How important is it for Christians to have a vision?

In the business world, and in the personal development and self-help movements, it is common to promote the setting of goals. Defining objectives is considered foundational to directing individual and corporate efforts. In Christian circles the usual way of describing this is as “having, or getting, a vision”. In other words, setting one’s mind and heart on a desired future outcome. The only goal or vision that counts in the Christian life is that His Kingdom come in the hearts of all people and His will be done. (Matthew 6:10, 2 Peter 3:9)

It is remarkable that in the Bible, which addresses every aspect of life, and the ways of God, there is not one word on goal setting.

The verse that is quoted by some ministers, in support of a teaching on setting goals, is:

“ Without a vision the people perish.”  (Proverbs 29:18)

The quotation is from the King James Bible. It is not an accurate translation from the original Hebrew text, in the way we would understand it in modern English usage.

Up-to-date versions of the Bible translate this to bring out the true meaning. It is not intended as a proposition to encourage goal-setting, but as the truth that without the revelation, and implied admonition, of the Old Testament prophets who received the Word of God, the people would have had no restraint on their behaviour.

The focus of the Christian life is Jesus Christ and His glory – nothing more and nothing less.

This is what the Bible says about your plans and dreams.

Do You Have a Vision for Your Future?

The older we get, the faster time seems to pass. Before we know it, the ambitions, hopes and dreams of our youth become absorbed and forgotten in the background of life, until one day we reflect back and wonder, Should I have done things differently? Did I choose the right path? Is it too late to be what I wanted to be?

I want to encourage you that, no matter how old you are or what you’ve been through, God has a good plan for your life. He wants to fill your heart with a sense of destiny and purpose that will satisfy your soul. 

God knows the thoughts and plans He has for us; plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give us hope in our final outcome. (Jeremiah 29:11)

So what is your vision? If you don’t have a vision, it’s time for you to get one!

A vision doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be just about anything. Maybe your vision is to remodel a home, to lose weight, to get out of debt, to achieve a career goal…or work in full time ministry. Whatever your vision, it’s important to keep moving toward it! God is always on the move, and we need to continually move forward with Him.

God did not create us to be passive individuals who live every day with a “wait-and-see” attitude. He has chosen to partner with us. God has a part and we have a part in everything we do. He does His part by guiding, helping and protecting us daily and we are responsible for doing our part.

The journey toward our plans, goals and visions is just as important as the destination itself. The journey is what builds our patience, faith, endurance, and self-discipline. God has equipped you and me with gifts and talents to achieve our visions, and He wants to prepare us by building our character so we are able to handle future challenges.

To put it plainly, if you don’t have strong character, you will set yourself up for failure, and will not be able to sustain your vision once it comes to pass.

So how do you make progress toward your vision?

I’d like to share three points of wisdom with you that may help you achieve your goals, plans and visions.

(1) Ask for God's Direction

The first one is to pray and ask God for wisdom, direction and ability to hear the Holy Spirit and to obey His promptings.

The second one is to embrace the process and maintain a healthy perspective, especially during times when you feel discouraged.

(2) Stick to the Process

For every vision we set, we must go through a process to get there. I encourage you to be determined—no matter what happens—to stick to that process. It can be challenging to maintain a good attitude during what I call the “silent” seasons—when God is quiet. When we don’t understand and cannot see what God is doing.

During such seasons, your faith will be tested and stretched to your limits. You may be tempted to question your ability to succeed, the decisions you made, and your reasons for pursuing your vision. These are the times when your perspectives matter most. Your thoughts and how you speak are powerful, because they can either breathe life and hope into your vision or condemn and terminate it altogether. So in order to continue moving forward, you need to maintain a good attitude so that your faith remains strong and you are able to see things God’s way instead of your own.

The third point of wisdom I’d like to share with you is to record your vision and journal your progress.

(3) Write It All Down

And the Lord answered me and said, write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by.For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behind hand on its appointed day. (Habakkuk 2:2-3)

The Bible tells us to write down our vision so we can see it plainly. I would also encourage you to record your victories, challenges and thoughts along the journey toward your vision. The reason is, when you go through difficult seasons, you will be encouraged when you see how God has helped, guided, and strengthened you along the way. It’s wonderful to have a record of what God has brought you through. Sometimes I dig up my old journals to see how God brought me through times when I didn’t think I could make it. Those journals not only encourage me, they are a testimony of my progress.

Today's Prayer:

Pray with Os Hillman

Invite God into your work life and experience His presence.

Biblical Principles in Network Marketing

As a Pastor, Bill Nissen was against Network Marketing for years.  In 2003, a friend helped 
him see a new perspective.  He still dislikes the ethics of many who do it, but he sees a 
biblical perspective that allows him to not only support network marketing, but embrace it as
a way to serve people.  Watch This Video. It is longer than most (20 minutes) but carries essential information.

Decision-making

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).

This is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible related to gaining wisdom and direction from God. Yet, I have never heard one teaching on this passage that teaches what I believe the Psalmist is really saying. The first part is pretty easy; we are to trust with all our heart. But the next part is not so clear. We are not to lean on our own understanding. If we are not to lean on our own understanding, who's understanding are we to lean? God's!

Throughout the Old Testament we find that God set up structures in which those in authority made decisions. God has always set a principle whereby we are to seek Him in all our decisions that He might truly make our decisions. In the Old Testament, the priest made decisions based on which way the Urim and Thummin fell inside his breastplate. The casting of lots was another means of allowing a decision to be left with God. Proverbs says that "the lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord." Still another means of making a decision was through the agreement of two or three. No one could be guilty of any crime without the witness of two or three. This was a Biblical way of confirming a matter. Still another means of making a decision is through a multitude of counselors.

Given all of these scenarios, what are we to gain from these examples? We are told in (Jeremiah 17:9) that "the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure." So what really protects each of us from the deceit of our own heart? I believe it is the combination of all of the above. When we get to a place with God that our decisions are accountable to others, whether that be a wife, a board, or a few close friends who are committed to the same Godly ideals, this is when we are protected from the deceit of our own heart. This is one of the hardest things to yield to God -- the right to make our own decisions. Yet, it is the most elementary principle. God requires of us to receive His blessing in our lives.

This principle took a long time for me to appropriate. However, today I can tell you I would never make a major decision without the counsel of others who are close to me. Relational accountability has become lost in our culture due to our hunger for independence. I have experienced too often the hardship that results from making decisions that God isn't behind. Walking in obedience is the only real freedom in Christ.

Obedience-Based Decisions

We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him. (Acts 5:32)

So often we as a society equate numbers with success. The larger the conference, the more successful we deem it. The larger a church, the more we believe that God is blessing. And so on. I recall planning a conference one time. Registrations were not where I felt they needed to be a few weeks before the date of the event. It wasn't long before I began to get "under the pile" about the level of attendance. My friend, who was organizing this conference with me, called and asked how I was doing. I had to confess where I was. He immediately reminded me of my own teaching in this area. We are all called to be led by the Spirit, not by outcomes. "If God called us to put on this conference, then the outcome is up to Him if we have done our part." He went on to explain how he learned this lesson in a similar way a few years earlier.

He and a friend were led to host a Bible study group. His friend was to speak. It was nine o'clock and they were the only two people there. His friend was discouraged and was ready to leave.

"No," said my friend. "We have done what the Holy Spirit directed." He then stood up and began to welcome people as though there were many in the room. (No one was in the room.) He introduced his friend and they began the meeting. A few minutes later, people began to straggle in. By the time the meeting was over, ten had shown up, and one man in particular was impacted by the meeting.

Being led by the Spirit often means we must not use the world's standard for success as our measuring stick. You never know what an act of obedience will yield at the time. We must leave results to God. Our role is to obey. His role is to bring results from our obedience.


Do you make decisions based on the potential outcome or by the direction of the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you overly evaluate the pros and cons without consideration to what the Holy Spirit might be saying deep inside? We are all prone to make decisions based on reasoning alone. Ask God to give you a willingness and ability to hear the Holy Spirit and to obey His promptings.

Obedience-based Decisions vs. Skill & Ability

As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle.   (1 Chronicles 14:13).

The Philistines are attacking. David wants to know how to respond. His first inquiry of God reveals that He is to attack the Philistines straight away. God will give him victory. David follows the instruction of God and gains victory. Shortly after, the Philistines are mounting another attack. David inquires again, "So David inquired of God again, and God answered him, "Do not go straight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees."

This is a most interesting thing that David does. Consider that David is a well-trained warrior. He is a strategist. Yet, we find that David's dependence upon God to direct his efforts is very great. In fact, after he wins the first battle he goes right back to inquire again. This is the most important lesson we can learn from this story. God tells David to attack, but only after he hears the marching in the balsam trees.

How many times have you or I operated in the marketplace based only upon our skill and ability without seeking to know the details of the will of God in the matter? David could have simply assumed since he won the last battle, surely God would automatically give him victory the same way. No. David had learned that communicating with the living God is the only sure way of victory. His skill was not enough. He had to have the blessing of God.

How many times have we worked in our business life the same way each time only because it was the way we did it last time. What if God has a better way for you? What if God has a different plan than ours? "So David inquired of God..." These are the important words that we are to learn from. We must be in such relationship with God that we are constantly inquiring of His mind on the matter. When we do this we can expect the same results that David achieved...success in our endeavor and recognition by God.

"So David's fame spread throughout every land, and the LORD made all the nations fear him." This is the reward of obedience to God. We don't have to build a name for ourselves. God will see to it that you are honored for your obedience. He wants to make known those servants who are willing to obey Him at all costs.


Obedience With A Cost

"Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all" (Exodus 5:23).

Have you ever felt like you have been obedient to the Lord for something God called you to do and all you get are more roadblocks? This is the way Moses felt. When Moses went to tell Pharaoh to release the people because God said so, Pharaoh simply got angry and made the people make bricks without straw. Moses caught the blame for this from the people. It is interesting to see that Moses is just learning what obedience really means in the realm of God's Kingdom. You see, Moses has not even begun to release plagues upon Egypt. He hasn't even gotten started yet in his calling, and he is complaining about his circumstances. There are many more encounters with Pharaoh to come and many more plagues with no deliverances in sight. Why would God tell Moses that he is going to deliver them and not do it?

It was all in timing. God never said when He was going to deliver. He just said He would. In the next chapter, we find Moses arguing with God about not being capable of the job God has called him to, "But Moses said to the Lord, 'If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me since I speak with faltering lips?' Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.'" Do you get the feeling God was losing His patience?

God had a good reason for His delays. He said, "And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it." God not only wanted the people of Israel to know Him, but also the Egyptians. It would be the greatest show of God's power on earth.

In your life and my life, God often causes delays that we cannot understand. Our obedience sometimes seems it is not getting rewarded. Jesus said He learned obedience through the things He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Imagine that. Jesus having to learn obedience. What does that say for you and me? Sometimes God's delays are simply because He wants more glory in the situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me through greater patience and obedience. Faint not, for the promise may yet come.


Placing Trust in Our Strength

"So the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead"                      (1Chronicles 21:14).

When is the last time your overconfidence cost the lives of 70,000 men? That is exactly what happened to David. David made what might appear to be an innocent request of his general, Joab. But, the minute Joab heard the request, he cringed. He knew David was in big trouble for this one. You see, to number the troops was a great sin in Israel because it was against the law of Israel to do this. Why? Because it demonstrated that you were placing more trust in numbers than the living God. David displayed enough pride to cost the lives of 70,000 fighting men. God gave him three choices of punishment for his sin. A plague was the one he chose that resulted in the loss of 70,000.

Throughout the history of Israel, God set the stage for battles to be won, miracles to take place, and people to exercise faith. The stage was always set so that man could not take credit for what God did. Consider Gideon who was only allowed 300 to fight 100,000. Consider Jehoshophat, who had to lead his army with his singers. God defeated the enemy. Consider Joshua, who was told simply to walk around Jericho seven times, and they would get victory. God did things in some very unconventional ways!

How does this relate to you and me as business people? Well, the minute you and I place more trust in our abilities than in God, we are guilty of numbering the troops. How does He punish us? Sometimes it's through letting a deal go sour. Sometimes it's through problems with a client or vendor. Sometimes situations just blow up in our face. Other times, He lets us go on for a long time enveloped in His mercy, but eventually He deals with it.

The lesson here is to learn daily and complete dependence upon God. Use your gifts and abilities through the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him daily for direction and wisdom. His ways won't always line up with conventional wisdom. When we begin depending on our abilities only, God has a responsibility to make known to us who is the giver of the blessings

Today's Prayer

Pray with Os Hillman

Invite God into your work life and experience His presence.

Biblical Principles in Network Marketing

As a Pastor, Bill Nissen was against Network Marketing for years.  In 2003, a friend helped 
him see a new perspective.  He still dislikes the ethics of many who do it, but he sees a 
biblical perspective that allows him to not only support network marketing, but embrace it as
a way to serve people.  Watch This Video. It is longer than most (20 minutes) but carries essential information.