Ephesian 1:18 Eyes of Your Heart

The Eyes of your Heart

Ephesians 1: 18ff
I have been intrigued with Paul's expression, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you." Some years ago skeptics would have dismissed this expression as being stupid but in the last few years scientists have discovered a relationship of the heart to our personalities and that the heart is not just an organ in your body that pumps blood. Scientists are finding out new discoveries about the heart especially now that people are having heart transplants. I can remember when the first heart transplant took place in the 1960's. This was a medical breakthrough especially as people began to actually live after a transplant. There were many obstacles to overcome. In August, one of the professors at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary had a heart transplant and he is doing very well. He has the opportunity to live and teach again. He is excited about living a normal life again. But heart transplants have a unique effect on people who receive them. Often their attitudes, desires and character change to be like the person from whom they received the heart. This is a phenomenon which no one can explain because scientists who do not believe the Bible are surprised at the fact that the heart controls some of our attitudes and preferences.

We know from the Bible that the heart is the spiritual centre of our being. Psalm 7:9 says, "O righteous God who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure." Here we have God searching not only our minds but our hearts as well. What would God find if He searched your heart and mind? Matthew puts a connection between the eyes and your spiritual well being in Matthew 6:22, 23. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" What are we filling our minds and hearts with when we watch TV or movies? Is the information we are processing with our eyes leading us to goodness or darkness, joy or sorrow, peacefulness or anger, thankfulness or bitterness, purity or impurity, generosity or stinginess. "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it." Because our hearts will lead us astray we need to give control of our hearts to Jesus and ask Him to be our Lord, Guide and Counsellor.

Our eyes mirror our soul. Our eyes sparkle and are bright when we have a clear conscience and pure mind. It is not difficult to see darkness in a person"s soul because their eyes are dull and have no life. People who are free from sin and know God have bright eyes and a sparkling countenance.

In Paul's prayer, he asks God that the eyes of their heart may be enlightened so that they may know the hope, riches and power they have. Paul is suggesting that our innermost being needs to see not just the physical universe around us but also the spiritual world. We need to be enlightened in our hearts for a purpose. We are enlightened so that we can know the hope to which he has called us. What would be the greatest thing that we could look forward to - our greatest hope. One of my greatest hopes is to be able to see God and life forever in his presence. That seems to be the hope of many. But for many it remains just a hope. They do not have the assurance that if they were to die right now that they know that they will go to heaven. Are you one of those who just hope that you will make it to heaven. John wrote in I John 5:12, 13," He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I write to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." Do you know without a doubt that you are a child of God and have his spirit living within you? If you have any doubt today make sure that you know the hope of your calling to be a child of God. Cry out to God and ask Him to forgive you for your sins because of the forgiveness which Christ offers all men by his death on the cross for us.

Do you long to know God and be in His presence? Wouldn't you like to see the glories of heaven and live forever in the light of the beauty of God? Or will you end up in the terror and horror of hell because your eyes were dark and you did not learn of the hope in heaven? Make sure you have heard the call of God in your life and answer the phone from heaven.

A Pastor and deacon were visiting prospective members and drove up to a beautiful suburban home surrounded by a velvet lawn and gorgeous landscaping. Two expensive cars stood in the driveway, and through the picture window, the men saw their prospect, lounging in an easy chair watching TV. The deacon turned to his pastor and said, "What kind of good news do we have for him?" We think that people who are well off have it better than we do. That is a lie from the devil. They are often destroying their health with bad habits, destroying family relationships with their pride and suffering fear, worry and lack any hope for the future. They thought that money would bring happiness but it does not bring true peace and contentment. John D. Rockefeller was the world"s first billionaire. It is said that for many years, he lived on crackers and milk because of stomach troubles caused by worrying about his wealth. He rarely had a good night"s sleep, and guards stood constantly at his door. Wealthy but miserable! When he began to share his wealth with others in great philanthropic endeavours, his health improved considerably and he lived to be an old man. (Wiersbe 33, 35)

When we believe we become a part of the family of God and a part of the riches God has for His inheritance in eternity. It seems quite unfathomable - hard to understand - how we could be so valuable to God to be considered an important part of His eternal possession. But as a part of God"s family we have available to us all the riches which God possesses and wants to give to His children. We need to have our spiritual eyes opened to see the glories which are ours because we belong to God. Satan wants to have our eyes darkened so that we will not think about how great and wonderful God is. We have so much as children of God which God wants to pour out on His inheritance. Many people want to leave behind a legacy - a remembrance of their life. They want to be helpful to others, they want their children to be helped and want to show others how wonderful a life we enjoy as a part of the family of God. What kind of memories do you want to leave behind in the hearts of your family, friends and community.

We are the inheritance which God has in his people in whom he will display the glory of his creation. "We can scarcely realize what it must mean to God to see His purpose complete, to see creatures of His hand, sinners redeemed by His grace, reflecting His own glory." (FF Bruce p.40) God wants us to be a reflection of Him here on the earth. What kind of reflection are you? Would you attract people to God or drive them away.

The third thing we need to have our eyes opened up to is the mighty power which is available to all who believe. The mighty power of God is used to restore and clean up the destruction which Satan has caused. God had the power to change the life of hardened criminals and sinners. That to me is the most awesome power. Sure we are thrilled to see the strength of Olympic athletes who have competed to show that they are the best in the world. We are amazed to see cranes lift up tons of concrete into place to create a magnificent building. We stand in wonderment when we see a huge airplane flying through the air and wonder how it can stay up there and transport all that weight to another city far away. We see bombs explode destroying a building in seconds which took years to build. But the most awesome power God has, is to change lives. No amount of brute force can change the heart, only the love of God can change the heart of a rebel, a sinner lost in immorality, violence, anger and addictions. God has the power to change your heart. He will soft the hard hearts with his love and forgiveness.

I recently heard the testimony of a man who was in the Mafia, his heart hardened by drugs, anger, bitterness, and wanting to get revenge by killing another man feel the tug at he heart and break down and weep realizing the pain and destruction he had caused so many people. He told of how his dad was filled with anger and one time was battering his wife. Their German shepherd dog attacked and so he picked up the dog and threw it 30 feet across the room. The dog slammed against the wall about 6 feet up and ran off whimpering. He too suffered bitterness and anger because of his father"s treatment of him and one time as a teen wanted to pick a fight with is dad which he probably would have lost if his mom had not stopped before they got started. He trained German shepherd dogs to kill and when he was selling drugs and stolen auto parts he always had his dog along to protect him. This man has been transformed. That takes a special kind of mighty power. He is the pastor of a church and serving the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is freed from his past and now helps others come to freedom in Jesus Christ.

Are you free today? Do you have the hope of eternal life? Do you experience the riches of being in the family of God? Have you seen the power of God in your life to transform you heart to a kind and loving person sure of your eternal destiny? If you have any question and cannot answer yes to each of the three questions above, ask God to open the eyes of your heart so that you can say "YES" to Jesus and have him take complete control. Joy and peace will flood your soul and you will have happiness and contentment without end.

Ephesians Sermons
Oct 10, 2000