RIGHT IN THE EYES

"The eye is the lamp of the body; If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light."- (Matthew 6:22)

Growing up in the bustling NorthEastern United States, just outside of New York City, many axioms of conduct and rules of social behavior were imparted to me. One of the first laws of survival was simply "Keep your head down and never look anyone in the eyes". In a city fraught with veritable maniacs on the verge of violent explosions from the pressures of a life without a horizon line, this made intellectual sense. At any given moment, someone who was a maniac, demoniac or a normal person harboring too much stress could attack... Or at least, that is what the paranoid masses believed. And I was throughout my youth a registered member of the paranoid masses of society. For many years, that is how I lived... Head down, eyes averting contact with anyone. The enemy loves this non-committal, passive approach to social behavior. It divides us.

Only in the past few years have I been given access to the revelation of the truth of the matter. God WANTS us to look each other in the eyes. He wants us to remain connected, just as He is connected to us. "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the Earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him".-(2 Chronicles 16:9) We are made in His image, and therefore are made to do as He does. God WANTS us to look at Him, and to Him at all times. "My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare".-(Psalm 25:16) Catch this principle, it is powerful.

The eyes are truly the windows of the soul. When we shutter those windows or avert our "soul to soul" contacts, we close communion or communication with our neighbors. People crave and need love. "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart".-(Proverbs 15:30) When we offer our eyes to another, we operate as Christ did here on Earth. Jesus did NOT avert His gaze to anyone. On the contrary, He was filled with utter compassion at all times, and for all people, even as He hung on the cross. "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.". -(Luke 23:34) We cannot have compassion for the lost, dying and hungry of this world if we do not see them as they truly are. That only comes from seeing them completely, inside and out. I encourage you to not feel convicted right now... It happens to every single one of us. The enemy tries to convince us and condition us into the belief that we are somehow "safer" or "protected" when we insulate our gaze. While I believe that to be true for the sake of guarding our eye-gates from sin, I know that it is not God's will that we should be divided by our defenses. The adversary is intent on dividing us by any means he can. "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand."-(Mark 3:24) Even the very word "division" means "split vision"or "di (meaning two) visions". Think about it. Try looking at someone with the eyes and mind of Christ Jesus, and see what happens. The hurt and wounded will be moved by your contact. Hope will be instilled and perhaps healing can begin. The insecure may avert their eyes, but at least they will see the love in yours. Keep in mind, this may actually scare some people because it has become an almost totally foreign concept. After all, we have been operating under the misunderstanding that we are to be a society of islands unto ourselves. When in truth, the Lord wishes us to be completely connected and in one accord, in Him.

One of our dear friends and an incredible teacher of Personal Mastery and trainer of "Compassionate Samurai", Brian Klemmer teaches a very powerful concept called "Being with". Mr. Klemmer uses an exercise where he has pairs sit facing each other and simply look into one another's eyes. Not merely for a moment, but for long periods of time. Why does this exercise matter? Because in today's society, we have become so self-centered that the power of simply "being with" someone else without spouting our own agendas or touting our accomplishments or venting our complaints is alien. We have forgotten, as a race, how to look INTO one another. Without words, some laugh, others become confused, and some even break down into tears. It is a walled and veiled area of our hearts and minds that was never meant to be as such, but has been trained into that state. Your spirit-man can SEE and be SEEN both in the spirit and the natural. When you dare to connect with another, you make yourself vulnerable and see into their vulnerability. Remember, this is ONLY if you are filled with the Holy Spirit and have the compassionate heart and mind of Christ. If you have evil within you, or fear, you have no protection from the repercussions that may ensue. But on the other end of the spectrum, if you are filled with the Love of God, that is what makes "your eyes good" and "your whole body full of light". And the Love of God is the most powerful creative and defensive force in existence.

While this paramount truth will impact the lost and hurting surrounding us, it is also an effective weapon against the forces of evil. I mentioned early that Jesus the Messiah did not avert His gaze to anyone, in that, I also believe that He NEVER looked away from those who were His enemies either. We are taught from an early age never to make direct eye-contact with dogs. It is widely taught that dogs will attack if they feel threatened by your gaze. But in truth, I believe that it is not the direct stare that causes the attack, but rather the smell of fear. The enemy, like a dog, can sense and smell the spirit of fear. It comes from him. The spirit of fear is NOT of God, and therefore smells like Satan himself. When the enemy or his minions sense that familiar scent, they attack, just like a wild animal or a dog... I have received what I consider tremendous revelation regarding this. You see, not only does it aid the wounded to look into their eyes and thereby their spirit-man, but it will crumble the greatest of foes to pierce their hearts with the inward gaze of that same Love of Christ. When someone filled with evil, be they demonized or simply heartbroken, angry, and lashing out, see the absolutely pure Love that comes from the Holy Spirit LIVING within you, they have no authority over you. When you walk in the boldness of the authority of the blood of Jesus Christ, you cannot be beaten in a good vs. evil staring contest. Evil will always blink. Beware that when they do, you may have some who press the matter further with queries like "Whattayoulookin'at?"; I advise you to use the standard reply for the Sinner and Saint alike: "Jesus Loves You".

This is a basic, powerful principle that is a necessity to become your authentic self. God never designed us to be hermits. Quite the contrary, He created us for fellowship. Why would the Creator make us to be reclusive and self-existing when He himself sought to have communion with us? Therefore, we were made to commune not only with God, but with our fellow man. I believe the most powerful relationships, whether they are marriages of love or purpose, are those where there is absolute connection and thereby, TRUST. Imagine if you will, a couple who, (although blessed with perfect eyesight), never gaze into one another's eyes. They will be, no matter how close they ever become, incomplete. We were made to "see" into each other. Your eyes are a LAMP! I believe that when the Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world", it meant that His light would shine before men through us. YOUR EYES ARE A LAMP. If He is within you, He will enlighten you. That is they key to all of this.

In order to be the "light of the world", you must have Him dwelling within you. To truly and effectively touch others by looking into them and to look through our adversaries, we need Jesus to be looking outwardly from inside of us. That can only be if you welcome Him into your heart, soul, mind and surrender your spirit and life to Him. You need His saving blood, His working power and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of the Living God. If you do not have the gift of salvation, or know that Love of God, receive it RIGHT NOW. It is the greatest gift of all creation, and it is FREE. Ask Jesus the Messiah to come into your heart, into your life and allow Him to be your EYES... TODAY, and see the world and other people in a different light.

The Better To See You With...

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."-(Hebrews 12:2)

"What are you looking at?" I heard in the still small voice that arrested my spirit. My heart was racing in a rush of adrenaline, "You know Lord." A few moments after returning to my anger-driven, self-destructive inward rant of criticism aimed at my disappointment in my then, current situation, I heard it again. "What are you looking at?" I timidly replied, "You are God. You know." I had been driven by the toxicity of my environment to feel utterly disgusted and despondent about my individual call and future in ministry. It was a dark valley at the deepest crevasse along the journey to the base of that particular mountain of faith. I had declared mere hours before at the top of my lungs before God, my wife and an imaginary audience most definitively-"I quit!". I did not intend to resign from life itself, simply ministry. I had allowed my environment to attach itself to my thoughts, and my spirit had become drained in the process. I had gotten alone and began to pray, very selfishly, with misguided motive to be avenged in the midst of the unrighteousness. Rather than seeking the Lord with my Spirit-Man, I sought Him with my barbarian-flesh-man. When I had finished venting my frustrations in poorly crafted confessions, it became silent. Many moments passed, and the echos of my tirade had settled. After I allowed the quiet to fill my senses, I heard Him speak once more. The third time it was not the still small voice that had nudged my intellect earlier. This was an awesome rush of crashing thunder and the power in it stole my breath- "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?" I was stayed to say the very least, and I stood absolutely still, knowing that an answer was required of me. "I... I am looking at my environment." At once I felt a quickening of revelation shake me. I saw in a glimpse of time the positive in the negative and recognized my folly. I received a tremendous moment of reflection from the Lord to recount my behavior, my words and most importantly, my sightlines. Later that night, after having ministered before Pastor Tommy Barnett spoke, I felt a sharp regret for my words, but no release to have them relented and removed from the record of existence. It was as if the confession of resignation was impermiable, irrevocable and although incorrect, unforgiveable. As we joined the congregation, and Pastor Barnett began his message, I was absolutely floored by his opening words. As I began settle into my chair, he uttered two words that I believe were sent from God's mouth to his mouth to my ears:
"DON'T QUIT". He then stunned me into tears. "There is someone here tonight that said that they were giving up. They told God that they were quitting ministry." I felt as though he overheard me, but that was absolutely impossible. "I want you to know that the Lord is telling you DON'T. I also want you to know that He is telling you to stop looking at your environment and start looking at HIM." I was in an instant, renewed.

I realized from that moment, that God is so very gracious to his children, who, for lack of understanding and battle-weariness from the ongoing stretching and trevailing, grow vulnerable. He cared enough for my walk, my purpose and His hand upon my life, that He used that great General of His to speak directly to me. I cannot quite explain in words the impact that has had on me. One specific article of wisdom that was crafted anew in my understanding that day changed my entire walk. I will never again be able to see my environment as the reality of God's economy, intent or plan. What I look at had become of paramount importance. I realized that "what I was looking at" was what was seen. The issues, the challenges and the inconsistencies of my outward environs set the standard for my perception. But what God wants us to look at is what is unseen. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."-(Hebrews 11:1) I wonder how often we fall into the treacherous plot of the enemy found in our eyegate's perception of our surroundings before we gain the ultimate understanding of our perspective's importance. I have written before that our friend and one of our mentors, Dr. Myles Munroe states that "Sight is a function of the EYES, and Vision is a function of the HEART". The sight of the Spirit is SUPER-natural and with the EYES of our heart we see God's truth and our destiny. We become what we see. We absorb what we see. Our eyegates will connect our spirits to our surroundings if we use only our intellect and natural eyes to perceive.

God wants us to remember that this is a temporary state, and that what He sees for us is ultimately ALL that truly matters. We are at a severe disadavantage when we judge our ends by our current states in the natural. Take for instance Abram. In spite of the promise of God to be his shield, his great reward and the previous promise of a son, he does not hear God's prophetic promises. "Behold, (or LOOK) You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." But God's plan is greater, and therefore His understanding of perception is also grander. "Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."-(Genesis 15:3-5) God's answer to him is to "LOOK" onto that which God has the vision for. He set a tremendous example for those of us who look at what is surrounding us, rather than what is SUPERNATURALLY SURROUNDING US.

Throughout the Word of God, He shows us by way of a plethora of examples that we must not judge our natural surroundings to be sovereign or final. God is the only sovereignty, His Word is FINAL. I meditate on 2 Kings 6:8-23 as a reminder of His ultimate and infinite power that is usually unseen by the natural eye. "When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his EYES so he may SEE." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he LOOKED and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."-(2 Kings 6:15-17)

Your challenges today may seem, by NATURAL SIGHT, insurmountable. It may appear that you are overwhelmed by the onslaught, the terror and the sheer size of the forces poised against you. But I know that "My God shall supply ALL of your needs according to HIS riches in Glory in Christ Jesus"-(Philippians 4:19) I also know that He does not want you to quit. He does not desire for you to surrender to the enemy. God did not lay down His Son as a sacrifice for ALL TIME so that we would fall victim to the piercing lies of the adversary's abuse of the eyegate's perception. We must endure as Christ endured. Knowing that the same architect of our lives and our faith is faithful to perfect and finish them. He will never leave you nor forsake you. God's ideal is that we don't not operate with the eyes that are merely planted in our flesh. He wills that we should be gifted with larger, more powerful eyes, in our hearts, souls and spirits that guide our attitudes, choices and confessions of faith. "For we walk by faith, not by sight."-(2 Corinthians 5:17) The eyes of our faith differ so vastly from our natural eyes. They are much larger, more powerful and by far superior, because they are able to see JESUS. So, as we develop onward with our faith, our sight, our vision in HIM, let us be able to LOOK UNTO JESUS and believe. He alone is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, and with the eyes of faith, we see His plans, His will and His Power... BETTER.