What Are Your
Dreams In Life?
Do you still have a dream? -- or have you long ago
given up on your dream? Every human being
has the same right -- to dream great dreams!
Edward Steichen -- who eventually became
one of the world’s most renowned photographers -- almost gave up his dream on the day he shot his
first pictures.
At age 16 -- young Steichen bought a camera -- & took 50 photos. Only one turned out; -- it was a portrait of his
sister at the piano. Edward’s father
thought that was a very poor showing.
But his mother insisted that the photograph of his sister was so
beautiful that it more than compensated for the 49 failures. Her encouragement convinced the youngster to
stick with his new hobby. He stayed
with it for the rest of his life -- but it had been a close call. He could easily have given up on his dream!
What are
your dreams? -- At any age -- or stage in life -- our dreams must be greater than our memories!
Unfortunately -- many people accept a
life of mediocrity! Success eludes them
-- & the dreams remain
just that; -- dreams. Dreams that never become reality! -- How sad
this is!
Let me tell you about a young man in
Scripture who had a dream! His name is Joseph -- & his story is told
in the final chapters of Genesis -- beginning with chapter 37. -- Joseph was a
person who dared to dream! God wants to
plant a dream in the heart of every man -- & every woman!
Joseph was a young man with a God given dream that became a reality! In fact he is the star of one of the greatest
success stories of all time. His is a
story filled with mystery & conspiracy -- passion & betrayal -- secrets & jealousy -- injustice & reward. His is a story of a dream that took him to the pit -- & to prison
-- & then to the palace!
Let’s read a small portion of Joseph’s story -- concerning the dream God gave him -- in Genesis 37:3-11. -- (NIV). Now
Thus begins a roller coaster ride of ups
& downs that would leave most anyone dizzy! This roller coaster life was held together
by one consistent thing. Joseph had a
dream -- a dream from God that
held him close to God -- a dream that was bigger than his circumstances!
Not all
dreams come from God!
Some of our dreams may be a result of
eating pizza too late at night! Some
dreams are only fantasies -- or the desires of someone’s selfish ambitions! -- Nor are all dreams good. Some people dream bad things -- & set out to fulfill
their dream. Some people dream useless
dreams; -- the dream may contain
nothing wrong in itself -- but because it is not God’s dream for their life -- it is a terrible waste
of God’s resources.
A true
dream is something born in the heart of God!
A true dream is something that comes from
God -- as God reveals His good
& perfect will for our lives!
Joseph’s dreams were given to him by God Himself! And Joseph’s dreams helped him to hold the
fragile pieces of his life together!
God’s dream
for us is a seed waiting to blossom!
Everybody ought to have a God given dream! It is more than just a dream house -- a dream job -- a dream vacation -- or even a dream
relationship. Everybody has a dream -- or they use to! What’s your dream? -- What does God have in
store for you? Who are you? -- Whose are you? -- What is your God given
dream?
God’s dream
for you is a seed waiting to blossom!
Joseph’s
life demonstrates how a God given dream can be the over-arching purpose for our
life! It was his dream that sustained Joseph -- & kept him focused! God’s
purpose shapes your dream -- & God’s dream shapes
your purpose!
Let’s take Joseph’s dream one step at a
time -- & see how the events
of life helped shape his dream!
1. Joseph’s Dream took him into the Pit! -- Genesis 37:18-28.
Joseph’s brothers fumed over the
preposterous dreams which Joseph had shared with them. He wouldn’t become their superior! -- They would stop him! Their opportunity finally came when their
father sent Joseph to see how his brothers were doing as they tended sheep. The Bible tells of their reaction upon
seeing him coming. -- They said: -- Here comes that dreamer! -- Come on, let’s kill him & throw him into a deep
pit. -- We can tell our father
that a wild animal has eaten him. -- Then we’ll see what becomes of all his dreams!” (Genesis 37:19-20).
In the end -- Joseph was not slain by his brothers. Although he was thrown into a deep pit -- his life was spared. Instead -- he was sold as a slave to a passing caravan of
foreign traders. To cover up their deed
-- his brothers stripped
off Joseph’s robe of many colors -- & dipped it in the blood of a goat. They then proclaimed to their father that
their youngest brother had been killed by wild animals. -- What an excellent
cover up!
Can you imagine being in Joseph’s place -- there in that deep pit?
He is in the middle of nowhere -- & had no help.
Was Joseph’s life going to end here at the
ripe old age of 17?
He couldn’t climb up the walls of the deep
pit. -- There was no way out.
He was surrounded. -- And what’s worse -- no one cared!
But God
cared! --
And God was with Joseph!
When Joseph was sitting in the pit -- we aren’t told what he
was thinking. But we do know that God
was at work preparing the next part of the journey.
And so it is with us; -- even in the pits of life
we must never give up on our God given dreams!
Along with Joseph -- we must place the adverse circumstances of the pit -- into the almighty hands
of God! God was at work -- fulfilling His dream in
Joseph’s life! I’m sure that Joseph
would always remember how God had worked in his life -- & how he was lifted
out of that pit!
Like Joseph -- all of us have to deal with the pits of life! But the strength to do so comes from knowing
the One who can help us overcome all the pits of life! -- How about you? Do you know the God who is able to rescue you
from the pits of life? Do you see His
hand even in the pit in which you may find yourself?
Perhaps -- perhaps the pit is merely a brief stopping place
on the road to doing great
things for God! The obstacles -- the pits of life -- can become stepping
stones to success -- or even to the fulfillment of your God given dream!
This certainly proved true in the life of
John Poll. During the Summer before he
entered the fifth grade -- due to an illness -- young John lost all his hair. -- Now that’s the pits! On the first day of school in the Fall -- he responded angrily to
teasing by classmates -- & he even got into a fight.
That evening -- John Poll decided to change his attitude. Although just a youngster -- John had accepted the
Lord Jesus as Savior -- so he prayed about the situation. Then he hit on the idea of countering the
jibes of his peers with humor. So he
thought up a few clever one-liners to use the next day.
The result? -- He became immensely
popular!
Today John Poll is a fine family man -- a successful sales
representative -- & an effective witness for Christ. He used his trial to help him develop a winsome personality that enables him to
communicate the gospel effectively.
More than most prominent Bible characters -- Joseph had severe obstacles to overcome. Raised in a dysfunctional family -- hated by his brothers -- he was thrown into a pit
-- & then against his will -- sold into slavery. But he chose the right course; -- he remained true to his
dream. He proved to be a pleasant
hard-working, kind, helpful,
& moral young man.
Friends -- if you are using your background -- your physical appearance
-- your emotional makeup -- or your circumstances -- as an excuse for failure
-- or for giving up on your
God given dream -- remember John Poll -- & remember Joseph. The Lord God will help you overcome your pit
-- by transforming your
handicaps into assets!
2. Joseph’s Dream took him into the Prison! -- Genesis 39:20-23
Sold into slavery -- Joseph did not lose
sight of his dream. The Lord was with
Joseph & blessed him greatly as he served in the home of his Egyptian
master -- Potipher. Joseph was a very handsome & well-built
young man -- & Potipher’s wife
began to desire him. She kept putting
pressure on him day after day -- but Joseph refused to sleep with her. When he refused her advancements -- she falsely accused him
of trying to rape her -- & upon hearing his wife’s story -- Potipher was furious.
Let’s pick up the story in Genesis
39:20-21 -- “Joseph’s master took
him & put him in prison, the place
where the king’s prisoners were confined.
-- But while Joseph was
there in the prison, the Lord was with
him” (NIV).
It is impossible to know the thoughts that
raced through Joseph’s mind that day. -- Within a few hours -- he was accused -- arrested -- & thrown into prison
-- all because he refused
to betray his master’s trust -- or break his commitment to his God given dream. He
did what was right -- & it turned out all
wrong.
Just when he could see the possibility of
his dreams being fulfilled -- he was thrown into a prison dungeon. As he was thrown into the prison -- he must have wondered
concerning the where-abouts of God.
There is another account of this event
later in Scripture -- for in retelling the history of
Tested! -- That is the right word
for what’s going to happen to Joseph for the next few years. God is going to test Joseph & his dream
in that prison dungeon! It is one thing
to be in a prison when you’re guilty -- but quite another when you’re innocent -- where your very purity
has caused the injustice! That’s the
hardest kind of testing to endure! Here
we find Joseph at one of the lowest moments of his young life. But in this Egyptian prison Joseph learned
some very valuable lessons.
Job 23:10 is a precious lesson for all of
us to learn: -- “But (God) knows the way
that I take; -- when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” This certainly proved to be true for Joseph! Joseph’s imprisonment was a training period
for God’s future plan for him. -- He learned patience while in prison. Joseph’s leadership ability was developed
when Joseph was given authority over the other prisoners. This was preparation for Joseph when he would
later direct the food distribution throughout all
G. A. Young -- in his song, God
Leads Us Along -- put it this way: --Sometimes
on the mount -- Where the sun shines so
bright, God leads His dear children along; Sometimes in the valley, -- In darkest of night, God
leads His dear children along. Some through the waters, -- Some through the flood, Some
through the fire, -- But all through the blood; Some through great sorrow, -- But God gives a song, In
the night season -- And all the day long.
That is a lesson we all need to learn! -- Regardless of the
oppression we are under at the moment -- God is still leading His children.
Today you
may be in some kind of prison!
Whatever your prison experience -- humanly speaking -- there may be no way out -- no immediate solution. What is your reaction? -- are you rebellious? -- are you questioning God? My friends -- God knows the lessons we need to learn -- lessons of patience -- submission &
self-denial. -- Our faith may need strengthening. We may be so concerned that God remove us from the prison -- that we miss the lessons
He has for us in the prison. When
God lets us go to prison -- He goes there with us!
Our prison term may seem long -- but the God who was with
Joseph when he was thrown into the pit -- & the God who was with Joseph when
he was thrown into prison -- is the God
who is with us today! Don’t ever
give up on your God given dream!
3. Finally -- Joseph’s Dream took him into the Palace! -- Gen. 41f
Joseph’s dream begins to be fulfilled in
Genesis 41. The Pharaoh of Egypt had a
dream -- & Joseph became the
interpreter of God --informing Pharaoh that God had the answer to his dream. As a result -- Pharaoh trusted Joseph -- & promotes him from
the prison to the palace -- not only to live there -- but to have authority over the whole
Joseph was vindicated -- & God elevated him
to a high position in the government of
Joseph had faithfully followed his God
given dream to the pit -- & to the prison -- & now to the palace. The reversals could easily have embittered
Joseph -- yet he wasn’t defeated.
-- There is never a hint of self-pity in Joseph’s story.
Though he must have known times of
discouragement -- he remained faithful to the Lord -- & faithful to his dream. Before Joseph could reach the palace -- in the fulfillment of
his dream -- he had to go through the
pit -- & through the
prison.
In the 1960s Roger Strode -- a carpenter &
insurance adjuster -- lost his eyesight. -- His
future literally became dark! But
instead of giving up -- he went back to school & completed his long desired
education. With the help of his wife
& others -- who put his textbooks on
cassette tapes -- he diligently pursued his studies. He enrolled in the University of Illinois
Law School -- graduating in 1972. Although he was blind -- he became a full pledged
attorney -- & was swamped with
clients seeking his legal advice. Roger
Strode said: -- “I would never have become a lawyer if my sight had stayed.”
Sickness,
handicap, & disasters can
quickly make our future look hopeless -- & cause us to lose sight of our dreams. But when our lives are in the hands of the
God who planted the dream in our hearts -- then He will faithfully guide us all the way. If we remain steadfast in our faith -- & accept the
challenge posed by our reversals -- then like Joseph -- we will discover that a setback is really a step
forward toward our dream!
Conclusion: -- When God wants to
change things in the world -- He plants a dream in the heart of some man -- or some woman!
Dreaming is
not just for young people! Acts 2:17 tells us
that in the last days even “old men
will dream dreams.” You never reach an
age when God wants you to stop dreaming!
God’s dream for you is a seed waiting to
blossom! Pursuing your God given
dream is the cornerstone of discovering your divine purpose in life.
Now it is
time for you to dream!
Do you have a dream? -- a God given dream? Whether you’ve been sold out or betrayed -- forgotten or ignored -- it’s time to dream -- again! Whether your life is in a pit -- or you’re trapped inside
some kind of prison -- or you’re living in a palace -- God has a dream to give to you! It’s time to dream again! -- Find your dream! -- Follow your dream. -- Fulfill your God given
dream!
Don’t be put off by life’s circumstances
as you live to fulfill your God given dream -- no matter how drastic they may be. If God is in it -- & you keep your eye
on the dream -- it will be fulfilled!
Regardless of how bad life becomes -- remember, God always loves you; -- He is always seeking your
best interest; -- He will always be with
you; -- He will still use you; -- & He will ultimately
help you to realize your dream -- as you keep your eyes on God -- & on your dream!
If you have sinned -- & feel disqualified
from even asking God to give you a dream -- then you need to be assured that God still loves
you -- & He will forgive
you. The blood of Jesus Christ was shed
on the Cross for all of us -- so that we may pursue God’s dream for our lives. And the God who gives you the dream to dream -- will give you the grace
& strength to enable you to fulfill His dream in your life!
Pastor Lyle Pettit --
Wynne Chapel -- Cochise, AZ
www.wynnechapel.org