KEEP DREAMING
Genesis 37: 18-24
1. In 1963 Martin Luther King gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
a. "Dreams don't die, only dreamers."
2. We are challenged to keep dreams alive in a world that would crush them (and us)
a. The world says that you can't:
* Set goals to Live righteous lives
* Aspire to Teach righteous things
* Desire to Live with Liberty in Jesus
* Have opinions differing from theirs
* Be intolerant of them
b. God encourages our dreams for him and from him –
But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."
An Army Officer to General George Patton, "Sir, we're surrounded!" Patton said, "Excellent. We can attack in any direction!"
3. Dreams can seem impossible at first, but God can make them happen -- JOSEPH'S STORY
4. FOUR INSIGHTS ABOUT OUR DREAMS
I. DREAMS ARE FROM GOD
A. Acknowledging God's Role
1. Joseph and Brothers -- Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
B. Our Dreams are More About God and His Purpose than About Us and Ours
Henry Blackaby said, "You never find God asking persons to dream up what they want to do for Him...Without doubt, the most important factor in each (Biblical) situation was not what the individual wanted to do for God. The most important factor was what God was ABOUT to do." When God came to Noah He didn’t ask, 'What do you want to do for me?' He came to reveal what He was about to do. It was far more important to know what God was about to do. It really didn’t matter what Noah had planned to do for God. God was about to destroy the world. He wanted to work through Noah to accomplish His purposes of saving a remnant of people and animals to repopulate the earth."
II. DREAMS ARE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES
A. DREAMS ARE FOR THE OLDER –excerpt from Christianity Today
You may be familiar with George Foreman, the former heavyweight boxing champion? You may not be a boxing fan, but you've got to admire him. He is now a preacher and a businessman. A number of years ago, at age 42, he came out of retirement to box again in order to support his ministry. Foreman said, "I decided to go back and challenge the heavyweight champion because I needed the money to build more recreation centers for young boys and get them off the streets and out of trouble." Evander Holyfield, the heavyweight champion at that time, was 28 years old and 215 pounds of solid muscle. George Foreman was 42 and weighed 257 pounds, and not all of that was solid muscle. But that was a lot better than the 350 lbs. he weighed just before going into training for his comeback. Boxing experts said that he didn't stand a chance. No way that the old and slow Foreman could last more than 2 or 3 rounds against Evander Holyfield. But on that Friday night Foreman stepped into the ring. And when the bell rang at the end of the 12th round, the 42 year old was still on his feet. George Foreman didn't win the fight, but as the 2 fighters embraced in the center of the ring at the end of the fight, the entire crowd in the arena stood up and gave them a standing ovation in appreciation of both boxers. After the fight, when he was being interviewed, Foreman said, "I lost the fight, but...as long as you're alive you can dream."
What he's saying is, "You're never too old to dream."
B. DREAMS ARE FOR THE YOUNGER
a. Blaise Pascal wrote a great work on mathematics at 16 and died at only 39.
b. Alfred Lord Tennyson published his first full volume of poetry at 18.
c. Isaac Newton was 24 when he formulated the law of gravity.
d. Charles Spurgeon pastored the largest church in London at 25.
III. DREAMS REQUIRE ENDURANCE
A. JOSEPH'S DREAMS CAUSED DIFFICULTIES:
1. Pit -- Genesis 37
2. Potiphar’s Wife -- Genesis 39
3. Prison -- Genesis 40 The Butler and the Baker
4. Palace -- Genesis 41 Pharaoh’s Dreams
B. IN OUR DREAMS WE CAN FALL INTO PITS:
1. Poor Self-Esteem and Doubt
a. Unclean Lips in the Presence of God -- Isaiah 6
b. Reason for Moses' Excuses -- Exodus 4 1-3
c. You may be THE ONE for a godly task -- Esther 4 1-3
2. Rejection -- Matthew 13 The Parable of the Sower
-- Jesus rejected at Nazareth
3. Apparent Failure
a. GREATEST FAILURE IS THE FAILURE NOT TO TRY
* Babe Ruth -- strike out king
4. Fear -- Numbers 13:33 and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them."
5. Satisfaction
a. Complacency/Lukewarmness
b. Keep Moving -- Philippians 3:13b-14 but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
IV. DREAMS ARE ACCOMPLISHED -- WITH GOD'S HELP
A. Joseph Saved His Family
B. Joseph Served God Faithfully
1. What about your dreams?
In "Winnie-the-Pooh," Pooh and Piglet take an evening walk. For a long time they walk along in silence. Finally, Piglet breaks the silence and asks, "When you wake up in the morning, What's the first thing you say to yourself?" "What's for breakfast?" answers Pooh. "And what do you say, Piglet? I say "I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?"
Small expectations yield meager results. Unhealthy visions produce sickness of the mind and of the heart. What kind of vision do you have?
A. WHAT DREAM DO YOU HAVE THAT IS SO BIG ONLY GOD CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN?
b. If you get in the pit, who is a Reuben who can pull you out?
2. Accomplishing the Dreams from God
* God gives us the desires of our hearts -- when we delight in him
* Live our lives based on the gifts/talents we have received from God
* Pray, believing
* Persevere -- James 1.4
