Visioneering Book Review

Visioneering

by

Andy Stanley

Andy Stanley has done a tremendous job of breaking down the events in the life of Nehemiah in explaining visions.  Stanley defines a vision as not accepting something as it is but looking at it in terms of what it could be and what it should be.  Action to achieve a vision does not have to be immediate but should be in line with what God wants.  It takes time to pray and plan.

Stanley gives many current examples in life as well as examples from the life of Nehemiah together with many Scripture references.  He stresses to pray for opportunities and not miracles, for God will work through your circumstances.  “What God originates, He orchestrates.” 

This book is full of important concepts in working toward a vision.  Some of them are: “ Cast vision to the appropriate people at the appropriate time.  Vision demands sacrifice and risk with courage and confidence.  You cannot lead people any further than you are willing to go.  Plans can be revised.  You can be stubborn about your vision but flexible about the plan.  Walk the talk.”

Be sure you know, as well as the people working with you, your core beliefs and behaviors for your vision is for God’s glory, not yours. 

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

C - Perfecting the Heart - 3

C – PERFECTING THE HEART – 3

The former two lessons have hopefully brought to mind several truths.  The thoughts in our heart are crucial to perfecting our heart.  Our actions and our words come from the thoughts in our heart.  Our hearts can be divided in many ways.  Some of these ways are sinful although some may divide our hearts because of the timing such as friends taking us away from service and worship.

Now our concentration will be on traits that can perfect our heart.  The first is thankfulness.  Joy is not present when thankfulness is absent.  David, the psalmist, was full of thankfulness even in times of stress.  Psalm 100 is full of joy and thanksgiving.  Even though David speaks of his enemies, he is still able to thank the Lord with all his heart.  Ps.9:1,2

Our thanksgiving is in our heart but we don’t keep it inside.  When we voice our thanksgiving, it becomes a testimony to those around us.  Our nation needs to be known as a nation of God when we realize and voice our thanksgiving to Him.  Ps.18:49   Our country has a day of thanksgiving but how many observe it for that purpose rather than a day off work and to gather as family (which is good).  That day can become a day of testimony to our family.  We need to take every opportunity we can find.

When we view other people of the world and even of our own county, God has blessed (favored) us with so much.  Do we say so, not only to God but to those around us?  Ps.105:1   As we accept Christ as our Savior in obedience, we receive redemption.  Again, do we say so in thanksgiving?  Ps.107:1,2   Our hearts should be full of thankfulness morning and night.  Ps.92:1,2

Jesus sets an example for us as we are provided with food.  Matt.15:36   So many in the world do not begin to have the food that we have.  Do we tell God we are thankful?  What about in public?  Are we embarrassed to bow our heads in thankfulness when we eat?  This is noticed and becomes a testimony to others as well as a reminder. 

Another example Jesus set was as He instituted the Lord’s Supper.  Matt.26:27   This is not for whoever is praying before Communion.  This is what we do throughout the service.  We actual pray with the person praying publicly and then continue with our own prayer of thanksgiving and repentance as we think of the One who died for us.  Have you ever attended a memorial service for a loved one?  Did you talk, whisper, text during the service?  How disrespectful!  The Lord’s Supper is observed with the deepest respect for it is a memorial service for our Lord.  Communion has a deep purpose.  1 Cor.11:28   There are repercussions if we do not sincerely do this as stated in 1 Cor.11:27.  How thankful we should be as we remember.

Paul also gave us an example.  He was remembering the faith and love for the saints that was held by those in Ephesus.  Eph.1:15   Paul gave thanks for the Christians there in this respect as he prayed for them.  Many times thanksgiving comes in the form of a prayer, even if short, because we are talking to God.

Not only do we need to thank God for the material possessions that we enjoy in this life but we have been given so many blessings in a spiritual way.  Paul mentions two of them.  1 Cor.15:57   As Paul was writing about life after death he gives thanks for the victory (over death) we have in Christ Jesus.  He continues with an important admonition in 1 Cor.15:58.

Paul was a man full of thankfulness.  Several of his letters begin with “I thank my God”.  He overflows with thankfulness for God’s gift of His Son.  2 Cor.9:15   This should be in a heart that is being perfected—thankfulness for Jesus.  Without Him, we would be nothing and without hope.

We are admonished to be thankful in everything.  In Phil.4:6 we concentrate on Be anxious for nothing and let your requests be made known to God.  In between these two statements is a very important phrase—with thanksgiving.  We’re anxious and we have requests for God but we forget the thanksgiving part which is a necessity. 

Eph.5:20 leaves no exceptions for our thankfulness.  Always giving thanks for all things.  We can’t always understand in pain, sorrow, or disaster as something for which to give thanks, but we know God is with us today and will be with us tomorrow and on until we see Him so we can be very thankful that we can lean on Him.

If we are perfecting our heart, it is important to want to do God’s will.  We find thankfulness in everything is important to God.  1 Thess.5:18   God knows our inner being and He knows what is best for us.  A thankful heart has more joy and contentment.

Without a thankful heart a person can never be content or to put it another way: without contentment, a person could never be thankful.  A person would not degrade his home, his job, his family if he is thanking God for these things.  And remember, we are to always give thanks for everything.  That does not mean we could not seek better if we truly need it (not family-that is forever) but too often we complain about this and complain about that and are never content.  We should look around us and see many in so much worse condition.

See what the Word of God says about contentment.  Paul had gone through many circumstances:  humble means and prosperous, filled and hungry, having abundance and suffering need.  Yet in each of these circumstances he had learned to be content.  He could do whatever he needed to do or be through the strength the Lord gave Him.  Phil.4:11-13   Could we say the same?  Or do we complain about everything?  If we do, we can’t be a thankful person.

Paul wrote to young Timothy with teaching about contentment.  1 Tim.6:6-8   He reminds Timothy that he came into the world with nothing and will take nothing out.  Job says essentially the same.  Job 1:21,22  We should be able to be content with basic necessities.  If more is granted to us, be thankful.  Godliness is a means of great gain but notice that it is accompanied with contentment.

The writer of Hebrews also tells us to be content with what we have.  Heb.13:5  So we end this lesson with the question:  Are we a complainer and unthankful or are we perfecting our heart by being content and thankful?

 

B - Perfecting the Heart - 2

B – PERFECTING THE HEART – 2

The importance of our thinking with regard to our attitudes and our actions has been shown.  It involved thinking about what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good report.  All six of these things are excellent and worthy of praise.  Phil.4:8   These will begin our path of perfecting our heart and growing into a more spiritual life.  These characteristics are what our thoughts must dwell upon.  As we think, so will we be.  Prov.23:7

As we attempt to follow this path with our thoughts, our hearts can sometimes become divided.  We may know what the Scripture says, but we begin to trust our own thinking instead.  Prov.3:5   It is imperative that we have a deep and thorough trust in Jesus.  We must trust Him with ALL of our heart. It seems the old saying is true; if we give in an inch, the devil will take a mile.  One step out of our thought filter makes the next step easier.  The pride we have in our own thinking can be very destructive.  Prov.16:18   We may know this verse but don’t take it seriously until we have fallen.  Obad.3   Jesus gives us instruction on pride.  Lk.18:14   We divide our heart when we think too highly of self.  Rom.12:3   So as we work to perfect our heart, we can always depend and trust in our God to help us.  Ps.46:1,2

Along with pride our heart can contain jealousy and selfish ambition.  Jam.3:14   Great plans can proceed from a proud heart but no thought is taken for the good of others.  As we perfect our hearts we want to be like Jesus.  What did Jesus do?  He went about doing good.  We can be successful in a profession or whatever kind of work we involve ourselves in but if we are perfecting our heart, others are on our mind with their welfare.  Eph.2:10   God did not create us to serve ourselves.

We see others succeeding—maybe even growing spiritually as they work at perfecting their heart—and we become jealous.  Prov.14:30   Envy instills many evil passions in the heart that divides the heart from perfection to worldliness.  It is a passion that can creep in unaware.  Gal.5:26

One divider of our heart is money.  1 Tim.6:10   This is a common Scripture in studying money.  It is not the money but the love of it that divides our heart.  Money or treasure is a real test of our heart.  Money is precious to us.  It is difficult for people to trust God to care for their needs enough to let go of it and tithe.  Excuses abound and in our heart we think we are being wise.  Matt.6:21   Malachi gives us such a rich explanation of our giving.  Mal.3:10   Some say this is the O.T. but the N.T. tells us to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees.  Matt.5:20   We cannot let money and treasures divide our heart.  We think, then plan, and then too often want more.  Lk.12:34  Money can become an obsession with us.

Sometimes we do enough of the “right” things then we think we are just fine with God.  Jam.1:26   Our heart is deceived and thus divided.  This verse reminds us that as we think in our heart—we speak.  Our tongue is hard to bridle but can we say that our thoughts are hard to bridle?  When we lose the focus of keeping our thoughts within the area of our filter, our words will be out of control.  Just this one fault could make our “religion” of no value.  Our speech shows what is on the inside.

With the media so easily accessible today, our heart can easily be divided with impure desires.  In early days the hearts were so filled with evil desires that finally God just gave them over to the desires of their hearts.  Rom.1:24   As we spend hours soaking up what we see and hear without filtering it in God’s way, we become desensitized; our hearts become hard and we forget to whom we belong. 1 Cor.6:19,20   We might listen to the wrong one and begin to doubt.  Lk.24:38   We no longer can perfect or even are interested in perfecting our hearts.  Our hearts can be hardened.  Heb.3:8,12   Our choices determine our master.  Who are we serving—self and our own desires or the One who will save us and take us with Him for all eternity?  We exchange a bit of pleasure now for an eternity of pleasure with a perfected heart.

There are times when our choices of friends becomes a divider.  Jam.4:4   We have a desire to perfect our heart and yet we love our friends and thus let them lead us.  We want to please them.  Gal.1:10   Maybe they keep us from services with entertainment which would be acceptable at a different time. 1 Cor.15:33    Friendships can cause us to participate in activities not acceptable to Jesus.  1 Pet.4:4     

Sometime we forget that God can see what we are thinking.  This was evident when some scribes were with Jesus.  They were reasoning in their hearts.  Jesus knew what they were thinking.  Mk.2:6,8   We can be full of excuses and justify our thoughts over and over.  It may work in the eyes of men; however, God knows our heart.  Lk.16:15   Those around us may think very highly of us but God may see a different side of us.  To perfect our heart, we must be open and sincere as we consciously attempt to be a true follower of Jesus.

Paul asked a question of the Galatians that we don’t want a necessity of that same question to be asked of us.  Gal.3:3   We don’t want that joyful beginning of perfecting our heart through the help of the Holy Spirit and then fall back to the world.  Jesus’ parable of the seed indicated this state of affairs with the seed that fell on the rock.  Matt.13:20,21   If we let our heart become divided, this is what will happen.

May we keep the goal of perfecting our heart and keep pressing on toward that goal.  Phil.3:12   Jesus suffered and left us an example.  Follow Him.  1 Pet.2:21

E-Life, Death, Life Hereafter-5

E – LIFE, DEATH AND LIFE HEREAFTER – 5

Taken from Sword and Staff by

James Gibbons

The temporal and the Eternal

Aspects of the Resurrection of Christ

The resurrection of Jesus was indeed a flesh and blood resurrection (with the eternal aspect coming about in His ascension back to heaven after 40 days).  In Him initially being raised from the dead in this manner proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that He had been resurrected.  What the disciples were seeing was not a disembodied spirit, an apparition or an illusion.  He had indeed come back from the dead in His human body.  He said to His wary disciples, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I Myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have.”  And when He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet.  And while they yet believed not for joy; and wondered, He said unto them, “Have ye here any meat (food)?”  And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb.  And He took it, and did eat before them.  Lk.24:39-43   Likewise read Jhn.20:24-29 and 1 Jhn.1:1.

Although it is very plain that Christ resurrected in a physical body, there remains unanswered questions and an element of mystery in His appearances during the 40 days before He went back to heaven.  This stands out in what He said to Mary Magdalene (Jhn.20:17) and in the two disciples not readily recognizing Him on the road to Emmaus and when finally they are there, Lk.24:13-35; Mk.16:12   We see it when Jesus suddenly appeared in their midst out of nowhere when they had hurried back to Jerusalem.  Lk.24:36-39   He even appeared in their midst when the doors were shut and locked.  Jhn.20:19,26   Some have explained this, saying that Christ was in sort of a transient “fluid” state, moving back and forth from the temporal to the eternal during this span of time.  Others have said He was simply exerting His supernatural power as God in the flesh as these things miraculously took place, and even as He had performed unexplainable miracles during His ministry.  But mystery remains (and so must it ever be when dealing with that which is beyond our immediate human experience.)

An Eternal Spiritual Body

Like unto That of Christ

We are not to confuse the eternally glorified body of Christ as seen in heaven and consequently that of a Christian, with the earthly aspect of His physical resurrection.  Christ was raised from the dead in a flesh and blood body, but it is plain that His body in eternity is a glorified spiritual body (not an earthly physical one).  The apostle Paul makes this clear in 1 Cor.15, that great chapter on the resurrection.  Here he says that in death the body is sown a natural body, (but in the resurrection) it is raised a spiritual body.  There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.  1 Cor.15:44   He goes on to say The first man (Adam) was made a living soul; the last Adam (Christ) was made a quickening spirit…The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven…And as we have borne the image of the earth (our present bodies being like unto Adam’s), we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (receiving a glorified body like unto Christ’s).  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  1 Cor.15:45-50   And in the same vein he wrote to the Philippians, For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body; according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.  Phil.3:20,21   Meshing this truth in with 1 Cor.15, as we return there, we find Paul saying that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  1 Cor.15:52,53   Likewise consider 2 Cor.5:1-4 and 1 Thess.4:13-18 along with these other wonderful Scriptures:  Col.1:5,27; Col.3:1-4; 1 Pet.1:3-9.

We know that Christ now has a glorious, eternal and spiritual body, not a flesh and blood body.  Perhaps this took place as He ascended to heaven, like we will be changed as we arise to meet Him in the air.  But there is so much that we do not know.  Even the Spirit-inspired apostle John wrote, Beloved, now are we the sons (children) of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He dis.  1 Jhn.3:2   There is life after death.  Eternal life!

D-Life, Death, and Life Hereafter-4

D – LIFE, DEATH, AND LIFE HEREAFTER – 4

Taken from Sword and Staff by

James Gibbons

III Christ, the Answer to it All

Death Abolished, Life

And Immortality Brought to Light

Now comes the answer.  The New Testament constitutes the climax of mankind’s long and agonizing experience with death, an experience somewhat mollified at times by a lingering hope and anticipation, finally bringing Genesis 3:15 and all of the O.T. Scriptures to the most wonderful conclusion.  The questions about life, death, and life hereafter are finally and affirmatively answered in Jesus Christ.  The four gospel accounts specifically tell us the wonder of it all.

Almost like making a summary statement, 2 Tim.1:10 says the Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.  Gal.4:4 states, But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of woman… (Lk.2:1-20 pinpoints the exact time when this took place.)  The “seed” of woman (Gen.3:15) ultimately implied a virgin birth and now it had come to pass.  God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ (Being “Emmanuel”, God with us.  Matt.1:23)

In doing this, He was God Incarnate, For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.  Col.2:9   At the same time, He was truly human.  Not only was He the “Son of God”, He was the son of man. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.  Heb.2:14,15 It was in the eternal plan of things that He (Christ) by the grace of God should taste death for every man.  Heb.2:9   Then in His resurrection He conquered death, becoming the firstfruits of them that slept ( 1 Cor.15:20) never to die again.  Jesus said to His disciples, Because I live, ye shall live also.   Jhn.14:19

He Shall Save

His People from Their Sins

What the angel had said to Joseph, looking forward to the coming birth of Christ, explained His mission on earth, And she (Mary) shall bring forth a son and thou shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins. Matt.1:21   Death is interwoven with sin. Gen.2:17; Rom.6:23   In the flesh as a man Jesus lived a sinless life, hitting the sin problem head-on, thus nipping the cause of death in the bud.  Therefore, we could be redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.  1 Pet.1:19

He could take our place, so to speak.  The apostle Paul states that He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.   Rom.4:25    Consequently, we read, For He (God) hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.  2 Cor.5:21    Thus, we can cry out with the apostle Paul in jubilation,   O death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Cor.15:55-57

Miracles, Climaxing in

His Resurrection from the Dead

While here Christ did many miraculous things, establishing His identity as deity (after His first 30 years of relative obscurity wherein He partook of life in every respect as a human being).  These miracles showed His absolute control over nature, diseases and the spirit world.  Among these miracles were three resurrections from the dead.  There was the resurrection of Jarius’ daughter (Lk.8:41,42, Lk.8:49,55,56) that of the poor widow of Nain’s son (Lk.7:12,14-16) and His dear friend Lazarus (Jhn.11:14,43,44).

Although these were temporal resurrections, they all anticipated His own eternal resurrection from the dead (finally and actually climaxing in that resurrection).  Looking forward to that event, Jesus said, I lay down My life for the sheep.  He went on to say, No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again…Jhn.10:15-18

In connection with the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus said these monumental words to Martha, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me though he were dead, yet shall he live; And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.  Believest thou this?  Jhn.11:25,26

Then nearing the end of John’s captivating gospel account, He gives these summarizing words as to his intent in writing, And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book.  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through His name.  Jhn.20:30,31

  

A-Perfecting Our Heart - 1

A - PERFECTING OUR HEART – 1

When we think of our heart just what do we mean?  In the first place we want to realize that the Scripture is not speaking of the “ticker” in our chest.  The heart of which the Bible speaks has many aspects to it.  As we name some of these, our focus will be to explore our own hearts and determine what changes we need to make to perfect our hearts.

Our heart contains our thoughts.  Prov.23:7   Our actions are promoted by our thoughts. We will always be thinking of something.  If we think of something often enough, we cannot stop thinking of it.  It is easy to become obsessed with a thought.  Try forgetting something and see how difficult it is.   Paul gives us a thorough filter for our thoughts in  Phil.4:8   Perhaps it would be time well spent if we think upon each one of these separately.

The first is true.  Eph.4:25   We lay aside falsehood and speak only the truth.  If we are to walk as children of the Light (in Jesus), then truth must be part of our fruit.  Eph.5:9   Truth is part of our Christian armor.  Eph.6:14   Not only do we need to speak the truth but we need to study, support, and speak from God’s Word which is Truth.  2 Tim.2:15

The second part of our filter is honorable.  Honest is used in some versions as is venerable.  The Greek word used indicates that which is worthy of respect and value.  Matt.15:8   Respect can be outward but not always with the heart.  We need to be thinking of things worthy of respect, value, and honor. Our minds should not dwell on things that are flippant, cheap and of no value.

The third filter through which we guide our thoughts is right or just.  We have a duty to God and to man.  Our thinking is upon those who fulfill those duties correctly and honestly as well as the need to look into our hearts to see if we are doing the same.  Our thinking needs to be upright and innocent of evil.  Prov.14:12   

Pure is the next description for our thinking.  Anything pure is uncontaminated.  Our thoughts should not be clouded with things of the world.  Pure thoughts would not be morally corrupt.  Jam.3:17   When something used in a ceremony was pure, it could be brought into the presence of God.  Could we sit down with Jesus and relay our thoughts.  (He knows what we are thinking anyway.)  Matt.5:8   Thoughts that are pure are important to Jesus.

Lovely in the Greek means pleasing, agreeable.  The lovely calls forth love.  This is the only place this word is used in the N.T. To be lovely would have nothing offensive associated with it.  We could think of something that would be beautiful in spirit.

Good repute or good report would be things that are fit for God to hear or see.  What we hear and see induces our thoughts.  Admirable is a word that could be inserted here.  One example of the importance of choosing one of good report would be in the case of choosing men in Acts 6:3.  In doing what is right, we may be able to override criticism.  1 Pet.3:16; 1 Pet.2:12    Thus our thinking remains right with a good conscience. 

Excellence was known as the very highest of “goodness” in that culture.  Our thinking should be of the very highest of moral excellence which was all-embracing.  The word, virtue, is used in some versions.  We have the example of our Lord in 2 Pet.1:3,4.  If we yield to our Lord, we can take part in that excellence through the power granted by Jesus Christ.

Any praise in our thinking must never come from wishing or expecting praise for self.  The thoughts in our heart must be thoughts that are worthy of praise—not of men first—but of our Lord.  Many times we might be the object of praise as our thoughts bring forth a godly life.  This must be accepted with great humility as we realize it is not from us.  2 Cor.5:21   Any praise from man is only extra.  Our praise must come from God.  Rom.2:29; 1 Cor.4:5

As previously mentioned, we are never without thought.  Our admonition is think on these things.  Some versions use the word, dwell.  In other words let these thoughts inhabit our lives.  This will change us and change is a choice.  It has been said that faith is centered in human thought.  We need to constantly assess our thoughts with the above filter.  1 Thess.5:21   When we find our thoughts going astray, our objective is to flee and to abstain.  2 Tim.2:22; 1 Thess.5:22

As we think of perfecting our hearts, let us realize that our thoughts are of utmost importance.  It is paramount that we examine our thoughts and deal with any problem we might find.  We have a wonderful promise in Jam.4:7.  We spoke of fleeing and abstaining.  Now we come to an important word, resisting.  All of these take action on our part.  We cannot be passive and think, “Oh, well”.  We must resist the devil as wrong thoughts enter our mind.  However, first, we must submit to God.  We don’t do this on our own.  We have help from the Holy Spirit that is within us if we are a Christian.  1 Jhn.4:4   That is our victory if we use that power to resist, flee, and abstain.  We can have victory in Jesus!  1 Cor.15:57

    

Trusting God

TRUSTING GOD

A Girlfriend’s in God Faith Adventure

Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, Mary Southerland

This book is a twelve week Bible study with five devotional studies and then a “Now it’s your turn” Bible study at the end of each week to put together the thoughts of the week with a journal page to record these thoughts.  Scriptures are used throughout together with many interesting and appropriate story examples that fit the subject of that week.

The end of the book includes a list of Scriptures that are useful in building trust in God.  This book is not only useful as a devotional but also as a source of examples to be used in teaching.  I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review