Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label purpose. Show all posts

Saturday, 14 February 2015

18 TRUTHS ABOUT GOD-GIVEN VISION

19 TRUTHS ABOUT GOD-GIVEN VISION
 
1. All God-given visions are 'revelatory' in nature
→ It is a product of divine inspiration
→ God can give you an idea that is capable of changing your life and the lives of others for good
→ If I am attentive enough, I will catch the vision God wants me to see

2. God-given visions are 'compulsive' in nature
→ I will never be genuinely at ease unless I discharge what God has put in your heart  
→ I can ignore or run away from God's call upon my life, but the compulsion will always be there
→ The fire of vision can motivate (heat up) my faith to ensure it materializes
→ Once you decide your direction, God will maintain your energy for the distance
→ There will always be a "strong desire" to make it happen. But if I ignore that desire long enough, It will naturally die  
 
3. Vision is transferrable
→ It is possible to 'pass on' the passion in my heart to others who can run with it
→ If I get others to believe in my vision, it can grow, multiply and eventually "out-live" me
→ I must be careful who I share my vision with [yes, vision can be stolen!] 
 
4. A God-given vision is "satisfying"
→ I cannot afford to waste my future being dissatisfied with myself every day
→ There will always be an unquenchable hunger, thirst and void in my life, unless I do what God has put in my heart
→ No amount of money (or the things money can buy) can satisfy the innate longing of fulfilling God's mandate for my life!    

5. All God-given visions and dreams are an investment, not an expenditure
→ Will I have a fulfilled life or would I just contribute to the wealth of the grave?
→ The more I trust God to help me fulfil the vision He has given me, the better I become, and others will benefit from it  

6. Do I know why am on earth?
→ God's will (for me) is manifested through the visions I have
→ The indicators of God's will for my life include: the things I am most passionate about; My Skills; My natural talents; and priceless opportunities  . . .

7. My vision is my future
→ My life is shaped by the visions I have
→ The quality of my life depends on the quality of my vision(s)
→ I need to write down every revelation and vision I receive from God, because my life depends on it (Habakkuk 2:2-3)  

8. Vision serves as a compass
→ It helps me find the direction of my future
→ As long as I have a viable vision, I will never 'get lost' in life
→ Having a vision gives me a defined destination
→ It takes me to the original purpose of God for my life

9. A vision helps me focus my energy (to do God's will)
→ Having a vision helps me appropriate and maximize the (scarce) resources at my disposal
→ It helps me choose the relationships I invest in

10. A vision helps me to stay within my gift combination
→ Unless I do what I am endowed to do, my gifts, visions & dreams will be wasted

11. My vision will see me through tough times
→ The wells of Joy are often dug with spades of sorrow
→ Psalm 126:5-6
→ Vision has the capacity to fuel your hope and faith, even in the most challenging times

12. My vision will give me hope
→ Satan may steal everything from me but I will not let him steal my hope!

13. A vision is something to work by/with
→ A man who has no dreams, has no wings. He cannot fly
→ My vision is the raw material I can use to produce great things  
 
14. A written vision will help me live a selective life
→ Vision makes my life unique
→ Vision is personal

15. Vision helps my perception of myself and the future
→ He who never walks, except where he sees other people's footprint, will never make any new discoveries

16. My vision needs to be defined, acquired and applied

17. Vision fuels my belief system

18. Having a defined vision is the best way to measure success
→ Some people feel like a failure even after successes because they did not define their vision well; some feel successful whereas, they are achieving below their God-given capacity


☆ PS:
I found this piece written behind my 1998 Sermon Notes jotter. I can't recall whether it was a sermon that I listened to, my own thoughts/personal study, or excerpts from some book I read. Regardless, I think it is worth sharing.
→ Panshak Haggai: 14th February, 2015


Monday, 21 May 2001

Purity of Purpose (Bro. Alex Davou) 21-05-2001


* MY SERMON NOTES
@ Rescue Team,
Hwolshe – Gigiring, Jos
Plateau State, Nigeria
21st May, 2001

SERMON
* Speaker: Bro. Alex Davou
* Topic: Purity of Purpose

 * Purity means to be clean/holy

* Purpose is one’s intention (to achieve a particular goal)

* You’ll not be judged by your intention unless it is realized.

* Men have good purposes/intentions but they usually find it hard to achieve them

* There is no greater poverty than that of imagination

* If you believe a lie, you’ll always be controlled by that lie

* Unless you ‘drink’ that which is of the Holy Spirit, you will not know what is of the Holy Spirit

* Unless you fight, you cannot be counted as being part of those who are bold

* The wisdom of the world is limited

* Many acquired wealth out of impunity – it will all be taken away


* If you forfeit your crown, it will be given to another person

* As a Christian, your primary purpose is to please your master – Jesus

* Our beauty as Christians is not physical but that of the spirit

* Everything we do here on earth is for an eternal reward

* If you die today, what will you be remembered for?


       

 

 

Sunday, 7 May 2000

The Purpose in our Problems and Human Limitations 07-05-2000

★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN)
(Now Church of Christ in Nations)
Hwolshe, Gigiring - Jos
7th May, 2000

SERMON
* Speaker: [no data]
* Topic: The Purpose in our Problems and Human Limitations

* Jesus says you must take up your cross if you must follow Him (Matthew 16:24)

* Jesus is not against pleasure, but afflictions MUST come our way

* When Jesus called the 12 disciples and the first believers to follow Him, He did not pretend it was going to be easy

★ 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (Paul's testimony)

* Paul admitted that he was fragile, but God in his infinite mercy keeps him strong

* God has an incredible plan for each one of us

* Satan was not making it easy for Paul, because he was effective for Christ
★ 2 Corinthians 11:23b → " . . . in labours more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often."

* God may call us to suffer something. It's humanly meaningless to us

" My life is full of weaving
From God and me;
I cannot choose the colours . . ."

* Our human limitation brings some benefits. He uses such situations to bring glory to Himself

1. The reminders of Christ's suffering for us
* Christ suffered because our sins were on Him
* Satan tries to isolate us in our affliction and make us feel that no one cares - BUT GOD KNOWS

2. Our weaknesses Keep us from self-sufficiency
* Sometimes when you are doing all right, you tend to forget Christ and don't depend on Him for anything
* It doesn't take God a moment to tell us how vulnerable we are
* In our weaknesses, He makes and shows Himself strong


* When God humbles you through suffering, you should learn to appreciate him and TRUST HIM

3. Our suffering causes us to look beyond this brief life
* When we see the tragedy and suffering around us, we long for a better life beyond

4. Suffering proves our faith to others
* God doesn't promise us to always be healthy, or wealthy as many hold claim
★ Romans 8:35-39 → Suffering should not separate us from God
* In the end, God takes the glory - even in the sight of those that keenly observe us
* Satan tries to make us concentrate on some specific problems we face and in fact, the glory and His light is blurred out in that process
* We must demonstrate our faith as God's children, and that it is vital

5. Suffering gives God the opportunity to demonstrate His power and omnipotence
★ Philippians 4:13 →"I can do all things through him a who strengthens me."
* When God asks you to do something, He also gives you the power (and grace) to accomplish it
* When you depend on God, He proves His power and honours his words

☆ Refer to the story of Gideon in Judges Chapters 6 - 8

* It is not by power, but by God's Spirit

* When God asks you to do something and you know you naturally can't do it, praise Him because he will demonstrate His power

* The more you admit your need of Him, the more He releases His power through you