Keep the Dream Alive!

“Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character." (Psalm 105:17-19)

Joseph is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. Surviving a plot by his brothers to kill him then his brothers sold him into slavery...later, falsely accused of raping his boss' wife who tried to seduce him...then being chain and cast into prison, yet never holding a grudge nor becoming bitter. How did he do it?

God had given him a dream and he kept the dream alive! During each trial, Joseph's faith in God's promise gave him confidence things would get better...and they did.

When his dream was fulfilled Joseph became the second most powerful man of his day and he was in the place to save his family and the nation from starvation.

Has God given you a dream? Do your current circumstances seem impossible for that dream to ever come true? Don't give up! Trust God's promise...because with God 'all things are possible.' He will keep His promise.

Keep the Dream Alive!

Faith and Hope

"O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay?

Take pity on your servants!

Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,

so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.

Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!

Replace the evil years with good.

Let us, your servants, see you work again;

let our children see your glory.

And may the Lord our God show us his approval

and make our efforts successful.

Yes, make our efforts successful!"

(Psalm 90:13-17)

Moses' life was a roller coaster ride. He spent the first 40 years of his life growing up in royalty. The next 40 years on the back side of the desert, then 40 years with the irritating Israelites in the wilderness. He never did get to the promised land, yet his life lands his name on the Hall of Fame of Faith.

This Psalm reveals two very important qualities in Moses life: Faith and Hope.

Though Moses went through difficult and frustrating times, he never lost faith that God was in complete control of the future. Here he prays and asks God to make their efforts successful.

As long as their is faith and hope there is a future.

Scatter

I've had this thought on my mind these past several days. Where does the church actually do it's work? Most people associate the main work and ministry of the church with it's worship services. But I disagree. The main work of the Church is to scatter from it's worship services and engage in ministry, service, and witness to unbelievers. If the only activity of a church is within it's church buildings, the church is not working. Don't misunderstand. The worship services are a vital part of a healthy Christian life. Our corporate gatherings are where we get encouraged and charged up for the ministry we do when we are apart.

I've been thinking a lot about this word scatter. Christians need to scatter everywhere; our homes, workplace, and the world sharing Christ.

Unfortunately the natural progression for churches is to become internally focused. Focusing more on the corporate gathering than the work we are to do in the world.

We need to be externally focused. Keeping our focus on the goal of reaching the lost.

It doesn't take faith to go to church as a believer. Church is not where a believer exercises his faith. We exercise our faith as we scatter reaching the lost. Church is a place to have our lives challenged and encouraged so that our faith works the rest of the week.

Worry and Faith

Living worry-free requires faith. The more faith we have the less we will worry.

The theology of faith is a huge topic. To some, God gives the 'gift' of faith. Those who are given faith as a spiritual gift are able to trust in God beyond the measure of faith by most Christians. But for most of us, faith comes in small steps. Challenges to take a spiritual step, either by God's leading in our heart or through His Word, are opportunities for us to increase our faith. As we willfully and courageously accept God-led challenges, our faith increases. For example: Tithing. To most people, they cannot afford to tithe. Yet for those who have accepted this challenge from God, they soon realize that they cannot afford NOT to tithe.

Tithing is a great solution to financial worry!

Living Messages

One thing I love about teaching and preaching is how God prepares me before the message.

I'm speaking this Sunday on worry. The title of the message is Live Worry-free. In meeting with the TRACS evaluation team this week there has been a lot of worrying. But, I don't think all worry is bad. Worrying to the point that we fail to trust in God is wrong. God is bigger than any problem we have.

God created us with emotions so that we would react and move to action. I'm convinced that problems that are bigger than we are, are just opportunities for God to show us just how big He is.

Sure has been great this week to be reminded to trust God with tasks that are bigger than we feel we can accomplish.