OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - TUESDAY- 05/08/2014 - A VISION PROPELLED LIFE BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

A VISION PROPELLED LIFE

MEMORISE

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8

READ

1 Timothy 3:1-7

1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

MESSAGE

Paul’s two letters to Timothy and his letter to Titus are known as his Pastoral Epistles because they deal with the life of the Church. At the time they were written, the Church had been in existence for about thirty years and the apostles were passing away. It was therefore necessary to consider the changing leadership of the church and how the church should be organised. So Paul wrote to give church leaders guidance on how to administer the churches for which they were responsible. Today’s passage acquaints us with Christian leadership and the need for them to be positioned for good success. You can enjoy wealth, good health, miracles, signs and wonders when you are guided by a heavenly vision. Vision is the product of effective thinking. It is mentioned in literature that great men think because they are great, and great men are great because they think. An aspect of thinking that differentiates great men and women from mediocre ones is the ability to handle a vision. How important is vision to renowned men and women? It is very critical. Vision can be described as foresight, based on insight with the benefit of hindsight. A man of vision sees what God has for him before its fulfilment. Vision is no doubt one of the most powerful forces available to man on earth today. Vision gives meaning to life. It keeps us alive and conditions our lives. Proverbs 29:18 says,

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

Someone once said: “Action springs out of what we fundamentally desire”. A man with no vision is at best a living corpse. He desires nothing and so achieves nothing. Every great person in history is a personal owner of a vision. A lady was once asked: “What would be worse than being blind?” She answered, “To have sight with no vision.” This quote emphasises the need for vision or the power of imagination to guide one’s life. We need a vision for our business. Personal ownership of a vision is needed for our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, for our home and for our family. A man or woman of vision achieves good success in his or her endeavours. Are you a man or woman of vision? To actualise your vision, be resolute, be prepared for a change and be prayerful. Note that success has other price tags on it and these price tags read: courage, determination, discipline, risk-taking, perseverance, consistency and doing the right things for the right reasons.

ACTION POINT

When David had a vision, he conquered Goliath. When David lost his vision, he could not conquer his lust. Is your vision intact? Do something about it.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

Matthew 26:69-28:20

Job 16:1-17