Good to Great in God's Eyes - Dream Great Dreams, Part 2

When's the last time you did some sanctified, dreaming, I mean pie-in-the-sky.

What's God's dream your marriage. What's God's dream for your ministry. What's God's dream for you as a single person living where you are today if you'd like some help in taking those big dreams and getting them down to a bite-size practical level that I think today might be a great day for you. Stay with. Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge with your friend Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry featuring the daily Bible to the middle of our popular series.

Good to great in God's Philistine chip explained why God put screens in our hearts. This program is to break down how we can get those dreams rolling not only bless out those around us. So you got a Bible handy turnout. Ephesians chapter 3 is begins this message by reminding us of the ways God the dreams in the hearts of his people in the past and how we can apply that process to our lives today. Let's get started. This is in a pie-in-the-sky self-help get a pretty fired up stream a great dream.

I want to tell you the process. It really happens. It starts with Abraham you get out of your comfort zone.

Then it moves to Joseph, he burst the dream and then third, we move onto Moses. He allows us to fail in our attempts to accomplish his dreams in our own power. Moses got a dream from God. He got the right dream Disney he wanted to deliver his people, but is 40 years old and he sees a couple guys fight needles pay you know you are hurt one of these Israelite so he kills this man the next day he goes out and sees two other people fighting, but this time instead of a harsh Egyptian recruiting a Hebrew. It's two Hebrews as guys stop stop and I turned to Ms. Abell who made you ruler or deliver over us when you kill us like the guy did yesterday and he goes up. Oh, I don't think that little burial in the sand triggers and work and he runs for his life. He did the other wrong dream or did you have the wrong method C got a movie on your comfort zone to begin to plant the dream and did you notice how did Joseph understand all the dream you know hey it's this and this and it doesn't make any sense, but I'll bet in prison and all that when he was wrongly accused by Potiphar I bet those visions and those dreams will come back to him and think it sure doesn't look like I'm going to have this position. My brothers and sisters forget about down to me, but Lord I distrust you and Moses had the right dream that had the wrong method and I would encourage you that as God burst something in your life, you will often go about doing exactly the right thing in exactly the wrong way and he'll let you fail to let you do it in the energy of your flesh is not like you were trying to do it that way you know you just you and I'm just me and you say hey I want to do something good and you do it and he will allow. He experienced tremendous pain and failure. It's part of the dream becoming a reality is you seeing God is always more interested in developing the person that he is accomplishing the jury state if he does the right thing and the person allows him to do it.

Dream will become a reality.

But the dreamer the success of the accomplishment. If the things don't happen. A person's heart, then God doesn't get the credit through David. We learned that he teaches us through adversity to love the dream giver more than the dreams we say what you 40 get that.

Think about David.

He's young, you know he's he's good he's made his mark. Goliath is dead he's he's got a little notoriety and the Saul has now turned away from the Lord out of his own self-sufficiency, and pride and David is anointed as King and so we think the dream is here. You are going to be the king you pass these little tests and you would think good, put the robe on but the crown on God I'm gonna be your man.

Is that what happens in David's life.

David is anointed as King and he spends about the next 10 to 12 years Dodge and Spears and hide in caves and have a group of rabble-rousers that he became as little itinerant Army when he had a bad day turn on him and try to killing PT ended up signing with the enemy and feigning that he was insane drooling over his beard see there was a season of time anointed as King. There's a dream you got a lead, this is my role for your life and now a season of adversity and pain were I want to wean you from the prestige and the pride and the issues that come with the dream so that you learn always to love the dream giver more than you get intoxicated with the success of the dream and that's why in Psalm 73. David would write whom have I in heaven. But the besides the I desire nothing on earth.

My heart and my flesh may fail but you are the strength of my heart and my portion forever. You hear what he saying all I really want your my portion year. The strength of what I want in heaven except you will what is there on earth is in a kingdom is that success is it fame is that money is no and they would go on to say in verse 28 of Psalm 73 for I have made the Lord God, my refuge, that I may tell of all they works. As for me, the nearness of God is my good that your testimony, the nearness of God is your and so David teaches us that hey, it's falling in love with the dream giver, not just the dream from Paul. We learned that he clarifies our calling in times of crisis, and often uses our worst failures as the platform for his future fulfillment. He clarifies our calling in times of crisis. Paul has this incredible intellect.

Paul is on this journey and what happens he is a murderer, he's zealous. He's just on the wrong team going the wrong direction and Dang he has this crisis. He comes to Christ three days. He's agonizing wondering what happened. The Lord has spoken to him. He gives in the vision from day one of conversion. Paul, I am going to send you to the Gentiles. You will be my messenger to the Gentiles, and for three days no food, no water. Ananias comes lays hands on them.

Praise for him.

The scales drop PCs. He does a little bit of preaching and teaching. Just there that he goes in Arabia and gets a little education from the Lord for a good period of time and God uses our worst failures is the platform for future fulfillment hot hot.

How much bigger of a failure. Could you be than murdering the church see some of us think a great drain is impossible because of what's in your past.

Make could God not have chosen anyone in Scripture mean you know put pull this one out 13 books of the New Testament were written by a what murder turn missionary what why do you think God chose Paul I think you chose him for a variety of reasons, but one for us is gotta be if Paul qualifies so do you settle hi there is nothing that is in your past that King is not forgivable that God can't transform and actually use often. Your ministries grow out of your failures as you reach back and help people who are failing and struggling in pain where you have been from Jesus we get the final way that God develops in verse dreams. The dream will cost us our life and appear to others is the height of folly just before God accomplishes the impossible through us nothing of it. Seek when we get on the front and I started talking about dream a great dream in your heart start to be what could God and possibly do through me and were all the way were here going yes and as you go from Abraham and to Joseph and Moses to David and Depaul. I have you notice how the prices going up, but the greatest fulfillment of the dream was Jesus and I want you to know on the front end. The dream will cost you your life.

The dream will always lead you and lead me to the cross. There is no smooth path. There is no easy way. There is no lack of suffering agenda. We try all Conaway said to save our life and we end up losing it.

Jesus says on the front end dream that I will birth in your heart will cost you your life and just before I fulfill it. It often looks like the height of folly, think, think, think of what was occurring both in the invisible world and the visible world. Jesus comes any talks about this dream if you will a kingdom that's coming on God's salvation freedom fulfillment Messiah, a new heaven and new earth. What he's called here to do any authenticated by miracles in raising people from the dead, and you became a follower and you believe him and you want to believe him. And there's something about his words and the something about is looking you believe he's the Savior of the world and you want to jump on the dream bandwagon of God, visiting the planet and then it's Friday afternoon and you're looking up at the King and the King is been beaten to a pulp and it says right above where he's hanging the King of the Jews, except you can hardly make out his face because it's been so beaten.

There's blood dripping in his half naked and is hanging on a cross and a C criminal number one criminal number two sieges criminal number three. It looks like the height of folly mean it. Just let me everything. I believe that this is what happened is as if it's it's the one bringing the kingdom. I thought Maria get rid of these Roman others can be salvation up to be delivered that believed in him and nothing if you're the invisible world. What are the demons doing right. We want there is no resurrection filters that no resurrection life until there's death. Death of your dreams and your agenda death of your fears and your security death of your trying to get significance through what you have, how you look what you do what you own, where your houses are what people think deaf to thinking that you know what you can accomplish and who you can oppress and I don't say this harsh lemming this is your human right. Do I have all the support were all in the world is big boat together.

We all struggle with those things but there's a process where we surrender and die to and say okay Lord, and you know what one of the early ones, as it is one of the early ones is God. This is your money. It's not my money, God, this is your brain and talent not mine. God, that this is your family. I would like them all to live like right around the street and run around the corner and the grandchildren like 150 yards away, but a 1 mile or two would be okay and and got, I would like no one ever gets sick everything to be wonderful in every Thanksgiving. You know, we can just sing Kumbaya around the table, but is not how it works.

Gotta die and you demonstrate that your dad by saying, Lord, here risk here is my money. Here's my future Lord.

Here's my family. Lord I'm spiritually naked before you. I bring nothing to the table if you will tell me what to do if you will show me how to do it if if you will direct me. I want you to know that my entire life is like a blank check and I have signed the bottom of the check and I tell you, Almighty God because of who you are and how great, how powerful and how you demonstrated your love. I want you know that you can fill in the top of the check you can do whatever you want with my business. You do whatever you want with my geography, you do ever whatever you want with my kids.

You can do whatever you want with anything in my life and although I'm fearful I choose not to be because you will not withhold any good thing from those who walk up rightly because you are a good God and you love me and I know that it's safe to do this, even though you may take me places that make me much afraid that's death and the people God does super natural radical impossible things through our people who die because until you're dead you can't get resurrected and what we know is that those people standing at the foot of the cross would see him later in a resurrected body. Thomas Khmer to get your head put your fingers at your fingers right here Thomas here but put them in my side.

I'm real true and you will experience a resurrection, and I think God really longs to make the stories we talked about of the Dawson Trotman's and Hudson Taylor's and I think he just wants that to be the normal Christian life, but I think as you go through those different people.

You could almost say like the David stage of the Paul stager the Joseph stage and I just don't think God has a lot of people waving their hand saying, Lord, I like you to do impossible things are an improbable person like me. It was just not a lot of hands in the air. I believe the God of the universe is just looking on this day for people in this room to lift their hand and say I like you to birth. That kinda dreaming me. I trust you much. While that sounds like a very very big thing.

So let's let's talk about very specifically how you break that into bite-size steps to get there. Some of your way down the road.

All of this, but what what I found is that gets so gargantuan it can feel so overwhelming, and for some of us so fearful highlight how I take little steps toward this dream being birth and I'm to suggest is the way you do it is by bite-size dreams in specific areas where you are. You come up with some desired member was the promise delight yourself in the Lord will give you the desires of your heart. What if you came up with some desires that would begin to allow God to birth some things in your life that would prepare you to to really dream a dream that would honor him and need I put a little list here mean the list could go on the desires of your life, your marriage, your children, your career, your ministry, and so what I did. I started this in 1986 and of these cards are from 1986 and I began to say if God will give me the desires of my heart if I could begin to ask him and want the things that he desires. He's promised to give them to me and if I could keep them in front of me and pray about them and pursue them if then the little desires of my heart became a reality then maybe over time, God would do in me and through me why he put me on this planet. So I'll just give you a couple examples and they connect up Joan at 3 x 5 cards will be on sale in the back of the but for me, like for my life.

This was a desire.

My goal is to walk with God in the integrity of my heart until the day I die. And on the back of it. I wrote out Psalm 101 and I memorized it and where he says I will walk in my house with the blameless life of integrity. I will set before my eyes.

No vile thing. The deeds of faceless and I'll hate hate and he goes on just to say what it looks like and I just thought God, you know me you know how hard it is to tell the truth how hard it is to not shade things heart is not the just image cast my prayer my desire.

I want to walk in integrity before you until the day I die fact, I pray Lord if if I would do something that would embarrass you or embarrass your work and you know and if I die of a heart attack. Don't take this too literally. But I said I would. I would be honored for you to take me out before I did that you I would I would just let if you would see that in some weak moment I was going to do really something dumb could you just like boom take me out because I'd much rather lose 10 or 15 years and end up pure before you, and not embarrass your church and so that was a desire for my life. Another desire I had as I just thought I look at circumstances I like to become habitually thankful. As a matter of unconscious response to all life's relationships and circumstances in light of the goodness in the sovereignty of God. I just know that that that relationship doing filled with the Holy Spirit in gratitude Lord. My desire is someday no matter what happens and what relationship my first response would be, thank you. I may not like it but thank you. Since you are good and since you're sovereign I choose to thank you, with my wife.

I came up with the couple desires that I think my goal is to love Teresa sacrificially in ways that make sense to her every day and I just I been read, not over for you know couple three times a week for 20 some years and you know what when you just read it over. It's a desire and I think that's a desire that God wants for me. I want to love her in a sacrificial way that makes sense to her. Another one I has my goal is to get away along with Teresa three times a year. Have I always done that no but but that's a desire I want to make sure that relationship is special and strong and good, and so you know it's a goal that I'm I'm working at it and a lot of years I have.

Then I went to my kids and I thought maybe I can burst some little dreams for my kids for so one I wrote down and 86. My goal is to help my children discover their spiritual gifts and the will of God. Specifically, in function in that capacity. In other words, what does God want to do. I just I just read that over and I watch their lives and I prayed and said you know I think that's that's it that's it. A bite-size dream. Another one I had for my kids. Was I long to see my kids discover their strengths and talents are interest in their lives. And I want to help them develop their full potential and then I had a just a little line where I have each kids name their 1986. What area I thought they needed to develop and that was just on my radar praying and dreaming. I pulled this one out this morning because it's such an answer in 1986. This is my goal, my son Eric is here. My goal is to help Eric overcome his fear of failure. I remember I sent them into the kitchen in 1986 he was a small boy to make some popcorn and there's a couple things you needed to do and he was so afraid of messing up just started crying.

I can't do this to pour the oil and I don't know how and he just is a little boy he just so was afraid to fail and member writing this down and then I wrote some in a push with love, encourage and build him help them see the positive and I just kept spending time trying to push them into new areas to see just one was confident people I've ever met. Now I just seen how God is what quality godly young man with confidence and how he's blazed the trail. See, I think you dream little dreams you as I've been talking to think some you think it why don't they come to start a worldwide organization.

I don't think I want everyone to start a worldwide organization. But what a great dream for your marriage dream, a great dream for your kids dream a great dream for your career dream, a great dream for the ministry God entrusted to you, but start out with little bite-size dreams. I did not 86. My goal is to develop as a communicator and develop my gift to its maximum 10 years later after I got reviewed by Bill Lawrence was.

I like to preach great messages for the glory of God that would be used to transform multitudes of people's lives.

I want to learn. I want you to do in me and through me. I want to preach great messages for the glory of God the transform a multitude of people's lives. It's audacious, but for the right reason. I think God is looking for people.

I want to be an awesome mother to the glory of God that would raise kids who would love you.

I want to be a CEO that lives out in integrity your principles in this business and funnels millions of dollars to the kingdom of God. I want to be a worker in my company that demonstrates to people all around me what it looks like for Christ to show up in the human body. By the way I treat people and manage the people under me see those are great dreams dream a great dream for God so I have smothers for ministry and career and one that I I put that I was a little embarrassed by 1996 I like to put some truth in messages in book form.

In a way that would really serve people in a Powerful Way, God did that. Here's all I want you to hear. Unless you think it desire it private and then dream it and I believe write it down. You will never unconsciously gravitate toward and allow God to take you through the Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, process of birthing the dream in your life. As we conclude the process of kinda mottled for you, but I put it in written form processes number one. Write down I'm I gave you a few and and please those that are obsessive-compulsive. You can share with me and those that aren't bit see these cards.

These are my desire cards over the last 20 years. Just when I when I sense God wants to birth the dream I just I just run down and I don't try and memorize him. I don't try make him happen. I just I just want them to be the beat of my heart.

I want to say to God, I think these are the kind of desires that God like you who loves me would like to see happen in here they are and I just read them over and then I write them down.

Second, after reading them over. I pray over your dreams. Things we share here. I just I would read that and it's a Lord I can't imagine ever writing a book, but it's it's a desire that if you would want if you don't sign and I would pray over each of the desires in each of the dreams and then finally look for God's intervention, and you know what it upset my life. It it it it wasn't fun. It wasn't easy, but it it got back to what's your purpose. What's your dream, what are you going to do with your life but you have to look for God's intervention dream great dreams.

I believe he brought you here to birth or grow or expand what he's been doing in your heart because the Scripture says now to him right Jesus who is able to do, but exceedingly abundantly beyond. You could ever ask or think to him be the glory right's application this message.

Dream great dreams series, good to great in God's are you tired of living the status quo Christian life. Are you looking to get a fresh infusion of faith and spiritual passion will join Chip in this 10 part series as he shares 10 specific practices.

Every great Christian has in common and how you can put these attitudes and routines into action.

If you're ready for a genuine spiritual breakthrough.

Don't miss a single message. For more information about the serious oral resources go to LivingontheEdge.org chipping remap or call us at AAA 333-6003 trips with me and studio no and shipped many of our listeners have heard you talk before about partnering with Living on the Edge financially, but they're unaware of how their support is actually making a difference.

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It's that simple text donate to 741 41 or visit LivingontheEdge.org Listeners just up donate Chip as we wrap up today. I wanted to loop back to something you talked about in your message, you sure that it was difficult when God began to fulfill the dream you put on your heart but I'm a little confused why was it difficult time ensuring that it brought you joy. Why think getting the dream might be a joyful occasion but there's so much that we have to learn before were ready to fulfill the dream God puts in our heart and so if if people could hear God puts a dream in your heart, but he has to work in you deeply before he's going to work significantly through you and and in this entire chapter of this book were on this CD are on the DVD.

I can tell you we really walk through the process of how God develops this because what you find is that when when God's going to do something really exciting and great and amazing if he did that overnight. You would not have the character or the ability to handle the amazing thing he would do. You would think it would be about you and so God always has to shape the person and he has to take you deep before your impact goes broad.

Here's what you can listen for dreams are birthed in private. They come from intimate times with God. Were you get around your passions and what could be and what ought to be and what bothers you and oh God, and they get birthed in private they get developed in a small group, you gotta get around a group of people that say things that you not think in this crazy thought. You need to get with a group of people dream a great dream and watch God do the impossible dream you that's a great reminder chip will help you get into meaningful community.

Let me encourage you to check out our small group resources are so easy to use chip provides the teaching that he'll have time to discuss what you've heard alongside our helpful study guides. So if you're not in a small group you are you aren't sure what to study.

Next, check out our resources today and for a limited time. We've discounted all of our small groups tools for you to learn more, go to LivingontheEdge.org or call us at AAA 333-6003 Listeners Special offers will. Until next time for everyone here. This is Dave say thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge