Vision - Who, What, Where, Why! Planning for Success

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he Proverbs 29:18

Christians:  We are very good at saying we believe God's Word, but sometimes poor with the execution part!!!  Trusting God and placing your faith in Him for your future is key to our Christian faith, however, God wants you to plan, wants you to have vision, and wants you to understand where He is leading you!   
Vision is essential to our personal and professional lives.

When I was a young pastor I didn’t always have clear vision.  I had a good idea of what God was asking our church to become, but I had no action plan!  Without a plan vision is just dreams and many times in reality nightmares…dreams do not equal vision.  (PASTORS: Planning and being PURPOSEFUL with staffing, resources, and ministry time to your churches mission & core values are CRITICAL to become the church God has entrusted you with.  DO NOT wander away from these areas unless you wish to become something God has not called you to be, or do something that is opposite of what God has called you to do)

Once you have figured out the who, what, where, why (Notice, I left off the when, that is a lesson saved for a later time) you must DESIGN and IMPLEMENT the HOW! 

If I know where I want to go, but don’t have a plan on how to get there I am stuck! 

Remember when you were 16 with a drivers license and no car?

Time to get a job…Come up with the plan that gets you where you want/NEED to go.

I believe with all my heart that God is inviting EACH and everyone of us to become the person or church He designed us to be!  There are times I have to dial in my vision and in order to do this I have learned to ask myself three questions.  These questions also help clearly define our vision & goals when working with a team. These three questions can also help you determine the trajectory of your own personal path, your goals, & vision for life:

Where do we want/NEED to go? Or… Where do I want/NEED to go?

How do we get there? Or… How do I get there?

Why do we want/NEED to go there? Or… Why do I want/NEED to go there?

Examine your own life with these questions, what you may find is you need to refocus on your path and dial in your vision to accomplish all your created to do!

Sometimes We Are Afraid to Admit It!

Sometimes We Are Afraid to Admit It!

As a father I want my kids to succeed.  I am sure this desire is similar to the way God feels about each of us…He wants us to thrive, to do well, and enjoy life, because after all our lives are a gift from Him!

Also as a father I have seen the effects of fear on a very basic, raw, easy to understand level.  For instance, when children are afraid to go to their own room because of "monsters", they usually just want a parent / friend that will go make sure their worst fears are not reality.  They don't rational what will happen to this co-monster hunter,  if there happens to really be a monster, they intuitively know there isn't a monster, they just want someone they can place their trust in...Sometimes as parents it's our job to go with our children and disarm their fears!

Fear exist because evil exist!  Our imaginations create scenarios of what could be or "what if's" based on the evil that has impacted our lives...It's my opinon that fear is greatest when:

A.) An individual has experienced great trauma or

B.) An individual has seen something (real life, television, pictures, etc.) and the fear increases as their own imagination increases.

The problem with fear is:

Fear is crippling…

Fear distracts us from accomplishing our mission, our objectives, or reaching our goals.

Fear handicaps our gifts, talents, and even ability, and produces temporary paralyses.

Fear keeps us from accomplishing what God has created us to do!

Perhaps this is why God’s word the Bible says “Do not fear” over 350 times…I’ve even heard it suggested that the Bible says “Fear not” 365 times, once for everyday! 

What fears are keeping us from accomplishing our mission today?

I remember when I was a child.  Whenever fear would creep it’s ugly head in all I needed to defeat it was a companion.  The strength, or wisdom of my company had nothing to do with me overcoming my fears, it was simply their presence!  We serve a God that never leaves us, nor forsakes us…He is omnipresent (ALWAYS PRESENT)…He walks with us and goes before us!

Today He would say to you, “FEAR NOT”!

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8