Religion
Vision 4
by Pastor E.A. Deckard
Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times
“Don’t underestimate the power of a vision. McDonald’s founder, Ray Kroc, pictured his empire long before it existed, and he saw how to get there. He invented the company motto — ‘Quality, service, cleanliness and value’ — and kept repeating it to employees for the rest of his life.” — Kenneth Labich
“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.” — T.E. Lawrence Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Forward Thinkers, we are clear by now that the bible says, “Where there is no vision the people perish”. We will spend time looking at how vision can save people in the midst of times of destruction. Today we will look at the life and vision of Noah as recorded in the book of Genesis chapters six through nine.
Forward Thinkers, God gave Noah a vision that would save his family from the destruction of the greatest flood known to mankind and if you follow me on “social media” @ (Pastor E A Deckard) you saw last week I had the pleasure of fellowshipping with a family from India that grew up worshipping Hindu. One of the family members feel in love with Jesus and at risk of losing his life he shared the gospel with his whole family and today years later they are all successful Christian doctors and business owners in America.
One man with a vision saved his whole family, therefore; it’s important every man commit to a vision with the power to save. Yes, one man full of vision can impact an entire nation the question is are you full of vision or full of excuses.
Genesis 6:5-6 New International Version (NIV)
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
- Forward Thinkers, Noah proved that being faithful is not based on external factors but, internal righteousness because Noah had reasons to be unfaithful but chose to do what was right with God.
- Forward Thinkers, Noah had three sons and had the responsibility of grooming them in the midst of evil, corrupt, and violent times. Forward Thinkers, Noah lived thousands of years ago but the world is still full of evil, corruption, and violence. Before are a few examples of the times we are living in and the pressure fathers are facing in raising sons in the United States of America.
- A Pennsylvania Judge gets 25 years for selling Black teens to prisons for profit. Forward Thinkers this was not in 1960 but in 2015.
- Blacks are 12 times higher to be murdered than any other race in America. The largest group likely to be murdered is Black males.
- Forward Thinkers yes, there is a problem and increase of police killings but the harsh reality is over 90% of murders of Blacks are committed by Blacks.
Forward Thinkers, next month Brother Deric Muhammad and I was be leading our city on back to back weekends encouraging Blacks to stop killing, stealing, dealing, and abusing each other. Black lives won’t matter to the outside world until Black lives start mattering inside the walls of our own communities.
Forward Thinkers, vision should overcome social kills not submit to them or run from them.
Forward Thinkers God gave Noah a vision to build an ark.
- Noah had no ark building experience but there was a need for an ark and remember whenever there is a need God will give vision to a visionary.
- Nowhere do I read where Noah received support in fulfilling the vision of building the ark. The reality of a visionary is sometimes you have to encourage and support yourself.
- Forward Thinkers, Noah had to trust God for revelation and directions.
Genesis 7:6-10 New International Version (NIV)
6 Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth. 7 And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, 9 male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.
Noah is 600 years old by the time it starts to rain but he began working on the vision of building the ark somewhere around the age of 500.
Habakkuk 2:3 New Living Translation (NLT)
3 This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.
Forward Thinkers, I encourage you to keep swinging the hammer and keep lifting the lumber and never give up no matter how long it takes to experience the rain.
Warning:
Forward Thinkers keep believing in the vision and keep working on the vision until the rain shows up but never make the mistake of looking at other people’s rain while you’re waiting on your rain. Forward Thinkers watching other people too closely can cause you to stumble and become bitter.
Genesis 8:20 New Living Translation (NLT)
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and there he sacrificed as burnt offerings the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose.
Forward Thinkers never forget who gave you the vision and graced you to carry out the vision.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 The Message (MSG)
17-18 If you start thinking to yourselves, “I did all this. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!” well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today.
Forward Thinkers many make the mistake after getting results to start worshipping themselves over God.
Genesis 9:1 New International Version (NIV)
9 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
Forward Thinkers, Noah fulfilled the vision and kept his faith through the entire process now the Lord is rewarding him for his faithfulness. Today no matter what stage of the vision you may be experiencing, declare faith don’t fail me now and keep working because God desires to bless you.
Pastor E. A. Deckard is the Senior Pastor/Founder of the Green House International Church now located, in both Houston, Texas, and the Woodlands, Texas. To contact Pastor Deckard for speaking engagements contact him at pr.ghic@gmail.com, follow him on Facebook, Instagram @ Pastor E A Deckard or the church website http://www.ghic.net.