DON’T LET YOUR DREAMS HURT YOU

Dream your biggest dreams. Make plans to do great things. Shoot for the stars. Aspire to achieve the impossible. BUT, don’t let your dreams, plans, and aspirations ruin you. What? They better us, improve us, push us and make us better, not ruin us – Right? That’s the idea, but we need to be careful that our push for bigger and better does not hurt or destroy us. How could that be?

Don’t let your dreams make you bitter. We hope and wish for what could be, but sometimes our dreams are so far above where we are that we complain about what we have and become unthankful for that with which the Lord has blessed us.

Don’t let your dreams create hopelessness. One may see what could or ought to be, but also notice how far away that dream is and give up.

Don’t let your dreams make you feel insufficient. Dreams are great. Everyone should dream. But, your dreams can be so big that you feel small and useless and pass on doing what you can do.

Don’t let you dreams absorb all your time and energy. Always dreaming of what could be but never working to make what can be is a waste of time. “Plan the work and work the plan” is not “Plan, plan, plan, plan,” because then the plan never gets done.

Don’t let your dreams cause you to belittle others. Are your dreams better than someone else’s, at least in your opinion? What do you do? Put them down to make you and your idea look better.

Don’t let your dreams keep you from doing what is needed. A person can be so consumed by his dreams that he loses sight of needs and opportunities right in front of his eyes.  For example, one may have dreams to be a missionary oversees one day, but he fails to see the lost neighbor next door, or the spiritually struggling saint down the pew.

Don’t let your dreams take the place of God’s plan.  Do you remember Paul’s plan to go to Asia with the gospel when his path was changed by the Spirit and he wound up powerfully proclaiming the Gospel in Macedonia (Acts 16)?

Dream dreams, big dreams, but don’t let them ruin you. Keep them in focus. Keep them fresh. Keep them reachable. Keep them relevant. And above all, keep them within God’s direction.

~John

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

As I sat eating breakfast in my favorite morning coffee shop, I noticed an elderly gentleman across the way. I had seen him several other times but this morning he was wearing a red, white and blue cap that stood out. Boldly on the front of the cap was the message, “Freedom Is Not Free.” Based on earlier conversations, I know this man is a veteran, one who truly knows the significance of the powerful thought displayed on the front of his cap.Americais a land of freedom, but that freedom came at a price, a high price.America’s freedom exists because many dedicated individuals have willingly given of their time, their talents and yes, even their lives, to make that fabulous privilege possible. Unfortunately, many other people do not realize the cost behind the freedom our nation so graciously enjoys.

 The same is true with spiritual freedom. Many people long for it and enjoy it, but never give thought to the price paid for it. Christians are blessed with freedom from guilt, sin and the second death. They are privileged to be able to enjoy all spiritual blessings in Christ – But at what cost?

 Our spiritual freedoms are available because a loving Father, God, readily sent His Son, Jesus, into battle. He sacrificed by watching His only begotten leave the purity of heaven and descend into a world of darkness, hatred, corruption, immorality, pain, sorrow, betrayal, and death. And, as His Son took on the sins of the world, He had to refrain from interfering while His Son agonized in pain and died before a taunting crowd. He paid an unbelievable price so that His enemies could enjoy forgiveness and freedom.

 There also was a mother, Mary, who dearly paid the price for man’s spiritual freedom. Before Jesus was even born, Mary was told that her child was going to be special. He would be the Savior of the world. As a lad, she knew that He was different as He sat in the temple and amazed the men with His understanding and answers. She knew He had exceptional powers and encouraged the servants at the wedding feast to do whatever He told them. He was her son and she loved Him. This loving mother watched her son become the target of the scribes and Pharisees. And ultimately, she watched as He was nailed to an old rugged cross, suspended in anguish and pain and died disgracefully before the masses. She paid a terrible price in the obtaining of our spiritual freedom.

 And then, there is Jesus, who sacrificed His very own life that we can be free. But there is so much more to His sacrifice than that final moment of death. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords took on the lowly form of a servant. The Divine One became human. The Son of God was despised and rejected by men, the very men He came to save. The Royal One was ridiculed. The Mighty One was humiliated. The Prince of Peace was hated. The Chosen of God was spurned by men. The Innocent One was beaten. The Lamb of God was slain. The Bright and Shining Star was sealed in a dark tomb. Jesus paid a tremendous price for our spiritual freedom. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5, NKJV).

 May we never forget the amazing price that has been paid for our spiritual freedom.

 John