The Door to the Future

What specific dream are you chasing? Perhaps it may be a hobby, or your dream may be much more. God has ordained you for something specific, it may be a dream within a dream. It may be your calling to take up the mantle from someone else’s dream. Remember life is one continual marathon/ripple effect. Maybe your dream is yet to be revealed and all you need to do is attend a men’s prayer retreat, attend a mission trip for Salkehatchie Summer of service, volunteer to teach a bible study, or volunteer to teach Vacation bible school, or volunteer to be a Lay reader, or use your gift and sing in the choir. The key to finding your dream/purpose begins with surrender, trust, and obedience. GOD will reveal your dream.  

"And Can It Be That I Should Gain?" is a Christian hymn written by Charles Wesley. This hymn is considered one of the best-loved of Wesley's six thousand hymns. It was written in 1738 to celebrate Wesley's conversion to Christianity.

And can it be that I should gain

An int'rest in the Savior's blood?

Died He for me, who caused His pain?

For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love@ How can it be

That Thou, my God, should die for me?

The door to the future was not our salvation, but rather the threshold to GOD’s divine purpose for our life. We have a higher purpose than to sit in a bible study, occupy a place on a church pew, or attend a fellowship meal. We need to grow in spiritual maturity because when we truly surrender our dream will reveal itself to us. That is the door to our future!

Three Chairs -Two rows – One Influence

The average adult spends between 50 to 70 percent of their time sitting. The majority of this time is spent in the company of others. Consequently, we have those in our circle of acquaintance people who are influencing our life, accordingly, we are influencing the lives of others. Image three chairs in the first row and multiple chairs in the second row. Begin with the chairs in our life and then move to the chair we occupy in Christ, the lives of our Family, Work, and Church.

It is vital to have someone sitting beside us who:

  * Holds us accountable

  * References the standards in our life

  * Exhibits an attitude of encouragement

 

Who is sitting in the chair beside you?

They have more influence than you think!

Who is sitting in the chairs behind you?

It may be time to invite them to sit beside you!

I submit you will never fulfill your potential, and achieve your dream by listening to negative, selfish people. When you are quiet you will find your dream, and maybe, just maybe GOD's plan is a dream within a dream!

A Dream within a Dream

The year was 1969 it was a Monday afternoon, and I can remember it as vividly today as if 54 years ago were just yesterday. I had been asking questions about Jesus and why he died and what it all meant. My mama sat me down beside her and told me the story of grace.

GRACE

“Many years ago almost 2000 GOD sent his son Jesus to Earth. And Jesus called 12 men to walk with him which he called disciples. And they went around telling everyone about the love of GOD, and healing people. The lame would walk, the blind would see, and the deaf would hear. Sadly, everyone did not want to hear what Jesus said so they lied about Jesus causing him to be thrown in jail. You see one of the disciples named Judas would betray him for 30 pieces of silver. The Roman Officials took Jesus and beat him and plucked out the hairs in his beard. Next, they had a trial and sentenced him to death. Now the Romans in that day would kill those convicted of a crime by crucifixion. So they took Jesus and nailed him to a cross. They nailed him to the cross in his hands and in his feet and lifted him high in the air between two criminals for everyone to see. Now Jesus would hang on the cross for 6 hours, taking my sins and your sins, and all the sins of the world upon himself. Now around 3:00pm the Romans wanting to hurry up the death of those being crucified decided to take a steel rod and break their legs so they could no longer push themselves up to breathe. But when they came to Jesus he was already dead so they took a spear and stuck him in the side because the Bible says “not a bone of his shall be broken.” His disciples took Jesus' body down from the cross and buried him in a borrowed tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea. Now the Romans rolled a big stone in front of the tomb and stood guard so no one could steal his body. And there Jesus waited one day, two days, and three days until the Father's call released him from the chains of sin and death. God sent an angel who rolled the stone away and sat upon it. Now Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany (Lazarus’s sister) did come to the tomb because there was no time to properly prepare Jesus' body for burial after the crucifixion. When they arrived the Angel said “Fear not He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead.”

Upon his resurrection, Jesus did show himself to over 500 people over the next 40 days before going back to Heaven. Now, son if you believe and ask Jesus to come into your heart he will save you and take you home to Heaven to be with him one day.

Mama played the piano at the little Wesleyan Methodist Church in Greer S.C. from her early childhood until she and my father (who was in the USAF) were married in 1955. Shortly thereafter they were transferred overseas to Libya. Mama always wanted to be a teacher, however, she did not feel comfortable talking in front of people in a class setting. My mama did the next best thing, she taught her four children GOD’s word, and would often ask us to tell her the stories in the Bible equipping us to be the teacher. The most difficult prayer I ever prayed was GOD if you call me to be a preacher I will be a preacher, or call me to be a teacher I will be a teacher. Yes, my mama’s dream became my dream when GOD called me, and that is why I teach bible studies. Why do you do what you do?

Soli Deo Gloria