Focus: Envisioning The Word

Text: Ps.119:18

"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."

The two most essential things you need when reading the word of God are ears and eyes. You need anointing for spiritual vision and divine touch for spiritual attentiveness. The reason is because the Bible is not an ordinary book. It is not a book you read for the purpose of gathering information or piling up knowledge in your head. 

The Hebrews call the Bible MIQRA, and it is for a cogent reason. 'Miqra' derives from a verb, 'qara', and it means to call and also to meet. In Gen.1:5, we read, "And God CALLED the light Day…" The word 'called' is qara. In the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve "heard the VOICE of the LORD God walking…" Miqra means convocation. It is about the people coming together to hear the voice of their God. 

The purpose of reading the Bible is to hear the voice of God calling you to join Him in a walk. It is hearing and heeding the voice or call of God and joining Him in a spiritual adventure.

You read the Bible to hear the word of God, and that means that God speaks. To hear the voice of God you need ears - spiritual ears, and ears that are wide open and attentive.

In 1Sam.9:15, we read, "Now the LORD had told Samuel in his EAR…" In verse 27, Samuel says to Saul, "Stand thou still a while, that I may SHEW thee the WORD of God…" Did you get that? The word is meant to be heard, but Samuel says to Saul, "That I may shew thee the word of God." That means that the word of God cannot only be heard, but also, it can be seen. You need ears to hear and eyes to see the word of God. 

The next thing after you hear and see the word is taking action. In hearing and seeing the word God calls you to action and to a journey with Him. Until you hear and see, then it can be said you have read the Bible. In Isaiah 2:1, we read, "The WORD that Isaiah…SAW…" I pray you see the word of God! The word of God is meant to be envisioned. It is meant to capture the imagination and transform one's whole world and personality.

In John 1:1, we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Logos is here identified as God, and that means that when you encounter the word of God, you encounter God. In verse 14, we read, "And the Word became flesh… and we BEHELD…" The Word manifested Himself in the human flesh. In other words, the Word became visible and tangible. The Word could not only be heard, but also seen and touched. 

So we can see that the Word is more than audible; it is visible and tangible. John writes, "That which was from the beginning, which we have HEARD, which we have SEEN with our EYES, which we have LOOKED upon, and our HANDS have HANDLED, of the Word of life… we have SEEN it…and SHEW unto you… That which we have SEEN and HEARD declare we unto you…" (1Jh.1:1-3). This is a supernatural encounter in its purest form. 

O Lord, open our eyes to behold wonders from Your Word! Open our eyes to uncover marvelous treasures from the Scriptures! Speak in our ears and show us Your truth! Make us hear and see! You speak through Your Word. We want to hear Your voice calling us into a holy and awesome adventure with You. We want to hear and walk with You on this earth. We want to hear and see, meet and take a life-altering walk with You for the rest of our lives. We are sick and tired of just reading Your Word, but hearing and seeing nothing. We hold and draw our ears wide open for You to speak into them. Help us to see into Your heart and have an idea of what is on Your mind! Faith comes from hearing Your Word and power flows from seeing Your Word. Lord, give us preachers and teachers who will preach and teach Your Word in such a way that our ears begin to hear and our eyes begin to see, not preachers and teachers who only entertain our emotions, or who, at worst, preach and teach us to sleep! We need spiritual power on our pulpits, not professionalism, lifeless theologizing, nor psychological gimmick. We need truth in the inward man and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Grant us spiritual vision and the Spirit's illumination! Lord, help us all! Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter