Where there is no vision, the people perish . . . Proverbs 29:18 KJV

Our time is short. We are not here for very long. We don’t have enough time on this earth to waste on meaningless endeavors. As believers we are called to live with a greater sense of urgency. Make the most of today, because there might not be a tomorrow.

The way to do this starts with having a godly vision. If we are to make the most efficient use of our time it will be guided by having that godly vision. Without the clear vision you will miss out on accomplishing what you were put here for.

Cultivating a godly vision is as much about doing the right things as it is about avoiding the wrong things. We live in a world that is filled with distractions. Satan’s number one weapon he uses against us is to keep us busy. We end up trying to do so much, that we end up doing nothing. We make things to be important that are not really that important. We make them important because they seem urgent. Or we make them important because the culture and the people around us tell us to make them important. It is not God who has made them important.

Often times the distractions are seemingly good things. It is not that we are doing bad things. We can be distracted doing things for God. The problem is our focus. We are doing so many things we are not focused on any one thing. So none of the things we are doing really get our best effort. We feel pulled in many directions.

This is why we need that godly vision. It is so we can say yes to the best. It is so we can say yes to what God desires of us and let go of the rest. If you are like most people, the problem is not that you are doing too little. The problem is that you are doing too much.

I want to ask you some important questions:

1) What is your God given vision? Do you have that vision? What do you use to guide your decisions?

2) If you don’t know what that vision is, what are you doing to discover it? If you know God’s vision, what are you doing to confirm that vision? Are you spending time in prayer? Are you spending time in the Word? Are you spending time with other believers to help you sort it out?

3) What are you doing to achieve that vision? Has the vision moved you to action? Or is it just good intentions? What steps can you take towards accomplishing the vision? Do you have anyone to encourage you? Hold you accountable?

4) What sacrifices do you need to make to achieve the vision? Anything is worth doing will not be easy. There will be sacrifices to make. Have you determined what those sacrifices are? Are you prepared to make them? Last week we celebrated the 4th of July. We remembered those who sacrificed their comfort, their security, their fortunes, and even their lives for the sake of freedom. May we be willing to do the same for the sake of the gospel.

In the end, it is so important our vision originates with God. If it is not God’s vision it will fail. Psalm 127:1 says, “unless the Lord’s builds the house, it laborers will labor in vain.” John 15:5 says, “apart from me you can do nothing.” At the same time Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” The point is if we are doing God’s work it will endure for eternity. If we are not doing God’s work it will not really matter what we do. Everything we see in this world will one day be gone. We will be laboring in vain.

If you are interested in hearing last Sunday’s message on this subject you can listen online at lolchurch.net/sermons.

On another note, I am planning upcoming messages for the Fall and the Winter. If there are any ideas that you might have for a Sunday morning message or message series, let me know. If you have a question you want answered or if you have a topic or an interest you would like to hear more about, then please visit lolchurch.net/sermonideas to submit it.