Vision is often laid aside because of the tyranny of the urgent. The busyness of life and the things that need to be done right now create a constant tension between what you want to do in your life versus what you desire to do. So what do you do? Stay focused on your life vision. (Go to Life Palette and search the word “vision” for more on how to develop your life vision) God’s vision for you is the framework of your life. Imagine a motorcycle without a frame. Where would you put the engine? What would you place the seat on? If you can’t relate to a motorcycle consider a human without a skeleton structure. What would hold the rest of the body together if you had no bones?

That is the importance of God’s vision for you. It is the frame work for everything else in your life. Get it right, define and understand it clearly and you have a much greater chance of getting the rest of life right.  “For we are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Eph 2:10 (NLT)

There are 3 simple questions that you must answer to clearly understand the vision God has designed your life with. We see them in the life of Nehemiah in the Bible. His story is one of the greatest stories every written on vision and how to see a vision come to pass.

First – What Do I Dream About?

“In late autumn…one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem”      Neh. 1:1-2 (NLT)“They said to me, “Things are not going well…they are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.” Neh. 1:3-4 (NLT)

Second – What Do I Cry About?

“They said to me, “Things are not going well…they are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.” Neh. 1:3-4 (NLT)

Third – What Makes Me Laugh?

“O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”  Neh. 1:11 (NLT)

Your life vision precedes everything; it is the framework to all that God wants to do in and through you as His masterpiece.

(To stream Jeff doing this talk live at Alive Church click on Custom Built)

Nest Steps For Your Vision:

Here are some specific things you can do this week that will help you recognize your life vision and take action. Nehemiah is the perfect example of how an ordinary person changed his world by doing something extraordinary—rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in just 52 days:

• Read the first 6 chapters of the book of Nehemiah and learn directly from the Bible how God uses a person with vision.
• Ask God to give you clarity about the dreams He has place in your heart.
• Ask God to break your heart for what breaks His heart.
• Tell God what is keeping you from taking action on your burden. Ask Him to remove these barriers.
• Ask God to show you how as you live your life vision you live in the place of greatest joy.