Vision for the New Year

This is the material I have prepared for next week's Bible study. Our study in the last few weeks has revolved around Godly goals and Vision.

As we start a new year, I would like to challenge us all to make it our passion to seek God radically this coming year. Bring Him into every moment and every circumstance. Orchestrate our life so that your prayer time does not look any different than any other time of the day. By doing this, our ultimate calling…the plan God has for your life will find us like a magnet. As we GET TO KNOW GOD and develop a deep relationship and friendship with Him, our lives will change so we reflect MORE OF HIM and LESS OF US in everyday life. That is our ultimate calling, the one we share with all other believers…to reflect Jesus to them, to be His hands and feet on this earth.

As we begin this year, I challenge you all (and also myself!) to declare that this is the Lord’s favor and to seek Him with an intensity that is RELENTLESS. I pray that we become God-Stalkers not just God-Chasers. We communicate constantly with the Holy Spirit and bring Him and His truth into each and every moment. I also pray that we get a hunger and a thirst for His Word that is insatiable! His Word changes us from the inside out. Even if we only have a few minutes, one or two verses can quench a thirsty spirit. It is time that we make God our first priority and not just give Him the time we have left over after a busy day. He is our day…He gives us life and breath. It is so important that our time and energy start to reflect that. Everything changes when we start to put God first…our attitude, our thoughts, our words, our entire life becomes transformed as we start to think “God’s thoughts” and not our own.

I urge each of you to pray about the things that God is calling you to do in the next year. I believe ABOVE ALL He is calling us to “Seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). Now I would like for everyone to take some time and write the next year’s vision statement. In Habakkuk 2:3 God instructs us to “write down the vision in big, block letters”. He also tell us in (Proverbs 29:18) “Without a vision, the people perish”. Let’s start taking God at His Word. I challenge you to ask the Holy Spirit exactly what your vision statement should include. I am enclosing a vision statement worksheet and also a link to a website that will help you find out your spiritual gifts. These tools will help you line up your vision with God’s vision for your life. Have a blessed New Year and time of reflection.

The Vision Statement describes the future we intend to co-create with God. Describe how the world would be improved, changed, or different if our vision was successful in achieving its purpose. The Vision Statement provides direction and inspiration. Dare to dream the impossible! God’s specialty is working miracles and using His strengths in our weaknesses. Do look at your past experiences, talents, spiritual gifts and core values to lead and guide you. But remember that God is bigger than all those things! He can lead you to a dream that far surpasses anything you will be capable of doing alone. If the dream seems WAY to big…it is more than likely a God-Sized vision that only He can bring to pass. All He is looking for from us is a “Yes, Lord!” Our willingness and submission is all He requires.

After writing your vision statement, come up with short-term and long-term goals that will lead you toward that vision. They should be SMART....specific, measureable, attainable (with God’s help), relevant and time-sensitive. As a steward of our resources (time, energy, etc.), our day should reflect where we are going. Time and energy should be devoted each and every day to achieving God’s vision for our life. Even more importantly, we should pursue God and His vision will find us!

Example:
My vision is that I will co-author with the Holy Spirit a Bible Study titled “Rebuilding the Temple”. It will center of how people can rebuild their mental, spiritual and physical health through a study of God’s Word. With the help of the Holy Spirit I WILL write this Bible study and teach it in my home by the first part of this year. I will write one week at a time until it’s completion. I will also be present in each moment and sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading each and every day. I also feel the Him challenging me to go on a “negative thought and word” fast. I will take negative thoughts captive and only think LIFE-GIVING THOUGHTS. In the same notion, I want all the words that come out of my mouth to be life-giving. All my words should heal, bless or prosper!



Spiritual gifts assessments:
http://www.crossroadscco.com/clientimages/26980/spiritualgiftstestjanuary2008.pdf
http://www.d-m-m.org/support-files/giftstest.pdf

Treasures and splinters

I have just arrived home from a conference entitled "Deeper Still". It was a wonderful time with one of my favorite peeps. In the afternoon session Beth Moore talked about "Treasures". The message was from Luke 2:51. To begin with I would like to share with you the definition of "treasure":to guard, to keep, preserve, keep close or defend.

Here are the main points from her talk (this is pertinent, I promise)...

1.) There are treasures out there (in life)
2.) They are not my treasures until they make it past my defenses
3.) Treasures strung together can bring healing
4.) Our treasure gets lost in the same trash as our time
5.) We will miss our most expensive treasure if we look past our hardship and pain
6.) When you feel like you don't see the treasure, look for Jesus (He will always lead us to our treaures)

One particular statement in her talk has "busted something loose" inside me. She said "each and every treasure involves a heart risk". I have many treasures in my life. I feel that God has blessed me in so many areas but there is one in particular that deals me fits. My greatest treasure in this life is my sweet baby girl. She is pure joy. The rush of vulnerability and emotion that she has brought into my life is something that I did not see coming. Quite truthfully, I have been ill-equipped to deal with it. The love that I feel for this child holds the potential to either be my place of greatest healing or the place of my soul's greatest devastation. Each time I look at this little treasure I feel a rush of unconditional love and paralyzing fear. For to lose her would be a place (I have convinced myself) that there would be no recovery. With regard to my love for her there is absolutely no protection for my heart. I am totally exposed.

As I drove home last night I was praying for God to show me what all this is about. I poured out my heart to him and asked him (begged actually) for Him to help me with my unbelief. I know at the core that this is an unbelief/trust issue. I woke up during the night last night and started to pray about this yet again. Asking him to show me where this fear is originating and why I feel so incredibly terrified and vulnerable in the same package with this unconditional love.

God in His infinite wisdom gave me the answer in a visual that he knew I could understand. He showed me a little puppy with a splinter in his foot. Puppies are "ill-equipped" to deal with such things. They know the splinter hurts and they run around in their limited understanding trying to figure out how to make the pain stop. Puppies cannot open drawers. Nor can they read for that matter...they have no idea what medicine is going to bring about the healing that they so desperately desire. The pulling out of the splinter may cause pain for a moment but healing will begin immediately. If left alone, the splinter will cause an infection, a place of constant pain and discomfort. Without the puppy sitting still and submitting that the Master knows best, the pup's paw will never heal. Well here is a news flash...I have got a mad case of the splinters! God informed me that there are areas in my life that I have not allowed Him to heal. The world has no means of providing the healing that only He can offer. He has assured me that "in this season" He is going to give me a gift of supernatural healing and peace for my splinters. A perfectly wrapped present just for me (and anyone else who needs it for that matter). His perfect love casts out fear (1 Cor 13). So perfect love cannot co-habitate with fear. Well guess who is getting the eviction notice ASAP! My love is not enough to do it...but HIS love can send fear packing! Sayonara Mr. Fear, you have been a bad friend to me.

These nasty splinters come about as a result of unresolved pain, loss, dissapointment or grief. Fear of loss has robbed me of many of my greatest treasures and I am taking them back. This is most certainly a case of God giving me beauty for my ashes (Isaiah 61:3).Instead He is going to give me healing for my splinters and faith for my fear. Now those are the gifts that keeps on giving! Merry Christmas!

Splintered paws in the air,
Heather