I have lived a fairly long time by now. At least in comparison to what I thought was really old when I was twenty. In those years I have spent much time on a quest for understanding the nature of God, humans and the world.
I have been a keen observer of other’s and especially my own behaviour.
At times I have been like the Canadian Jewish nuclear scientist, Louis Slotin, who in the early days of discovering the power of uranium wrote down notes after an accident from which he later died when he held two pieces of uranium together. He and seven other colleagues were studying the atomic mystery of fusion that eventually would power cities and had a year before killed thousands of people in Japan. The screwdriver which was holding them apart slipped from his hand. By the time he realized what he had done to himself it was too late. His quick response to stop the reaction was said to have saved his colleagues. Still only a few days later he was dead from radiation poisoning. After the accident he was a faithful scientist recording the event and even what happened in his own body until almost the moment of his death. That record helped save many lives later as it underlined the need for extreme experimental safety in the atomic age.
Fortunately, though I have done much damage to myself in my quest, I never died from it.
There was another man who shared this same objective pursuit of truth as Mr. Slotin. He was also Jewish. His name was Solomon. He wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. He sought truth in much the same way as Louis would centuries later. It was a kind of a detached observation of his and other’s actual lives. He walked through his life taking notes all the way.
Solomon tried to find the meaning of life by setting no limits on his behaviour.
Ecclesiastes 1:12 I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. .. . . . 17 And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; . . . . 2:1 I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself."...... 3 I explored with my mind {how} to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding {me} wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives... . . . 4 I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men--many concubines. 9 Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure. . . .
Solomon was so intent to understand the meaning of life that he followed every desire of his heart. Different from many of us who perhaps would like to do the same, he could.
Like the atomic researcher, Solomon’s research eventually destroyed his life. But by his quest he left an essential message for we who follow. Let’s read from the notes he took even as he was spiritually dying from his actions:
Ecclesiastes 12:8 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "all is vanity!"
All is vanity? Perhaps these are the ravings of an embittered person who did not really know? Perhaps life just went the wrong way for him? Surely there is meaning in life isn’t there? Not everything is vain is it?
No not everything is vanity.
Even Solomon knew that it was not. But the meaning came from nothing on the Earth. He correctly pointed out that every earthly activity in itself ends in vanity and futility.
We would be wise to listen.
In fact I have found that the earlier we understand what Solomon is trying to tell us the better our lives are. But you might ask, “how can believing that everything in life fails to give meaning to life give meaning to life?” It can’t! But understanding this truth tells us that we need to look somewhere else for that meaning.
Solomon found that meaning for life resides outside of this world.
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them";
Ecclesiastes 12:1
He tells us the answer is found in God.
My research tells me he is right.
But I wanted to know why is it so?
Why is it that no matter how much money a person has it never satisfies them?
Why is it that a person can have one of the most beautiful wives or husbands in the whole world and still they look with lust for another?
Why is it that a person can have the admiration of the whole world and yet be so convinced of their worthlessness they kill themselves?
Why is there an insatiable desire within the human heart for something we mistakenly identify with things, people, honour, freedom or anything that the heart thinks will meet it?
I believe it is because there is a God Shaped Hole in the heart of every person who ever lived except one.
Solomon felt it. He purposed to try and fill it with anything that he desired. He found that nothing could fill it. Even if it temporarily took away the ache it came back stronger than ever. He found that the only thing that could fill it was God.
The conclusion, when all has been heard, is fear God and keep His commandments...... Ecclesiastes 12:13
Solomon tells us to not follow his example. He tells us he had the opportunity to try out everything that we could ever deceive ourselves with to fill the hole in our heart.
He tells us to find the meaning of our life in God.
Nothing else but God Himself will fill this cavern inside of us.
This God Shaped hole is purposefully designed that we might seek Him and find Him.
Only He can ever fill it.
When we try to fill it with anything else it harms us and others.
When we fill it with Him we become a vessel of refreshment and provision for everyone we touch.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
DREAMS
DREAMS
But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him."
"And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house -- 28 for I have five brothers--in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.„ 29 "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.„ 30 "But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!„ 31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"
He is saying to all of us, “No matter what you have, are presently or will go through, if you will continue to believe in Him, God is going to bring good out of it. No matter what.
He would tell us that we need to remember in our moments of temptation that He must remain the focus of our devotion. Listen to what he said to Potiphor's wife:
It came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, “Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”
Genesis 39:7-9 (NASB)
How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”
In spite having every reason to have become a broken hearted, cynical, God hater – in spite of seeing the dreams he had for his life reduced to a pile of ashes he still loves God and wants to follow Him. That is what kept Joseph to one day see his dreams fulfilled.
Had Joseph succumbed in a moment of self pity to his master's wife's temptations you would have never known his name. In fact you would have never been saved. You might likely have never even been born.
If Joseph had not been there to interpret Pharoah's dreams his whole family would have died, and with them the line to bring forth Jesus would have perished.
If Joseph had not been there to interpret Pharoah's dreams most, if not all, of Egypt would have died of hunger. The nations that came to Egypt to stay alive would have also perished. The fate of the world hung in the balance because of one man's purpose to stay true to God.
It is the same for us today. Only a few weeks ago as I was discussing one of Howard's sermons with him I had the thought that each moment we live not fully giving ourselves to God is an eternal loss. That moment can not be reclaimed. It is gone forever. All that God wanted to grow out of that moment will never happen.
Some say, “Oh well, I am saved so it does not matter what I do. I am still going to heaven.” I am so glad that Joseph understood that it did matter what he did. I am so glad that he loved God so much that in spite of his terrible circumstances he purposed to remain true. And that is how he came to see his dreams come true.
That is how we also will come to see our dreams come true.
Prayer Points:
Then Joseph had a dream,
Genesis 37:5
Perhaps you are like me and never fully thought about the significance of these five words. Like me you might have never considered their impact since the event they described on the future nation of Israel, on Egypt, on all nations since, and on your very life.
Consider this, from the moment Joseph had his first dream a destiny came forth that would include your salvation. The power of this single dream to set God‟s plan into history is almost overwhelming to consider.
Most of us first heard the story of Joseph and his dreams in Sunday School. As I have listened to our Sunday School teachers share Joseph's story I am so grateful that the children can hear it and learn of God's amazing power. And for their age and intellectual capacity it is wonderfully shared. So please do not hear me discrediting Sunday School.
That being said, it is clear to me if we continue in a childish understanding of the stories of the Bible we learned as children, we will never fully grasp their true power and significance.
In order to understand the full meaning of these biblical stories we must stop seeing them like a childhood fantasy – like fairy tales --and see them the same way we see other historical events.
Joseph's story happened to a real person. It happened to a real family. It happened with a real nation. The events took place in reality. It is only when we see all of the stories in that light can we begin to relate them to our real lives. As long as they are “once upon a time” stories they may still teach good things but they will not tell us that God is real and involved in every aspect of our lives – the good and the bad -The lovely and the grotesque – the heavenly and hellish.
When an actual dream is from God it will always have part of its purpose to establish our destiny – which becomes the vision we have for our lives -our dreams of our destiny. In this way actual dreams and vision dreams meet.
First let us verify that God gives us dreams.
The coming of the new age of the Spirit has birthing dreams as a distinguishing mark.
"It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. Joel 2:28
One of the most wonderful aspects about what Joel and Peter said was that it would not be a limited pouring out of the Holy Spirit as it was in the Old Testament. It would be on everyone. Everyone would have the chance to partake of the Spirit.
It is true that not everyone would but everyone could.
It is my hope that everyone listening today would open themselves fully to being saved, empowered and filled with the Holy Spirit that today is available and being poured out on all humankind.
So what about our dreams? What are they meant to do? How are we to understand them.
The first dream recorded in the Bible begins to point out the purposes of God in the dreams He gives:
But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man. . .
Genesis 37:5
Perhaps you are like me and never fully thought about the significance of these five words. Like me you might have never considered their impact since the event they described on the future nation of Israel, on Egypt, on all nations since, and on your very life.
Consider this, from the moment Joseph had his first dream a destiny came forth that would include your salvation. The power of this single dream to set God‟s plan into history is almost overwhelming to consider.
Most of us first heard the story of Joseph and his dreams in Sunday School. As I have listened to our Sunday School teachers share Joseph's story I am so grateful that the children can hear it and learn of God's amazing power. And for their age and intellectual capacity it is wonderfully shared. So please do not hear me discrediting Sunday School.
That being said, it is clear to me if we continue in a childish understanding of the stories of the Bible we learned as children, we will never fully grasp their true power and significance.
In order to understand the full meaning of these biblical stories we must stop seeing them like a childhood fantasy – like fairy tales --and see them the same way we see other historical events.
Joseph's story happened to a real person. It happened to a real family. It happened with a real nation. The events took place in reality. It is only when we see all of the stories in that light can we begin to relate them to our real lives. As long as they are “once upon a time” stories they may still teach good things but they will not tell us that God is real and involved in every aspect of our lives – the good and the bad -The lovely and the grotesque – the heavenly and hellish.
When an actual dream is from God it will always have part of its purpose to establish our destiny – which becomes the vision we have for our lives -our dreams of our destiny. In this way actual dreams and vision dreams meet.
First let us verify that God gives us dreams.
The coming of the new age of the Spirit has birthing dreams as a distinguishing mark.
"It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. Joel 2:28
One of the most wonderful aspects about what Joel and Peter said was that it would not be a limited pouring out of the Holy Spirit as it was in the Old Testament. It would be on everyone. Everyone would have the chance to partake of the Spirit.
It is true that not everyone would but everyone could.
It is my hope that everyone listening today would open themselves fully to being saved, empowered and filled with the Holy Spirit that today is available and being poured out on all humankind.
So what about our dreams? What are they meant to do? How are we to understand them.
The first dream recorded in the Bible begins to point out the purposes of God in the dreams He gives:
But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man. . .
Genesis 20:3
Wow! What an introduction to a talk on dreams!!!!!
One very important purpose God has for dreams is to warn us.
In fact it was by dreams that God protected Jesus as an infant.
Wow! What an introduction to a talk on dreams!!!!!
One very important purpose God has for dreams is to warn us.
In fact it was by dreams that God protected Jesus as an infant.
But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:20
And having been warned {by God} in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
And having been warned {by God} in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
Matthew 2:12
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him."
Matthew 2:13
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned {by God} in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee,
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned {by God} in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee,
Matthew 2:22
When we have a dream that has a warning in it we need to seriously pray about how we should respond to the warning. Some people will say that a dream from God will not make you afraid. But it is clear that dreams from God have made people afraid. But what have they made people afraid of? Real circumstances of possible harm. This is the key point.
I see a second purpose of God in dreams is to give us information we could not otherwise know. Joseph could not have known the danger his family was in or what to do about it unless God had shown him it through dreams. When we have dreams we should consider them and see if they are seeking to tell us something that we need to know that we could not know naturally.
A third, wonderful purpose God has in giving us dreams is communicating Himself to us. In this he also communicates His desire for us to know Him and have a relationship with him and His larger plan and our destined place in His plan if we follow it. We see all of these purposes in Jacob's dream:
Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set;. . . 12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.“
When we have a dream that has a warning in it we need to seriously pray about how we should respond to the warning. Some people will say that a dream from God will not make you afraid. But it is clear that dreams from God have made people afraid. But what have they made people afraid of? Real circumstances of possible harm. This is the key point.
I see a second purpose of God in dreams is to give us information we could not otherwise know. Joseph could not have known the danger his family was in or what to do about it unless God had shown him it through dreams. When we have dreams we should consider them and see if they are seeking to tell us something that we need to know that we could not know naturally.
A third, wonderful purpose God has in giving us dreams is communicating Himself to us. In this he also communicates His desire for us to know Him and have a relationship with him and His larger plan and our destined place in His plan if we follow it. We see all of these purposes in Jacob's dream:
Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set;. . . 12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.“
Genesis 28:10
God is speaking in this exact same way all over the earth today. People who know nothing of Jesus are finding him through dreams. I believe this is a direct answer to our missional prayers over these last many years.
God gives dreams to demonstrate his knowledge and to build relationships with others. Daniel's experience with Nebuchadnezzar's dreams did both.
You can read the whole story in Daniel 2. After Daniel correctly gave both the dream and the interpretation of the dream the king had he was given great authority and honor by the king.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and fragrant incense. 47 The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon
Daniel 2:46-48 (NASB)
Another extremely important purpose God has in dreams is to prophetically speak to us of the future. We see this in Pharoah's dreams which our dream hero interpreted.
Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams are one {and the same;} God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
God is speaking in this exact same way all over the earth today. People who know nothing of Jesus are finding him through dreams. I believe this is a direct answer to our missional prayers over these last many years.
God gives dreams to demonstrate his knowledge and to build relationships with others. Daniel's experience with Nebuchadnezzar's dreams did both.
You can read the whole story in Daniel 2. After Daniel correctly gave both the dream and the interpretation of the dream the king had he was given great authority and honor by the king.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and fragrant incense. 47 The king answered Daniel and said, “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon
Daniel 2:46-48 (NASB)
Another extremely important purpose God has in dreams is to prophetically speak to us of the future. We see this in Pharoah's dreams which our dream hero interpreted.
Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams are one {and the same;} God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
Genesis 41:25
So how did Joseph come to be able to give the interpretation of dreams so accurately? I believe the scripture tells us.
1. Joseph believed dreams were significant.
This is crucial. Materialism will tell you dreams are nothing more than the phantasms of our brains being reset or working out problems in our sleep. Though that can be the case sometimes, we know from the Bible that is not always so.
2. Joseph knew God spoke through dreams.
When we believe God will speak to us through dreams we will be attentive to take them seriously and most importantly ask Him what they mean. We will not go to the latest book on how to interpret them.
3. Joseph knew God alone had the interpretation of dreams.
When we believe God has spoken in a dream we will not go to the latest book on how to interpret them.
He asked Pharaoh's officials who were with him in confinement in his master's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?“ 8 Then they said to him, "We have had a dream and there is no one to interpret it." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell {it} to me, please."
So how did Joseph come to be able to give the interpretation of dreams so accurately? I believe the scripture tells us.
1. Joseph believed dreams were significant.
This is crucial. Materialism will tell you dreams are nothing more than the phantasms of our brains being reset or working out problems in our sleep. Though that can be the case sometimes, we know from the Bible that is not always so.
2. Joseph knew God spoke through dreams.
When we believe God will speak to us through dreams we will be attentive to take them seriously and most importantly ask Him what they mean. We will not go to the latest book on how to interpret them.
3. Joseph knew God alone had the interpretation of dreams.
When we believe God has spoken in a dream we will not go to the latest book on how to interpret them.
He asked Pharaoh's officials who were with him in confinement in his master's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?“ 8 Then they said to him, "We have had a dream and there is no one to interpret it." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell {it} to me, please."
Genesis 40:7
The only one who could interpret Pharaoh's dream was Joseph and that was because Joseph knew only God could interpret them and he had been listening all his life to God's voice.
Do you see why it is so important to be listening every day to hear God speak. First through the Bible, through creation, thorough ours and others circumstances (history) and by His Holy Spirit.
Of first importance in hearing anything from God is our willingness to hear the voice of God in the Bible and to follow Him through it. This is certainly true of dreams – actual and visionary.
I was once dating a girl who became quite upset with me and God because she saw that God spoke to me by His Spirit in dreams and visions. She asked me many times “Why does God speak to you this way and not to me?”What I am going to tell you in the next minute needs to be understood not as a communication of pride on my part. What God said to me when I prayed for her about this deeply convicted me as to why I did not have more of His Spirit's power in my life even as it answered her question.
The Lord said to me, “If someone will not listen to my written Word why would I speak to them outside of that Word.”
And to confirm what He said He gave me this scripture:
The only one who could interpret Pharaoh's dream was Joseph and that was because Joseph knew only God could interpret them and he had been listening all his life to God's voice.
Do you see why it is so important to be listening every day to hear God speak. First through the Bible, through creation, thorough ours and others circumstances (history) and by His Holy Spirit.
Of first importance in hearing anything from God is our willingness to hear the voice of God in the Bible and to follow Him through it. This is certainly true of dreams – actual and visionary.
I was once dating a girl who became quite upset with me and God because she saw that God spoke to me by His Spirit in dreams and visions. She asked me many times “Why does God speak to you this way and not to me?”What I am going to tell you in the next minute needs to be understood not as a communication of pride on my part. What God said to me when I prayed for her about this deeply convicted me as to why I did not have more of His Spirit's power in my life even as it answered her question.
The Lord said to me, “If someone will not listen to my written Word why would I speak to them outside of that Word.”
And to confirm what He said He gave me this scripture:
"And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house -- 28 for I have five brothers--in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.„ 29 "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.„ 30 "But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!„ 31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"
Luke 16:27
And here is what in my mind it the most critical aspect of why Joseph was so accurate in interpreting dreams…..
Joseph was humble.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.“ 16 Joseph then
answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."
And here is what in my mind it the most critical aspect of why Joseph was so accurate in interpreting dreams…..
Joseph was humble.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.“ 16 Joseph then
answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."
Genesis 41:15
To receive the gifts of God requires deep humility. Humility results in thankfulness and complete openness to following God in whatever He has for us no matter what. Humility is essential for us to fully receive the empowerment from on high He gives by the Holy Spirit.
To receive the gifts of God requires deep humility. Humility results in thankfulness and complete openness to following God in whatever He has for us no matter what. Humility is essential for us to fully receive the empowerment from on high He gives by the Holy Spirit.
We must see in the life of Joseph the
work that God was doing from the moment of conception to the day he
met Pharaoh was to make him able to handle the power he would have
when his dreams came true. That is what God is doing in our lives
too. The only way we can handle great power is great humility.
The prophetic dream given to Pharaoh was also where dreams met destiny. Many years before, while still a youth Joseph dreamed two actual dreams that would mark his destiny forever. He dreamed he would one day see his family bow to him. And that is exactly what happened. But before it happened Joseph had to learn humility. That is always a deeply painful process.
I believe everyone in this place today will totally understand what I am about to say. We all have dreams. I mean we all have deeply held desires for what we want to happen in our and others lives.
Our dreams are one of the most vulnerable parts of us. They come out of the deepest places in our being.
When those dreams are realized they are one of the most wonderful things that could ever happen to us.
When they do not come to pass we can feel life is almost not worth living. Fulfilled dreams can give us some of our greatest joys Unfulfilled dreams can bring us some of our deepest sorrows.
Dreams are one of the most powerful molders of our lives. We will do almost anything to achieve our dreams until we feel they are dashed. If they are ruined, in the deep pain of disappointment and disillusionment, we may never again allow ourselves to hope for a better destiny again. Perhaps the best expression I have ever heard of this absolute despair in the lose of our dreams is Fantine's song in Les Miserables
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
The prophetic dream given to Pharaoh was also where dreams met destiny. Many years before, while still a youth Joseph dreamed two actual dreams that would mark his destiny forever. He dreamed he would one day see his family bow to him. And that is exactly what happened. But before it happened Joseph had to learn humility. That is always a deeply painful process.
I believe everyone in this place today will totally understand what I am about to say. We all have dreams. I mean we all have deeply held desires for what we want to happen in our and others lives.
Our dreams are one of the most vulnerable parts of us. They come out of the deepest places in our being.
When those dreams are realized they are one of the most wonderful things that could ever happen to us.
When they do not come to pass we can feel life is almost not worth living. Fulfilled dreams can give us some of our greatest joys Unfulfilled dreams can bring us some of our deepest sorrows.
Dreams are one of the most powerful molders of our lives. We will do almost anything to achieve our dreams until we feel they are dashed. If they are ruined, in the deep pain of disappointment and disillusionment, we may never again allow ourselves to hope for a better destiny again. Perhaps the best expression I have ever heard of this absolute despair in the lose of our dreams is Fantine's song in Les Miserables
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high And life worth
living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and
wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted
But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame
He spent a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came
And still I dream he'll come to me
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I
dreamed.
I believe – and my experience with every human I have made meaningful contact with has verified – every person has dreams for their lives that were given by God.
These dreams are sometimes attended with natural giftings to see them happen but some times not.
These dreams are one of the most significant aspects of who we will become – what our destiny will ultimately be.
I believe the life of Joseph more than any other life in scripture besides Jesus' demonstrates this truth.
And he shows us how to bring our dreams to reality.
Remember I said earlier I want us to understand Joseph's life as being a real one. Just like ours. I want us to imagine Joseph being right here with us right now. I believe he can give us great wisdom which is compassionate as well. If any one on earth saw the destruction of his dream other than Jesus it was Joseph. He can help us as we look around at the dreams we all once had that lie in ashes around us.
The first thing I believe he would tell us is to believe in the God who gives us dreams. We might say to him. “easy for you to say, your dreams came true in one of the most amazing ways the world has ever known. But remember we know the story from the first to the end. While Joseph was going through the circumstances of his life he had no more evidence that his dreams would come to pass than we do. I am pretty sure his dreams faded into an ancient memory. But the God who gave him his dreams did not.
If we see Joseph's life in the same way we live we can understand that had he given into bitterness at any point his dreams would have been seen as the illusions of a child. He most likely would mockingly said, “I once had dreams of a wonderful life but look at me now. I dreamed that my family would respect me. Now I am in prison for life. I thought my life would be purposeful but it has been one continual mess. Stolen by my own brothers from the bliss of my father's home. Sold into slavery. Falsely accused of immorality and thrown into prison. Forgotten by everyone. What are my dreams but a bitter reminder of everything I am not.
He would understand if we felt that same way now. He would have such a compassion on those of us who have had great dreams only to see them dashed into pieces. But he would say to us, ”even in the midst of the destruction I went through of everything that even slightly looked like it could bring forth my dreams I knew that the God who gave me dreams was still trustworthy. I chose to trust Him in the darkest moments of my life. It is true my dreams did not seem like they would ever come to pass. But I knew God was with me and I chose to stay with Him even if my dreams never happened. I loved and believed in God more than my dreams.”
How do I know he would tell us this?
Because after all he had suffered he still told the two men with him in jail that God was with him.
When he stood before Pharaoh he told him that God would tell him the meaning of his dreams.
So today let Joseph encourage you. If you will trust the God of your dreams He will bring them to pass.
I also believe he would tell us that the terrible things that happened to him had to happen to bring his dreams to fulfillment. We often see God's work in our lives to bring forth our destinies as only those things that are positive. Joseph could hardly have known what it would take in his life to bring forth the fulfillment of the dreams he had when he was a young boy. But having the perspective of history we know that every step of the way the Joseph was forced to go was an absolutely essential step to the fulfillment of his destiny in God.
Had his brother's never sold him into slavery he would not have been in Egypt. Had his master's wife not falsely accused him he would have never been in the jail to interpret the dreams of the butler who would remember Joseph years later when Pharaoh had his dreams. Had there never been a time of abundance and famine he would have never had the food to feed his family when they were starving. Joseph came to understand God's sovereignty in a way few have ever understood it. We see this in his statement to his brothers after his father's death. They were afraid he would take vengeance on them after his father's death. Remember this is a true story. Joseph was immensely hurt by his brothers.
"As for you, you meant evil against me, {but} God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
I believe – and my experience with every human I have made meaningful contact with has verified – every person has dreams for their lives that were given by God.
These dreams are sometimes attended with natural giftings to see them happen but some times not.
These dreams are one of the most significant aspects of who we will become – what our destiny will ultimately be.
I believe the life of Joseph more than any other life in scripture besides Jesus' demonstrates this truth.
And he shows us how to bring our dreams to reality.
Remember I said earlier I want us to understand Joseph's life as being a real one. Just like ours. I want us to imagine Joseph being right here with us right now. I believe he can give us great wisdom which is compassionate as well. If any one on earth saw the destruction of his dream other than Jesus it was Joseph. He can help us as we look around at the dreams we all once had that lie in ashes around us.
The first thing I believe he would tell us is to believe in the God who gives us dreams. We might say to him. “easy for you to say, your dreams came true in one of the most amazing ways the world has ever known. But remember we know the story from the first to the end. While Joseph was going through the circumstances of his life he had no more evidence that his dreams would come to pass than we do. I am pretty sure his dreams faded into an ancient memory. But the God who gave him his dreams did not.
If we see Joseph's life in the same way we live we can understand that had he given into bitterness at any point his dreams would have been seen as the illusions of a child. He most likely would mockingly said, “I once had dreams of a wonderful life but look at me now. I dreamed that my family would respect me. Now I am in prison for life. I thought my life would be purposeful but it has been one continual mess. Stolen by my own brothers from the bliss of my father's home. Sold into slavery. Falsely accused of immorality and thrown into prison. Forgotten by everyone. What are my dreams but a bitter reminder of everything I am not.
He would understand if we felt that same way now. He would have such a compassion on those of us who have had great dreams only to see them dashed into pieces. But he would say to us, ”even in the midst of the destruction I went through of everything that even slightly looked like it could bring forth my dreams I knew that the God who gave me dreams was still trustworthy. I chose to trust Him in the darkest moments of my life. It is true my dreams did not seem like they would ever come to pass. But I knew God was with me and I chose to stay with Him even if my dreams never happened. I loved and believed in God more than my dreams.”
How do I know he would tell us this?
Because after all he had suffered he still told the two men with him in jail that God was with him.
When he stood before Pharaoh he told him that God would tell him the meaning of his dreams.
So today let Joseph encourage you. If you will trust the God of your dreams He will bring them to pass.
I also believe he would tell us that the terrible things that happened to him had to happen to bring his dreams to fulfillment. We often see God's work in our lives to bring forth our destinies as only those things that are positive. Joseph could hardly have known what it would take in his life to bring forth the fulfillment of the dreams he had when he was a young boy. But having the perspective of history we know that every step of the way the Joseph was forced to go was an absolutely essential step to the fulfillment of his destiny in God.
Had his brother's never sold him into slavery he would not have been in Egypt. Had his master's wife not falsely accused him he would have never been in the jail to interpret the dreams of the butler who would remember Joseph years later when Pharaoh had his dreams. Had there never been a time of abundance and famine he would have never had the food to feed his family when they were starving. Joseph came to understand God's sovereignty in a way few have ever understood it. We see this in his statement to his brothers after his father's death. They were afraid he would take vengeance on them after his father's death. Remember this is a true story. Joseph was immensely hurt by his brothers.
"As for you, you meant evil against me, {but} God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
He is saying to all of us, “No matter what you have, are presently or will go through, if you will continue to believe in Him, God is going to bring good out of it. No matter what.
He would tell us that we need to remember in our moments of temptation that He must remain the focus of our devotion. Listen to what he said to Potiphor's wife:
It came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” 8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, “Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”
Genesis 39:7-9 (NASB)
How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”
In spite having every reason to have become a broken hearted, cynical, God hater – in spite of seeing the dreams he had for his life reduced to a pile of ashes he still loves God and wants to follow Him. That is what kept Joseph to one day see his dreams fulfilled.
Had Joseph succumbed in a moment of self pity to his master's wife's temptations you would have never known his name. In fact you would have never been saved. You might likely have never even been born.
If Joseph had not been there to interpret Pharoah's dreams his whole family would have died, and with them the line to bring forth Jesus would have perished.
If Joseph had not been there to interpret Pharoah's dreams most, if not all, of Egypt would have died of hunger. The nations that came to Egypt to stay alive would have also perished. The fate of the world hung in the balance because of one man's purpose to stay true to God.
It is the same for us today. Only a few weeks ago as I was discussing one of Howard's sermons with him I had the thought that each moment we live not fully giving ourselves to God is an eternal loss. That moment can not be reclaimed. It is gone forever. All that God wanted to grow out of that moment will never happen.
Some say, “Oh well, I am saved so it does not matter what I do. I am still going to heaven.” I am so glad that Joseph understood that it did matter what he did. I am so glad that he loved God so much that in spite of his terrible circumstances he purposed to remain true. And that is how he came to see his dreams come true.
That is how we also will come to see our dreams come true.
Michael's Dream
Pilot Testimony by Michael Greenberg
As long as I can remember, I wanted to
be a pilot. I looked up at the sky every time I saw a passing
airplane. I drew airplanes. I made model airplanes. I wanted to go to
the airport to see the planes. I went to all the air shows. I was
confident that when I was old enough I would fly an airplane as a
career.
Sometime during my high school years, I
was made aware that I could apply to the Canadian Air Force for
training and education. I would receive a university education, and a
commission in the Canadian Air Force.
As soon as I graduated from high
school, I presented myself at the office of the ROTC [Regular Officer
Training Corps]. Twenty minutes later I found myself outside the
office door completely devastated. I was not going to be a pilot or
any other member of the crew because I was colour blind.
I didn’t know what I was going to do.
Eventually I became a social worker by default and worked for the
Children’s Aid Society here in London. But my heart never gave up
the dream of being a pilot. I spent hours at airports. My children
spent hours watching me watch airplanes taking off and landing. My
kids went to airshows from the time they were born. I ‘m amazed
they weren’t deafened.
After 30 years of service, I retired
from my social work career. A few years later, Microsoft developed a
flight simulator program. In short order, I flew many different types
of aircraft all over the world in the comfort and convenience of my
cozy basement corner.
One day a friend was visiting in my
home and I mentioned that I was flying airplanes in the basement. He
told me at one time he had wanted to be a pilot. Moments later, we
were in the basement flying airplanes all over the world.
He asked me if I knew that Transport
Canada had recently changed the requirements of becoming a pilot. He
said that now, if a person were color blind, he could be a pilot, but
just couldn’t fly at night.
The next day I took a complementary
test flight. A week later, I began flight training. My heart
pounded with joy, every second I was learning and flying. I knew it
wasn't going to be too long before I would be a pilot and fly by
myself. I also knew that it was God who had put this desire in my
heart. That’s why it was so strong and never went away.
During my training, Linda and I had an
investment go badly wrong. We lost a lot of money. Suddenly, I
didn’t have enough money to continue my training. My heart ached.
But this time I knew God wasn’t going to let me down. This was just
a temporary setback. I didn’t know how but I knew I was going to
achieve my dream.
Earlier in my flight school training, I
had met the most curious individual. Although we were both in ground
school together, he was going through to be a commercial pilot. We
quickly became friends and studied together.
Interestingly, when I didn't have
enough money to continue my training, he asked me to be his co-pilot.
We continued our training together. I helped him with navigation and
avionics. He paid for the flight time, which he needed.
How could this not be God? This went on
until Linda and I were back on her feet financially. A year later, I
was able to resume my flight training. My friend and I continued to
study together. He became a commercial pilot and helped me get ready
for my flight test and written test.
The day I passed
my flight test I knew God was sitting right beside me in the plane.
Now all I had to do was pass my written test, and I’d be finished.
I sat in a room all by myself in front of a computer and began the
test. I had 90 minutes to answer all the questions. I completed the
test and five minutes later, I was handed my test results. I passed…I
was a pilot! I realized at that moment that God didn't let me down
for a second. I went into the bathroom beside the test room and began
to cry as I had a private moment with Him.
He gave me the desire of my heart
(other than Linda, of course) just like He promised in His word.
Prayer Points:
Perhaps you are
here and have never met the God who inspired and brought to
fulfillment the dreams of those in the Bible and those who have
believed in Him since. This would be a good day to come to know
Him.
Prayer Points: Perhaps you have had a dream for your life and it has turned to ashes. You feel hopeless and even afraid to let it even begin to be rekindled in your heart. Come and give that dream to God. If it is from Him he will bring it to pass as you trust in Him. If it is not from Him he will comfort you and give you a new dream.
Prayer Points:
Perhaps you are in the midst of bringing forth your dream but have grown unfocused or weary in the journey. Come today to find an oasis of God's refreshing by the Holy Spirit.
Prayer Points:
Perhaps you have seen the fulfillment of many of your dreams but want to find the next dream God has for you. Come and ask Him to give you new vision.
Prayer Points: Perhaps you have had a dream for your life and it has turned to ashes. You feel hopeless and even afraid to let it even begin to be rekindled in your heart. Come and give that dream to God. If it is from Him he will bring it to pass as you trust in Him. If it is not from Him he will comfort you and give you a new dream.
Prayer Points:
Perhaps you are in the midst of bringing forth your dream but have grown unfocused or weary in the journey. Come today to find an oasis of God's refreshing by the Holy Spirit.
Prayer Points:
Perhaps you have seen the fulfillment of many of your dreams but want to find the next dream God has for you. Come and ask Him to give you new vision.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
THE LIES OF SIN – PART ONE
Take
care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart
that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another
day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of
you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have
become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm
until the end,
I say this not only from my observation of others who have fallen under deception -- I have my own tragic history with sin and its lies.
Next Part - The Lies of Sin Part Two
http://leonardterry.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-lies-of-sin-part-two.html
Hebrews 3:12-14 (NASB)
I recently was speaking with someone who was
responding to a message our pastor gave on the importance of daily Bible reading.
He said he did not need to be condemned that he did not do so. I replied, “No
you don’t need to be condemned but you will go spiritually hungry. Reading the
Bible is like eating food. If you want to turn down a banquet you can do so.
You need not feel ashamed, guilty or condemned -- you just won’t get the
blessing of the meal.”
In that conversation we see a problematic way
of thinking about the things God asks us to do and not do.
It is true we have a place where we can live
without condemnation.
Therefore there is now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NASB)
But It seems that today’s generation is
obsessed with not being condemned and not obsessed with living the abundant
life Jesus promised to those who would listen to Him and do and not do what he
says.
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and
do not do what I say? 47 "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and
acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a
house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood
occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because
it had been well built. 49 "But the one who has heard and has not acted
{accordingly,} is like a man who built a house on the ground without any
foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and
the ruin of that house was great."
Luke 6:46 (NASB)
We miss the reality of the consequences of
our not listening and doing what Jesus commands us to do and not do in favor of
an emotional response like guilt, shame, regret, hardness of heart, bitterness
or pride.
In this response we miss the key to living
the abundant life God promises us if we will follow Jesus’ commands.
In this series of teachings I want to focus
on what the Bible calls sin. We can call it wrong doing, evil acts, purposeful
intention to do wrong, willful mistakes or any number of similar words. The
Bible has several words it uses for the concept as well. Sin would be the one
that encompasses them all.
Simply put sin is an act that God does not
want us to do because it harms us, harms others, harms our relationship with
God or harms other’s relationship with God.
SIN IS DECEITFUL
The scripture verse we saw at the first tells
us one of the most important things about sin we can know. Sin is deceitful.
13 But encourage one another
day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of
you will be hardened by the DECEITFULNESS OF SIN.
Hebrews 3:13 (NASB)
Here is what the dictionary says about the
word deceitful:
|
Sense 1
|
Meaning:
intended to deceive
Synonyms:
Context examples:
deceitful advertising / fallacious testimony
/ smooth, shining, and deceitful as thin ice / a fraudulent scheme to escape
paying taxes
Similar:
|
Sense 2
|
Meaning:
Marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially
by pretending one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another
Synonyms:
duplicitous; two-faced; double-dealing; double-tongued; Janus-faced; ambidextrous; double-faced; deceitful
Context examples:
she was a deceitful scheming little thing / a
double-dealing double agent / a double-faced infernal traitor and schemer
Similar:
All of these
meanings apply to sin. It disguises its harm under a deceitful image.
In doing so
it makes itself smell, taste, sound,
look and feel good. But it is not.
Not only
does it deceive us about its harm it deceives us about the warnings given not
to do it.
When we were
younger Carie and I lived in a home with a pot belly woodstove. During the cold
Ontario winters we kept it so hot that it sometimes took on a faint red glow.
One of my
sons continually struggled with boundary issues. Virtually anything that was
told him became a challenge to his autonomy. The very things I would say to him
not to do were what he had to do. He was about four the first winter we lived
in the house. I tried every way to help him understand he was not to touch the
woodstove when it was hot. I even let him feel the heat coming off of it by
holding his hand close enough to the stove to not hurt him but let him get the
idea that it would be extremely painful for him to touch it.
It was only
a few days into the heating season when I heard a cry from him downstairs like
I had never heard before. He was screaming with everything in him. What had
happened? I knew before I ever made it downstairs to find out. He had to touch
that stove. It was an irresistible temptation. Why? He, like all of us, had an
acute vulnerability to be deceived.
I say this not only from my observation of others who have fallen under deception -- I have my own tragic history with sin and its lies.
Next Part - The Lies of Sin Part Two
http://leonardterry.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-lies-of-sin-part-two.html
THE LIES OF SIN – PART TWO
Take
care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart
that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another
day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of
you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have
become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm
until the end,
Hebrews 3:12-14 (NASB)
SIN MAKES
RIGHT LOOK WRONG AND WRONG LOOK RIGHT
20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20 (NASB)
I have found
that the first way sin deceives is to make right actions look wrong and wrong
actions look right.
We see this in the first act of sin in human
history.
9 Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. 16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”
3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
Genesis 2 & 3 selected
God had warned Adam and Adam had warned Eve of the harm that would come from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He said they would die if they did so.
The serpent in his desire to harm the couple even repeated the warning -- And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
Eve responded with God’s warning -- The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”
God did not say they could not touch it but did tell them not to eat it. This is a part of the problem of human response to God’s warnings, we tend to add to them.
Up to this point Eve is okay. But then the deceitfulness of sin begins to work its lies.
It starts with making good look bad and bad look good.
The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Eve believed the lie.
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate;
She not only went there herself but also took her husband along.
“and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”
This is the primary way sin brings us to death. What should be repulsive and horrible to us becomes gloriously beautiful. Then we also promote the lie to others that what will actually kill us will give us life.
Next Part - The Lies of Sin Part Three
http://leonardterry.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-lies-of-sin-part-three.html
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