2017_04_30SM

Be Careful, Eyes and Mind - April 30, 2017 - Steve MillerOverconfident in my war against the COC campus vines, I ignored warnings to be careful and ended up with with a bad case of poison ivy.When you were a young child, did you learn this song?Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see,Oh, be careful, little eyes, what you see,For your Father up above is looking down in love,So be careful, little eyes, what you see. It's a childish melody, but it's message is a dead serious one. Jesus said:Matthew 6:22-23 - 22“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"Are our eyes taking in things that are good and holy and true? Then we will be full of light. Do we look on sinful things? Then we're filling ourselves with darkness. That's destructive.We live in a day and age when if we're teaching about marriage, we must address the issue of pornography and lustful or adulterous thinking.The temptation of lust is as old as sinful humanity.Job 31:1 - “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman."Unfortunately, we're often prone to ignore God's warnings and think that these kinds of sights, forms of entertainment, or wandering thoughts are harmless. We use rationales like these: That's normal society. We have to live in the world, right?If I'm aware that it's wrong, I won't let it hurt me.God is a gracious God. He understands I'm not perfect.It's not bad if I'm just thinking about it and not actually doing it.If you don't understand the ways of the world, you'll be naive and vulnerable to them.It's just a romance book, and it's even by a Christian publisher.However, Jesus didn't view temptations to sin lightly.Matthew 5:27-30 - 27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."Martin Luther: "You can't prevent the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair."The important thing is how we choose to respond when tempting sights or thoughts appear.James 4:7 - Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.The wisdom of Proverbs explains the far-reaching effects of what we choose to look at and think about:Proverbs 4:23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.A famous saying teaches us wisdom:“Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” From Casting Crowns' song "Slow Fade":Be careful little eyes what you see, It's the second glance that ties your hands As darkness pulls the strings. Be careful little feet where you go, For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow.It's a slow fade when you give yourself away, It's a slow fade when black and white are turned to gray, And thoughts invade, choices are made,A price will be paid When you give yourself away. People never crumble in a day, It's a slow fade.The journey from your mind to your hands Is shorter than you're thinking. Be careful if you think you stand You just might be sinking.People never crumble in a day, Daddies never crumble in a day, Families never crumble in a day.So how can we vigilantly guard what our eyes see and our minds think?·      Develop the fear of the Lord in our lives, and practice awareness of His presence.·      1 Corinthians 10:6-12·      God's love for us is constant and unfailing, but our thoughts, words, and actions can either please or displease Him.·      Realize that what you view and think about ultimately affects others around you.·      Meditate on the Word of God and truth. Practice thanksgiving.·      Psalm 119:9-16·      Develop relationships with brothers or sisters with whom you can be honest and pray.·      Rich Mullins' story about Amsterdam·      James 5:16 - Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. What if I have been caught in this trap? There is hope.·      Repentance is the way out.·      1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.·      Remember who you really are.·      Romans 6:3-7·      Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.