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Proverbs

Break The Cycle

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In order to gain victory over temptations and the vexing nature of sin we must begin to break the cycle; the constant repetition of the same mistakes while knowing to do otherwise. To begin and start trusting God with what we cannot change by replacing and changing our behavior with the instruction of God. Taking the discipline we receive from our lives and learning to turn it into discipleship.

  1. Stop hiding. We must stop living in denial from the fact that we have failed. Repenting from our mistakes is the only door we can go through to getting our lives back together again.

Proverbs 28:13

13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

  1. Get rid of it and get something new. We must get rid of old habits and be renewed in the spirit of God and put into our lives new things. Get rid of stuff from your past and bring in new things to take your mind away from the person you once were.
    1. Media you watch, listen to or interact with that leads you into temptation
    2. Replacing your bad habits with good ones (less junk food, eat better food)
    3. Praying for God’s spirit to help you when you feel like you cannot continue

Ephesians 4:22-24

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Colossians 3:5-10

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

  1. Don’t give the enemy a chance. Present yourself to God daily so that you may understand better what you can do to improve how you not only handle temptation but ultimately breaking the sin cycle.

Ephesians 4:27

27 Neither give place to the devil.

Romans 12:1-2

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

  1. Remember that you can do it with God and cannot without Him. Without divine supernatural power to rebuke Satan then we are more susceptible to temptations only working through our own strength.

1 Corinthians 10:13

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Philippians 4:13

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me

Prepare For Your Warfare

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Ephesians 6:10-12

[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
[11] Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
[12] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Paul, a man who spoke with great clarity, brought forth one of the most powerful understandings to how we can begin to overcome in spiritual warfare.

For the first step to winning any battle is to understand what you must do to preserve your longevity to see the victory!

Ephesians 6:13

[13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Paul spoke to an acceptance that we must learn that we need all that God has given us to believe, know, learn and demonstrate. For to be lacking in any part of the whole armor leaves vulnerabilities for the enemies weapons!

Ephesians 6:14

[14] Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

To girt up your loins is to mentally prepare yourself for something difficult, literally to tie up long loose clothes as they were more practical for work or travel. The breastplate was the central part of the Roman armor. To not wear it into battle was asking for death, for it protects the most vital organs of your body. I can tell you with certainty that there is no greater way to protect your heart than to live right in the sight of God. When wearing the breastplate the attacks that would normally be fatal are of no effect and roll off of you with very little consequences!

Proverbs 11:4-8

[4] Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
[5] The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
[6] The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
[7] When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
[8] The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

Righteousness will prevail against all attacks of the integrity of your inner soul and personal life.

Ephesians 6:15

[15] And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

A spiritual shoe is something that aids our movement and defense and is not relative to our appearance. To appreciate the preparation of the gospel we must know what shoes are made of they are durable, made to last the journey of your life

Luke 2:10

[10] And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Even the afflictions of the world cannot darken the glory of the good news of Jesus Christ!

Ephesians 6:16

[16] Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

A shield protects from the head, chest, waist, arms and legs. It is the greatest protection and without it we cannot press in to attack. The fiery darts are intended to bring doubts to your inner confidence to withstand and keep fighting.

1 John 5:4

[4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Ephesians 6:17

[17] And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Knowing that you are saved forevermore and that you are a child of God protects you and keeps your face, eyes, nose, mouth, ears and mind! The sword of the spirit is the word of God, the same weapon Jesus used against Satan, and the same weapon you use to attack! For all other virtues create a mighty warrior in the Lord and brings dominion to finally win!

Ephesians 6:18

[18] Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

With all and supplication is to demonstrate through faith of the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly. Doing this in the spirit will help you to not only stay motivated to protect yourself but to persevere the same way of life for the believer, and most importantly for the witness to all!

The Honor Code Part 3: The Answer For True Honor Comes From The Lord

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So here we are at the conclusion of this series with part three. First off, I will open up with the word here:

Proverbs 16:1-7

[1] The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
[2] All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
[3] Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
[4] The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
[5] Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
[6] By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
[7] When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

When it comes to addressing honor a big question to ask ourselves is what can we commit to God to produce it? As we would make a formal choice for purchasing items or to have a relationship with someone, it is clearly easy to see that every individual will commit to something they find of value, right? When we begin to realize the worth of the power that God we will not only want it but to commit to it!

In reading the above scriptures, I must first come to the long version of the final conclusion: yielding yourself completely to God will produce love, which in turn brings a desire to WANT to honor God by changing your life to do His will. Honoring God by devotion and obedience causes you to not only be aware of the will of God which in turn will come to the main points of honor: praise, selfless acts, and charity.

In closing, I give you the short and sweet version. If you love God, you will honor people which in turn honors God.

Take the time for those around you and honor them while you are still able and capable of doing it. Do it in great big things and in the small things no one will be able to give you credit for. Honor people just because, and most of all honor God! Doing it will not only bring glory to the kingdom but will promote the highest standard of God-like characteristics that you can have here on earth!

The Power Of Life And Death

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THE WORD

Proverbs 18:21 – Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We know through the classic passage in the bible that there is the power of life and death within our tongues. If you have gone to church any time in your life, I am sure that you have heard a message related to this subject. It was probably delivered in the context that we need to watch what we say about others, watch our words, etc. Let us discuss!

First off, we know that the passage begins with our tongue because it is one of the first outlets that our thoughts can begin to become amplified. If I am not happy about something and want to take it out on someone else, then I can use my voice to cut down someone else simply from my thoughts coming forth through my voice. We know this example, but as we know enhancements of mediums (Facebook, Twitter, Texting, etc.) to communicate have brought this to a whole new level.

The reason I talk about this is now is that our voices are becoming one of the lesser mediums used. There is more trouble caused from the outing of our thoughts through the internet because we have not learned to control ourselves and to understand just how far those words travel. As the leaders and believers of Christ we must choose to use the power of life, especially in the new avenues personal expression! A person’s thoughts and words are expressed in greatest effect by their actions. How you carry yourself and let others see you lead your walk with God makes or breaks the witness you display. Sometimes it could be very easy for me to step out and do something irrational through my words and actions, but I know it would not solve anything for anyone (not even me)! Learn to perform your actions that it promotes the power of life in yourself and those around you! Choose life!

PUT INTO PRACTICE

Take a single day to make a list and write something positive for every negative thing you say or write about someone or something. You may be surprised how much you hear or read from yourself without realizing the amount of times that it happens! Try it!

Sick And Tired Of Being Sick And Tired

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THE WORD

Psalms 103:8 – The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Proverbs 19:11 – The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

There are so many things that come up every day that make it hard sometimes to emotionally hold it together. I know what it feels like to be on the mountain in my life and still feel unsatisfied. I also know what it feels like to be in the valley and feel forgotten. No matter the current status of happiness that we possess, there is something to help us find the calm in the midst of unexpected storms. What I have found to be true is God and God alone. For most of us our daily routines to make ends meet leave us so numb that we get in a ‘sick and tired’ state. If our focus is to be on the ministry of God then it is my every belief that God will take care of the other issues in my life. What we place so high of an emotional value on should not be more than what God means to us. If we invest fully into God and surrender all, then everything else will be added (and we will not be as sick and tired of things as often!).

Do not let the game of life win and defeat the best part of you. Remember to suffer not in the things that are trying to come against you! Use the tools you have that God has provided for you to have and use for a successful outcome!

PUT INTO PRACTICE

Walk over to your medicine cabinet and open the door. When you see (for example) a bottle of medicine that treats headaches you have a confidence in your mind that as you take the medicine that you will find relief from the problem. God’s peace can move in through your worship and prayers to provide relief from anything.

Search within your mind the good times that God has blessed you. Like a medicine, God provided relief and help for you in that time of crisis. And if God did it for you then, God can certainly do it again! All God needs is that trust in the wonderful anointing and his word to bring out the best treatment you could ever find for when you are sick of life!

What Do We Partake Of

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Romans 14:14-21

[14] I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
[15] But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
[16] Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
[17] For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
[18] For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
[19] Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
[20] For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
[21] It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

It is so easy to get caught up in the wrong conversation, or caught up starting one. It’s easy to get caught up taking the wrong actions, or being around others doing this also. Whether we realize it or not, we become appointed responsible witnesses when we are saved and transformed through and through. And I don’t know how it is for others, but as for me, there are moments in my life when I am shown by God personally and am guided in areas of my personal life when things need to change. I am always reminded each day of what not to do, when to not say, etc. God is wonderful like that, presenting a voice of accountability. To make a long story short, we cannot be caught up in flesh, partaking in meat of the world, or those things that will make our brothers and sisters stumble and fall. The kingdom of God is not flesh, but all things manifested in the Holy Ghost! We cannot have it both ways and think that life can be stable. We cannot serve two masters (have two lifestyles or life choices) and think we’ll ever find happiness. And as it ties to the scriptures above, we cannot eat of both meats and ever expect to find peace and joy in our lives!

Proverbs 16:16

[16] How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

How much better to gain knowledge of God than to have the wealth and favor of man! So sweet is God’s wisdom! God’s wisdom to you is power! Coming through the trials of life will reward you so much more than wisdom of people most of the time. For then you will know rather than just assume that you do. You are made as an overcomer by the Blood of the Lamb AND the words of your testimony. Testimonies bear more of an impact than you think!

Proverbs 16:24

[24] Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

I read a phrase once that a person could live for months off of one good compliment. And those words could not be more true when it comes to encouraging and edifying the church. I’m not telling everyone to go and give worldly compliments to everyone. I’m not talking about flattery. I’m talking about being encouraged in a tough time in my life, when I am feeling hopeless and I don’t feel like I have anyone. You can almost guarantee that about 25 percent of the church always feels like that at any given time. A little encouragement goes a long way!

Proverbs 17:14

[14] The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

Why does this all matter? Have you ever seen something with a leak? What about the feeling of disappointment that you get when everything that was in it runs out? So true it is when we sit idly by and let the spirit of God not be stirred and eventually leak out of the church. And yet we begin to wonder why it just disappeared one day! God never leaves, and is always there and ready. However, WE have to stir up the gifts within. WE have to come together!

Proverbs 18:19

[19] A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

People need to always remember before they go to do anything that they have to follow what God is leading them to do in something, and that they do not need to ever try and cross someone that tries to come against them. Every person that you try and witness to isn’t going to receive it; in fact, they might reject you and try to hurt you in the process. The point I am trying to make is that we cannot push people to the point of lowering our standards to worldly standards, and trying to reason with reason. Spirit works conviction, and that work will take place following your obedience. You won’t have to fight for it, and if it seems like one, walk away and pray for another day. God will open the doors.

Romans 15:17

[17] I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

Why do all this for them? To lift up the weak!

I feel like in my personal life that God spared me and kept me here to deliver his word and to witness my testimony that others like myself might find hope and believe that they have a way out and can find a new life. And if we do not begin to start having more compassion and bear the infirmities of others, all of our suffering neighbors will continue to die out without hope.

Remember what was written in the Bible was for our learning! Also remember that we through patience (our part) and comfort of the scriptures (what we’re given) might have hope (your choice). And finally beginning to be likeminded one toward another (one mind and one mouth) and glorifying God will breathe new life into the church!

As I have personally learned, life was never promised as an easy burden, but as we near the end of each trial, the promise begins to come to a truth in our heart. God intends for our lives and our witness to be fruitful. That is, what people see of us as ripe and good and what they taste and partake and get to know as even better.

The Power Of Our Words

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James 3:4-8

[4] Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
[5] Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
[6] And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
[7] For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
[8] But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

One rumor = One Match

One issue = One Spark

One problem = One Coal

In other words, it only takes a little sentence or something small to start something huge, similar to a fire, that is almost impossible to put out.

The tongue is such a small part of the body, but goes such a long way.

What about other than words? As we know, actions speak louder than words!

James 3:11-12

[11] Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
[12] Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

We can’t have it both ways! Simple as that!

Proverbs 16:19-23

[19] Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
[20] He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
[21] The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
[22] Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
[23] The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

It is better to be open and loving, compassionate and to dwell there with others in a church service. It is definitely better to serve one another with these humble qualities! People then will get help that way!

Understanding is a wellspring! It only comes from a deep, spiritual learning experience that God through the Holy Ghost can teach you.

Proverbs 16:32

[32] He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

The more control that we have over our flesh by having a stronger spiritual life, you shall be better than mighty, and can take the cities (have control over the things that try and bring you down)!

Proverbs 21:23

[23] Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

If we can learn to be bigger than a conversation of the enemy, you can spare yourself from much trouble!

Proverbs 22:24-25

[24] Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
[25] Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

We need to be careful to watch our words, as well as the company that we are in. The longer that we stay in that, the more we become it.
Always remember some old adages:

–          We are what we eat

–          We are what we speak

–          We feel based on how we act and our countenance

In essence, we will become what we are surrounded with!

Luke 11:9-13

[9] And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
[10] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
[11] If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
[12] Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
[13] If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Let’s see the patterns:

Ask…shall be given

Seek…ye shall find

Knock…shall be opened

Asking is requesting from God by your spoken words.

Seeking is requesting from God from your spoken word and actions.

Knocking is requesting from God as an action.

So in other words, we do not communicate to God by spoken word alone, but by our actions also. Everything in a service counts for something! It is for someone or for you! It is worth the obedience!

Strength From Humility

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Before I begin, let me define my title:

Strength – the quality or state of being strong: capacity for exertion or endurance

Humility – a disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride

In the fast paced world that we exist in today, you rarely hear acts of true humility. More time is spent telling you about the stories of despair, tragedy, and destruction. Not that I am taking anything away from that, there (to me) has been such a loss of focus on the great acts that still take place every day.

Along with listening to constant negativity, I find it very hard to see anything good from anyone anymore. In fact, everything that comes to me in conversation is always about what they are going through, who they have a problem with, who doesn’t like them, what makes them upset, what drives them crazy, the list goes on and on. Here is the part that leaves me heavy hearted. There are all kinds of people out there, who stand in terrible need, and yet never get anything but the tough treatment and neglect from everyone. These kinds of people don’t have enough willpower within themselves anymore to be able to stand on one’s own and be able to handle is in front of them. They are desperate for help, and get passed on by. They are looking for humility from others so that they can receive something they don’t have within: Strength.

I know you think I’m going to take a laid back perspective, and say things that we should do, that no one actually will perform. Not only am I going to stray from that view, I will surprise you with this concept:

A self-centered personality can be easily lessened in one’s life by finding strength from humility.

If life is always about you, then you can’t possibly be of help to others. More boldly, if life is always about what you need, how can you ever hear God’s voice telling you to help the person right in front of you?

Let me give you 2 verses to support my following statement:

Proverbs 22:4

[4] By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

1st Chronicles 16:27

[27] Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.

Here is the last part I will leave you with today. If we can take more moments in our life to not just worry about ourselves, but applying Godly humility to others: that is, leading them to a source that will last them far beyond just a little help from just you. And in that Godly humility that you show to someone else, not only will you get strength, but God will strengthen you, and add blessings upon blessings to your life. Just like the old adage, it’s always better to give then receive! And now it should all make sense, strength from humility! God Bless!

Where There Is No Vision

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Today our devotional will be from Proverbs 29:18: “Where there is no vision, the people perish“

First of all, I want us to think about our natural vision. The most vital square inch of our body is the eye. We need good vision to function in our daily lives. Of all the senses that we have, I feel that vision would be the hardest to learn to live without.

Many people learn to live without vision, but are limited in their activities, often times they suffer from depression or discouragement; especially those who once were able to see and then lost their vision.  In your Christian life, do feel limited, or feel like you are not as strong or as true a Christian as you used to be?

To be a strong Christian in Church, we need to have good spiritual vision.  The Bible says that “where there is no vision the people perish” What is spiritual vision?  The ability to see what God want us to see; to have a spiritual discernment of the situations we face, to be able to look beyond the heartaches, the trials, and disappointments of life, to look beyond our own needs and desires to see the needs of others, especially those that are stumbling around in darkness because they have no vision.

Naturally speaking, it takes light to have vision. The light is reflected in the eye to different nerves that send messages to the brain that lets us interpret what we are seeing: the colors, the distance. Spiritually speaking, it takes the Holy Spirit to have a spiritual vision.  Before Christ came the Old Testament speaks of the time when there was no open vision. In other words only those that were priests or prophets were able to see what God wanted and what God could do for them.  When Christ came He opened up the way so that every individual could have this open vision.

The natural vision may vary from person to person, depending on health, age, disease.  Some folks have what we call 20-20 vision, which is considered the best. Others have less because of something that has hindered their vision. Sometimes glasses, contacts, or medications are used to improve the vision. If we had to gauge our spiritual vision, what would it be? 20-20, 20-50, or 0-0? If we recognize that our spiritual vision is dim, what can we do to improve or make it brighter?

If you are having vision problems and you go to the eye doctor, first of all he will check to see if there are any impurities or foreign objects in your eye that could be causing the irritation or problem.  First of all, let’s examine our lives and see if there is something in our heart that refuses to let God’s spirit work in our lives. We all know that only one thing separates us from God and it is SIN. Perhaps it is just the sin of idleness or worry or perhaps it is a little jealousy or an old grudge. Whatever it is, it will block your spiritual vision. To get rid of it we need to sincerely repent and ask God to forgive us. We need to understand that the world is such a dark place and people are going to Hell every day, and they need us to have the best spiritual vision we can to help them see the light.

Once the doctors removed the impurities or foreign objects from our eyes, you may have to have some type of medication or therapy to strengthen the eye muscles.  Spiritually speaking, it works the same with God. Once he has forgiven us, we need to work to increase our vision. Reading His word and praying are the two best medications you can use in your Christian life to gain strength and increase your vision. Exercising your faith when God asks you to do something will also make you a stronger Christian and bring you closer to him. Determine in your heart that you want to be closer to the Lord, to see more of His majesty and to have more of His spirit working in your life.  Obey when He speaks. Be humble! Know it is just His great mercy that lets you exist.  Love the Lord with all your heart. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Press forward to the mark. Let that vision lead you home.

There are some great examples of God’s people that had visions throughout the bible. One of them was Job. He had a vision of his Redeemer. He knew that no matter what he suffered in this life that he would behold his Redeemer. It didn’t matter if his flesh had rotted or he had no natural eyes to see with, he would still see Him for himself. He had a vision that went beyond the grave. All of God’s children have this same assurance. Many times we just fail to look beyond the daily toil of life to see that our Redeemer is waiting on us and it is just a short time until we will see Him.

Nehemiah’s Vision of the Wall is one that I love to read about Nehemiah and his labor on the wall. First of all he was away from Jerusalem down in another land. Some of his countrymen were passing through and he asked them about the state of Jerusalem. They began to tell him of the sad condition of Jerusalem, how the walls were broken down. Nehemiah’s heart was broken by this news because he loved Jerusalem.  He began to seek God’s face and ask for his help and guidance. God worked and soon Nehemiah was on his way down to Jerusalem with a job to do. Now remember he was just one man, but look at the difference he was able to make because he was obedient to God’s command.

Nehemiah didn’t have a vision of the broken down city but he had a vision of what the city could be once the walls were rebuilt and the people united. Many times we look at our little church and think “well we don’t have too many people” and “we can’t do much” and so we just sit where we are. We need to be more like Nehemiah with a vision of what our church could be and how that lost people could be saved. It took obedience both from Nehemiah and the people to build the wall. It took unity of spirit and it took love. It took perseverance. Nehemiah and the people made up their minds they would rebuild the wall or would die trying. We need to be willing to fight the good fight.  I’m sure they got weary and we can read how that Satan tried to discourage them continually, but their vision was strong. They knew God would deliver as He had promised if they would just do their part.

If you look in Ezekiel 37, you’ll read about another hopeless situation where Ezekiel was placed in the valley of the dry bones and God told him to preach. I’m sure he could have made excuse after excuse why there was no need to preach to this bunch of dry bones. I suppose that is how many pastors feel when they preach to their congregations.  “What good will it do?  They are just hearers and not doers.” But Ezekiel believed God.  It was that simple. He believed that if God asked him to do something there was a good reason for it. He didn’t have to understand every detail but he just believed.

Many times God wants to work miracles in our lives and we have so little faith that we will not believe and He can’t do for us like He would desire to do. Ezekiel just kept preaching and soon those old bones began to move together and flesh began to come upon them.  They began to gain some strength. Then the breath moved into them and they were an exceeding great army. Again, look at what one person accomplished through his obedience to God. Don’t ever think that you don’t matter in God’s work. He needs every member of his Church. He needs us to be obedient. He needs for us to have that spiritual vision that will let us see beyond all of the negatives that Satan presents to us.  If we have good vision, we can see the fiery darts coming and can hold up our shield of faith.

John’s Vision on the Isle of Patmos was surely one of the greatest visions that one of God’s children could ever see. John saw that number that no man could number. He saw those that had had their robes made white with the blood of the Lamb. He saw me and he saw you in that number. There have been times in my life when I too have caught a glimpse of that heavenly number, that heavenly throne, that heavenly place that we are going to. We need to look beyond the present time and look to that great homecoming. This would certainly encourage our hearts when we are distressed. It would cause us to lift up our head and know that our redemption draweth nigh. It would let us praise our wonderful Savior no matter what.

So please, look to the Lord, pray about your vision, that it might be increased that we can see what God wants us to see!