Forward

"Where there is no vision, the people perish." This book answers how the Bible's wisdom can guide our modern lives, helping us dream, prioritize, and live meaningfully.

1. Hold on to Your Dreams

Dreams give direction and purpose in life. David, the Biblical king of Israel, aspired to build a temple as a permanent place to honor God. Although he couldn't fulfill his dream, he found meaning in supporting his son Solomon, who completed the task. This story highlights the resilience needed to pursue dreams, even if success means adapting to unexpected changes.

Building dreams requires clear visualization. It's like envisioning a house before drawing its blueprint. Leaders like Steve Jobs succeeded because they could see what should exist before creating it, much like David imagined every detail of the temple.

Even when blocked from building the temple, David didn’t despair. Instead, he embraced a new role, gathering resources to ensure Solomon's success. Adapting and finding new ways to achieve parts of our dreams can keep hope alive.

Examples

• King David dreams of a temple but supports his son to fulfill it.
• Steve Jobs envisioned products people didn't know they needed, like the iPhone.
• Realizing dreams often takes teamwork and flexibility, not stagnation when faced with obstacles.

2. Prayer Guides the Path

When dreams feel unreachable, prayer becomes a compass. Nehemiah, serving King Artaxerxes, dreamed of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. Despite the slim chance of success, he turned to prayer for courage and guidance.

Nehemiah's prayer was patient and persistent. It prepared his heart and mind to act when opportunity arose. One day, the otherwise severe Artaxerxes noticed Nehemiah’s sadness—an event Nehemiah saw as divinely orchestrated. After whispering a quick prayer, Nehemiah found the courage to express his dream, and the king granted his request.

This teaches that prayer is not just asking but also aligning with God's timing and plans. While the answers may not come immediately, a prayerful heart stays open to divine solutions that align paths in unexpected ways.

Examples

• Nehemiah prayed before asking King Artaxerxes for permission to rebuild.
• Psalm 25:4 encourages seeking God's ways: "Show me Your ways, O Lord."
• Persistent prayer creates readiness to seize divine opportunities when they come.

3. Prioritize What Truly Matters

Modern life brims with distractions, but true progress stems from focus. Warren Buffet’s advice to list your top 25 goals—then focus only on the top five—aligns with Biblical teachings on eliminating excess and emphasizing core values.

“Priority” originally meant focusing on one thing. Jesus teaches this in the parable of the sower, explaining worldly distractions “choke” essential growth. Nurturing your love for God, others, and yourself brings lasting fulfillment.

Fulfilling these priorities means learning to say “no” to other demands. Setting clear boundaries not only simplifies life but also makes room for love, service, and self-care. When distractions fall away, intentional living shines.

Examples

• Jesus commands prioritizing love for God, neighbors, and self.
• Warren Buffet’s strategy illustrates the power of focus in modern pursuits.
• Saying “no” to unnecessary activities opens space for meaningful growth.

4. Choose Your One Thing

Success often stems from single-minded dedication, as exemplified by Apostle Paul, who focused solely on cultivating spiritual connection. Similarly, Luciano Pavarotti thrived by following his father’s advice: “Choose one chair.”

Divided focus leads to failure. Pavarotti decided against teaching, fully committing to singing—and became a world-renowned tenor. Choosing one pursuit enables deep mastery and avoidance of the pitfalls of trying to “do it all.”

The Biblical lesson to “forget what’s behind and reach forward” promotes abandoning past mistakes or wins to meet future success. Dwelling on yesterday distracts from the progress of today.

Examples

• Apostle Paul pursued his calling despite hardships, saying, “One thing I do... reaching forward.”
• Pavarotti succeeded by dedicating himself entirely to singing.
• Runners Landy and Bannister exemplify the mistake of looking behind instead of forging ahead.

5. Take Risks to Grow

Big dreams demand stepping out of comfort zones. Biblical figures like Moses confronting Pharaoh and Peter attempting to walk on water embraced courage over fear. Risks open doors to transformation.

Even in failure, risk-taking imparts personal growth, as seen in actress Geena Davis's late pursuit of archery. Though she didn’t qualify for the US Olympic team, competing dramatically enriched her life.

With God, risks can bring greater confidence. Trusting His support leads to exploring unknowns and can reframe challenges as opportunities for reflection, growth, and faith.

Examples

• Peter walks toward Jesus on water, demonstrating trust over fear.
• Moses’s return to Egypt showcases boldness in following God's plan.
• Geena Davis's archery journey illustrates how risks enrich life.

6. True Purpose Lies in Serving Others

Happiness doesn’t come from indulgence. Celebrity lives often look glamorous but feel empty. Real fulfillment comes from serving others. The Bible encourages outward focus for purpose.

Manny Pacquiao experienced this transformation, shifting from partying to helping people through government and charity. Turning to God gave him drive and contentment rooted in others’ well-being.

This outward focus aligns with God’s teachings. By honoring others, you honor God and discover sustainable joy.

Examples

• Pacquiao went from excess to meaningful service, helping millions.
• Serving communities offers lasting purpose, like providing food for neighbors.
• The Bible consistently relates outward generosity to spiritual richness.

7. Invest Wisely in Life and Beyond

Financial success is temporary without eternal values. Proverbs teaches fostering diligence with resources—like saving wisely and avoiding debt. Temporal wealth, though, isn’t the ultimate investment.

Invest eternally by studying and sharing God’s word. Dedicating even a few minutes daily to scripture builds spiritual insight. Beyond study, action matters—volunteerism transforms lives and enriches the soul.

Your church community provides a ready platform for investing efforts effectively toward faith and generosity. By balancing earthly and eternal priorities, you maximize both this life and the next.

Examples

• Proverbs 13:11 calls for mindful, gradual resource accumulation.
• Daily Bible reading fosters perspective and eternal growth.
• Volunteering at food banks or churches yields both immediate help and long-lasting rewards.

8. Trust the Power of Adaptation

Life often doesn’t go as planned. Instead of abandoning dreams, adapting and finding new roles can lead to just as much fulfillment. David wasn’t the one to physically make the temple, but every step he took supported its completion.

This principle applies broadly to people discouraged by setbacks. When it's impossible to achieve a goal in one way, there's often another path to its realization.

The ability to adapt isn’t just resilience—it can become a creative way to celebrate the journey, not merely the endpoint.

Examples

• David's adapted dream to help Solomon inspired the temple’s true creation.
• Entrepreneurs often adapt after failed businesses to construct thriving projects.
• People reimagine personal or career goals after detours on their initial path.

9. Start Small to Achieve Big

Big successes often begin humbly. In both faith and life goals, early consistency matters far more than dramatic beginnings.

Start small – whether you’re developing a daily habit of prayer, practicing a skill, or building a community initiative. Growth follows commitment over ambition alone.

Even Bible advice reinforces this steady progression. As Proverbs reminds, "Whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow"—a principle equally applicable to personal advancement and spiritual development.

Examples

• Taking five minutes for daily scripture leads to expanding spiritual connection.
• Small volunteer efforts often lead to larger community improvements.
• Entrepreneurs and artists often cite gradual persistence over sudden breakthroughs.

Takeaways

1. Start asking bold prayers for guidance and patiently wait for opportunities to align with your efforts.
2. List your top priorities and focus on just one or two, cutting out unnecessary distractions.
3. Dedicate time daily to both earthly responsibilities (like saving) and eternal growth (like Bible reading or helping others).