know that it's my scriptural duty to love my wife and to do all I can in showing her my love and appreciation and devotion. I took a vow before God, and I need to remember to keep my word and to remember God's word always. You know, if I didn't have an upbringing that included learning scripture, there's no telling where I'd be today.

Today, if you stay in God's word, it's very likely that you'll be a positive person. Now, I'm not saying that you won't have problems. I'm saying that the way you deal with your problems will be very different from those who have no spiritual Foundation. The other side of the Coen is all too common. Jesus said that if you fill yourselves with Darkness, your life will be wrong. It'll be dark.

All through scripture, light equates to good and darkness equates to evil, and we all must make a choice: good or evil. Jesus said this in John 3: "This is the Judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved Darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."

I knew a man who once seemed to run from light to Darkness, hearing the nickname blackart, and it was welld deserved. If we become sidetracked, we can be in big trouble. I had conversation not too long ago with a young man that makes a great deal of money. He's fine. His life is Guided by God, and all is well.

He was concerned about a friend who was young and Rich, very rich, and he live, He's living a horrible life. The difference between the two young men was light and dark. One knows Jesus and one does not. Jesus wants us to be careful with what we fill our lives with.

I mentioned earlier this year, uh, that I'll begin a new podcast in 2024. I spent a great deal of time researching, of all things, microphones from my podcast. I spent hours and hours researching what was was best in my price range. I watched countless videos over and over again about microphones. The other night I dreamed about microphones.

A few days later I ordered my top choice and I quit researching. I don't want to dream about microphones. I don't want to dwell on things with no Eternal consequences. But have you ever found that out, that you dream about things that you're studying about or reading about? I'll read scripture before I go to bed tonight. I want to let the light in.

Remember that song from childhood? "Be careful, little eyes, what you see. Be careful, little eyes, what you see. The father up above is looking down with love, so be careful, little eyes, what you see." It's good advice. Those are good words.

In Psalm 119, it's interesting to see the psalmist write about learning the ways of God. I'll read from verses 33 to 37. The psalmist says, and ask the question, "Teach me your decrees, oh Lord. I'll keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I'll obey your instructions. I'll put them into practice with all my heart. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money." And then verse 37: "Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word."

The psalmist knew the importance of growing in the faith. He know also knew the importance of his eyes, his Focus. Let me repeat verse 37: "Turn my eyes from worthless, worthless things, and give me life through your word." That's a great prayer, isn't it?

Pray with me. Lord, turn our eyes from worthless things. Help us to be careful what we fill our lives with. Help us to do things that would honor you with our eyes and our choices and our focus and our priorities. We, we've all been sidetracked one way or another. Help us to turn back to you always.

And father, let that light be so rich in our lives because you are there, and let others see it so we can lead them to you. In Jesus name we pray, amen. God bless. Thanks for joining me today.