High Definition Dreams

High Definition Living:

 

HIGH DEFINITION DREAMS

 

John 10:10 (The Message)

10) A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

 

Ephesians 3:20

20) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

 

1 Corinthians 2:9

9) However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"

 

            One thing we all have in common is: every one of us has dreams:

  • A little boy wants to be a fireman
  • A little girl wants to be a doctor
  • A young woman wants to be a lawyer
  • A young man puts his sights on being a popular athlete
  • A mother dreams to someday run her own business
  • A father dreams of being successful in his career so he can sufficiently provide for his family

 

What is your dream in life? When you think of the future, what do you want to do with your life? You see, dreams are very powerful. For example, Napoleon Hill once said, "Cherish your visions and dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

 

We all have dreams in our lives. However, do you ever bring God in your dreams? Do you ever dare say - God I want you to be a part of the dream I have for my life. When you go back to the key text for our series, John 10:10, Jesus said, I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.  Last Sunday, we talked about this verse and established the fact that the more committed we are to God the more significant our lives is going to be. This morning I want to convince you that God has a dream for you and it stands above anything that you can even dare to hope, ask or imagine.  I did not make that up. It comes from Ephesians 3:20. You might want to read it in The Message translation:

God can do anything, you know-far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

 

Of course another passage is 1 Corinthians 2:9. In here, the key phrase is "for those who love Him." I believe this reinforces the truth we are emphasizing. God has so much prepared for us if He is involved in our lives.  We may think of ourselves as ordinary or we may think of big dreams are only for big people. I want to tell you in our message today that LITTLE IS MUCH WHEN GOD IS INVOLVED. This is our emphasis in the high definition life. When God is involved in our lives, our lives can be more exciting. We can enjoy living our highest potential. Let's examine this further and see how we can live God's dreams for our lives:

 

I           RECOGNIZE GOD AS THE DREAM GIVER:

            This may sound so simple, but we often stumble over this truth. The greatest stumbling block for many people is the tendency to think that if they will experience their dreams in life it's totally up to them. And they often end up saying:

  • "I could never do it"
  • "I could never do anything special or significant"

 

This is not just bad self-talk, it is bad theology. If you want God's dream, you have to get outside of yourself. The Bible is full of example of people who had humble beginnings and ended up living God's dream for them.

A.     Joseph - a young man from Canaan who became Prime Minister in Egypt.

B.     David - a young shepherd boy who became Israel's king.

C.     Mary - a young impoverished girl who because of her faithfulness and steadfast spirit became the woman chosen to bear God's Son - Jesus.

D.     Peter and the other apostles - they were uneducated fishermen who followed Jesus and ended up changing the entire world.

 

Again, "Little is much when God is involved." Remember this - it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from. All things are possible for those who believe - for those who love God. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." (1 Cor. 2:9)

Do you want to pursue your dreams? You cannot do it on your own, you have to first pursue God who is the dream giver in order for you to arrive in your dreams.  

 

II         RECEIVE GOD'S DREAM FOR YOUR LIFE:

            After believing that God's has a dream for me, the next question I need to ask is how can I know God's dream for my life? Well, I hope all of us are convince that God doesn't want to intentionally hide His dream from us. Instead, He wants to clearly reveal it to us. How does He do it?

            Last month we have answered the question - how can we determine God's will? We have established several Biblical principles which I believe are also applicable in determining God's dream for us. Let's review them once again:

A.     Through the Bible:

The Bible is God's revelation for us. Through this, God is able to speak to us. It is vital for us to pay close attention to it.

Psalm 119:105

105) Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

 

B.     Through the Prompting of the Holy Spirit:

As God's children, we have the privilege of being guided by the Holy Spirit:

Romans 8:14

14) because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

 

            We have to be sensitive to the inward prompting or the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. He witnesses to our Spirit what God wants us to do.

 

C.     Through Godly People:

God also uses other people to speak truth into our lives. He works through wise counsels:

Proverbs 20:18

18) Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.

 

            The Bible is very clear, if you are making plans for the future, seeking advises will bring success into your life. That's why it is so important that you surround yourself with people who have a relationship with God and who care about you.  I believe this is the very reason why God has established the church, and I believe this is also the reason why each one of us needs to plug ourselves into our care groups. We need others to affirm God's dream for us.

 

D.     Through Circumstances:

Lastly, we also need to be sensitive about life's circumstances. We need to particularly notice the doors that God would open for us.

1 Corinthians 16:9

9)  because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

 

            So many times, God has been giving us guidance through the opportunities He gives us. We need to be convinced that in our lives as God's children nothing is accidental, everything is providential. I just want to emphasize again one little truth about 1 Corinthians 16:9. Paul acknowledges that it is possible to have oppositions or encounter some problems in our open doors. So if God has opened it walk through it and keep going at it despite the challenges.

            Bruce Wilkinson, in his book, The Dream Giver, also mentions some practical guidelines in exploring God's dream for us (pp.81-82).

  • Think back to what you wanted to do while you were growing up.
  • Interview three people you respect, who you think are living their dream.
  • If someone came along and gave you all the money you ever wanted, what would you do with it?
  • Observe your life and write down your conclusions.

Ø      What have I always been good at?

Ø      What needs do I care about most?

Ø      Who do I admire most?

Ø      What makes me feel most fulfilled?

Ø      What do I love to do most?

Ø      What have I felt called to do?

  • Ask yourself what legacy you would like to leave for your children and grandchildren.

 

You see, it is possible for us to know clearly the dreams we need to pursue. But we should not stop here. We should also consider the third point:

 

III        RESPOND WITH GREAT FAITH:

God's dream for your life will never be something that you can easily accomplish on your own.  It never will.  If you think God's dream for your life is for you to remain where you are, to live a comfortable, safe life where  you never step outside of your comfort zone, you are sadly, sadly mistaken.  That is not God's dream for your life. It will always require that we respond in great faith - actions of faith.

Hebrews 11:6

6) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

 

            This verse, provide the foundation for a life of faith. I would like to say to you this morning that if your dreams and your ambitions are small, and it's something that you can do on your own, that is not a God-sized dream.  That's a human-sized dream. If God gives you a dream, it requires you to depend on God because it is something that you can't accomplish on your own.  When you finally step out of your comfort zone, you begin dreaming God's dreams. 

            Beloved we have to dream big with great faith attached to it. When we trust Him, we will discover His power at work in our lives and experience His success. Faith is what makes life worth living. Here is a closing word for all of us:

Proverbs 16:3

3) Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

 

            If we want to live a high definition life, we have to pursue God's dream for us.  My prayer for you is that you don't miss God's dream. Remember, God has so much prepared for you!