VIDEO LINKS TO "WHERE THERE IS NO VISION"
“WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH”
By Pastor Mark Taylor
(PROVERBS 29:18)
Today, I want to bring to you a message from the Lord about your future and the future of our Church. What you think and plan for today will determine where you will be a year from now. This applies to every aspect of our lives including, retirement, health, relationships with others, and most important our relationship with the Lord. This message could apply to an individual, a church, a family, or a business. The message is simply: “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).
God has always given His people a vision. “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am your shield and your exceeding great reward.” (Genesis 15:1). “His goodness is written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet” (2 Chronicles 32:32). “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision.” (Daniel 10:7). You and I may not see a vision as dramatic as these, but God still shows His people what they can accomplish with His power and guidance. The Lord may not speak to you in an audible voice, and you may not see your vision, but God wants to motivate us through His Word and His Holy Spirit. “I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams; your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28).
The Lord Jesus is interested in you as an individual and wants to give you a vision to reach your full potential. “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The Lord is interested in your happiness and contentment. “I have spoken these things to you so that My joy might remain in you and your joy might be full.” (John 15:11). His words to you are not to restrict your joy or put you under some man-made set of rules, but they are to give you joy and true freedom. “Therefore if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). The Lord Jesus has a great plan for your life if you will allow Him to fulfill it in you. You can accomplish a lot with the Lord as your partner. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
The Lord Jesus is interested in you as a Church – a community of believers.
“I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18). He can use you and I as His mouth, His feet, and His Hands to build “His” church. I am not just talking about buildings and programs. If we are going to bring more people to this place, you will need more of both, but you need more. You need a vision. God has given you a group of people who love Him and love people. You need to take that to your community and invite them to become a part of God’s family. Every organization will either grow or die. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). This is a reality that every church has to face.
The vision we need to pray for involves these questions. “What can I do better in my life and for the Lord?”. “How can I make this vision happen?”
“Will I sacrifice my time, energy, and money to make it happen?”. “Will I stick with it until my vision becomes reality?”. I hope that you and I will begin to ask ourselves these questions and move forward with our lives.
There is a saying that says: “If you always do what you have always done, then you will always get what you have always gotten”.
If you will take a step of faith, the Lord will give you the strength and provide the resources you need to see your vision fulfilled. There is a time of waiting, praying, and planning. But there is also a time of moving forward.
“He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31).
Get a vision for your personal life, your family, and your church. Don’t let the negative comments of others keep you from accomplishing things. There will always be those who say “you can’t do that”, but with the Lord’s help, you can say “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Doing nothing is not an option. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18).
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