Daily Encouragement Net - Encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13)
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation.
Home  About Us  Archives  Free email subscription  Listen to this message Listen to this message  Donate to this ministry

Tuesday, November 8, 2005

"Spiritual Enlightenment"

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints and His incomparably great power for us who believe" (Ephesians 1:18,19).

Today I would like to write about spiritual enlightenment. One of the great aspects of our conversion is the sense of being spiritually enlightened. The great hymn writer John Newton describes his spiritual enlightenment with the words, "I once was blind but now I see."  Of course this is from the hymn "Amazing Grace".  Because of the blinding impact of sin we need continual enlightenment by the Spirit and the Word of God.

However there are those who hold an entirely different worldview and faith outlook who also speak of being "enlightened". In fact they would see me as backward, ignorant and unenlightened. So the issue is not whether we have been enlightened but rather what we've been enlightened to and who is our source for enlightenment.

Spiritual blindness is a condition of the unbeliever.  The apostle Paul wrote, "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4). However the unbeliever may very well not sense in any way that their minds are blinded. On the contrary they may feel they are the ones enlightened.
 
In the daily portion of Scripture the apostle Paul is expressing a powerful prayer for the Ephesian believers.  It provides a great model of how we should pray for one another with our focus on the spiritual realm.

Paul used a very interesting metaphor here in his prayer when he wrote about the "eyes of the heart" being enlightened. That is precisely what we need, for God to open our hearts to His truth.

The eyes of our hearts being enlightened results in our knowledge of three powerful truths that bring great assurance:
  • The hope to which He has called us.
  • The riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints.
  • His incomparably great power.
Who are the ultimate recipients of this prayer?  Certainly the Ephesian believers were the initial recipients. But the final phrase rings loud in my heart today many centuries later.  These glorious truths are "for us who believe."  I do "believe" today and desire that the eyes of my heart be continually enlightened to receive spiritual truths from God and that is also my prayer for every reader!

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord,
Open the eyes of my heart;
I want to see You, I want to see You.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord,
Open the eyes of my heart;
I want to see You, I want to see You. *


Be encouraged today,


Stephen C. Weber

Brooksyne's prayer – Jesus, our world is certainly colorful and there is unlimited variety of visual stimuli that will be seen by the eyes on my face today.   But the Scriptures remind me that even my heart and my mind can see.  Many philosophies and principles come to me through my mind. Because I've been enlightened by the truth found in Your Holy Word may the eyes of my heart embrace only those that will keep my heart pure.  May the eyes of my heart reject vain philosophies that are inconsistent with a spiritually enlightened heart.   Help me to sharpen and narrow my vision to escape the broad way that leads to destruction.  Help me to keep my eyes open to the good things of the Lord and shut my eyes to the "god of this age" whose goal is to lead me to spiritual poverty and death.  In Your name, Jesus, I pray.  Amen.


Brooksyne's Note – I'm aware that there are a number of you receiving the Daily Encouragement who are physically blind. But I rejoice with you that you are not spiritually blind.  You have been spiritually enlightened to the good things of the Lord.  You are an inspiration to all of us.

 
* "Open The Eyes Of My Heart" Baloche, Paul, Petition Praise © 1997 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.) CCLI License No. 2005306 Here's an audio version from the worship service of a Canadian church.


Here's the full context of the daily passage.

 

Sign up for the free daily email encouragement at www.dailyencouragement.net

Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. I do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.


Please pass this webpage on:   


Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

© Copyright 2005 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved  ׀  Daily Encouragement Net - PO Box 714 - Mount Joy, PA 17552

"Living today anchored in God's solid foundation"