Friday, July 29, 2011

July 30, 2011

"When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed."  Psalm 126:1


 Most of us start off life with a dream of making a good life and making a difference with our life.

GOOD EDUCATION AT GOOD COLLEGE
GET A GREAT JOB WITH A GOOD INCOME
MARRY THE BEST LOOKING HUMAN BEING POSSIBLE AND BE DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY HAVE THE SMARTEST BEST LOOKING KIDS POSSIBLE - LIVE IN THE BEST HOUSE IN THE NICEST NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A LUXURY CAR PARKED OUT FRONT
IN 30 OR 40 YEARS RETIRE FABULOUSLY RICH AND BECOME A CARE-FREE BEACH BUM

A few are able to shape their reality into that dream. Most don’t. Their job becomes a nightmare or their marriage turns into a nightmare and before they know it they are looking for a way to escape reality.


Dreams have two main purposes: 1) To escape reality (Disney World) or:  2) To shape reality.

For most of us life is spend dwelling between the dreams trying desperately to keep the dream alive so we can survive the nightmare.

The dream of King David and King Solomon had brought such joy and prosperity to God’s people as they turned the nation back to God and then built the Temple. But when God’s people turned away Him and rejected Him the dream came crushing down when the Babylonians took them into 70 nightmare captivity. During those long years held captive in a foreign land, they struggled to keep the dream alive.

And suddenly, the dream was revived in a way that seemed like – a dream!


So, when you are dwelling between the dreams and your life has become a nightmare – when it has taken you captive – when it has been a long time since you have seen God move in your behalf – is there a way to keep the dream alive?

Learn from this Psalm:


REALIZE - You Can Live In Freedom, V. 1


While they were longing for the freedom to return to Jerusalem so they could worship God, God sent the Persian army to take their captors captive! They could be as free as they would allow themselves to be!

Did they forget how Joseph found freedom even as a slave in Egypt?

Did they forget how Daniel maintained his freedom even when held in captivity or thrown into alions den!


They were in captivity but they chose to live in freedom. They realized that God was in control and no one could put them in spiritual or mental bondage.


Has a career setback taken you captive and your dream job is a nightmare?


Has your dream marriage become a nightmare….?


Has a financial setback turned your dream retirement plan into a nightmare?


Have you been taken captive by a troubled teen?


Maybe your dream house is so far under water that it has turned into a financial nightmare?


You see God moving and doing miracles in other places and over bigger situations than yours, but it is not happening for you. You are hanging on by the only fingernail that you haven’t chewed off in anxiety.


What do you do? How do you keep life from taking you captive and crushing your dream like a coke can?


REALIZE:


1) If you belong to God, He is in control of you and your captivity (Ro. 8:28)


God had allowed the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and capture them because of their sin and disobedience. And in time, He took their captors captive and set them free!

2) If you belong to God, He has taken your captor captive – you are free!

JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T SEE GOD WORKING DOESN’T MEAN YOUR DREAM IS DEAD! LET THE SAME GOD WHO WAS IN CONTROL OF YOUR DREAM TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR NIGHTMARE! HE MAY NEED TO TAKE THE DREAM TO SHAPE YOUR WORLD SO YOU CAN SHAPE THE WORLD!

REALIZE HE IS CONTROL AND IF HE IS IN CONTROL, HOW CAN YOU BE A CAPTIVE?