Introduction. While reading the paper, we learn of tragedies of every sort. Yet they generally remain statistics to us. Though we feel a momentary sympathy over their plight, we quickly forget and move on. Yet if we later pass a TV and witness a video with pictures and comments from loved ones, we are then deeply moved.
The Power of a Video. What made the difference? Seeing it on video made it personal. The effort necessary to create an emotional connection is difficult in print, but easy with photos. That’s the impact of video! It brings understanding. The etymology of video and photo are important to the Christian in our spiritual growth. The Latin video (I see), is from the Greek ideo (I see, I know), and photo is from the Greek photizo (to give light; shine upon). “A picture is worth a thousand words” because it shines the light on an event in the past and allows us to see it clearly.
Yet before video and photo technology, teachers and preachers were creating them for us. Through the use of memory and imagination, anyone can create a video. We use our knowledge and imagination to create mental photos and videos! We have all said, “I never saw that before” after a good sermon that drew a clearer picture of something we already knew
The Power of a Video. What made the difference? Seeing it on video made it personal. The effort necessary to create an emotional connection is difficult in print, but easy with photos. That’s the impact of video! It brings understanding. The etymology of video and photo are important to the Christian in our spiritual growth. The Latin video (I see), is from the Greek ideo (I see, I know), and photo is from the Greek photizo (to give light; shine upon). “A picture is worth a thousand words” because it shines the light on an event in the past and allows us to see it clearly.
Yet before video and photo technology, teachers and preachers were creating them for us. Through the use of memory and imagination, anyone can create a video. We use our knowledge and imagination to create mental photos and videos! We have all said, “I never saw that before” after a good sermon that drew a clearer picture of something we already knew
Paul’s Prayer. This is exactly what Paul prayed for the Ephesians. Paul knew if God supplied the “wisdom” and “revelation” we could do the rest. God has given the revelation (Scripture), and also promised, if anyone “lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives liberally” (Jas. 1:5). When these are in place, we can now “enlighten (photizo) the eyes of our heart,” and then we “may know (eido)". Now we return to the thoughts in the introduction. While the Bible is just printed material, with effort we become enlighted (photizo — photo) and know (eido — video).
Creating our own Videos/Photos. Have we created these photos and videos? They can only be made by faith. If we are to be spiritually mature, this is a vital first step! We all “walk by faith, not by sight” (2Cor. 5:7), but those who use that faith to make photos and videos see further and more clearly than those who do not. God has given us a concrete example of this in the ancient men and women of faith. He “is not ashamed of those” who made mental photos and videos of His promises! “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen (eido) them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13).
Scripture has the power to enlighten (light up-photo) the eyes of our hearts bringing emotions and a powerful impact to our outlook. As we create our collection of videos and photos, we can replay them as we need them. During the Lord’s Supper we make such a video. Jesus asked us to remember Him and we must replay in our mind the pictures we have created of His life, suffering and death. If we have done it well, we weep with sorrow at His sacrifice or rejoice with anticipation for the benefits of the new covenant in His blood. But if it still only words on a printed page, it will be difficult for us to create emotion.
How Do You See the Unseen? Unless we create spiritual videos and photos based on God’s promises and God’s word, how can we look at the unseen? Paul said, “we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2Cor. 4:18). How do we do that? The only way is to “have the eyes of your heart enlightened (photizo) we have to create images based on Scripture. If we are to know (eido), we have to create videos based on what God has revealed about the unseen. God gave us the ability “to see” the unseen.
Think of it like this. If God took a video camera through heaven, or gave us photos of the tree of life, angels, Jesus in glory, our resurrected body, or the new heavens and earth, would we be more excited than we are now? If we say yes, we have not yet created our own videos as our fathers did. What they saw and embraced, we can see and embrace. They did it because “faith is the substance of things hoped for.” “Substance” is what “stands under” us and therefore what we stand upon. When we sing “I’m standing on the promises of God,” this is what we affirm. Faith also gives the “the evidence of things not seen” so that we can see them (Heb. 11:1). Without faith it is just words on a page. By faith, we see the unseen. Faith comes by hearing the word of God, and as we hear we create spiritual images more real than what we see with our eyes.
Faith does to the Scriptures what a video does to a story. When reading the paper we don’t see so we don’t remember. When reading the Scriptures, if we don’t have faith, we don’t created photos to see. The saints accepted God’s promises by faith and then they “saw” them in “the eyes of their heart.” Their video was so real it made them “strangers and pilgrims.”
Conclusion. Have we made our own videos to make God’s promises so real we embrace them? Do we feel like strangers and pilgrims? Are the eyes of our heart enlightened to the unseen and eternal things? Do we really mean it as we sing “I can’t feel at home in this world anymore?” How do we create such videos to enlighten the eyes of our heart? First we hear the revelation, and seek wisdom. Then we meditate on all God has revealed and embrace it. As we see more and more clearly, a video and photos are created to play back in our mind. Finally we see what is now unseen and yet is eternal.
Creating our own Videos/Photos. Have we created these photos and videos? They can only be made by faith. If we are to be spiritually mature, this is a vital first step! We all “walk by faith, not by sight” (2Cor. 5:7), but those who use that faith to make photos and videos see further and more clearly than those who do not. God has given us a concrete example of this in the ancient men and women of faith. He “is not ashamed of those” who made mental photos and videos of His promises! “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen (eido) them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13).
Scripture has the power to enlighten (light up-photo) the eyes of our hearts bringing emotions and a powerful impact to our outlook. As we create our collection of videos and photos, we can replay them as we need them. During the Lord’s Supper we make such a video. Jesus asked us to remember Him and we must replay in our mind the pictures we have created of His life, suffering and death. If we have done it well, we weep with sorrow at His sacrifice or rejoice with anticipation for the benefits of the new covenant in His blood. But if it still only words on a printed page, it will be difficult for us to create emotion.
How Do You See the Unseen? Unless we create spiritual videos and photos based on God’s promises and God’s word, how can we look at the unseen? Paul said, “we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2Cor. 4:18). How do we do that? The only way is to “have the eyes of your heart enlightened (photizo) we have to create images based on Scripture. If we are to know (eido), we have to create videos based on what God has revealed about the unseen. God gave us the ability “to see” the unseen.
Think of it like this. If God took a video camera through heaven, or gave us photos of the tree of life, angels, Jesus in glory, our resurrected body, or the new heavens and earth, would we be more excited than we are now? If we say yes, we have not yet created our own videos as our fathers did. What they saw and embraced, we can see and embrace. They did it because “faith is the substance of things hoped for.” “Substance” is what “stands under” us and therefore what we stand upon. When we sing “I’m standing on the promises of God,” this is what we affirm. Faith also gives the “the evidence of things not seen” so that we can see them (Heb. 11:1). Without faith it is just words on a page. By faith, we see the unseen. Faith comes by hearing the word of God, and as we hear we create spiritual images more real than what we see with our eyes.
Faith does to the Scriptures what a video does to a story. When reading the paper we don’t see so we don’t remember. When reading the Scriptures, if we don’t have faith, we don’t created photos to see. The saints accepted God’s promises by faith and then they “saw” them in “the eyes of their heart.” Their video was so real it made them “strangers and pilgrims.”
Conclusion. Have we made our own videos to make God’s promises so real we embrace them? Do we feel like strangers and pilgrims? Are the eyes of our heart enlightened to the unseen and eternal things? Do we really mean it as we sing “I can’t feel at home in this world anymore?” How do we create such videos to enlighten the eyes of our heart? First we hear the revelation, and seek wisdom. Then we meditate on all God has revealed and embrace it. As we see more and more clearly, a video and photos are created to play back in our mind. Finally we see what is now unseen and yet is eternal.