SERIES OVERVIEW
This is a ten-part series – based on John Maxwell’s Best Selling Book
“Put Your Dream To The Test: Ten Questions To Help You See It and Seize It!”
This week, Pastor G talks about “The Clarity Question: Do I Clearly See My Dream?”
MESSAGE NOTES
Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. ~ Psalm 37:4
When there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but the one who keeps the law, blessed is he! ~ Proverbs 29:18
You have to know what the target is to have any chance of aiming in the right direction to hit it!
FIVE REASONS YOU NEED CLARITY
1) A Clear Dream Makes a GENERAL Idea Very SPECIFIC.
For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ ~ Luke 14:28-30
2) A Clear Dream Doesn’t BECOME Clear Without EFFORT.
We often ask God to bless what we are doing, when instead, we should be asking Him to help us do what He is blessing.
It is not what you say, or wish, or hope or intend, it is only what you do that counts. ~ Brian Tracy
In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. ~ Proverbs 14:23
3) A Clear Dream AFFIRMS Your PURPOSE.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2:10
For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ~ 1 Corinthians 12:14-21
4) A Clear Dream DETERMINES Your PRIORITIES.
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” ~ Luke 10:38-42
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives to His beloved sleep. ~ Psalm 127:2
5) A Clear Dream Gives Direction and Motivation To Your Team.
A dream is an inspiring picture of a preferred future that energizes your mind, will, and emotions, empowering you to do everything you can to achieve it. ~ Pastor G
A dream is a better future, in need of an architect, who will show others how to make it a reality. ~ Ed Rowell
Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” ~ Matthew 16:22
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” ~ Matthew 16:23
As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” ~ John 6:66-69
If someone is regularly trying to silence or dismiss your hopes or deny your progress in pursuing your dream you need to face the painful awareness that maybe that person isn’t actually your friend. ~ Pastor G
HOW DO YOU BRING MORE CLARITY TO YOUR DREAM?
1) Write a very detailed description of your dream.
2) Now, quantify your dream.
S.M.A.R.T. GOALS: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely
In order to improve our quality of life and allow us to better serve the Lord with our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit, we will reach our ideal body weight by July 1, 2020, through proper, whole-food, plant-based nutrition, proper hydration and daily exercise creating a calorie deficit of 2,000-4,000 calories daily. ~ Greg & Annette S.M.A.R.T. Goal
GO DEEPER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS & PERSONAL STUDY
READ: Proverbs 29:18 and Matthew 5:17-20
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) The King James Version says “Where there is no vision the people perish…” A more literal translation from ancient Hebrew) reads “When there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but the one who keeps the law, blessed is he! “ What “restraint” are the people “casting off” and how would this behavior of casting it off cause them to “perish?” In what way would they “perish?”
2) What does it mean to “keep the law?” In what way will someone who keeps the law be blessed?
3) Is this advice to keep the law still valid today or was this only for those who lived before Jesus? Is this advice to keep the law only for Jews or should Christians do our best to keep the law as well? Explain your answer.
READ: Luke 14:28-30
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Can you think of a time where you wanted to build or buy or do something “big” and you needed to follow this wisdom from Jesus? Can you share that experience with the group?
2) Are you thinking of a dream in your life right now? Can you describe the “big picture” with great clarity?
3) If you don’t have a dream you are pursuing can you share why not? Do you think God intends for us to always be pursuing some sort of vision for our lives? Why or why not?
4) Go back and read Proverbs 29:18 again.
READ: Proverbs 14:23
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) How would you explain this proverb in your own words to someone who said they don’t understand what it means?
2) Have you ever seen proof of this proverb in your life experience – have you ever met someone who was “all talk and no action.”
READ: Ephesians 2:10
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) We’ve discussed this Scripture in the past but think of it again today as wisdom for your dream. How does this truth, that God began knitting you together at your conception, in your mother’s womb, with specific good works He intended you to complete in order to glorify Jesus make you feel about your purpose and your value to God and to the world?
2) How does this make you feel about the purpose and value of every baby currently being formed in their mother’s womb by God at this moment?
READ: 1 Corinthians 12:14-21
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) How would you put this passage into your own words, or explain it to a non-Christian friend who had never heard it before and wondered what it means? What is the “Big Idea” of Paul’s message here? Can you boil it down to one or two sentences?
2)Which part of the body are you most like? Why?
3) Based on what Paul is saying is there any “unimportant” role in the church? Is there anyone whose efforts, gifts, experience, and energy is not needed in order for the function at it’s best? How involved as volunteers should we all be in our home churches based on the full meaning of this passage?
READ: Luke 10:38-42
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Do you feel like Martha got a “raw deal” in this story? Why or why not?
2) If Martha had not been busy in “her preparations” how or when would “the preparations” have been completed? What were her “preparations” that she was so focused on?
3) What “preparations” take up most of your focus right now? How focused are you on sitting and learning at Jesus’ feet compared to the focus of your preparations? How do you feel about the comparison? Is there anything you feel like you should change? If so, what?
READ: Psalm 127:2
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Do you have a healthy balance between your “toil” and your “sleep?” If not, why not? Based on this passage does God want you to correct that imbalance? If so, what can you do to correct the imbalance?
READ: Matthew 16:22-23 and John 6:66-69
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Why does Jesus refer to Peter as “Satan” in this passage? How did Jesus feel when so many of His followers began deciding they could not follow Him anymore? What effect did their departure have on Jesus’ ultimate fulfillment of His dream/mission/vision?
2) Pastor Greg said “Followers will never give their best to something they don’t understand or agree with… You don’t want people who don’t believe in you or don’t believe in your dream on your team… [They will] drag you down, wound you and prevent your dream from becoming a reality.” Why does this reality make it so important that you have complete clarity about your dream yourself? Why is it so important that you communicate complete clarity of your dream to others?
3) Have you ever tried to communicate a dream or bring about the reality of a dream only to be met with constant resistance and/or criticism by someone else? How did that make you feel? Does that motivate you to be careful in being sure to respond with respect in regard to the dreams of others?