I Want the Vision of an Eagle

When I saw this graphic on a friend’s FB post last week, I knew I wanted to retract my words on a New Year’s Eve blog that I made about desirng to have 20/20 vision for 2020.

I had another “epiphany” (seems to be my word of the year). The graphic below is what I saw on my friend’s FB post. "I will not settle for 20/20 vision!" I learned something new. 20/20 vision is just normal vision. I want to have “eagle eye” vision. Eagle eye” describes the highly developed visual ability of bald eagles that can spot a moving rabbit almost a mile away. An eagle, flying at 1,000 foot altitude can spot prey almost 3 square miles. That’s what I call super powerful vision and I want it!

So if the eagle is known for its great vision, what about you and I? I know we can't see a long-way-off naturally. I'm talking about a spiritual "vision". In Proverbs 29:18, Solomon wrote, "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he." The word "vision" here means "a mental sight (i.e., a dream, revelation, mentally to perceive, contemplate). The word generally refers to a "divine vision" from God -- and so it means to understand the events happening around us, in the light of what the Bible says about the “times we’re living in”. This scripture puts it into words that surely we should SEE with eagle-eye vision: "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God -- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." (II Timothy 3:1-5).

That surely puts into divine perspective what it looks like in these times. It's true Bible prophecy and when we open our "eagle" eyes and recognize it as truth, we’ll really start to perceive the future, and take warning. Many people lack understanding and spiritual insight. They lack "vision." They also lack "perception" of the things of God -- the deeper truths, and the more profound understandings. They cannot "see afar off.' They are hindered by spiritual near-sightedness.

I know this isn’t my usual “dancing in the rain” kind-of-blog, but deep inside, I pray for us all to have "eagle" eyes. As believers we have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of us so we do have God’s eyes available to us to see things from His perspective. As we start to draw closer to the Lord in our own personal relationship with Him, there will be times that He will allow us to start “seeing” what certain Scripture verses may mean. We will start to “see” what the real truth is in many matters of our own personal life. When that kind of seeing starts to occur, we know that it is the Holy Spirit Himself allowing us to see through His eyes, not our eyes. It's God Himself literally allowing us to see things from His point of view and perspective.

In John 8:31-32, Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” But we first have to see what that truth is before it can set us free. In Proverbs 22:3, Solomon wrote, "A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.." This graphic says, “As citizens of the Kingdom, we must live beyond the norm. To do so, we must see what others do not see." Bring on that eagle vision, dear Lord, that is at least four times greater than our 20/20 vision. I desire that 20/5 vision. I want to see clearly the signs of the times -- ready to see as God sees and love as He loves and acts as He acts. Open my eyes, Lord! I want to see as YOU see!

A Year of GREAT Expectations!

With the Christmas season and story still resonating in my heart -- of a baby in a manger Who became our Savior, I am starting this new year of 2020 on a " great expectation” high. Certainly not expecting a Disney World kind-of-magical-year, but simple confidence in “He Who began a good work in me (and you), is faithful to complete it!” (Philippians 1:6) He Who promised that if I put my faith and trust in Him, will show me where to go and how to get there! “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26)

As I said in my blog yesterday, the number 20 symbolizes expectancy. My “expectors” are on high alert for a 2020 year and a decade of blessings! I plan to wake up each day with expecting the best out of this day – this moment. No doubt, there will be some highs and lows – but it doesn’t matter, because I plan to view each day as a gift and how I tackle it with my attitude AND fortitude will either make it or break it for me – and even others in my sphere of influence.

My husband and I, for years, made it an annual tradition to meet with our children and we’d write out our goals for the next year. We made dream boards that made our visions very plain (Habakkuk 2:2) like this one of mine and Payton’s. BTW – most all of the pictures and the dreams behind them came true in some way. There’s just something to be said for goal-setting and vision-casting. Goals create a road map for success. They are the targets that we point our lives to – with a starting point and a destination to reach. They help us clarify what we desire to do, understanding the importance of pursuing them and committing ourselves to making them happen.

My vision casting, today, isn’t so much about the things to attain since I’ve been there and have been so blessed. I’m in this sweet season of purposely laying up my treasures in heaven far more. That’s not to say we shouldn’t set goals spiritually AND naturally that include dreams and desires. But, for me, my goals are so simple – spending time with my family, some travelling, but most of all, serving God. I’m intent on leaving a legacy of faith. I sincerely believe this 2020 year will be marked by opportunities to share God’s good news everywhere I go. My “YES” is big when it comes to being a devoted follower of Christ. I’m keeping my eyes and ears wide open with great expectations for a harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God and seeing radical life transformations in those God places in my pathway. I’m purposing to find things that I can take delight in so that I always dwell on goodness and not sorrow. I know I can trust God to bring me through every circumstance in peace.

I am looking to the future and not the past. I know WHO holds my future so I have no reason to fear or doubt. I refuse to allow discouragement to take me off course. I intend to embrace what God is doing in each situation and circumstance of my life because, by now, I’ve learned “ALL things work together for good” because I love God with all my heart and I know I’m called according to His purposes.” (Romans 8:28)

This is my "Great Expectation" declaration! Could I please urge you to begin this year with a Great Expectation declaration, too? Great Expections that something good is about to happen to you and yours each day. Great expectations that God is for you. Great expectations for a great hope and future (Jeremiah 29:11). Great expectations for living in hope, love, joy and peace – every single day of this new year! Let's get our "expectors" expecting!

I’m Looking at the Woman in the Mirror

Yesterday, my morning prayer was: “Lord, please make me a reflection of You! May others see You in me!” Immediately, I heard, in my head, Michael Jackson’s song “I’m Looking at the Man in the Mirror”. I knew why. Days before, my debonair grandson who knows how to get to me, will either talk about his Papa or he'll pull up a song from my era (Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, etc.) on his iPhone playlist while we're driving. He asks: “Nana, do you remember this one?” Oh yes I do! He is a charmer and knows how to “ring my bell”! Michael's song went like this:
"I'm starting with the man in the mirror.
I'm asking him to change his ways.
And no message could have been any clearer.
If you want to make the world a better place.
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change."

Certainly good words to live by – being honest about who we are and what we can do to change our ways. Instead of looking at the faults in others, to look inward at ourselves. I get that, but my prayer yesterday was for the reflection I see to be my Lord.

Every day, we come face to face with a glance or a hard look at ourselves in a mirror. That first glance can often be a bit scary – our hair going every which way, eyes dazed, faces with creases from a hard sleep. Sometimes, facing our mirror and our reflection isn’t exactly a pleasant experience. Mirrors are brutally honest. They don’t lie. They don’t hide the wrinkles, the flaws, the signs of aging. They don’t typically say back to us “You’re looking good today!” They usually tell us to make some adjustments: comb your hair, put on a little make-up or for men – shave that “5 am shadow”. Actually, mirrors are a good thing. We face the truth, make some changes and feel a little better about facing the world.

But, this day – I wasn't asking God for that mirror. I asked for the mirror, or the reflection, looking back at me to be a reflection of Jesus. That can be a difficult reflection to see. Like that Michael Jackson song, looking at the man or woman in the mirror is more about the inside than the outside. Getting a clear vision of what needs to change. To look with eyes wide-open at the character flaws or the obvious lack of the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that is needing some adjustments.

James 1:23-24 says "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” That scripture implies we don't want to seriously confront that "man or woman in the mirror".

When we look at the mirror for exterior perfection, we'll never find it. But, if we start our day, each day, with that first prayer of asking to be a reflection of Jesus, we'll start to see His character, His beautiful grace and love to a hurting world instead of placing importance on make-up, shine-up, or dress-up.

The best mirror for checking out ourselves is the perfect mirror of God's Word ... Holy Scriptures. And, the only perfect image is Jesus. From that perspective, we can daily examine ourselves in THAT mirror and ask the question: Am I being all that God that God has called me to be? Am I allowing Him to mold me? Instead of looking at the man in the mirror and asking him to change his ways, we look to our perfect Make-up and Shine-Up Artist (for inside and out perfection) to transform us into His reflection by filling us full of His light and His glory! Then we will reflect His love, His truthfulness, His joy, His forgiveness and mercy to others, His selflessness, His servitude. That's the woman in the mirror I want to see and be! How about you?

Write the Vision and Make it Plain

When my daughter was single, she made quite the list (100 items to be exact) of all the qualities she was hoping for in a future husband. She wrote out her vision and she made it VERY plain. When Larry came along, initially, he was about 95 out of the 100. But, the longer they knew each other and fell in love, every single one of those items was checked off her list and he measured up to her greatest desires. I thank God every day for my amazing son!

Monday night I was visiting with a successful young woman. She has a good – no, great job with a title of influence plus the salary to match, but she is dissatisfied and completely unfulfilled. Her greatest desire is to be in a third world country, defending marginalized people, bringing aid and assistance to them and making a real difference in their lives. Not only her job, but she also desires a husband, a family and to personally fill cared for and loved. Seems like a tall order, right?

But, not so when the Bible gives us many promises to hold near and dear to our hearts. I gave her this scripture that has served our family well. Habakkuk 2:2 “Write the vision. Make it plain so that he who reads it, can run with it.” It’s writing out a vision (making a list) and giving it in prayer to God.

That scripture partly explains how to get into position for the vision to become reality. I told that young woman to write down every single desire she has for her future: her job and ministry, a husband, children, satisfaction, peace, security, etc. Then I went on to explain, “When we write our vision down, making it precise and plain, our angels who accompany us 24/7 can read it and run after it. Hebrews 1:14 says “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Our angels are dispatched to bring about the reality of that vision. The caveat is “your positioning”. Here is how to get into position for your dream job, your dream husband or wife, your dream children, and your peace and satisfaction. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: 1) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; 2) Lean not to your own understanding; 3) Acknowledge Him, and then, He will direct your paths.”

To write a vision without the counsel and wisdom of God is just an exercise of wants and wishes. It’s like treating God as a genie in a lamp or treating Him like a slot machine. But, to write a vision and make it plain while acknowledging the presence, the wisdom and the counsel of God and trusting Him in His perfect timing puts our angels on dispatch for bringing about what our list entails.

So make that list…..in pencil and then give God the pen to ensure the BEST-LAID plans are His plans!

What Are YOU Pointing At?

My oldest grandson was a late talker, so he pointed. Not that he couldn’t. He just wouldn’t. He preferred to point and make cute little "uh uh” sounds. And, you’d better believe we were on point to respond to his “uh uh’s” and his point. We were those kinds of grandparents who doted on our firstborn grandchild. We adored responding to his ways of identifying what he wanted.

The POINT is this: our Heavenly Father is waiting for us to point to that dream, vision, or desire and more than any earthly father who wants to bless His kids, God wants to bless those Who He calls His own, His masterpieces, and His prized possessions. He wants to bless us and give us the desires of our heart.

Psalm 37:4 says "Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." That's the crux of the matter. When we, as God's kids, delight in Him, His desire is to pour out blessings on us. It’s just like an earthly father whose child is jumping up in his lap and hugging him, embracing him, honoring him and bringing him good pleasure. That father can’t help himself. He will do everything in his power to give his child what he desires (if it’s good for him/her).

I love the idea of God giving me the desires of my heart, but that promise has a condition. I must ask myself, "Am I delighting myself in Him or not?" I found two Bible verses that explain "delighting in the Lord". “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart”. Psalm 40:8 and "For in my inner being, I delight in God’s law." Romans 7:22

And, this Luke 10:27 best explains it. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind." When we delight in Him and give Him that much love, He delights in giving us the desires of our hearts.

Taking "pointing" a step further past our own desires and wants is pointing others to Jesus. The heart of our Christian life is coming out of hiding and pointing others to Jesus. John the Baptist pointed. He said, “Behold the Lamb of God” to the crowd when Jesus was coming toward them. Andrew pointed His brother, Peter, to Jesus. Hopefully, you are pointing your children and grandchildren toward Jesus by the way you love and care for them, by the way they hear you praying for them and by taking them to church. Maybe you are listening to a teenager who needs a listening ear and guiding voice and you point him to Jesus. Maybe you are demonstrating God’s love and pointing a neighbor to Him.

So what and Who are we pointing at? Maybe we need to amp up our pointing skills so that we continue to point our lives to the One Who points at us daily with His love, His favor, His grace, and His mercy. May we become known as ambassadors for Christ Who point the way for others to see Him!

Don't Be Ashamed of Your Story

CHAZOWN is a Hebrew word for vision, purpose, destiny -- and it's what God had in mind for us when He created us. Each one of us was placed on earth for a unique purpose that's solely ours to fulfill. I was once a participant, but this weekend I was a veteran volunteer at the Chazown experience at LifeChurch.tv Jenks Campus. What a tremendous opportunity it is to discover what God had in mind when He made us. As a volunteer, we casually walk about the room to answer questions and give practical explanations to attendees, because "we've been there".

Yesterday, a man signaled for my help. He couldn't figure out what his core values are. I asked to see his timeline (those are the people, experiences and events -- good and bad -- that played an important role in our life). Immediately, my eyes fell on "Mom & Dad divorced". My immediate response was "Mom & Dad divorced -- what about the core value 'compassion'? Could you possibly be more compassionate to a young person when you hear that their parents divorced, too?" He had an "Aha" moment. The lights came on for him. He got it. The pains of our past and present may seem isolated at the time.....but God has a way of making those things turn out for good....not only for us....but for those we are called to inspire and help.

St. Paul so aptly put it...."That I might comfort others with the same comfort that I have been comforted with." II Corinthians 1:4. What does your past look like? Full of hurt, disappointment, rejection, defeat? But you survived it....by the grace of God? Could it be that those hurts and tests and messes are the very things that God desires to use to catapult you into a teaching/consoling/caregiving ministry -- or, at the very least to be more compassionate to those in your world? And then, for sure, we'll be able to say "Indeed, ALL things really do work for my good....." Romans 8:28