Visions and Dreams – Getting a God View of You

September 21, 2008 Meeting Notes

They say that a person’s philosophy of life is formed before they reach the age of ten years old. Most of us by then will have developed patterns in our thinking that dictate our self-confidence, willingness to take risks, co-dependency needs, self-image and the overall limit to how successful we will allow ourselves to be.

Children who are encouraged and given positive affirmation tend to do better. Those who were given responsibility and recognition tend to have higher self-confidence levels. Children who were exposed to parental love with consistency tend to have more self-worth, while others may have stronger co-dependence needs.

With many patterns in place already by the time we reach our teen years, we tend to amplify those patterns by our choices and the responses the choices produce. The best students work harder to stay in front as the best students. Kids where the home life tends to have inconsistent love shown to them sometimes gravitate to quicker and sometimes destructive relationships in a quest to be loved. Children from homes with genuine Christian backgrounds tend to have stronger morale boundaries, and often, greater inner peace.

These patterns also form the barriers that limit our future success. If our parents worked blue-collar jobs, we gravitate in that direction. If they promoted college the children tend to get more education and gravitate towards white-collar jobs. If the family was lower middle class or upper middle class or had issues with over-eating or drinking or interacted abusively with each other, the patterns permeate our life-view and we begin to see ourselves in a modified version of what we grew up with. We desire to do better certainly, but typically not striving to move more than a notch or two up from where our parents were when we were growing up.

The phrase that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer is usually used to depict the injustices of government taxation, or the bias associated with corporate opportunities. It is an accurate statement, but the dominant problem is not the government or the job market. The greatest reason is the patterns we’ve embraced, that have created the chains which bind us, or the wings that lift us.

So how does God see you? The scriptures indicate that He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). He desires good for us and not evil. He is a loving father who gives good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11). He tells we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). Nothing is impossible for those who believe and place their trust in Him (Matthew 17:20 and Luke 1:37). Christ paid the price for all of us to have salvation, a sound mind, and a healed and healthy body when He was crucified on the cross of Calvary, died and rose on the third day, sitting at the right hand of God the Father as our intercessor (Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24 and Mark 16:19)!

These are bold statements and promises. We boldly accept our salvation through faith. Why do we have more trouble with the other promises? Why do we not see what God sees? Is it sin awareness? Then repent and know that He will forgive us as many times as necessary! Is it lack of understanding of what He wants for us? Then pray and move forward, setting some goals, continuing to pray and allowing Him to steer your course.

We need to see ourselves as His children, who have access to all of His promises. We need to see ourselves as God sees us. He sees you washed in the blood of His Son. He sees you able to do all things. He sees you as an extension of Him, willing and able to reach out and love others, fulfilling the Great Commission, and prospering because you are related, through a blood covenant, to the Creator of the Universe. Nothing is impossible for you.

For most of us, our view and God’s view are very different. They shouldn’t be. He wants you to be successful. He wants you to be fulfilled and loved and loving, and prosperous enough to do anything He wants you to.

You are beautiful, and caring, and very special. You have great gifts poured into you that you’ve may have begun to utilize. You have a treasure-house in heaven that is open to you to make withdrawals that you just need to ask for. You have the wisdom of God behind you to guide your decisions and order your steps. In Him, you can do anything!

This is the truth, though it may not yet be your reality. To see it manifest in your life requires change in how you listen to His voice, and manage your life choices. Before that can happen, you must change how you see yourself. You have to change how you think.

How big is your God? How wonderful are your dreams? Walt Disney said “If you can dream it, you can do it.” We need to dream dreams, and envision how life could be years from now. Health, prosperity, joy, strong loving relationships, wisdom, social status, great philanthropy should be part of your future.

Are you ready to embark on the greatest journey in your life? Let’s begin the journey down a path that will open your eyes to who you really are, and find out where the long road of life can take you; a path that will be difficult at times and require changes in choices and habits, but if you decide to move ahead, you will never be the same.

Homework
Read through the handout on Visions and Dreams and follow the instructions to imagine what God could do with your willing life over 20 years, and write it down.

Review of Survey Audio

Visions and Dreams - God's View of You Audio

Visions and Dreams - Homework Discussion