Guarding The Vision

2009_06_200Why do people of vision attract opposition?

  1. Visions Demand Change
  2. Visions Are Incomplete
  3. Visions Attract Professional Critics
  4. Visions Offend The Enemy

How do we respond to opposition?

  1. Pray
  2. Stay The Course
  3. Adapt The Strategy

If you’re living for God’s vision, expect opposition.

24 Responses to “Guarding The Vision”

  1. Patrick Says:

    Thanks to Pastor M. and Henry Wanyoike, today’s service had a lot of meaning for me. Of late I have been going through very times, and I was on the verge of giving up. But today after listening to Henry Wanyoike and his triumph over blindness and achieving his vision, I was more than inspired and encouraged to hang in there and keep the hope burning. I now have a lot of hope in the future, and I know that God has major plans for me ahead. I look forward to the rest of the services this month for more inspiration and teachings. Thank you Pastor M and thank you Mavuno Church. May God continue blessing you more and more

    Like

  2. Ceiling jumper Says:

    Suffice to say, i ws movd tday, i saw how many of my dreams i gave up because i couldnt stand up to the ‘proffessional critics’ i saw how because i had nothing to live for my prayer life has been lacking…but more so i feel like God has been pointing to a specific area of my life, my relationship with my boyfriend, i must confess that av bn in that category of tryin to do the ryt thng n oh av been dumped, n at a certain point i was about to give up so i quit datin 4 a while…now i thnk am stronger but am still scared of setting those physical boundaries, how do i even bring it up without makin him feel like a predatorious monster, n will he be ok with that. Hmm, bt av learnt that nehemiah dint approach kina sanballat wen they wr dissin him chapter 4 v. 2-3, FIRST thng he did ws pray v.4, n thts wat i’ll do first, that God will show me wat to do, wat to say n if its His will He gives us joy, n if its not He gives me patience for the better option etc etc. Thnx 4 helpin to illuminate this old testament thng pastor M, n 4 motivatin us to trust in this BIG God we serve in everyday real life n circumstances big or small.

    Like

  3. gogetter Says:

    Hey all,
    great sermon as always but what blessed me most jana was the fact that there are new toilet paper dispensers in the ladies wash rooms Super duper! Makes all the difference and they look posh, thanks church

    Like

  4. This message was just phenomenal!!
    My greatest experience at Mavunon since i joined 2 months ago has been sitting down listening to God’s servants! Pastor M and the rest of the team are truely God’s messensger’s, and thank you for allowing God to use you to reach to us.
    I have never been more encouraged to a fulfil My vision!!

    Like

  5. Thank you Pastor M for blessing us week on week since May. I feel as though i have been climbing a rather long winded staircase with each and every sermon. Week 1 – 3 were just daunting and i felt as though i’d never get there but as we went on i started to get energised and although it was a bit hard for an activist like me, i have been re-ignited with every step. When Wanyoike talked of the marathon and said its tantamount to a disaster i felt him. I did run Lewa marathon 2 years ago without training and yes I clearly saw death on the 13th Km, this was a 21 km marathon, 8 Kms to go and i just had to do it – i suffered the consequences for another 6 months. I believe this is how we all act our lives. We do not want to prepare for greatness, when opportunities present themselves we are not equipped. Wanyoike still runs the marathon its still a challenge but he’s equipped to do it and he knows he can. Can we run our lives according to God’s will and let him equip and prepare us? We all want to live our purpose but we do not want to be refined. I have been totally challenged thru this sermon series to align myself with God’s will in my life. Today i was reading a book on parenting and Jacob’s example was given with the story on how he came to be renamed Israel – to the point of his hip being broken. I got it again God has to finish what he begun in us before we represent his greatness and live purposeful lives with a God given Vision. I am awed by the book of Nehemiah. I am so charged to bury my head in God’s word to understand and get to know and love him more and more. No one said it would be easy and when we read the bible its very clear, Look at Moses, Jesus, Isaac, Abraham, Paul and everyone else, I am humbled and i am waiting on the Lord as i serve him. He is a great and mighty God that we serve. I will wait upon him to reveal my purpose and i will continue to enjoy his teachings. As i wake up each morning my prayer is Teach me Oh Lord, Teach Me. I am the canvas you are the painter – whenever you’re ready paint the canvas. For now i am just a draft waiting for his hand to work on me. Some strokes will be hard, some strokes will be soft at the end of it all it will be a beautiful piece of work if i let Him work on it.

    Like

  6. The pastoral team nailed it yesterday …. “Nobody told me the road would be easy and I dont believe He’s brought me this far, to leave me” …. Pr. M crowned it by saying … “Stay the course” … “You will always win” … Need I say more?

    Like

  7. This is my 6th month in this lovely church mavuno and at first i just came to visit but wow,this is where i belong,i already signed up for mizizi coz i dont want to miss any event that goes on…..jana’s message was just supperb,thanks Pastor M for being a blessing in so many peoples lives…henry wanyoike is such an encouragement for those who give up so easily, know i know more than ever that God created us For greater things.
    when asked about what realy puts me off..unfaithfullness!!!!i honestly,its too much,my friend just broke up with her man recently and she told me to name any one guy i knew who was in an honest relationship…i couldnt….trying to get a solution to it…but definately must start by PRAYER!!!!!
    GOD bless Mavuno

    Like

  8. Paul Otieno Says:

    Challenges and opposition do exist and are a hinderance (persecution) but alleluia, we are assured that all these have been overcome by the lamb of God Jesus Christ. Pastor M and you team as well as Mavuno, don’t give up or despair. Jesus has overcome the world. May He bless you as you continue in the good work through His Grace and Mercy.

    Like

  9. Yesterday’s sermon was such an inspiration indeed.Henry Wanyoike caught my eye when he said lets stop looking at the issues we have as problems but as challenges.
    Another point that has been hard for me sometimes is ignoring the critics but jana i learnt i need to stay the course.
    God Bless You Pastor M n the rest of the team.

    Like

  10. The message was off the hook!! Pastor M u’ve been a blessing to me since i got saved 3 weeks ago. I have come to learn that I need to put God first and ensure my vision aligns with God’s Vision for doors to open…The donkey story u gave just showed me ow situations are not permanent and am always telling myself ‘it will come to pass’. Not forgetting Henry’s testimony…it brought tears of joy to my eyes and saw that in all situations, il pray to God so us I may find what he wants me to learn or achieve through that as HIS plan is to always take me to a higher level.

    May God bless you and all Mavuno members and his favour never depart from mavuno family.

    Like

  11. Wow,
    The Sermon on Sunday was SO needed in my life at the moment. I am in the middle of serious spiritual warfare. Never thought I needed a word of encouragement until I heard it from Pastor M’s lips. I am totally grateful.

    Something else I picked from this Sunday was the huge shortage of blood supply in our blood bank. I did some research and stumbled onto some facts:
    1. The country needs over 200 000 units of blood every year, the total collection gets to about 120 000 yearly

    2. About 60% of the blood donated goes to women and children

    3. Kenyatta National Hospital utilizes between 102 -110 units of blood daily .

    Its a scary thought that it could get to a point where, in order to have surgery, you will need to gather up family, and people to come donate blood for you to be able to have the surgery done. Sad thing is, it already has.

    I feel we should all participate in the blood drive on Sunday at church because:
    1. The country really needs our blood.
    2. Sunday, June 14th is ‘ World Blood Donation Day’

    As Pastor Molly said, if the church volunteers to donate blood, we can be able to provide that missing quota of 80 thousand units.

    I cant wait for Pastor M’s next sermon next Sunday and I cant wait to make a difference in someone’s life. Hope you all will Join me.

    Like

  12. Glory be to God.

    Pastor M, I do not think those were your words. I shared with a colleague/friend. I was of the opinion that God must have been whispering into your ears and all you did was to transmit whatever it was that He was saying, reporting verbatim!

    Yes, You got me. It was awesome and may the Lord our God be glorified and may He continue to use you in such a strong way. Do you guys, fellow mavunites feel me or am I floating in a cloud?

    Like

  13. Pr.Mureithi and the rest of the pastoral and staff team, you are doing a great job. This series is amazing. You may not realise what you are doing now but I believe that you are raising a great army of fearless leaders in this nation and Africa. God bless you

    Like

  14. Thanks for the wonderful work and great preparation for the sermon. If there is one thing i would pick from mavuno its the excelence and high standard of everything we do!!

    This was a word in time for me. I have been in a project that i have seen experienced and walked with God. The last two weeks have been so difficult until i started asking my hubby, could we have mistaken Gods word, and jumped into our own things.
    After Sunday, i’m all renewed, and once again, God has opened doors that i thought were closed.

    What struk me most is” If we are on Gods vision, Winning is guaranteed, the how and when is what we dont know-Change strategy, do things God’s way not my way”..
    You guessed right, im smiling as i type this…got the lesson!!!!..It has to be God’s way, so that He alone recieves all the glory for the victory..
    God bless you servants of God. Its such an honour to have Kingdom workers like you in our midst.

    Like

  15. I THANK God for the blessing this church has been in my life.

    Thanks Pastor M for this series. Your sunday sermon became very relevant this week in my life. I have a vision for my family and your sermon explained why it has been happening lately. I only recently gave my life to christ and have only began living a God controlled life. However the devil has been trying to use one of the members of my family to hold us back. (Your mention of the role of a black sheep hit home). Your sermon opened my eyes to this and I have refused the devil to take what is God’s (our family unit). Today I told the devil to step aside and watch me focus on working on God’s strategy in my life.

    Thanks be to God for the work he is doing through you Pastor M. God bless you eternally!

    Like

  16. Gideon's Torch Peep Says:

    Hey I hope all the guys are syked for GT kesho morning, sadly I will not be there as am on call at work but I know God will be there!

    @ NK I feel you on the blood story, just last week I heard on radio a declaration of an emergency by The Medical Services PS on the short supply of blood in Kenya, count me in

    Like

  17. PASTOR M YOUR STORY ABOUT THE JAV INCIDENT HAS BEEN CRACKIN ME UP ALL WEAK WHAT!!!! HAHA Anyway i loved what Henry said about losing his sight but not losing his vision……the entire sermon was just so uplifting thank you

    Like

  18. Antoine Says:

    Pastor M, on Sunday you were speaking straight from the Throne room of God. It had been such a trying time for me and your message was a word in season.

    From the worship (Pastor Kanjii, thanks for directing us to ensure that our audience of One is entertained and worshipped…I’m sure He is proud of you keep ushering us into His presence)to the sermon, God just checked in.

    I realised that opposition is indeed part of the whole deal. Its how I react to it that matters. I can now face the challenges that spring up in the way of the fulfilment of the vision. That DONKEY story was just the highlight…

    Pastor M and the entire team, keep up the good work..and may the Lord watch over you

    Like

  19. Pastor M Says:

    Hey all, thanks for the great comments. May God continue to give us all grace this week as we stay the course. I’ve had a couple of opportunities to practice this week already! God is amazing and always provides a way out for us so we can shake off the dust, move up and rise to the next level!

    @NK, thanks for the stats. This coming Sunday is World Blood Donation day and Mavuno Church will act as the main regional collection center! We discussed yesterday at our pastor’s meeting how so many of us are scared of needles. We resolved together though that we would all do this. God is honored when we give not because of convenience, but even when it costs us. There is a cost to fearless influence! So please come prayed up and ready to save a life on Sunday.

    Like

  20. Last Sunday’s sermon was really cool, and Henry Wanyoike really brought the point home. There’s something that came up in our life group and I wonder If Pastor M will address it.. what is the role of those around us in helping us achieve our vision? It was very clear Mr. Wanyoike could not run that marathon on his own, yet not once was his guide mentioned. What is his role in Henry achieving his vision?

    Like

  21. What a man of God truly humble and truly used of God am talking of Pastor M. Praying for u My Pastor as you continue to preach this sunday.

    Like

  22. Dosila matengo Says:

    Hi,
    Last Sunday’s sermon was very uplifting for me and it came at the right moment.God has done so many great things in my life since I joined mavuno.I have discovered God loves me despite everything and I am his daughter.I got a job early this year and God is favoring me in so many ways which has attracted opposition and I was about to give up.
    The sermon really moved me and am ready to face any challenges ahead because God has good plans for me not to destroy me.

    Like

  23. Hey all,
    This is just to thank all of those who participated in the Blood drive at church yesterday. The people at Hope Worldwide Kenya and National Blood Transfusion Service were very grateful and astonished by the great turnout that we had.
    The people at hope worldwide mentioned that on a really good day in the city centre, they get about 60 pints of blood.
    We were able to raise 154pints of blood, and each pint can save 3 lives, which means that we potentially helped save . . . 462lives.
    Thanks to those 70 who were turned back for not having enough blood, Your willingness did not go unnoticed and we totally appreciate you all.
    Thanks to those that did donate and have helped save a life.
    Thanks to the pastoral team for their support.
    Thanks to the mizizi sunday south c class -Season 1 for a great idea that we got to accomplish in our time, and for the help on the day of.
    Thanks to the pastoral team for their mad support.
    Thanks to God, without whose grace we would not have pulled this off.

    May God be with you and guide you throughout this week.

    Nk.

    Like

  24. Thanks to Pastor M. and Henry Wanyoike.Please post the June sermon series.

    Thanks n God bless

    Like

Comments are closed.