June 4 , 2007

How Are You Living — Based On The Vision or The View?

I was at a conference the other day and Pastor Terry Marks of the Greater Bethel AME Church of Phoenix, AZ shared that many of us have begun to live based on what we see instead of the vision that God has given to us.

Has God given you a vision for your future, your future business venture, your future employment, your future marital relationship, the future of your parents, etc..

If you are anything like me God has given you a vision. The enemy has and continues to do everything he can to try to get you to put the vision down and focus on what you see. That is why it is so important to write the vision. In Habakkuk 2:2-3, God gave us this clear instruction. 2 Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. 3 This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.

God did not give us this instruction because He would forget. He gave it to us so that we would remember what He said. In the constant movement throughout the day, with all the different voices talking in our ears, the distractions and frustrations we experience while waiting for the vision to manifest we will need a reminder of what He really said. I know you have played the game telephone, where the message is passed from person to person and by the time it gets back to the originator it is all messed up. That is what will happen to the vision if we don’t write it down. We will forget and get confused about what God really said and we can guarantee the enemy will send some plants to get in the middle of the situation to help to confuse the message. When the future seems the most confusing and your view does not look like what God said you will need something to go back too. Write down what God said.

Choosing the view over the vision is choosing what the world is showing you over what God said.

Choosing the view over the vision is choosing immediate gratification (which is fleeting) over waiting on the Lord and getting what He promised which will be lasting.

Choosing the view over the vision is choosing disobedience over obedience and the bible assures us that Obedience is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15:22)

Choosing the view over the vision is choosing the flesh over the spirit.

Choosing the view over the vision is choosing the world over the Lord.

Be assured that what the world is showing you in the view may look good initially but it is not lasting. The view changes with the scenery. If I am at the beach I see sand and the ocean. If I am in Iowa in the middle of winter one day I can see snow falling and it looks clean. Two days later that same snow is dirty and causes accidents and traffic problems as it has become ice. The same snow with a different view. The children see snow when it is coming down as something to play in. Parents see it as a traffic problem. When there is to much snow a child sees it as a day off from school, not understanding that day off will need to be made up at the end of the year. Same snow different view.

Fornication may feel good to your flesh right now but that same sex act can result in an unplanned pregnancy and 18 years of responsibility. Fornication could be your way of showing love to the person you wanted to marry. He just wanted sex. It results in insecurity when you find out he did not love you enough to marry you. Same sex act different view.

If you follow the vision God gave you and allow His promise to be fulfilled in your life you will be glad you did. The vision has more promise than the view, because it is the promise. The view has been sent by the enemy in an effort to stop you from fulfilling your purpose and the promise of God. While the view changes depending on what angle you look at it from the vision remains constant.

Write the vision revisit it when you need a reminder of exactly what God said. Are you still on target? Revisit it just to make sure you are still going in the direction God set for you.

Whatever you do don’t substitute the view for the vision. You will be disappointed in the end.

   Weekly Scripture:

Habakkuk 2:2-3:
2 Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. 3 This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.

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