Chazown [khaw-ZONE]- Part 1- continued

Seeing Clear to the End- Why You Need a New Kind of Vision

We left off discussing how so many of us just wander through our lives without a true purpose and how, even if we do have a purpose in mind for ourselves, it is so easy to get caught up in life and all its distractions. However, the Bible tells us:

Where there is no vision, the people perish. –Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no CHAZOWN, the people perish.

Cha-ZOWN means dream, revelation, vision.

Having a vision is an essential part of reaching our God potential. And God will reveal that vision to us in His timing. But, we need to be open, ready and seeking it.

One Lone Chazown

Just think about it. “Imagine one man with one dream.” Groeschel exemplifies Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Now, he had a vision, a purpose…but not just for himself. His dream significantly changed the lives of ALL Americans and many in the world. Moreover, most of those changes occurred after he died. “What if YOUR life continued to change the world even after you died?” The Apostle Paul, of course, is another great example of someone reaching his God Potential.

“Imagine one disciple. Imagine you.

What is your purpose on this earth?

What had God designed you uniquely to do?

When you get a vision for what God has in mind for your life, things change. A lot.”

Groeschel notes Four Gifts with which we will be blessed once we begin to receive our vision.

1. Focus- The vision God gives you will focus you. You will know clearly what you are here to do. Thus, you will be able to better discern what you are not to do. There are a million good opportunities. “But good opportunities should not distract from the better and the great.”
2. Endurance- “In this world you will have trouble.” –John 16:33. Knowing God’s vision for you does not exempt you from tough time and struggle. In fact, in some ways- it invites more. But, the grace that comes with vision will give you the strength and courage to persevere and continue toward the goal.
3. Peace- When you know who you are and what your purpose is, you are content. You have peace. As noted, you will still have to overcome obstacles. However, you know that you are working hard to overcome those challenges for a reason…for the reason.
4. Passion- “You show me a person who has no motivation in life, and I‘ll show you a person who has no vision. Every single time.” If you could care less about art, you will see a Van Gogh and think it’s just a painting. If art or art history is your vision, you will see an expression achieved with a certain kind if paint, using and mixing specific colors, employing a certain texture, created in a certain time period, telling a story worth even more than a thousand words. You can and likely want to talk about it for as long as someone will listen. You are passionate about it. It seeps out of you. We all see the same world- but through the our own unique lens, which is formed by our experiences, our beliefs, our interests, our vision and purpose.

“Trust me- His vision for your life is bigger and better than you’ve had the courage to even hope for. Your God is that good. That strong. And He loves you that much.”

“Disturb Us, Lord…”

Who knows what God has for us?! What we could do…What we could be. God knows. And He wants us to know too- so we can glorify Him with the AMAZING things we would do in Him name. But, how do we get there? How do we get from here to there?

“Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves. When our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord.” –Sir Francis Drake

“Are you willing to let God disturb you with dreams so big that you don’t know how they’ll be accomplished?”

You’re The Author-

What would your final chapter be? Someone is going to write it…why not you? You are the only one who can write it the way YOU want it to be.

HOMEWORK:

Plan You Epitaph: Write your final chapter the way you want it to be.

When you are lying in your death bed, how will you want to be able to finish the following statements?

• The thing that was most important to me was…
• People say I stood for…
• I made a difference in my world by…
• God was glorified because I…
• People knew I loved them because…
• The reason I expect God to say, "well done” is…

For additional resources- www.chazown.com

Reference:

Groeschel, Craig. Chazown. Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, CO. 2006, 2010.