Vision Collision

"'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,' says the Lord, 'thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.'" Jeremiah 29:11


Did you know that you're on God's mind today? Did you know that you're on His mind every day? The reason is simple. You're on His mind because He has a plan for your life.

This verse calls His "vision" for you His "thoughts." So, what kind of thoughts or visions does God have for us? According to this verse, they are thoughts of peace, and not of evil—a vision of a bright future, full of hope for every one of us. No one is exempt; God has a vision for every person who ever walked on the earth. But all too often we get in the way and come up with our own thoughts, our own visions, our own plans and we completely mess things up.

A "vision collision" is what happens when a person runs smack dab into the vision that God has for their lives. Unfortunately, many of us suffer from limited vision that's either defined by our circumstances, by our family and friends, or even by our past failures. But be encouraged today, because the Bible has tons of examples of what can happen when someone has a "vision collision."

David saw himself as the youngest member of his family, and least likely to succeed. His brothers saw him as a shepherd boy—but God saw him as the giant-killing king of Israel!

Gideon saw himself as a weakling and a coward—but God saw him as a mighty man of valor!

Moses saw himself as the stuttering caretaker of his father-in-law's sheep—but God saw him as an articulate deliverer of His people!

Peter saw himself as an emotionally unstable fisherman—but God saw him as rock, and a fisher of men!

Paul saw himself as the persecutor of the church--but God saw him as its protector!

The shepherds saw a baby in a manger—but God saw the Savior of the world!

So, what does God see when He thinks of you? He sees peace, not evil—and a future full of possibilities. So, isn't it time for you to replace the vision that you had for your life, and head out on the road of faith? Get serious and seek God with all your heart, and ask Him for your very own "vision collision."

What To Do When Your Family Is Not Perfect

"Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Where is Abel your brother?' He said, 'I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?'" Genesis 4:9


Christmas is fast approaching and we're all probably getting ready for one—or more—of those traditional, annual holiday family gatherings. If we're honest, sometimes these family gatherings are clearly more of a curse than a blessing.

Have you ever experienced any conflicts or issues with your family that blow up over the holidays? Well, join the club! Apparently, even the first siblings on the earth couldn't get along very well. In this verse, God is asking Cain where his brother was, even though He knew that Cain had murdered Abel. Now, I doubt that any of us have actually murdered another member of our family...although we may have felt like it a time or two.

The holidays can bring out the best in us, but—if we're not careful—they can also bring out the worst in us. Can anyone say "amen" to that? When that happens, it can make the holidays miserable for everyone.

I remember a saying one of our Bible school instructors used to tell us: "To be fore-warned is to be forearmed." So, what can we do to proactively approach our time together with family and do more than just get along but actually enjoy it? Do you know what the secret is? It's learning to abide in the light of God's love.

"He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him." (1 John 2:10)

You see, love is a choice. Let's choose to love our families this holiday season. As we learn to abide in the light of God's love, we're empowered to love our brothers, our sisters, our weird aunts or uncles, and even our in-laws. When we love like this, nothing can cause us to stumble.

"And above all things have fervent love for one another, for 'love will cover a multitude of sins.'" (1 Peter 4:8)

It's amazing what a little love will do to help us avoid conflict. Love helps us to cover things that otherwise might bug us, or get us all worked up. When something is covered up, we don't see it. So may this year's Christmas get-together be our best ever as we choose to love our families with the same love that God has for us!


"Father, I thank You for my family. Even though none of us is perfect, I choose to love them in spite of my family's imperfections. I pray that I can be a vessel of Your unconditional love for every member of my family as I abide in Your light. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

You've Got A Gift So Use It!

"For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering…."
Romans 12:4-7


Yesterday we shared a meal, and showed a little appreciation to some of our volunteers here at our church. We shared this scripture and talked about God's master plan to connect us together through our work for Him. This verse reminds us that although there are many members in the Body of Christ—and even many members here in our local church—we are all unique. Did you know that there is no one on the planet just like you? You are one of a kind, and the really cool news is that God Himself has graced us each with gifts that are different, yet they complement one another.

Did you notice near the end of this passage that it encourages us to "use" the gifts that we've been given? You see, we get to tap into the grace of God every time we choose to use our gifts. Just think about that, you get the opportunity to connect with the grace of God every time put those gifts He has given you into action and serve others. But don't ever forget, those gifts that God has graced us with are not for us, but for others.

But what about the people who never use their gifts? They never serve, they never reach out to others, and they only live for themselves. And, there are a lot of people in this category. Well, the sad news is that they miss out on experiencing all that God has in store for them. He's the One who gives the grace, He's the One who gives the gifts, but we're the ones who are supposed to use them, and if we don't…we lose, and the people around us lose. In First Peter 4:10, we're encouraged to share what God has given us:

"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

So, what are you doing today to use the gifts that God has given to you? Don't let your gift sit dormant. I bet you already know what you're gifted to do, so just do it. Put your gift, whatever it may be, into practice; begin to rely on the grace of God working through you to make a positive difference to the people around you. So, by faith, use your gifts to the glory of God, and let Him shine through you today.

Peace-

Jeff