The thought that comes to mind is a meme often seen on social media that reads, "But first, coffee." I write it with a smile. I wake up gradually. I need all the help I can get before interacting with the world. The coffee, the quiet, the gentle rituals—they help ease me into presence. All joking aside, beneath every morning routine and every breath we take, two core questions reside within us. We instinctively ask them, though the noise of life often distracts us from hearing the answers. Most demands are loud and urgent. They expect our full attention, allowing little space for stillness. But first things must come first.
A lot of us are in process right now. Don't get in a hurry. The world is not coming to an end. Things may be changing, but it's not doomsday. It's time to awaken the ekklesia. I get wearied when hearing modern "Christian" lingo as we face unfamiliar happenings in the world. There is a defeated, helpless mentality that echoes what has been said repetitively causing inaction for way too many years. Then those things get thrown into helpless, hopeless buckets. There are many. The one I'm thinking about at this moment is the, "It's the End-Times, You Know" bucket. I'm sorry dear soul. It's not. Nor is it time to escape. It's not time to endlessly stream on-demand zombie apocalypse movies.
I believe that the condition of the Church is the genuine concern during this global crisis. The location of where we meet corporately is really up for the Lord to direct. We can move a meeting around from one location to another but if the condition doesn't change, it's all the same. So what is the Lord wanting? Is He wanting to take us out of buildings? I hardly think that is the case. In some instances it may happen and may be necessary. Although, I think we need to not look at the circumstantial effects as the purpose. Rather, we need to look at what the Lord is saying in all of this.
You may have heard it said that there is too much of an emphasis on "consciousness" within the Body of Christ at the present. The thought I've seen being expressed is that there were things being misconstrued and it was becoming self–focused and idolatrous self-exaltation. In some cases, I'm sure that is true. Where there is truth being emphasized, error will always try to creep in to skew it. Although, anytime there is an emphasis in a certain area where long tenured beliefs are being challenged or enhanced, we must look to see where our Lord is in it. We cannot fear the things God speaks because of the language being used and yet follow Him in the forefront of what He is establishing. Realignment often comes being imposed and yet pondered.
Asking the right questions get the right answers. As we ponder the things we wonder about to get clarity, its helpful to look within. The Lord will write it upon your heart before you need to know it. He will speak and progressively move you in the direction of what He has written. It's His plan and He's never negligent. So, as you are moving forward and processing what He's speaking to you, look within and listen. "The human spirit is the lamp of the LORD that sheds light on one's inmost being." Proverbs 20:27, NIV
The signs of purpose are all around us. Yet, often we don't see them for ourselves. It's possible that others do, but it takes insightfulness to look beyond the surface. Many do not know how to do that with themselves, much less someone else. Man looks at the outside but God looks at the heart. In order to see what God sees we have to get outside of ourselves to get past our everyday mundane perceptions and put on new eyes. It's like sitting near a body of water and no longer looking at the surface but refocusing into the depths to see below the surface.
Do you have an interest in going beyond where you are in Christ? Would you like to see things clearly? Would you like to know how to respond with spiritual accuracy? Insight takes you there. When we see things as they truly are we are able to interact accurately, insuring success. Most often we bump into uncertain outcome without knowing what may possibly be the missing element. It's time for us to see beyond the constructs and impositions of our contemporary culture to discover God's original design for us.
Let's pick up our series with defining vision. "Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he who keeps the law, he is blessed." Proverbs 29:18 Vision is defined as "the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be." Vision is God speaking His purpose. It's an insight into what God is saying and doing now that includes our involvement. Vision is an expanding understanding that enables us to interact with God's redemptive purposes. It's redeeming in that it's bringing His answer to a lack where He is pointing out that His abundance is needed.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18a Other versions are a bit more descriptive. Vision is referred to as "prophetic vision, revelation, divine guidance and redemptive revelation of God." The Message Bible reads, "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed." Regardless of who we are, we need vision. Vision is an insight into what God is saying and doing now that includes our involvement. Our lives aren't static. They are dynamic! Vision is also dynamic. If we engage with vision, it will build us and enlarge our horizons. It will govern our path and stabilize our journey. And there's a lot more!
"By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises." 2 Peter 1:3-6a God has provided all we need for life. That's prosperity. It ours. But do we access it? Do we pray for that which is already ours? If we don't know how to access what's ours, we will lack in many areas in many ways.
Follow Up
