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LIFE VISION PLAN …
DAILY DEVOTIONS

week 2

SUNDAY NIGHT
. . . Before going to bed
Where there is no vision, the people perish...
Proverbs 29:18a
Your life is about to change! God is going to speak to you and reveal insight into His plan for your life. Before you were even born, God had a plan for your life. He gave you specific gifts, passions and experiences to accomplish His perfect will.
He chose the exact moment in history for you to be born. He put you in the right place at the right time to accomplish His right plan. As you seek His heart, He will reveal it to you!
Most people wander through life aimlessly. They have little purpose, passion or direction. My prayer is that every fully devoted
follower of Christ would seek to hear from God and develop and implement His plan.
It must break God’s heart how many people squander the gift of life. We are not going to waste our lives. We are going to maximize our lives for God’s glory. As you prepare to dive deeper into your Life Vision Plan, here are some thoughts that will be helpful:

MONDAY
. . . Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness …“ 2 Timothy 3:16
God desires that we have a personal relationship with Him. One of the best ways to get to know God in a personal way is by reading the Bible, His words written to us and for us. According to The Barna Group, a Christian research firm, less than 20% of Christ followers read the Bible regularly. This is really quite alarming.
Can you imagine going to see a doctor who doesn’t read medical journals?
How long do you think a football player would last if he never studied the playbook? Yet many Christians fail to strengthen their relationship with God or increase their knowledge of Him simply because they won’t read His Word.
Jesus said in Matthew 22:29, “You are in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God.” Those developing a Life Vision Plan don’t want to be in error.
Here are some things to consider as you seek to know God personally through reading His word:
Get a good translation.
Nehemiah 8:8 says, “They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning, so that the people could understand what was being read.”
Most people in today’s culture find it more than a bit challenging to read through the King James Version. Find a translation that’s easy for you to understand and follow, and not difficult to read. Some great choices are the New International Version (NIV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), New Living Translation (NLT), New King James Version (NKJV), and the English Standard Version (ESV).
For “devotional” reading, most people love The Living Bible or The Message. For new followers of Christ, the Life Application Bible has some good guides. Simply ask for help in a Christian bookstore.
Get into an easy book of the Bible
.
2 Peter 3:16 says, “He writes the same way in all of His letters speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand...” Some books of the Bible are harder to understand than others. The best four picks for a new student of God’s Word are:
• Genesis
is a great place to start because it gives you a foundational history of creation and a broad stroke over many great stories in the Old Testament.
• Proverbs
is great for daily readings. Everyone should read one chapter of Proverbs a day for wisdom.
• John
provides a clear picture of Christ and His love for you.
• Philippians
is an inspirational book that gives a foundational theological understanding.
Get Bible Study on your calendar.
Psalm 119:16 says, “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” You will do what you choose to do. When people say they don’t have enough time to do something, they’re often not being totally honest. They choose to not have enough time. Put Bible Study on your calendar. Make it a priority.
Get in a “Connection Pointe Team” Small Group.
Acts 8:30-31 says, “Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.”
In a Connection Pointe Team small group, you’ll find that you can draw from the wisdom of others. They may help explain God’s Word to you in a way that can transform your life. At the same time, you can share your own insights with them.
Prayer: “
Lord, we know that Your Word is life to us. We desire to grow in hunger for that life. Please reveal to us through Scripture Your heart and Your passions. Let them set us on fire for You! We long to trust Your Word, to love Your Word, and to live by Your Word.”

TUESDAY
. . . Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:45-46
Jesus said the merchant found one of “great value.” That was what was valuable to him. It was so valuable that he sold everything he had to pursue something that mattered to him. What do you stand for? What is most important to you? What are your core values? If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.
Scripture shows us many Biblical examples of core values. Samuel had a core value of integrity. In I Samuel 12:3, he said, “Here I stand, testify against me in the presence of the Lord and His anointed. Whom have I cheated? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe? If I’ve done any of these I will make it right.” He absolutely and completely stood for integrity. One of
David’s core values was intimacy. In Psalm 27:4, he said, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.” It’s obvious in scripture that one of David’s core values was an intimate, growing relationship with God.
Solomon had a core value of wisdom. In Proverbs 4:5-7, he said, “Get wisdom... Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.”
Core values are evident by what’s valuable to you. Jesus’ core values would have included obedience, servanthood, love.
If you are still unsure what your core values are, ask yourself these two questions:
1. What angers you?
Proverbs 6:16 says, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him.” Looking at the things that God hates helps reveal His character and the things that are important to Him. What angers you? If fake people anger you, then authenticity might be a core value for you. If half-heartedness angers you, then excellence may be a core value for you. If timidity angers you, then maybe boldness is a core value for you.
2. What do you absolutely love?
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world He gave His one and only son…” If you love giving, then generosity may be a core value for you. If you love helping, then maybe serving is a core value for you. If you love when someone gets what they deserve, then justice may be a core value. If you love when someone is forgiven, then grace may be your core value.
PRAY
: Lord, we know that You have given us specific areas of passion. Please reveal those areas to us. Help us understand what values You have placed in us, then teach us how to use those values to Your glory.”

WEDNESDAY
. . . Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
“…But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:22-23
Many people are all talk and no walk. They’re all show and no go. They’re all bark and no bite. They’re all meow…well, you get the idea. They have no plan. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Remember, mere talk only leads to poverty, but
those who plan and work hard will find a profit.
In 1 Chronicles 28:19, when David was seeking God’s will for the temple, he said, “All this I have in writing from the hand of the Lord upon me, and He gave me understanding in all the details of the plan.” God knows the end from the beginning. God has a plan and a purpose for your life, and He will give you the details of the plan.
The question is, How do I get from here to there? How do I move from where I am to where God wants me to be? The answer is, you rely on God to get you there one step at a time. In the movie What About Bob?, there’s a key phrase that Bob’s
psychiatrist tells him over and over again: “Take baby steps.” One small step after another will take you from where you are to where God wants you to be. So how do we devise the plan? We’re going to set short-term goals for long-term victories.
2 Corinthians 5:9 says, “So we make it our goal to please God, whether we’re at home in the body or away from it.” What’s your goal? When you set goals, there are three things you need to keep in mind:
1. Goals must be specific.
When you’re setting a goal, don’t set a vague target. Don’t just say, “I want to get in better shape,” say “I want to lose ten pounds,” or “I want to start working out three times a week.” Ask God to show you a specific goal.
2. Goals must be attainable.
If most guys set a goal to play on the PGA Seniors tour, that goal would not be realistic because you don’t play enough good golf consistently to even be close. When you set goals, make sure they’re
attainable.
3. Goals must be written.
This is very, very important. What is written and measured is far more likely to be accomplished. “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets, so that a herald may run with it.”
Before you set your goals, embrace this thought: You cannot change what you are willing to tolerate. Ask God to give you a divine discontentment for where you are and a deep desire to fulfill His plan for your life. As you’re seeking God’s direction for your goals, here’s where I suggest you start: Seek God and list three to five significant goals that you believe He wants you to accomplish in the next three to twelve months. Start with short-term goals for long-term victories. Make sure your goals are specific, attainable, and written. Be honest with yourself about where you are. You must know where you are before you can get where you’re going. What needs to change in your life? What is God calling you to do? Devise a plan. Then attack it. You will never possess what you are unwilling to pursue. Remember: When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
PRAY
: “Lord, please give us clarity for uncovering our goals. Please reveal to us what you have in store for the next year, and give us the strength and endurance to achieve these goals. Please give us a divine discontentment in areas that we need to
surrender to You. Disturb our plans with plans from You!”

THURSDAY
. . . Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
Matthew 6:5
Prayer is an extremely important discipline in deepening our relationship with God. Yet, many Christians struggle with prayer. “I Don’t Feel Like Praying,” seems to resonate with a lot of people. If we would all be honest, we’d have to admit that all of us have times when we don’t feel like praying. However, I’ve found that many of us don’t feel like praying because we’re not sure God will answer our prayers. Others express they’re not really sure how to pray. Some tend to become distracted while praying and then feel guilty. Then, there are those who feel they should not “bother” God with what they deem insignificant requests.
Let’s first redefine what prayer is. The most simple and accurate definition of prayer is communicating with God.
When we see prayer as nothing more or nothing less than communicating with God, we establish a foundational step to growing closer to God through prayer. In our communications with one another, we can communicate in many ways. With a look, through writing, by a grunt, a sigh, laughter, talking, hand gestures and by a wink of the eye.
The same is true with God. Communicating with God through prayer should not be limited to the spoken word.
Let’s look at four different people from the Bible and learn about communicating with God through their prayer journeys:
1. Jeremiah teaches us to pray honestly. In Jeremiah 20:7 he says, “Oh Lord, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I’m ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.” You have to love the honesty of Jeremiah’s prayer. He didn’t hold anything back.
It’s easy to pray a hypocritical prayer when praying in front of others, wanting them to think we’re praying a spiritual prayer. When talking alone with God, we may even pray what we think He wants to hear. One of the best ways to pray is like Jeremiah prayed—that is, to pray honestly.
You may say, “God, this is how I’m feeling, I don’t understand, why you won’t do something about this? God, I don’t think this is fair.” God already knows your heart, so you might as well go ahead and express it to Him.
2. David teaches us to pray creatively. In Psalm 5:1-2 he prayed, “Give ear to my words. O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you, I pray.” Notice that David prayed creatively and asked God to “consider his sighing.” Then he even referred to his sighing as prayer. He said, “…for to you, I pray.” You can pray creatively just as David did. Try writing your prayers. Pray during routine tasks, in different places or positions. Try praying by listening to God.
Prayer is communicating with God, it’s a two-way street. Be quiet and listen. You may be surprised to hear God speak.

3. Nehemiah teaches us to pray about everything. Nehemiah 2:4-5 says, “The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’ Then I prayed to the God of Heaven, and I answered the king.’” My guess is that Nehemiah didn’t kneel down and have a long, drawn-out prayer time. Instead, he shot a prayer up to God and believed that God cared, heard him, and gave him favor. There’s nothing too big, and nothing too small for God’s concern.
4. Hannah teaches us to pray continually. She continued to seek the Lord even when her initial prayers of requesting a child went unanswered. 1 Samuel 1:12-13 says, “…as she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard.” The phrase in this verse that I love is “as she kept on praying to the Lord.” I want to keep on praying to God even when He doesn’t do what I want, when I don’t understand His response, or when I get bored and fall asleep praying.
The more I learn about prayer, the more prayer becomes an important part of my life. God wants to know you personally, and God wants you to know Him personally. Make prayer a daily part of your life.
PRAY:
God, we know that Your Spirit alone can change our lives. We ask you to supernaturally change our natural desires. Please give us a newfound freedom, joy, and passion in prayer. Reveal to us Your heart for our prayer lives. Please change
our hearts to conform to Your heart in this area.

FRIDAY
. . . Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” John 4:23
As you grow in your intimate relationship with God, you will inevitably be moved to a state of worship. Knowing God in His purest essence moves us to worship Him. Jesus said in John 4:23, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
A couple of things from this verse are very interesting:
First, Jesus said there are true worshipers. If there are true worshipers, that implies there are also false worshipers, or hypocrites. God’s desire is that we be true worshipers.
The second thing is that the Father seeks true worshipers. Notice what God wasn’t seeking. He wasn’t seeking speakers, evangelists, or good-looking people. He was seeking those who would worship Him. Ultimately, God desires to be glorified,
and He deserves it. He’s the only one worthy of our praise, and we are created to glorify and exalt Him.
How do we become true worshipers? The Bible teaches us to worship with:
1. Awe.
In Revelation 1:16-17a John said, “...His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead...” In the presence of God, John “fell at His feet as though dead.” He couldn’t speak, move, or stand. He could only worship with awe. In the original language, the word shachah is used 170 times in the Bible. It always refers to royalty or to God. It means “to bow down, to fall down flat, to do reverence, to worship, or to worship with awe.” When was the last time you were stunned and shaken in God’s presence?
Hebrews 12:28-29 says, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” True worshipers worship with awe.
2. Abandonment.
King David worshiped with abandonment. In 2 Samuel 6:21-22, David said to Michael, “...I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”
Notice that David wasn’t in church—he was simply in the presence of God. Even as the king, he lost himself and became undignified as he worshiped with abandonment in the presence of an almighty God. The Old Testament
Hebrew word hallaal is the word from which we get the word Hallelujah. It means “to praise, to be clamorously foolish or mad before the Lord.”
If you were to win the lottery, you would likely worship with abandonment.
If your favorite sports team is ranked number one in the nation, you may worship with abandonment. In the presence of an almighty God, you worship with abandonment.
The Bible says to “shout to God,” “dance before Him,” “bow down,” “tell of His might,” “meditate on His truth,” “run to Him,” “lift your hands,” “clash the cymbals,” “sing a new song,” “clap your hands,” “lift up your head,” “stand in awe,” “walk in His ways,”
“cast down your idols,” “make a loud noise,” “tell the nations,” “seek His face.” True worshipers worship with awe, abandonment…and intimacy…
3. Intimacy.
In the holiness of His presence, you can’t help but worship the One who is worthy. In Psalm 27:4 David said, “One thing I ask of the Lord. This is what I seek. To dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gaze upon His beauty and to seek Him in the temple.” Focus on David’s intimate love of God. The only thing he desired was to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. God is not a distant, uninvolved God. He is a loving God who is present with you at this very moment. And He desires your intimate worship.
PRAY
: Lord, we are overwhelmed by who You are and what You have done. We desire to be true worshipers that bless You and honor You. Draw us into Your presence, so that we can be moved to worship You in fullness. Please take us in our current state and make us awestruck, abandoned, intimate worshipers.

SATURDAY
. . . Best “before” leaving home to connect with others
“After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” Matthew 4:2
As a Christ follower, one of the most awesome disciplines we can implement is the discipline of fasting.
The Bible Encyclopedia
defines fasting this way: “To afflict the soul or self, the practice of self-denial.”
The Bible describes many types of fasts, as well as many different purposes for them. In the Old Testament, fasts were
observed before certain feasts. People undertook fasts as a part of the mourning process after the death of a loved one. Fasting was also used when seeking divine favor, protection, or as evidence of sorrow for sin. The fast could have been
abstaining from a certain food, total abstinence from all food and/or washing, anointing, and sleeping. The length of time could vary from one day, from sunrise to sunrise (Judges 20), seven days (1 Samuel 31), to as many as 40 days (Exodus 34).
Although fasting is often recommended as a modern means of improving health, the foundation of this discipline was spiritual.
As a person who loves food, I’ve never been a big fan of fasting. To go two or three hours without a snack is like torture. For years I’ve heard different ministers speak about the spiritual benefits of fasting, and although I agreed with the principles in scripture, it wasn’t until I actually practiced the discipline of fasting that I began to experience great spiritual benefits.
How do you fast? I’ve known people who simply fasted one meal and devoted that time to pray, rather than eating. I know others who have fasted from certain kinds of food, like chocolate. Every time they would desire this food, they would be reminded to seek God in prayer about a certain subject instead. I’ve known some who have had what they call “media” fasts, denying themselves TV viewing or listening to the radio, investing that time instead with God. Essentially, in a fast, we deny ourselves something we’re accustomed to, in exchange for intimacy with God, increased ability to hear from Him and to discern His will. That’s a sweet deal!
In the times that I fast, I abstain from food, drink lots of water, and occasionally, juice. At times I’ll do a bread and water fast, denying myself foods that I generally enjoy.

In our self-indulgent, microwave, fast food world, most of us desire instant gratification. We want what we want now. Fasting is a tremendous discipline that denies self.
The first principle in following Christ is that we deny ourselves. Then we’re to pick up our cross and follow Him. As we learn to deny ourselves, occasionally, for a spiritual fast, this discipline transfers into other areas of our lives. It becomes easier for us to deny sin, rebuke Satan, and reject selfishness.
If you’re seeking God’s direction, desiring an answer from God, or simply wanting to grow closer to Him, make fasting a part of your relationship with God. Even Jesus, the Son of the living God, fasted for forty days and forty nights. If it was an
important discipline in Jesus’ life, then it should be important enough for us.
PRAY
: “Lord, we desire You above all else. Give us wisdom and direction in fasting, so that we can draw closer to You. Please provide us with a clear path, and give us energy, focus, and resolve as we fast. We pray that as we are obedient to You, we would experience You in ways we never have before.

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