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 People Question: Have I Included The People I Need To Realize My Dream?”
MESSAGE NOTES
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
Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, HE HAD US IN MIND, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. ~ Ephesians 1:4-6
“And it shall be in the last days,” God says, “That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; ~ Acts 2:17
Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. ~ Psalm 37:4
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, ~ Colossians 3:23
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. ~ Proverbs 21:5
The People Question: Have I Included The People I Need To Realize My Dream?
It marks a big step in your development when you come to realize that other people can help you do a better job than you can do alone. ~ Andrew Carnegie
If you have the wrong team your dream becomes a nightmare.
If you are building the right team your dream has potential.
If you have the right dream and a great team your dream is inevitable.
Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. ~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE TO CHOOSE FOR YOUR TEAM
1) CHOOSE PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE YOU!
Without counsel, purposes are disappointed,
but in the multitude of counselors, they are established. ~ Proverbs 15:22
2) CHOOSE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU!
It takes humility to seek honest feedback. It takes wisdom to understand it, analyze it and appropriately act on it. ~ Stephen R. Covey.
3) CHOOSE PEOPLE WHOSE STRENGTHS COMPLIMENT YOUR OWN!
Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. ~ Proverbs 27:17
So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” The statement found approval with the whole congregation; ~ Acts 6:2-5
HOW DO YOU ATTRACT A TEAM TO SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR DREAM? To build a team you have to TRANSFER THE VISION!
HOW DO YOU TRANSFER THE VISION?
1) LIVE AND BREATHE YOUR DREAM WITH INTEGRITY!
2) COMMUNICATE YOUR DREAM LOGICALLY, EMOTIONALLY & VISUALLY!
At some point you need to stop arguing with people and just let them be wrong. ~ Pastor G
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. ~ Acts 2:42-47
We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the makeup of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success. ~ Jazz Musician George Adams
HOMEWORK: ASK “WHO IS CURRENTLY ON MY TEAM?”
A) Make a list!
B) Sort into Four Categories!
1) Those who inspire me.
2) Those who tell me the truth.
3 Those whose strengths compliment my own.
4) Those who don’t fit any of the other three categories.
C) Measure their level of commitment to the dream! (Scale of -10 to +10)
+6 to +10 = Someone who will DEFINITELY help you achieve your dream.
0 to +5 = Someone who MAY or MAY NOT help you achieve your dream.
-10 to -1 = Someone who is actively trying to hinder your dream.
Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
~ Matthew 7:6
GO DEEPER
PRIVATE OR GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
READ: Ephesians 1:4-6, Ephesians 2:10, Acts 2:17 and Psalm 37:4
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) We’ve discussed some of these Scriptures before but it’s helpful to keep checking in on how your thoughts and attitude are changing with regard to your God-given dream placed in your heart. Do you believe you still have a dream to fulfill in your life? Do you still have an unfulfilled purpose? What do these Scriptures seem to indicate about your answers? Have your answers changed over the course of this series at all? If so, in what way?
READ: Colossians 3:23 and Proverbs 21:5
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) How do you know if, in the pursuit of your dream, you are working heartily “for the Lord” and not “for men?” Is it a sin to work for men or is Paul making a different point here? If so, what is it?
2) How do the plans of the diligent lead to abundance? How would you explain that to someone who has never heard it before or experienced it?
3) What does it mean that everyone who is hasty comes to poverty? What is wrong with being “hasty?”
READ: Carnegie Quote and Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you ever been on a team that was a nightmare? What happened and what made it feel like a nightmare? Have you ever been part of a “Dream Team?” What made it so different?
2) What point is Solomon making about the value of teams in this passage from Ecclesiastes? How does this Scripture relate to you and your goals, dreams, visions, purposes, plans (pick a word)?
READ: Proverbs 15:22
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) We’ve talked about this passage before too. Can you share an experience where you asked for input from several people you respected, people who inspire you, before you launched out on a new path? What was that experience like? Why does God encourage us to do this?
READ: Covey Quote
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Do you have some friends who can be honest with you when you are wrong and tell you without being hurtful about it? Are you the kind of friend who can tell another friend when they are wrong without being hurtful about it? Why or why not?
READ: Proverbs 27:17 and Acts 6:2-5
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you found Proverbs 27:17 to be true in your life? Has another person “sharpened” you and have you “sharpened” them? If so, in what way? If not, why do you think that is? Why have you never been sharpened or sharpened anyone else?
2) Do you agree with the actions the disciples took? Should they have just done all the serving themselves instead of delegating it to others in the church? How necessary is it for the entire body to stay actively involved, doing something to serve in the local church? What do you do to serve in your local church?
READ: Acts 2:42-47
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Are you struck by how many times the word “together” shows up in this short passage? Is that significant? If so, why?
READ: Homework Section of the Notes and Matthew 7:6
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Have you done the “Homework” section of the notes yet? How did that go for you? How many names did you come up with who would potentially join your “team” and help you accomplish your dream? Do you have enough or do you need more? What strategies can you think of to Logically, Emotionally and Visually attract more supporters to your vision? What hold you back (if anything) from doing that? Are some of the things that hold you back other people?
2) To whom would Jesus be referring to when he uses the terms “dogs” and “swine?” What are the things that are holy and what are the things that are “pearls” in our life that we need to be mindful of not giving to or placing before these types of people?