Getting Back on Track with God's Dream for My Life
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We have been living in a time that will test our faith but it’s also a time that will build our faith stronger than ever before. It’s easy after a year and half of COVID, and now a Hurricane to feel like we are just treading water.
But God still has a plan and a purpose for your lives…
Many of you have had God give you a goal or a dream for your life. I am living mine… someone once said,
You shape your dreams and then your dreams shape you
You shape your dreams and then your dreams shape you
Think about it. Did you have a dream of what you wanted to do when you grew up? After Katrina, someone told Kathy and I that now you can do and do whatever you want to do… to which we replied we are doing what we want.
Some of you probably dreamed of owning your own business… making good money… having a great family… to be a professional athlete… Write e book or a song… ME - It takes a thief…
It all begins with a dream from God of what he wants in your life. Not all dreams are from the Lord… I doubt my It takes a thief dream was from God.
There is no such thing as great people… only ordinary people committed to great goals and dreams
There is no such thing as great people… only ordinary people committed to great goals and dreams
When you hear from God and commit to a dream or goal, it draws something out of you and helps you become larger than you would become without the dream. God will use dreams to shape you and direct you.
Bob when he became CEO… wanted to run the best Coffee Service company in the world… told God he was in over his head but if God would give him the wisdom, he would give God the credit. – He did both
Our dreams determine how we feel about ourselves. When we lose sight of them, we feel like we are drifting. After a 2 year pandemic and hurricane that devastated us, it’s easy to feel like we are drifting. No dream no esteem
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
God has a dream for each one of us. I believe we can discover what that is if we take the following steps.
1. Dedicate every area of your life to the Lord
1. Dedicate every area of your life to the Lord
1 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.
Paul is telling us that if we will live all out for the Lord, he will show us what he wants us to do. Listen, God’s will is always good… and good for us. His will is what you were designed to do.
You discover God’s will for your life by giving your life to Him… your time, talent, treasure, relationships, past experiences… the future.
Then Paul says,
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.
Most of us miss God’s dream for us because we are too busy trying to fit into other’s dreams. We are looking at others and not God. If you are imitating someone else, you will miss what God wants you to be.
The number 1 reason people miss God’s dream is because they are trying to fit in.
The number 1 reason people miss God’s dream is because they are trying to fit in.
If you really want what God has for you, you have to decide you will not settle for less. Don’t settle for garbage when you can eat Ribeye.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
God has a race for each one of us to run and if you are always looking at other people, you will end up running their race and not the one God has for you. We have to get rid of anything that keeps us from running God’s race for us…
could be a job that keeps you out of church… hobby… a career other than the one God has for you. a relationship … friendships… anyone or anything that keeps you from becoming who God wants you to be...
We have to rid our lives of anything that keeps us from being who God wants us to be… So dedicate your life to the Lord.
2. Reserve Time with God
2. Reserve Time with God
We were created to spend time with God and you have to make time to spend with Him so you can hear him. The reason you don’t hear God speak is that you never get yourself quiet so you can hear him. Something is always going on in your mind and God can’t get though to you.
14 “Pay attention to this, Job. Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!
God wants to spend time with you. You may wonder, why in the world would the creator of the world want to pend time with you? I don’t know but he does. He says to pay attention and consider… You have to stop what you are doing to do that. Someone once said that Most of man’s problems come from his inability to be still.
Sometimes we get spiritual wiggles… we just can’t sit still and be quiet. When you spend time with God, write down ideas and insights he gives you. Ask, god where are you sending me. Take or make time to spend with God.
God speaks to people who take the time to listen. This is not a one time thing… it’s an every day habit.
3. Evaluate your abilities
3. Evaluate your abilities
God gives us all spiritual gifts, talents, experiences and desires. Do you think God would give these to you if he didn’t want you to use them? Ask yourself.
What am I good at? What do I love to do? What is my passion? What is it that people affirm in me? How can God use these abilities for his kingdom?
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
You are a masterpiece created by God with all these gifts, abilities, desires and experiences to be used by God. You are unique, but
God wants you to be unique and effective
God wants you to be unique and effective
God designed you like you are so that you can do the works he had planned for you to do before he ever created the world. He gives us all this plus
God brings us through difficulties so that we can help other people go though similar difficulties.
God brings us through difficulties so that we can help other people go though similar difficulties.
If you don’t use the experiences God brings you through, you didn’t learn what God was teaching you while you were in them. He wants you to use them to help others. Let me say this, one day he will ask you what you did with what he gave you. How will you answer that? He won’t accept excuses…
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
God gave each one of you gifts, abilities and skills he wants you to use. Maybe you are good at playing basketball… go reach some others that love to play BB. John Samanie Use whatever God has given you… cars… guns… whatever. You may think that you just have very little to offer…
Use the gifts God gives you
Use the gifts God gives you
29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.
When you use what he gives you, he will give you more. But if you don’t, you will lose what you have.
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.
We want you to know Christ, Get Freedom, discover your purpose and make a difference. You are never too old nor too young for God to give you a dream or vision for your life. He will use you at every stage of life.
17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
God wants to give all of us a vision for our lives.
4. Associate with Godly People
4. Associate with Godly People
17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
Hang out with people who are also trying to discover God's dream for their life. Both dreams and discouragement are contagious.
When I was in sales, they didn’t want salespeople hanging out in the halls talking. They wanted them in the seminars learning how to do what they needed to do to be successful.
The people who are your closest friends are either going to help God's dream for your life or they're going to hinder it so choose your friends wisely. Too many people miss out on what God had for them because they were tied to a friend who did not share the same values or dreams. This is why it’s important to be part of a church family. You give your life to Jesus and start hanging around His people who are saying, God I want to do what you want me to do… it’s contagious.
33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
If you want to soar with the eagles, you can’t run with the turkeys. Some of you may need to change friends or make friends here and search for what God has for you.
5. Make your dream public
5. Make your dream public
Tell someone what God is doing in your life. When you do that it raises your level of commitment. It’s like drawing a line in the sand and telling the devil and everyone else, this is what I am going to do. Visualize your dream and them verbalize your dream. Say, this is what I believe God is wanting to do in my life....
Here are three effects of being public about your goals.
Three effects of being public about your goals
Three effects of being public about your goals
1. It will get you started.
1. It will get you started.
You wont be able to procrastinate. Now that you told people, you have to get to work.
2. It attracts other people’s support.
2. It attracts other people’s support.
When you state your God-given dream, other people will want to help or to be a part of it. It will attract people you don’t even know who will get on board.
3. It releases God’s power.
3. It releases God’s power.
When Peter stepped out of the boat, he was able to by the power of God to walk on water. The man with a withered hand wasn’t healed until he stretched out his hand. When you announce your dream, it releases God’s power to make it happen.
1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
It gives us the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen.
Conclusion
Faith begins with a dream of what God wants you to be and do in your life. Ask god what is it that HE wants you to do. It doesn’t cost anything to dream big with God.
36 This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed.
I want God to say that about me one day. Robert did the will of God in his own generation.
Brother Radke used to say this saying...
“Tis one life will soon be past, but only what’s done for Christ will last.” Paul Radke, Sr.
“Tis one life will soon be past, but only what’s done for Christ will last.” Paul Radke, Sr.
What's your dream? You must be willing to say I'm not going to conform to the standards of this world, but go for the glory -- God's glory. And then you go for it. It won't happen overnight.
Your roles determine your goals. If you are married, part of your dream involves your children and your spouse. If God gives you a dream it won't be to ignore what they think and you go on. Confirm it with the people closest to you.