by Pastor E.A. Deckard
Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times
“I’m most proud of the blessings that God has bestowed upon me, in my life. He’s given me the vision to truly see that you can fall down, but you can still get back up. Hopefully I’ll learn from my mistakes and have the opportunity to strengthen and improve the next thing I do.” – Martin Lawrence
“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” – Helen Keller
Forward Thinkers, this month I celebrate eight years of being the Senior Pastor of the Green House International Church; we will spend a great deal of time celebrating what God has done for us, while at the same time declaring prophetic vision of what God desires to do through us. I believe you too Forward Thinkers will be empowered by this lesson on vision.
Forward Thinkers, I pray you realize you have a Kingdom responsibility to assist your church, position your church to reaching others just like you so they too can experience the joy of being connected to the Kingdom of God and reach their full potential.
Forward Thinkers, I’m going to unpack several scriptures this month to make the power of vision clear to all with a desire to be connected to something big. If we are declaring God as a big God then we must embrace the fact that any vision given by God will be a big vision.
Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish”
Forward Thinkers, the term perish here does not mean to die but rather to be cut off from the ZOE (God kind of life). Remember Adam and Eve did not die but were cut off from the abundant life found in the garden. Forward Thinkers, could it be possible that living without vision is a worst option than not living at all?
“Without a vision you cannot reach your full potential. Forward Thinkers, every believer must be connected to a Kingdom vision as well as a personal vision.
Forward Thinkers, vision keeps you on track. Ask yourself this question, “do I have a personal vision for my family, my finances, or my future”. If the answer is no, Forward Thinkers you’re leaving your life up to chance. Not having a clear thought out vision is like going to the airport desiring to go to Hawaii but having no idea what the flight schedule is for that day. You’ll either arrive at the airport way too early or you’ll get there too late either way you’re taking a blind shot at reaching your destiny. Forward Thinkers living without vision keeps you either disappointed or frustrated with your life results.
Forward Thinkers in the bible Habakkuk says when you see or hear the vision you should get so connected you start to run with it. Forward Thinkers vision should take you from spectator and participator in this thing called life.
Acts 3:1-10
3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Forward Thinkers its time the church regained its power in the Black community and it starts with the church being able to be strong enough to declare to a broken world look at us. Forward Thinkers the church must understand our greatest tool is still Jesus. Forward Thinkers the vision of the church must be centered around the fact we offer a crippled world Jesus and our presentation of Jesus should always be powerful enough to take someone weak in any area of life and empower them to become strong in that same area.
Forward Thinkers I often compare a greenhouse to the vision of any striving church in America. Forward Thinkers remember a greenhouse is designed to provide a place where plants can grow and reach their full potential. If it’s not doing that it has no value and likewise if we as Believers are not operating under our God designed vision we have no value.
Forward Thinkers the expectations of any ministry should always be if you can get them to the church the vision of the church will be strong enough reach them and empower them.
Mark 2:1-12
2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Forward Thinkers, take notice the place where Jesus was being heard was packed to capacity and this should motivate you if your vision is small maybe you should rethink your vision.
Forward Thinkers Four Men Bring Their Paralyzed Friend to Jesus
- Forward Thinkers they were committed
- Forward Thinkers they bring him to Jesus as he is
- Forward Thinkers they witness their friends breakthrough
- Forward Thinkers they continued to walk with him
Forward Thinkers, did you notice both men (in Acts and Mark) started out in bad shape but once they got connected to Jesus their story shifted and brought God glory causing others to turn to Jesus. Forward Thinkers, the reality is everyone started out as a story that needed to be edited; so we would not look like what we been through, however once we got up from our mat we became responsible to reach out to someone else.
Pastor E. A. Deckard is the Senior Pastor/Founder of the Green House International Church now located, in both Houston, Texas, and the Woodlands, Texas. To contact Pastor Deckard for speaking engagements contact him at pr.ghic@gmail.com or the church website www.ghic.net