Dream Again

After having lost my father to cancer last year, I found myself in a state of hopelessness. Not only was my dad my natural father, but he was also my spiritual father. It was like our covering had been removed and so many of our plans and dreams had died with him. Everything we had been praying and believing so hard for was lost in a single moment. Or so it seemed.

In the midst of my pain I heard the Spirit say to me, "Dream again!" Over and over I kept hearing these words. I was reminded of Psalm 126:1 which says, "When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream." So, I began to study that verse. I found that the word "dream" came from the Hebrew word chalam which, according to Strong's Concordance, means 1) to dream 2) to recover. I realized that I was being held captive to circumstances, the death of my father and leader. However, when the Lord brings a person out of captivity, He brings about a full recovery. No longer is that person bound by their circumstances. Their vision which was limited by walls of captivity is renewed and their hope restored. The Lord was letting me know that, even in all the disappointment and pain, His plan for me did not change and He is bringing me out.

In Isaiah 60:1 AMP it says, "Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you--rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you!" Notice that to arise requires effort on your part. Many of you are sitting in a spiritual dungeon acting like a prisoner not even realizing that the shackles have been removed and the doors have been opened. All that is left to do is to walk out.

So, my hope for you today is that you rise up! Don't let the enemy of your soul steal your dreams. It is time to take possession of your promised land. It's time to dream again!

Fulfilling Your Purpose - Step 1

The first step to fulfilling your God given purpose in life is to get a vision. In Proverbs 29:18 we read that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The Message translation says, “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves.” In other words, without the ability to see what we are aiming for (God‘s plan for us), we just blindly stumble about searching for the unknown. Chances are, we will miss our target.

Now, according to Merriam-Webster, one of the definitions for vision is: the act or power of imagination. Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” The imagination is a gift from God which provides us the means by which we may envision our future. God gave you the ability to dream, and what you see and think on regularly will affect the direction your life will take.

Another definition for vision is: mode of seeing or conceiving. In order for conception to take place, a seed must be planted. To conceive an idea, a thought must be planted. The longer that thought is permitted to stay, the more it will take root in your heart and produce results in your life. "As he thinks in his heart, so is he…" (Proverbs 23:7a) "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." (Matthew 12:35) So what are you thinking on?

If you are wandering around aimlessly with no vision and no plan, the end result will be an unfulfilled life. What a tragedy! I encourage you to read God's Word. Let's look at what God told Joshua.

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8)

David referred to the Word as, "...a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalms 119:105)

God has a great vision for you in His Word. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11) So, dig into His Word and see what He has in store for you.