Vision

Do You Have True Vision?

    As I was considering a subject for this month's article for the newsletter, I remembered something that happened a few years back when I went to get my truck tags renewed. There was an older man just ahead of me in line and once his renewal was concluded he turned to leave. The room we were in was enclosed in glass and he must have forgotten the exact location of the door he had walked in through several minutes earlier. As he made haste to leave, he walked headlong into one of the thick glass walls that enclosed the office. He was obviously embarrassed and I won't reveal the expletive he muttered in the interest of keeping this article holy. I wondered at the time how many "face prints" the window-cleaning people encountered as they did their job at this glass building as well as others around town.
    I could not help but feel bad for the guy that someone had moved the glass door while his back was turned. All joking aside, I could have easily made the same mistake had I not just seen him do it. I made sure to note where the door handles were so I didn't follow in his footsteps.
    I have thought about it several times since then. How many glass doors do we have in our lives? We may think we see the "clear" path, but we end up walking blindly into a wall. Obviously, we depend on our vision a lot. What happens though when we think we see, and we really don't? We are actually less aware than when we know we can't see.
    What kind of vision do you have? Depending on physical sight has led most people into a wall in their lives. God gave us so many more ways to see! Yet, we think we see clearly.
Revelation 3:16-17
16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
    A person who knows they can't physically see is very careful. They are cautious and use their other senses. If they didn't, they would stumble over things. The church has been stumbling for some time now. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:7 that God's church must walk by faith, and not by sight. The church today needs desperately to walk by faith instead of carnal physical sight! When we don't realize we're spiritually blind, we barrel right on into the wall and then are surprised when we feel the pain. Our eyes often fool us.
Judges 17:6
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
    The reason it mentions a king here is because virtually everyone needs guidance. No one can see everything. The king was supposed to be a strong, Godly leader. Moses was a type of Godly "king". David actually was a Godly king, with a few notable exceptions. A king or any leader is supposed to help people to see the right way to live. There are many different titles for such a person. Sometimes they were kings, sometimes prophets, sometimes apostles, sometimes elders, and various others. Anyone or anything that can help you to see truth is of value to you.
Isaiah 28:7
7. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
    Many priests and prophets through time have erred in vision. They thought they saw clearly, yet their vision was carnal. That word for vision there is #7203 and is used only 6 times. The other 5 times it is translated as "seer". Samuel was a "seer". Hanani was a "seer". These two men could see the truth and pointed it out to others. Anyone who can see the real truth of God is a type of "seer". We often associate that word with fantastic dreams and prophecies, but a seer is simply someone who sees. When we see the truth or God as He really is, we are seers! How much of a seer are you?
Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he.

The word for perish here also means to go backward or be exposed. When we can't see the one real truth, it causes us to stumble and go backward. It can even lead to our spiritual demise if we don't improve our vision. The word for vision here is #2377 and is used 33 times. It is always used in reference to a vision or dream. We often think of this verse in relation to being able to see what things lead to in our immediate future. That is applicable, yet somewhat limited. What is a prophecy or dream but an inspired look into the future? That is what a seer does. Where are the seers in the church today? Where are the prophets?
Joel 2:28
28. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
This is speaking of a time still in our future. Where are these sons and daughters? Where are these old and young men that are led by the Holy Spirit of God? Is God not looking for people like this today? Where will He find them?
1 Samuel 3:1
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
Could we not say this about our time as well? That word for vision is the same as the verse used above. It is #2377. So what did God do about it? He used Samuel as a seer. Samuel submitted to God and was given the gift of true sight. He allowed God to use Him and the truth was revealed to him and through him!
We could talk about all of the kings, the leaders, the prophets, the seers, and the apostles that God used to show others the truth. It really comes down to this: they all submitted to God and His will for them. What does God go on to tell the Laodiceans who did not know they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked?
Revelation 3:18-19
18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
We must anoint our carnal eyes with the spiritual eye salve of God. For those of us who continue to grieve the Holy Spirit, we will keep running headlong into the glass wall. Are there any among us willing to answer the call by saying "Speak Lord for your servant hears"? If we stir up the Holy Spirit of God within us and submit to His will, we will not only have the precious gift of being able to truly see, but will be able to help others receive sight as well!