Dare To Dream!
jj daniel, Washington
ü Have you lost your dream?
ü
Afraid to dream?
ü
To old to dream?
ü
To tired to dream?
ü
To beat-up to dream?
Pr 29:18 sAYS: “Without a vision, the people perish.”
The
word “perish” in Proverbs 29:18 means: “To throw off
restraint.” When we have ‘no direction’ in our life… we
simply go any, and all directions; we run around in circles! A little
like wandering about in the desert for forty years! (Ever wonder if Moses was pregnant in the
desert?)
Think
About it!
Several
years ago, while working with a wonderful group of teens, I asked the
graduation-class…. “What are your future plans?” Out of the group of graduates there, not one of them had an
answer. Thinking they didn’t understand the question, I asked again: “What kind of vision do y’all have for
next year?” - “Tell me about your Dreams, your goals.” Finally, with deep thought… one young man
responded: “My goal is to get out of
school!”
How
SAD to think that young people, with their entire life ahead of them,
have no dream, no vision, no goal for their life!
God
has been so very gracious to me; As far back as I can recall He has always
given me clear vision for the future; until….
Some
time ago - I found myself at the close of a season; and at the end of ‘vision.’
For the first time in my adult life, I found myself without any dream, or hope
of future events.
It
was an odd feeling, an ‘empty’ feeling. I was content and peaceful; but at the
same time couldn’t help but wonder what was going on!! My first thought
was: “Oh good… maybe I’m gonna move to heaven soon!” (Stands to reason, don’t ya think? If you
aren’t gonna be here – you would not have vision! Right?) Before I could get that thought out my
mouth - the Holy Spirit reminded me of several prophetic words spoken over my
life, that I’ve not yet seen. He also brought to mind that He promises us 70-80
or more years on this planet. Premature death is not a God-thing! His will for
all of His kids, is that we all finish the race He’s given us to run. Amen?
So,
there I was, left with no explanation.
In
the October 2002 issue of Strombolis Pastor Olin taught us that we must GET
PREGNANT with vision - if we want to be a part of where God is going.
I
asked the pastor: “How do we GET
vision if we don’t have one?” Before he had a chance to answer, the
Holy Spirit asked me: “How do you get pregnant?” … “Of course!” almost
shouting: “INTIMACY!”…Just as pastor Olin confirmed…. “Intimacy.” PTL!!
When
our relationship with God is intimate, we will hang out with Him - JUST
to be with Him and get to know Him better (not just when we need to ask Him
for something). In this ‘relationship’ with our Father, we grow to know Him
so well that we will know His heart, His Will, and His plans clearly. Amen?
Spending
that kind of time with The Father also makes it easier for Him to show us the
adjustments we need to make!
No
matter HOW WONDERFUL a relationship is (With God or one another) – if it
never changes… never grows or gets better… there is something wrong!
(How
long would you stay in a natural-relationship that stayed the same as it was
when you met that person?)
When
your child is one year old… you have limited conversations with them. The child
has limited understanding, and you have a limited relationship. No matter how
hard they try… they cannot relate to you on an adult level; trying to relate to
them on their level isn’t much better. If that same child grows to the age of
ten, and you still have the same conversations, the same understanding, the same
relationship … you have a major problem! You have an unhealthy child who
has not grown, as they should have.
Think
About it!
DO
YOU HAVE VISION?
1. If you do
not have ‘vision’ – it’s not God’s fault!
Ø
Psalm 34:10; 84:10 “He will withhold no good
thing from His kids.”
Ø
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, He
will give you the desires of your heart.”
Ø
Isaiah 45:11 “Ask me concerning my handiwork;
I’ll tell you.”
Ø
Jeremiah 29:11“I know the thoughts I have
toward you, says the Lord… they are GOOD!”
2. His plan
and purpose remains unchanged:
Ø
Job 23:13-14 “He’s God… who can turn Him? He
does what ever He wants!”
Ø
Isaiah 46 “I am God, and I do as I please!”
Ø
Psalms 139 “I formed you in the womb…”
3. HOW DO WE END UP WITHOUT A dream?
a)
Fear, rebellion and disobedience
will stop our growth, and blind us to God’s plans.
b)
As long as you are fighting to hold on to the old
vision… the new vision is clouded.
c)
If God has given you something to do, and you said no… He’s waiting for
repentance, and an obedient “Yes Sir” – with corresponding ACTION!
d)
Seeing self as ‘less-than,’ ‘worthless,’
‘unworthy’ and ‘incapable’.
◊
This has been a life-long battle for me; you’d THINK that I would have
figured out before now… that God is GOD… and I am not!!
◊
God has used Pastors Ron & Dawn Berry in a huge way, to help me understand:
What GOD thinks of me is TRUTH; what He created me to do, is His
business; nothing in my life has taken Him by surprise; and He doesn’t make
mistakes! What I think, and the ‘nothingness’ that I see in me… means
nothing to Him! It is only
HIS opinion of me that matters!
◊
Perhaps y’all never fight with ‘self-esteem’ issues, or the ‘un-worthy’
syndrome; but they are HUGE hurtles to some of us. However, when we grab hold of Jesus, and let
God be God - when we are sincere with our “YES LORD!” …He simply carries
us right over the top of all hurtles, and sets us free! Amen? Thank You Jesus!
God
created mankind, with vision already planted in them; JUST as the acorn
has a clear picture printed on the inside, of the Oak tree it’s designed to be.
We are born with vision! Why would ANYONE argue with God about it?
Gen.
1:11; Hab. 2:3; Eph 1:9-10
Isaiah 45:9-11 LB “Woe to the man who fights with his Creator. Does
the POT argue with Its maker? Does the clay dispute with Him who forms it,
saying: ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ or the pot exclaim: ‘How clumsy can
you be!’ Woe to the baby just being born
who squalls to his mother and dad: ‘Why have your produced me? Can’t you
do anything right at all?’ Jehovah, the
Holy One of Israel, ISRAEL’S Creator, says: What right have you to question
what I do? Who are you to command Me concerning the work of My hands!?”
Remember
Moses? God… (GOD HIMSELF!! GOD… In
PERSON!!!) … told Moses that he was the one that would ‘deliver Israel’ ….
Moses argued with Him! NO GOD, NOT ME! Send my Brother! He talks better than
I do, and who would want to follow me anyway!? Exodous 3- 4 Well… God and I have had this same argument,
MANY times! hehehe!! I am SO VERY THANKFUL that He is a
patient, understanding, kind and loving Father!
Paul
said: “Run the race to WIN! - Run to obtain the prize!”
I
can see it all now: hehehe! The runners… going around and around the
track. Over and over, and over… running until they fall from exhaustion…
because they can’t find the finish line! Yes, that is silly - of course
no runner would even consider such a stupid move! However, This is exactly what WE DO,
if we are without a dream!
Ø
Are you still in the race?
Ø
Where are you going?
Ø
How will you know when you get there?
When a wise person plans a road-trip… they
get a map, and/or directions to the desired destination. Right? If you
didn’t know where you were going: you wouldn’t know what to take with you; when
to leave home; which way to point the car; or, when you’ve arrived! You could even have a compass in your hand,
to be sure you didn’t get lost - but with no destination in mind, which way
would you point it?
√ Without vision… you
are STUCK!
√ You are going
nowhere!
√ You can’t win!
The “thief” loves to steal, or cloud vision from God’s kids
- it takes us out of the race, and that’s one less warrior he has to worry
about.
ThinkAboutIt!
We’ve discussed what can rob us, HOWEVER… we need to
focus on what God has to say about it.
Amen? John 10:10; Ex
22:4; Pr 6:31
“When the thief is caught…
he must return sevenfold!”
Matthew 19:26 “All
things are possible to those who believe!”
Ephesians 3:20 “Now
glory be to God, who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far
more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of - infinitely beyond our
highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.
Go ahead … Say *YES!* … DARE TO DREAM AGAIN!
