Daring To Dream

Title: Daring to Dream

Text: Multi-texed Topical

Introduction: What is it that you dream about? Notice that I didn’t ask you if you dream. Everyone dreams.

I am not talking about the dreams at night that wake you up and make you cry as a child. I am talking about the future and what we dream toward.

‒ I love to dream. I love to dream big dreams. Listen to the following poem about dreaming.

Man is a dreamer ever,

He glimpses the hills afar,

And dreams of the things out yonder

Where all his tomorrows are.

And back of the sound of the hammer,

And back of the hissing steam,

And back of the wheels that clamor,

Is ever a daring dream.

–Author Unknown

‒ Listen to these mighty dreamers.

‒ Henry Ford, His dreams put the world on wheels.

‒ Thomas Edison dreamed and night disappeared.

‒ Christopher Columbus dreamed and a new world was discovered.

‒ Ludwig Von Beethoven was stone cold deaf, but his dreams created beautiful music.

‒ And the list could go on and on.

1. What about the church?

**What are your dreams for this church? Right now we are making plans and beginning dreams together as a church. I want to talk for the remainder of the time about what it is going to take for us to realize our dreams for God’s kingdom here!

2. As we dream about the future, what is it going to take to realize our dreams?

‒ A spiritually minded people.

1. Know the Word.

1. The word of God is our food and spiritual nourishment.

1. (1 Peter 2:2 NIV) “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation....” (1 Peter 2:2 NCV) As newborn babies want milk, you should want the pure and simple teaching. By it you can grow up and be saved,

2. The word of God judges our thoughts and intents.

1. (Hebrews 4:12 NIV) “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

3. The word of God is our guide.

1. (Psalms 119:105 NIV) “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

2. Be willing to pray.

1. Wouldn’t it be great if the PHONE COMPANY called one day and said........

1. “Sir, in an effort to improve communication among people, we are extending to you the privilege of calling anyone, anytime, anywhere, at no charge."

1. In essence, that is exactly what God has done with the avenue of prayer.

2. Prayer is our lifeline to God!

3. Prayer indicates our relationship with the Father.

1. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV) “Be joyful always; {17} pray continually; {18} give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

‒ A working people.

1. Dreaming and visioning is serious hard work.

1. We can know the word and pray all day, but we must be willing to live it! Listen to James on the subject of action.

1. (James 1:22 NIV) “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says”

2. (James 2:18 NIV) But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”

2. We must work together for the common good of the church.

1. (Acts 2:46-47 NIV) “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, {47} praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

1. They had all things in common.

2. They were a happy people.

3. They “ate together with glad and sincere hearts.”

4. The had “favor with all the people.”

‒ A loving people. Through a dreaming process and change, there will be differences of opinion about how things are going. We must be willing to....

1. Love for one another.

1. (1 John 4:20 NCV) If people say, "I love God," but hate their brothers or sisters, they are liars. Those who do not love their brothers and sisters, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have never seen.”

2. (Galatians 6:10 NCV) “When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers.”

3. Jesus said there would be a benchmark of Christianity. When people look at us, they will know that we belong to Jesus by one way.