Vision

(Proverbs 29:18) “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.”

Another translation says, “where there is not vision, the people perish”.

Vision gives you what you might think, sight! Not just physical sight but also emotional and even spiritual sight. Without sight you and I are blind. For those that have not lost there sight physically it’s often hard to tell the circumstances surrounding a loss of emotional and spiritual vision. Look at these 4 circumstances;

• No vision.

Many people have this problem, they are just in the survival mode. They are not living for anything, but just want to survive each moment. How do you know if you don’t have vision? Usually you find yourself frustrated, bored, living with regrets. It’s like heading to the grocery store without a shopping list, every time you will come back with things you don’t need and forget what you need. That is life without a vision. If you don’t have a vision, life will not turn out the way you want.

Secondly,

• A low vision.

Now granted this is better than no vision, but when a person has low vision their goals are set so low that they can’t fail. What causes this? Fear! Fear of failure, fear of criticism will always diminish the sight line and keep you from doing great things.

Thirdly,

• A wrong vision.

Many climb the ladder of success, only to find out it’s leaning on the wrong building. After the luster of that which the world holds so dear fades away you will find yourself questioning the lasting value of what you are giving your life away for. Often people find they are giving first class effort to a second class cause.

Fourthly,

• A vague vision.

Out of them all this is where the majority of people fall. The idea is not foreign and they know the necessity of having and following a vision. They know what they want, but don’t know how to get there. See, how to get where you are and where you should be requires either your effort or God’s effort. Your effort will result in a vague vision, God’s powerful work in your life will result in the last option.

• A God vision.

Did you realize that God has a vision for your life that is greater than your past or your present circumstances. God wants you to connect with His vision and dream big. When you do then something amazing happens, then He takes it and does even more.

(Ephesians 3:20 Message) “God can do anything—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!”

So what vision do you carry?

Bold Obedience

What is God is asking you to do right now? This week take your next step by boldly obeying God’s request of you. First, pray and ask God to show you exactly what your next steps should be and ask Him for clarity in what He wants you to do. Next, tell someone else about what God is calling you to do so that they can help you and hold you accountable. Finally, be prepared for opposition, but ask God and those around you to help you in facing it. The Book of Acts is full of examples of amazing boldness as the first church began the task of advancing Christ’s kingdom into all nations.

During the Bold series, read the Acts YouVersion reading plan at http://www.youversion.com/reading-plans/acts. As you read, be intentional about finding examples of bold living that you can follow in your own life.

Describe a time when you disobeyed your parents when you were younger. What were the consequences of your disobedience?

With your Bible or YouVersion, read Acts 5:12-42.

In this passage, we learn from the apostles that bold obedience often triggers opposition, releases God’s miracles, and always requires faith.

• How can you draw encouragement from the apostles’ example of bold obedience in Acts 5?

• What types of opposition have you faced when you’ve boldly obeyed God? How have you handled that opposition?

• What miracles have you seen result from bold obedience?

• What’s one thing that God is asking you to do right now? What will be your next step in boldly obeying God?

• What’s keeping you from boldly obeying God in the way the apostles did in Acts 5? How will you go about removing these barriers?

• Bold obedience always requires faith. What bold leap of faith do you need to take in your life?

• Share a time when you didn’t obey God completely and immediately. What did you learn from your disobedience?

• What can you do to prepare yourself to face the opposition that will result from your bold obedience?

• What results do you hope to see come from your bold obedience?

5-Day Micro Devotional:

• Ask God to show you exactly what He is calling you to do. Ask Him to show you the next steps you need to take.

• Thank God for the miracles that you’ve witnessed that have resulted from your bold obedience.

• Ask God to help you overcome the opposition you will face as you step out in bold obedience.

• Tell God where your faith is lacking. Ask Him to help you renew your faith in Him.

• Share with God what results you hope to see from your bold obedience. Ask Him to guide your next steps as you boldly obey Him.

Bold Speaking

The Bible shows us that when we believe deeply, there are four ways we can use bold speech: speaking boldly to ourselves, speaking encouragement to others, speaking correction to others, and leading others to Christ. This week, strive to speak boldly in one of these four ways. If you are struggling with a sin, then ask the Holy Spirit to give you the words to boldly speak to yourself. If you know someone who needs encouragement, correction, or Christ in their life, then speak boldly to that person. The Book of Acts is full of examples of amazing boldness as the first church began the task of advancing Christ’s kingdom into all nations. During the Bold series, read the Acts YouVersion reading plan at http://www.youversion.com/reading-plans/acts. As you read, be intentional about finding examples of bold living that you can follow.

What’s one of the most profound things that someone has ever said to you? How did their bold words impact you?

With your Bible or YouVersion, read Acts 9:28, 14:3, and 4:1-31.

These verses give examples of how bold speaking was used by the first church in the Book of Acts.

• We speak boldly about what we believe. How have you seen your speech reflect what you believe?

• Who are some people you know that speak boldly? How have you seen their bold words impact others?

• What things stand out to you about bold speaking from the examples found in Acts?

• What next steps do you need to take to work towards having the type of bold speaking the first church used in Acts?

Read 1 Samuel 30:6, Hebrews 3:13, and Proverbs 27:6.

These verses show us ways we can become bold speakers to both others and ourselves.

• What bold words do you need to start speaking to yourself starting today?

• Who do you know that needs to hear bold words of correction or encouragement from you this week? How will you go about speaking boldly to them?

• How have the bold words of others brought encouragement and correction into your life?

• Who do you know that needs to know Christ? What bold words can you speak that will lead them towards Christ?

5-Day Micro Devotional:

• Thank God for the bold speech that others have spoken into your life.
• Ask God to help develop you into a bold speaker in all areas of life.
• Ask God to give you bold words as you speak to those that need correction or encouragement in their lives.
• Tell God about your toughest struggles in life and your struggles with sin. Ask Him to give you the power to speak bold words to yourself.
• Pray for those you know that don’t know Christ. Ask God to give you the bold words that help you lead them to Christ.