Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Ephesians 1:5, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”
According to its deepest meaning in the New Testament, vision is an opening of our eyes to see the major things on God’s heart.
The vision that can direct and control our lives, the vision that restrains us, is the vision that opens our eyes to see the unique will and purpose in God’s heart.
It is the vision of the good pleasure of His will spoken of in Ephesians 1:5.
It is the vision of God’s eternal purpose in Ephesians 3:10-11.
And it is the vision of the main burden of the apostle Paul’s ministry, which he defines as “the mystery of Christ” in Ephesians 3:2-7.
When we have vision in this sense, the scales are taken off our eyes to see directly into God’s heart the way Paul saw, the way John saw, and the way Peter saw.
The apostles lived under a heavenly vision.
They had revelation.
They had the full knowledge of God.
Their ministry brought enlightenment to people.
To have vision means to enter into the identical revelation of the apostles’ New Testament ministry.
If you and I were believers in the early church under Paul’s ministry, one of his main burdens for us would have been that we would enter into the same controlling, heavenly vision that governed his own life.
To the Ephesians who were already saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, he said Ephesians 1:15-18, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,”
In other words, when Paul found seeking Christians, he bowed his knees and prayed for vision and revelation in their lives.
He prayed that their eyes would be opened to know something deeper and fuller: “the eyes of your heart being enlightened; that you may know [1] what is the hope of His calling,[2] what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and [3] what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe” (vv. 18-19).
It is this kind of vision that governs God Himself, that governs the universe He created, and that should govern us as His children.
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
TUESAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
June Cronan
Lee Cronan
Darlene Thaxton
Darlene Wiggins
Amy Garner
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Brandon’s Dad
Charlene Palmer
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Dan Haines
David Burnette
David Harrison
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Easton Fielder
Eric Ward
Erik Magnusson
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
James Garner’s Friend
Jillian Gray
Jim Mabe
Jodi Bateman
John Austin
John McClain
June Cronan’s Sister
Karen Slane
Kim McClain’s Mother
Lamar Knight
Larry Barker
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Alexander
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
Ricky Gipson – Ashley’s Brother
Ricky Stubbs
Rose Fuller
Roseleigh Osborn
Sandra Graham
Scott Lanier
Terrell Loyd
Tom Witcher