How God Builds Your Faith

5 Pentecost, Proper 9

July 5, 2009

Rev. Ken Wratten at St. Stephen’s, San Jose

Six Phases of Faith

Part 2: God’s Dream for You

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(Mark 6:1-13) Jesus came to his hometown, and they took offense at him, and he was amazed at their unbelief. “He could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.” So he left and went to other villa= ges. Jesus’ purpose in healing was not just to make people well, but to de= monstrate his divinity, and to make people of faith.

We are continuing our series on the Six Phases of How God Grows Faith. The fir= st phase is that God has a dream for you.

A friend told me a story last week about someone at his work. This other empl= oyee never takes the initiative in anything; he never comes to work with ideas h= ow to do his job better; he is never excited about anything, never encouraging= to others, never particularly happy. Recently this employee decided he wanted = to spend some time thinking about what he wants to do with his life. So he dec= ided to quit his job to have more time to think about what he might get excited about. Do you think that plan will work?

If you don't have a dream for your life right now, you're just existing. Without feeling connected to God&#= 8217;s plan for you, you will be asking, “Why am I here? Why do I get up in the morning? Why do I go to work? What's the purpose of life?”= Nothing is more important, after yo= u come to personally know Jesus Christ, than to get God's dream for you. This divi= ne plan is the reason you exist, your purpose for living. When you don't have a plan, you ju= st drift through life. It's only= when you discover why God made you and what He wants you to do with your life th= at your life really becomes driven by faith.

Jeremiah 29:11 "`For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, `p= lans to prosper you, not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" God's dream fo= r you is personal -- not just a plan for the world but for you, your life.

How do you discover God's dream for your life?

1. Dedicate all of= your life to God

"Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God dedicated to His service. Do not conform to the standards of= this world, but let God transform you. Then you will be able to know the will of God, what is good and plea= sing and perfect." Romans 12:= 1,2

Scripture says we discover God’s will by offering ourselves; in fact, by offering every part of ourselves; our time, tale= nts, treasures, relationships, our past, present, and future. This is more about making God the = Center of your life, than giving God number one rank in your life.

Paul says "Do not conform to the standards of this world. Most people miss God's dream because they're not looking at God, but at what everybody else = is doing. If you try to imitate somebody, you're going to be a carbon copy of that person instead of being = the unique person God made you to be. Dedicate yourself to God and don't worry about being like everybody else.

Heb. 12:1 "Let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back. Let us run with patience the parti= cular race that God has set before us."&nbs= p; God has a particular life course for you to run. The Bible tells you to focus on that and set everything else aside. There may be friendships that are pulling you down because they have goals that are counter to the goals God has for your life. Think about whether that is happen= ing.

2. Reserve Time Al= one With God

You have to be quiet in order to hear God speak. Job 37:14 "Job, pause a moment and listen. Consider the wonderful things God does." God wa= nts to spend time with you.

Have you ever taken an entire day and done nothing but be alone with God? Talking to God in prayer; letting = God talk to you through the Bible. Relax. Think. Write down the thoughts He puts in= your mind. Set some goals. Look through your schedule. Spend the day saying, "God, w= here do You want me to go? What direction do you want me moving in?"&= nbsp; Maybe you think you don't have time for this. So you don't have time to try to f= igure out why you're here on earth? Try it once, and see what happens. I dare you.

3. Evaluate your abilities

If you want to know God's dream for you, look at what you're good at. Why would God give you certain gif= ts, abilities and talents and not expect you to use them? When you seriously look at your abilities, you can get direction in where you should go with your life. What are you good at? What do you love to do? What do people affirm in you? How can God use those abilities fo= r His kingdom?

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's han= diwork, to devote ourselves to the good deeds for which God has designed us."<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> You are God's handiwork. You are a work of art. You are unique. There is nobody like you. But there's more to life than just= being unique. God wants you to be u= nique and effective. God designed a= roll for you in life. He gave you = certain gifts, abilities, and talents. And he has allowed you to go through certain experiences -- some good and some painful. And God will to brin= g all of these things together because He wants something done in the world that = will take that kind of person to do it. And that's why you've gone through all that you've gone through.

I Peter says, "God has given each of you some special abilities. Be sure to use them to help each other." We are saved to serve. It's called having a ministry. Life is about using= your talents and gifts to help other people.&nb= sp; Fulfillment means being what God meant for you to be.

Check with people you trust, and who know you well. Ask them to honestly help you evaluate your gifts. “I think I’m good at teaching”, or “I think I’m good at calming and comforting people”, or “I think I’m good at writing”, or sewing, or hospitality,= or designing, or building, or repairing. Evaluate what abilities God has given you.

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4. Associate with = other Godly dreamers

Hang out with people who are also trying to discover God's dream for their life. If you want to get God's dream, you want to get around Godly dreamers. It's caught, not taught. It's contagious. At every Vestry meeting here, we a= sk God to guide us in His Dream for SS.

This is why it is important to be in a church family. You come to know Jesus Christ and = then you get into a church family. If you want to know God's dream for your life start hanging around these other= people who are saying, "I want to do whatever God wants me to do."<= /o:p>

"As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend."

If you want to soar with the eagles, you can't run with the turkeys. If you want to break out of a rut,= some of you need to change your friends. My best boyhood friend was Randy Smith. But in high school I had to decide not to be friends anymore. He skipped school, he drank, and he got in fights every weekend. I knew that I wanted a different direction for my lif= e. I changed friends.

5. Make your dream public

There are three effects of publicly stating your dream:

1. It gets you started. T= here is no more procrastination. N= ow that you've announced it, you're accountable to try and you have to get mov= ing.

2. It attracts other people's support.= The moment I stated my dream other people wanted to get in on it. A dream from God will attract people you don't even know yet that will help.<= o:p>

3. It releases God's power. Because of your faith, you've stepped out of the boat and started walking on water and God holds you up.&nbs= p;

"What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we h= ope for is waiting for us even though we cannot see it up ahead." Hebrews = 11:1

So the first phase of faith is a dream. This doesn’t mean to just think something up. It means seriously asking God to r= eveal His dream for you.

Acts 20 "I reckon my own life worth nothing to me in order that I may compl= ete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do."

What is your dream? Dedicate yours= elf to the plan God has for you. Reserve time to listen for God. Evaluate the abilities and passions and experiences God has used to form you. Associate = with people who can confirm your dream, and who have their own dreams to fulfill God’s plan. And make your plan known publically, out loud, where you = can get support and encouragement.

Being this engaged in God’s dr= eam for you will make your faith grow<= /b>.

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Amen.