DAILY DEVOTION No. 11

Proverbs 29:18 - “Where there is no vision, the people perish”

The word vision means to have sight, to dream, to receive revelation, enlightenment. The word perish in this reference means to loosen, to expose, to bare, to uncover, to cast off restraint.

What the writer of proverbs is saying to us is, when people loose sight of God and His purpose for their life and their church, they cast off all restraint of holy and righteous living and begin to live undisciplined lives. When Helen Keller was asked, ”What would be worse than being born blind?” She said, ” to have sight without vision.” When a person looses his vision, they become tolerant of sin and make excuses for the sin that is present in their midst. If we are to avoid such activities in our lives and churches, then we need to realize and recognize the importance of vision.

Vision is a specific call to an individual or a church, imparted by the Lord, which gives them a mental picture of a preferable future. When we understand the vision that God has given us as Christians, we will realize our uniqueness, and then we can move to become all that God wants us to be.

Gal. 5:7 says “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” Where are you heading in reference to God’s plan and purpose for your life at present? Are you accepting the call and vision placed before you by God, or are you off on a tangent or thwarting His plan for your life through disobedience? If you are disobedient to what God has spoken over your life, you will not progress beyond your last act of obedience. One of the saddest verses in the Bible is Lamentations 1:8-9 where the Lord says of Jerusalem, "Jerusalem has sinned grieviously, therefore she has become vile.....Her uncleanness is in her skirts; She did not consider her destiny; therefore her collapse was awesome... Let us be a people that follow the Lord in obedience.

What Are The Qualities Of A Person With Vision?

1. A Person With A Vision Recognizes The Prize.

There is a purpose and goal for the commitment and hard work they put in. They recognize that the rewards far outweigh the sacrifice necessary to gain the prize.

2. A Person With A Vision Understands The Spiritual Conflict That Is Involved In Fulfilling His Vision.

The last thing Satan wants for the Christian is for he/she to fulfil God purpose for their life. He will do everything in his power to sidetrack you and turn you away from reaching your destiny. A person with a vision understands that there will be opposition and does not shrink back from the fight. Each one of us must be alert to his schemes and not allow ourselves to be influenced by him in any way. We must constantly 'guard our heart' and as Paul says to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 16:13 "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong."

3. A person with a vision focuses on hitting the target.

A person with a vision has a definite target. They are not just boxing with shadows. They are up and running for a reason and are not just running to be running, they are running to get somewhere.

Challenge

The question that each of us needs to answer now is, “Are we a people with a God given vision ?”  You and I will be driven by the dreams and visions that we have for the future. Is your vision and dream for the future a selfish one. Have you sought the Lord for his plan for your life. Is your vision for the furtherance of God's kingdom amongst your sphere of influence? In Jeremiah 29:11 we read that God has a future and a hope for each of us, but we must seek Him and call upon Him. A God given vision will glorify God and not the individual or the church. The vision that God gives us is the reason for our existence.

If you are to be a person with a vision, then you must be up and running in the right direction, you must recognize the value of the prize, you must understand the conflict involved to reach your vision and you must aim for the target.

Prayer

Lord, I want to be a person that fulfils your destiny for my life. Help me to know and understand your plans and purposes for my future. I want to be a person that hits the target and is not sidetracked by the enemy in an way. Help me to understand his schemes and to keep watch over my life.

Rod Best