This digest is based on the first message given by Brother Titus Chu in this series. We hope that it can help bring you into the riches that we and others have enjoyed.
If you have not yet watched it, we recommend that you do so before getting into the digest. This will help you better appreciate each section. You can also follow along with the outline and read the associated verses.
Reflections
The pursuit and growth of a Christian life is a matter of visions – not of nature or talent, personal abilities, or wisdom and brightness, but of faithfulness to God-given visions and revelations.
What is a vision?
Vision is sight – the heavenly sight, the sight in spirit, and the sight of divine things. Faithfulness to each vision (sight) may bring in many heavenly and spiritual revelations.
Our Lord Jesus is the subject, center and content of the visions and revelations God gives us for growth. Visions of Christ with many revelations elevate us, produce commitment, forsakings, and perseverance, and bring us an assurance that we can follow the Lord in a clear way. But our ability to receive more of this heavenly sight from the Lord is related to our faithfulness at each step to what we have seen.
Be Thou My Vision…
How we need a pursuing and seeking heart to stay close to our Lord. Such a heart is expressed in the first verse of the hymn Be Thou My Vision. The author says ‘Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, Save that Thou art. Thou my best Thought by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, They presence my light.’ May we sing this hymn with the same heart, that our sight of the Lord may captivate us day and night, waking or sleeping.
Seeing the Vision in this Present Crisis
Brothers and sisters, in these coming 2 or 3 months, we may confront a very hard life…. When we’re going through that hard time, there could be a few possibilities. One is, “I’m so sorry, I don’t have enough income now. I’m so sorry, I have a hard time.” Another is, “I’m so sorry I cannot go out to have sight-seeings. I cannot travel. I can’t do this or that.” Another thing is, “I’m going to be at home suffering all these days. I miss my sweet church life.” Brother, no, you don’t see a vision. If you see a vision, you have to say, “Praise the Lord! Everybody is home. But thank You Lord, You have given us the modern equipment. We have the facilities. We can talk to people. We can see people over the internet. We can preach the gospel.” Now, many people are at home; they don’t know how to spend their time. Now, read the Bible with them. Pursue with them. Pray with them. Many brothers may be recovered because we see the vision. This is the Lord’s arrangement; it’s not just a virus attack. It is a virus attack, but the Lord allowed it to bring us to have another kind of life. To spend more time with the Lord. To be more with our family. And most of all, to reach more brothers and sisters. Even to preach gospel to your colleagues through the phone. Even fellowship through whatever means with brothers who have not been in the church life for a long time.
Who in your life has the present limitation given new opportunities to reach out to? Let’s take a few minutes to take this before the Lord in prayer.
Visions Direct Our Living
After considering this message, a sister gave the following testimony regarding how having a Vision of Christ affected how she plans for the future:
For the past few months I’ve been thinking about my life after I graduate. I had a heart to serve Him, but I felt that the only way to serve Him fully was to be in full-time ministry. If I got a job, then serving Him would become secondary rather than the focus of my life. Like brother Titus shared in this video, without a clear vision, my life for the Lord would be dictated by outward circumstances, such as whether I have a job or whether I serve full-time in ministry. I’ve realized that when I have a vision, it doesn’t matter what my outward circumstances are; the vision will decide how I live. I’ve been seeing that my life is for the Lord’s desire for people. Now I feel joyful knowing that wherever I end up next year, my life can be lived for the Lord whom I love.
Brother Titus talked about having an uncommon life. In this uncommon life, we have all of the things necessary for living, but we shouldn’t have room to ignore the Lord’s voice while pursuing those things. Outwardly, my life may be similar to any other life, but my living must be directed by the current vision provided by the Lord. He has been drawing me to live my life based on this current vision.
Joseph’s Vision
In Matthew chapter 1, Joseph is about to have a dream which will change the course of his life forever. His betrothed is about to give birth to a son, who will be Immanuel and will save his people from their sins. Outwardly their family may look common, like any other family. But if he is faithful to this current vision he will truly bring his family into an uncommon life.
Matthew 1:18-25 (NKJV)
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
Immanuel: God with Us
Enjoy this passage with your children as they color this picture of the scene
You can even teach the following application from brother Titus:
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Do you know what this means? Why is it so crucial? Jesus Christ is doing everything, including saving you. He is saving you not only from eternal perdition, but saving you in every situation with one principal: I am with you. “God with us” — I am so touched by this. Lord, I appreciate this; You are my Savior. You are Jehovah saves. You are with me. You are from the Spirit. You are with me, You are from the Holy Spirit. Your being with me means I will have the presence of You as The Spirit all my life. What is my life? My life is a life of Immanuel. Hallelujah, what can be more sweet than this?
Oh, He’s the Wonderful Spirit in Us
What a joy that Jesus is Immanuel! Our God is with us! He was first in the heart of the Father, came to Mary and Joseph as a baby and ministered to crowds in his adult life. After his death, resurrection and ascension he poured out the Life Giving Spirit upon all of God’s children to be Immanuel forever! Praise the Lord for this Indwelling Spirit!
Enjoy the hymn Oh He’s the Wonderful Spirit in Us
