Imagine the Vision

Have you ever experienced the power of vision…or lack thereof?

T.E. Lawrence once said:

"All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds awake to the day to find it was all vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for the many act out their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible..."

Lynn Anderson included in one of his books that:

“About 350 years ago a shipload of travelers landed on the northeast coast of America. The first year they established a town site. The next year they elected a town government. The third year the town government planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness.”

In the fourth year the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles westward into a wilderness. Who needed to go there anyway?

Here were people who had the vision to see three thousand miles across an ocean and overcome great hardships to get there. But in just a few years they were not able to see even five miles out of town. They had lost their pioneering vision. With a clear vision of what we can become in Christ, no ocean of difficulty is too great. Without it, we rarely move beyond our current boundaries.

Bill Hybels tells this story about vision:

“It started like so many evenings. Mom and Dad at home and Jimmy playing after dinner. Mom and Dad were absorbed with jobs and did not notice the time. It was a full moon and some of the light seeped through the windows. Then Mom glanced at the clock. "Jimmy, it's time to go to bed. Go up now and I'll come and settle you later." Unlike usual, Jimmy went straight upstairs to his room. An hour or so later his mother came up to check if all was well, and to her astonishment found that her son was staring quietly out of his window at the moonlit scenery. "What are you doing, Jimmy?" "I'm looking at the moon, Mommy." "Well, it's time to go to bed now." As one reluctant boy settled down, he said, "Mommy, you know one day I'm going to walk on the moon." Who could have known that the boy in whom the dream was planted that night would survive a near fatal motorbike crash which broke almost every bone in his body, and would bring to fruition this dream 32 later when James Irwin stepped on the moon's surface, just one of the 12 representatives of the human race to have done so?

Finally, Bob Logan includes these poignant thoughts:

“Vision: the capacity to create a compelling picture of the desired state of affairs that inspires people to respond; that which is desirable, which could be, should be; that which is attainable. A godly vision is right for the times, right for the church, and right for the people. A godly vision promotes faith rather than fear. A godly vision motivates people to action. A godly vision requires risk-taking. A godly vision glorifies God, not people.”

As we enter into the month of October, our great church stands at the precipice of decision. The vision that the leadership has come to will be cast to the congregation beginning this Sunday and continuing for the next 5 weeks. It is a bold vision, to be sure…not for the faint-hearted or short-sighted. Indeed, the changes we will make in the coming months will cast the vision for this church for the next 25+ years. But be warned. Even though this church has eagerly pioneered throughout its 151 year history, it would be all too tempting to sit back on our laurels, and, as the great European seamen and settlers, decide that arriving at a destination meant the need for no further exploration. Instead, let us begin again, charting a path into the unknown for Highland Oaks Church!

In your worship this week, think about the idea of vision, and what great things have been done throughout history when groups of people have come together for a common cause. Contemplate on our campus and facility, and imagine the great number of people that have been blessed here over the decades and the countless scores who will be touched in the future because of the changes we will be making. Seek God’s will this week for this massive endeavor and what role(s) He will have you play in order to achieve it.

Resounding Themes:

Great God
Jesus, Who Is Able to Do More
Our Unclouded Vision

Getting READY to Worship

Ready, Set, READ

The Book of Haggai

Ready, Set, MEDITATE

- As the scene unfolds, what two characters are introduced? What is the Word of the Lord that comes to Haggai? What are the people guilty of? Why specifically has this behavior caught the attention of God? What does God mean when he accuses them of putting their wages in a purse with holes? Have you ever been guilty of such a sin?

- What then does God tell the people to do? Why did He demand it of them? Because of the people’s unfaithfulness, What did God cause to happen? How did the people respond?

- As the people began to build in earnest, what promises does God make to the people? What promises does God have in store for us today? Even though the purpose of a Temple has changed, why is it equally important to do well with and maintain the excellence of where we assemble as God’s people? How could having a similar vision increase the blessing as we restructure our campus?

Ready, Set, PRAY

How great is our God! For You alone rule the nations and possess everything. The silver is Yours. The gold is Yours, O Lord. Not one part of Creation is not in subjection to Your sovereignty and benevolence.

God, anoint our eyes with the oil of Your awakening. Cause us to dream dreams and see visions of the wonderful things You have planned for a church faithful to Your calling and purpose. Increase our ministry of reconciliation as we beautify and enliven the place where we gather to proclaim Your holy Name.

And Lord, make us equal to the task. Grant us a singular vision, mind, purpose, strength, and desire to accomplish whatever Your will is for Highland Oaks. We covet Your blessing and seek Your glory. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Ready, Set, WORSHIP!

A Lesson In Unity

Have you ever experienced the power of working together in unity? I ran across this inspirational story on the internet about this very idea. The following is an abridged version of Fred Walker’s story, Jump Out of Your Boat.

“There were five flounders in the box, the water was clear, and the sun was shining. It was a hot July day off the coast of New Jersey. This was one of those rare days when the water of the Atlantic Ocean was filling the bay with an incoming tide of crystal clear, almost Caribbean blue seawater. Life was good. That day my Dad and I were fishing in a deep hole on the back side of a sand bar, off of the main channel.

Navigating the waters near the inlet is a little tricky, and all of the local boaters know that there are a lot of sandbars, shoals, and shallow areas outside of the marked channels. For the unfamiliar, or unobservant boater, the shallows are traps that cause many to run aground, putting a cloud over even the sunniest of days.

Just then, I saw a Bayliner coming toward us. "I guess this looks like a good spot to fish so here he comes" I thought to myself. Then it occurred to me "I wonder if he can see that sand bar,” for between he and us was about 14 inches of water on a 20 foot wide sandbar, and the tide was going to change very soon, making it even less.

Keep in mind, the Bayliner is a fiberglass boat that is more of a floating camper in my opinion that weighs several tons out of water. With all of the comforts of home below, and very little deck space topside, these are luxury vessels, not fishing boats. The hull on this particular boat probably ran about 36 inches deep, and if the skipper didn't turn soon, they were going to become one with the sandbar.

The skipper didn't turn. They ran squarely aground at about 20 knots. We could hear the grinding of the engine as they dug themselves in deep on that sand bar. The boat listed to the port side as it came to rest, gleaming in the sun.

After a minute or two of reversing his engine and using the prop to dig a hole in the sand, the skipper got out and surveyed the situation. He tried to push the boat, but one person wasn't going to budge that hull. Finally, the other two guys onboard came out to help him. We watched as they argued and screamed and pushed and examined the boat. They looked like the three stooges out there, working against each other, and it was amusing to watch. I was certain they needed some help, so I told my Dad to bring our boat up to the sandbar, and I jumped out. Now we had the four stooges.

A strange thing happened next. Soon, another boat pulled up with two more volunteers, than another, and another. Now we had a crew, with 12 or 15 people we had a chance of making a difference for these folks if we could only achieve unity and work together. We had to work fast because when the tide changed in an hour or so this bayliner was going to be high and dry.

Somehow, I got elected Forman on this job (the result of being there first I am sure), and after some convincing, I persuaded everyone to adapt my idea on how to get the boat off of the sand bar. To move the boat we had to use the tide to our favor. With 14 inches or so of water the Bayliner still had a little buoyancy. I had the skipper and one of his buddies go onboard. Directed to sit on the stern of the boat the two guys onboard worked as counter weights making the bow come up a little. The rest of us put our shoulders against the bow and pushed like a football team on a blocking sled. The bow moved, a foot or so. At last, with a final shove, the vessel was afloat in the deep hole that we had earlier been fishing in, on the back side of the sandbar. We were all “high-fiving” each other, and celebrating our accomplishment when the skipper shouted from his boat "hey you guys is there anything I can do for you?" For a moment no one said a word, but then I shouted back, “remember the power of unity next time you see someone stuck and in need of help!”

Indeed, we had pulled together on that sandbar that day in July. With a common goal, some creativity, and collective strength we accomplished something that was impossible for any of us to have done working as individuals. It’s amazing to think how much can be done when people are unified for a common purpose.”

As we read John 17, we find the Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying to His Father about the coming hours that would ultimately be his last. Yet, with all the peril that awaited him, the one thing most pressing on his consciousness was his disciples and their ability to stay strong after his death. As Jesus pray for unity, we see true unfettered heart of the Messiah humbled before the Father. His prayer extended not only to those with him whom he loved, but to his Church today.

In your worship this week, contemplate the idea of unity and what it is to work together for a common goal. Conceptualize what it would be for this church to work in tandem, as those boaters did in the above story, to move a mountainous object in comparison to themselves. Meditate on Jesus words as he pleads for those who would come after him to show that same type of unity as, together, they move the world closer and closer to a full knowledge of him.

Resounding Themes:

The Oneness of God
Unity
Christ’s Reign Over Our Lives
Common Cmmunion

Getting READY to Worship

Ready, Set, READ

John 17

Ready, Set, MEDITATE

- After reading the entire prayer, what strikes you the most about it? What do we learn about the relationship between Jesus and God? What specific power that Jesus cites has been given him? What, indeed, is eternal life?

- Before Jesus prays for the world at large, he interceded specifically for the disciples. Why? Why does Jesus seem to be praying this very intimate prayer directly in front of the disciples? Besides Jesus’ death, what is coming for the disciples in the future?

- After begging the Father for “his own,’ he next prays for the entire world – that they might know God. How is this idea different than the world had ever known prior to Jesus?

- What analogy does Jesus cite over and over to reinforce his desire for his disciples? The Church? The world? In the end, why is unity so important? What dies Jesus imply that can be gained by operating in unity with one another?

Ready, Set, PRAY

O Righteous Father! It is our prayer that we all be one in Christ Jesus, just as You are one. Our desire is for a relationship strong with You that the whole world will see and know that Your love is upon us. We pray that we remain strong in the face adversity – clinging to Jesus and each other as our source of strength. God, we know that opposition will come, and that there will be times when our unity will be fractured against one another. Father, in such times, would You mend our brokenness and restore to us the joy of Your salvation, that our witness might be strong and visible and unwavering.

Lord God, we know that Your fullness is Your Oneness. For in Your fullness You offered Your Son and left the deposit of Your Spirit. Yet, in Your Oneness, You remain the faithful God – unchanging and ever-present. In that power, shore-up this Church for the tasks that lay ahead, the we might bring others to a fuller awareness of You, and that we all might be with Jesus, our Savior. In him wee pray and find our unity.

AMEN.

Ready, Set, WORSHIP!

Lose Everything...Gain Even More!

Have you ever had to lose one thing in order to have something else in exchange?

Do you remember the old “Let’s Make A Deal” TV game show? People would dress up in the craziest costumes imaginable just to make it into the studio audience. Once in the audience, however, you were more than a spectator…you were a potential contestant! If the game show host chose you from amongst the turbulent crowd, he might ask you to trade a bauble you’d brought for what’s in one of his pockets. If you chose correctly, you got the $100 bill instead of the pair of old dentures. Then he might offer to trade that newly acquired $100 bill for what was in the red box or the green one. Again, if you chose correctly, you would receive the Console Color TV instead of the life-sized plastic poodle. Then, if you were really lucky, the host would invite you to give up that TV for a chance to see what was behind one of three doors. Behind two of those doors was sure to be a real stinker! But, behind one of those doors was certain to be a new self cleaning kitchen, or a trip to Hawaii, or, dare I say it, a new car. Torn between the guarantee of the new TV and the chance at a new automobile, the contestant would inevitably be torn and not know for certain how to choose.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus views himself in much the same way. The disciples wanted desperately to hold on to Jesus. Even as he neared his final hours of freedom, the disciples were overly consumed with the misunderstanding that Jesus was someone other than who he claimed to be. In Jesus, they had seen miracles and heard teachings not ever proffered by another man. As long as they had Jesus with them – or so they thought – they could do anything, beat anyone, and overcome any obstacle.

But Jesus knew quite better, for he told the disciples that in his absence, they would do even greater things than he had done! “How could this be?” one might inquire…by the power of the Counselor. In fact, Jesus told the disciples that if they were to trade the known quantity of the physical Messiah for the coming of the Holy Spirit of God, the most amazing things would occur! And it wasn’t but a few weeks after they let Jesus go that Pentecost occurred and the Spirit of God was given.

In turn, what are you holding on to today that keeps you from enjoying the fullness of the Spirit that comes by partnering with Christ? In your worship this week, examine your own life in the Spirit and test to see if it’s been all it can be/all you’d hoped for. Meditate on the power of the indwelling Spirit and what role it plays in the life of a believer. Be thankful to Christ for both His presence and departure, that the fullness of God might be revealed to all humankind.

Resounding Themes:

The Reign of the Spirit
Clean, Open Hearts
Glorious Jesus

Getting READY to Worship

Ready, Set, READ

John 15:26-16:16

Ready, Set, MEDITATE

- How does Jesus first refer to the Holy Spirit? What does that term make you think of? What is one of first things the Spirit will do when he appears? Why is this important and of great comfort to the disciples? What other words/phrases does Jesus use to indicate who the Spirit is?

- Why are the disciples down-hearted? What does Jesus tell them about their misplaced grief? Why is it ‘good’ that Jesus leaves them? What is the three-fold function of the Spirit that Jesus explains?

- Jesus indicates that there is much more to be said about his departure – much more than the disciples can bear…what do you think he’s referring to? How is what will happen to the disciples a parallel to what happened to Jesus? How will the Holy Spirit assist them through these times? Does the Spirit still function in this way? If so, explain from your own experiences.

Ready, Set, PRAY

Lord, we do not know You as You are. For even as You reveal Your majesty before our eyes day after day, we lack the proper conduit necessary to take You all in. Yet, You continue in patience toward us while You methodically unveil Your worth before our senses in the creation, the giving of Your Son, Jesus, and the gifting of the Holt Spirit into the hearts of every believer. And yet we still do not know You, O God!

Lord, open our eyes to the full life that comes by living in step with the Spirit. Make know to our faculties Your power that dwells within. And righteous Father, grant us the constancy enjoyed only by having an attentive ear to the leadings and utterances of Your Spirit.

God, just as we are powerless to live without the Vine, so too are we impotent against the evil one without Your promised presence via the Spirit. We acknowledge that it took a great sacrifice of Jesus’ appearance and departure from this world for Him to be made known to us. Thank You, O Father, for giving us Your Son, and in turn, leaving Your Spirit as a deposit of our inheritance until all things have been fulfilled. In Christ, AMEN.

Ready, Set, WORSHIP!

Breathe In, Breathe Out...Repeat!

Have you ever been in a situation where the simplest breath was preciously coveted?

Going to college is so much different than High School. My small High School was full of familiar people, mundane activities, and an utter lack of anything spectacular. Even the sports were routine: you know, basketball, football, tennis, and baseball. However, when I went to college, I was bombarded by sports options never before seen by the small-town eye. Racquetball, field hockey, pickleball (whatever the heck that is), and bowling…it was like a hillbilly going to the big city to buy some “new duds!”
As I poured over my options for an athletic elective, something caught my eye on the “classes offered” page. Scuba diving 101. I rubbed my eyes and brought them back into focus to make sure it wasn’t a dream. Scuba diving? Were they serious? This was West Texas…there wasn’t a body of water even deep enough lay down in, much less go under and begin to swim around! Intrigued, however, I made my mark and set my calendar for scuba.

The first class was mesmerizing. We met at the university pool, which was ½ Olympic length with a 12 foot deep end. The teachers, a husband and wife team, went over every piece of equipment a scuba diver needed. The textbook (yes, scuba even has a textbook!) was filled with illustrations, charts, and definitions. The class ended with a brief demonstration in the pool by one of the teachers. We were all guardedly excited. Yet, over the next few classes, we did nothing but bookwork and swimming. In fact, we had to swim laps almost every week. And then, after almost a month of preparations and learning, we got our chance to go underwater.

I’ll never forget that day. There were 16 of us in the class by that point (many had dropped out), 10 guys, 6 girls. As we got suited up and into the shallow end of the pool, we took our first attempt at breathing from the mouthpiece. It was a strange experience. The air was cold and dry, and it tasted a bit of aluminum. Inhaling the air took a little effort, as the valve shifted from purge to flow and back to purge again. As we did so, the teachers took one last moment to tell us how important it was to continue to keep the mouthpiece between our teeth, to breath regularly, and not to panic. And then we got the signal to go under the water and breathe. I confess, I was a little unnerved on my first attempt. Maybe it was just the uncomfortable coordination of breathing with the rubber mouthpiece or the absolutely foreign sensation of taking breaths and looking out at the expanse of the deep, blue pool. As I breathed in, a sharp tone of white noise clamored out of the tank, and as I exhaled, bubbles tickled my face and made their way upward to the surface. Cool! I was scuba diving…keep in mind, it was in four feet of water in the safety of an indoor pool and surrounded by seasoned professionals…but I was doing it.

As I turned to look at some of my classmates who were also submerged, I noticed commotion in the water at the other side of the pool. Soon, I saw legs and swim trunks plopping into the water and moving toward the disturbance. Curious as to what the disorder might be, I began to surface. As I pulled off my goggles and extricated my mouthpiece, I witness one of the teachers removing a girl from the pool. She was coughing violently. There were volumes of water spewing from her mouth with every heave. Then, as quickly as it started, the girl became calm and her breathing more methodic. When she was stabilized and whisked to the nurse, the teacher said, “this is a great example of what happens when you panic and forget to breathe. The gear will do the work…if you only let it.” We all took notice and no one ever made that mistake again – including the girl who had inhaled the water. We each went on to get our certification while diving to over 60 feet in Lake Travis near Austin, Tx.

Have you ever thought about the preciousness of breath? It’s something we take for granted to the point of not even knowing we do it. On average, we breathe in, breathe out and repeat over 17,500 times a day (give or take depending on exercise), and chances are, not even one of those miraculous events graces our conscience. When we breathe, we take in precious oxygen that permeates the bloodstream and animates the tissues. When we forget to breathe, however, the body begins to shut down, systems fail and the senses dull. If given enough time, the brain will lose consciousness, and the body will lose its ability to intake oxygen and die.

Breathing is the gift of the Maker. God has built in every living creature the innate need to breathe. Yet, as true as this fact is for good health, God has also placed within us a reflex for spiritual breath - the breath of God that gives us true life and purpose. With enough training, however, we can teach the spirit to deprive itself of the much needed atmosphere of God, or we simply find an alternative source to breathe in. This week in your worship, think about the way in which you breathe…not just physically with the lungs, but spiritually with the soul. Contemplate how exhilarating it is when we take in the refreshing wind of God into our spirits, and slowly exhale his glory. Meditate on a time when you deeply inhaled the Lord and His life-giving flow. Translate your joy into praise and breathe the Lord this week.

Resounding Themes:

Breathing and Exhaling God’s Goodness
Broken and Contrite Hearts
Christ, the Highest of High
Blessing of God

Getting READY to Worship

Ready, Set, READ

Psalm 119:33-40

Ready, Set, MEDITATE

- How much life-giving power do we attest to God’s Word? If we believe it to be much, does our daily attitude and behavior reflect it? What keeps us from accepting the truth about life and God’s role in it?

- What attitude does the Psalmist seem to have towards God’s Word? What things does he ask of God in connection to his decrees? How much of his life seems to be dependent on God’s blessing and grace?

- The Psalmist seems to “breathe” God’s laws and decrees. For you, what would it mean to inhale and exhale God? How would that change your attitude toward life? God’s Word? Parenting? Employment? Service?

Ready, Set, PRAY

God, You are the very air we breathe! Not the slightest breath that escapes our nostrils does so without your knowledge or design. How precious is each breath…as they reflect the glory and presence of You, our Maker.

Father, we want to breath more of You. Lord, it is our desire that the fresh wind of Your Spirit invade our lungs and animate our tissues, until we are one with You, as Jesus and You are one. Remind us, dear Lord, just as we are desperate for oxygen to breathe, so, too, we are dependent on the breath of Your Spirit.

As a marathon runner, would You give us a second wind, that the race might become even more enjoyable as we travel. God, please allow us an ever-increasing understanding that You are the Giver of the breath of life…and that there’s no life outside of You!

God, You are the air we breathe! And we exhale in the name of Your son Jesus.
AMEN.

Ready, Set, WORSHIP!