Corrective Lenses

Corrective Lenses

Many of us need to wear eye glasses because of difficulties which we have with our vision. We also may have difficulties in our spiritual sight and need corrective lenses.

Some basic difficulties:

1. Nearsighted = This is where we can see things that are near, but have difficulty seeing things at a distance. We may know that God is working in our lives today, but have difficulty seeing God work in our lives in the future.
2. Farsighted = This is where we can see clearly things that are at a distance, but things that are close are out of focus. We may believe the God will some day work in our lives, but can't see Him working in our lives now. The problem is that the "some day" never arrives.
3. Tunnel vision = This is where we can only see things that are directly in front of us. Our peripheral vision is dark or blurred. We may only see what we, ourselves, are focused upon. We miss seeing God work in the lives of others.
4. Blind spots = These are simply spots where we are not capable of seeing. We may see clearly some things about God, but to are blinded to other truths.
5. Night blindness = This is where one has difficulty seeing at night. We may have difficulty seeing God work in our lives when we are in the midst of trials, when darkness comes.
6. Astigmatism = This is where there is a distortion of object both near and far. We may have difficulty of seeing God clearly at all. God may just be a blur to us.
7. Color blindness = This is where one has difficulty in seeing specific colors such as red and green. The colors just appear gray. We may have difficulty seeing between right and wrong, things just appear as gray areas.
8. Strabismus = This is a technical term for being cross eyed. One eye is pointed one way while the other is pointed in a different direction. This is like the double minded man which is unstable in all his ways. This is when we try to serve God and self at the same time.

One of the most common abnormalities in our spiritual vision is NOT seeing God as being GOOD. Usually, we are not so abrupt in our thoughts, but none the less we think it.

Here are some evidences:

1. We don't pray regularly because we can't trust God with our problems.
2. We blame God for everything bad that has happened in our lives.
3. We get upset and angry when things don't seem to go our way.
4. We hold grudges against others and nurse our unforgiveness, anger, and bitterness.
5. We don't have daily fellowship with God, because we believe He doesn't care.
6. We fear of losing our spiritual salvation, because we can't trust Him with
the keeping of it.
7. We are reluctant to ask God to forgive us, because we feel that He may reject us.
8. We are often depressed and feel that God has abandoned us.
9. We believe that signs, wonders, and miracles have all passed away.
10. We don't spend time in the Word because we feel that it doesn't apply to us.
11. We are critical of most in authority because we can't see God working in them.
12. We are rebellious to authorities because we see their flaws.

These beliefs, thoughts, and feelings are often precipitated from our childhood experiences with those in authority and our interpretation of those experiences.

The young boy that is object of his dad's anger and beatings may well come to see the Heavenly Father as an angry, cruel father. The young lady that is abandoned by her father and sexually abused by her stepfather may see the Heavenly Father as one who will abandon her or one who will just use her. Furthermore, her vision may also be defused to include all other men, especially those who are in a position of authority. We learn through association. The bad experiences with our parents or other authority figures may blur into thinking that all authorities, including God, will bring bad experiences.

Something good is going to happen to you today. We are going to the ophthalmolgist (eye doctor) which is the Holy Spirit and He is going to give us some corrective lenses which is the Scriptures.

David declared, "Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart" (Psalms 73:1). Yes, God is good. We can accept that intellectually, but sometimes it is difficult to get that in our heart. David continued, "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped" (Psalm 73:2). When David began to look at what seemed to be the injustice in the world, it became more than what he could bear. David said, "When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me" (Psalm 73:16). David's vision was distorted, blurred. He needed some corrective lenses. It was not until he went into the sanctuary of God that he began to see clearly. Then he came to say, "But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works" (Psalm 73:28).

I. The Scriptures declare that the LORD is good.

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever" (I Chronicles 16:34). This basic thought is repeated at least 6 more times:
    II Chronicles 7:3
    Ezra 3:11
    Psalm 34:8
    Psalm 100:4-5
    Psalm 106:1
    Psalm 107:1

II. The Scriptures declare that God is the Good Shepherd.

Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:11-14). (Read again Psalm 23.)

III. The Good Shepherd prepared good pastures for His sheep.

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures" (Psalm 23:2a). Are you satisfied with the pasture that God has you in? Are you complaining to God about it or are you praising Him for it? God is GOOD and provide us with good pastures.
"I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel" (Ezekiel 34:14).

IV. When the good Creator made us, He said, " very good."

"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). The good God could only make that which was good. God don't make junk! However, when we look into the mirror of our minds and complain about our unchangeable features, we are saying that God is not really good.

V. God gave us the Law for our good.

"And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day" (Deuteronomy 6:24). When we try to do away with the Law, we are saying that God is not good.

VI. God gave us His good Word.

"And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come" (Hebrews 6:5).
"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, throughly furnished unto all good works" (II Timothy 3:16-17). He gave us His scripture that we may have good works.

VII. God gives us good gifts.

"Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:9-11).
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:13).
"Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst" (Nehemiah 9:20).
"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" (James 1:17). God does not give us a good gift one time and an evil gift the next time. God is good and gives his children good gifts!!! However, I don't like the popular expression, "God is good all the time." Why? We must keep a balance of truth. Yes, God is good to His children; however, there are also the children of the evil one. "The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth" (Psalm 34:16).

VIII. God brings goodness to our souls.

"For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness" (Psalms 107:9). He fills our souls with goodness to the point of satisfaction.

IX. God wants us to have good success.

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8). He wants more for you than just enough to get by. He wants you to have good success.

X. God gives us good treasure of good things.

"A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things" (Matthew 12:35). Our good God wants to bring good things out of His treasure and give them to you.

XI. God wants to give us a good understanding.

"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man" (Proverbs 3:3-4). My own father was a good man, but was short on explanations. I like explanations. My heavenly Father gives me good understanding.

XII. God, Himself sows good seed upon the earth.

"He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one" (Matthew 13:37-38).

XIII. God gives us good seed to plant in good soil that we may have a good harvest.

"Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness" (II Corinthians 9:10). He provides the good seed, but it our responsibility to sow the good seed.
"But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty" (Matthew 13:23). In the parable, one fourth of the ground is good ground. God provides good ground in which we are to sow our good seed.
" (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) (Ephesians 5:9). God also provides the good fruit, the good harvest.

XIV. God works all things together for our good. (Only a good God can do this!)

Joseph told his brothers "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." God changed the curse into a blessing.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Do we really know this in our hearts?

XV. When the angel announced the coming of Jesus, he brought good tidings.

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people" (Luke 2:10).

XVI. When we speak of the Gospel, we are talking about the good news. (98X)

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14).

XVII. When the New Covenant is mentioned, it speaks of good things to come.

"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building" (Hebrews 9:11).
Concerning the comparison of the Old Covenant to the New Covenant the Word says, "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect" (Hebrews 10:1). It is from good to "gooder".

XVIII. God desires to work His good will in us.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2).
"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).

XIX. Even God's thoughts toward us are good thoughts.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jeremiah 29:11). Are our thoughts toward God good thoughts? How about our thoughts toward others? Are they good thoughts? Do we chose to believe the best about others or is our vision blurred to believe the worse?

XX. When God disciplines us, even that is for our good.

"Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness" (Hebrews 12:9-10).

OUR Response:

Should be to taste, thank, rejoice, praise, and bless God!

1. We should taste to see that God is good.
"O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him" (Psalms 34:8).
2. We should thank God because He is good.
"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations" (Psalms 100:4-5). Why should we praise God? We should praise Him because the LORD is good!
3. We should rejoice because God is good.
"Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness" (II Chronicles 6:41). We are to rejoice!!!
4. We should praise God becuase He is good.
"Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" (Psalms 107:15, 21, 31).
5. We should bless God because He is good.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (Psalms 103:1-2).