the Apostle Paul has one of the most fascinating stories in the New Testament Paul was a highly respected Jewish leader who gave orders to persecute and even kill Christians but everything changed when one day on the road to Damascus he came face to face with the resurrected Christ Jesus blinded him and after 3 days something miraculous happened acts 9:18 says and immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight then he rose and was baptized when Jesus removed the scales from Paul's eyes Paul saw the world in a brand new way
before he had seen Christianity as vile and black Blasphemous now he saw the gospel as the most beautiful and glorious cause on Earth reality did not change but Paul's Outlook did he allowed God to change the way he saw the world Psalm 146:8 says the Lord opens the eyes of the blind the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down the lord loves the righteous one fascinating thing about humanity is that two people can see the exact same thing and hear the exact same sound but will come up with very different interpretations we can see
this in the church today though we are all children of God we interpret certain scriptures and even the commands of Jesus in different different ways differences of opinion are acceptable when it comes to some things musical preferences dress codes coffee flavors but when it comes to the gospel there is only one truth and we have to make sure that we don't miss it it is only when we ask God to restore our vision that we are able to behold the absolute truth of Jesus Christ on a personal note one of my main prayer requests can
be found in Psalm 119 Verse 18 which says open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law God's way is wondrous when we come to Christ he makes what is ugly to seem beautiful and what is beautiful it seems ugly we begin to hate our sin and love the commands of Jesus the rest of the world scoffs at us not because they necessarily choose evil but because they simply can't see 1 Corinthians 1:18 says for the word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing but to us who are
being saved it is the power of God a correct view of God doesn't come from our own wisdom or theology it comes only when we ask him to remove the scales from our eyes and when he does we stop seeing Christianity as a label or category and we begin to see it as a lifestyle we stop seeing Christianity through the lens of denomination or doctrine instead we focus on the urgent Gospel of Jesus Christ the one that needs to be preached to everyone now Ephesians 4 verses 4-6 say there is one body and one Spirit
just as you are called to the one hope that belongs to your call one Lord One Faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all when the scales in our eyes are removed Christianity becomes more than an accessory more than a cross worn around our necks it becomes more than a tattoo on our arm it becomes about living to serve Jesus and to testify about all the wondrous things that he has done now I'd like to tell you this and I really want you to hear
me clearly God wants our hearts he wants us to be completely invested in him in his word in his kingdom the Lord wants our hearts I would go as far as even saying he demands our hearts he wants us to be all in to be radical and hungry and to have an outrageous desire for him here's what the Bible says concerning the heart Matthew 5:8 says blessed blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Psalm 34:18 says the Lord is near to the Brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit Hebrews 3:8 says
do not hard Harden your hearts as in the Rebellion on the day of testing in the wilderness examine what you tolerate Saints because God doesn't tolerate a dabbler or a lukewarm Christian he doesn't tolerate one who dabbles in a bit of Holiness and then in a bit of sin you can't just mix God in with everything else in the world he is God above all Isaiah 4 verses 25 and 26 say to whom then will you compare me that I should be like him says the Holy One lift up your eyes on high and see
who created these who brings out their host by number calling them all by name by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power not one is missing indeed we need to reverence God and we can begin to do this by examining our lives through the standard of his word now let us pray Holy Father thank you for giving me the capacity to see and appreciate the beauty of the Gospel Lord thank you for opening my eyes thank you for removing the scales from my eyes so that I can truly see the
wonders of your glory and your grace open my eyes so that I can really see your Amazing Grace indeed I once was lost but now I'm found I was blind but now I see and I am only able to see your goodness because you have opened my eyes and given me understanding father only you can see the realities of this world as they truly are only you are able to tell right from wrong with perfect judgment Lord Jesus open my eyes and give me wisdom forgive me of my focuses on the wrong things help me
not to waste my time and quarrel over minor things I pray that you would help me to see the greater picture Lord help us shift our Focus to the Glorious and true Gospel of Jesus Christ The Gospel in which there is no room for misinterpretation or debate as your word says there is one God and one mediator the person of Jesus Christ help us all to grasp that reality and to stand amazed in all Lord you are all all powerful and all knowing you see far beyond what I am humanly able to perceive you see
every Dimension every point in time all at once so help me not to question what you have spoken to be true help me not to let doubts creep in and cloud my vision Lord remove the scales from my eyes help me to see clearly help me not to Cloud reality with my own interpretation or my own vision of the world let my world view be completely grounded in your word help me to walk by faith and not by sight expand my view from the Earthly to the Heavenly give me the ability to be able to
see and recognize those who are wolves in sheep's clothing these people may appear trustworthy on the outside but they are only out to deceive father don't let me fall for any of their clever words give me the ability to see the devil's True Colors even as he masquerades like an angel of Light temptation is strong but God you are stronger help me to fasten tightly the belt of of Truth so that none of Satan's lies make it into my heart God help me to see the spiritual realities that aren't apparent to me help me to
see things the way you want me to and not just what my sinful heart wants to believe make the gospel beautiful in my sight and make Sin appear to me as the Abomination that it is I want to Pur receive this world in the same way you do Lord Jesus and so father rid me of my own desires my own lenses my own preconceived biases and like Paul on the road to Damascus awaken in my heart a greater love for you in Jesus name I pray amen the Lord opens the eyes of the blind the
Lord lifts up those who are bowed down the lord loves the righteous open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law for the word of the Cross is folly to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God there is one body and one Spirit just as you are called to the one hope that belongs to your call one Lord One Faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all to whom then will you
compare me that I should be like him says the Holy One lift up your eyes on high and see who created these who brings out their host by number calling them all by name by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power not one is [Music] missing blessed blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God do not Harden your hearts as in the Rebellion on the day of testing in the wilderness
