Have You Stopped Dreaming?

Have you stopped dreaming? I am not referring to dreaming while you sleep, but rather looking towards a better future. And I am not referring to the “sweet by and by” but rather seeing things as they could be instead as they are.

It seems to me that most dreamers are young. Most dreamers are full of hope, full of optimism, and full of idealism. They are daring. They take risks. They dream.

But as people age, they tend to cut back on dreaming. Some become complacent. Some become discouraged. Some become cold and bitter because life has shut down their dreams.

I am finding that as I age, I could easily fall into a pattern of accepting the status quo, and shuffling along with the rest of humanity.

But I work hard not to fall into that trap. I don't want to become a non-dreamer and a non-visionary. I still expect every seed I plant to grow into a flower. I still anticipate that at the end of a rainstorm there will be the shining of the sun.

I still believe that every melody line that comes from my heart will capture the hearts of others. I still believe that every person I pray for will be touched by God.

I like to believe that God will take my dreams and fuel them with His power so that they become a reality: A melody conceived that touches the soul, a page written that stimulates the mind, a word spoken that encourages the heart.

I have called it hope. I have called it faith. I have called it vision. Sometimes I call it dreaming.

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Preparing For Worship: Personal Ministry

(Continuing the thoughts begun three weeks ago on Sunday worship being a culmination and celebration of what God has done in and through our lives during the week.)

How can we make gathered Sunday worship a place celebrate, instead of a place to get “filled-up”? How can the week between Sundays become a positive impact on our lives, rather than a drain on our lives?

We have discussed personal worship and God working in me. Now, allow me to state that gathered Sunday worship should be a culmination of God working through me throughout the week.  Here are some ideas to make that happen:

Our Personal Ministry: We should all minister directly during our interaction with people (see below). And, we should also minister indirectly through prayer. When someone shares a need with us, and when God makes us aware of a need, stop and pray. Don’t “send good thoughts and prayers”, but rather boldly go before the Throne of God and pray, crying out to Him in behalf of that person.

Our Ministry Community: We all have ministry communities. Our small groups, Sunday school class, ministry team, and even our families are great “communities” to have an effective impact on people during the week. As a group, look for and find ways to provide spiritual and practical ministry in the lives of others, and then go minister together!

Our Spontaneous Ministry: Here is our direct interaction with people that God puts in our path. Do you see someone struggling with a “load”? Help them (open a door, carry a box, comfort a crying child, etc.). Do you see a person without enough money to pay for groceries or a meal? Pay for it. Don’t simply go through your day, rather go through your day looking for opportunities minister!

Taking Risks Of Faith: God will put personal and spiritual needs on your heart as you encounter people. When you sense and see these needs, take a risk of faith and speak with them to encourage, and even pray for them. A great way to begin a conversation with a stranger who God has put on your heart is, “Excuse me, but I am a person of faith. Would you mind if I prayed for you?”

Doing these things will give us reason to celebrate in gathered Sunday worship. Imagine entering a gathered worship service being so full of joy because God used you during the week to minister to others… Begin every day looking for ways to minister, and then go and minister! Lead Well!

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Preparing For Worship: Personal Victory

(Continuing the thoughts begun two weeks ago on Sunday worship being a culmination and celebration of what God has done in and through our lives during the week.)

How can we make gathered Sunday worship a place celebrate, instead of a place to get “filled-up”? Often we come to corporate worship feeling down, defeated, and empty, looking for filling.

Life is hard, and a lot of times we let it whip us. I believe that gathered Sunday worship should be a culmination of God working in me throughout the week. Here are some things I do:

Praying For Needs In My Life: Often we tell others our “prayer requests” because we like to talk about ourselves. We want people to have pity on our difficult lives. But how many of us really dig in and go before the Lord, and spend time praying for our needs? It’s easy: Pray for your needs. God will answer, we’ll see victories, and have something to celebrate!

Taking Steps Of Faith: Without faith it’s impossible to please God. We can take small and big steps of faith every day as we read what God’s Word says, as God gives us direction, and as we live it out. Being know as a person of faith shouldn’t mean we go to church. It should mean we live our lives by faith, trusting God in everything, every day.

Studying God’s Word: This is different from our daily personal worship time discussed last week. By daily studying God’s Word we learn a biblical worldview, over our culture’s worldview that we tend to live by. Also, daily studying God’s Word teaches us how to live a life of faith. (I study God’s Word in the evenings.)

Becoming Less “Me-centered”: If we’ll honestly look at our lives, we tend to be very me-centered. (Listen to your conversations, read your social media posts, see how often we turn someone else’s story into our story.) It takes effort, but we can change our thought patterns and action patterns to become less me-centered, and more God-centered and other-centered.

These simple steps, exercised daily, will produce victories in our lives. And those victories give us reason to celebrate in gathered Sunday worship. What else can you do during the week that allows God to work in you that gives cause for celebration? Lead Well!

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