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KeepYourDreamAlivebyDavidCook

Joshua14:614:15

INTRO:Dreams,weallhavethemfalling,unprepared,beingchased,flying,etc.Whatdreams
didyouhavegrowingup?Fireman,Baseballplayer,famousactress,President?Hereshowto
keepyourGodgivendreamsalive.

1.BELIEVEGODSPROMISES

YourGodgivendreamswillbekeptaliveasyoubelievethepromisesofGod.Youknowthe
wordoftheLordsaidtoMosesthemanofGodconcerningyouandmeinKadeshBarnea.45
yearspreviously,GodpromisedCalebthepromisedland.CalebandJoshuawereamongthe12
spiestofirstspyonthelandNumbers13:2714:2,69CalebbelievedGodwouldbefaithfulto
HisWord.600,000woulddieinthewilderness2men(JoshandCaleb)enteredin.1.Lookto
GodsStandardHisWordneverfails.RecallthefaithfulnessofGodinyourlife.Doyoudothat?
HowaboutrecallingthedayyouaskedJesustocomeintoyourlife?2.AvoidApathystart
makingexcusesfordisobediencestartputtingotherpeopleorthingsbeforeGod.What
differencedoesitmakeinhavingGodspromises?3.PracticethepromisesofGod.Everytime
Satantriestodiscourageyou,quotethetruthoftheWordofGod.Hesays,Youhavenohope.
Godsays,IknowtheplansIhaveforyou.Youarenotsaved,Romans10:910Practicethe
promiseofGod!Ex."Threelittlegirlsweretalkingabouttheirdads.Onesaid,'Myfatherisa
doctor,andhepracticesmedicine.'Anothersaid,'Mydad'sanattorney,andhepracticeslaw.'
Thethirdsaid,'MyfatherisaChristian,buthedoesn'tpracticeanymore.'"Therearealotof
Christianslikethattoday."4.SatanwouldloveforyoutodoubtthepromiseofGodbecausethen
hecankeepyouweigheddownbyfear,worry,guilt.5.Hehassaid,sowemayboldlysay,The
Lordismyhelper.GodspromiseswillalwayslineupwithHisWord.*SometimesChristians
say,IfeellikeGodisleadingmetodateormarryanunbeliever.Illturnhimaround.Godhas
alreadystatedhiswill,2Cor.6:14.Ex.FactFaithFeelingillustrationallmovingahead
nicely,suddenlyfaithbegantolookatfeelingandcouldntfindhimanywherefaithfellback
andcrashedasdidfeeling.YoudontlivebyfeelingsbutbyfaithinthepromisesofGod!7.Do
youprayjustwhenyoufeellikeit?Worshipjustwhenyoufeellikeit?BelikeCalebandbuild
yourlifeonGodspromises.8.BethMooreencourageseveryonetomakeafivestatement
pledgeoffaith:"1)GodiswhoHesaysHeis,2)GodcandowhatHesaysHecando,3)Iam
whoGodsaysIam,4)IcandoallthingsthroughChrist,and5)God'sWordisaliveandactivein
me."9.Caleb=fulloffaithinGodhiswholelife!

2.FOLLOWGODWHOLEHEARTEDLY

Ifyouwanttokeepyourdreamsalive,youmustwhollyfollowtheLordyourGod.Quote
Enthusiasmiscontagious,andsoisthelackofit.Whatareyouexcitedabouttoday?What
motivatesyoutogetupandgetgoing?Ifyouwanttokeepyourdreamalive,makesureGodis
atthecenterofyourlife!GodsaidaboutCalebandJoshua(Parprharse),Youtwomenaregoing
toreceivemypromisebecauseyouhaveadifferentspiritthespiritoffaith.6timeswefindin
GodsWordthesecrettoCalebslifeismentioned,hewhollyfollowedtheLord.Ex.Football
seasoniscomingup,Imexcitedaboutthat,butfootballislikearollercoasteryouareupif
yourteamisupanddownifyourteamisdown.PraiseGodinJesusChrist,Idonthavetolook
atthestandingstoseeifImvictorious,justneedtolooktotheCross!Calebdidntlethisfamily
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backgroundstophimfromfollowingGodKenizzite,notapartofthepromisedlinesomewhere
hisfamilyhadjoinedtheIsraelites.YoucantletyourfamilykeepyoufromfollowingGodfirst.
CalebdidntletthefaithlessnessofothersstophimfromfollowGodCalebdidntletnegative
feelingsstophimfromfollowingGod.GodselectedJoshuatobeMosessuccessor.Calebcould
havesaid,OK,God.Isee.Instead,hesaid,God,youknowbest.YouareGod,Imfollowing
You!Wheneveryoneelsewascomplaining,Calebwasconsistentinhiswalkandworshipofthe
Lord.Whinersneverwinandwinnersneverwhine(LarryWynn).QuoteThosewhobeeftoo
muchoftenlandinthestew.Complainaboutgroceryline,atleastyouhave$$$toeat
Complainabouttraffic,atleastyouhaveacarcomplainaboutboss,youhaveajobcomplain
aboutwaiter,shouldbethankfulforfood.PaulandSilasinprison,praisedandthankedGod,do
youthinkjailerwouldhavebeensavediftheywouldhavebeenpouting?TokeepyourGodgiven
dreamalive,yourattitudeiscritical.DoyoubelieveGodstillhasadreamforthischurch?20
yearsagothedreamwastobesaltandlightforJesusinthiscommunity.Tobeaplaceof
worship,fellowship,witness.Timeshavechanged,therearenewpeopleinthecommunity,
churchesarelearningyoucantdothingslikeyoudid25yearsago,weareinthe21stcentury.
WhatcouldkeepusasachurchfamilyfrommovingforwardwithGod?(1)Doitourway,not
Godsway.(2)LetfearofchangereplacefaithinGod.(3)Keeptheattitudeofwevealways
doneitlikethisbefore.(4)Turnmoreinwardtoselfthanoutsidetoserveothers.Whatenabled
Calebtokeephisdreamalive?HewhollyfollowedtheLordGodofIsrael.BryanNowakofthe
GABaptistConventiondidademographicstudyofthisareaformerecently.Didyouknowthat
80%ofthisareaisunreachedforJesusorunchurched.4outof5peopleyouseetodayinyour
neighborhoodarenotinvolvedinanywaywiththechurch.Doesthatdiscourageorencourage
you?ITalldependsonyourperspective.Ex.2shoesalesmenweresenttoaremotepartofthe
worldtosellshoes.Onesalesmansaid,Takemehome.Noonearoundherewearsshoes.The
othersalesmansaid,Sendmeaboatloadofshoes!Therearethousandsofpeopleherewhoare
inneedofshoes.Isyourattitude?Bringmeonhome,noonegoestochurch.Or,sendmeout
Lord,thefieldiswhitetoharvest!

3.STAYSTRONGINTHELORD

Remember,Calebwas85andstilltalkingaboutthedreamGodhadgivenhim.Quote,Dont
worryaboutgrowingold,itsbettertobeoverthehillthanunderthehill.Bragonourseniorsof
CWBC.IwanttoencourageoursenioradultstoknowtheyarevaluabletotheLord,totheir
family,church,etc.IalsowanttoencouragethemtoknowtheirministryfortheLordJesus
Christisnotinvain,dontgiveupservingtheLord,butknowyouareappreciated1Corinthians
15:58MayIremindyouthismorningthatjustasmuchasGodwantsyoutokeepthatdream
alive,youhaveanenemywhowantstowearyoudown,loseenthusiasm,destroythedream.
Eph.6:1017HowtostaystrongintheLord?1.AbideinChrist(Dailytimeoftalkingand
listeningtotheLord,readingHisWord,justtohaveapersonalrelationshipwithHim.2.Havea
positivesupportgroup(likeSS)3.Balancefood,exercise,recreation,work,etc.Itshardtostay
strongifyoudonttakecareofyourself.Oftenwetakebettercareofourcarsthanwedoour
verybodiesasthetempleoftheHolySpirit.Joshua14:12,Givemethatmountain.Doyoulet
challengesputyoudownorforceyoutobecomestronger?Anakimwerethere.Idonthear
Calebsaying,Justletmeturn65andretire.Letmerestnowinpeaceandquiet.Imgoingto
juststretchonbackinmyLazyBoyrecliner.Whatchallengesarebeforeyoutoday?(1)
Sicknessyoujustcantshake(2)Sadnessthatwontgoaway(3)Sinthatknocksyoudown(4)
Sorrowoverregrets(5)Solitude,aloneandfeelnoonecaresUnderstandtherewillbebattles
toface.Calebwouldstillfacegiantsintheland.Howdidhestaystrong?Hefoundcomfortinthe
presenceofGod,counselinthepromisesofGod,confidenceinthepowerofGod.Calebsstrong
faithintheLordtouchedhisfamily,too.Hissoninlaw,Othniel,=firstjudgeofIsrael.Othniels
namemeans,LionofGod.Parents,whyshouldyoustaystrongintheLord?Forfuture
generations!Thebestinfluenceonchildren,grandchildrenisnotFACEBOOKbutGODSBooklived
outthroughyourlife.

4.DEVELOPAPATIENTTRUSTINTHELORD

DoyouwanttokeepyourGodgivendreamalive?MustbewillingtowaitontheLord,believeHe
willrewardyourpatience.YoumeanifIbelieveinJesusChrist,mydreamsarentgoingto
happenovernight?Manyofusarelikethemanwhoprayed,Godgivemepatienceandgiveitto
merightaway.Ex.W.Disneywasturneddown302timesbeforethefinancingcamethroughfor
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DisneyLand.Patiencemeansyousay,God,youarebiggerthanwhatIseethismoment.You
arefaithfultoYourpromise.IwillwaitonYou.ThinkofNoah,120yearshewaitedontheLord
Abraham,Godtoldhimasonwasontheway.IsaacarrivedwhenAbrahamwasalmost100
yearsold.ThediscipleshadtowaituntilthepoweroftheHolySpiritcameonthedayof
Pentecost.Ex.Ihaveahardtimebeingpatientwithourchildrensdoctors,theymakeyouwait
forever!However,Iknowseeingthatdoctorisgoingtomakemebetter.SoIwait.Youmay
haveahardtimewaitingonachild,spouse,bosstochange.Yet,Godrewardsapatientfaith
thattrustsinHim.RickWarren,YouareinahurryandGodisnot.Wanttokeepyourdreams
alive,developapatienttrustinGod.WalkwiththeLord.NeverretireinGodsservice.Joshua
gaveCalebHebron.Hebronrepresentsfellowship,fullness,fruitfulness.Dr.RobertWhitegave
agreatreminder.Dontfocusontheifonlysorthewhatifsoflife.Ifonlymeansyouspend
toomuchtimelookingatthepastandthingsthathavealreadyhappened.Whatifslookstothe
futureworryingwhatmighthappeninthedaystocome.Jesussaid,SeekfirstHiskingdomand
Hisrighteousness.

ACTIONSTEPS:(1)BecauseGodisforeverfaithfulandtrue,giveyourlifetoHimbyfaith.(2)
RefusetobeinthemultitudeofthosewhomissoutonGodsbestthroughunbelief.(3)Practice
HisPresencethisweek,dontbeinahurrywalkwithHimforthelonghaul!
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