How Are Your Eyes?

HOW ARE YOUR EYES?"

I have made a covenant with my eyes ... " Job 31:1

Think about who made this statement. We are talking about some guy who has a "casual" relationship with the Lord. This is the guy who the Lord said to Satan: "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." (Job 1:8)

This God-fearing-blameless-upright man was compelled to make a covenant with his eyes. Why? Because he knew that the things he looked at could well get him in trouble.

One of my mentors was a pastor well in his 90's. This man walked and talked with God like no other man I have met. He was very helpful to another pastor friend who walked through a difficult separation that led to a divorce which resulted in stepping down from his pastorate.

Several days after he resigned, Pastor Conant asked Matt, "Have you struggled at all with sexual temptation during your three years of separation from your wife?" Matt's response was, "No, Pastor! God was faithful in keeping me pure." Pastor Conant smiled, and said, "Matt, I prayed such a tight hedge of protection around you, that you could not have gotten your pants down if you tried!"

Now that might have sounded crude for a 90 year old godly Pastor. But the next statement hit me right to the core. Matt said to Pastor Conant, "It must be nice to get to your age and not have to struggle with sexual temptation. Here was Pastor Conant's reply: "Matthew, I may be old but I am not dead!"

We are into the summer season, guys, and many of us will struggle with the things that will come before our eyes as we go to the boardwalk, the beach, and even the mall. The enemy has waged an all out assault on our eyes. He knows how to get us.

Two weeks ago at a Keswick event for ladies, one of our Disciples (Colony of Mercy) was manning the Front Desk. When I walked into the building there were three very attractive young ladies in tankini's standing by the desk doing their "exercises" and giving poor a huge temptation. One of the staff ladies asked the girls to move away from the desk, and a comment from one of the ladies was, "I don't think those young ladies knew what they were doing."I beg to differ -- I think they knew exactly what they were doing.

I spoke to Pete about this yesterday and asked him how he did with his eyes. His comment was this: "I had to have my spiritual armor on for sure." I am glad Pete passed the test.

Guys ... listen up ... we will NEVER pass the test if we don't purpose in our hearts to make a covenant with our eyes. It is serious business -- ask King David! Somehow I think he would be able to tell you that this is no joking matter. It's a matter of life and death. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Nehemiah 10-11; Acts 4:1-22

Think About This: The Lord gives faith, for the very purpose of trying it for the glory of His own name, and for the good of him who has it; and, by the very trial of our faith, we not only obtain blessing to our own souls, by becoming the better acquainted with God, if we hold fast our confidence in Him, but our faith is also, by the exercise, strengthened: and so it comes, that, if we walk with God in any measure of uprightness of heart, the trials of faith will be greater and greater.-- George Muller