Vision
„Vision“
Tallinn, October 26, 2009
by Valdur Koha
Introduction
The world that we see is not the real world!
The real world is not visible. The invisible world is more important, more realistic and more dangerous than the world we can experience with our senses.
è Revelation 12 describes this cosmic battle: The Woman and the Dragon
We are at war! It is a very brutal and intense war. It is a war that we need to take seriously. It is a war for the human heart: my own heart, the heart of my wife, the hearts of my children, the hearts of my brothers and sisters, the hearts of my friends and neighbors.
You and I have gotten key roles in this war! It is dangerous to underestimate this role. It is more dangerous not to accept the role. Each one of us is needed to fight this war.
In the following minutes we want to talk about how we can help one another – how we can inspire one another – to find this role. This role is ultimately to live God’s dream for our lives. We want to look at some examples in the Bible from which we can learn. Peter is a wonderful example of a man who lived God’s dream for his life in a real way.
A. God has a dream for your life – a very specific dream
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
What are these „good works?“
I believe that our inner desires are a good indicator to the answer of this question.
B. What are my deepest desires? What is truly fulfilling for me?
Psalms 37:4
4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalms 139:13-14
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
When God made you, He gave you your desires and your wishes so that you would live out His dream for your life.
Story: “Chariots of Fire”
Eric Lidell against Harold Abrahams
Eric has a conflict with his sister who wants him to become a missionary in China. She had a vision for him which was not his vision.
“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.“
What are your desires? What are your deepest desires and dreams?
C. Do I have the „right“ desires? Do I dream the “true” dreams?
1. Do I think too small? Am I too risk-averse? Do I have too little faith?
“Most men (and women) use their energy in life primarily to eliminate risks or at least to minimize them in such a way that they can control them. “(from “Wild at Heart” by John Eldrige).
My biggest concern: to lie on my death bed and say something like „I should have“
Matthew 14:22-33
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.
23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
Peter had the courage and was willing to take a risk and climbed out of the boat. He had faith.
Do you have the courage and the faith to climb out of the boat? What is the boat for you? What represents the water for you?
2. Do I have the wrong motives?
Matthew 16:13-28
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Peter obviously had the wrong motives here!
I don’t always trust my motives!
Jeremiah 17:9
9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Solution è Keep the balance:
a. be aware that your heart can deceive you
b. don’t worry too much; trust God and ask spiritual advisors for their input
D. What keeps me from pursuing my calling with all my heart?
The fear of failure? è This may be my biggest obstacle.
My feeling to walk across a rope without net when I decided at the age of 50 to change my career from business to ministry.
Being a prisoner of one’s own past?
Childhood experiences – father figure etc.
Peter was hindered for a while to pursue his calling. He was afraid.
Matthew 26:31-75
Jesus never gave up his vision for Peter
John 21:15-25
E. This is a serious matter!
Matthew 25:14-30
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.
15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.
17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.
18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?
27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.
29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
