MEN MONDAY

Brother Your Vision is in front of you

Gen 1:29 "SEE I HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERY HERB THAT YIELDS SEED WHICH IS ON THE FACE OF OF ALL THE EARTH, AND EVERY TREE WHOSE FRUIT YIELDS SEED; TO YOU IT SHALL BE FOR FOOD." 

Genesis 13:14 "AND THE LORD SAID TO ABRAM, AFTER LOT HAD SEPARATED FROM HIM; LIFT YOUR EYES NOW AND LOOK FROM THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE..."

You were born to accomplish and achieve. You were born to soar and dream. You were born to live your dreams. You were born to rise above schemes. You were born to see the impossible.

One of the the greatest gift that God gave to a man is the ability to see the invisible. Not just see things around you but the inner ability to see things that are not yet but can be. That's what a vision is. It is the ability to see tomorrow today. A vision is the fruit of your imagination. It is the blueprint of your future.

When I was a little boy, although I didn't know it at the time, I had a vision. I had a picture of my future that was formed in my imagination. I saw myself writing books, telling stories that would be read all over this country. And you know what? My vision came to pass in December 2009 when my first novel was released. And the vision continues through my writing blogs that are being read in countries all over the world. It continues through the short story I wrote last year that was published in an anthology that has been nominated for an award. And the vision that I had as a little boy continues  through the two books I'm currently writing. 

My vision is no longer in front of me. I'm living in it and the vision is enlarging my possibilities to do more.

Today I want to help you focus on your vision by giving you some keys that will help you to discover the vision that you were born to achieve. The keys that I will show you are composed as the word V.I.S.I.O.N. Each letter represents a key. They are:

V is for Value.

I is for Insight.

S is for Search.

I is for Inventory.

O is for Observation.

N is for Need.     

I know that these keys will help you to look ahead and see what is before. That's what Abraham did. In Genesis 13 God told Abraham to look from the place where he was. And when Abraham did what God said he saw his future and the future of generations of his descendants. That's what I want you to do today look from the place where you are and see the exciting future that God wants you to live. Your future starts with a vision. So here are the six keys to open the door to your vision.

1. Value: Your vision is determined by your values. Your values are a set of beliefs that you live by. Because I am a Christian my values are determined by the Word of God, and God's Word governs what I do and what I will not do. These values that I have adopted in my life has a great impact on what kind of stories and subjects that I write about. There are certain scenes and certain words that I will not use in my writing because of the values that determine my behavior. When you are looking for your vision you must first determine what is important to you and what will not change no matter what. Your vision will be discovered by what you value.

2. Insight: Having a vision is having a solution to your problem. Insight is being able to look within the problem and finding the answer. Your vision is the solution to your problem. 

The Wright brothers wanted better transportation and so they produced a flying machine.

Henry Ford hated life on his father's farm. He envisioned a machine that would get men off the farm into living more productive lives and so he produced the automobile.   

Mary Bethune was an educator but had no where to teach so she started a school in Central Florida for young women. She was a revolutionary educator who combined education with vocational training. Her school opened the doors for many young African-American women. Mary Bethune became a woman of great importance because of her vision. She was the only African American woman to attend the founding conference  of the United Nations as a delegate from the United States. 

These persons found their vision because they had insight. They each had a problem and they each found the solution to their problems.

3. Search: Your vision is a search for what is missing in your life. Look around you, what is missing? What are doing without? Look for what doesn't exist but could exist in your life. That's what your vision is, it is the thing that you are searching for that will complete something in your life. It could be a business, a book, an investment plan, a relationship. Look around and look within yourself to find your vision. Examine your heart and your imagination and discover what is that missing thing in your life. Your vision is inside of you. Search for it and you will find it.

4. Inventory: You have to do an inventory of what you need to do to accomplish your vision. Do you have all that you need to succeed? Is there something that you have to acquire to fulfill the vision?

Later after I had completed writing my novel my inventory lead me to find a team of editors to help me  sharpen my book.

Pay attention to what and who you need to assist you in making your vision take place. Don't be haphazard or disorganized. Take inventory of what this vision is going to cost you and then proceed to make it happen.

5. Observe: This key may sound like the key Search but it serves a different function. Observe what you are doing as you bring the vision forward. What happen to a lot of visionaries is they lose the big picture because they are so focused on the process. And then a lot of visionaries start to focus on ancillary issues that causes them to lose focus on the main thing. Observation means that you are carefully watching what you are doing and making sure that you are following the necessary steps to bring the vision to pass.

You have to also observe yourself. Are you losing interest? Are you losing passion? Are you ignoring important people or other obligations?

It's important that you don't lose everything as you pursue a new thing.

6. Need: Your vision addresses a need in some one's life. It is the missing component in the lives of other people. Your vision is the answer to your success and achievement that will help someone to have a different kind of life. Your vision is the answer for someone else. What the needs in your community? When you find a need and meet it you have found your vision. 

Bill Gates had a vision to put a computer in every home in America. That was the singular vision of his company for 25 years. His vision answered a need and made him one of the most significant person in world history in the 20th century. And one of the wealthiest.    

Your vision is really right in front of you. Not outside but in your heart. And when you find it and start walking in it it will lead you further than you are right now. And your life will change because you saw it and you were inspired to make it happen. Let this blog empower you to go forward and make things happen. You can contact me anytime if you need my help. My address is BERNARDBOULTON@YAHOO.COM.   

MANPURPOSE

Have you ever wondered why you were born? Why do you exist? Why are you alive today, in this period of human history? What is your purpose in life? Do you know the answer to any or all of these questions?
Every man needs to know his purpose. You need to know why God brought you into this world for this particular time. Hopefully I've got you thinking about where do I find my purpose? The answer to your question is found in the beginning, in Genesis 1:26, "Then God said, Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness...So God created man in His Own image..." It's pretty simple isn't it? The reason why you exist is because God wanted you to be His image and like Him on the planet earth. Okay, so what is this image and likeness business all about? What it's about is God created you to be like Him. What does that mean? Do you have any children? Do you have any children that look like you? If your answer is yes, then you know the answer. Just as your child or children bears a resemblance to you so you were created to bear a resemblance to God. Okay now you may not have any children and that's okay. You do have a parent. Which one of your parents do you resemble?
Although the resemblance to your parents is physical you probably resemble your parents in other ways as well. There is a brother who lives in my neighborhood and he walks just like his father. It makes me smile every time I see him walking because his walk in the exact representation of his father. Well your resemblance to God is not natural or physical. It can't be because God is not a man or a human being. God is Spirit, any resemblance you have to God is spiritual. However when you represent God in His image your spiritual characteristics are demonstrated in the  physical world. For example God is love. Within each of us is the capacity to love like God and when we love it touches everyone around us. Although women are known for their love when a man loves it affects generations!
So your purpose is to look like God, to bear a resemblance of God. You are important to God because within you is His image. But how do we act out this resemblance to the Almighty? First we have to understand that to live in His image means living out the gifts and abilities that he has put inside of us. These are the questions that you have to answer to discover what specific thing you were born to do and the specific person you were born to be. What are you excited about? What are you passionate about? What gets you excited about being alive? What is it that you can't live without? If you know the answer to these questions then you know your purpose, you know what you are supposed to be doing and who you are supposed to be that represents God. If you don't have the answers then it it time for you to have some alone time with your Creator God. Get in His presence and ask Him to give you answers. And expect Him to answer you.
       For you brothers that know your purpose I want to give you three principles to fulfill that purpose for your life. Here they are:
1. Fruitfulness and Multiplication: We succeed in fulfilling our purpose when we are engaged in life and what are doing and who we are being is going to produce fruit and bring increase in our lives and other lives.  Being fruitful and having a increase is the result of what I am doing. A man works and on a certain day he expects to receive his paycheck. The paycheck is the fruit and increase of his work. A man develops a business strategy and it brings him increased revenue for his business. The revenue is his fruit. A man loves and meets the need of his wife and children and he is respected and loved by his family. The respect and love is the fruit of love. If you are doing something that doesn't produce fruit and increase in your life you are not fulfilling your purpose.
2. Fill: The word fill is interesting It means to satisfy a need. Living your purpose is always going to meet someone else need. You were born as an answer to a problem. There is an innate ability in a man to always solve problems, that's because that is part of your purpose. You are a problem solver.  Your presence is the answer. Everything that is in you is has been given to you by God to meet a need. Now understand although you were born to meet a need you were not born to meet all needs. Some men reach a point of burnout because they are trying to be everything to everybody. Only God can do that. You are like God, you are not God!
3. Subdue: This word reveals a concept that really started with the first man Adam. God wanted man to control the planet earth. Every man is given something to have authority over and to govern. But this word first speaks about a  man's ability to control himself. What area of weakness do you struggle with? That's the area that you must first subdue. If you don't control your weaknesses then your weakness will frustrate your purpose. God gives authority to the men who rule themselves. What habits do you have that is detrimental to your future, rule it, subdue it.
Thanks for stopping by and remember that you are MANPURPOSE!  

Bernard's Word

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my blogs as much as I have enjoyed writing them. Today I am launching a new blog with different focus. I will still write about the issues that matter to me and to you but I will be also be more focused on writing commentary that I believe will encourage and empower you.
The mission of this blog is for me to share with you stories and principles that will engage you in seeking a more fulfilling life. I believe that words have a powerful influence in all of our lives. They can make us and they can break us. Words have had the ability to change people's lives and correct devastating consequences.
Recently I was talking with a church leader at a leadership conference that I was teaching in and he asked me what turned my interest toward writing. I shared with him that an English professor in a college course that I was enrolled in told me that I had a gift and I should pursue writing. From my childhood I dreamed about writing but that dream did not become active until that professor spoke to me. It was his words that set me on the path that I am currently on almost twenty five years later. That's the role I want to have in your life. I want to be that person who speaks to you through my blogs and release the dreams that are within you. I believe that God created every person with a purpose and when we find that purpose and start to daily do what our purpose is than our life becomes a exciting adventure.
It is my intention to blog at least three days each week.
Mondays will be MEN MONDAY. I will write on what interest men and what men need to succeed. Wednesdays will be WOMEN WEDNESDAYS. I will write on the issues that are important to Women, I'm glad that I have a wife that can help me because I'm going to need her help! Fridays will be FICTION FRIDAYS, FINANCE FRIDAY, FAITH FRIDAY and FUN FRIDAY. I hope that you will be blessed and that you will visit many times. And please share this blog with your family and friends.

Jason's Faith

There were a lot of lessons learned from the 2011 championship series of the NBA. I watched with great interest as Jason Terry was interviewed after the Dallas Maverick secured their first championship. From the words and actions of Jason I saw a modern example of faith I wanted to share with today.
What is faith? Faith is believing in what you can't see and having an expectation that what you believe is going to happen. As I listened to Jason Terry Sunday night I heard faith in words. This is what he said:
1. "My faith was in God and that gave me confidence." Faith is directed toward a person or an object. To Christians our faith in always directed to and centered in God. And because we believe in God and we believe God that gives us confidence that we can do all things with Him.
2. "God was my strength." When you are facing impossible moments and it seems like you should give up you find the resolve to rise beyond your weakness and do what you need to do to win. Jason and the Mavericks were counted out in every series that they played in. The experts all said that they wouldn't even make it to the finals. When they made it to the finals against the Miami Heat the commentators said that Miami would take the championship in six games. But Jason found the strength to explode in the sixth game and his performance made the difference and Dallas won. Like David facing Goliath Jason found strength in God and the world celebrates him.
3. "I give glory to God." After you've had a faith victory. After you've done the impossible in the moment of your celebration you take your victory and give it back to God. That what giving God the glory means. When we give glory to God you are saying that God is the cause of my winning and I celebrate His presence in my life.
Without a doubt those were great words that Jason spoke Sunday night but even greater than what Jason said is what Jason did. Faith is not just talking about God or acknowledging God but faith is acting on what you believe. In October 2010 Jason had the Larry O' Brien trophy, the championship trophy for the NBA, tattooed on his arm. And although I don't endorse tattoos I saw a great display of Jason's faith in his unusual action. Before the Basketball season even started Jason believed that the Dallas Mavericks would not only go the NBA Finals but they would win. And he acted on what he believed. What have you done lately to demonstrate your faith? Faith is not for the future,faith looks to the future. Faith is for today. Hebrews 11:1 says, "NOW FAITH.." You need faith right now, without it you will not have a victory tomorrow. It is demonstrated by your words and your actions. I encourage you to have the Jason kind of faith. Which is really the God kind of faith. It was Bishop Victor Curry of Miami Florida who said, "Faith honors God and God honors faith."