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 This
was the emphasis of the expositions delivered by ate Elsie Calalang, our
general secretary, during last months IVCF Southern Mindanao Regional
Assembly. During the first exposition, examples of Biblical people who saw
visions of God were given: Ezekiel, Moses, Isaiah, Paul and John.
Ezekiel
saw a vision of God’s radiant glory. He compared his sight of God to a
brilliantly glowing metal, having radiance as colourful as that of a
rainbow. Added to this was the magnificent sight of the four living
creatures bellow God’s thrown. Moses on the other hand saw a vision of
God’s power in the burning bush. There, God showed him His sovereignty
over nature, miracles, and even over hearts of men. It was also there that
Moses knew God as “the great I AM”. In another occasion, God also
appeared to Isaiah in a vision of His holiness, to which Isaiah exclaimed,
“woe to me for I am a man of unclean lips….” He was humbled at the
same time awed by the beauty of God’s holiness.
In
the New Testament, Christ’s lordship was made clear to Soul as he was on
his way to Damascus. There, Jesus appeared to him in a blinding light and
reversed the course of his life completely. John on the other hand (as
expounded during the sunrise service of the regional assembly), did not only
saw a vision of God’s power, glory and holiness, but also a sight of the
coming age when people from every tongue, tribe and land would worship God
before His great white throne; a day when every knee will bow and every
tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the praise and glory of God. A
great sight indeed!
All
these people have one thing in common. After the Lord showed Himself to them
in unspeakable ways, their lives were never the same again. All of them were
changed for God’s best use and greater glory. As for Moses, it was
liberating a nation under bondage. As for Isaiah, it was rebuking a
rebellious nation. As for Paul, it was becoming the greatest missionary of
all time. Those visions created an impact in their ministries, passionately
compelling them to do something or speak; yet passionately comforting them
as they were made to realize that the sovereign God was on their side.
Ate
Elsie drove a good point in applying this truth to our ministry when she
said that if we are to maintain this kind of vision about God in IVCF, it
will revolutionalize our ministry. I certainly believe it will. How?
Catching the
Vision………
Of God’s glory and
sovereignty. “The
sovereignty of God is the greatest comfort of every Christian” said A.W.
Pink. It is comforting to know
that though this world may loose its order, heaven’s view of the universe
will still be the same. God is still seaten on His thrown, in control of
everything. He’s got the whole world in His hands, and that includes our
ministry.
Of God’s doing.
As evangelicals, we believe that God is in the business of reconciling this
rebellious world to himself through Jesus Christ. His Spirit is still in the
business of convicting people of their sins from the remotest barrio to the
most urbanized cities throughout the world.
Of IVCF.
Aren’t we part of God’s business of reconciling the world to Him?
Aren’t we all called to participate in the great commission? Yes we are!
And our movement is just one of God’s instrumentalities to fulfil His
business. We are actually doing God’s business from our students to our
graduates.
Passing the Vision….
As
we all desire Christ’s pre-eminence in all walks of life here on earth,
our vision must not be contained in ourselves so that our influence for
Christ will increase. Our new generation of students and graduates must know
that we are in God’s business of reconciling the world to Him. May our
service to the Lord as GTs, church leaders, business men, public servants,
farmers, medical professionals, teachers, family men, and others be avenues
though which Christ’s influence will grow and be passed on.
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