While I was praying something came to me about “vision”. I think this is worth remembering.
Today it came up about ministers “falling”, or getting off track.
In particular one minister that I think had gotten off track, I was hoping and praying this wouldn’t mean the church & ministries connected with them would crumble, get off track etc. It also came to me, through seeing a similar ministry, but one that was in a beginning stage- that such a church and all it’s ministries & network of people within was not formed overnight.There is this one starting out, hoping and praying that they could get to the point of where the other is at. And, there is this other church & it’s ministries that has been built up over time and has experienced tremendous growth. Yet, in a way it is still fragile. It could yet be destroyed, or gotten off track from the vision/plan God had for it.
This can happen, and has happened to other churches & ministries.
Currently, I have heard how Paula White’s church is up for foreclosure. This after being for some time, one of the biggest ministries around, the church was packed out. This now has happened after their divorce, seems many people were left wondering and left the church. ( not sure if other factors were a part of this church disintegration as well). I think of a stable and huge a ministry one pastor had, and now after his being found in secret sin his great loss, and the diminishing of the church he was pastoring, which used to be one of the largest. So sad, to think of how many would love to have ministries of those sizes, all the resources and opportunities to be able to help many people- damaged or destroyed in a much quicker time than it took to build it up.
It came to me how God definitely had and has a vision for this particular church I’m thinking of. It was God who formed the vision and it was He who build it up and set things in place. It wasn’t the elders or the pastors. A work that is from God- is God’s vision. Sometimes people get caught up into thinking it’s the pastors vision- things were his ideas and his doing. Even though God uses a pastor or other gifted people, the actual work and empowerment is from God.
The vision isn’t about a particular person/group/head of ministry- it is about God’s vision purposes and plan. The bottom line is it’s about what God intends to do. This can be with or without a particular person/leader. If that leader gets off track or gets caught up into sin, if they aren’t willing to come back into line, God can complete His vision anyway. I’m sure God hopes that the leader involved would get it together with Him. Yet, no one is indispensable. The vision depends on God, not on that person. God wants the fallen or off track person to get right, but if that doesn’t happen I would think God’s desires / His will is that His original vision/plan would continue.
God’s vision may be about not only God’s will for that leader and their family but also for that church (ministry workers etc.),the members and future members, the community it is impacting and for God’s own name. If the leader gets in trouble, should then all this collapse? Does it change God’s desire for His vision? God’s will can seem more general, but “the vision” can include many things and more than one decision.
We can know God’s will in general things, we can know these from the Bible: His will is that we be saved, become discipled in His ways & grow in our faith etc.. Knowing God’s vision (s) take time spent in prayer and waiting on Him as well.
God’s will in these general things are for all people. Visions are given out by God individually, one size does not fit all.
Just as God would have certain ones to lead and shape out His vision, he would have others to come into be a part of, workers and recipients of the outworking of the vision. We each have to ask ourselves what are God’s plans for our lives, has He given us a vision for us to partner with Him in building? If we aren’t to be one of the builders/shapers, then which vision are we to come under? Which vision that God has given to someone else, are we to be a part of? God wants us to be a part of these, yet if we do not yield and come into it, God can fulfill the rest of His plans (visions) without us. We will be the ones missing out, the work can yet continue on without us.
I want to be a part of what He wants me to, and be a part of whichever particular vision. In this there is life & peace. These kinds of things aren’t usually things that are known right away, they need to be sought out and waited upon by us. If God wants us to take a building position/office, then we have to ask ourselves, Lord what is your vision? Not my ideas, plans and ways how it should be done and entail- but your plan. We have to die and get out of the way, remembering we aren’t indispensable . The vision is and should be bigger than us. The vision has a life of it’s own in a way (God’s life).
Again there are things that are God’s general will for all people, and then He has His purposes and various different visions and plans for different areas, places & communities, groups of people, and times in history. It’s like, God what are you doing during this time & in this place/area, and where have you positioned me in the context of all this?
I am here now for a reason, Lord fit me into this puzzle/mosaic you have created. Maybe I could go here or there, yet you know the best fit.
May your visions continue in spite of some failings and sins. Just like in general with the Christian church through the ages, things go up and down, there have been many mistakes & grievous errors & people falling into sin- yet the church continues and will prevail.
Today it came up about ministers “falling”, or getting off track.
In particular one minister that I think had gotten off track, I was hoping and praying this wouldn’t mean the church & ministries connected with them would crumble, get off track etc. It also came to me, through seeing a similar ministry, but one that was in a beginning stage- that such a church and all it’s ministries & network of people within was not formed overnight.There is this one starting out, hoping and praying that they could get to the point of where the other is at. And, there is this other church & it’s ministries that has been built up over time and has experienced tremendous growth. Yet, in a way it is still fragile. It could yet be destroyed, or gotten off track from the vision/plan God had for it.
This can happen, and has happened to other churches & ministries.
Currently, I have heard how Paula White’s church is up for foreclosure. This after being for some time, one of the biggest ministries around, the church was packed out. This now has happened after their divorce, seems many people were left wondering and left the church. ( not sure if other factors were a part of this church disintegration as well). I think of a stable and huge a ministry one pastor had, and now after his being found in secret sin his great loss, and the diminishing of the church he was pastoring, which used to be one of the largest. So sad, to think of how many would love to have ministries of those sizes, all the resources and opportunities to be able to help many people- damaged or destroyed in a much quicker time than it took to build it up.
It came to me how God definitely had and has a vision for this particular church I’m thinking of. It was God who formed the vision and it was He who build it up and set things in place. It wasn’t the elders or the pastors. A work that is from God- is God’s vision. Sometimes people get caught up into thinking it’s the pastors vision- things were his ideas and his doing. Even though God uses a pastor or other gifted people, the actual work and empowerment is from God.
The vision isn’t about a particular person/group/head of ministry- it is about God’s vision purposes and plan. The bottom line is it’s about what God intends to do. This can be with or without a particular person/leader. If that leader gets off track or gets caught up into sin, if they aren’t willing to come back into line, God can complete His vision anyway. I’m sure God hopes that the leader involved would get it together with Him. Yet, no one is indispensable. The vision depends on God, not on that person. God wants the fallen or off track person to get right, but if that doesn’t happen I would think God’s desires / His will is that His original vision/plan would continue.
God’s vision may be about not only God’s will for that leader and their family but also for that church (ministry workers etc.),the members and future members, the community it is impacting and for God’s own name. If the leader gets in trouble, should then all this collapse? Does it change God’s desire for His vision? God’s will can seem more general, but “the vision” can include many things and more than one decision.
We can know God’s will in general things, we can know these from the Bible: His will is that we be saved, become discipled in His ways & grow in our faith etc.. Knowing God’s vision (s) take time spent in prayer and waiting on Him as well.
God’s will in these general things are for all people. Visions are given out by God individually, one size does not fit all.
Just as God would have certain ones to lead and shape out His vision, he would have others to come into be a part of, workers and recipients of the outworking of the vision. We each have to ask ourselves what are God’s plans for our lives, has He given us a vision for us to partner with Him in building? If we aren’t to be one of the builders/shapers, then which vision are we to come under? Which vision that God has given to someone else, are we to be a part of? God wants us to be a part of these, yet if we do not yield and come into it, God can fulfill the rest of His plans (visions) without us. We will be the ones missing out, the work can yet continue on without us.
I want to be a part of what He wants me to, and be a part of whichever particular vision. In this there is life & peace. These kinds of things aren’t usually things that are known right away, they need to be sought out and waited upon by us. If God wants us to take a building position/office, then we have to ask ourselves, Lord what is your vision? Not my ideas, plans and ways how it should be done and entail- but your plan. We have to die and get out of the way, remembering we aren’t indispensable . The vision is and should be bigger than us. The vision has a life of it’s own in a way (God’s life).
Again there are things that are God’s general will for all people, and then He has His purposes and various different visions and plans for different areas, places & communities, groups of people, and times in history. It’s like, God what are you doing during this time & in this place/area, and where have you positioned me in the context of all this?
I am here now for a reason, Lord fit me into this puzzle/mosaic you have created. Maybe I could go here or there, yet you know the best fit.
May your visions continue in spite of some failings and sins. Just like in general with the Christian church through the ages, things go up and down, there have been many mistakes & grievous errors & people falling into sin- yet the church continues and will prevail.
