C3 Church Live Blog: How To Live The Dream

Speaker: Matt Fry

Matt begins by asking the question, "Has God ever given you a dream?"

Dream

How can you realize your destiny? It begins with God giving you a dream You have to make sure that God gave it to you.

Pastor Matt shows a short clip from Forrest Gump.

We should be pursuing God's dream because it is so much bigger than what we could ever come up with.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
Ephesians 3:20 (MSG)

Pastor Matt talks about his past. He mentioned a time that he did his own thing. He explained that he feared where God was going to take him. Pastor Fry thought it would be boring. In fact, the opposite was true. Matt has had the BEST time following God.

One way to determine if it's from God is when it's about others and not about you. God loves you and everyone else. Therefore, your dream must be about others. Remember, there are people who are hurting and those who feel forgotten.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

It is a lie from the Devil that God's dream for you would be boring.

Decision

God gives you a dream, but you now have to make a decision to follow it. Out of 10 people who receive a dream from God, only 1 ever actually decide to follow it. Let's not live a life of regret.

God's time is not our time. We want God to work on our time.

To make a decision, you have to first Trust God.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.[a] 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
Proverbs 3:5-7 (NIV)

Ask God for Wisdom

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:5-8 (NLT)

The first person we need to turn to is God, not man. If you want wisdom, ask God. This isn't to say we shouldn't seek council from others, but we should turn to God, FIRST!

Delay

Whenever God gives you a dream, there is often a delay. What God is doing is preparing you for that time. 

Pastor Matt talked about making a baby. Having a baby takes 9 months. In very much the same way God creates a person, he creates leaders in the same way.

Remember Moses spent 40 years in the desert. Noah spent 120 years before he began to live his dream. Joseph was 17 when he first received his dream, but 30 before he started to walk in his destiny (13 years). Remember, a delay is NOT a denial. 

In fact, spiritual maturity is knowing the difference between NO and NOT YET.

Pastor Fry talks about the church in Sweden and how it was conceived many years ago. However, there was a huge delay between the dream and the actual realization of that dream.

Difficulty

Anyone who has ever had success in their lives went through difficulty. One way they find difficulty is through critics. 

There will also be challenges. You may experience a loss of a job, hurricane, or something else, but remember to have an abundant life, you will have to go through difficulties.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)

What must we do when we go through difficult times? The first thing is to stay focused on the mission. Don't get sidetracked or discouraged. 

"Real hope, real people, in a real world!"

The second thing to do is to do a few things well. Most of us are good at one or two things. Focus on those things. Don't try to do everything. 

"We don't want to be like Golden Corral (buffet)...instead, we want to be like Moes (Mexican)" ~ Matt Fry

The third thing is to make adjustments.

Dead End

When you feel like there is no hope and you're backed up into a corner, this is the perfect time for a break through or miracle. God wants to make sure he gets all the credit.

Don't give up when you hit a brick wall or dead end. At that moment, God is working to make a miracle happen. 

"You'll find God when you've reached the end of your rope." ~ Matt Fry

Where do you find help and hope?

I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! Psalms 121:1-2 (NLT)

When you've reached the dead end, look up toward the Lord. God is our hope. He is the creator of the universe. Our help comes from the Lord. 

Destiny

The last step is reaching your destiny. At this phase, we cannot take credit for this because God is the only one who could have delivered us.

Let's live our dreams....BIG!

So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. James 4:7-10 (MSG)

Do You Need A Fresh Start?

If you need hope or help. God wants you to know that he loves you. Jesus died and rose from the grave. If you would like to know Jesus as your savior then pray this prayer.

Dear God, I realize I've sinned and I need you. Thank you for dying on the cross and rising from the grave. Come in to my heart and save me. Thank you for giving me eternal and abundant life. Help me to live for you, for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

To share your story, want more information about next steps, or just in need of prayer, please contact Pastor Matt Fry.