Back To Sermons »

Without A Vision The People Perish

By Ray Watson

PART 1

Do you have a passion for the things of God? Without a clear direction in life it is easy to be distracted.

The book of Proverbs says, “Where there is no vision the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18)
The New King James version puts it this way:
“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint.”

People drift off into a world of distraction when they lack purpose and a sense of mission. There are so many activities available for people today, so many worldly distractions. The status of our nation’s television broadcast system is about to go digital, and I keep getting reminders on my screen that I will soon be unable to watch television if I do not upgrade my TV set to the latest digital model. Well, I’m thinking this man watches far too much TV and when the transmission goes digital and all I see is a white fuzzy snow screen – good! That will be end of that era of distraction in my life!

I would love to buy an Xbox or PlayStation or whatever it is kids spend their lives doing these days, but I know it will only keep me from my eternal purpose, so I don’t even go there. I’m not saying we can’t enjoy these things, but you get my point … there are just so many things we can enjoy and give ourselves to these days that I seriously wonder if the work of the kingdom is ever going to be done in a generation of so much distraction!

A simple solution to the dilemma of distraction, and an essential ingredient to a life spent well is to find your passion – your reason for being on the earth. Each one of us needs to hear from God and get a passion for something that gives us a reason to get out of bed in the morning! For me, I come alive when I write a new song. I feel His pleasure on me when I sing. Everyone should feel passionate about something. When we give ourselves to our passion we are less likely to be distracted by the non-essentials of life.

I had the privilege of spending some time with Patricia King recently as we were taking her to a speaking engagement, and I asked her how she managed to get so much done in one lifetime. Her response was not as spiritual as I had anticipated it to be. She simply said, “The power of focus.” Successful people focus on goals. Do you have goals for your marriage? For raising your children? For running your business or ministry? There are a lot of resources available on this subject at the moment, so I don’t intend to treat the subject with any degree of depth here, but suffice to say, the power of the focussed life produces great results in the life of any individual, church or organisation. The power of focus is like a magnifying glass, it focusses energy into a single point of passion and burns its mark into history.

Paul likened the Christian life to running a race, and having our eyes steadfastly fixed on the goal of winning the prize. Focussing on the end reward helps us endure the rigours of training, and keeps us on track with our goals. When Paul said he didn’t beat the air aimlessly he was referring to how a boxer doesn’t waste his punches, but saves his energy for making decisive blows against his opponent. Having these illustrations helps us to see that the Christian life should be a disciplined and focussed one. There is power in a focussed life. “He who focusses the most, wins.”

Many believers drift from their purpose and calling life when they get distracted by worldly pleasures. The Bible says, “Narrow is the path that leads to life, and few there be that find it.” In other words, on the highway of life, many believers get distracted off the main road, and fail to enter into “life,” as God fully intended them to. The roadside is where all the rubbish in life collects. What a shame to leave the highway of God’s purpose for your life, to spend time being distracted by all the left-over rubbish! Without a vision, people perish on the wayside of life.

God is sooooo good, and He’s got so much for us, let’s not miss it!

Part 1 - Without a vision
Part 2 - Drifting