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ZekeO
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Joined: 2004/7/4
Posts: 1014
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

 Focus or Fixation

Found this article a couple of years ago, thought it may be bless someone...

At a time when Israel was at its zenith of success and splendor, King Solomon wrote among his more than 3000 proverbs, "Without a vision, the people perish." This simple statement has inspired countless sermons and even world leaders who don't necessarily profess a committed belief in God, applaud its wisdom. The motivation and inspiration which a vision can generate in a person's soul is without question. It is vision that keeps us going when fatigue and discouragement would tempt us to quit.

However, inherent in every God-given vision or mission is the potential for that very vision to become an idol to be worshipped instead of an ideal to be pursued. How can we tell if this is happening?

Simply stated, an idol is anything at all, person, place or thing, that becomes more important in my heart and life than my relationship with God Himself. We must never forget that the vision of doing something great for God is never to be more important than the vision of what God wants to do IN us; that is, to conform us into the image and likeness of His Son. There are at least five ways to determine if my vision or dream is threatening to become an idol.

1) [b]If the consuming focus of my life is my vision instead of my personal intimacy with my heavenly Father, my vision is becoming an idol.[/b]
By their own admission, too many ministries have shipwrecked for this very reason. Focus has become fixation when all I can talk about, all I can think about, all I can dream about is "my vision" instead of having a consuming passion for the Lord of the vision. Let our motto be, "...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." (Heb. 12:2) rather than "...looking to the vision..."

2) [b]If I am seeking my identity in my vision instead of in Jesus, my vision is an idol.[/b] God created us to be human beings, not human doings! Understanding who I am in Jesus, because of His atoning death and resurrection is what gives me an identity for now and eternity. If I seek to find an indentity and significance in my vision, I am doomed to instability. Visions can be clear one day and cloudy the next. The Word of God abides forever and is the source of my hope, my strength and my stability. It is in the Word that my identity is secured not in my vision. When difficult times come,only the Word of God will see us through, not our vision.

3) [b]If my vision comes between me and those in authority over me, it is an idol.[/b]
Sometime ago I heard a young man say, "I don't care what my pastor says or what my home group leader says. I know I've heard from God and I'm going to be obedient to what God told me." This kind of statement betrays the presence of an independent spirit which opens the door for self-deception. In every situation where godly authority is avoided, purity of vision is compromised. A true vision from God can stand up to scrutiny. If the one who receives it walks in humility he or she is willing to submit the vision to mature saints who can confirm, encourage and offer wise counsel for its implementation.

We must never forget that just the receiving of a vision is not license to begin its implementation. A careful study of the scriptures shows us that most often, God imparted vision years before it would come to pass in the life of the individual. Not only must we know God's vision for our life, we must also understand His timing. Mature counselors will be invaluable in helping the less experienced walk in wisdom and understanding regarding the what, the where and the when of fulfilling the vision they have received from God.

Even the apostle Paul, at one point in his ministry, went to the other apostles for confirmation and encouragement regarding his service to the Lord. We read in Galatians 2:2 " I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain." Certainly if Paul felt the need to be accountable to those in authority, we can do no less to assure ourselves of accuracy in following God.

4) [b]If you cannot die to your vision, it has become an idol.[/b]
Now that may sound like the strangest of criteria, but oh how true it is. Every vision must experience a death before it can be fulfilled in resurrection power. When my husband and I were in Bible School, one of our favorite professors often made this statement in teaching prospective missionaries, "The vision that gets you to the mission field will destroy you once it gets you there, unless you lay it down." An overzealous young person with a dream to establish an orphanage in the hills of India may arrive at his mission station only to be asked to help with the cooking in the misison kitchen. If his response is, "No, I'm not called to that. I'm called to establish an orphanage," his missions career will be short-lived.

Before the fulness of your vision will ever come to be God will be busy about the work of forming you into a servant, willing to do whatever is needed at the time to be a blessing to those around you and honor the King who Himself said, "I have come not to be served but to serve..."
Here is the very simple principle: You must be willing to do anything before you can be trusted to do something.

5) [b]If you feel that your joy and satisfaction are postponed until your vision comes to pass, it is an idol.[/b]
The Psalmist wrote: "In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11) Joy comes from our relationship with the Lord. It is a fruit of the Spirit in our lives, not the result of gratification at the results of our work. If we seek fulfillment from those to whom we minister, whether it be family, congregation, Sunday school class, etc. we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. Our satisfaction was never meant to come from our service, but from the Lord for whom we give ourselves in service.

Some years ago I had opportunity to meet with a young woman who was engaged to be married. She was beset with all manner of doubts and misgivings while at the same time declaring her love for her fiance. Finally I asked her the following question: "Janet, are you in love with Tom or are you in love with the idea of being married?" Her stunned expression told me this was a new thought to her. Happily in her case she was able to sort through her conflicting emotions and come to a resolution of this question. Janet and Tom today have been happily married for nearly 10 years. The same question needs to be asked of those in ministry as well. Are we in love with Jesus? Or are we in love with the idea of having a ministry?

Vision - a blessing and gift of God, to be treasured and appreciated but never idolized. May our focus in this new year and new century be on Jesus Himself. Let us seek to hear His voice as never before so as to walk in His ways, according to His timing and in a spirit of humility that expresses the character of the One who has called us and to Whom we desire to give great delight.


_________________
Zeke Oosthuis

 2005/7/30 14:52Profile
philologos
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Joined: 2003/7/18
Posts: 6566
Reading, UK

 Re: Focus or Fixation

Good stuff Zeke.
sometimes it is also true that...

when there is a vision the people perish, sacrificed on the altar of some man's obsession.


_________________
Ron Bailey

 2005/7/30 16:29Profile
ZekeO
Member



Joined: 2004/7/4
Posts: 1014
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

 The solution

Ron,

true what you say. That is why good godly leadership is so important. :-)


_________________
Zeke Oosthuis

 2005/7/31 4:44Profile





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