LESSON 6

                                                                         EYES ON HIM

                                                                              10/5/02

SCRIPTURE: Matt.6: 21-24, Prov.4: 25-27, Prov.13: 20, Ps.16: 11, Ps. 119: 105, Ps.97: 11,

                      Rev.2: 5

 YOUR THOUGHTS:   In what direction are your eyes focused?    

                                    What is your view on Ps.119: 105? 

                                    What can you do to help keep your eyes focused on Jesus?

MY THOUGHTS: I remember when my boys were younger, we would have a catch out in the backyard. The term that would frequently come out of my mouth would be “ keep your eye on the ball.” At work I would occasionally hear my boss instruct me to “keep an eye on things" as he was leaving the room. What does that term mean? I was taught by experience that in order to catch the ball, you must focus on the ball coming toward you. If you are not in focus on that ball you might get a big lump on your head or a black eye. I also learned in work, if you stay focused on the task that was assigned to you, the day seems to go much smoother. In this lesson, I want to share with you how important it is to make all attempts to stay focused, or keep an eye on the things of God.

             In Matthew.6: 22-23, Jesus is teaching that the eye is the lamp of the body. What does a lamp do? It sits on the table and performs two important functions. It either lights up the room or leaves the room dark. What condition is your body in? Is it full of light or is it in darkness? Does your eyes see the goodness of Christ or do they see the bad things of this world. This is what I mean by staying focused. If you made a sincere commitment to follow Jesus, your focus is on His teachings. We learn His teachings through His word. In Ps.119: 105, the psalmist writes that the word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. If your eyes are focused on the word, His light will shine not only in you, but also around you. People will see His light by seeing how you handle situations or His gentle and loving spirit reflecting off of you. Have you ever entered into a room where there are a couple of devout Christians and started talking to them? You sense a warm spirit radiating off of them. I know I have. . A well-lighted path will keep you walking straight. It will help you to be prepared for any distractions that may come your way. Every where that Jesus walked, His countenance will shine. I believe the more you stay focused on Jesus and His teachings, His countenance will shine through you. We all know that even though this world has a few bright spots, there are a lot of dark areas that need to be illuminated by Gods people. So lets go out there and let that love that Jesus taught be the eye of your body and shine on those dark areas.   Keep your eyes on Jesus and remember that He always has His eye on you!