2021-12-08
Proverbs 29:18 NLT
When God gives us a vision, it doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone else will support it or believe in it. And if God gives us a big vision, we might not either. We might think it’s too big, or that there’s no way we’re qualified or capable of fulfilling it. But when we say yes to God and trust Him to guide us, nothing will stop us from achieving what God’s laid out for us to do.
Here are three things to bear in mind: 1) Vision starts within. When you look inside yourself, what do you see? You can’t borrow someone else’s vision; you must look within and draw on your God-given gifts and desires. What do you feel passionate about? What do you think constantly about? What are you always praying about? What would you be willing to give up everything else to achieve? Your most persistent desire will help point you to your purpose.
2) Vision draws on your history. Moses grew up in the comfort of Pharaoh’s palace hearing the cries of Hebrew slaves. That experience prepared him to lead the exodus. Vision isn’t some mystical quality that appears from nowhere; it’s interwoven with your past and the history of the people around you. If your vision is born of God, it won’t just benefit you, it’ll benefit others too.
3) Vision attracts resources. One of the sure signs of vision is that it acts like a magnet, attracting, challenging, and uniting people. It draws the resources needed to complete it. The more challenging the vision, the harder the participants will fight to achieve it. So ask God to give you a vision for your life, and watch how it all comes together.
Col 3-4; Philemon; John 17:13-26; Ps 148:1-6; Prov 29:11-15
2021-12-07
Acts 10:3 NIV
When God wants to change the current circumstances, He often starts by giving someone a vision. That’s what broke a centuries-old barrier and allowed the Gentiles (anyone who wasn’t Jewish) to hear the gospel preached for the first time. Sadly, it’s possible to be a Christian and be prejudiced. We can be believers, but still be biased against people we don’t really know or understand because we’ve avoided them and made unfair judgements about them.
Jesus told His disciples, ‘This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come’ (Matthew 24:14 NIV). Peter was present when Jesus said this, but either he wasn’t listening, or he didn’t like what he heard. In those days, Jews and Gentiles were bitter enemies. The divide between them was vast. Jews would often shun the Gentiles and call them offensive names.
But God told Peter to go to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile, and preach the gospel, a person Peter considered to be ‘unclean’. Prejudice is the product of a closed mind. It’s a type of pride that must be humbled. So how did God change Peter’s heart? It needed not one, but two different visions! God gave Cornelius a vision in which He told him to invite a Jewish preacher named Peter into his home to preach the gospel. And at the same time, He gave Peter a vision in which He told him, ‘If I accept someone, don’t you dare reject them!’
The truth is, when God wants to change things, He starts the process by giving someone a vision – and that person could be you!
Col 1-2; John 17:1-12; Ps 147:12-20; Prov 29:6-10
2021-12-06
Acts 9:10 NIV
Maybe you think that because you haven’t been to Bible college or studied theology, God would never give you a vision. But that’s completely untrue. The Bible says this: ‘In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!.” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”…Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptised, and after taking some food, he regained his strength’ (Acts 9:10-12, 17-19 NIVUK).
Ananias was the right man, in the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude, and God used him to lead the apostle Paul to Christ. But what’s interesting is this: after that account, Ananias is never mentioned again in Scripture. He was an ordinary person who was willing to say yes to God, and this attitude meant that he played a key role in God’s plan. That single act of listening to God in that moment had an impact that was bigger than he could have imagined. And if God gave Ananias a vision and used him greatly – He’ll do the same for you. Keep listening and keep trusting.
Jos 22-24; John 16:19-33; Ps 147:1-11; Prov 29:1-5
2021-12-05
Acts 9:6 NKJV
Paul believed he was doing God’s will by imprisoning and killing Christians. And when he discovered his true calling, it was in a dramatic way. ‘As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do”‘ (vv. 3-6 NKJV). On that day Paul’s ministry began, and it was a ministry that would change the world. As Paul’s life neared its end, he could say, ‘I obeyed that vision from heaven’ (Acts 26:19 NLT).
Our vision must not spring from a need to impress others or be like them. We’re called to do God’s will, not our own, and not someone else’s. ‘It is better to trust the LORD than to trust people’ (Psalm 118:8 NCV). We must let our vision come from God’s divine guidance, not from the thoughts or influence of other people, so we can pray with confidence, ‘Lord, You gave me this vision, and I’m trusting You to provide what I need.’ The apostle John wrote, ‘This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us’ (1 John 5:14 NKJV).
Jos 1; Ps 27:11-14; 2 Tim 2:1-13; 1 Cor 16:1
2021-12-04
Jeremiah 23:16 ESV
We don’t get to decide God’s purpose; instead, we discover it. He has a unique plan for each one of us, and to find out what it is, we need to stay close to Him through prayer and Bible study. We may feel overwhelmed with problems, unsure, and unworthy of God’s plan, but He sees our potential.
David’s family didn’t think he would amount to much. But where they saw a shepherd boy, God saw a king. Looking back, David wrote: ‘You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me…I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!’ (Psalm 139:16-18 NLT).
You’re unique – and so is God’s plan for you. It’s encouraging to read stories and listen to great achievers and think, ‘If they can do it, so can I!’ But their purpose isn’t ours; the secret is to learn from others without trying to replicate them. It’s not enough to have a good idea; it must be the will of God. He had this to say about the prophets in Jerusalem: ‘They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.’
We don’t get to decide what our vision will be; we discover it by asking God for direction. And His Word says He’ll tell us which way to go: “If you go the wrong way – to the right or to the left – you will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the right way. You should go this way'” (Isaiah 30:21 NCV).
Jos 19:24-21:45; John 16:12-18; Ps 2; Prov 28:25-28
2021-12-03
1 Timothy 4:15 NIV
How much of our hearts have we handed over to God? Are we wholeheartedly seeking Him, or has He lost His place as priority in our lives? God wants us to be devoted to Him. That means God should be more to us than any other person or thing. It means we surrender to Him and His plans for our lives. It means we let Him lead us rather than trying to do life our own way.
David was someone who was devoted to God. He still made mistakes, like we all do, but his heart was in the right place. In fact when talking about David, the Bible says: ‘The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart’ (1 Samuel 13:14 NIV). David was a man after God’s heart. He wanted to seek God and be close to Him. He wanted to be devoted to serving Him. David actually prayed: ‘Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name’ (Psalm 86:11 NIV).
Is our heart undivided? There are many things which can try and steal parts of our heart away. We might focus on things like our relationships, work, family, and hobbies. They can all try to distract us from God. It’s not bad to have these things in our lives, but God still needs to be our priority. We should love God above everything else. In the New Testament, we’re told: ‘Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful’ (Colossians 4:2 NIV). We should be desiring to spend time with God in prayer. It’s a great way to deepen our relationship with Him. We shouldn’t be praying only when we need something, but because we long to spend time talking and listening to Him.
Jos 16:1-19:23; John 16:1-11; Ps 130; Prov 28:21-24
