This week we offer up the second of our notes on vision.
Another lesson God keeps showing me regarding His vision is that it is HUGE deal. I have heard sayings along the lines of - "You know it is a vision from God when it is better and bigger then you can accomplish on your own or with your own capacities." You know I think that is true.
Simply put, God's vision for us, both individually and corporately for as a church, is always going to be bigger then things we can accomplish on our own. If they were not then we would not need God. It is not a difficult thing to raise $10 for missions, but if God gave most of us a vision to raise $10 million for a world wide outreach center then it would be a challenge.
I think you can always tell it is a vision from God if a few characteristics are meet. First of all, the majority of the people around you are tell you that you are crazy, it is too big, etc. Secondly if there is no plan in the vision for anyone to get acclaim other then God. Third that it will require personal sacrifice for it too be reached, it is not much of a vision if only requires the work of others to accomplish it. There may be a few more that fit, but I think those three are key requirements to knowing that it is a vision from God.
With those established, where does it leave us. It leaves us saying what we have said in the past - "Lord give us a vision" "God give us a plan". I will share with you one of the scriptures and comments I shared with my college / singles class -
Proverbs 29: 18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Obedience to revelation/vision. A group or class depends on obedience to it's divine revelation. This verse refers to two forms of divine revelation, vision and law. The first line is worded negatively--if there is "no revelation" (or "vision";), the people "throw off restraint" "Vision" refers to divine communication to prophets. The prophetic ministry was usually in response to the calamitous periods, calling the people back to God. If revelation/vision is absent, people can expect spiritual and political anarchy. The second line provides the positive wording: there is a blessing for the one who keeps the law.
You probably know the scripture well, and the comments that follow are likely not new too you either. What may be new, or challenging, is the key to it all, which is - following the vision. Whatever it is, if it is from God follow it.
The people that follow you, surround you, look to you, need to have a leader that is pursuing a God sized vision. I am not telling you this to accuse you of lacking vision. I don’t know you personally, you may be dutifully following God’s vision for you and your people, I do not know. What I am doing though is trying to encourage you too continue to push the vision envelope regardless of your current state.
I just want too encourage you to keep pushing if you are already pursuing God’s vision. If you are not I encourage you to start now. Simply take on a vision that is God sized. That likely means taking on a vision that is so big and painful that people either have too get on or leave now before the danger approaches.
A great vision from God comes with a warning like those on a roller coaster - tighten your belt(lack of commitment), secure all loose articles (sinful habits), keep your hands and feet (personal motives / selfish intent) inside the ride, sit back (trust God) and prepare to have your breath taken away (exploding works of God).
Remember as well that just because you take on a vision does not mean you are going to complete it or even continue working on the same vision forever. You may plant seeds of ministries that others water, and still others reap. As you persue one God sized vision God may have you leave it and move to a new vision, with the old vision being taken over by another. Our job is not to worry about the results, but to follow the vision that God casts for us. Visions are not always about increased numbers, a bigger size, or additional quantity. What God’s vision for us always entails is higher quality relationships and more impact on world for God. Such actions takes God sized visions as we can not accomplish good things and change the world for God without God.
Stay strong and be courageous as the ride is starts, twists, turns, climbs, descends, and stops. Just let God give you the vision for your ministries, point those that follow you in the right direction, keep them on track, and be sure to continue to expand the vision where it is always bigger then the human capacities of those involved.
