KEEPERS OF THE VISION
(
Book by Kendrix J. Gardner)
Habakkuk 2:2-4
And the Lord answered
me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run
that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the
end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will
surely come, it will not tarry.
4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him:
but the just shall live by his faith.
VISION KEEPERS HAVE A PASSION TO SERVE
Matthew 20:28-29
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Colossians 1:11-12
being strengthened
with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great
endurance and patience, and joyfully
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to
share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
VISION KEEPERS HAVE A PURPOSE FOR SEVING
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this,
that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the
day of Christ Jesus.
Matthew 6:20-21
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth
and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also.
John 6:27
Do not work for food
that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man
will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."
VISION KEEPERS HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED TO SERVE
2 Timothy 3:16-4:1
All Scripture is
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness,
17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work.
Personal and corporate Bible Study is important work for all
believers.
2 Corinthians 9:8-9
And God is able to
make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all
that you need, you will abound in every good work.
John 14:26
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all
things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
VISION KEEPERS ARE BORN AGAIN
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone
is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has
come!
The reason you come to Bible Study is because you are driven
by Christ.
John 3:16-17
"For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn
the world, but to save the world through him.
Ephesians 1:13
And you also were
included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised
Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 5:20
We are therefore
Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We
implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
VISION KEEPERS ARE PRAYER WARRIORS
Prayer is a two way communication between the believer and
God.
Believe it or not, God wants to hear from you.
If you are not talking to God, you are talking to the world.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you.
James 5:14-15
Is any one of you
sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him
with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person
well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each
other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and
effective.
Prayer is an effective tool against the devil. When you
communicate with God
your mind are on things that are spiritual.
Everyone should have a special time to communicate with God.
Praying without ceasing mean many short prayers. But we should
give
more than a minute prayer.
To go to God in prayer is a privilege. As suggested by Dr
Kendrick Gardner,
you can use the acronym ACTS as a guide.
A is for adoration, C is for confession, T is for
thanksgiving and S is for
supplication.
What we call the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13 gives
you a good guide.
Verse 9 and 10 is Adoration, Verse 11 is our daily petition,
Verse 12 is confession
and verse 13 starts with intercession and ends with God's
Glory. APCIG
We can talk to God anytime and in our own way.
Prayer is our opportunity to listen to God and get new
directions.
According to Dr Gardner, there are elements of successful
prayer.
1. Successful prayer has faith.
James 1:5-6
5 If any of you
lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without
finding fault,
and it will be given to him.
6 But when he
asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a
wave of the
sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
2. Successful prayer has thanksgiving.
Ephesians 5:20
always giving
thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious
about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
3. Successful Prayer Is Aligned With God's Word.
James 4:3
When you ask, you
do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may
spend what you get
on your pleasures.
1 John 5:14-15
This is the
confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according
to his will, he
hears us.
And if we know
that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what
we asked of him.
4. Success Prayer Has Humility
God hates the proud.
James 4:6
But he gives us
more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but
gives grace to the
humble."
Proverbs 3:35
The wise inherit
honor, but fools he holds up to shame.
Psalms 25:9
He guides the humble in what is right and
teaches them his way.
5. Success Prayer Is In The Name Of Jesus.
John 14:13-14
13 And I will do
whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the
Father.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and
I will do it.
John 14:13-14
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so
that the Son may bring glory to the
Father.
You may ask me for anything in my name, and I
will do it.
6. Successful Prayer Is Offered In The Right Frame of
Mind
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —
think about such things.
7. Be Specific in your prayers
Ask God for what
you want and what you need.
Psalms 37:4-5
4 Delight yourself
in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way
to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
8. Pray With The Expectation of Receiving
Don't limit God in
your prayers
Matthew 7:7-8
"Ask and it
will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be
opened to you.
For everyone who
asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door
will be opened.
Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell
you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it,
and it will be
yours.
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor of
Greater Macedonia Baptist
Church
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