Not Knowing Everything Is Very Freeing

by Mark Turner

The same picture can take on wildly different meanings depending on your attitude, world view, and faith. Remember that we do not see the whole picture. There are unseen things going on. That's not just “spooky talking”; it's just reality: you can't know everything! So, looking at the circumstances of your life, pessimism could be completely unfounded. Well, optimism could be unfounded too, . . . unless you embrace faith.

Faith informs our view point that yet unseen good is coming, that observable bad circumstances are not the whole picture, that God is always working all factors together for the good. Scripture is packed with promises and reassurances that God loves and delights in us, that God is everything we need, defending, rescuing and providing regardless of the way things seem.

Is God delaying the help we need? We simply can not see God working out factors we do not even know are part of the picture. Too often the “normal” response is to focus all of our strength, soul and mind on ourselves as the self-sufficient masters of everything. This could and does kill people. I mean, consider the stress that puts on us.

Give faith a boost by remembering that we do not know everything, but God does. Say, “Hey, for all I know God has the answer right around the corner.” Is this self-delusion? Call it what you like. I think a lot more is accomplished with this attitude than when we say, “I know it all. Get out of my way,” and then proceed to make things worse.

Those that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, rise up with wings, run and walk without fainting (Isaiah 40:31). Value your understanding, but do not rely exclusively on it since it is but one aspect of the picture. Rather, acknowledge God in all your ways and He will direct your path (Proverbs 3:5).

Thinking and speaking with faith releases us from the pressure to fix everything ourselves, which is the impossible obligation put on us by a self-centered world. Interestingly, when we acknowledge we don't know everything, we relax and experience the joyful freedom needed to release creativity for effective partnership with God in ultimate solutions. Why would we want to live any other way?!

What is the Value?

Donna and I are asking "What is the value?" more often.
Everyone is concentrating a little harder these days to be sure we get the most value for each of the fewer dollars in our keeping. We also ask "What is the value of my work? Will it pay the bills?"
The inspiring vision which once motivated a person's life mission has the tendency to fade in the urgency of paying some bill. It's not that the vision and mission isn't still valid, but we just have to postpone it, to put it off until there is time, or until "we can afford it."
In "good times" it is easier to affirm the value of beauty, generosity, art, spirituality, faith. However, it is when things get tight that we must affirm the value of those intangibles. In hard times we need the inspiration of art, poetry, beauty and spiritual direction to carry on in faith that God will make a way where there is no way.
If ever there is a time to help sustain the "intangible" ministry of Horizon Gate, it is now when so many need the courage, hope and faith promoted by our art and films. Just the act of giving a little to these ministries is an act in defiance of the slave masters which would steal your vision away.
We pray that our faithfulness to the heavenly vision will inspire courage in your soul to hold on to your mission in life.

Love,

Mark and Donna Turner
August, 2010

Images from 2009 for 2010

On our journey of 2009 God emphasized the following images from past events forming His People. We have witnessed parallels in our personal lives. We carry these images into 2010 for our courage, comfort and reminding.

lamp image by Infrogmation

the lamp and olive tree (Zechariah 4) - God's ceaseless supply of His Spirit to accomplish what He has commissioned us to do

Signed prints of the following two compositions by Mark Turner are available for purchase, an excellent way to contemplate and be reminded of the truths they represent while supporting Horizon Gate.

Peter walking on the water (Matt. 14:22-32) - We can do the "impossible" as Jesus calls us on. (print sizes: 9x14, or 12x18)

Peter sinking and being rescued (Matt. 14:30-31) - God rescues his disciples even when we fail and does not abandon us to the consequences of our zeal (print sizes: 8x14, or 10x18)

Purchasing the two prints
These images are available in the two sizes shown for $25 (small) and $35 (large), plus tax (CA residents), handling and shipping. To purchase, e-mail info (at) horizongate.org specifying which image you desire and the size. We will send you a link to PayPal and send you the print upon payment.

Imagine the pictures depicting our other images of faith:

the large catch of fish (John 21:1-14) -Our work is made holy and productive because Jesus commands it.

Jesus fixes breakfast (John 21:9-12 ) - God will care for the needs of his faithful followers

Jesus divides up 5 loaves and 2 fish to feed 5 thousand (John 6) - Bring to God what you have regardless if it seems sufficient and God will make it enough.

God makes the path through the Red Sea (Exodus 14), God makes a path through the Jordan River into Promised Land (Joshua 3) - Do not be intimidated by seemingly impossible barriers. With God all things are possible. "For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

Notes on the Storm

Today we watch the first snowfall of the season. How lightly it floats down, belying the violent hail storm that just passed. Thank God for the break in the drought and the shelter He gives in the storm.
In another sense, we really are in a scary storm. The screaming wind and violent waves threaten to kill us. On top of that we are called to walk right upon those crashing waters.
Lord, save us!
We pass this reminder along: God does not hold our fears and doubts against us. When Peter challenged Jesus walking on the water, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water," Jesus did not reprimand him for skepticism, or presumption. He simply said "Come!"
After Peter actually walked on the water, then was intimidated by the storm and sank, Jesus did not say,
"Go on and drown. I gave you a chance and you doubted. It's your own fault. You shouldn't have tried the impossible!"
No. Instead of the "every-man-for-himself" attitude, Jesus shot his hand forward and caught Peter. And he was not berating Peter with his statement "Oh you little faith . . ." Jesus used this as a teachable moment to comment on the kind of faith Peter had right then as he helped him into the boat and caused the storm to cease. (Matthew 14:22-33)
As the financial storm rages around us we panic and sink over and over. Jesus has to be there to catch us each time,or we will drown alone. Even among well-meaning friends we often feel alone in the storm because everyone seems powerless and no one knows what to do.
We must habitually react by crying out like Peter, "Lord, save me!"
In whatever form it comes we grab the hand extended, pull up and get our footing again, walking with Jesus on the water.
Will you consider being part of Jesus' extended hand to us as we fight the waves on the mission to which Christ calls us?

Yours on the water,

Mark and Donna Turner

News from the Turners

We have been meeting lots of new people and expanding our concepts of ministry.

Through attending seminars, voracious reading and personal coaching our financial education has been accelerated to meet the economic crisis effecting Horizon Gate and our constituency. The shape of the economy has forced us out of industrial age thinking and fully into the information age. In this age it is what you know that is most valuable, not social, or professional position and not material possessions.

We can see the creativity of business and its capacity to carry ministry to the masses. We are learning more skills in using the tools of the Internet, telephone and video to reach higher numbers of people. The size of our vision is larger because we can see a viable business structure and multiple streams of potential income to make it possible.

As Jesus was focused on his mission and built the community which would carry it out, we are reaching out to new groups of people more aggressively and with renewed conviction. New relationships with artists have resulted from exhibiting at concerts and conventions, as well as increasing conversations about individual financial challenges. Our vision is to develop the community of artists and arts supporters to be the ministering body of Horizon Gate.

New ideas are forming which will both increase material support for artists and get their work out ministering to the masses. We are in the process of creating a series of short audio programs based on the “Realize Your Vision!” webinar. These will be broadcast on blogtalkradio.com. Keep an eye out for a unique business providing greeting cards you can print and do your own handwork on. We are writing more articles for Internet news. Video e-mails are now a part of our tool kit.

Developing people as members of Christ's Community is the focus of both the internal management and the public outreach of Horizon Gate products and services.

Walking by faith is essential to expansion. Faith opens our eyes to opportunities and needs when we may be more inclined to shut down operations, “economize” and guard the little we have. But the gut reaction to close down is not actually “self-protection” as much as resigning ourselves to death. In business a decline in revenue signals a need to increase communications and enter the places where others are not meeting the need. Certainly this is the call of Christ to us now and God is regenerating our imaginations to see the opportunities to generate life.

Artists Deliver Vision In Hard Times

In times like these, when jobs are lost, income shrinks, investments and savings fade, and debt is the slave master, people lose vision and hope. The Bible says that people need to see the way in order to progress in life, to see the way through this world and beyond. Without such revelation people scatter into a chaotic mess and ultimately destroy themselves. “Where there is no vision [no revelation, no prophecy] the people perish [are made naked, are vulnerable].” (Proverbs 29:18)

But, to the hopeless and fearful God wants to give new vision, a vision which artists will deliver if they are not among the first to succumb to those same economic pressures. The same pressures which quench people's vision press down on the artists too, usually more, hence the label “poor artist”.

Artists are responsible to receive God's vision and to deliver it to the people. Artists inspire us to imagine what is beyond the limitations and describe solutions outside the box. Artists warn of destruction and call to walk with God through the wilderness to the promised land. Artists remind us of God's promises of care and God's power to make good on those promises. Artists help us visualize the wonders that are not here yet. This is faith, “the evidence of things not seen”, imagining, the first step toward our destiny.

Times of danger and depression are the times to get artists up and producing, for the world needs the vision and hope God would give through them. Artists are valuable assets which keep giving vital vision if we will invest in them.

Believing Is Seeing

Artists inspire hope. Artists call us to act on that hope. That action is what we call “believing”, letting the hope affect our behavior. Artists lead us in making concrete that for which we hope.

So, we proclaim these affirmations as steps in becoming artists who inspire, call, and lead in faith. We have a hope of the Greater Reality which God intends for us and we want that hope to affect our work, play, health, finances and relationships with others.

Christ's earthly behavior was based on the Greater Reality which God has for us. The signs he gave showing God's Greater Reality were healings, life-giving words, world changing deeds, and release of people from bondage. By dying and rising back to life, he demonstrated that the Greater Reality promises even eternal life. As if in darkness, most could not see the Greater Reality in which he lived. But at least they could see the signs.

In some, he sparked the hope that there might be more to life. To those with hope he called to act upon the hope. Those who trusted his call and acted upon that hope he transformed to be able to see the Greater Reality, to live, die and live again as he does.

Christ commissioned the transformed ones to go throughout the world sparking the hope in others, calling to act upon the hope and conducting life based on the Greater Reality of God. Ages later we at Horizon Gate have chosen vehicles to spark, call and demonstrate the life of the Greater Reality: the arts, media, literature, business. As people trust Christ who reaches through us to them, God transforms them to live in the Greater Reality.