“VISION” is a catchword in ministry circles. It’s a good word, one that Webster defines as

Thomas O. Chisholm, born in 1866, certainly had his share of disappointments in life. He aspired to be a preacher but had to resign after one year of ministry due to poor health. He wrote poetry but various Christian magazines continually rejected his work

The story is told that one day Augustine was walking along the seashore when he saw a little boy digging a trench in the sand. When asked why he was doing this, the boy replied, “I’m going to empty the sea into my trench.”

In John Bunyan’s classic book, Pilgrim’s Progress, we are introduced to the pilgrim, whose name is Christian, on his quest for the celestial city. Do you know what Christian’s original name was?

Anger often stems from deep frustrations or unmet expectations. These feelings can lead to resentment and bitterness.

People say they are not looking for heaven on earth. People say that they know everything is flawed on earth.

R. Kent Hughes, former Pastor of College Church in Wheaton, IL, relates the “experience of a certain young bachelor”:

If you’re like at some point you have felt a sense of homesickness. We all long for something that is permanent, known, and comfortable. We long to be home. But this world isn’t it.

I love golf and have, literally, my entire life. I can’t remember the first time I ever played because I was so young. It was something I did with my dad and both of my grandfathers before they went home to be with the Lord.

Recently I was reminded of how important it is to think about to whom it is that we pray. Giving glory to God in the form of praise sets the tone of how we pray.