The Lord alone opens hearts

The Lord alone opens hearts

Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. – Acts 16:14

Luke 24:27-45

 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!

 32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”

 35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread.

 44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

In an AARP Bulletin, an article was published titled “An End to Blindness?” It explains “new approaches to treating blindness, offering hope to the millions of mostly older Americans in danger of losing their sight from macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye diseases. In fact, progress in ophthalmology is so rapid that some researchers have already begun to envision an end to many forms of vision loss. ‘We still have a lot to learn,’ admits Stephen Rose, chief research officer for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. ‘But it’s not a question of if we’ll end blindness. It’s really just a question of when.’”

“If you had seen Lisa Kulik and her husband strolling the grounds of the University of Southern California’s Eye Institute last summer, you would have thought nothing of it. But for Kulik, that simple walk around the campus was ‘a miracle.’ Blind for more than two decades from an inherited eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, Kulik was seeing again – clearly enough to make out the sidewalk and the grassy edge – thanks to a sophisticated microchip implanted in one of her eyes.” The device is called the Argus II.

Perhaps the 21st century may well see cures for many forms of physical blindness. But what of spiritual blindness? Is there any cure for it?  Yes indeed!

Humankind alone is at a loss to deal with spiritual blindness. The Lord opens people’s hearts, eyes, and minds. It is the Father’s intervention that allows people to see and understand the truth. He ultimately draws people to Lord Jesus Christ, not human wisdom or persuasiveness. Why is this so?

REFLECT & PRAY

Satan does not want the glorious light of salvation to shine into people’s hearts. As the god of this age and the prince of this world, Satan is at work to keep lost sinners in the dark (Wiersbe).

Father thank You that You have opened my eyes to see the Truth. Thank You for transferring me from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Your dear Son.

INSIGHT

It is necessary to understand the source of spiritual blindness. During the present age, there is a spiritual battle being waged. Unseen powers are at work which are greater than any person. The god of this world, the enemy, is the culprit. He is using all his resources to prevent people from learning and accepting the Truth of the Word of God. He is in active opposition to the Father’s work on planet Earth.

2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

How sad it is to be in this condition. The enemy rules over a domain of darkness (Colossians 1:13).

The enemy is a deceiver. Those being deceived are unaware of it. They do not know that they are deceived. Further, they delude ourselves. “‘Delusion’ is stronger than deception. Deception means that a person can be fooled about something. Delusion is a way of life in which one is perpetually deceived.” (Richardson).

2 Corinthians 3:14-16

 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.

 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.

 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

To be freed from a life of delusion requires an intervention by the Father. We have to be rescued. A rescue party of One was sent out to make this possible. But the cost of the rescue effort was the life of the Rescuer.

Colossians 1:13-14

 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Satan rules only this age and his power is restrained. His time is limited and eventually comes to nothing. He will be crushed.

Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Each child of the King was born in darkness. But we have been rescued. We were blind and now we see. We need to act like it.

Ephesians 5:8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

As children of the King, we are to live as people of the light. We are to pray for those who are in darkness that they may see the light. The Father will put people on our hearts to pray for.

Could it be that each child of the King was prayed for by another child of the King?

Act 26:18 Open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.

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