Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed'; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’. (John 20:29)
“To a visionary his vision is his reality.”
And the Lord answered me: “write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end-it will not lie. If it seems slows, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:2-3). Where there is no vision (no revelation of God and His word), the people are unrestrained; But happy and blessed is he who keeps the Law of God. (Proverbs 29:18)
“I hope that you will so clearly see the truth of the fall that you will recognize the evil that comes of it, and the evil that abides in the corrupt nature of man and then may you get such a sight of the Cross - such a clear view of the atoning blood, and understand fully the great doctrine of substitution and divine plan of reconciliation, that God may be able to say to you, Thou has well seen”
When you are focused on God life feels a little easier, but it is when difficulties come that it seems harder to keep your focus because the natural man is looking at the situation. This is where our faith is tested/put on trial and put into action. The bible tells us to Keep your mind set, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the spirit is life and peace.” If God has said it in his word we can do it. (I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me). If we can look with our spiritual eyes (faith) and not carnal vision which is to look at the seen (the circumstance) but trust God and go forward and know with confidence that God is with us and that He will see us through, and that He will bring it out right, our hope begins to rise along with faith. It is like the old hymn - “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things on earth will grow strangely dim in the Light of His Glory and Grace…..Learn how to see Gods perspective and stay focused, “ teach me your ways oh Lord”. God uses divine moments in our lives so we can be used more powerfully by Him. TURN UP THE POWER! which leads me to this……Flip the Switch.
1. Acknowledging God is in Control and you have been redeemed by the blood of Christ.
2. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
3. When we experience testing, pain and failure in our lives, it is easy to give into fear and doubt. “Flipping the Switch” is about learning to let God use our personal passion, ambition, dreams, pain, and setbacks for his greater purpose of saving lives.
Don’t look at circumstances or problems as a hitch and glitch, but a switch to turn things around (flip the switch) to change your direction, how you perceive things, expect God to move, change your focus and keep it on the truth of His word, thou will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee (why) because he trusts in thee. LOOK UP AND LIVE :)
4 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
Eyes that See. (Ephesians 1:18) I pray that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened. Jesus spoke in parables to separate the spiritually hungry who would seek to understand His parables from those who were not spiritually curious (Matthew 13:13-16)
“How do we know our faith needs God’s Word to grow? The Bible gives us great clues. Our verse today from Romans 10:17 says, “... Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” In other words, our faith flourishes when we spend time in God’s Word.””
“What consumes your mind controls your life”. Don’t focus on your adversaries, focus on God’s possibilities”. “True faith is keeping your eyes on God when the world around you is falling apart”. “Instead of thinking about how hard the test is, we can instead focus on asking the Lord to enlarge our understanding”. - Crystal McDowell.
God gives us the vision, then he takes us down to the valley to mold us into the shape of the vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Every Vision will be made real if we will have patience. - Faint Not.
Oswald Chambers
“What you thinkin bout?” “Don’t dwell on the smell of that stinking thinking
“What we focus on we magnify”.
“O come let us magnify the Lord together, Let HIS PRAISE be continually on our lips””
Now Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not SEE.
The issue of faith is not so much whether we believe in God but whether we believe the God we believe in………R C Sproul
“By Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God. So that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am on my way, someone else goes in before me.” 8Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” 9Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. (John 5:8)
“When feeling overwhelmed, unable to move, feeling trapped by your circumstances, remember what Jesus said.. “GET UP, PICK UP YOUR MAT AND WALK. STEP FORWARD IN PRAYER, IN HIS WORD, KEEPING YOUR EYES FIXED ON HIM, TAKE A STAND BECAUSE HE HOLDS YOUR HAND”. YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WHOLE. Prayer: Lord help us to see things through your eyes, to never give up the confident trust in you no matter what the circumstances may look like, and If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
26“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. “Peace be Still”. He can calm the storms of our life because he is our God, heavenly father, the creator of all things, if he flung the stars into space, split the seas, shut the lions mouths, protected shadrach meshach and abednego from the fiery furnace, provided manna in the desert, conquered Sin, Death and the Grave. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. (Hebrews 4:13) Simply believe and you will receive peace in the storm too! The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; (Psalm 34:15)