Vision

Kopp Disclosure

(John 3:19-21)

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"Without vision, people perish."

Solomon

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"You can't handle the truth!"

Colonel Jessup

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"People have ears but don't hear.  People have eyes but don't see."

Word

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"You close your eyes!"

Jesus Christ Superstar

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    My favorite Psalm is 91.

    I'll never forget trying to explain it to Brother Daniel - a Trappist monk at Assumption Abbey in Ava, Missouri.

    That was about 30 years ago.

    Brother Daniel had an 8th grade education; so I thought I would enlighten him on Psalm 91 when I saw his Bible opened to it while packaging incense.

    As I spoke, I could see he was thoroughly underwhelmed by my exposition.

    So I asked what it means; and as he spoke, it seemed as if the heavens were being opened and I felt warm, calm, and fed.

    After some deep breaths, I asked how he knew so much more about it than I did; considering my many degrees and his relative, uh, ignorance.

    He answered simply with a smile, "I asked God what it means."

    Whoa.

    I learned there are some people, like me, who separate themselves from God by degrees and there are some people who are humble enough to hear and see Him.

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    Parenthetically, years later, Brother Daniel left the monastery.

    He fell in love with a dental hygienist

    It happens.

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    Another conversation comes to mind.

    I asked, "You seem to see so much."

    He said, "It's a blessing and curse.  I see through people to who they really are.  I see where they've been, are, and will be.  It's a burden."

    I asked, "Can you be a little more specific?"

    He said, "I see good hearts - hearts for Jesus - and I see hearts still filled with Adam, Eve, and the serpent."

    My questioning was done.

    His answering was not: "The only hope is hearts being filled so much with Jesus that there's less room left for Adam, Eve, and the serpent."

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    People really don't want to see or hear the truth about themselves...or their families...or their churches...or their schools...or their countries....or their...

    They don't really want to see the need for more Jesus in their hearts or hear they need more Jesus in their hearts.

    That's why their families and churches and schools and countries and they are so...

    That's why Solomon said...

    That's why Colonel Jessup said...

    That's why the Word said...

    That's why Jesus Christ Superstar said...

    That's why Jesus promised, "The truth will set you free!"

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Blessings and Love!

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