VISION
[editor's note: Timothy shared some great notes with us from a class given by James Lucas. I thought they were so good, I wanted to share them here]
"I have 'a' vision." I want THE vision! What is THE vision? It's the vision of Christ!
"A" vision is pretty weak. And having "a" vision may distract you from THE vision.
Two indispensable things for spiritual understanding: Regeneration, and continual illumination.
We need the Spirit of wisdom! We'll go bankrupt if we go on our own wisdom.
Without hope we are of all men most miserable. Men without a vision perish! But men with a vision have hope. (Eph 1:15-19, Prov 29:18.)
You have a high calling in Jesus, you have a bright future!
Lack of vision is real serious!
What is on the mind of Christ? The saints! Built up, without blemish spot or wrinkle.
He has the lost on his Mind! What a privilege to preach the gospel to those who have never heard.
We must "increase in knowledge!" ** Can true love ever say, "i have seen enough of Jesus"?! ** We have knowledge! We have libraries full of book about God. But very little true knowledge of God!
We are poor, we have no vision.
You will be what you look at. (1Jn 3:1-3, 2Cor 3:18, 4:18.) What are you taken up with? That is what you will become.
ENTER into the works saints! The vision! It's worth it. Be able to say, "I have run the race!" "All things that i have heard of my Father i have revealed unto you."
You can come to Jesus open, naked and unashamed! Tell him, "I have these problems, these thought problems, these anger problems." And Jesus says, "Yes i know son, but i love you anyway! Lets work on those problems." The grace of God is greater than the vision. We don't need great power, if we have a small vision!(2Peter 1:2-3.)
The vision today is a bigger church building that is more comfortable. We are out of step.
We need the daily habit of of saying "here i am, how do you want to use me?" You have the power! You have the credentials! BUT sometimes, you don't show up for work!!!
Why doesn't the church see miracles? We are not occupied with the work of the Lord. The will and the vision of the believers is not in harmony with the vision of the purpose of God. Do you want to see them healed, loved or taught? We need a God big vision!! Don't get a vision for a nation, get a vision for ALL nations!! *Listen, talk, walk and follow Jesus! We all need a God big vision for the church and for each individual. The church is made up of individuals, each one must be discipled by Jesus himself, then they will stand holy and blameless before him. (Eph 1:4-5.)
Do we see the others failures? That's a bad habit saints! Do you have the faith that God will change your failures? Can't you have the same faith for your brothers and sisters? Close up, the blemishes appear. *But, close up the beauty appears! We need to see each other like Jesus sees us! Do we believe he will finish the work?!
So very much depends on our vision So many know about the victorious christian life, read about it. Like the ten spies, have even gotten a little taste. BUT, the giants are to big, it's to hard, the demons are to ugly, the land will swallow us up!! We are in our own sight as grasshoppers! Josh and Caleb didn't see the giants or the walls! They saw the Lord!! Beloved, don't look at the enemy, look to the Lord and we will be more than conquerers.
Where did the ten go? They died in the wilderness! That's where their wisdom and their protection got them. They didn't choose Gods way!!
Catch a vision of God's power and wisdom! The Lord has a way to slay the giants! He has a way to bring down the walls! God wants to use us to bless many people. Would you dare to pray for a God big vision? Or are you satisfied with a small vision? No problem is to great, no wall to high! Not man's programs nor Satan's programs can hinder our Lord from building his Church! (Num 13:30.)
The children are led of the Spirit.
