Dare To Dream

 I. Trinity shirt: Dare to DREAM

A. Joke: man dreamed of winning a pun contest - no pun in ten

did

B. Ice-cream diet

C. Bill Lee-Warner, told of a “back-woodsy” sort of guy in the

Bible who dared to dream, and was blessed by God

D. Wondered where that passage was for long time

1. Phrase not in Bible

2. Must just be a story in the Bible about a guy with

some guts

II. Amos, the man who dared to dream

A. Prophet, just not the prophet-type (describe the prophet

type)

B. Sheep herder and fig farmer

C. “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a

Shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But

the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me,

‘Go, prophesy to my people Isreal.’ Now, then, hear the

word of the Lord” (7:14,15)

1. I’m sure he was a great Shepherd

2. But, he was an anointed prophet

III. God seems to have a habit of taking us from where we’re

comfortable and sticking us where we don’t feel comfortable - but

annointing us anyway!

A. Asked to lead worship at Trinity - said no!

B. Not the talkative or pastoral type (who is?) But am one.

C. God may have laid something on your heart or someone

has asked you to try something new - be careful that you

don’t say no to hastily (Sunday School, starting a ministry)

D. Multiple Scriptural examples of unqualified people, who

thought, “well just maybe God can use me.” They dared to

dream

1. Jeremiah 1:4-10

2. I Samuel 16:11-13

3. I Tim. 4:12, “Don’t let anyone look down on you

because you are young, but set an example for the

believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in

purity.” (What?! A young person setting the

example?! How many heard that?!)

4. Tell funny illustration of man in LA who tied weather

balloons to his lawn chair

E. We resist, because we don’t realize the awesome things

that he has in store for those who step out.

1. I Cor. 2:9, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no

mind has conceived what God has prepared for those

who love him.”

2. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,”

declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to

harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

F. If there was ever a group of people that could dare to

dream, it would be a young person who has committed his

way to the Lord

IV. Amos dared to dream a little, believe that God could use him, and

so spoke out what God laid on his heart

There’s two ways to learn form Amos

1. His life

2. His message

A. The prophecy he gave is quite applicable to the American

society

B. The average Isrealite would have cheered Amos on as he

began his prophecy

1. Pronounced Judgement on Damascus

2. Gaza

3. Tyre

4. Edom

5. Ammon

6. Moab

7. Judah (getting close to home!)

8. Isreal

a. Prophesied against his own home, but the

people did not recieve (It was fine to pronounce

judgement on Russia, etc.)

b. Read 2:6-12

c. (V. 12) we’re leading our young people into

immorality; coaxing them into things they

should not be involved in (nazarites) and

gagging our preachers (prophets)

(1) illegal in Canada to speak out against

things that are called sin in the Bible.

d. Amos’ prophecy turned out true. We have

modern day prophets predicting the judgement

of America - Much of the Christian community

is rejecting it as well.

V. Amos continues his prophecy in Chpt. 3

A. It’s getting hard to believe that everything thats taking place

in our nation is just a coincedence: Y2K, worst tornadoes,

floods, fires, hurricanes, school violence, AIDS . . .

1. Amos didn’t believe in coincedences either

a. Physics: every action has a reaction

b. Every effect has a cause

2. Read 3:2-6

3. do you ever stop and consider that maybe we’re

fighting against God and what he wants?

B. Read 3:7,8

1. Yellowstone, loudspeaker with bear growls

2. Who can’t tell that God is trying to say something?

3. Who can’t but communicate that message to others?

4. Young person, before our time, men were drafted into

war.

5. The spiritual battle is getting more intense. He’s

looking for those who will not dodge his draft, but will

dare to dream

VI. There’s a day coming in your time when the Word will be ripped

from society

A. (too ofensive for TV or radio - as it is in Canada) and the

Word of God will have to reside in you!

B. Read 8:11,12