Delayed Dreams... The X Factor Devotional - Day Thirty One - February 22, 2010

“‘Here comes that dreamer!’ they said to each other. ‘Come now, let’s kill him…Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.’”
Genesis 37:19-20

Joseph found out what every dreamer finds out – not everyone is happy about your dream.  Joseph found out people can envy your dream, conspire against it, speak against it, and even attack your God-given dream.  Joseph’s brothers put him in a pit and then sold him as a slave to go to Egypt.  Don’t you imagine that at that time, Joseph wondered just what in the world God was doing and if his dream would actually become a reality?

Remember, every God-given dream must die a human death.  That is, every dream from God will come to a place where it is impossible to accomplish the dream in human ability alone.  God is sovereign and His timing is perfect.  Remember Habakkuk 2:3b, “It (our plan to build) will certainly come and will not delay.”  Therefore, when we run out of resources and get to a place where we realize the dream cannot happen unless God steps in, then God alone will get the glory when the dream is accomplished.  And, as scary as that type of position is… it’s the best place to be.

Prayer Focus: Pray Impact will continue to move forward with changing more lives.  Pray God will give us the endurance and stamina needed to face any temporary setbacks.  Pray all involved will experience joy on this spiritual journey of faith.  Ask God to strengthen you also as you continue to pursue your lifelong goals, despite the delays.

Everyone Has A Dream... The X Factor Devotional - Day Thirty - February 19, 2010

“He said to them, ‘Listen to this dream I had.’”
Genesis 37:6

In 1989, a movie called “Field of Dreams” was released.  Kevin Costner played Ray Kincella, a 37 year-old man who had never done a crazy thing in his life until he heard a voice one day that said, “Build it and he will come.”  You see, Ray had had a stormy relationship with his dad.  As a rebellious child of the 60’s, he scorned his dad who loved baseball, refusing even to play catch with him.  His father died before he could make things right.  When Ray plowed his cornfield over and made a baseball field, everyone said he was crazy for following his dream, but through the magic of the movie he could be reunited with his father as a young man.  The theology is certainly not correct, and the plot is nowhere near reality, but that is what makes the movies fun to watch.

One thing is for certain; people will come to a place where their dreams can be fulfilled.  God’s field of dreams is not in Iowa, but rather in the hearts of His people.  How do we know what a dream looks like?  This list below gives us a good description of what a God-given dream looks like:

• A God-given dream will stir your passion.
• A God-given dream will be humanly impossible to accomplish.
• A God-given dream will make an impression on you for a lifetime.
• A God-given dream will cause you to exercise strong faith.
• A God-given dream can be very scary.
• The enemy of our soul will attack a God-given dream.

Prayer Focus: Pray Impact will be a true “field of dreams” where people can find and fulfill their dreams.  Pray the whole congregation will be united in our dream to see more changed lives.  Pray we can be one so the world can be won.  Pray for church leaders to have discernment for decisions that affect this dream.  Ask God to protect our dream from the enemy.

Hey Now, Hey Now - Don't Dream It's Over... The X Factor Devotional - Day Twenty Eight - February 17, 2010

“Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb.”
Genesis 30:22

Rachel was Jacob’s dream wife.  They were very much in love.  Like many married couples, they desired to have a child.  God listened to Rachel’s dream for a child, and He answered her prayer by giving them a son.  Their dream became a reality named Joseph.

It is impossible to overestimate the power and role of dreams in human existence.  Dreams have brought us lifesaving medical breakthroughs and soul-stirring revival movements.  Some of our greatest athletic achievements are the result of a personal dream.  The United States of America is the result of a dream of real democratic government by a group of patriots.  Martin Luther King changed the course of a nation because he had a dream.  Your world and “the” world can be changed because of the dream inside you.

I’m specifically talking about your daytime dreams – your vision, your hopes, your aspirations, and your desires.  A God-given dream won’t go away.  Search your heart and mind to get in touch with the dream God has put inside you.  Then pray about it and take action! 

Impact’s dream is to inexpensively expand right now; pay down the mortgage; plan for our future; and bless our community… In this, countless more lives are going to change, to God’s glory.

Prayer Focus: Pray our church’s vision will become a reality in God’s perfect timing.  Pray our dreams of saving friends and family through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will come about because of our spiritual journey.  Ask God to reveal or clarify your personal dream that is His will for your life and direct you in acting on it.  Seriously – what is God tugging on your heart to do?

Don't Short Your Dreams... The X Factor Devotional - Day Twenty Seven - February 16, 2010

“The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered.”
Genesis 39:2a

In 1930, two young brothers named Dick and Maurice McDonald moved from New Hampshire to California to pursue the American dream of being successful.  After a few failed ventures, they struck gold when they opened a small drive-in restaurant.  By the mid-1950’s, their annual revenue was $350,000, and the brothers split $100,000 in profits.

You might think, yes, the rest is history.  But you may be surprised to know the rest of the story.  In 1954, a man by the name of Ray Kroc came into the picture.  Ray Kroc saw potential the brothers did not see.  In 1961, Kroc bought the exclusive rights to McDonald’s for the sum of $2.7 million – now with 21,000+ restaurants worldwide, the rest of the story is history indeed.

The lessons learned from this story are:

• Don’t pull up short of your God-given dream
• Don’t allow someone to out-dream you.
• Don’t allow someone else to finish your dream.

Christians look to Joseph as the role model for dreaming big.  Genesis 39 holds important lessons for all dreamers.  Some lessons in this chapter can keep us from stopping short of accomplishing our dreams are:

• Know God is with us (verses 2, 21, & 23).
• Know God is aware of our actions (verse 9).
• Know God can make the bitter things in life sweet (verses 21-23).

Prayer Focus: Pray Impact will pursue our God-given dream to the fullest potential.  Pray that through the achievement of this spiritual journey we will become better Christ followers for the kingdom of God.  Ask God to show you ways in which you have stopped short of His best for you.  Ask for the boldness to identify and follow through with eliminating what is stopping you.

Un-Finished Dreams... The X Factor Devotional - Day Eight - January 20, 2010

“….so I sent messengers to them with this reply:  ‘I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.  Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?’”
Nehemiah 6:3

Dr. Haller Nutt of Natchez, Mississippi, had a dream.  He wanted to build one of the greatest plantation houses in all of the South.  Being a doctor and cotton farmer gave him the wealth needed to accomplish this dream home.  He made his sketches and searched the nation for the best architect to make his dream a reality.  He found Samuel Sloan in Philadelphia to design it.  It was going to be an octagon-shaped mansion with eight rooms on each of the six floors.  All of that was going to be grouped around a middle piece, a six story rotunda that would be capped with a 16-sided Byzantine onion-shaped dome.  It was going to be beautiful with nothing else like it in all the South.  Dr. Nutt went all over the world to purchase the very best furnishings for this masterpiece.

As soon as construction had begun, tragedy struck.  The Civil War erupted.  All the workers left to fight.  Dr. Haller Nutt lost everything during the course of the war.

During that time, he moved his family into the basement of this grand mansion so that they might be safe and have shelter.  Dr. Nutt died in 1865 before the war was over.  The family continued to live in the basement.  In fact, they lived there for over a century, 111 years!  Finally, some relatives donated it to the local historical society.  To this day, it stands as a monument to an unfinished dream.

In chapter 6 of Nehemiah, enemies tried to stop him from completing the dream that God had laid on his heart – that of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls.  But Nehemiah stayed focused.  He completed his God-given dream in record time to the praise of His glory.  He is a role model for us today.

Prayer Focus: Pray God will enable us to complete the dream He has given us in such a way as to bring Him glory and expand His kingdom.  Pray He will remove any enemies or naysayers who try to steal our dream and prevent it from happening.  Ask the Lord how you can take ownership of this vision using the time, talents, and treasures He has given you.  Where do you feel God is leading you to stretch to fulfill God’s calling on Impact’s people?  You are a part of this body and definitely needed to fulfill the vision.

My first sale of "Full Disclosure: Exposing Church Planting Blind Spots"

This is Graydon Jessup, newly hired Stadia International employee. He bought my first book, "Full Disclosure: Exposing Church Planting Blind Spots." I am going to have that $20 bill framed.

You might think that is silly. I kinda do too. But then again... let's just ponder about the power of God and blessing of God for a moment. What if... what if... what if God chose to bless this book? And the next two books that are already in process? What if one of them became a best seller? What if one of them was the next "Purpose Driven Life?"

I think it would be cool to show my kids and grandkids the first $20 bill received from my first book. I'd then tell him that dreams can come true. I'd tell him to never give up on those dreams. I'd tell him that God's power is infinite and anything is possible in Christ.

Come to think of it... that's what I'd tell you too!