Element Church Insider

No, this is not some crazy marketing tool for Element Church.  Although I wouldn’t put it past some churches to try.  I talked about Joseph and vision yesterday (You can read it HERE).  Today I want to talk about something else Joseph did that should challenge us.  Ready?

Joseph was willing to run out of Potipher’s house naked, because it was better than giving up his purity. “How could I do such a wicked thing?  It would be a great sin against God.” He said.  “Joseph tore himself away (from Potipher’s wife’s grip on his cloak), but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.“  Are you willing to run naked?

1.  But if I confess what sin I’m struggling with, it is going to be embarrassing!  The embarrassment of running naked was better than the shame & guilt of sin.

2.  But people will think I’m crazy if I do what God’s asking me to do!  The sacrifice of reputation among his peers was worth keeping the presence of God.

3.  But if I make this decision I might lose my job!  The value of following Jesus was HIGHER than being second in command in Egypt.

Are you willing to run naked?
Willing,

Jeff

…But it’s also VERY tricky.  Whether it’s a prophetic vision (speaking the future), or foresight vision (“This is what God’s wanting us to do”) it is vital, but tricky.  EVERY organization (secular or Christian) needs a strong vision.  Companies and churches without strong vision, usually don’t last, or at least don’t flourish.  The longer I go in ministry the more valuable I see, and more strongly I believe, that vision is VITAL.  But MAN is it tricky.

As I was reading in Genesis today I read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37.  Here are a couple things God spoke to me about vision.

1.  There is a right AND wrong time to cast vision. God may give you a “vision” or “dream” He wants you to fulfill, but there is a RIGHT time and a WRONG time to deliver it.  In Genesis it tells us that Jacob loved Joseph more than his other brothers.  It also says that his brothers HATED him because of it.  Joseph has a dream about his brothers bowing down to him.  He told them and the Word says “They hated him all the more.”  THEN he soon again has another one.  What does he do?  CASTS THE VISION to a group that already hates him.  I know the end of the story and how it all works out, but God just spoke to me: “There is a time and place for vision, and it may not always be the day after I give it to you.”

2.  The WAY vision’s communicated is important. Telling a group of men who already hate you “You’re going to bow to me” may not be the best communication style.  WORDS MATTER when communicating vision.  If you haven’t got it all worked out in your brain, don’t let it out of your mouth.  POORLY communicated vision, EVEN if the vision is from God, can create DI-vision.

3.  People will get mad at vision EVEN when it is right, AND even whet it’s best for them or the kingdom. Josephs dreams…his visions were CORRECT.  They were prophetic.  They REALLY happened.  Josephs dreams…his visions were the BEST.   Not only did the fulfillment of Joseph’s dream save his brothers from starvation years later, it preserved the line of Christ (Judah’s family).  Regardless though.  Even though the vision was RIGHT and BEST, when Joseph came to visit his brothers in the field they said:  “Look, here comes the dreamer.  Let’s KILL him.”

Vision is VITAL, but it’s also TRICKY.  The TIME and the WAY are very important in how you deliver.  But I’m convinced, that REGARDLESS of how you say it or when you say it, there will ALWAYS be people who say “Here comes the dreamer.  Let’s take him out”.

If God’s given you vision, don’t EVER back down from it.  But be VERY careful in WHEN and HOW you communicate it.  Vision is VITAL, but it’s TRICKY.

Learning,

Jeff

…at God?  I’m not talking about in a disrespectful or blasphemous way.  I’m talking about a “You’re going to do WHAT?” kind of way.  Or a “HE DID WHAT?” kind of way.  Some of the stories in the Bible, the characters must of just laughed when they heard God’s plan.  What He wanted THEM to do.  I am in Genesis right now in my daily devotions and read the other day about Abraham and Sarah.  God’s plan to give Abraham descendants as numerous as the sands of the seashore through Sarah, was literally preposterous.  It was laughable.  In fact, THEY DID laugh.

In Genesis 17 God told Abraham that Sarah would be blessed with offspring.  Verse 17 says this: “Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. ‘How could I become a father at the age of 100?’ he thought. ‘And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?’”

Then in chapter 18 Sarah over hears the Lord speaking to Abraham.  The Lord said “About this time next year Sarah will bear a son.”  Verse 12 says this “So she laughed silently to herself and said, ‘How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?’”

Then in chapter 21, Isaac is born.  And verse 6 says this “And Sarah declared, ‘God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me.’” Why will they laugh?  Because God accomplished the impossible.  The Lord said earlier in the story to Abraham “Why did Sarah laugh. Is ANYTHING too hard for the Lord.” They will laugh, not in disrespect, but in awe and disbelief.

I hope that God is ALWAYS calling me to things that make me laugh.  I hope He asks me to do things that, without the intervention of God Almighty, are literally impossible.  I don’t want to live my life in a way that I don’t need God.  I hope that in my life, I’ll be around such HUGE God moments, that I’ll just laugh.  Laugh at the marvelous mystery and greatness of God and that really, NOTHING is impossible with God.

Laughing,

Jeff