Developing Personal Vision

Have you ever thought that your outlook on life is a part of your stewardship too?

“You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3

Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. Habakkuk 2:2

Write out your vision! Personal, family, business, work, school and ministry. Envision your ministry or whatever God has you to do, bigger than what seems possible, come up with deadlines, set the direction. As dreams are goals that have deadlines to them!

Look at three key words in James 4:2-3:

Cannot obtain. We cannot take hold of God’s promises when we are full of false promises or selfish desires. Nor, can we follow Him when we are full of envy, because envy blocks our gratitude toward Him for what He has given us. It may seem God gives to those who are evil and selfish, but remember, what they receive is mere straw to what you will receive for faithfulness!

You do not ask indicates the neglecting of prayer and seeking our way to deal with life and conflict, not God’s wisdom and call. It was Jewish custom to ask God for daily needs as well as crisis intervention; it is foolish not to do so. We are called to seek Him and His ways, and not envy (Matt. 6:11, 33; 7:7-8; John 5:30; James 1:5). 

Amiss is to miss the mark God has for us-like the definition of sin. God will not grant us our requests when we are filled with bad motivations or seeking what is wrong or bad for us and/or others. Nor, are we to use faith or prayer to manipulate, deceive, or conspire (Rom. 14:23; Heb. 11:6).

Prayer is far better than fighting, as we are seeking God. He will give us what we ask. However, if we do not receive it, then it was not meant for us and not in our best interests!

When we are only concerned with pleasing ourselves and living for the pleasures of life, we miss out on what Christ has for us.

Even when we seek to please others, we tend to be only seeking to lift ourselves up. So, we need to watch our attitudes, even how and what we are praying for, to make sure they are centered on His goodness, not our selfish desires. If not, we show that we are self-centered and just end up hurting others and forsaking God’s feelings and call.

However, our call is clear, and our path is lit. His light will keep us from tilting into temptation and into disobedience. If we really want homes that honor God and churches that teach and model His precepts, we must ask ourselves if our deepest desires and pleasures in life are devoted to pleasing Christ or pleasing ourselves.

We need to take a hard look at our motivations and see how we are honoring or perhaps, dishonoring God.

Remember your vision must be bigger than what seems possible while remaining obedient to God in humility!

See what a friend of mine said of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlMAIYd7-J4&feature=youtu.be