WHAT DOES THE CHURCH REALLY LOOK LIKE? Every Believer Must Have Personal Vision ch. 7, pt. 2

PERSONAL  VISION

✶ Vision                        ✶ Plan                       ✶ What you see?

✶ Revelation Light      ✶ Dream         ✶ Goals          

✶ Fulfillment              ✶ Direction      ✶ Hope           

✶ Joy in the Center of God’s Will.

✶ What do you want to see?

✶ What could cloud our vision?

1 – Your Identity + Your Vision = Boldness & Confidence

            “Follow me as I follow Christ”  (I Cor. 11:1-2) 

2 – Leaders can only lead, if those who follow believe the

 leader knows where he is going.

“Where there is no revelation (VISION), the people cast off restraint.”  (Proverbs 29:18)

3 -  The result of receiving a vision will cause you to

 reflect the giver of the vision.

    “I set my face toward the Lord God.” (Daniel 9:3)

4 – The vision you receive will give you tenacity

 to hang in there.

   Don’t grow weary while doing good.  (Galatians 6:9)

5 -  You will allow authority to cover you

 if you have a part in their vision.

            “He taught as one having authority…”  (Matt. 7:28-29)

6 -  Vision identifies the mission. 

Our mission is one of our greatest motivations to holiness.

            “What does the Lord require of you?”   (Micah 6:8)

          “It is easier to serve God without a vision, easier to work for God without a call, because then you are not bothered by what God requires; common sense is your guide, veneered over with Christian sentiment.  You will be more prosperous and successful, more leisure-hearted, if you never realize the call of God.  But if once your receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God wants will always come like a goad; you will no longer be able to work for Him on the common-sense basis. … Never consider whether you are of use; but ever consider that you are not your own, but His.”

Oswald Chambers

                                                               “My Utmost for His Highest”

A VISION IS SET IN TIME

Acts 14:26-28

            “They sailed to Antioch, where they had been

committed to the grace of God for

            launched by God’s grace (The Message)

the work which they had completed.  Now when

            When have we completed something God gave us?

they gathered the church together,

            People in love with Jesus, not a building or structure.

they reported all that God had done with them, and that

            Testimonies – a pattern of ministry in early Church.

He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.   So

            God opened the door, not the strategy of men.

they stayed there a long time with the disciples.”

            No hurry!  We have the grace.  We have the people.

Ω

THINGS YOU’VE GOT TO KNOW

[1] KNOW YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

            What has God called you to become?

            What are you doing in preparation to be God’s servant?

                        II Timothy 2:15  “Be diligent…”

[2] KNOW YOU’RE HEARING FROM GOD

Meditation and Retreat time.  Prayer and Fasting. 

            How far can you see into the future?

            Prepare the messenger, not just the message.

            The essence of being an elder: 

                        Does he hear from God?

Do people want to hear from him?

Ω Back to Part 1…Every Believer Must Know

Back to:  WHAT DOES THE CHURCH REALLY LOOK LIKE?

WHAT DOES THE CHURCH REALLY LOOK LIKE? The Church must have Every Believer Knowing

The Church must have:

7.  EVERY BELIEVER KNOWING

 THEIR CALL & VISION

Your vision becomes the burning desire of your life. 

 

If you don’t keep your vision, no one will keep it for you.

 

Leaders can help others to see their own vision from God.

WHAT YOU HEAR:

     Each one should hear a call (ministry) from God.

Having a Call should not be unique to certain “clergy.”  The Bible does not speak of a separate class of believers becoming “the servants of the Lord,” rather, every believer should know their personal call to ministry.

WHAT YOU SEE:

     Each one should find a vision (area of focus) from God.

Having Vision means seeing possibilities & opportunities.  We must take our eyes off the past & put them on the future.  OFF how we have been & ON how we could be.

Vision comes from God as your sense of anticipation (faith) overlays your sense of duty (works).

 

To focus on your God-given vision is to sense the joy of being in the perfect center of God’s will.

Ω

 YOUR VISION AND YOUR CALL AFFIRM YOUR PLACE IN THE KINGDOM

“If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish.  Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 

 (Esther 4:14)

[1]  GET FOCUSED

            1.  God is on His Throne with a plan for His Kingdom, His Church, and for you.

            2.  “Relief and deliverance will come from someplace.” (Esther 4:14)

[2]  GET RESPONSIBLE

            1.  God holds you responsible for your (okios) family.

            2.  “But (it’s possible), you and your father’s house will perish.  (Esther 4:14)

            3.  There is risk!.  Prayer & Fasting both needed and rewarded. (Esther 4:16)

[3]  GET GOING

            1.  God’s (Still, small voice.) call is higher than the king’s  (Esther 4:11)

            2.  Who knows whether you have come to the Kingdom for such a time as this?

            3.  God gives us windows of opportunity.  The anointing remains. (I John 2:27)  Discern the times and seasons.  Don’t evade God’s prompting.  Have faith, the presence of God is with you.

CONCLUSION:

            What would the Lord have you do today?

            He is calling.  Do you hear?  Discern?

            He is revealing things.  Vision: do you see?

            Get Going!

Ω

THE PURPOSE OF VISION

            Ephesians 4:7-16 imparts to us great insight into God’s vision of the Church in Jesus Christ.  “That He might fill all things… for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry… till we all come in the unity of the faith… making increase of the Body unto the edifying of itself in love”.

            In the Church of Jesus Christ we were never intended to be “spectators”.  All of us, as believers, are to participate actively in the Body of Christ.

            G  Follow God given vision, not an organization.

            G  Get involved in what you know to be the Will of God.

            G  Every believer, having received a vision from the Lord, should be equipped by the Leaders to fulfill that vision.

Ω

REASONS WE MUST HAVE VISION

Without vision…

            1    We don’t know why we do what we do.

              Dutifully role playing.  Loss of purpose.

            2    We lose interest in what we are doing.

              Lose passion; work not exciting any more.

            3    We don’t know what to do.

              Don’t realize there is so much to do.

            4    We don’t know how to get things done.

                        Because we’re in the dark.

            5    We have no way to evaluate what we’re doing.

                        Can’t measure success if no vision.

            6    We lack commitment to take leadership.

                        Decision-making is hindered.

            7    We will easily give up in a crisis.

                        Lack perspective if things go bad.

Ω

VISION TO GET ESTABLISHED

     1   Establish Clear Objectives

Pregnant with revelation knowledge from God;

            needing to give birth.

     2   Establish Priorities in our Activities

Our aim or mission, that determines when and why things are done.

     3  Establish Focus in our Labor

A process to fulfill our heart’s desire.

            Our vision with a budget (cost in time, money, etc.).

     4  Establish Goals to Complete

How to know you’ve finished

            the work God has given you.

Ω

WHAT HINDERS VISION?

            1.   Tradition.

            2.   Fear.

            3.   Stereotypes.

            4.   Lack of passion.

            5.   Fatigue.

            6.   Short-term thinking.

Ω  Continued…

Back to:  WHAT DOES THE CHURCH REALLY LOOK LIKE?

Knowing the Heart of Your Pastor – Chapter 9

Dear Brother,

Some years ago, when I first asked my pastor to watch for my soul, I was a very needy soul indeed.  I had been going through very difficult times.  I sought his counsel often, and I communicated my victories with him.  It was good as I learned to walk in submission, respecting his wisdom, and honoring him as the gift of Christ in my life.

We walked together for more than a year in a good covenant relationship.  Then one day, as he was sharing his heart, I saw something I had not seen before.  I saw his vision!  I caught a glimpse of the revelation and purpose God had given him. 

I became embarrassed at my previous self-centeredness.  Up to that point I had only seen how my apostle worked in my life.  I had been blind as to how I might work in his life.  To be honest, my prayer support of him was ineffectual because I did not know his heart.  Words of encouragement rarely came from me because I did not know what to encourage.  When I talked to my friends, I could only introduce the man, because I had no gresp of his vision.

Of course none of us will ever know the complete vision of our apostle, because it is their vision.  But I am convinced we should be able to grasp enough to be able to help fulfill it.  Surely we will never fully understand the message unless we can know the vision of the messenger.

Brother, I want to talk to you about your relationship with your apostolic oversight.  All of us need to become part of something much bigger than ourselves.  The vision God has given your apostle/pastor is big enough to give you a challenge.  See how much you can grasp,  See if you can intercede in prayer effectually.  See how much you can financially support.

This week, I want to encourage you to work at developing your relationship with your apostle/pastor to know his heart.  Perhaps you already have a grasp of his vision, then intercede for him.  Give him specific encouragement.  I pray that the Spirit of God will give you insight and sensitivity as you get a glimpse of God’s mission and purpose for your pastor.

Bruce

Back to Chapter 1

Keeping Your Vision Clear – Chapter 7

Dear Brother,

Gary was attending our men’s Bible study.  He had become committed about six months earlier.  Now, as his pastor, I was reviewing our goals for the men’s meetings.  As I asked the men for input, Gary sat quietly; so I asked for his thoughts.  He said, “I’ve never had a pastor who knew where he was going before.  As long as you know where you’re going, pastor, I’m following.”

People will only follow a leader who knows where he’s going and demonstrates it.  Your pastor, your apostolic oversight, expects you to be a leader.  This means that you need to hear from God and see the vision God has for you.  It has been said that leaders are ultimately predictable.  Those who fellowship with you should have a sense of where you are going, because you have clear goals which give you purpose.

I’m writing to encourage you this week to bring clarity to your vision.  Brother, I believe that you should be able to write in a single paragraph, your goals and purpose.  Some can list their goals for the next few months, others for some years into the future.  I urge you to pray, meditate and perhaps counsel with your apostle/pastor until you can list some specific objectives for your service in the Kingdom.

Some time ago, my pastor and I were talking about the biblical qualifications for an elder.  He said to me, “There are really only two basic qualifications:  One, can a man hear from God?  Two, do people want to hear from that man?”  You will have others who walk with you.  Sometimes you may need to run just to keep up.  We read in Habakkuk 2:2 that the Lord says, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run who reads it.”

If your vision is not plain, such that you can lay it out on the table, then it may be that you do not understand what the Lord would have you to do.  If that is true, then you cannot expect others to follow you.  Let these next few days be a time of bringing things into focus.  Bring clarity to your vision.  Write a statement of purpose.  Set goals and share them with your apostle/pastor.

I pray God’s revelation be clear to you at this time.

Bruce

back to chapter 1