February 9                                     Exod 25 - 27

MANNING YOUR ‘EYE GATE’

MEMORISE: ‘I made a covenant with mine eyes: Why then should I think upon a maid?’ (Job 31:1)
READ: Genesis 3:1-7

The eyes are windows of the body through which man is exposed to his surroundings. Whatever you see, registers in your mind and triggers a series of internal ruminations. How you handle what comes in is very crucial. Beyond the physical eye, there is the internal ‘eye gate’ that serves as a filter. It constitutes a kind of checkpoint to sieve, select or filter what should really go into your mind out of all  that you see. Hence it is possible to see something with your physical eyes but close off your internal eyes from receiving it.

Watch what you see! From our reading in Genesis chapter 3, Eve’s discussion with the serpent did not have its desired effect until she took a second and careful look at the forbidden fruit. Then she started to have strange ideas. It is after you see something that certain thoughts begin to flood your mind. If you do not tread carefully, such thoughts can lead you to sin. David was whiling away his time in leisure. Instead of joining others at the battlefield, and one day he saw Bathsheba bathing. Because he did not shut his internal ‘eye gate’, he fell into lust, adultery, deception and murder. Jesus, on the other hand, was taken to a high pinnacle from which Satan showed him the kingdoms of the world and their glory. He saw these physically, but because his internal ‘eye gate’ was shut, he did not succumb to Satan’s request.

You may have little control over your physical eyes. You may see certain immoral and evil practices with them. Yet, if you man your internal ‘eye gate’ properly, little or nothing will go in (Matt 5:28). Take control of what comes into your mind today. Be like Job and make a covenant not to lust after any woman (Job 31:1). Also resolve not to set your eyes on anything that can lead you into sin, e.g. pornography (Ps101:3).

Besides this, avoid going to places where you can easily be tempted to return to your old habits, like houses or offices of past boy-or girlfriends; pictures capable of reminding you of past escapades; brothels; or even watching immoral; scenes on TV. Build up your spirit man by regularly studying and digesting the Word of God. This will help implant good yardsticks at your internal ‘eye gate’ and help to fortify your resistance to sin

ACTION POINT
Make a covenant today never to set your eyes
on anything that can lure you into sin. Ask God to help you.