In Proverbs we read the words of Solomon, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18) Many Christians take this verse and run with the word “vision” to talk about different types of plans (even financial planning) and a projection of things into the future. Oddly, there seems to be a growing segment within the Body of Christ that wants to teach you how to handle your money in God. I guess reading the Bible and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide in this area is not enough.

However, please understand I do agree making plans to do things is important for the functioning of the Body of Christ. Why even Isaiah 28:10 tells us we must lay “precept upon precept, precept upon precept” to accomplish a purpose and direction in God, but my friend our plans must never be written in stone to where even the Holy Spirit cannot change them. Now in Proverbs it is interesting to know the word “vision” has nothing to do with such planning. In the NKJV it is revelation, and speaks of the lack of the revelation and knowledge of God due to excesses in their lives. “ Where there is no (restraint, limitations or restriction), the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Now there is another common usage of the word vision; to look unto or behold.

Jake Luffy, Tony Hardin, and I just returned from a trip to Romania and Bulgaria . It was Tony's first time outside the States, he did very well. The similarities of life style between the two countries paralleled; the people in the villages were poor but happy and the people in the city were richer but sad for the most part. But, the stark contrast between the churches we visited was very evident. To me in Romania there seemed to be more of God's Spirit flowing and a stronger desire to share the Gospel message touching lives. Why even a church in Romania planted a church in Bulgaria . The churches we visited in Bulgaria seemed to have cast off restraint (limitations and restrictions) and were not operating in fullness of God's grace, His forgiveness, and the revelation of God. Friend it is limitations and restrictions (in our lives) in God that bring us to fulfillment and completion. How much of the revelation of God we possess is God's measuring stick for us. Of note in Romania there seemed to be a denominational death grip on many churches that could spell the end for them. Breaking free of the denominational religious structure whereby they can establish autonomous fellowships will prove to be very difficult, but critical for evangelism and church planting. Maybe my observations were random, too limited, and in other churches in Bulgaria this is not the case I truly hope so. In 3 John we read, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (3 John 2) John's desire was to see the Body of Christ “Beloved” to push forward in God “prosper” and be in faith, sound in doctrine, and solid in the word of God “in health” a wholeness and soundness. John was not talking about getting a bunch of money or earthly things. John was concerned about the “health” of the new creature in Christ Jesus, not earthly riches. Those who teach the contrary are teaching a false doctrine from their greed for personal gain and ambition leading many Christians into great error. It was our desire to see the “Beloved” in Bulgaria to be “in health,” but along the way we did not find this to be so. Joyfully, before we departed we could see a great response to the Word of God and things began to look up. Please keep them in your prayers.

Since returning I have prayed, meditated on my memories and thoughts and have concluded the churches visited in Bulgaria have developed a wrong vision, they are looking unto each other and other things other than Jesus. Not only in Bulgaria , but all over the world (especially in America ) the church has adopted a wrong vision. They are “looking unto” other things that do not pertain to holiness and Godliness. For the most part (especially in America) the church is “ looking unto” building bigger churches, having bigger ministries, holding huge crusades and conferences, gathering more and more people under one banner, and on, but all that stuff is not what God is after. The writer of Hebrews tells us what we are to be “looking unto,” “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) “Looking unto Jesus!” My friend the person of Jesus is to be the vision (the all and in all) of the church; yesterday, today, and forever. This truth has not and will never change. But sadly many Christians, through denominational leading, have turned this truth into a lie (see Romans 1:25 ) through works and efforts of the flesh heaping unto themselves earthly gain and glory. What we “look unto” will determine what we become. God's goal in our lives is not to make us happy, rich, popular, and handsome, but to be able to (our choice) conform us into the character and nature of His dear and precious Son Jesus Christ. God wants us to become like Him. He started this back in Genesis, we were created in His image and He has not changed His mind. Jesus said, “when you see Me you see the Father.” This was Jesus' prayer for us (see John 17:21 ) to be in unity (one) with the Father as He is one (unity) with the Father. What a wonderful thought and goal to strive for in God. Not a big church or fleet of airplanes, but oneness with God.

I really like the words in Isaiah 66 when God gave Isaiah a glimpse of the vastness of His glory, “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me ? and where is the place of my rest ?” (Isaiah 66:1) Can you imagine the earth as God's footstool and the heavens His throne? God is saying all of our building and doing for Him is in vain if He is not able to work in our lives and heart. If God's footstool is the earth (and it is) He probably cannot see all of the churches we think are so important to Him. God is not so interested with “the house that ye build unto me,” but is more concerned with “the place of my rest.” Friend God does not desire to dwell in temples of stone. God is after us building a place of rest for Him in our heart. I truly believe God is tired of man building greater and greater things for Him and desires for us to allow Him to build His nature and character in us. Where is the end of our building? What is too much? What is enough? Isaiah goes on and says, “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2) God is after the man that is “poor (spiritually bankrupt) and contrite (crushed and ground to powder) spirit, and trembleth at my word” of the heart. God said, “But to this man will I look” not the one who works for Him, but to the one that becomes something in Him. God looks at the man that is, “of a poor and contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word,” because this man has built a place, an altar of rest in his heart for God. This “looking unto Jesus” has an eternal projection. In 2 Corinthians Paul teaches us, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) We are to behold the glory of God and we are to be changed from one glory to glory as we behold (“ looking unto Jesus” ) Him. How does that happen? Moses asked God to show him His glory and God told him (see Exodus 33:18-19) He would allow His goodness to pass before him. As we behold Jesus, who is the glory of God, we will be changed into whatsoever we can behold of Him. Please know, w e can only be changed into the glory we can behold of Christ not all of God's glory. How can we? The earth and heaven cannot contain the glory of God why do we thing we can? God's goal for our lives is contained in this one verse we, “are changed into the same image from glory to glory,” the same image (icon) of Jesus Christ and as we look unto Him we will be changed. What a wonderful thought to know God, thought His precious Son Jesus Christ, has made a way for us to be like Him.

Brethren let us be about “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” There is no other hope in any other name, church, or organization, but in the name of Jesus. Let us learn to operate under the mighty hand of God's limitations and restrictions so in do season He will be able to raise us up. And let us be about a desire to allow God to change us, “from glory to glory.” Change in our lives does not happen by good intentions or through good wishes, but by us making a determined effort to allow God to work in our lives with His dealings and judgments to such a degree all we will be able to say is, “looking unto Jesus.”