VISION

0
509

Often when people are asked, ‘What is your vision?’, the answers range from:  ‘to be used by God for His glory’; or, ‘to see the young people on fire for Jesus’; or, ‘to start a discipleship program for Israeli believers after the army’; or, ‘to plant x number of churches in the next five years’; or, ‘the salvation of Israel’.  

All of these are good things to desire, but all are not “vision”.  Of those which are ‘visions’, some are shorter range than others; some are things to carry through to a longer-range objective; some are dependent on factors not in our control.  God will use all of these things towards His objectives.  

A true vision will originate from God; it will not originate from myself or from someone else.  

There is a fundamental principle that the Lord has given His disciples:  Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. (Mt 6:33)  In the context of what Yeshua was teaching, He is referring to food and clothing – our most basic needs.  Yet the whole of the Bible is instructing and directing us to seek first the will of God for our lives, and the other things will fall into place at the right time to fulfill His purposes for us, in us, through us – for His glory, and our good, as He fulfills His own ‘vision’ (not dream).  What is in God’s ‘sight’?; what does He see?; where is He going and leading us, and how are we going to get there?  

Jn 3:3   Jesus answered and said to [Nicodemus], ‘Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God.’  

Our vision of the Kingdom of God begins with the new birth by the Holy Spirit.  It is for this vision which Messiah taught us to pray:  “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.”  

Pr 29:18   Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the Law.
   —Rev 3:8,10   I know your works.  See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little  strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. . . .Because you have kept My command to  persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial which shall come. . . . .

   —Mt 10:22   And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.  

   —Mt 24:12-13   And because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  

Brothers and sisters, we are saved by faith.  It is faith — in who Jesus is and what He has done for us sinners on the cross — till the end (or at the end) that will be our salvation.   Not by our works or even our obedience, but we will be judged for our works and obedience as believers, which will affect our future and eternal rewards, and our present usefulness.  (Lk 18:9-14 

   —Lk 12:40-46   Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  Then Peter said to [Yeshua], Lord, do You speak this parable to us, or to all?  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.  But, if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming’, and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint his portion with the unbelievers.  

Brothers and sisters, our Lord and Savior exhorts and admonishes us to hold fast to what we have received, not to give up our hope, not to lose sight of the vision of His coming and of the Kingdom of God, and so cast off restraint and become unruly.  Blessed is he who keeps the Law of Messiah!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.