"But we do strongly and earnestly desire for each of you to show the same diligence and sincerity all the way through in realizing and enjoying the full assurance and development....of your hope...until the end, in order that you may not grow disinterested...and become spiritual sluggards,   -   but IMITATORS, behaving as do those who THROUGH FAITH....by  their leaning of the ENTIRE personality on God..in Christ..IN absolute  trust  and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness..and by PRACTICE OF..patient endurance and waiting are now inheriting the promises."  (Heb. 6:11,12)

     Praise the Lord, our God this glorious WORD-filled day, my brethren!!  Our God is  GOOD, and greatly..to be praised!  I come to you again..with a Word from God, that will SHAKE us from our spiritual complacency, and help us to VIEW once more...by heavenly perspective.  Today we will chisel..and fortify our Divine expectations..and we will, (with the help of God)  SEE..farther than we can look (take the limits..off  of God),  and move in concert with the good, the perfect..and the acceptable will of God, in Christ..concerning us!   We will neuter our myopic vision..SEIZE our soul seizures..and remove  the barriers of negatism  that adverse circumstance often brings in it's wake,  as it attempts to sift it's disruption of fatih into our living experiences.  ALL that..fear..

doubt and unbelief..we're going to kick to the curb, and harness...beloved..our LEVEL of expectancy..BY the Word of God.  Today....we will SEE.....afar off (!!) and DEAL with a few challenges to VISION.  Let's get started (!!), shall we?!!? 

Weights..and Measures 

 (setting your level of expectancy)

      Basing...your EXPECTANCY LEVEL..on the Hope that is in you.:   

      Here..is where HOPE..springs eternal,.. beloved.   In our scripture text..Heb. 6:11,12...., Paul commends the Hebrews for their love and ministry to other believes  -  and urges  them to seek with the same zeal.. the full ASSURANCE and DEVELOPMENT of ..their hope!   He urges them to do this...so that they would not become spiritually lazy when it came to inheriting the promises of God.  It was by...developing their hope...they would be able to behave like those who, THROUGH FAITH and PATIENCE..were with a readiness......receiving ...the fulfillment of God's promises in their lives.

HOPE  springs.....(origins)

     From WHERE does HOPE spring ..?   WHERE is  one to derive  his LEVEL OF  EXPECTANCY...?  Let us take into consideration, beloved, ...2 worlds..as "hope sources",..their differences...their origins.

     2  Worlds:   The natural world..and

   the Spiritual World. 

The NATURAL World:  In the natural world...a person's expectancy level is BASED UPON.....their  thoughts, their emotions (feelings), what they see..and what they hear. Again...the natural world the FOUNDATION of "hope" is based upon: THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, HEARING...AND VISION..and that not relational to the authority of the Word of God.

The SPIRITUAL World:  In the spiritual world, however....and to the born-again believer...our expectancy level is not BASED UPON what we think, see, feel...or hear.  In order to operate from the Spirit dimension...and in the Kingdom of God, we have to break out of  the NATURAL.."world"..and set our sights..and our affections (set your MINDS and keep them set)..on those THINGS ABOVE (the higher things) ...and not on these things below.  " (Col. 3:2)  

WHY is that...?  It's because..as far as THIS world is concerned..you have died,..and your NEW...real life...is hidden with Christ...in God. (Col. 3:3)  It is FROM HERE, beloved...that our hope...springs..(eternal).  God wants us to have our level of expectancy BASED UPON  the ONLY thing in this life that is 100 percent accurate  -  that never changes  -  that has never failed, nor will ever fail...the written and Living Word!!  NOW...IN Christ, our  thoughts..are to line up and be in agreement with the thoughts of God (and we find God's thoughts in His Word!),..now..we have to see differently, and that ..by the Spirit's "point of VIEW"  - a God perspective...as it pertains to any  topic (God - perspective  =  simply, ...God's  point of view.  How HE sees...(as a CENTER "point" of reference) on any given topic,..or situation.  God's perspective..IS the "Spirit's panoramic".  It is Divine Optical...., God's heart.  When WE have and hold within us God' perspective on anything,...what have...is a parallel view..of Divine..Vision (it's IDENTICAL, and conforming picture operating in us).  When we see like God sees, then we will relate..in our lives according to the measure of the Spirit, and HIS "point of view".   Everything..in our LIFE..must then.. "mirror"..the Heavenly view...and all things must be relational...in context..in agreement and in accordance with..to good, the perfect...the acceptable WILL..of God.!  IN Christ, my friends, OUR "center"..is God, and the center point of reference that I speak of ..IS...the Word of God.  So...EVERYTHING in the believers life..now must be "measured" (the relative/ or, relational DISTANCE)..from the Word of God, what GOD says,..HOW GOD "sees" it...etc.  IN Christ..we are to TELL ourselves...what to think..what to "feel"  -  but listen, even if we DON'T "feel" it....we are not WALKING by our emotions (though we have them)..but ..by THE WORD OF GOD!  Amen.  From HERE....do we BASE......our  HOPE!!.   AND, ..our  hope....springs....eternal...!.!!

     Beloved,..Faith and Hope..work together:  "what is faith?  It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen.  It is the certainty that what we HOPE for....is waiting for us, even though (did you catch that...? 

Even though)...WE  CANNOT  SEE  IT  UP  AHEAD"  (Heb.11:1,  TAB).

      I find that an awesome interpretation of that scripture, when dealing with today's topic!  HOPE....helps you to focus  your spiritual eyes upon the needs in your life with a sense of expectancy.  FAITH believes .that what hope has enabled you to see.....will come to pass!  The Word "HOPE"..is often equated with "wishing" for something.  But HOPE is much more   than wishing.  It is a powerful FORCE.......God has placed within us.  The Greek word for "HOPE" is elpis, which means...the happy anticipation (or expectation)....of good.  (!!!!)

     . 

  Myopic Vision...

          Soul Seizure...................                                  

                            Soul Seizure...............              

                         

  "It's sad to have eyes that see......and have no VISION". 

     A very disconcerting statement....yes?  YES.  Let's look a bit...closer. WHAT..is Myopia...? (glad...you asked.....)

      MYOPIA....myopia, ..my friend..has to do with the EYE  -  which is an organ..of sight.   MYOPIA...is an abnormal condition of the eye.. in  which only objects...CLOSE to the eye produce distinct images..because parallel rays of light are brought to a focus before they reach the retina.  In short,  it is what we call..."near-sightedness",...or "short-sightedness".  It's a not being able to see far, or ..seeing distinctly at a short distance...only.  It's what happens..when we limit ourselves by only viewing ..things, situations......by their natural  ability to produce or effect.  Ever been  there?  I certainly have!!  And if you tell the truth..so have you.  Yes......  Myopic vision..is..An inability...to see afar off..and at a distance.   A lack of foresight and discernment. The need of discernment;  a narrow view of something..(in the negative sense).  Myopia..can be a result (spiritually speaking)..of  OPERATING within the confines of  limiting circumstances!  Naturally,..situational hinderances, or challenges..that speak against...rendering one with a narrowness..of viewpoint.  "Can't see the forest for the trees", so to speak.  In short,  "Don't let your INabilities...keep you from  your ABILITIES."  Now..THAT's a mouthful!!  A POWERFUL...powerful statement...in fact.  (!!!)  Amen.  Let's rehearse that particular  statement for  awhile...selah (pause..and THINK on that!!).  WHAT..do we DO...when the only picture we have, beloved..is one grounded in inability...and hopelessness?  What we DO..is look to God, and .....take a NEW picture!!  We'll take a new picture..and let  FAITH  (with corresponding actions)  be the projector!!  What does God.... LOOK like?  He is my SUFFICIENCY!  He's my health, and my joy...He's my way-maker..AND my Redeemer!!..etc. (YOU add to this.., it's a sweet...and powerful...meditation)  What things are impossible with man...are POSSIBLE with God.  With GOD..all things are POSSIBLE.  THAT'S..what He looks  like..!   Take..a NEW picture..!  And allow THAT "image"..to be your faith....projected!!  Amen.  This..will uncap your vision...and stretch your vision...so it will to be identcal to God's.

     WHAT is "Soul Seizure".  Soul seizure...is not exactly the same thing as "myopia",. but BOTH..need a correction of VISION.  Soul Seizure...is simply being brought into FEAR...by  the sight of YOUR eyes...and the hearing of YOUR ears...., literally...what it FEELS like...,LOOKS like...SEEMS  like.  Soul seizure..is what happens when we are "CAPTURED"..and held captive by our 5-senses (natural sight, hearing,  feeling,  taste..and smell).  Soul Seizure is what happens when we operate in "the flesh mind"...as opposed to walking in the Spirit, and applying the MIND of the Spirit of God..concerning anything. Walking in the Word of God,....will CORRECT and recover us from soul seizure. 

                        "Walking by FAITH..

                                             and not by sight.....!! "

     Look at Job, in Job 23:8,9.  My friend..there will be TIMES..along the course of  the journey..when we will pray..and LOOK for God, and "see" Him not, in the natural.   We..like Job here..may be saying..."Behold,  I go  FORWARD (and to the east), but He is not there; I go.. backward (and to the west),......but I cannot PERCEIVE

......Him."  How many of you know that in times like these...our natural mind has a tendency to "kick in",...and it would seem with slight prompting.. we have  shifted.. from expectant prayer....into a full fledged SOUL SEIZURE...?!!..!  (for example) The BILL..is due..!  And we don't know HOW God is going to "come through".  We tithed..gave our offerings..did all we know to do..and still..."can't SEE the sufficiency"  -  WHERE..is  God???  ...And therein  lies the problem.  WE changed our VIEW.  Now..no longer SEEING Him as Jehovah Jireh, our Provider.....but...as an "invisible" God.  Faith's VISION...is seeing afar off...SEEING Him as Jehovah Jireh..even when we can't "see" Him working in the natural.  He's STILL..your Jehovah Jireh, HE changed ot..!  Wasn't any SHADOW of turning with Him...  He did no "disappearing act"....    No, we freaked out, and collapsed into a panic, and "soul....seizured" Him, right outta sight..!  Yes?  YES.   I CHOOSE..my "view".   We are to "TRUST God....even when you can't "see" Him."  PERIOD.  (Can you say...period..?)  If God said He'd supply, because HE is your Provider ..then don't change your vision...but like Job say.."But HE KNOWS the way that I take.  My foot...has held fast  to His steps; His ways have I kept  and not  turned aside.  I have not gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed and treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food,..AND WHEN HE HAS TRIED me,....I shall come forth..as gold."  When you've done all you know...(and God has not shown you any other  thing  to do)  then see afar off..by the vision of His faithfulness.  GOD...is not a man taht He should lie  - if He said it, HE will do it  -  if He SPOKE that  thing...my friend, HE.....will MAKE it  good!!    Be encouraged today, beloved!  "For WE walk by FAITH..we regulate our lives..and conduct ourselves by our conviction and belief respecting man's relationship to GOD...and divine..things, with  trust..and holy fervor;  THUS..we walk not by sight...or appearance"  (2 Corinthians 5:7 Amplfd.)

     Myopia and "soul seizure" often walk together, as when we have in our lives a "myopic circumstance"...(or a situation...in which we can SEE no way out..no healthy solution...no substantial "REACH" that can be achieved)  often one will give way to SOUL SEIZURE.  Soul seizure...is like a dam..that dams up our perceptions.  It is a VIEW that is focused on our "inabilities".  This..clogs us,...chokes us, a spiritual constipation, if you will.  Yes.   But there is deliverance for those of us..who have been so seized.  There IS a Spirit (of God) panoramic..that will LOOSE us..from our chains of debilitaing fear, .a result of a lack of vision..a lack wisdom.. and general lack of discernment.  Soul seizure LOCKS you up!  The Spirit's panaramic..will prepare the way, and LOOSE you into the blessing!  Come with me, beloved..there's more, let's look at that...yet closer.

 Two instances of Myopic Circumstance            

  coupled with  The Spirit's Panoramic..

  (heavenly  retrieval (rescue) ..ways....and means:)

Jacob  -  operated on a "God-inspired" idea  that he used as a natural plan to bring to pass his dream.  He practically moved in vision principle..to DO what he needed to do, to bring about and actualize his personal increase.   Jacob..utilized..the MIRROR  PRINCIPLE.

Abraham  -  had naturally limiting and debilitating circumstance that NO matter of human intervention could have changed.  It simply was  no "way"..humanly possible..to see the thing God spoke into his life, come to pass.    Abraham simply  yielded his heart..perceptions to a Word he heard from God concerning his life, and thereby that perception..became a PREception, even...FAITH'S mirror.  Abraham operated in  a  precocious viewing (prophetic in nature)...and he utilized....the MIRROR PRINCIPLE. 

     Upon close inspection of these two Bible characters, we see that BOTH  of  these men...used vision  principle.  Let's look first at....Jacob.

     Go with me..to Genesis 30:25-43 (you can read it for yourself);  Here we see Jacob and his uncle Laban.  Family...., Jacob has come to a time when he desires to take his wives and children..(for whom he labored and payed for  10 times over..due to Laban's deceitful dealings with Jacob)..and GO to his own  land and country.  Now..Laban didn't want Jacob to leave..and said to Jacob..that he KNEW that the favor of God was with Jacob.  Laban was experiencing FAVOR..because of Jacob's presence, and so..he asked Jacob to NOT go..but instead..."STATE your salary".  Jacob reminds Laban..of all his service to him..and how that all his possessions,..his cattle and sheep..and goats..had fared..with him .  Jacob..Reminds Laban..that he  had LITTLE before he come..and it had increased..and multiplied ..abundantly..!  Again....Laban asks Jacob.."What..shall I GIVE you"?  Jacob told his uncle Laban..that he didn't want him to GIVE him anything....but if he agreed to a little business proposition.....then he would again...feed and take care of  his (Laban's) flock.  So...upon a bit of business savvy..and verbal exchange, we see Laban agreeing to allow Jacob to pass through all of Laban's flock..and  remove from it every speckled and spotted animal.....and every black one among the sheep, ..and the spotted and speckled..among the goats; ..and they  agreed..THIS would be Jacob's wages, and he'd again feed and take care of Laban's flock.  Jacob and Laban also SETTLE it, ..that later on when the matter of Jacob's wages is brought before Laban...that Jacob's fair dealing would be evident, and answer for Jacob.  And every  one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the sheep, if found  with Jacob..would be counted..as stolen.  And to this, Laban..agreed.  But (listen)...Laban..thinking himself  to be once more deceitful and sneaky...REMOVED the he-goats that were streaked and spotted, and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, also every one that had white on it,...and every black lamb, and put THEM..in charge of his sons (!!)  -  then he set a distance of three days journey between himself and Jacob...whereby Jacob was then left in care of the rest....of Laban's flock.  (Jacob..my friend..is left in care of  the REST.. of the flock.  WAS this wise of Laban?  JACOB..had the favor of GOD upon his life!..!!)

      NOW.....the juicey part of the story (!!!)  GOD, ......gives Jacob...a shrewed...God-inspired IDEA!  Does it say  GOD gave him the idea?  No..., but it HAD to be God!  For it was...A SHREWD wisdom (!!)..that would cause Jacob to come away from this thing..with superior increase.  Now, understand ..Jacob...was a trickster himself..!  His very name meant "a supplanter"..as he at his birth..grabbed the heal of his older twin brother, Esau's ...heel (Gen. 25:26), as well as take ahold of his brother, Esau's (Esau was  the 1st born of the twins, the lst born son..and therefore had the "birthright) birthright (gen. 23:29-34)  JACOB ...was a very interesting character.  All this is to say...my friend, that  not ONLY did Laban have this..as a personality trait,..but so did...Jacob!    But God had plans for Jacob,  -  a GOD-destiny which later on..changed his name from "supplanter"..TO..Israel, meaning "Prince ..with God".  It was indeed a FACT..that the FAVOR of God..was guarding.....his life (for so..even Laban had noted, and for SELF-serving reasons..did not WANT Jacob to leave..and take all that FAVOR with him!!) .   BOTH  Laban and Jacob,...tricksters...but God gave Jacob....the upper hand.  Let's see how so,  and what..Jacob....DID. 

     In verse..37, we see this shrewd wisdom...acted out!  It says..."But Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees and peeled white streaks on them, exposing the white...in the rods.  THEN...he set  the  rods   which he had peeled IN FRONT OF THE WATERING TROUGHS where the flocks came to drink.  ....AND..since they BRED (uh..uh..uh..!!) AND...CONCEIVED when they came to drink, the FLOCKS..bred and conceived IN THE SIGHT OF THE RODS...(and listen..!!!!) ....AND BROUGHT FORTH LAMBS...AND KIDS....STREAKED, ...SPECKLED,..AND SPOTTED!!  (Now..that's not all, listen...!)   Jacob...separated the lambs;  and as he had done with the peeled rods.....he also set the faces of the FLOCKS..toward...THE STREAKED;  ...and all the dark in the NEW flock of LABAN;    and he put his OWN droves by themselves,........and did not let them BREED  with Laban's flock.  And whenever the STRONGER animals were breeding, Jacob laid the rods in the watering troughs before the EYES.....of the flock, that they might BREED and CONCEIVE....among the rods. 

     But....when the sheep and goats were feeble , he OMITTED putting rods there (shrewd..!);  so the feebler animals were LABAN'S

                                             ........ and the stronger..JACOB'S!!!  

     (listen to how the chapter ended.)   THUS (oh!..my God!!)......JACOB INCREASED and became exceedingly rich, and had many sheep and goats and maidservants,  menservants, camels, and donkeys."  

     What we see here...is a naturally limited situation...beloved!  Laban..tried to turn the tables on Jacob...ONCE MORE  (!!), and place before Jacob's eyes...a "myopic circumstance" by going ahead of Jacob..and removing all the he-goats and she-goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it..and every black lamb..putting them in charge of his sons. It would SEEM..that Jacob would just have to count his loses...and go on...but  GOD..!!  GOD...allows Jacob...a shrewd business savvy.  In the natural...the "picture" didn't LOOK good for Jacob..for all his trouble..a con artist for an uncle, attempting to place OBSTACLES in Jacob's path.  The picture....was not a good one.  So...WHAT...do we do...when we don't LIKE the picture..?  Beloved...we seek the Lord, search out His Word..His wisdom....and just LIKE Jacob  - TAKE A NEW..picture!! 

     What happens when we "take a picture"?  I.E...what is the process where one can manipulate a photographic device..and end up with that image...imprinted upon a surface?   the camera box (the older versions), which holds and protects the sensitive film from all light except that entering through the lens (we'll equate this with the lens of OUR eyes).  LIGHT..is refracted off of the lens..which FOCUSES the LIGHT RAYS from the subject onto the film...creating THE IMAGE.  And then..there's the viewing system...which operates by means of...A MIRROR.   Then ....cast upon a negative, the film when DEVELOPED..will render an exact replication..of the VIEW..."caught"!  WHAT are you PREGNANT with today? 

     God inspired Jacob..to take the poplar branches...etc.. He gave him a WAY..to see his increase come to pass.  By witty invention..did Jacob...see his INCREASE.  Let's look into the MIRROR PRINCIPLE

...as we meditate on a camera..and the WAY it works...i.e...it's use of A MIRROR as a viewing system...so that when that film is developed...it ..renders an EXACT replication..of the VIEW.."caught".  Let's...go THERE.

    Take a PICTURE...

     I think of.... the mind..as a TV screen.  Many things come across the screen of our "eyes"..but it is we, ourselves..who will determine what we will allow oursleves to FOCUS...upon.  Like  a camera..the mind will take a PICTURE (an image)...and DEVELOP..whatever that image is.  That is why it is important to "SET our affectons  on (to direct one's mind,  to seek, to strive for..be of  the SAME mind as those)...things above..and not on things of the earth." (Col. 3:2)..and allow.. the mind of Christ to be in us. 

     Beloved,...it's at the POINT of our focus...that CONCEPTION is likely to take place.  What we continually  FOCUS  our  thoughts..energies..emotions..etc..upon.....will  be  where  we   are  having "intercourse"  or..ENTERcourse...(a  mingling  with,  communion....intimacy.., transmission,  reception). Whatever we FOCUS on the most..will be what is multiplying... in us.  What you focus upon..will EXPAND, BECAUSE..thought..is a FORCE, and a manifestation of energy;  -  Not only is thought a FORCE and a manifestation of energy,..but THOUGHTS... are "things",  -  that's why..adultery can take place in your THOUGHTS...!   THOUGHT, my friend..has magnet-like power of attraction.  When we THINK...we are sending vibrations.  Our thoughts not only SEND out a vibration, but they have drawing power as well, as we see with Jacob..and his speckled and spotted kine.  Like...attracts LIKE;  Now..with that said and expounded upon...let's understand this (you have to hear with ears of the Spirit to catch this)....,I meet no one but me.  (expounded)   We create....our own environment..by the thoughts that we choose to think upon and have intercourse with,  in this sense..I meet no one..but me.   So then..we can draw from that..that we can  CONTROL our enviroment (self-control, and sober-mindedness), *i.e. our INNER enviorment.  The next time we are depressed...about things within or outside our natural control..and shifted into a soul seizure..we need to STOP RIGHT THERE  - and arrest ourselves  (!!)..and ASK ourselves

..who, ..or what.....have we been intercoursing with!  SO..true..  You see, BECAUSE 

THE LAW OF RETURN..states that everything bends back upon itself..in this sense.."as a man thinks in his heart, so IS he" (Psa. 23:7a), his hearts thoughts  BEND back upon himself, thus identifying him  -  beloved, I meet no one....but me.  YOU..

meet no one..but you too.  THAT is why...we must draw from the Spirit of God in us..and from there..derive our HOPE..and our power....our mindsets.  That is WHY..our " (inner) 

environment” needs to BE...the  environment ( and GOVERNMENT) of GOD.    This is a life principle,  I speak of.   Our FOCUS..will determine what's getting us PREGNANT (!!!)  And it will also explain  some of those results we are having,  because..THOUGHTS

..reproduce..after their own kind....   The thoughts..that we continually  FOCUS upon..will bear it's image..in  reproduction..  One can be impregnated ..with the Negative....AS WELL AS ..the Positive.  One can have FAITH...in anything..!  

It's wherever we are FOCUSED..that will determined what we will be developed...IN us..and MIRRORED ..onto the surface of our perceptions..and then reproduced..OUT of us, ...our lives...our ventures...our...EXPECTATIONS.    Don't like the way your baby looks...?  Ask yourself..WHO.(!)......your baby's daddy.....(smile, saint) !..!!   You got "pregnant"..with SOMETHING!  In essence, ..The mirror principle reveals that whatever is going on around us..is a reflection of what is in us...   YES..beloved, Christ is IN you and I...but wherever there is not ONENESS with HIM..and the ways and thoughts of God...there is what I call "otherness"...and if not cautious and exercising a sound and sober Christ mind....we can FOCUS on  "otherness" instead of...Christ Jesus..and CONCEIVE..along those lines. 

     Here's another revelation:....CAUSE your situation....to MATCH (or line up with)  your..revelation!!  Again...the MIRROR principle reveals that whatever is going on around us..is a reflection of what's going on IN...us.  This is stressing the need to not identify your situation..by it's circumstances...but SPEAK THE WORD...only,..and cause that situation to line with your revelation of the Word..of God!  Amen.  Not conforming to the situation, but causing the situation to CONFORM to the heavenly "image"! 

     Once more,...I meet no one...but me.  We want to make sure, beloved... that the ME we "meet"..is the ME rooted and grounded IN..Christ Jesus and the WORD of God!  SO THAT.."all of us ("me's"..and us's)..as with.. UNVEILED FACE, ...because we continued to BEHOLD in the Word of GOD..as in a mirror THE Glory OF THE LORD,  are constantly being transfigured into His very OWN image......in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory ...to another;  for THIS come from the LORD.. Who is...the SPIRIT".  

     Setting........ADJUSTMENTS...and leveling OUR expectations  according to the Spirit of God and His Word!  LET..it be ALLLLLL...about GOD!  NOW..CHRIST..is that "vision", and now..having a VISION..that is able to DO (effect!!) MORE THAN we (in ourselves) could every ask or think., dream...HOPE.. desire OR pray for...according to the working of His power WITHIN US...is able..to carry out His purposes and according to His POWER which is WORKING...in us  (AGAIN, HIS power, and the power of The WORD of God is that HOPE..that is IN us..that we are basing our expectations on).  Let us now SEE...like God sees, i.e. the SPIRIT'S panoramic,  it's deliverance..from myopic circumstance.  As for Jacob..and his speckled and spotted kine....it was the MIRROR PRINCIPLE..that was employed..to override his situation.  The image we want to be CONFORMED to...is the glory of the LORD...that is why we must continue to behold HIM (persevere...by way of BEHOLDING....Him!).  Which leads me to speak to you about...TUNNEL Vision.

     What do I mean by "TUNNEL Vision"..?  "Tunnel Vision" my friend,  can  be either POSITIVE..or NEGATIVE, depending on the FOCAL  POINT.  (Listening...?)    In the NEGATIVE...that expression "tunnel vision"...speaks about a person who is by far..narrow-minded.  He's a person who lacks depth  of view.. or sympathy.  Usually, such a one is intolerant..and prejudiced...bigoted.

     Now...on the POSITIVE  side of "Tunnel Vision", let's look again..at Jacob...and his plan,..his utilization of vision principle.  WHAT Jacob did  by placing those fresh rods (branches) with the bark peeled away..so that  the branches would appear streaked (the white exposed)..and then  placing them in that watering trough...where the animals came to drink..AND BREED..and......CONCEIVE was CAUSE the animals to operate in tunnel vision.  They saw nothing but the branches while breeding.  Their VISION..was constricted..to a focalized POINT..of VIEW....and there....they conceived.  (Oh...!  I tell you, this..is rich!!)  While they were breeding...their  VISION was consistently upon those branches.  These animals in Genesis 30...WHILE BREEDING...had their VISION focused on a single-minded  concentration,..on ONE..VIEW !!   There is an awesome..awesome power principle  connected to  "THIS...ONE..thing"..!   And the man or woman..who operates a constriction of  their visual field.....so DIRECTING their  fOCUS to the Word of God, their goals...their dreams...  -  thus resulting in a loss of PERIPHERAL view (distractions), this one will be successful in what he aims for.  Again, The Word of God says this,"AS a man thinketh in his heart, so is he"  (Psa. 23:7a).  You see, beloved...the thoughts you think consistently  BRINGS that kind of condition into being.  Let's look at this way..., a THOUGHT...is a seed.  The ground is not aware of the KIND  of seed that is planted in it,  it  simply takes the  seed..and germinates it..and it sprouts..and grows.  THAT is why..we need to garrison (guard)  our  thought life  -  HARNESS our  thoughts -  purposely FOCALIZE and direct our thoughts..to line up with the Word of God.  

     And here is the principle of TUNNEL VISION..GOD's way  -  "The LIGHT of the body is THE EYE;  therefore when your EYE is single , your whole body is full of LIGHT,  when your EYE is evil...your body is also full of darkness"  (Luke 11:34).  A lamp..is likened to AN EYE,  the organ of SIGHT.  The EYE in this scriputure..refers to "the eyes of the MIND"..or.."the faculty of knowing". ..i.e.  the "eye"..or "the eyes of the MIND" shows the body which way to move..or  turn.  You see, when your EYE is single..or WHOLE,..without..DI-vision..or when it is unfettered by distractions of  various unsound sorts..and kinds you will be "well-lit", and  BRIGHT of character  -  composed of LIGHT.  But..if THE LIGHT IN US (i.e. in our LAMP/eye) is full of darkness (PRESSED..and harrassed by labours and care, ...then...that is as unwholesome..and lacks  spiritual soundness, rendering us..as diseased..or BLIND. (!!)  Tell me..how can we see afar off....BLIND?  That is WHY..we  must have our "lamps"..or eyes...FULL of  the Light of this glorious Gospel !!   

Now..understand...this is not MIND..OVER  MATTER  -  no, but SPIRIT…….over matter!! 

     NOT a glorification  of  THE MIND...but keeping in context with the WHOLE of this teaching,  we understand that WITHOUT a vision.......people  perish".  The EYES of our understanding, being enlightened to TRUTH (the TRUTH of God!)..and the spirit of our MIND..these are important  things.. to GOD!  Amen?  Amen!!  SO..says the Word of God.  Amen.  WE don't need to LOSE our minds...we need to learn to change our way of thinking (develop within us the CHRIST-mind, or..the MIND of Christ  -  holding within us the thoughts, feelings and purposes of GOD's heart, and we do it )  - by the washing of the water by the WORD..of God, and being LED by the Spirit of God.  ..For indeed...a MIND is a terrible thing to WASTE.  Amen.   God never meant  for us to be without....MIND.  We,  in order to SEE AFAR OFF...must think the thoughts of God...operate the Spirit's panoramic, and in the revelation of our redemption (!!)  -  for  the hope that we BASE our expectation off of...MUST be in accordance with the Word of God.  We DO need to LOSE...our minds... to take on the MIND of Christ, because you can't  PUT new wine..in OLD wine skins.  For something NEW to live..something OLD...has to die!  Now..we are NEW.. creatures.. OLD things..... yes...beloved.  The re ARE some things..we need to take off..in order to incorporate and  PUT ON...Christ.  Because God ways and thoughts..are NOT like ours ..but THEY are higher....than ours, GOD..shows us in the Word....VISION PRINCIPLES.

     Let's go on now...to Abraham. (Read, Romans 4::17-21)   Again..here we see a natural situation where there is opportunity  to VIEW within the confines......of natural restrictions,  or within the perameters of MYOPIC  vision.   His situation was indeed "limiting"...i.e. when looking through eyes of  FLESH..his potency eei8nghave indeed been...powerless!  He, ..an old man himself..and his Sarah..old..and passed the age for child-bearing .   What WOMB..would be able to carry..such a promise of NEW life..and the Divine vision..?  It was the womb prepared through FAITH's projection..and the persuasion..that GOD was faithful..Who had promised (Heb. 11:11  "For Sara herself received STRENGTH to conceive SEED...BECAUSE she counted Him faithful...Who promised!").  The Word says  Abraham....AGAINST hope (wasn't any natural "hope"..

beloved)...believed..IN HOPE!!!  NOT counting ..his age..or the barrenness of Sarah's womb.....but...the Word said...that Abraham ......"STAGGERED not...at the promise"..

even though there was no HUMAN way..possible..for that thing..to come to pass (for physically, he was as good as dead).  He simply..BELIEVED God!  The Word says.. that..he did not weaken  in faith when he considered the utter impotence of his own body, which was "as good as dead" because he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's deadened womb.  It says..that NO unbelief or distrust made him waver..or doubtingly question concerning  the PROMISE..of God!  He was FULLY satisfied and assured that GOD was able and might..to KEEP His word.....and do what HE had promised.  HOW.... did Abraham HOLD on to HOPE..and FAITH...?   Rom. 4:18 says,...'For Abraham,..HUMAN reason for hope..being gone,  (the man of God) hoped in faith..that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised , "so numberless shall your seed  be".  

      HOW...did he SEE..afar off...to the end, the fulfillemnt of that thing..beloved?  In verse 17..of Romans 4th chapter..it says.."As it is written, I have MADE YOU.....the father of many nations.  He was appointed our father (the father of FAITH)  in THE SIGHT OF GOD in Whom.....he believed, Who gives LIFE to the dead and speaks of  the non-existent things that He has foretold and promised..as if they ALREADY.....existed.  I declare unto you, beloved...that Abraham...SAW...like GOD saw.  When HE couldn't see afar off...he simply...BELIEVED in the VISION and  oath that GOD made to him..   He LEANED  the whole of his personality..on GOD..in confident trust.  You see.. myopia happens...when we can't see...afar off.   It happens when we have run out of NATURAL ways and means, and we are focused upon those limitations..and dead ends..  It happens ..when the arm of the flesh....fails,  and there is no END.......in view (quite literally).   But how many of you know, that OUR Father  God.. is not "myopic"?..!!?  No..HE sees all things...knows..ALL things..He IS "the way"..and the  truth!  OHHHHH...hallelujah!   What we do..when there is NO OTHER WAY.....is seek God for VISION,...then..we WRITE.......that vision, make it plain upon a tablet ("Hebrew Honey" says of this tablet...it is the tablet of our HEART..a smooth surface..that glitters and shines)...SO THAT that we can run (and  stretch forth OUT)..who reads it (this stressing that we are to be KEEPING heaven's VISION before our EYES..before our spiritual and mental faculties!  Remember the MIRROR principle!)...and THOUGH  IT TARRY (seems to be afar off)...the Bible says...

"WAIT on it"!  FOR IN THE END...it'll SPEAK..and lie not!!"  No, beloved..!  Because...though it "tarry", you've GOT to know with each passing moment, THAT thing..is steadily..hastening UNTO  manifestation!  It's much closer..than when you first began..in faith.  What's needed then..is FAITH'S expectation, and a KEEPING...the END..in view.   KEEP the "vision" before your EYES...so that your hope and your faith..won't fail.  And seeing like GOD sees,...having MASTERED vision ..calling those things that "be not",....as thought they (already) BE!  And...seeing..the END.....from the beginning...run...in living expectation!  Not running TO SEE what the end's gonna be (!!)..and merely  "looking.... forward", but with VISION, (praise God!)...LIVING forward!!  And now..."LOOKING..unto Jesus...(!!)..the Author and the Finsisher of our Faith..Who...FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM (HIS...vision..!!!)....endured the Cross...depising the shame...,and is set down on at the right hand of the throne of God"!!  (Heb. 12:2).  Even JESUS....had to set VISION before HIS eyes...! And His VISION..gave Him JOY!!.. BECAUSE.. He was LOOKING...afar off..at you, and at me..! Oh...I don't know about you..my friends,  but that....IMPLODES in me as POWER!!!  Hallelujah!!   You and I...can SEE...AFAR off today...beloved...because WE have "a revelation of HIS NAME"!! (Psa. 91:14)  -  We've SET..Him before us..!  Hallelujah!  Oh,..the doctor says you have terminal cancer..but, you can SEE afar off..you  SEE yourself... HEALED..!  You're keeping JESUS before your eyes!!  You know that BECAUSE He lives....YOU live also..!  In..and through..Him!!  You..don't have to VIEW...through YOUR natural limitations..but allow the Word God..to take the limits off of your situations..today!   Our HOPE..our confidence is renewed today...because "This is the confidence..that we have in Him, that, if we ASK anything... according to HIS will (and His WORD, His covenant IS...His will), HE   hears   us.  And if we KNOW that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him"  (1 John 5:14,15).  Only ..when we stand PRAYING...forgive.  Because, beloved.. UNFORGIVENESS

...will block the anointing in your life, and cause you to not be received by God.  So if you are holding on to unforgiveness today..beloved, just...LET IT GO!  Nothing..and no one..is worth coming between you and your God!  And that's a fact.   And when you present your petitions..before God..ask in FAITH..not wavering..or doubting...for without faith..we just can't PLEASE...Him (Heb. 11:6; Jame 1:5-8).

     What Abraham had in that Word from God concerning the child that was to be born to him and his wife...Sarah...was a PREception (to KNOW..or perceive BEFOREHAND) ...a precocious (preceding..prophetic..and blossoming before it's "appearance") viewing of a done and determined thing God was going to effect...in Abraham's future.  God took the lid off of that debilitating circumstance, and caused the man of God to SEE...AFAR OFF by way of the Spirit's PANORAMIC.  ...And this..is HOW..the Word of God operated in his life..throughout the story.  Oh,  there was a moment he and the wife missed it...thought they had to HELP God, and hurry along the process, hence..we have Ismael.  But..despite this, God brought to pass HIS Word to them..just the same.    HOW...did Abraham..in spite of his body, and that of his wife's...stay with the Word God spoke..no mater what?   I mean..it didn't happen  overnight...and they were ALREADY old.    It was by KEEPING..before his EYES.....the Word GOD spoke.  You see..my friends...to some..it may have sounded just plain crazy.    Like some..."POSITIVE thinking"....some...(like the world does) "Possibility thinking"....MIND...over matter.  But..let us break this thing down...my friend. 

     You've heard of "positive thinking".., and "possibility thinking"?   JESUS is...the greatest  "POSITIVE thinker"...or POSSIBILITY thinker"  there ever was!!  The world..on the other hand...practices "positive thinking"...BASED ON...the 5 senses...and sense and reason without the Holy Spirit,  (example)if the sun shined today...if the wind blew at a certain velocity...in a certain direction,..if the crickets sang last night...if the horoscope said, etc.  Outward oriented, and flesh.    JESUS'S "positive thinking"..and expectation of GOOD..was BASED upon what He heard His FATHER say!  The DIFFERENCE is THE FOUNDATION..for such a belief..in the expectation GOOD.  The world has a way of operating "expectation"......and so does GOD!!  You have to know the difference so that you don't mistaken the world's "way"...with the PRINCIPLE  of the Word of God.  WE...are not just..."positive thinkers"...trying to VISUALIZE a good outcome  -  NO!  WE ARE "Positive thinkers"..because we BASE our EXPECTATION....on the Word of GOD!!  There is...a difference here.  The same goes..with the VISION principle.  We aren't  trying to ..concoct..as some NEW AGE theory of visualization..no,..beloved...What we are doing is BASING our visualizations...in accordance with  the promises of God,..and covenant!  IT ALL...started with GOD.  What God did in Genesis 1st chapter, all started with His OWN..vision...and blueprint, and that  which He spoke into existence..was but a MIRROR reflection...of His  vision. The world's way...without Christ Jesus..has LOOKED for hope..and  something to build it's expectation upon.  They are searching...beloved..for LIFE, and a way...for good  END's..and peace.  That is why we, as the church..must give them JESUS!  Remember this...for everything that God does..Satan has a counterfeit.  Possibility  thinking....and positive thinking ...all  these...BEGAN with God!  Amen.  Abraham...had a VISION before his EYES...one,  that the Word of God said..caused him to  "AGAINST Hope...BELIEVED......in hope..."!!!  ABRAHAM..was pregnant...with the vision.   We are IMAGING..after the Spirit of God!  And the Word of God teaches us to do so.  Remember, we are not OPERATING off of..the 5 senses...but WE are operating by the Spirit and the Word of God!  So that...what we are "seeing"...afar off..is NOT a "mirage"..but a Vision..cast from the HEAVENLY - i.e. it's exact duplication.   NOT..an "illusion"..but a GOD-dream;.  Not some "concoction" but a heavenly projection,  the veritable essence and expression of the HEAVENLY...   NOT a phantom impression (or specter..ghost) somehow..."divinely"..caught  (as if, our way..was as the worlds ways of possibility thinking)  -  BUT FAITH'S mirror!  NOT improportioned to the heavenly view...but PARALLEL..with it..!!  Not devoid of the Spirit of God, but LIFE substance!  What we are VIEWING afar off..is FASHIONED NOT by human contrivance..OR whimsy, but by Divine design.  Not..wind.., hot-air and confusion...but the very breath of God (God breathed WORD of God).  NOT.."pipe-dreams"..and HIGH ideas (negatively speaking) ...but..the Spirit's panoramic  encapsulating a Divine reality, that can potentially be ours.  FAITH'S counterpart...and a parallel representation of   the Divine..  Not some "blind" front..or mirage,  some illusion...but,  SUBSTANCE of God!  It's not..a "theory"..but a LIVING PICTURE,  the spitting image and exact replica of the Heavenly.  It is the knowledge of God, and perception of the spiritual...released in us as PRECEPTION (PREception  =  to perceive..beforehand;  A promise from God, beloved.. is a PREpared place, and prayer that is prophetic, ...PREceives  -  it calls those things that be not as though they ALREADY were).  FAITH..is not a " guesstimate", no.. my friend ...but a heavenly persuasion...and evidence of  things not yet seen in the natural.  What ABRAHAM saw...and what forged  his HOPE..and faith...was EVIDENTLY..not something that his FLESH had cause him to think would be.  It was THE WORD of God..to him!  I imagine..he had to SPEAK to his FLESH!...THE VIEW...in accordance to the Spirit's declaration!  He had to speak  LIFE...to his limited circumstance, and to Sara's womb!   WHAT...Abraham "viewed"...was not borne on the flight  of some "fairy-tale", ..no..beloved, but it was relating to that which was INTERNAL,..the inner;  happening or arising, or located.. within, as opposed to that which is surface,.. OUTWARD.  It was HOPE.. springing from the internal mechanism (he..was PREGNANT!), -  the WORD..hidden in his HEART.  And so it is..with us...OUR hope is built within the intimate structure of the interior life of the Spirit within us...MIRRORING it's IMAGE upon our hearts and minds.... .  NOT the 5 natural senses, but the INNER sense..if you will...and the Mind and Heart of the Spirit of God.  HOPE...and a vision of a COMPLETED work..arising from the interior life..of the Holy Spirit within us...even  as  an "echo" (or.. representation of) the ORIGINAL image...of the heavenly  -  a God vista..(panoramic).  The Spirit of God...in our spirit..."MIRRORING" (as light or sound would..)  ..View (a photocopy, if you will).  A... parallel pattern (replica) of the Heavenly..conveyed in the heart and mind by the Divine EYE  -  it's living IMAGE.... revealed to our spirit. 

           I don't know about you today...beloved friends...of mine,..but I NEED the Word of God to be operative in my life..so that MY hope...can spring ETERNAL.  I need to be able to HAVE the Word of God  - His covenant in my heart, before my EYES..IN my mouth....so that when faced..with myopic circumstance..I can see afar off...by measure of the Spirit's panoramic.    The Word of God applied to my life,  to those things not YET seen in the natural...will be to me a precocious viewing...to replace  things..that are limited in the natural.  So that I can HOPE...against hope.  The Word of God..takes the limits off of ME..!  Because  IT...is not "limited"!!  The Word of God..TAKES me to new vista's,.. places..and reaches..that I could not take..myself,  it CAUSES  a correction to my  limited vision  -  it  takes me to NEW levels..and cause s me..to SEE...afar off.  He..enlarges...me, and my STEPS beneath me  -  He "guides me..with HIS eye" (Psa. 32:8).  Oh  Praise the Lord (!!!), He enlarges our borders...and sets us..in LARGE..spacious..place!  Are you rejoicing..with  me..?  I sure hope that you are!!

     Everyone of us, I believe...can probably look into our lives, and see a need to ..in some area..take a NEW picture..to replace the dead areas of non-productivity..infertility ..immobility (ever had a situation that just was't moving?)..and negativity.  Have  you.....a need today..of visual expansion..?  To incorporate and MIRROR into your life..the Spirit's panoramic?  Is there a "myopic circumstance"..that has had you over a barrel (so to speak)?  Have the odds seemed to be against you..and in the natural..there just hasn't seemed to be a "way"..?  What you are needing..is a transporting of your VIEW.  It's a God-vision..that will usher you into a new season..and a BRAND new day!!  Come..with me...and DARE to See....FARTHER...than you...can look.  Take a chance today my friend..and just BELIEVE God.  Jesus loves you so,...true, you are His most precious possession.  When  Jesus went to the cross..HE went.....because He SAW you and I....."afar off"...!   HEAVEN'S..setting the standard...and our HOPE is in our God.  Now, ....my beloved brethren,..as we continue  LOOKING unto Jesus..Who is the Author and the Finisher of our Faith...let us run our (appointed) race,... and with  patience and perseverance ..let us POSSESS...our souls  -  as by  BEHOLDING HIM ,... Who is invisible!! 

            Until we speak again.....

                  YOURS in Christ..and in His Agape,

                                                       

                        Minister Barbara Brownell Williams-Gore

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