Then Mary said, Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.

Transcription

1 His Dream for Her Dream Senior Associate Pastor Petrina Guneratnam Luke 1:38 Then Mary said, Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. Today is the 1 st of December. It is the season for Christmas again and this is my Christmas meditation for His Dream for Her Dream. INTRODUCTION Christmas is God s Dream Come To Pass Christmas, the celebration of the greatest event in history that changed the destiny of mankind. Christmas signifies the reality of God s dream to redeem the fallen sinful world. Genesis 3:15 The seed of the woman shall bruise the heel of the serpent. Christmas is Jesus coming down from Heaven to fulfill His Father s Dream. The Son of God became the son of man so that we the sons of man can become the sons of God. Luke 2:11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Christmas God s Dream of Redemption, Restoration and Reinstatement Completed. Positioned for Sonship, Authority. What A Blessed Hope What A Dream Life I God The Dreamer The universe is the result of His dream. This Planet Earth with all the resources is God s dream the stars, the moon, the sun, the animals, ocean, beaches, gardens, flowers, fruits. You and I God s Dream and Design. II The God of Visions and Dreams still gives dream to everyone He has a dream for you, your life. He may be leading you to a new dream. Dreams are not only for those in leadership position. It is for the young and elderly, students, mums and dads even for the grandpas and grandmas. *Jesus at the age of 12 said, I must be at my Father s business. He came to work out God s dream. He knew His purpose in life was to fulfill the Father s Desire.

2 * Joseph was 17 when he dreamt 2 dreams. His dream took him away from home sold to be a slave, thrown into prison. Joseph became a man in prison with a dream. No one can rob you of your dream. * Moses received God s dream. While he was in the desert. * Caleb was an elderly man of 85 when he declared, Give me this mountain a dream he had at age 45, was fulfilled 40 years later. * Nehemiah received his dream of rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem while he was serving as a cupbearer for the King of Persia (King Artaxerxes). * Ruth was a widow from Moab with a dream as she journeyed with her mother-in-law to a foreign land (Bethlehem). * Esther was a Jewish orphan exiled to Persia her chances to be crowned Queen of Persia was zero. But God had a dream for her. Joshua 14: As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. 12 Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said. Everyone can to dream 18 or 80. Proverbs 29:18 KJV Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. A dream is a powerful force. All human advancement and accomplishment is the result of someone daring to dream. Passion produces vision and dream, Vision produces Hope Hope sets Goal. Hope produces Faith. Faith produces Works. James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Some Dreams Are Not God-Given Origin from sinful nature. 1) Covetous dreams dreaming of someone else s possession or position 2) Selfish dreams dreams motivated by greed, pride, lust for power etc.

3 How Do I Identify God-given Dreams? God-given dreams have these characteristics: A. DEPENDENCE God given dream begins with a desire. God-given dreams are always bigger than us, our abilities and our resources. They seem impossible, unattainable. They stretch us beyond out limits. They cause us to depend on Him, totally. They draw us closer to Him. When you follow God s dream, you cannot stay in your little corner and be comfortable. e.g. - Noah - the building of the ark - stretched Noah beyond his imagination Question: Does your dream stretch you? B. DIRECTION Because the dreams are from God, He has the master plan and will instruct you. Acknowledge Him... He will direct. His Word is a light to our paths. The steps of a good man are led. A man s heart plans... God directs the steps. Noah did not know how... he received instructions and know from God, the source or his dream. C. DEVELOPMENT Development brings change. We grow with our dreams. Change is part of living and growing. In fulfilling a dream, we are constantly changing. We are transformed into the image of Christ. Our character is developed... e.g. Joseph s dream, developed patience, hope, faith. God-given dream does not only bring development in us. God-given dreams involve change in people. God s focus is people not programme or buildings. e.g. Nehemiah dream is to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem was 1) to bring glory to God 2) restore the people of Jerusalem So whether your dream is: - to take better care of your family - embarking on a new career - starting a new ministry - starting a new business Your dream should focus on meeting the spiritual, emotional or physical needs of people. The secular world realized the important principle of being people oriented or meet customer need. How much more the church or Jesus Christ needs to

4 reach out to a lost world. Calvary Convention Centre Impacting nations transforming lives. D. DETERMINATION God-given dreams take determination-tenacity. Between the place of having a dream and seeing it fulfilled there is usually a lot of difficulties and struggles - a lot of hard work and determination. Vision and faith go hand in hand. Joseph s struggle 1) The pit 2) Potiphar s house 3) The prison Queen Esther declared If I perish, I perish. Dreaming has a price... a big price and that is the struggle... that is why many refuse to dream. Dreaming moves us out of our comfort zone, where it is safe and secure... sometimes causes great anxiety, like Joseph in prison but it is worth it. E. DELIGHT God-given dreams will ultimately result in delight in fulfillment. Christmas is the birth of God s dream to save mankind from hell. Easter is the fulfillment of God s dream. Jesus prayed... It is finished. Close with The Christmas Story God s Dream For Mary s Dream His Dream for Her Dream Mary s dream growing up in a traditional Jewish family was to be a good wife and mother. She was engage to be married to Joseph. God s dream for her was to be the mother of the Son of God, the Savior of the World. Luke 1:35 I am the Lord s handmaiden, be it unto me according to thy word. The definition for handmaid in Mary s day meant the lowest on the scale of servant-hood. It meant one who gives up her will to do the will of another. The 5 elements Dependence, Direction, Development, Determination and Delight are seen in Mary s exchange for His Dream from hers. According to Jewish tradition: *she could be stoned to death for getting pregnant out of wedlock *she could lose her reputation. *she could hurt Joseph, the love of her life. *she could lose her future to be with Joseph he may call off the marriage.

5 God does all things well exceeding abundantly in way above and beyond our imagination. In embracing God s dream, Mary was highly favored. Mary became the Mother of the Son of God. In Luke1:46-55, she was declared all generations should call her blessed. What overwhelming feeling as she gazed upon her first-born baby God s Dream birth from her womb! Before I conclude, I must take a moment to mention Joseph giving up his dream to accommodate God s Dream. Joseph was willing not to have the limelight in the Christmas Story. In embracing God s dream Joseph gave up much but he gained more. God the Father entrusted Joseph to be the earthly father, the head of the household where Jesus grew up providing all the physical human needs for the Son of God the Savior of the world. CONCLUSION As we come to the close of 2013, let us seek God s direction for God has a dream for you Jeremiah 29:11 affirms that it is a dream to prosper, to give you hope and a future. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Proverbs 19:21 There are many plans in a man s heart, Nevertheless the LORD s counsel that will stand. John 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.