Vision for successful living
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Keep the Vision
Keep the Vision
May we be a people who keep the vision of what God has given us, what God expects from us, and the results from doing having and using what He has given us.
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Vision: The ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom
Discernment: In absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.
Different then the gift of discerning spirits. (1Cor12:10)
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When you think of vision, what do you think about? What comes to mind?
Maybe I should give us a couple of words and define them so they can help us as we journey at “vision for successful living” tonight.
vision (noun) 1.the faculty or state of being able to see. Synonyms: eyesight, sight, power of sight, faculty of sight, ability to see, power of seeing, powers of observation, observation, perception, visual perception; 2.the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.
Discernment (noun)1.the ability to judge well. 2.(in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.
1.the faculty or state of being able to see."she had defective vision"synonyms:eyesight, sight, power of sight, faculty of sight, ability to see, power of seeing, powers of observation, observation, perception, visual perception; More2.the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.
So there you go, a couple of definitions that may help us tonight as we look at what scripture says about vision and we will interweave some discernment too (1Cor2:14-15; 2Pt1:20)
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.
I want us to think about spiritual things, and, if we are honest, we can only understand spiritual things with spiritual eyes and having spiritual discernment . God has given us His Word so we can spiritually understand Him. There is no special revelation that is needed to help us to understand God and what God means in His word.
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,
I believe we have discussed before that there are times when people take things out of context so that it is fit a persons desire, vs. God’s intention. I know personally, I was one who did it, and it was because of lack of knowledge and spiritual discernment. I think that is why I try to be so careful to let the scripture speak for itself I know I have taken biblical truths in partial and in turn make a misinterpretation of Gods Word, it would have been with good intentions, but still wrong results.
J. Vernon McGee said this
“Spiritual discernment is one of the gifts that God has given to the church, that is, an understanding of God’s Word.”
Do you agree with that statement? (stop, let them ponder on this a minute) - God has in interpretation or us, God gives us understanding through spiritual discernment.
I think we need to be very careful when it comes to discernment since there has been such a wide abuse. So let’s go back to the Word.
Unrestrained!
Unrestrained!
This now brings us to our focus verse for tonight (Pro29:18) but there is much we can learn from this one verse.
When you think of the word unrestrained what do you think of?
Unrestrained (Adj) - not restrained or restricted (uncontrolled, rampant, unchecked, unbridled, uninhibited. . . )
Now look at our verse
18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.
Now, I want to give a few other versions that will add to our understanding
18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
So what we have here is The needed thing vs. the unrestrained thing from Pro29:18
Vision vs. unrestrained (NASB)
Revelation vs. Cast off restraint (NIV)
Divine Guidance vs. Run wild (NLT)
Prophetic vision vs cast off restraint (ESV)
Pop quiz: What is the major focus, purpose for book of Proverbs?
IT IS FOR WISDOM
In the O.T. it was from vision, prophesy, divine guidance and prophetic vision that wisdom was given to the man of God for the people of God. So we can get much from that for the N.T. church then and today (Jam1:17; Jam3:17; Jam1:5-6; Act20:27)
/dəˈsərnmənt/noun1.the ability to judge well."an astonishing lack of discernment"synonyms:judgment, taste, discrimination, refinement, cultivation, sophistication, enlightenment, sensitivity, subtlety; More2.(in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.
/ˈviZHən/noun1.the faculty or state of being able to see."she had defective vision"synonyms:eyesight, sight, power of sight, faculty of sight, ability to see, power of seeing, powers of observation, observation, perception, visual perception; More2.the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.
17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
/dəˈsərnmənt/noun1.the ability to judge well."an astonishing lack of discernment"synonyms:judgment, taste, discrimination, refinement, cultivation, sophistication, enlightenment, sensitivity, subtlety; More2.(in Christian contexts) perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding.
The Father has given us everything, every good thing, every perfect thing, and it is not open for variation, for there is no variation or shifting shadow meaning that God and His interpretation is not open for interpretation but is open to understanding (discerning what God means).
Look at what we get when we have the good and perfect things given.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
Now look at what we have here, it is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits and it is unwavering and without hypocrisy, which means it is true and not an act.
If anyone lacks this kind of discernment, this kind of wisdom were are told what to do and how to do it
jam1:5
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Now we do have to take into account that we have the full revelation of scripture that has been declared.
27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
ACt20:27
Our passage tonight was written that when people wanted wisdom they wanted vision they would go see the seer (aka: Prophet) to inquire (1Sam9:9; 1Sam3:1; Jud17:6)
9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called a seer.)
But as man, Israel, we turning more and more away from God it was infrequent that people would even inquire of God
1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli. And word from the Lord was rare in those days, visions were infrequent.
So without vision, without the word from God to them the people perish
they cast off restraint; they become corruptible
One commentator in short said they are lost and go to hell
Now, again, this was written mainly for people of the time, to the people of Israel who were forsaking God, forsaking wisdom and doing what they wanted.
6 In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
Jud17:6
Now, let’s make this applicable for us, personal. If someone does not know the wisdom of God, does not have vision, discernment (knowledge) of God’s will, he casts off restraint and it leads them to the same thing, lost and going to hell.
People who cast off restraint and do what they want, what they want will not get them into the kingdom of heaven. for there is only One way (Jn14:6; Act4:12)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
and if that the only way, that eleminates any other way, right?
12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
So what are we to do?
Store up wisdom (Pro2:7)
Share God’s wisdom by sharing the Word of God that can save all.
I know I listed Pro2:7 but that would not be fair to use just that verse.
1 My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding;
3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will discern the fear of the Lord And discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
and the reason i had to go on is this next ver
9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course.
Know, share, pay close attention (1Tim4:16)
Paying close attention, discerning!
16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
1im4:16
Wow, can you believe it we actually got through 1/2 of 1 verse , so we are part way there.
Happy is He
Happy is He
So we have already looked at where the Word is not proclaimed the people are unrestrained. Things are a mess and people are lost and condemned to hell. So, now we need to look at the one who have vision (discernment).
18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.
I need us to look at a couple of the versions again to see the difference.
18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
Pro29:18
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
18 If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.
When there is vision, revelation, divine guidance, able to see what God is doing then people are:
Happy (NASB)
Blessed (NIV)
Joyful (NLT)
Joyfu
And in the Message, most blessed!
When we have vision, discernment, we are blessed, because we seek and obey God (Psm119:2)
2 How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.
We are blessed because we seek with all our heart!
We are commanded to (Mt22:37)
37 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
Our obedience will prove we are seeking and loving Him (Jn14:15)
15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
Keep what? Keep His commandments, Keep His Word. When we love the Lord we are happy, we are blessed, we are joyful, we can even say we are most blessed. We know be people who need vision for successful living don’t we. Then we can share in the happiness when a sinner repent s (Lk15:7)
7 “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
God revealed true wisdom from above through the prophets and the apostles on how to be saved and how to be added to the numbers of those being saved (Act2:47)
Happy is the man who walks in Christ and is safe and secure.
For:
Having heard the The word they heeded the word leading to salvation because they believe, confess, repent, are baptized and then live joyously obedient.
Our salvation being our launching pad to our sanctification. Our maturity in Christ Jesus
There is no greater thing than successful living for Christ because of the blood of Christ.
This leads to true happiness that is eternal, true joy that is not controlled by circumstance but by what God’s Word reveals to us.
May we remember
18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.
(encouragement slide)
it with others,
Hold to God’s vision, His revelation, His divine guidance in your hand. It is not just for you, it is for others, it is for all who are willing to hear. Our part, are we sharing it with others. Is your happiness, your joy or lack thereof impacted by God’s Word or the lack of it? To Israel it was, today we can look around and see many who are leaving the truth or are unwilling to hear and obey the truth. We have the power to change that by sharing the gospel and helping the fallen to be restored.
May our vision be what God shows us in His Word, may our desire be God’s will which is that all men come to repentance and do our part so all may come and have successful living in Christ!
(encouragement slide 2) prayer, (exit slide)