Saturday, July 25, 2009

Keep Going

Ezra 5:9 " Then we asked those elders, and spoke thus to them: 'Who commanded you to build this temple and to finish these walls.'"

So, when you listen for the vision, share the vision, show the vision, give toward the vision, build the vision everything will fall into place, right? Wrong. Be prepared for opposition toward the vision.

Cyrus, King of Persia inspired the people to do this work, to give to this work, but Cyrus was not around forever. Apparently the work took so long that oppositon arose that challenged the work, and King Artaxerxes ordered the work to stop...and it did, for a time.

This is tough. When you think that you have heard from God and share the vision, show the vision, give toward the vision and build the vision and then it stops. This is a time of testing. Was this really God's vision or were we mistaken? That is when you have to go back to the basics. Go back to your foundation. Go back to God. Go back to the vision. "Then we asked those elders, and spoke thus to them: 'who commanded you to build this temple and furnish its walls?" These guys asked the elders to go back to the beginning, back to the origin. What was their purpose? Why were they doing this? Who gave them this command?

Opposition to a vision is inevitable. It will come - count on it. When it does, go back to the beginning. Why are you doing what you are doing? Who told you to do it? If the foundation is solid, if the vision is from God the opposition will be inconsequential. Start over if you have to. Pick up where you left off if you have to.

Listen for the vision, share the vision, show the vision, give toward the vision, build the vision, expect opposition to the vision, revisit the vision. Keep going.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Show and Tell

Ezra 2:68, 69a "Some of the heads of the father's houses, when they came to the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God, to erect it in its place. According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for the work..."

It is one thing to talk and hear about the vision...it is another thing to see the vision. These guys came to the house of the Lord. They physically went to the place where it was in Jerusalem. When they did they "offered freely" to build the house of God.

Sometimes we have to go beyond talking - we have to show. As kids we used to have "show and tell" in school. It was when you brought an object to school and told your class about it. I loved show and tell. It was fun. It allowed us to talk and show our enthusiasm about the object and explain why were were excited about it.

As leaders, we have to engage in a little "show and tell". We have to physically show people - take people to a place, take people to those who need Christ, take people to the field where you are going to minister to kids, let them see it with their eyes. Then when they hear about the vision and see what it is, they will "give freely" "according to their ability". Not everyone can give the same way. If God has blessed people financially, if God has blessed me, we should give according to our ability, according as God has prospered. "On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper." I Cor. 16:2

If you have it, give it. God does not bless us so we can hoard it. Use it for His kingdom. Let's participate in a little "show and tell" and see what the Lord does.

So, here is the progression so far: Listen to God, share the vision, show the vision.