E10 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Heart and Mind of Jesus - Sight for the Blind - Part 1 of 2

Hope’s Harbor

Gritty Bible Devotions

Episode #10

Title: Heart and Mind of Jesus – Sight for the Blind – Part 1 of 2

Date: 6/7/2021

Contact: info@hopesharbor.net

Key verse(s): Luke 4:18D – “and recovering of sight to the blind.”

Above all else we study in the episode is this truth I want you to see: Jesus wants us to understand, to see Him as our sole source of Life - and from there become free to love Him as He loves us.

Intro: Last episode when Jesus declared He came to preach deliverance for the captives I tried to show what it is to be a captive in the context of Jesus’ declaration.

·         Some of the captive behaviors were:

·         Worry or anxiety, lust, bitterness, an unforgiving spirit, resentment, hatred, vengefulness.

·         Captive behavior for some is subtle and hard to see and this is where Jesus promising to recover sight to the blind helps us see.

·         Recovering sight means anablepsis an-ab'-lep-sis From G308; restoration of sight: - recovering of sight.

·         This is taken from a root word meaning to recover sight, and to perceive, regard, to take heed and this is derived from the thought of gazing with eyes wide open at something remarkable.

·         Okay, the first meaning of restoration of sight means at one time we could see, but no longer.

·         There are many reasons we become blind to something whether harmful or not. Normally it is continued exposure or proximity. Look at something or practice a habit long enough we don’t see it.

·         For example, think about the keyhole in your door. Which direction do the key groves point when you unlock the door? Up or down?

·         The lock in your car door – do you turn the key to the right or left to unlock it?

·         Oh, I forget. We have remotes now. Okay, where is the button to lock the door, is it on top of the unlock button or below it.

·         Not fair to look if you’re driving!

·         If the whole key/lock thing isn’t doing anything for you, how about a denominational bill? Can you describe with at least 90% accuracy any of the currency in your pocket/wallet/purse?

·         The point is if we want to rid ourselves of harmful, even destructive behavior and habits we have to look (think intently/study) about these so we can identify them.

·         Also, when it comes to understanding and applying Scripture we must be able to ‘see’ what certain passages are teaching.

·         This is sight, or insight, into GOD’s Word.

Before going into the devotion I want to share what happened to me yesterday. After recording episode 9 about Deliverance for the Captive a few days ago and then writing the notes for this episode, #10, I was praying and asking GOD to reveal, to enable me to see what, if any, areas in my life He wanted me to confront.

Two days ago He allowed me to see I still have hatred, bitter resentment, and an unforgiving and vengeful attitude buried deep. I was shocked and confessed the sin of it all and asked for His help.

And then yesterday my wife woke with excruciating pain and could hardly breathe. The pain was symptomatic of a pinched nerve, so I drove her to a chiropractor. After treatment, which provided measurable relief we went to lunch.

The sandwich shop was in a nearby town where a friend of mine has a bookstore. He told me several years ago when I got my book published he will put it on display near the register. Face out. This is a big deal.

Since the book is due out this coming July 2021 I went by his shop after lunch to let him know. He wasn’t there, but the young lady working there when I gave her a card with the book info on one side and this podcast info on the other, asked what the podcast is about. I told her how I address issues like depression and anxiety among others with Scripture and teach from my experiences hoping to encourage Christians

She said at one time she had acute anxiety requiring meds to help reduce it. Then she discovered through prayer the root of her anxiety was an unforgiving spirit. Before this, if asked she said she would have told me she was a forgiving person. After confessing the sin, over a period of time, she became free of the anxiety and no longer needs the meds.

I was amazed someone so young figured this out in prayer. I’ve been working on reducing anxiety levels for years now and never tied it to un-forgiveness.

Now, this is where the timing of GOD is apparent for this revelation came the day after GOD revealed I still carried an unforgiving spirit and now He is allowing me to see it is a root of my treatment-resistant anxiety.

This principle is directly connected to the devotion focus in this episode.

Devotion focus: (Lesson point)

To see the truth equals freedom when acted upon - John 8:32 - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

·         To know is to perceive, be sure of, to understand.

·         Freedom and deliverance come through knowing Bible truth.

·         Blindness as a captive leads to long-term bondage –

·         In the key verse of Luke 4:18 the word blind is Tuphlos toof-los' From G5187; opaque (as if smoky), that is, (by analogy) blind (physically or mentally): - blind.

·         And this is taken from tuphoō toof-o'-o From a derivative of G5188; to envelop with smoke, that is, (figuratively) to inflate with self-conceit: - high-minded, be lifted up with pride, be proud.

·         Now this is fascinating to follow the meanings of the word blind and see it traces back to pride.

·         This reminds me of the saying: ‘There are none so blind as those who will not see.’

·         Am I right to assume for most of us want to make changes in our lives if we have harmful/destructive habits/behavior/thoughts?

·         I hope and pray so…

·         So how can we respond to Jesus’ proclamation to deliver captives, to take us off the road of bondage, to free ourselves from being a prisoner to sin, and then get on the road to freedom?

·         It starts in the mind.

·         Once we understand, or see, which behavior/habit is causing us problems we must make a decision to confront that habit. To change we must change that particular behavior.

·         It may take professional intervention like counseling.

·         Before I ever attended psychological counseling I didn’t see the value in it.

·         In fact there was a stigma attached to submitting to psychiatry.

·         Even though I knew something was wrong with me, I didn’t know it had to do with my mind or mindset.

·         I had bouts of acute anxiety mentioned earlier to the point of excruciating headaches that left me unable to function by day’s end.

·       End of Part One

Action to consider:

Create a strong commitment to learning how to see what you need to become free, to have peace. You’ll need GOD’s help for this and reading the following verses will give strength and power to your resolve, your commitment, to change.

First read John 15:4, 5 & 9

·         John 15:4 – “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

·         John 15:5 - "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. “

To abide means to remain, to stay. The implication is to stay in close contact with Jesus.

·         John 15:9 - "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

Next week’s episode – Conclusion of Sight for the Blind