Saturday, January 18, 2014

Dream ON

Dream On 
Dream Dreams and Prophesy
Pastor Bill
“I have a Dream,” was one of Martin Luther King’s greatest messages. It was delivered before a crowd gathered at the Lincoln Memorial facing out to the reflecting pond between it and the Washington Monument. The crowd stretched from one memorial to the other. Those present said that the message was droll at the beginning while King stuck to his notes, and then, like a refreshing wind, something happened and he moved from his notes to a message on his heart. At that moment inspiration took over and history was made.
My son, Bill, preached a great message on God Loves a Dreamer. He charted the life of Joseph and from those scriptures inspired all of us listening to not give up on our dreams. Many of you commented that you were touched and challenged.
When the message by King was given, no one could see down the road to all the struggle and the assassination. No one could realize that the civil rights prophet would enrage a nation on one hand and inspire others to greatness.  Everyone who hears God is given an inspiration of some dimension. We are not left alone by Him. He calls, He woos, He speaks through others, and through us. He tugs at the heart, convicts the mind, and pulls on our emotions. He truly will not leave us alone. His heart is for us and our destiny lies before us as uncharted waters, and lands not discovered.
When we are given a dream, if it is left there without nurture, it will remain in the land of fantasy and what “could have been.” All dreams must make transitions. Dreams are the flights of imagination and creativity. We can see things in our minds and spirits. Dreams are the sources of invention and discovery. But dreams left unattended will fade and evaporate. Great ideas will vanish with morning light if not nurtured with attention.
Dreams, necessarily, must transition to vision. Vision takes the imagination and creativity and begins to find a way to make it happen. Vision begins a process of preparation, education, exploration, and experimentation.
If we sit with the idea that a prophetic word is final and fore ordained without our involvement, it will die the death of neglect.
Vision grabs the prophecy, the dream and begins to translate it into steps and milestones. Vision begins to plan how to get from here to the dream. It breaks down the components and puts them in attainable sections. Vision plans and moves. Vision knows that you cannot get from A to B without a journey.
When God gives a dream, He often paints in broad strokes. You know where you are to go and what is to be done, but the journey is never clearly and definitely laid out. God always leaves large space for faith. So, prophetic words always speak to our potential, what we could do, what we could accomplish, what we really could be.
When God speaks, He often starts with a word of knowledge to get your attention, “Hey, I know who you are and what you are doing and feeling. Pay attention!” Then comes the directive potential that He wants you to hear and heed.

We all have a dream, or we did at one time. If you are young, you feel it is beyond you. If you are old, you feel there is no time left. Both are lies. It is never too early or too late to obey God and pursue the dream He gave you. Turn it to vision and begin to plan your success in His provision.