Dreaming in the Dark

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Genesis 37:5 – “And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.”

Chapter 37 introduces us to a young 17-year-old boy who lives a common life working for his father by tending to his sheep. Every night was basically the same as they herded the sheep and slept out under the beautiful starlit sky. Yet, on one very specific night while the boy slept, God gave him a dream that one day, upon it’s completion, he would save an entire race and radically change history. You would think such a dream would bring joy and excitement. Sure, every man wouldn’t believe him or care, but surely his family would. Unfortunately, Joseph quickly realized the more he shared the more their hatred for him was kindled. Many of us have experienced the same feelings and even been hurt by the ones we deeply love. What causes family and close friends to respond with such evil? Simply put: jealousy and envy. Their feelings do not dictate whether our dreams will still come to pass, only our response and attitude will. You may say, “But what if they lie or even physically afflict me? Surely my dreams are gone then.” Joseph’s brothers mocked him, threw him in a dark pit, and even sold him into slavery. But with a Sovereign God on your side, even the worst of circumstances will only elevate you and place you closer to your destiny. No matter how dark and dim it gets, allow me to encourage you today to keep dreaming, keep serving, and keep loving even those who have wronged you because after all, they are not worth losing your dream over.

Knowing You Are In God’s Will

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I John 5: 14-15

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

Allow me to take just a few moments and share with you some wisdom I received from a dear man of God of over 60 years. I called him asking for some wisdom about life decisions. He was quiet for several minutes after I had shared my heart with him before really speaking. Then he quoted these two verses to me and said “Heath we know it is always the will of God to have peace as long as we are in His will.” I responded, “yes sir, I agree.”  He then said, “in every area of my life since I was your age, I have never made a move until I felt peace in my soul. I have heard stories of stars moving or miraculous miracles that gave folks answers, but for me, it was always a great peace in my soul that over-shadowed fear and the unknown which are always present. My wife and I didn’t marry until we both had total peace, we never took a church until that peace was present, and truthfully never made any other significant move until we felt such peace, as well. I will be praying for you, buddy and just remember, God will give it to you if it is His will because He bound himself to that promise in these verses. Just trust it by faith and leave all the choices to God and in the end your life will please Him.” For the last couple of days my heart has rehearsed that conversation and I have gained much help from it. I am so grateful for those seasoned men of God who have so much wisdom to offer young men such as myself. Today, I just felt like maybe, someone else needed to hear this great wisdom. 

Learning to Slow Down

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Proverbs 14:29- “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.”
We live in a busy, high paced society that creates a demand for everything to be done fast and hurriedly. We drive fast, eat fast, and even communicate fast, hoping that we can squeeze it all in each day. We are busier than we have ever been, yet I am afraid that while we may get more quantity done in a day’s time, we certainly produce the least amount of quality of any generation. While we may be able to make this philosophy work within the realm of modern society, it has never worked in the realm of serving God. The heavenly purposes of God are never rushed nor will He teach us what we must learn at the pace at which we live. Rather, God operates at the pace that is most effective in our lives because He is much more interested in our journey rather than our destination (ex. the life of Joseph).
In this verse, we also find a truth within the scope of how a godly christian should respond. While high speed society teaches us to let it out quickly, tell people off, and say whatever, whenever we want, God strongly disagrees. He expects control, consideration, and compassion when we deal with others. Many times we speak before we measure our words and then wish we could take them back. Unfortunately, words are permanent as well as the feelings we inflict when responding to people out of anger and frustration. May we let this truth from the wisdom of Solomon settle deep in our hearts today and ask the Lord to help us be a christian under control and full of understanding. Others need our Christ- like compassion and God desires and expects it.

A Hour of Darkness

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Just this past week we have watched the East Coast experience weather like never before. The week was started off with a 5.7 earthquake and ended the same week with a category 3 hurricane. This hurricane by the latest estimates has killed at least 21, left over 6.5 million without power, shutdown New York, and done at 6 billion dollars worth of damage. While our hearts go out to every person who has been affected there is a sobering truth crying out from these disasters. For too long America has been telling God we do not need you and we will do it the way we want to. Now in middle of our rebellion we find ourselves under the judging hand of a Holy God. What can I do in the middle of all this? What is America’s only Hope? Tune in this Sunday on “The Cause” for part 1 of the series Revival: America’s Only Hope.

Learning to Respond Correctly

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I Samuel 18:14- “And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.” KJV

How should we respond to acts of hatred toward us? What if someone absolutely hates us? What if a leader in your life is doing you wrong? Society tells us we should respond with aggression so that we keep our reputation and do not seem weak. What does God say about it? Allow me to take a moment and look with you into the life of David a man after God’s own heart. Here in chapter 18 David has been anointed to be the next King and is experiencing great success in battle. Yet his mentor King Saul because of envy begins a journey to kill David. As this chapter goes on we see that David had opportunities to kill Saul yet did not because he was God’s anointed man. Why not? Surely God had given the opportunity to David to slay Saul who was trying to kill David (God’s next King?) David knew God said not to touch His anointed and David did good in return to Saul’s evil. Was this wise to be so gentle with Saul? The Bible here in I Samuel 18 references David’s behavior as wise 4 times. From these wise choices David finds himself protected and continually blessed of God. God makes it clear here through David that no matter the issue or evil being done to us we are too behave wisely and leave the discipline to God. Today may we allow our hearts to be challenged to behave wisely in the face of adversity that men might know the God we serve.

“A Penalty for Wrong Praise”

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Daniel 4

Have you ever worked so hard to complete a task only to have someone else claim they did the job? What a spirit of anger that arises as you feel cheated from the praise that was rightly due. In this chapter, we find a man of great power and blessings do the very same to a Holy God. God had blessed him to not only be king, but a king of much power and great victory. Yet, this king, in verses 30 and 31, makes a statement from the heart rejecting the command of God and rejoicing in himself rather than God. These words cause God to place great punishment on the king in order to remind him who truly is doing the work.

Just as in this passage, each day we are given the opportunity to either praise God or exalt ourselves. Our flesh and the devil desire for personal praise which produces a heart of pride. God wants us to praise Him and reflect minute by minute on His goodness because He is worthy, and it keeps us humble. The choice is ours, but the reward is up to God. Allow me to encourage you today to choose wisely, for just as with the king, the wrong choice could take you spiritually from the palace to a wilderness.


Favored to Experience the Fire

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Daniel 3

In this week’s glance in Daniel we find three young men who take an amazing stance for the Lord. All of Babylon is commanded to worship an image when the music plays, yet three decide to refuse in order to honor God Almighty. I often wonder how easy it would have been to bow to the image anyways. Babylon was a large territory and no doubt they could have mixed in with the crowd and probably could have bowed unnoticed. Yet, they realized a holy God was watching and knew the physical cost could not come close to the spiritual cost of a bowed knee. Just as with this story, we face many tests where it seems as though going with the world’s flow would be easier than standing for the Lord. We rationalize the situation and think standing would not be worth a “furnance.” But today, allow me to challenge you to stand for what is right no matter who or what is involved.

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

If you by faith stand even in the face of persecution, just as in verse 25, God will give you grace and walk with you through your fire. Christians are not to walk around the fire, yet we are called on to go through the fire in order to bring God glory. Do you feel as tho your stand will not impact anyone? Allow me to close with this verse:

29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

Will you stand for the Lord today?

Heritage Tour

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We are taking a break from our Daniel series this week for a look at our heritage. This past week our team was up north doing a survey trip for the tour this summer and I felt the Lord direct me to share this experience with you. We are very privileged to live in a country that was founded on Christianity yet most do not know the history. Our ministry team this week viewed American and Church history from MA to NC. But, even in 7 days we only covered but a drop in the bucket of such rich history. Our prayer and desire is number one that you will research out the incredible things a Holy God has done with our nation and number two is consider making your reservation for our tour this July. We still have a few seats left. Just from our experience this past week I know this trip will bless and stir your heart in such a special way.


 “And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.” Joshua 24:26

 

 

“Being Prepared for Battle”

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Daniel 2

Last week we looked at a young man with a purposeful heart to stay dedicated to the Lord. Allow me for just a moment to look at why this was important and paid off in the life of Daniel. We find here the king dreamed a dream, which he could not remember nor understand its meaning. Not a wise man within the king’s council could give an answer, and in a furry, the king decreed to kill all the wise men of the kingdom. This included Daniel and literally, his life was at stake.

David’s situation reminds me of the circuit-riding preacher Robert Sheffey who many thought spent too much time praying, not to mention a little over the top in serving the Lord. Yet, at the end of service one night, a young couple stood up in the church desperate as they realized their baby was deathly sick. This man of God held the child, praying just as he had done faithfully for years, and God extended mercy at the hand of this faithful servant, healing the child.

Just as with this example, David’s choice in chapter 1 gives him the power with God in chapter 2 to tell the king his dream and its meaning, which saves not only his life but his companions’ lives, as well. O, how we in our day must prepare ourselves, and choose wisely, for the morrow might hold the very battle of our life or of a loved ones life where we will desperately need the power of God. Will you prepare today that ye might be able to stand when that dark hour comes?


“A Purpose Driven Heart”

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Daniel 1: 8- “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”

What is the significance of a young man taking a stand against meat? Why was he so determined to keep the law while being in bondage? Was not everyone else going along with the lifestyle of Babylon? Allow me for just a moment to share the importance of this young man’s stand for the Lord.

As we study this book, you will find that every decision made determined whether they survived the next crisis in their bondage. Daniel’s stand for the Lord in chapter 1 produced an enabling from God to be 10 times greater than the mightiest man in Babylon. Could you imagine the amount of faith it took a teenager to make such a challenge to the very man who could have killed him? Just as with Daniel, we are living in a foreign country, bound down by sin. Yet just as Daniel purposed to keep the law of God, we must also purpose to keep the Word of God. Everyone else might be giving into the temptations of this foreign land, but dear friend, God has blessings and promotions for only those living with a purpose driven heart. Today, will you allow God to give you such a purpose driven heart?

From this miracle, Daniel received creditability within the empire. We will see next Friday why this is so significant.