LIFE VISION PLAN …
DAILY DEVOTIONS

week 1

SUNDAY NIGHT
Before going to bed
Crave God's Presence
- “My soul yearns for You [O Lord] in the night, yes, my spirit within me seeks You earnestly; for [only] when Your judgments are in the earth will the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God).” ISAIAH 26:9
If we are hungry enough, we will get something to eat. And if we can't eat before we leave home, we will go to a drive-thru at a fast-food restaurant. Or we will call a place that delivers food to bring us something to eat.
If we are hungry enough for God, we will find a way into His presence. We should be so hungry for the presence of God that we absolutely will not go out of our house or tackle any kind of project until we have spent some time with Him.

MONDAY
Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
What do you think many believers would give as a description for “being set apart for God”?
Well, here are some descriptions some believers give:
To be set apart means that God has His hand on you for a specific purpose. He'll use other people to get you on track -- in addition to dreams, visions, and that "still small voice" of God. Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
It means to be marked by God for a particular purpose. He guides our lives differently than it might have been had we not submitted to His call. And even though it may appear that we are not in ministry, we are marked by God to minister in the day to day living. Because He has set us apart, we are already walking into our destinies.
We will feel a pull away from people and things that distract us. Even though we may feel as if we are put on a shelf and forgotten, we have been set apart for the call of God on our lives. It is during these times that we will find ourselves spending quality time with God as He molds and makes us into His image. He will build character in us so that when it is time to go on the frontlines, He knows we will be ready. He will be able to trust us with what has been appointed for us to do. Jesus said,
"Come out from among them and be ye separate." 2 Corinthians 6:17
Matthew 22:14 says, "For many are called, but few are chosen." It is as if we can picture Jesus standing in the middle of a very busy, dusty, Middle East marketplace not even aware of all the disruption going on around Him. Instead He is intently holding up and examining select pieces of
fruit. After deciding on His choice, He gently places them one by one in a basket cradled in the crook of His arm, close to His side.
A man picked up a beautiful nectarine to eat and decided to cut the fruit before he ate it. To his surprise, he found that it was totally rotten on the inside. Then the Holy Spirit spoke to him and said that this fruit is symbolic of what some Christians are like. They are beautiful on the outside but the inside tells a different story. He felt a check to make sure that she was clean before the Lord.
God has chosen us to do a work for Him and we need to be "set apart", chosen to do a work for the King. He has anointed us and equipped us to be used for the advancement of His kingdom.

TUESDAY
Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
Yesterday we learned some believers describe “being set apart for God” as :
That God has His hand on you for a specific purpose. He'll use other people to get you on track -- in addition to dreams, visions, and that "still small voice" of God.
It means to be marked by God for a particular purpose. He guides our lives differently than it might have been had we not submitted to His call.
Let’s add another description today :
Someone else might describe being set apart as to mean to be made holy, consecrated to Him. Christians are given a special role in life to serve Him. We are transferred from the domain of darkness to the Kingdom of Light. We are strangers to this world's system. Instead of thinking and acting like the world, we are set apart from this more common way of viewing and living life and are given a different purpose, which is to serve God and become more like Jesus. You could say that we are separated from worldliness and given new purpose in Jesus to be used by God.
So, which description is right? The answer is, all of the above. From the very beginning of our becoming a child of God, He has called us to be separated unto Him. When our desires are to please God, we will seek to be separated from the world and to Him.
When we get off track, God always gently guides us back onto the path He has chosen for us.
1 Thessalonians 4 tells us that we should live a life pleasing to the Lord. In verse one Paul is encouraging us to live it even more than before. Verse 9 instructs us to love our Christian families and Christians around us. He exhorts us to love them even more.
1Thessalonians 5:6 says, "So we should not be like other people who are sleeping, but we should be alert and have self-control." Verse 8 says, " ... We should wear faith and love to protect us, and the hope of salvation should be our helmet."
Verses 13-22 give us these insights. Live in peace with each other, warn those who do not work, and encourage the people who are afraid. We should also help those who are weak, be patient with everyone, be sure that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to do what is good for each other.
Further instructions are to always be joyful, pray continually, give thanks for whatever happens, do not hold back the work of the Holy Spirit, do not treat prophecy as if it were unimportant, but test everything. Keep what is good and stay away from everything that is evil.
Do you get the point by now? If we are set apart to do the work of the Lord, then we will not have time to get into trouble especially if our hearts are set on pleasing God. We should be working on being full of the fruit of the Spirit and telling people about the message of the Gospel of peace. That alone is a full time job.
And as Paul ends 2 Thessalonians, "Now may the Lord of peace give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."

WEDNESDAY
Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Do you get mad every time somebody tries to correct you, or tell you what to do, because you always have to be right? If you answered yes, I am sure that you are not a happy person. You cannot change others, but you can allow God to change you so that things don't bother you anymore.
With Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can learn how to live a different way. You can have peace. You can sleep well at night. You can like yourself. You can make it through difficulties at work - even different personalities. Your mind can be renewed to be like Jesus', if you read His Word and ask Him to help you live the abundant life He came to give you (see John 10:10).
Trust God
: “But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits.” (Psalm 5:11).
Many wounded people don't know how to get what they really need, so they wallow in self-pity. We can be pitiful or powerful, but we can't be both."
Taking our eyes off of ourselves enables us to look to God. This positions us to trust Him to meet every need in our lives. God knows exactly what we need, and He promises to provide it through His abundant grace and mercy.
Ask Him to fill you with His power today, and trust Him as Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord our Provider (see Genesis 22:14).
Wait for God's Justice
: “Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:24).
When you really trust God, He will bring justice into your life. In Isaiah 61:7, the Lord says, "For your former shame I will give you a double reward" (paraphrased). If someone has mistreated you, rejected you, abused you, or abandoned you, hold on to that promise. You have many blessings ahead of you. Trust God with your future, and enjoy your day as you wait for God's justice.

THURSDAY
Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
“For we who have believed (trusted in and relied on God) do enter that rest.” Hebrews 4:3
It is easy to get overcommitted, burned out, bummed out, worn out, and stressed out if you are trying to keep up with too many commitments. It is out of balance to try to do everything.
If you are happy doing what you do, keep doing it. But if it wears you out and robs you of peace, don't do it. What sense does it make to commit to something, and then murmur and complain about it while you are doing it?
Being overcommitted will frustrate you. Anxiety is usually a sign that God never told you to do what you are doing in the first place. To avoid frustration in your life, keep in balance.
Talk to God Anywhere
Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19
The angel of the Lord said to Moses, "Take the shoes off your feet, for the ground on which you stand is holy ground" (see Exodus 3:5). The ground was holy because the Holy One was there. Now through faith in Jesus, you are the temple of the Holy Ghost. Everywhere you go becomes a holy place because the Holy One dwells in you. God is not in a building, where you can only visit Him on Sunday morning. He is with you everywhere you go. You can talk to Him while you vacuum, or while you change a tire on your car. When you let God become involved in every aspect of your life, every day becomes exciting.
Pray All Day
: “Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Ps 141:2
God wants to be the center of your life: the center of your conversation, the center of your entertainment, and the center of your relationships. Prayer keeps Him in the center of all you do.
Some people can tell you how many minutes a day they pray. But, what if you couldn’t determine how long you pray each day because you learn to just pray every time you see or feel a need. You pray while driving … while working … while relaxing … while playing. Sometimes, just stop what you are doing and praise God, and that is prayer too. Cast your cares on Him and say, "Lord, I am not going to worry about anything today; I am giving it to You." Prayer should be like breathing, natural to do anywhere you are.

FRIDAY
Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
“But this thing I did command them: Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God and you will be My people; and walk in the whole way that I command you, that it may be well with you” (Jeremiah 7:23).
Remember, you made your schedule, and you can change it. Pray about your day, your week, and your life goals to find out what God wants you to do, and what He doesn't want you to do.
If you don't do what God is telling you to do, you may let people control and manipulate you to do what they want you to do. You may end up doing things for which you are not anointed. If you do what God tells you to do, He will bless you with joy, peace, rest, and wonderful relationships.
Get Rid of Distractions :
“That which is desired in a man is loyalty and kindness [and his glory and delight are his giving]” (Proverbs 19:22).
Sometimes you may just need to clear away the clutter so you can clearly see what is worthwhile. Here is a simple suggestion: Don't keep more than you can take care of. If you have so much junk in your home that it takes you hours to dust it, get rid of something.
Find a big carton and write "Blessing Box" on the side of it. Start putting extra things into it until cleaning is more manageable. Find someone who doesn't have much and bless them. You will be amazed at how easy it is to start your day right when you are no longer distracted by things you don't need.
Get Up and Work
: “And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands-yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish it” (Psalm 90:17).
It is obvious we are supposed to work more than rest. It’s so tempting to just lie on the couch, eating junk food and watching television, and then they wonder why our lives are a wreck.
Ministry Is Fulfilling Work
: “For you shall eat [the fruit] of the labor of your hands; happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) shall you be, and it shall be well with you” (Psalm 128:2).
There is nothing more fulfilling than being rested and ready for the work that God has called us to do. God puts the desire in us to minister to people through whatever work we do. But ministry is work that requires physical, emotional, and spiritual strength.
Hard work is rewarding when you follow God's way and minister to other people through "the labor of your hands." That is why it is so important to start your day with God. His presence will build you up emotionally, His words will strengthen you spiritually, and the time of rest that He calls you to enjoy will make you physically able to handle whatever may come your way.

SATURDAY
Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
Worship with Your Whole Heart : “
I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me [Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them]? (PSALM 57:2)
When we “come into the presence of God” we should be prepared to do so with our entire being. Be prepared to give thanks and praise. Don't just roll out of bed, throw water on your face, and run a comb through your hair before church. Anointing comes from a sincere pursuit of loving God with our whole heart.
As you approach God each morning, come to Him with a heart full of worship, expressing your awe of Him for His faithfulness toward you. He promises that He will never forsake you, but will be with you all day long (see Joshua 1:5).
Find Quiet Time :
“The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.” (PSALM 19:9-10)
We are not going to hear from God if we don't get quiet on purpose and create a time set aside just for Him.
It is so important to have some "down time" to be alone and just sit quietly. You may think you don't have time, but if somebody was giving out thousand-dollar bills at the mall, you would find time to get there. Don't use the time to try to figure out something; just be still and available to the Lord's attention
Increase Your Days
: “Behold, the Lord's eye is upon those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe], who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine” (Psalm 33:18-19)
If you want to start your whole day right, you must find time to seek God's wisdom in the morning.

Time with God adds years to your life! God is eager to give us insight and understanding. His Word says, "For by me [Wisdom from God] your days shall be multiplied, and the years of your life shall be increased." (Proverbs 9:11)

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