First – we must understand God has a plan for each of us and for the Church.

• Jeremiah 29:10-12 – This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

And He, the Lord, gives us vision for that plan.

• God wants us to know His will – Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) – And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. ² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
• And God has vision for that plan He wants to impart to you/us so we can fulfill it – Proverbs 29:18 – Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he..

What is our vision?

• Habakkuk 2:2 (NKJV) – Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.
• First Assembly continues to carry an apostolic (regional/missions) mantle – July/2014.
• The Assemblies of God way is that ministry in a region flow out of the local fellowships.
• First Assembly will continue to build a strong base camp (Gilgal – Joshua 10) with the idea of continuing to be aggressive in the Metro Detroit region.
• Three things included in the vision July/2014 vision paper:
• Prayer is essential in all that we do – Intercessory Ministry and Prayer initiatives
• Being on one accord – We are also a local body with an apostolic mind set.  Our success will inevitably depend on how well we work as a team.
• Outreach will be a major part of our DNA – Outreach which includes the following: FWFS, Campus Ministry, DCMA, Media, connect groups …

Then why aren’t we running with it? Maybe we are not transformed.

• Maybe we are conforming, not transforming – Romans 12:2a – And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…
• This is how godly transformation looks – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

So how can we turn things around??

• So, the question remains, how do we work the plan and not have it work us – Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV) – A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord direct his steps.

* The audio corresponding to this post is under “media” on this site