Jump-Start Your Dreams

What is the dream that God's placed in your heart? I'm not asking if you have one, I already know it's there because God gives all of us dreams.

I've seen people do all kinds of things to their dreams. Some people bury them so deep in their hearts in order to protect them from the criticism of others. Some people set them out of sight so they don't have to think about them anymore. And some people finally just give up on their dreams because it hurts too much to hold on.

If your dream needs a jump-start, there are two things I want you to remember. First, you need to get a vision that's clear. And second, you must keep your vision in front of you at all times.

But having a vision doesn't mean that it will instantly appear. God's as interested in the process of vision as He is in the end result.

The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:11-13 that he had learned how to be content and satisfied to the point where he was not disturbed by whatever state he was in. In other words, he never allowed himself to get upset with where he was at the moment, he was always looking forward to where he could be.

That means you, like Paul, need to find a balance between contentment and ambition. Here's the key: Learn to enjoy where you are on the way to where you're going.

When you have a dream or a vision, you have to keep it in front of you. If it helps, write it down. And remember, God will help you live the dream He's given you, step-by-step, one day at a time.

Jesus, even though I don't always feel like it and life tries to get me to quit, I believe You have a great plan for my life. I choose to trust You to help me live the dream You've given me more than I trust my circumstances.

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18, ESV)

How to Experience His Presence in Your Everyday Life

Life is busy and filled with distractions. It's so easy to get caught up in our cares, errands and worries that we lose sight of what matters most.

There's an interesting little story at the end of Luke chapter two about when Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem for Passover when He was twelve years old. After the festival was over, they left to go home, supposing He was with them.

I wonder how many times we suppose God's with us when we've wandered off to do our own thing?

Now here's the interesting part. Mary and Joseph had traveled a day's journey before they realized Jesus wasn't with them and then it took three days to find Him. Three days! The message here is that it's easier to lose that special presence of God than it is to get it back once we've lost it.

We need to be careful to remain in the presence of God. When we do, we make God feel at home in our hearts.

This simply starts with being obedient to His Word. A commitment to turn from behavior that offends God is the number one sign of spiritual maturity. It shows you care about what He thinks.

That means you choose to be generous toward others, you learn to forgive, let go of your offenses and live in peace. When we choose to be intentional with our words, giving thanks to God and lifting up others, we'll feel connected to God all throughout the day.

Father, thank You for making Your home in my heart. I need Your presence today, Lord. Help me to honor You with my thoughts and my words and to be a blessing to those around me.

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:23)

Do We Really Want Jesus to Show up?

When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
Mark 5:15-17

Do we really want Jesus to show up?

Because when He showed up in this community, they lost a huge part of their economy. Yes, He had done a great thing for a crazy man living by himself in a cave. But He was messing up their lives and freaking them out. So they asked Him to leave. As soon as He touched their money, His presence wasn’t welcome.

I think most people want Jesus to show up and have their lives improve. Fair enough. Jesus told us He came to bring us abundant life, full life, and that’s what His presence brings.

The problem is that in addition to wanting an abundant life, we usually want everything else to remain the same. Business as usual. Status quo intact. On both national and personal levels.

We want Jesus plus economic prosperity. Jesus plus national security. Jesus plus safety.

Jesus doesn’t always work like that. It’s not that safety, security, and prosperity cannot coexist with Jesus and His movement among us. It’s just that our desire for safety, security, and prosperity at the expense of Jesus cannot coexist with Jesus and His movement among us.

One of the greatest things standing between you and the uninhibited, powerful presence of Jesus in your life is probably the thing you believe must coexist alongside Him. Big things like the economy. Or smaller things like your boyfriend.

But in order to bring us what we really want – abundant life – sometimes God has to take away what we think we need. It’s often the things that we hold onto most tightly that we need to let go of most desperately.

Do we really want Jesus to show up?
What if Jesus comes and messes everything up?
What if we ask Him to show up in our nation and the economy goes down?
What if we ask Him to show up in our family and our kids decide our preferred career path for them isn’t God’s vision for them?

Some of us probably wouldn’t want Jesus to show up then. But that would be our loss.

Jesus’ presence may mess everything up. But by messing everything up, He is actually putting everything exactly where it belongs and positioning us for exactly what we need. And that’s Himself.

Steven Furtick

Originally posted on January 11, 2011.