Posted on 01/24/2016 5:40:27 AM PST by metmom
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened" (Eph. 1:18).
Spiritual enlightenment doesn't come through self-effort or introspective meditation but through God's Holy Spirit.
Our society has been enamored with the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment, especially since the influx of Eastern thought into the West during the 1960s. Now we are drowning in a sea of false religions and New Age philosophies.
True enlightenment continues to elude many because they have denied its source and have turned to gurus and teachers who have no light to give. They propagate self-effort and introspective meditation, but spiritual enlightenment doesn't come through such means. It comes only through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14-16). That's why Paul prayed that God Himself would enlighten the hearts of the Ephesian believers (Eph. 1:18).
We might expect Paul to pray for enlightened minds rather than hearts, but that's because we associate the word heart with emotions rather than with thought. But in Hebrew and Greek thinking, the heart was considered the seat of knowledge, thinking, and understanding. For example, Jesus said that evil thoughts come out of the heart (Matt. 15:19). Emotions are important, but they must be guided and controlled by an enlightened mind.
How does the Spirit enlighten you? As you pray and study God's Word, He transforms and renews your mind (Rom. 12:2) by filling you with "the knowledge of [God's] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Col. 1:9). He teaches you to recognize and uphold what is excellent so that you will be "sincere and blameless" before God (Phil. 1:10). He implants biblical truth into your thinking so that your responses become more and more like Christ's.
How wonderful to know that each moment of the day God is working within you in such a way. Be diligent to pray and spend time in the Word so that your spiritual progress will be evident to all (1 Tim. 4:15).
Suggestions for Prayer
Thank God for the Spirit's transforming work within you. Reaffirm your love for Him, and express your willingness to be changed by His Spirit in any way He sees fit. Be alert for attitudes or actions that need to be changed. Rely on His grace and strength in doing so.
For Further Study
Read Genesis 27-33, noting how God used the events of Jacob's life to transform his weak spiritual commitment to one that was strong and unconditional (see especially Gen. 28:20-22; 32:9-12).
Studying God’s Word ping
The operative word is “receiving” .. it’s a conscious act ... ya gutt’a WANT it.
Yes, false religions like Islam, and others, seem to be more popular than the truth. I have never been able to figure out why some people are more interested in believing lies, than the truth. Simply amazing.
Exactly; and when you see the scripture which enlightens you, you need to grab it and write it down and say it to yourself daily, until it becomes a part of your everyday thoughts.
One of the fist such scriptures was the story of Jesus; He was walking through a town and ministering to the sick. Suddenly a young father approached Jesus and begged him to come and lay hands on his daughter .. and she would be healed. Jesus marveled at the man’s faith .. but that’s not the end of the story .. what Jesus said to the young father really jolted me .. Jesus turned to see who was talking to Him, and Jesus heard those gathered around who were mocking the young father, “she’s dead already”. Jesus looked into the young father’s face, and said, “ONLY BELIEVE”.
Wow! It’s just that easy .. ONLY BELIEVE .. Jesus is real.
This is a major key to accepting GOD is who He said He is, and that He can do what He says He will do.
The 2nd scripture that changed my believing and showed me that FAITH SPEAKS .. was when one of the Disciples said, “We speak, therefore we are”. Learning how to speak the Word of God, by making it personal to you, this is key to developing as a Christian.
The ability to think is, for me, the most amazing thing
To dream and ponder is a delicious, selfish thing between me and God and I believe God Blesses God sanctioned thought .. "Come, let us reason together .. "
Man, in his Satanic desire to be the only entity in creation, clamors for more and more thought process and believes he is so much the better for having crammed his consciousness chock a block FULL of nonsense ... and God makes fools of the wise.
The key word, is NONSENSE. There is so much of it out there. All false religions/doctrines, are counterfeit, but the fact that counterfeits exist, tells me there is also real truth too. If there was no truth, there would be no counterfeits either.
These people are always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Tim 3:7)
yep ... say HI to the mrs for us
I am watching a hockey game (Sharks/Kings) live streaming on my Mac. It is 11:30 AM, Monday morning here. My Blackhawks won too. No snow here. 89 degrees, but the humidity is killin me. My air con is working nicely.
:-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.