Vision

 

Patrick Love – The Vision

 

A vision is this way.

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. – Matthew 13:44  ESV

When it is working right, my mind cannot let go of it. I keep coming back to it because it is so good.

It is in my offering of myself to God that I will see miracles start to happen in my life. I am reminded of this through the miracle of the five loaves and two fish. What the child offered was nothing compared to the need, but Jesus did a miracle from these offerings simply because they were offered. I have also been noting that I am thinking that there are others whom God has called. In my prayer time, I am avoiding myself. Maybe it is time I pray about me and start offering myself – pray that God would revive me, pray that I commit myself to God and participate actively in the expansion of His kingdom.

If a parable is meant to be simple and plain and intended to be understood, then it would seem that each parable generally reveals one primary principle. I am not too sure that they are to be dissected for hidden meanings.  In this case, the hidden treasure is the kingdom of heaven. Is that not what happened to the twelve disciples? Were they not overjoyed when they encountered Jesus and did they not leave everything to follow Him and pursue the kingdom of God?

One thing is for certain – there was a selling of all they had/owned to secure the one thing that mattered to them. The choice was decisive. My vision, in following Jesus, needs to be the same.

 

 

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Promises

 

Standing on the promises

 

Here are some promises I am standing on today.

You keep him in perfect peace
    whose mind is stayed on you,
    because he trusts in you. – Isaiah 26:3  ESV

 

Or let them lay hold of my protection,
let them make peace with me,
let them make peace with me. – Isaiah 27:5  ESV

 

This also comes from the Lord of hosts;
he is wonderful in counsel
and excellent in wisdom. – Isaiah 28:29  ESV

 

In that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book,
and out of their gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind shall see. – Isaiah 29:18  ESV

 

 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. – Romans 16:20  ESV

This one is not a promise but a blessing.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. – Romans 16 25-27  ESV

 

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We are meant for relationship

 

I learned another new word today – homothumadon.  It’s meaning is – with one mind, with one accord, with one passion.  It is found mostly in the book of Acts which is interesting based on my thoughts from yesterday. This word does express Christian community. It is made up of two words – one meaning to rushalong and the other in unison.

The image is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different, harmonise in pitch and tone. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concertmaster, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ’s church. – Strong’s #3661

Homothumadon! God has made us in His image and likeness, which means we are meant for relationship. We therefore intentionally move through our discipleship cycle together, doing all things in partnership with God and one another.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 15:5-6  ESV

One of the best ways of coming together is when we worship. It is through worship that we avoid the division that comes through secondary issues. God becomes our first priority. It keeps our eyes on the cross. It keeps us focused on our task which is to make disciple-making disciples. Our hope is in Jesus and Him alone. I am challenged again to stop looking at the church, thereby, turning my back on those who do not know Jesus.

 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,  and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
    and sing to your name.”

 And again it is said,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

 And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
    and let all the peoples extol him.”

 And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,
    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope.”

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:8-13  ESV

I was amazed to find a gem of a verse right after the infamous verse thirteen.

I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers,[a] that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. – Romans 15:14  ESV

This is the verse that challenges me to be a disciple making counselor.  In God’s Hands I minister the sanctifying Word into the lives of others. I can only do that when I myself am a recipient of the Spirit’s sanctifying work in myself. I ask people to follow me as I am following Him.

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Be one

 

It is not an accident that Jesus prays for us to be one, because that oneness, that community, is God’s signature. It is not about being a great apologetic, or great at changing culture and it definitely is not about really cool worship services. Trinitarian fellowship is the foundation of the existence of that which is real. That is why there is so much cost related to our invitation. That is where we rest.

 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. – John 17:23  ESV

It is a serious prayer, a solemn admonition and supplication that revealed just how important this union would be. He compared the union to the most perfect union of all – between the Father and Himself. That acceptance into this union would change the world. Our spiritual warfare on earth looks great, but in accepting the invitation to join the union between the Father and Jesus, all we need to do is rest in them – showing the world that the Father loves us as much as He loves His Son.

We have not rested in that invitation very well have we? I know I have seen our expression – the world has not declared that God had sent Jesus. In fact, most of what we do is show the world exactly who God is not. Love is rarely seen.

I do not beat myself up too much. I mean Pentecost is really the only time we see the Church revealing to the world that indeed God sent Jesus and that He loved the world and loved His Son. After that we mess up. We show a difference to one nationality of widows over another and we show that Gentiles needed to become Jews in order for them to be Christians. Messy stuff for sure.

If I am going to be praying a new prayer today – it will be – Lord Jesus, fill me with You, may the Holy Spirit allow me to accept the invitation to be with You and the Father. It is the only way the world will see You in me. It is the only way they will believe the Father has sent Jesus and that He loves the world so much because He gave them Jesus. The gift was a painful one for the Father and Jesus were separated for the very first time. May I know that the Father loves me as much as He loves Jesus for in doing so, I am one with them.

 

 

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Self discipline

 

Self Discipline

 

It is not a word that works for me well in two areas of my life. I believe it is very different from self control which is a fruit of the Spirit. From what I understand there are three aspects to self discipline.

  • Self assessment
  • Self application 
  • Self accountability

It is the self accountability that strikes me the most.

 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. – Romans 14:7  ESV

If it is not about me, then who is it about? And when can I walk around saying I am practicing self accountability as part of my discipleship process?

I believe it starts with the same attitude King David had. He met with God and asked Him to search his heart. He held himself accountable and at the end of the day he let God vindicate him.

What I realise is that if it is not about me, then I can be free to restrain, hold back and allow God to lead. What an amazing gift to myself that would be.

 

 

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