Restoration Farm

I have been writing this blog off and on for the last three years and now I am being called to do something new. You can check it out at Restoration Farm Blog.

I was ordained as a Pastor in 2006 and I have asking God to show me through my wife where He wanted me to serve. The Restoration Farm is that place and you can follow our adventure at http://therestorationfarm.blogspot.com.

Restoration Farm

Greetings.

For the past five years I have been asking God to show me a ministry that my wife, Kat, and I can do together. At first I thought it might be an inner city ministry, then I thought it might be as traveling hosts and fill in ministers but neither of those panned out.

What God finally showed me through my wife exactly as I asked Him to was that we would purchase and develop a small farm. You can read about it at The Restoration Farm. In a nut shell it will be a small farm of 10-20 acres and we will grow crops that have been grown chemical free. We will also raise chickens and goats and give them only feeds that have been grown organically. We will produce cheese and soap from the milk that we get from our goats. We will sell eggs laid by our chickens, ducks and guineas. A key part of the farm will be one or two cabins, the Restoration Cabins, that we will invite missionaries and ministers to come and stay in when they need to be restored from the battles that they are fighting.

Our plan is to make enough income from the farm and other income producing endeavors to fund the two small cabins or RV Trailers that will be used for the Restoration Cabins.

What I want to share in this post is something I have struggled with for years. It has to do with funding for the ministry I believe God is calling me to. What I struggled with was the idea of asking people to fund my dream or to contribute on a monthly basis to that dream or calling. For the longest time I struggled with this funding concept but on the trip that Kat and I took this month to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary I came to grips with the struggle.

I thought the struggle had to do with pride or having to depend upon someone else but on the trip it came to me that it really had to do with expecting other people to fund my dream instead of me earning what it would take to make it come true.

When I was growing up my dad provided me the example by working hard for what he had and spending only what he could afford. He was not a flashy man and he did not need to be the one everyone looked at as an expert.

While traveling to a small farm outside Tulsa, OK I began to realize no one but me can fund my dream. You see my dream is to live on a small farm with Kat and to do what God has made us for. We were made to serve others and the Restoration Farm will provide us with the opportunity to do exactly that. Most of all I came to realize that if someone else was funding my dream I would also be tied to what they wanted for my dream and I would not be free to pursue it from the heart.

I invite you to come read about the Restoration Farm and if you do I hope God will reveal the dream He has for your life.

Maybe Land for the Dream

The other day my wife, Kat, and I looked at 27 acres that we hope to turn into a farm. It would be a farm with Hoop houses, goats, chickens, ducks and guineas. Here is a slide show of the property. I hope you enjoy it.

27 Acres

From Devastation to Hope

     Over the course of the next few weeks I hope to write some thoughts about the adventure I have been on since Friday, September 3, 2010. My hope is what I write will eventually become a book about my great, great grandfather and what his life can spark in the lives of others.

Installment 1

     September 3, 2010 was going to be a Friday just like very other Friday until I realized one important factor. I poured coffee into my favorite coffee cup, one that I purchased for my dad while in Vietnam. As I drank my second cup of strongly brewed coffee, some thing I have done since joining the Navy, I realized I was drinking this cup at about the same time I received a phone call 38 years earlier. A phone call from one of my uncles and it devastated me; it is one that I can remember as if it occurred yesterday. The call was to let me know that my dad was being rushed to the hospital and I should make plans to come home. I stumbled into the bedroom, where my wife and son were laying talking, with tears streaming down my face I told her what the call was about. Then the phone rang again and my uncle let me know my dad had died.

     With tears streaming down my face my thoughts turned to the disaster that the last year had been. The shame I felt because of my failure to give grace to another pastor in a heated disagreement and how it destroyed our relationship. The questions about whether God really intended for me to work as a pastor. Doubts that the passions I have really are of God. Heart broken I could feel myself slipping into the beginning stages of depression.

     As I finished my coffee I experienced one of those times when an unrelated thought moved through the nerve cells of my brain. I put my coffee cup down and opened one of the drawers of my desk and pulled out a stack of papers a cousin had sent me several years ago. I turned to the Clark part of the family tree and something jumped out at me. The tree ended with my great, great grandfather, Seth Gold Clark.

     Since I had six hours before I had to be at work I decided to do some research and see what I could find out about this man. I turned to my computer, brought up a genealogy search site and typed in his name, his birth and death dates. After clicking many of the sites that came up I clicked on one that referred to a book called, “The Church at home and abroad, Volume 24 By Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.” and the article was "A Home-Mission Enthusiast".

     Have you ever had one of those times that you know without a doubt that God caused it to happen? This was one of those moments for me. I knew without a doubt God wanted me to read what was written in this book about the Reverend Seth Gold Clark. The words would renew the dream God placed in my heart and begin to give me hope that all of my experiences in life so far was to prepare my heart for this very moment in time.

     The story that follows is about the life of my great, great grandfather and the seeds of greatness he planted. This story is one that God is having written at this moment in time to lift each reader up to move forward toward accomplishing their God given dreams. This story is a story about a legacy that was left by a man who according to his own words, “lived a very busy, checkered life; possibly some good may result.” One hundred and twelve years later that good could be the accomplishment of hundreds or even thousands of dreams, which would not have been achieved without God revealing this story to those dreamers.

     Please come back in the next few weeks for more installments. If God speaks to you in any way please share it in the comment section.

Are You Settling In Haran?

Genesis 11: 31 "And Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together to go from Ur of the Caldees into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there".

From this passage I take it that the actually place Terah was to go was the land of Canaan but for some reason he stopped and settled in Haran.

He may have found the fertile area of Haran more desirable than continuing on to Canann. He may have encountered difficulties that seemed too great to continue the trip. 

I believe often in our lives we too seem to do what Terah did and quit moving toward our goal. We instead "settle" for what we have instead of pursuing our dream.

I believe that God has placed in you a dream. This dream has it's foundation in the experiences you have had and talents that you have been given. Often this dream gets covered with the dust from negative experiences or failed expectations. It could be wounds that have come from actions of people in your life or it could be addictions you have developed to cover the wounds of life.

When I watch movies or real life stories that are about people touching the lives of those in need I often feel a stirring in my heart. I believe this stirring is God's Holy Spirit letting me know that I am made to pursue my dream of fulfilling the mission He has given to me. REAL Men RoCK is part of that calling. I write here about those things I have experienced and how God has provided for the wounds of my life. Another part of that dream He has given me is to follow Jesus in preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God, proclaim release to the captives, to set free the downtrodden and proclaim the "Favorable Year of the Lord" (Luke 4: 18-19).

Do you experience those stirrings? What is it that causes you to come alive? If you can identify those moments then I encourage you to write them down. Ask God to show you just what it means and for Him to reveal what it is He wants you to do with those stirrings.

I want to recommend two books that might help you as you discover your dream.

1. "The Dream Giver" by Bruce Wilkinson

2. "Never Give UP!" by Joyce Meyer

John Eldredge says this in his book, "Dare to Desire": "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

So what is it that "Makes you come alive?" You will know it because it stirs your heart. Don't settle for what you have but Come alive!

Your BIG Dream

This is a post I did at A Community Chaplain blog

Do you have a dream that is laying around gathering dust? A dream that life has snuffed out? I want to recommend several books for you to read that will help you dust off that dream and get new fire under it.

"Dare to Desire" by John Eldredge. In this 136 page book John makes the following statements:

"The question is not dare we desire but dare we not desire?"

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

"The Dream Giver" by Bruce Wilkinson. Bruce covers a story about "Ordinary" and how he sets off in pursue of his Big Dream. Bruce will show you how to rise above the ordinary, conquer your fears, and overcome the obstacles that keep you from living your Big Dream.

"The Go Getter" by Peter B. Kyne. This is a story that tells you how to be one.

"Lessons from a Dream Maker" by Joe Land and Bill Perkins. This book contains Ten Proven Steps that will Turn Your Dreams into Reality.

"Your Road Map for Success" by John Maxwell. "The definition of success isn't the same for any two people... The process, however, is the same for everyone... Success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others... When you see success as a journey,you'll never have the problem trying to arrive at an elusive final destination." - John Maxwell

Each of these books are tools that can help you discover, develop, pursue and achieve your dream.

Bruce Wilkinson asks this of each of us: "Are you living your dream or just living your life?"

I personally believe, as the above men do, that God has placed in your heart a dream. A BIG Dream that is based on your personal experiences, your gifts, and your talents. Your dream is not meant for you but for the Glory of God who gave it to you. 

I encourage you to purchase and read any one of the books above to help you unravel the dream that hides within your heart.

Simple Green House can Provide Vegetables in Winter

A couple of friends of mine built a simple green house last fall and began growing vegetables during the winter months at the Shepherds Garden.

Here are some pictures of the inside of the greehouse as the vegetable grow.

And here are pictures of the finished product.

The reason I am making this post is to share Rick and Larry's dream with you. You can go to their blog at http://shepherdsgarden.wordpress.com/ and see more photos and read some information about their project at the Shepherds Garden.

Part of the dream is to develop small green house technology so that homeowners or even apartment dwellers can grow vegetables in small yards or on rooftops. They believe they can grow vegetables for restaurants that want to have fresh vegetables on their menu year round. Their goal is to have their products certified as Organically grown.

Please pay their blog a visit and learn more about their dream. I hope that it will inspire you to move forward on any dream you have sitting with dust on it.

The next step at the Shepherd's Garden.

Passion + Gifts + God Call = Ministry

From time to time I like to highlight ministries that I believe are examples of how God moves in the lives of people who are using their passion & gifts to meet the calling God has given them when the opportunity arises. With this post I want to share a new church being planted in Alamosa, CO. The location is in the beautiful San Luis Valley just a few miles from the Great Sand Dunes National Park, which is the feet of the Sangre de Cristo mountains.

I will let the lead pastor tell you about the Dream of the Vineyard of the Rio Grande.

Vineyard of the Rio Grande

We're Vineyard of the Rio Grande - a missional community.


What does that mean?

It means that we're a community of people who live, work, and play in the San Luis Valley - and we're excited and grateful to be here! We celebrate that excitement, and express that gratitude, by caring for the people of the San Luis Valley.

But, even more than that, we see that our Creator is a missional God. He's at work in the world redeeming, restoring, and repairing. He invites us to participate with Him in that and we've said, "Yes!" That is our mission.

In order to fulfill that mission, we've dreamed a BIG dream... and we're now in the process of seeing that dream come true.

La Selva

 

In a highly visible location in Alamosa, Colorado, we are constructing an indoor adventure-land for children, a café called "Common Ground," and an auditorium for meetings, small venue concerts, and fund-raisers for other local non-profits. We will use the entire space for gatherings that benefit and care for the people of the San Luis Valley. The whole project is an integrated environment where we can care for the whole person, the whole family, and the whole community.

 

This dream is now a reality. We're building it. On this page you will see the current logos for each of the three components of this integrated space. (Soon, each of these will be a link to more information about each space.) On our facebook group you can view photos of the actual construction.

We invite you to be a part of this adventure! This project is truly a BIG dream - a dream that is way beyond the resources of our local missional community. If this speaks to your heart, join us. There are several ways you can do that:

1) You can follow our progress by becoming a member of our facebook group. We post photos and videos on a regular basis. This is where you can watch the before-and-after progress of the spaces we are remodeling.

2) You can send us ideas and resource information at: vineyardriogrande@gmail.com. The Jungle Adventure for children is going to be incredible! We'll need lots of ideas and help.

3) And, just below is a link that will connect you to a simple way to donate and become a part of making this dream a reality.

 

Vineyard of the Rio Grande

We have the people, the passion, the vision, and the volunteers. All of these resources are being provided locally. But, financially, this vision is much bigger than Alamosa itself. That’s why we’re seeking partners on a national level. We invite you to join us by making a donation. Thank you.

* Donations are tax deductible. All donations to this project are used solely for this project. Donations go directly to an account specifically for the construction of this project and are not co-mingled with our general fund. Donations are monitored by an outside accounting firm.

 

I share this church plant dream with you because it is a story of how a man responded to a call on his life and then built relationships with people who were seeking a closer walk with their Lord. If God is calling you to do something bigger than what you can achieve I encourage you to study this church plant and discover the plan that was used to move the dream along the road to reality.

 

I personally believe Scott is seeking more than success; he is seeking a life of significance.

 

Father, may the Vineyard of the Rio Grande be a light for Your Glory. May the wounded, the hurting, the addicted and the rejected find a home of healing at the Vineyard. In Jesus name amen

Dream BIG and Believe that God Will Deliver

For some reason God has led me to several books lately that have to do with ministry. Each of these books has stirred the passions in me that God has placed there. I recently posted the following on FaceBook, which sums up what I believe God is stirring in me.

  I believe that God wants a church in our town that is made up of people who are followers of Jesus that have   thrown off the chains of conforming to this world and the shackles of defeat. A people who are pursuing the     BIG Passions that God has placed in their hearts.

A while back I was talking with a couple of pastors and one told me there are a lot of good ideas flowing out of me but now is not the time to pursue them. My first thoughts was “If not now when?” The above statement is a passion I have and I believe I will have an involvement in helping to create that church. In a church where people have had the chains removed they are allowed to pursue the BIG Dreams that God has placed in their heart. They are not told to stay within the lines or within a box that others have placed them in. They are free to use the Spiritual Gifts that the Holy Spirit has given them for service to others. They are not conformed to the leader but equipped, empowered and released by him or her to ministry.

 Most recently the book the Holy Spirit led me to is “Living BIG” by Pam Grout. The back covers says this, “Do you ever feel that the daily grind is wearing you down and wonder how you can live a more meaningful life? Living Big is a book about discovering your own potential, loving with ever ounce of your soul, and reclaiming your wildest dreams. It’s about visionaries, dreamers, crusaders, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Pam Grout shows you how to shift your attitude, seize the day, and grow into the best person you were meant to be. Featuring profiles of everyday people who are living fully and completely as well as life changing activities. Living Big will get you thinking BIG, dreaming BIG, and asking the right BIG questions.

I personally believe God has placed a BIG dream in each of us and it is a dream that only we can fulfill. I believe that if we do not pursue our BIG dream we will not experience life as God meant for us to experience it.

Luke 12: 23 “For life is more than food, and the body than clothing.”

John 10: 10 “The Thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.”

What did Jesus mean by those two statements? I cannot answer either of these for you because what God considers more than food and clothing for you is different than it is for me and we each have to discover for ourselves what abundant living is for us personally.

I can use what Jesus said in John 4: 34 “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.” as the basis to finding those answers. We each need to desire the food that comes from doing the will of the Father and out of that we will discover the work He desires us to do and that will lead to abundant living.

I encourage you to dust off that dream and pursue it with all of the passion that the Holy Spirit gives to you because someone is depending upon you to do it. If not now when?

Suggested reading:
“Living Big” by Pam Grout
“7 Practices of Effective Ministry” by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner and Lane Jones
“The Great Omission” by Dallas Willard
“The Dream Giver” by Bruce Wilkinson

Living the Dream

posted at A Community Chaplain

On Thanksgiving day our daughter, Missy, and her children, Spencer, Dakota, Cierra and Kia and their dad, Brandon, came over for dinner. After we had eaten a nice meal we sat down and I presented an idea to them. I suggested that this year for Christmas that we not give gifts to each other but instead find a family to bless. Everyone was in a greement and the kids were excited for the opportunity. Cierra immediately said, "We get so many gifts at Christmas from other people I think it would be nice to give to someone in need." I must say I have the neatest grandkids.

Here are the gifts we are giving.

I have been blessed to be able to do the dream that God has placed in my heart. Making a child's dream come true is just a small way I am allowed to touch the lives of hurting people who God cares for.

Beginning in January I will be meeting with some men at the TimberCreek Bar and playing pool and sharing our hopes, our dreams and our life struggles. We will visit the bar and invite other guys to join us and as we build some relationships I will share the hope that Jesus brings.

I share these two things with you not to toot my horn but to encourage you to get in touch with your dream and then do it. Turn off the television, or the computer or the stereo and get off your rear and do something at least one day a week that will touch the life of someone less fortunate than you. Sharing what Jesus has done for you with someone else does not have to be threatening or boring. If you go where the missing are you might find that the excitement is already there but it is wrapped in a worldly package. Go ahead and take the risk to explore your dream and what God has waiting for you.

If you live in or close to Louisburg come join us at the TimberCreek Bar on Thursdays beginning in January.

Some of my favorite Blogs

With this post I want to share some blog of some of my friends or that I follow.  Please pay them a visit and give them a shout.

The Shepherd's Garden

http://shepherdsgarden.wordpress.com/

I have known Rick Duggan for about two years and he has a Passion to help people through Hoop Gardening. 

Rick's Blog  

http://ricksblog-rick.blogspot.com/

I have known Dick Mann for about 27 years and when I was homeless he took me in.  He has been a Spiritual example for me for many years.

Body Kare by Karen

http://www.bodykarebykaren.com/

I have known Karen for about 12 years and have grown to appreciate her insights on Healthy Eating.

Jason the Bald Guy   http://jasonthebaldguy.com/

I have known Jason since he moved up to our area from Louisiana after hurricane Katrina and I love his Outlook on life.

Nutrition Coach Karen

http://nutritioncoachkaren.blogspot.com/

This is the same Karen as above and this is her Nutrition website.

Caribbean Shulamite 

http://caribbeanshulamite.blogspot.com/

I do not personally know the Caribbean Shulamite but have read her blog and she has read mine. We share in the belief that Jesus is Lord and Savior. She has been an encourager of mine for the past year.

Each of these blogs offer a unique perspective on life and some great ideas on how to improve your life.  Each of the authors are fulfilling their dream and their calling through sharing on their blog.  I believe you will find what they share on their blog to be a blessing.

I not only have them as my friends but I value their input into my life.  

One final one A Community Chaplain

http://louisburgcommunitychaplain.blogspot.com/

I have known this guy for over 59 years and I must say he is my favorite blogger. Okay, so this last one is one of my blogs but I still appreciate what the guy has to say.

Vineyard Church, Overland Park, KS

While attending this church I found healing for many wounds I have suffered from life.  Through sound Biblical teaching and a leadership that focused on healing rather than condemning I experienced many breakthroughs.

New Life Church, Louisburg, KS

This is now my church home whether I have the honor to serve as Pastor of Life Groups and to oversee Men's Ministry. I am living my dream and fulfilling my calling through my blogs and through serving at New Life.  I encourage you to open up the gift in you and take the risk to pursue it.

Father, May each person who visits these blog today be blessed by the words they read. In the name, the authority and the power of Jesus Christ amen

Are You a Dream Builder or A Dream Destroyer?

I am reading John Maxwell's book, "The Winning Attitude" and in chapter ten he talks about the results of having a negative atttiude.  One of the examples he points out is how Thomas Edison tried to persuade Henry Ford to abandon his work on the fledgling idea of a motor car. "It's a worthless idea." Edison, persistent in his own endeavors, told the young Ford. "Come and work for me and do something really worthwhile."  

Imagine if Ford would have listened to Edison there would be no Ford Motor Company that has provided and has made possible jobs for millions of people.

My questions for you to consider are:

1. Have you ever put down someone else's dream, calling it worthless?

2. Have you ever seen your dream as more worthy than the dream of your friend?

3. Have you ever felt jealousy because someone else is reaching for their dream as yours sits in the box of your heart?

I want to encourage you to take your dream out of the box and pursue it.  As you pursue your dream look for other people who are pursuing theirs.  Team up with them and encourage each other as you move forward.  If they are achieving their dream keep supporting them and you will get encouragement to continue to move on your dream.  Finally pray for their success and ask God to give you the courage to continue moving forward on yours.

I believe God is right now revealing your dream to you.  Allow Him to open up the possibilities and the excitement of doing something BIG for Him.  Please share your dream here so that I can pray for you and send messages of encouragement.

Just One More Brick

Do you have a dream, a Big, Audacious Dream?  If you do you have probably encountered some big obstacles as you moved forward toward your dream.

I once heard a story about a man who headed off to California as part of the gold rush.  He staked his claim and began to dig.  He dug and dug, dug and dug some more.  He hit some small pockets of gold but never the Mother load!  After several months of digging he became frustrated and decided his mine was not going to produce any Mother load.  He walked out of his mine and headed into town.  He went to the real estate office and told them he wanted to sell his claim which included his notes.  A man over heard his discussion and made an offer.  The man took the offer and headed for the train a beaten man.

The man who purchased the mine began to study the notes the other man had written.  He made some calculations and decided that with some more digging a Mother load would be found.  He headed to the mine and began to dig.  He dug and dug, then he dug some more and within just a few feet he hit the Mother load.  

The other man had quit just a few feet from his dream.

Are you like that man?  Are there obstacles that are keeping you from reaching your dream? Are there walls that have been built that keep you from achieving victory in a relationship?  

The purpose of this post is to encourage you to keep moving forward.  Do not stop.  Do not let anything or anyone steal your dream.  If God gave you that dream and if it is His will He wants you to keep moving forward.  Yes it might be hard.  It might become discouraging but He wants you to remain faith to what He has called you to.

Maybe you are just one brick away, one more shovel full of dirt away, just one more step from reaching your goal, your dream.

As Joshua took over the job of leading Israel into the Promised Land God said, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left so that you may have success wherever you go." Joshua 1: 6-7

One more step, one more brick, just one more shovel full of stuff.  Sure the fulfillment of your dream cannot be seen but if it is of God it will happen if you don't give up!  In Hebrews 11: 1 we are told, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." and in verse 6, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him (God), for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

For those of you who do not have a dream I encourage you to get John Eldredge's book, "Dare to Desire".  On page 39 he says this, "Don't ask yourself what the world needs.  Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs are people who have come alive."  Whatever makes you come alive place it before God.  What makes you come alive has something to do with your dream.  

Don't quit moving forward.  Don't quit now.  If your dream is from God only you can stop it from coming true. Don't quit now you are just one brick, one step, one shovel full away from achieving your God given dream. God is the "Dream Giver."

It Ain't over!

Is Your Dream worth His attention?

Do you have a BIG Dream?  One that seems impossible to achieve?  If so I have some encouragement to share with you.  I was reading in Bruce Wilkinson’s book, “Beyond Jabez” that I want to you to consider and then I am going to challenge you to do something for 30 days.  

From "Beyond Jabez".

Okay, let’s suppose you’re praying and stepping out in faith and the hand of God begins to work in your life. What exactly can you expect to happen? In the Bible we find that God’s hand intervenes in our lives in primarily five ways.

First, the hand of God intervenes to make provision.  

Have you ever found yourself in a predicament where you thought maybe God couldn’t – or wouldn’t – come through with something you needed? Money? People? Basic needs for survival?

This is one of our most common fears. Maybe God isn’t strong enough, or doesn’t care enough, to provide for this size of a problem.

Second, the hand of God intervenes to move the hearts of those in power.

Kings? Presidents? Dictators? Emperors? They’re all under God’s sovereign ruleship. Proverbs 21: 1 assures us, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.”

Third, the hand of God intervenes with His presence.  

In 2 Kings 6 Elisha and his servant found themselves surrounded by a huge, hostile army. Elisha’s servant panicked, but the prophet calmly said, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha looked up to the One who commands the angels and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.”

The Bible says, “Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw: And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6: 15-17).

God came in a special show of His power, in order to remind the servant, I’ll never leave or forsake you.

Fourth, the hand of God intervenes to defend and protect.  

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus was brought before Pilate, but refused to respond to any of the Roman’s questions. Finally the frustrated rulers said, “Do you not know that I have power to crucify you, and power to release you?” 

Listen to Jesus’ answer as He stood there, beaten and bloody: “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.” (John 19: 10-11).

Fifth, the hand of God intervenes to overcome your personal limitations.  

Anytime you face a big task – especially one that seems impossible – you come face-to-face with the reality that you are a limited being. But be careful not to project your inadequacies onto God. Just because you can’t, that doesn’t mean He can’t.

So let’s look at the little prayer found in 1 Chronicles 4: 9-10

9-10 Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, "A painful birth! I bore him in great pain!" Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: "Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don't let evil hurt me." God gave him what he asked. ( The Message )

My Challenge

I challenge you to take the next 30 days and simply ask God to bless you indeed, to give you the land and resources you will need to begin the greenhouse farm, to protect you from financial difficulties and personal protection. Let’s see what God does in those 30 days.

My warning is not to pray this prayer without hope, without conviction, without commitment to doing whatever God reveals that you need to do in the next 30 days and do not pray it without faith that God will answer.

If your dream is of God and it is in His timing then no one and nothing can keep it from coming to pass. God will intervene and bring the backers, the resources, and give you what you need to overcome your own personal limitations so that it can be achieved.  If your dream is His dream it is worth His attention and He will hear your prayer.

If you take this challenge I believe over the next thirty days you will if nothing else receive confirmation that your dream is or is not of God.  

An Evolution of a Dream

When I was younger I had several dreams that I wanted to accomplish. One was to have a second home on the beach in Grenada. I wanted to be able to stay at this home for several months each year. Another part of this dream was to have a sailing yacht and be able to sail the Caribbean when I was down at the beach home. I wanted to earn enough money to decide what I did when I wanted to do it and with whom I wanted to do it with. I do not think there is anything wrong with having a dream like that except that it did not involve helping anyone else except in the context of making more money.

When I thought of these dreams I could almost smell the salt water and hear the waves on the beach. I could almost feel the rocking of the sail
boat as it moved through the Caribbean sea.

For some reason though I could not fully get motivated by these dreams. Something was missing.
I would not discover what that something was until I was in my 50s.

In 1999 my wife, Kat, and I began to attend a different church called the Vineyard Church located in Overland Park, KS. We had just left a church that we had spent over 15 years attending and we were beat up and discouraged. All we wanted to do was go to church each week and worship God and learn more about how He wanted us to live.

Over the next four years a vision of what He wanted for my life began to develop. Here is what I found the above dreams are not bad in themselves nor is a desire to make a great six figure income. What makes them wrong is having a motive to use that money for one's own personal pleasure while ignoring those who are in need. Money is not the root of evil but the love of money is ( 1 Timothy 6: 120 ). I found my dreams were based on making money but I was not achieving them because my heart was not in it.

A vision placed in my heart by God began to grow and I was moving from a purely knowledge based faith to a heart based faith supported by knowledge. I found that my dreams went from having a beach home and a sailing yacht to using the gifts and talents I have been given to help others.

At this point I have not fully achieved my dream but I am moving toward it a step at a time. I have formed a small group that ministers to men, a small group that ministers to couples and this blog called REAL Men RoCK. I do not believe my dream is a destination but a journey and over the remaining years of my life it will change as the Holy Spirit moves my heart.

Here is my vision today: I want to live in the modest home that Kat and I have while I serve others in whatever way God desires for me to. I want to be able to take Kat on a vacation each year to a place where we can be energized for the next year. I want to spend time with my grand kids and my daughter. I want my daughter and sons and grand kids to discover a relationship with Jesus and then grow in their faith. I want to grow old with Kat and die in her arms after living my remaining years serving God by serving others. I want to do these things as I focus on building the following dream found in Matthew 25: 34-36 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'

I have already received salvation through Jesus Christ and that is the greatest blessing one can ever have and it is that blessing that drives me to the dream listed above.

I encourage you to take a long hard look at your motive for the dreams you have. What are they rooted in? Who will they bring glory to? I would be interested in reading about your dream and vision for your life.

Frustrated

I woke this morning feeling frustrated. I am frustrated that I am not working in the field I have a passion for. I am frustrated that it appears many in our country are self focused instead of outward focused. I am frustrated that I have not accomplished my dream.

I feel better. Funny how just expressing my frustrations helped make things better. Here is how I should have done this.

I woke this morning feeling frustrated. I got out of bed and knelt beside my bed and I shared with my Father in Heaven how I am frustrated that I am not working in the field I have a passion for. I shared how I am frustrated that it appears many in our country are self focused instead of outward focused. I shared how I am frustrated that I have not accomplished my dream. I thanked God for listening and ended with the assurance that God is in control. I got up no longer frustrated and went to have my first cup of coffee.

What are you frustrated with? Can you trust God with your frustrations?

Matthew 21:22 (The Message)

21-22But Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Yes—and if you embrace this kingdom life and don't doubt God, you'll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you'll tell, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God."