(The Vision) Keeping an Appointment

THE VISION: Keeping an appointment (#4)

8/23/09

Habakkuk 2:2,3

The LORD answered me, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won't prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come.

It won't delay.”

I have a dr.’s appointment tomorrow…it’s on my calendar…I need to be there…it’s important.

God also has appointments that He sets. Things in His plan will happen even if I refuse to have a part in them…in heaven there is no “plan B”.

God is God and with Him nothing is impossible.

In many places in the bible, God has foretold about these future appointments…even if it’s confusing or fuzzy to us at this point.

And Christ clearly described one of the Holy Spirit’s responsibilities

in John 16:13 this way,

“However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come…He will tell you things to come.”

And Revelation 19:10, we find that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy”.

It all points to the truth that there is a future God has for each of us in His body…

“For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

That is a future I want to know about …don’t you?

Jesus is living inside you and me by His Holy Spirit.

We are well equipped to receive future things from Him. These will bring Him glory.

Let’s continue to look to God for the vision that He wants us to write down for others so that they will run well…this vision that is all about something ahead…an appointment He wants us and others to keep.

Lord, open the eyes of my heart so I can see plainly….

(The Vision) run!

THE VISION: Run! (#3)

Habakkuk 2:2,3

The LORD answered me, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won't prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come.

It won't delay.”

Running is a picture of “maturity”.

After birth, we begin a progression of maturity…

sit…crawl…stand….walk….run.

In our spirit-man (kingdom-life in Christ) it is the same.

God wants and has made provision for us to go on to “maturity”.

Simply, God is giving a vision from His heart…a visual message. He wants us to write it down

Clearly so that others who read it may “run” (become mature).

Isn’t it strange that we are called to become like children in order to come into God’s kingdom and be the greatest yet His constant desire is that we “grow up” into full stature in Christ?!

I believe the kind of running He is speaking of here is the kind that a desperate runner makes in order to win the race.

We seek His vision to write it clearly that others may read it quickly and be able to run and win the prize! Lord, help us to grasp the importance you place on this from Your heart!

What are you seeing?

Today as I was resting and was drifting in and out of consciousness, I first sensed the Lord presence…it was very peaceful. Then I saw a placid surface of water like you see at a pond. Something dropped onto that glass-like surface and made ripples go out and out and out. When I looked up to see what made this happen, I saw Jesus Christ on the cross lifted up and it was the blood from His feet that had dropped onto the water! Immediately the scripture sprang into my mind, “if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me”.

In my spirit, I quietly took this as a message that I wanted to give to others….Christ’s sacrificial giving of His life…a life surrendered to His Father out of His love….for me…for all men. There is nothing greater in all of time than this act of love.

The impact would be the rings going out and out and out…

(The Vision) write it louder

THE VISION: Write it louder

Habakkuk 2:2,3

The LORD answered me, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won't prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come.

It won't delay.

Writing things down often helps me remember.

Many years ago my boss saw me writing a message in big letters on a post-it note to myself and commented, “maybe you should write it louder”. We both laughed but it struck me as being humorously true!

Writing is a means of “recording”…making a record. God is asking us to make a record of His message to this generation so that it will be remembered…

resulting in obedience to Him.

That’s a big deal!

Perhaps God knows that if He gives a “vision”, it will be “writing it louder”.

We can’t forget that the book of Revelations was a vision…that was a message God wanted recorded for His people to get and keep in their hearts. It is a “record” of the vision God gave. It still is the only book of the Bible with a promised reward for those who read it. And it is packed with visuals within the vision!

What vision is God giving us today that needs to be written down so others can run well?

Let’s keep asking Him…and waiting attentively.

“Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.”

8/01/09

(The Vision) Kiss

THE VISION: Plain and Simple

8/10/09

Habakkuk 2:2,3

The LORD answered me, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won't prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come.

It won't delay.”

Readability….”able to read easily”.

If someone was dying in an emergency and scrolled out a beautifully penned note for help but it was too fancy to read…. well….you know.

“Plain and simple”….that is something we say to someone when we want to get it quick.

In other words, “boil it down….give me the essence of what you’re saying”.

Plain….Simple….Clear….Specific.

These are all ways the Holy Spirit communicates in our life daily. He wants us to “get it” simply and be clear about what Jesus is saying to us so that His life will flow in and through us.

This is the way of people living in the Light.

Confusing….complicated….unclear….general….

These are all signs of the enemy’s work in our life. He loves to “fluff it up” in order to distract, deceive and ultimately try to destroy us.

This is the way of people stumbling in the darkness.

In Habakkuk 2:2,3, the Holy Spirit is emphasizing through the prophet that the vision that God is showing to us needs to be communicated very very simply…so we can get it quick and remember it. Afterall, He’s working with all of us….the needy, the poor, the lame, the blind, the ones in need of a Redeemer for every moment of life. That is the place of humility (the cross) where His grace flows to us.

Corrie Ten Boom used to say, “K.I.S.S… Keep it simple, stupid.”

That’s simple enough for me…you?

(The Vision) Introduction

Habakkuk 2:2,3

The LORD answered me, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won't prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come.

It won't delay.

THE VISION: introduction (from the words of Habakkuk 2:2,3) 7/25/09

The word visuals comes from the word vision. We use visuals to help with communication. God did this first…we’ve just caught on that it is a very effective means of getting people to grasp and remember what we are trying to say.

If people cannot understand or grasp what we are trying to communicate, then why do it?

We need some way that works. Visuals work.

Visuals work in the spiritual realm as well as the physical realm. Paul actually prayed this for the Ephesians…”that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened”…in other words, “for your heart to see”. In that instance, it would validate the phrase, “seeing is believing”.

God wants us to “see” what He is saying so we don’t forget it and so that we will grasp and understand His communication. God doesn’t waste our time…if He speaks, it’s important.

Jesus spoke in “visual stories” we know as parables. He effectively used everyday things to reveal the heart messages of the Kingdom of God. It was powerful….and still is to us today.

Every moment God communicates to us who He is and what He is like through the visuals of nature. Nature is a visual that is actually “alive”…only God could do that and go to such extremes to communicate to us. This is His heart…the heart of love. Love is clear and simple.

God is the Great Communicator…we learn from Him how to communicate. Period.

In this passage He tells Habakkuk that He will give Him a “vision” (visual message).

It must be important because God tells him to engrave it plainly so that those running by can grasp it quickly. That’s like a billboard along side a highway….it’s big; it’s plain and you only have a short amount of time to read it cause you’re speeding by.

What is God’s billboard for our generation that is speeding by daily?

I believe He is communicating to us now that He is giving a vision that is for a time yet to come in His plan. This is a time of “preparing”…but what is He preparing us for? We need to know.

I have no idea…I am asking this and by faith looking for “the vision” that needs to be written down for this generation. Will you look and listen as well?

For the next 9 weeks (hopefully on Mondays) I will be sending out an email message based on these verses. Each email I will take a different phrase from these verses and give a short thought to ponder.

I pray that it will kindle a seeking heart and a sober watch for the vision He is giving us now.