Letter 16 – May 11, 2010

Matt 7:3-5
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, “let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

This morning, Jim woke me up to check his eye. He woke up with something in it. He proceeded to wash it out with tap water(chlorinated garbage water) followed with eye drops. He had gotten something out, but it felt like something was still in there, so he came and asked me for help.

First, I tried to find the eye wash that I know we packed….and like so many other things, it is no where to be found.
Then, I pulled out the distilled water – and went to look for salt.
Since we do not use table salt very often, that seems to have not made it in our move, either.

I took a flashlight – and shined it into every part that I could get to…wishing that he had those eyelids that you could roll up! Nothing(of course, I was blurry eyed from just getting up).
So, I rinsed it out with the distilled water, flooding it out so that anything else would come out, and hoping to dilute any poison that might be irritating it from the tap water.

Even after it was gone, and some comforting eye drops were put into it…he could still “feel” the piece of dirt in his eye. His eye lids were red, swollen and looked like he’d been crying. And, his eyes were sensitive.

When Jesus was talking to us about judging, and how we were to help our brothers with sin, He used a speck in our eye as the analogy.
In His analogy, the personal speck is small while the other person’s speck looks like a log.
In reality, it’s quite different. When Jim felt the speck in his eye, it felt like a rock! And I couldn’t see it at all.
That’s the way it’s supposed to be – that’s the natural way that God laid in motion from creation. But Jesus was pointing out how wrong, and twisted things had become.

A heart tender towards God should be as sensitive as an eye.
It should be washed daily with the Word – as the eye is washed with tears, pure, and perfect to fulfill the every need for the eye to function. Moistened, protected, efficient and sharp.
The Word of God is perfect for everything we need.

2 Tim 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Our eyes are very important for us to interact with this world, very precious.
Our hearts are even more precious, according to God.
Prov 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

The eye even protects itself with eyelids, eyelashes, eyebrows, tears, and the hand that just jumps up to block the sun, or the ball coming right at our face!
As soon as Jim noticed something wrong – his eye started to water…and the rest of his body came to his aid.
As soon as our heart notices that something is wrong, we should be so sensitive as to move into action.

John the apostle wrote about our hearts in his letters.
1 Joh 1: 5-7
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If there is darkness in our eyes, the pupil and lens react immediately.
If there is darkness in our hearts, we should react immediately.
Pain in the eye indicates something is wrong that requires immediate attention.
Darkness indicates something is wrong with the person desiring to walk in the light.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And IF any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

When Jim’s eye hurt, he just wanted to make it stop hurting.
When there is darkness in our souls, hearts, spirits – Jesus has made the way to bring us back to the Light.
BUT – do we want to leave the darkness…do we feel the pain of being separated from God by sin? Do we want to remove that speck in our own heart so that we can see clearly the light of God’s plan?

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
1 Pet 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hat called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Our basic salvation scripture for opening the eyes of those who are blinded has something to say to us even AFTER salvation:
John 3:16- 21
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be mad manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Are we holding on to darknesses? Are we playing around with dusk and twilight? Or are we choosing to stand in the bright light so that all shadows are clearly visible?

I like this verse:
Ps 112:4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
This definitely separates it:
Pro 13:9 The LIGHT of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Here’s another separation:
Proverb 4:18 But th epath of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they not not at what they stumble.

The warning before this passage?
Prov 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it,
pass not by it,
turn from it,
and pass away.

Ps 1 makes it clear:
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD;
AND IN HIS LAW DOTH HE MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT!

Is there something that is scratchin’ around on your heart like a speck in your eye? But does it feel like a plank yet? Or just a little speck that can hide away in the corner where no one can see it? I know I have some thing….so what do I do about it?

How serious is it? How important is taking care of this? Is it all that bad?
When Jim’s eye started hurting, he went to the cabinet to WASH IT OUT NOW!
REMOVE the speck! The potential damage for not removing the speck is eventual blindness.

Our bodies KNOW that when we get a speck in our eyes…but do we know it when we let a little darkness into our hearts?
Paul had some harsh words:
1 Cor 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, …..
1 Cor 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Do you think you are so strong, and so good, and so special that you can play with fire, and not be burned?
Proverb 6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

What sin is acceptable sin?
John talks about hating your brother and saying that you love God.
1 John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. (BECAUSE HE CAN SEE HIS PATH!)
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

An eye, with a speck in it, cannot tolerate the light – it hurts.
A heart, with sin in it, cannot tolerate the Light – it either hurts, or it hides.

There are all sorts of methods to clean out an eye….rub it, hold the eye lashes so that it tears on it’s own, tap water, any water, purified water, and then the special eye wash water that soothes as it washes.

There are all sorts of methods God will use to clean up a heart.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Father of light – no shadows. This is God.
With the assumption that we want to clean out the speck so that we can enter back into the fullness of light…we need to wash ourselves with the water of the Word…so that we KNOW the right process.
It’s not the pop can of sugar water that says “I’m sorry, you know I can’t do this” and then continue in sin – “it’s ok, God understands I’m a fallen creature”
No – God made a way –
It’s not rubbing it out by doing 100 hail Mary’s and 100 Lord’s Prayers –
No – Jesus said “It is finished”
It’s not pulling your self apart to force tears
No – Jesus bore all the pain of our iniquities, we don’t need to add any suffering to His work on the cross.
It’s not some watery psycho babble that blames our parents, causes tears and removes responsibility
It’s the water of the word of God.

Christ loves us, the church so much that he gave himself for us for a purpose”
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleans it with the washing of the water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Psalm 51 is a great Psalm for washing ourselves with the word.
James 5:13a Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray.

But even after taking action to care for his eye, Jim still had pain. And he asked me for help.
James 5:14 Is any sick among you?
Let him call for the elders of the church;
and let them pray over him,
annointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 and the prayer of faith shall save the sick,
and the Lord shall raise him up;
and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
KEY!!!
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

If you cannot tackle the speck on your own – call for the elders, and confess your faults, your issues, your sins.

Why will this help? It gets the darkness into the light!
First thing I did to check Jim’s eye was to use a flashlight, and look around inside it.
Bring things to the light….when darkness is brought to the light, it flees.

Another way to look at confessing faults is to tell the truth. It has been in the darkness, so it’s been hidden…and maybe you have had to deceive others, or yourself to keep it there. Confession is telling the truth….and there is a promise:

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!

I was able to tell Jim that I didn’t see anything – other than irritation from the removal.
Elders, and wise brethren may be able to see a wound behind the speck, a weakness that may have allowed the speck to enter in.

After it was out, Jim could still ‘feel’ it, and still wanted to dig at it.
That’s like sin…especially habitual hidden sin. We can confess, we can repent, we can wash with the word, but for a while, it still ‘feels’ like it’s there…like it has power over us.
But, God’s word says:
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than HE that is in the world.
Get out your warrior verses….you are taking back your heart from the enemy. This is war….

And if it is our desire to remain in God’s hand, Jesus says:
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all;
AND NO MAN IS ABLE TO PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER’S HAND.

Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation,
or distress,
or persecution,
or famine,
or nakedness,
or peril,
or sword:
36
As it is written, for they sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37
Nay, in all these things WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US.
38
For I am persuaded,
that neither death,
nor life,
nor angels,
nor principalities,
nor powers,
nor things present,
nor things to come,
39
Nor height,
nor depth,
nor any other creature,
shall be able to separated us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is one thing missing in this list of what cannot separate us…and that is sin.
With a speck in our eye, we cannot see clearly.
With darkness in our lives, we cannot see clearly.

The scariest passage in the Bible, to me, is this:
Matt 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
And in thy name have cast out devils?
And in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I am checking out my heart…..
Ps 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

And this is the type of seekers God wants:
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with ALL YOUR HEART.
I cannot have any shadow of turning in my heart.
I cannot have any darkness in my heart
and if I have specks in my own eye(heart) I cannot help my brothers and sisters to be free from the specks and darkness in theirs – therefore I am unfruitful to the body.

Jim’s eye improved with time, after the washing and with eye drops he took with him for when he felt the ‘speck’.
Our hearts will improve with time, if we carry the Word of God around to apply whenever darkness tries to enter in.

1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.
2:6 He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as HE walked.

The problem with being a liar? The end of the story.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
21:8 But the fearful,
unbelieving,
and the abominable,
and murderers,
and whoremongers,
and sorcerers,
and idolaters,
and ALL LIARS,
shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

So, what sin is so little that we should just cover it up, it’s no big deal?
Lying bears the same punishement as murder.
For that matter, so does fearful, and unbelieving.

These three fly in the face of who God is…and will not be allowed in His presence.
Is there any shadow of darkness in your heart? I know, I’m working on mine.

So – I want to move on….will you join me?
1 Peter 1:22 – 23
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently; Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever.

In His hand and under His wings,
~Christi
© 2010 M.C.Wildman

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