ICS Daily Devotions
Running with the Vision
Mark 1:35 (NKJV) Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
The true disciple is able to self-feed and is mature enough to nourish the personal relationship with God. The disciples of Jesus observed Jesus how he behaved, how he made decisions, how he prayed every morning.
Prayer makes us rightly related to Christ. A disciple knows what to pray for and how to pray. He is totally committed to prayer and getting to know God in a more personal way. When people come to counselling sessions way too often, it often boils down to this: an inadequate relationship with God.
Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
It is important for us to be hungry for God. That is something the Lord can work with if we allow Him to mould us! If we hunger for the spiritual food and drink, God will satisfy us. The blessed disciples are hungry disciples. The word “hungry” means to crave or to seek with eager desire. So the sign of the true disciples is that they are craving for righteousness! They want God’s righteousness to come and spread around. Not their own righteousness. God can constantly stir up His righteousness in our hearts so it can multiply. We can delight in God’s righteousness, it does not have to be just a duty for us. We can reach authentic spiritual freedom!
We do not need to be afraid. God has His plan with us. We need to be careful not to run with our own vision. But it does not mean God will not give us any vision at all! God will give us individual dreams and visions, specifically made for us that no one else may understand it.
2 Chronicles 16:9 (NKJV) For the eyes of the Lord run to and from throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
God wants to visit you personally and give you His vision that matches God’s heart and your heart. God can give you a biblical verse with a promise, you wrestle with it, but it would not let go. You may pray and it can be God’s vision for the next step in your life. You feel that you have no choice than to pursue the call.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NKJV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
God’s gives personal vision to all of us. It is yours, it is unique! One thing that can steal your peace is when you compare yourself to someone else all the time. That can make you frustrated and restless. You will never be happy because there is always someone who does a particular thing in life that you strive for better than you. A mature disciple of Christ knows that he or she has a unique calling. God uses our strengths and weaknesses for His best, if we just submit to Him. Express and radiate the stability and self-confidence in God. Finish your individual race that God has set before you.
Sermon series: Being a Disciple of Christ
