Quote from Forum Archives on August 29, 2005, 4:34 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

The transition to a new website has begun. It will take several months to
make this transition and during this time the old website will remain at the
current url www.theburningbush.org and the new website will be at the url
www.theburningbush.net. Both websites will remain active until the
transition is complete and new devotionals will be posted at the new and old
websites. All of the devotionals written during 2005 are available at the
new site. One of the new features is the ability to post your prayer
requests and praise reports automatically to the site.

The new website url is www.theburningbush.net

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The Burning Bush Devotional

1,621 New Subscribers since November 2004

08.29.05

Hope and Vision

(Originally sent 03.31.03)

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and
the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope. - 1 Timothy 1:1.

Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but
declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the
region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to
God, and do works befitting repentance. - Acts 26:18-20.

Retired military officers and planners have been stating over and over again
that "hope is not a plan." They say this in regard to the hope that large
numbers of enemy forces would surrender, mutiny, or fade away into the
desert (2003). They also say the same thing about the "hope" that Iraqi
civilians will rise up against the current Iraqi regime making an assault in
the streets of Baghdad, and Basra unnecessary. The phrase "hope is not a
plan" is apparently a favorite saying of military planners along with
"Imagination is not a strategy."

The apostle Paul prior to his encounter with the risen Christ was a rising
star among the Pharisees. He was "circumcised the eighth day, of the stock
of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the
law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the
righteousness which is in the law, blameless (Philippians 3:5-6)." Paul had
the very best of training that was available as he says, "I am indeed a Jew,
born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of
Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers' law, and was
zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death,
binding and delivering into prisons both men and women (Acts 22:3-4)."

The Pharisees had a plan for ridding their world of the plague of
Christianity. Their plan was to use their best man, Saul, to lead the attack
against those of the "Way." They would begin in Jerusalem and follow the
tentacles of this belief wherever it might lead. Their strategy was to use
their political power as cover for their ruthless and brutal attack, which
would include putting even women and children into prison and executions of
those who opposed them.

The plan and strategy of the Pharisees was working well. The Christians who
were vocal in their beliefs had been dispersed from Jerusalem and had spread
even to Damascus. Saul in carrying out the next step of the plan for
eradication of Christianity proceeded with following the believers to
Damascus. He fully intended to continue the Pharisee's strategy of brutality
to destroy all who believed in this Jesus called the Christ. There was only
one thing wrong with their plan and strategy. The more they persecuted the
Christians the further those of "the Way" spread.

For the Christian, "hope" is more than a plan - it is a way of life and
"vision" is more than a strategy - it is a driving force. Saul who became
the apostle Paul traded in his zeal of persecution and brutalization for
hope and vision. Paul through his personal encounter with the risen Christ
on the road to Damascus came to have "hope." With Paul's encounter of Jesus
came the realization and understanding that this world is not all that there
is and that Jesus represented the entire eternal world beyond the physical.
Hope of what was to come became Paul's way of life as he lived his life in
view of what were the eternal realities. The "heavenly vision" became the
driving force changing not only his life but the lives of countless others
as Paul preached, taught, and lived the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In order to truly live the Christian life we too must have "hope." We must
have our own encounter with the risen Christ (Romans 10:13; John 1:12;
Revelation 3:20; John 5:24; John 14:6) and when we do we will understand
with Paul that there is an eternal dimension to life. We will then
understand that there is so much more to life than what we can see with our
eyes. Our own "heavenly vision" will drive us forward in love and service to
our Lord.

Copyright © 2003-2005. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the
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website has been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email
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