We often pray, Lord give me your eyes, help me to see as you see…I believe this is an honest and humble request to The Lord. Yet, I believe The Lord answers us, if you want my vision, you’ve got to walk the path I walked. You’ve got to experience what I experienced on earth. This gives a whole new perspective to the words of Apostle Paul, Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Philippians 3:8-10 (KJV)

I believe the Apostle Paul had heavenly vision beyond our scope of imagination. He received so much revelation, God had to place a thorn in his flesh to keep him humbled. Paul had the vision, but it came with a price.

Do we truly want what we are asking God for? Is there a shortcut to attaining heavenly vision?

Are we content with…..”just enough to get us to Heaven?”

Well, the flesh would love to find an easier road. Yet, as Paul said, That I may know Him…”in the fellowship of his sufferings”

Isaiah called him the man of sorrows for a reason. Jesus Christ did not live a comfortable life, one that would be portrayed on social media as if he’s riding high on affluence. I believe the man Christ Jesus felt much pain on a daily basis. He once looked at a scribe said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head. He came to earth to seek and save the lost. He came to shed His blood on a Cross – Yet, scripture reminds us, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” He felt rejection. He felt hatred. He listened to the mockery. He felt the scorn as He traveled the lonely path to reach the broken. He became the scapegoat for a world that rejected His message.

Yet, in all of this, He stayed connected to His purpose on Earth. It wasn’t to build an earthly kingdom or to be served. It wasn’t to live out the AMERICAN DREAM. Rather, it was to seek and save the lost. His ultimate will was to defeat death – hell – and the grave for you and I. His vision took Him to Calvary. Thus, our vision must keep us connected to The Cross Daily…

Are we willing to pay the cost of truly knowing Christ? I say we must, for the cost of not knowing Him will be at the expense of our very own soul.

Philippians 3:10-11 (KJV) 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

In other words, Paul said, “any way you have to do it Lord, I want to make it to Heaven!”