Sermon Central
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Do We Have A Vision?
Contributed by Ronald Crandall on Jan 7, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: Often times challenging people to have a vision is the challenge. Causing them to see what and where God wants to take them is sometimes hard. When you are preaching about vision and people look at you like you are out there... Ya mean you want me to have
Do we have a vision?
My life is but a weaving
Between my Lord and me
I cannot choose the colors
He worketh steadily
Off times He weaveth sorrow
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside
Not till the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reasons why
The dark threads are as needful
In the weavers skilled hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned
Hab 2:2-3
2 Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
(NIV)
Hab 2:2-3
2. And then God answered: “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run.
3. The vision-message is a witness pointing to what is coming. It aches for the coming –it can hardly wait! And it does not lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.
(TM)
A. The Hebrew means:
• To gaze at mentally,
• To perceive,
• To contemplate with pleasure for the future.
B. If you look at Webster Dictionary defines it like this:
• It is the act or power of sensing with the eye,
• The power of anticipation,
• Expectation,
• Seeing the attainable, yet invisible.
Famous quotes:
1. Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.
Katherine Logan
2. Destinies are shaped by ones vision.
Pastor Ron Crandall
3. Failures are only the by-product of a visionless person, they are overcome by belief in the Fact that through God all things are possible.
Pastor Ron Crandall
4. One’s destiny is determined, not by what he possesses, but rather by what possesses him.
5. Poor eyes limit your sight; poor vision limits your deeds.
Frank Field
In bringing our vision into Focus:
A. Components of Vision:
Isa 54:1-5
1 "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD.
2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.
3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.
4 "Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
5 For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
(NIV)
2. “Clear lots of ground for your tents! Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big! Use plenty of rope, drive your tent peg in deep. You’re going to need lots of elbow room for your growing family.”
(TM)
1. Vision or a stretching of the tent must first of all be bible based on properly interpreted Scriptures. The Stretching must be a Bible based vision.
2. Vision or stretching, must be easily understood. So that it can be grasped and embraced by you as your own, Tent Stretching Vision sent from God through men, yet, theirs also.
3. Our Tent Stretching Vision must be reachable, now, on earth, not just an impossible dream. Too many times people say they have a vision but when asked to define their vision, it is so far out there it is not funny. Keep it real because God does.
B. Tent Stretching for the restored biblical church understands that:
1. We are a victorious church:
*Victories that are cheap are not worth having. The only victories worth having are those, which come as the result of hard fighting. Marshal Foch
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
(KJV)
6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here,
(NIV)
2. We have Authority over hell:
*Greatness does not depend on the size of your command, but on the way you exercise it.
