When the Vision Begins to Become Reality

When your dreams start to take shape?

When all the hard work starts to pay off and you start to see real results?

What do you do when you begin to see the prayers answered, and God in on the move, and you sense His presence, and you see the works of His hands?

You do what Jacob did - you worship!

You stop right where you are and you worship the God who makes it all possible.

You thank Him! You celebrate Him! You magnify Him! You esteem Him and recognize His glory! You take a time from trying to make it all happen and you worship the One who made it all happen!

Jacob had spent his whole life chasing the dream of having a family, the fulfillment of the vision given to his father and grandfather to becoming a family of faith whose numbers would be like the sands on the shore and the stars in the sky.

Jacob spent years waiting for the wife of his dreams. He had seen his relationship with his brother restored after years of animosity and separation. He thought his beloved son, Joseph had died but Jacob lived long enough to see his son again and his sons as well. These sons would become part of the 12 tribes, the seeds that would become of the harvest of the vision of God. Jacob knew he would not live to see the vision complete but he was able to see the genesis of it all. He saw enough to know the rest would come in time.

He waited and watched and hoped and dreamed, and then he saw everything start to come together and it all hit him. This is it! God is faithful. He has accomplished what He said He would do.

So, he worshiped. He leaned on his staff and he worshiped the God who made it all possible. The vision still had years left to be finished but he saw by faith the answer to all he had been living for. God was working and restoring and creating and fulfilling... that was enough for Jacob. He had seen enough to see the end. So he worshiped.

This month we saw the beginning of the vision become reality. We moved into the Worship and Ministry Center that began as a dream born at an elders retreat 10 years ago and the fulfillment of a dream of a small group of people who launched out in faith 12 years ago to see God begin a church in a movie theater.

So what did we do? We worshiped. We praised God. We celebrated what He had done. We looked with faith toward the future, and we worshiped by faith for what God would do in changing lives and transforming a community and a city.

We worshiped together and we will continue to worship the God who brought it all together - step by step. By faith we worship Him because He still has amazing things ahead for us.

The vision continues. There is still much to be done. The vision is not fully fulfilled. There is still more to come:

• Plant Churches: Future church plants to be launched
• Equip Servant Leaders: Additional leaders to be discovered and trained 
• Assist the Poor: New programs and initiatives to help our community
• Care for the Sick: New ways to bring health and dental care to our community 
• Educate the Next Generation: A mentoring and tutoring program to help children in our community break the cycle of poverty and become all that God created them to be
  

But the dream is becoming reality - there is a worship center to introduce people to Jesus and the abundant life He offers. There is a food pantry, a clothes closet, a backpack ministry. There are rooms for our students and children to learn about our Father who loves them and the Savior who died for them and the Spirit who gives them life.

The vision is becoming a reality so we worship Him.

So what vision has He given to you? What dream has He birthed in your heart?

Is it a healthy marriage built on love and respect?

Is it a family that loves each other and God above all?

Is it a way to serve others?

A career that reflects how God created you and how you can impact the world?

Is it a life of joy despite the circumstances?

What dream are you living for?

Live it by faith, a trust that despite the years it may take to see it fulfilled, He will make it happen. He will see it fulfilled.

So don't give up. When you grow discouraged and tired, don't lose sight of the One who gave you the vision. Don't lose hope. Turn your eyes to Him and lean on something if you need to, and worship.

And then what do you do when you see it begin, even in a small way? YOU WORSHIP! You celebrate Him.  

He is worthy! He is Faithful to fulfill. He will accomplish all He said He would.

What do you do? You worship Him!