Let’s begin today by looking at
Acts 2:17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams."
As I look around this room I realize that I am qualified to be characterized as an old man. In fact I believe I am the oldest person here. And I must admit that this verse to me can be quite somber.
Now I will also admit that I am taking liberty with this verse by taking it out of context but a lot can be said about something being a vision or just a dream.
When I was a teenager I had visions for my life. I desired to write a book. I was serious enough to take a course in high school entitled “Comparative Literature” designed to help me write that great American novel. In fact I started writing more than one book and completed none. I also took voice lessons, learning to read music and sing A cappella. I dreamed of perhaps having a music career. Now I can’t sing my way “out of a barrel” as the saying goes.
I find myself in the final stages of my life looking back on dreams. But I also see so many young people with their visions still intact, so today I want to offer a word of encouragement to them.
So what is the difference between a “dreamer” and a “visionary”?
Motivational speaker Larry Hendricks summed it up this way,
“I think the difference comes down to a word, ACTION. A visionary acts, and a dreamer dreams. A visionary does, and a dreamer does not. A visionary says it can be done, a dreamer say it is impossible. A visionary can’t wait to get up and get started, a dreamer goes back to sleep.”
The word “vision” in the Bible means a revelation. Acts 2 says the young people will have revelations about their future through the Holy Spirit. No other animal on Earth has the ability to have a vision for their life. Animals react to surrounding influences. Man has the ability to change their surrounding influences.
Basketball superstar Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. However, he didn’t give up. His philosophy: “I play to win. The day I stop improving is the day I walk away from the game.” He didn’t just have a dream, he had a vision. He committed to shooting 300 baskets a day, and his vision became a reality.
• Winston Churchill failed the sixth grade, but became Prime Minister of England.
• When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 2,000 experiments before he got it to work. A young report asked him how it felt to fail so many times. He said, “I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 2,000 step process.”
These were men with vision that refused to be de-railed by surrounding influences.
A young woman brings home her fiancé to meet her parents. After dinner, her mother tells her father to find out more about the young man. The father invites the fiancé into his study. "So what are your plans?" the father asks the young man.
"I am a Bible scholar," he replies.
"A Bible scholar. Hmm," the father says. "Admirable, but what will you do to provide a nice house for my daughter to live in as she’s accustomed to?"
"I will study," the young man replies, "and God will provide for us."
"And how will you buy her a beautiful engagement ring such as she deserves?" asks the father.
"I will concentrate on my studies," the young man replies, "and God will provide for us."
"And children?" asks the father. "How will you support children?"
"Don’t worry, sir, God will provide," replies the fiancé.
The conversation precedes like this, and each time the father questions, the young idealist insists that God will provide. Later the mother asks, "How did it go, honey?" The father answers, "He has no job and no plans, but the good news is he thinks I’m God." This young man had the right dream of pursuing the ministry but he did not have the necessary vision on how to get there.
John Maxwell wrote a book titled Put Your Dream to the Test. He listed 10 important questions to ask yourself about your vision. I want you to write your vision down on your bulletin.
Now let’ answer these 10 questions.
1) The Ownership Question: Is this vision really my vision?
Is this something I want or am I just going along for the ride?
2) The Clarity Question: Do I clearly see my vision?
Can I write my vision down? Can it be measured?
3) The Reality Question: Am I depending on factors in my control to achieve my vision?
Do I recognize that there are stumbling blocks along the way beyond my control so I will rely on my strengths and those factors within my control?
4) The Passion Question: Does my vision compel me to follow it?
Is the compulsion to achieve my vision stronger than the opposition to stop me?
5) The Pathway Question: Do I have a strategy to reach my vision?
Do you have a day to day plan on achieving your vision?
6) The People Question: Have I included the people I need to realize my vision?
Have I shared my vision with others and included them in my quest?
7) The Cost Question: Am I willing to pay the price for my vision?
Am I willing to sacrifice my time, finances, and perhaps spiritually unhealthy relationships to fulfill my vision?
8) The Tenacity Question: Am I moving closer to my vision?
Is there progress being made or am I just dreaming?
9) The Fulfillment Question: Does working toward my vision bring satisfaction?
Is the pursuit of my vision an act of labor or love?
10) The Significance Question: Does my vision benefit others?
Is my vision self-centered or God-centered?
If your vision is God-centered then you must bend your will to His and allow Him to speak to you through his reveled word, His Spirit, and others around you.
Psalm 37:4 "Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you your heart’s desires."
It is when we become God-centered and not self-centered, when we delight in what the LORD is doing and not in our own achievements, that is when God begins to give us our desires.
So what about us old folks? Are we now destined to sit back and have nothing more than dreams? Are all our visions gone? At one time I almost arrived at that point. And then I found this scripture.
Psalm 92:12-14 "But the godly will flourish like palm trees
and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house.
They flourish in the courts of our God.
Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
they will remain vital and green."
I have been transplanted to the LORD’s own house. I flourish in his courts. I am still capable of producing fruit. I am still vital in God’s plan.
Joshua 14:10-11 “Now, as you can see, the LORD has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then."
I am 61 years old but I am as young spiritually as I was when I became a follower of Jesus 31 years ago. My physical body aches but my spiritual body has been renewed and I am ready to pursue my vision for whitestone ministry.
Now I share my answer to those ten questions.
whitestone is my vision given to me by the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
I see this vision clearly to the very last detail and can measure my progress.
I recognize the stumbling blocks in front of me but will relinquish the things I can not control to Jesus and will rely on my strengths.
I am consumed with the establishing of whitestone to the point that I am constantly seeking Jesus in this endeavor.
I have mapped out a strategy to achieve what Jesus has ordained for me to accomplish.
I have surrounded myself with people that can help achieve my vision.
I am willing to sacrifice all that I can to obtain this vision.
Each day brings me closer to seeing the reality of whitestone ministry and I will continue each day to draw that reality closer.
I have never been more satisfied in my walk as a believer than I am right now, serving all of you, serving with all of you. This church brings me greater joy than you can imagine.
whitestone ministry is designed for those seeking Jesus, those desiring to be spiritually fed, and those wanting to discover who they are in Jesus.
I am no longer a dreamer, I am a visionary. I am no longer asleep, I am awake and moving. And I want you moving with me.
Look around this room. Most Sunday’s I see about 15 people. How is it possible to build anything from this small group?
Judges 7 tells the story of Gideon. He is going to war against the Midianittes. He has a army of 32,000 men. God says “ You have to many men. Send home those who are afraid or timid.” 22,000 men leave, 10,000 remain. God says “You still have to many. Watch how they drink. If they stick their mouths in the brook to drink, send them home. Keep those who cup their hands to gather water to drink.” Another 9700 people leave and Gideon has 300 left. God says “That’s all you need because now you must rely on me.”
If Gideon’s army had been a church, they would have lost 99% of their members. But Jesus says give me 1% who delights in me and I will give them the desires of their heart. We are that 1% and we prove it each week by being faithful in our attendance and our giving.
Ephesians 3:20 "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."
When God’s vision becomes our vision, He can accomplish more than we can imagine. whitestone ministry is his vision for us. Let’s join him.
