Know Your Life's Vision

'...called according to His purpose.' Romans 8:28 NKJV

Nobody can give you a vision for your life, but here's how to find yours:

(1) Look within you. What moves you? What are you excited about? Paul said, '...I am compelled to preach...' (1 Corinthians 9:16 NIV)

(2) Look behind you. What has life taught you? Experience provides us with the wisdom needed to fulfil our destiny. What does your past tell you about your future? (3) Look around you. God never calls us alone. Moses needed 70 elders. Jesus picked 12 disciples. Paul spoke of those who worked with him. Fulfilling your destiny requires having the right people in your life.

(4) Look ahead of you. Helen Keller said, 'The only thing that's worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision.' What do you see through the eye of faith? St Augustine said, 'Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of faith is to see what we believe.'

(5) Look beside you. What resources are available to you, for example, books, CDs, conferences and mentors? If your vision is not bigger than you, it's not of God. And the greater it is, the more resources it will require.

(6) Look above you. Jeremiah writes, '...They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord.' (Jeremiah 23:16 NKJV) We are 'called according to His purpose', not according to the need, or the fact that the door is open, or that our talent will be appreciated and well rewarded. Your vision must fulfil your God-ordained destiny, nothing else. So, do you need to recognise your vision, resurrect your vision or refocus on your vision? There's lots to do in the body at Calvary. Maybe God is calling you to fullfill something that needs to be done!

Fresh Oil

'...You anoint my head with oil...' Psalm 23:5

The shepherd anoints his sheep with oil for two purposes. First, to repel insects. If allowed to deposit their eggs into the soft membrane of a sheep's nose they can drive the sheep insane; the ewes stop giving milk and the lambs stop growing. So the shepherd anoints his sheep with an oil-like repellent that keeps the enemy at bay and the flock at peace. Second, to heal wounds. Most wounds result from living with the flock. So the shepherd regularly inspects his sheep because he doesn't want today's wound to become tomorrow's infection. Whether circumstances are driving you crazy, or you've just been wounded as a result of living with the flock, always go to the Shepherd. Before you go to anybody else, go to God because 'He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds' (Psalm 147:3 NIV). Then, bow before Him. In order to be anointed the sheep must lower their heads and let the shepherd apply the oil. Humble yourself, call on the Lord. 'God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him... he will not be slow to answer them' (Luke 18:7 NCV). David writes, '...I shall be anointed with fresh oil' (Psalm 92:10). Yesterday's oil is quickly contaminated by the dirt and grime of the journey, so you must go to God daily and ask Him to empower you with His Spirit. A sheep doesn't understand how the oil works, but it doesn't have to. It's enough to know that something happens in the presence of its shepherd that happens nowhere else.

It's a Sure Thing

'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...' Psalm 23:6 NKJV

Let's break this Scripture down: 'Surely goodness and mercy.' People may disappoint you, but God's goodness and mercy are sure things! 'With [God] there is never the slightest variation or shadow of inconsistency.' (James 1:17 PHPS) Our devotion to God may falter, but His devotion to us never does: 'If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful...' (2 Timothy 2:13 NLT) David didn't say, 'maybe, possibly, I hope so, I've a hunch.' No, he said, 'Surely' and that's a promise you can stand on. 'Shall follow me.' That sounds like another promise God made to His people: 'all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you...' (Deuteronomy 28:2 NKJV) Note the words: 'follow...come on...overtake'. You can't get away from them! God's goodness and mercy followed Jonah to the bottom of the sea, Daniel into the lions' den, and John into exile, opening Heaven to him. Stop and look back. Think of the scrapes God's brought you through, the messes He's helped clean up, the doors He's opened, and what do you see? Blessings you don't deserve, can't escape, and are new every morning. With God, it's a sure thing! 'All the days of my life.' Think of the days ahead and what do you see? Days at home raising a family? Days in a dead-end job, struggling to get ahead? Days of loneliness and poor health? Days of caring for a sick loved one? Days of battling disappointment and depression? 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.' Goodness to provide, and mercy to pardon; you'll never have a day without them!

He Is a God of Abundance

'...My cup runs over.' Psalm 23:5 NKJV

Paul writes, 'Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think...' (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV) Our God is a God of abundance! In Scripture, the overflowing cup is a powerful symbol. As long as your cup was kept full you were welcome. But if it sat empty, the host was hinting that it was time to go. If he really enjoyed your company he kept filling it until it ran over the edge and down onto the table. Is your cup overflowing today? That means you're welcome at God's table, your seat is guaranteed, nobody can take your place, and your needs will be abundantly supplied. FB Meyer wrote, 'Whatever the blessing in your cup, it's sure to run over. With Him, the calf is always the fatted calf, the robe is always the best robe, the joy is unspeakable, the peace passeth understanding... God's way is always characterised by...overflowing bounty.' So the last thing on earth we need to worry about is 'making ends meet'. Our cup overflows. Take grace, for example: 'The more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God's abounding grace forgiving us.' (Romans 5:20 TLB) To abound is to have a surplus! The cup God gives overflows with mercy. Are you afraid it will run dry? That your warranty will expire? That your mistakes are too great? No way! Before Paul became a Christian he went around persecuting, imprisoning and killing Christians. Yet he wrote, '...grace...was poured out on me abundantly...' (1 Timothy 1:14 NIV) Whatever you need today, God has--in abundance. So ask, and believe Him for it!

Facing Death with Confidence

'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me...' Psalm 23:4 NKJV

One day Jesus will come and take each of us to His house. 'How do we get there?' you ask. 'Through the valley of the shadow of death.' This verse is quoted at the graves of paupers and carved on the headstones of presidents for a couple of reasons. First because we must all face death. Some senior citizens were lounging on the patio of their retirement community. One looked up as a large flock of birds flew overhead. He nudged his buddy who'd dozed off, 'Frank, you'd better move around a little, those vultures look like they're closing in on us.' The Bible says, '...it is appointed unto men once to die...' (Hebrews 9:27 KJV) Sooner or later the buzzards will move in; will you be ready? It's also quoted to remind us that we don't have to face it alone. Donna Spratt writes, 'To begin a discussion on values, our youth pastor asked the teens this question: "What would you do if your doctor told you that you had only 24 hours to live?" The teens' responses were typically, "Be with friends and family." But the discussion came undone when Jason, our 13-year-old, said, "I'd get a second opinion."' When it comes to opinions about death, only one counts: Jesus said, 'I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?' (John 11:25-26 NIV) Rejoice, you won't have to make the journey alone. Furthermore, whatever you give up for Christ in this life will be nothing to what you inherit in the next.

It's All About Him!

'...for His name's sake.' Psalm 23:3 NKJV

Have you ever asked, 'How could God use someone like me?' The Psalmist answers, 'For His name's sake'! Only one name counts--and it's not yours! With the same intensity that God hates pride, He loves humility. His Word says, '...God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' (James 4:6 NIV) So here are a few tips on staying humble.

First, evaluate yourself honestly. Don't be like the beaver who told the rabbit as they stared up at the immense wall of Hoover Dam, 'No, I didn't actually build it myself. But it was based on an idea of mine.' The Bible says, 'Don't cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself...but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities.' (Romans 12:3-4 PHPS)

Second, learn to celebrate others. Paul writes, '...don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.' (Philippians 2:3 NLT) Every goal scored in life is usually a team effort. Be like the little boy who came home from the auditions for the school play and announced, 'Mummy, I got the part. I've been chosen to sit in the audience and cheer.' When you can do that, your head finally fits your hat size.

Finally, don't announce your success before it occurs. '...One who puts on his armour should not boast like one who takes it off.' (1 Kings 20:11 NIV) When one of Charles Spurgeon's students proudly stepped up to preach, but came back down having failed miserably, Spurgeon supposedly said something like, 'If you'd gone up the way you came down, you'd have come down the way you went up.' God blesses our efforts only when they're done 'for His name's sake'.

Made Righteous Through Christ

'...He leads me in the paths of righteousness...' Psalm 23:3 NKJV

How could a God who is perfect live side by side in Heaven with people like us who aren't? That's like asking if a top university would admit someone with only a kindergarten education. Then what are we to do? Find a worthy substitute, or be lost forever! That's where Jesus comes in; He's the Good Shepherd who gave His life for us. It's the great transfer! At the cross God placed all our sins on Christ, and at the point of believing faith He places all Christ's righteousness on us. Awesome! Actor Kevin Bacon recalls when his six-year-old son saw the movie Footloose for the first time: 'Hey, Dad, you know that part in the movie where you swing from the rafters? That's really cool, how did you do that?' I said, 'Well, I didn't do that part...it was a stuntman.' 'What's a stuntman?' he asked. 'That's someone who dresses like me and does things I can't do.' 'Oh,' he replied, and walked out of the room looking a little confused. Later, he said, 'Hey, Dad, you know that part in the movie where you spin around on that gym bar and land on your feet? How did you do that?' I said, 'Well, I didn't do that either. That was a gymnastics double.' 'What's a gymnastics double?' he asked. 'That's a guy who dresses in my clothes and does things I can't do.' Then my son asked, 'Dad, what did you do?' 'I got all the glory,' I sheepishly replied. The songwriter put it this way: 'Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before Thy throne. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.'