Sermon Notes 05-03-09

May 3rd 2009 “The Dream-Buster Giant”
“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel;” Numbers 13:1-2

Points to Ponder: 1st You are what you BELIEVE!

Remember the play: “The Elephant May”—which was released on Oct. 10, 1980? The Plot: A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous facade, there is revealed a person of intelligence and sensitivity. Pastor Phil says: “You are becoming what you believe!”In the movie “South Pacific”—there is a song in there called, “Happy Talk!”
Happy talkie—happy talk! Talk about things you like to do!
If you DON’T HAVE A DREAM, If you DON’T HAVE A DREAM
HOW YOU GONNA HAVE A DREAM COME TRUE?

Moses sent out 12 spies, one representative from each of the 12 tribes of Israel: 10 of them said: Numbers 13:27-28 "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 "Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.”
Sons of Anak are found in Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33; and in Deuteronomy 9:1-5 they are describe as a "nations greater and mightier than Israel" with cities fortified to heaven, a people great and tall of whom it’s been said 'who can stand before the sons of Anak?'"
Needless to say, there are many “Giants” mentioned in the bible: The Nephilim, The Anakim, The Emin, The Rephaim, and The Zamzummin! Just to mention a few of the Giants!
The 10 Spies “Believe” in their hearts that they were defeated before they even started! Numbers 13:31 “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there. 33We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” Their “Dream-Buster” was the fact that they saw themselves as very small compared to the Anaks or people living there!
You are what you BELIEVE!

What is it that you use to daydream about?
I want to be a “Fireman!”
I want to be a “Make-up Artist!”

I’ve always wanted to have my own “Hot-Dog Stand!”I’ve always wanted to be a “Pastor!”
What is it that you’ve always wanted and what was it that stopped you?
IMAGINAITON is a God given ability—
Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Napoleon said, “Imagination rules the world.”
Everybody needs to have a DREAM!

4. Our DREAMS DETERMINE OUR LIVES—Kids have a tremendous capacity for imaginations!(Charlie Brown cartoon)
Linus says, “I’d like to make a lot of money but I’d hate to be a snob. I’ve given this a lot of thought.”
Charlie Brown says: “So what have you decided?”
Linus, “I’ve decided to be a very rich and famous person who doesn’t really care about money and who is very humble but still makes a lot of money and is still very famous but is very humble and rich and famous.”
Charlie Brown says, “Good Luck!”

6. The older we get the greater ability we have to lose our capacity to dream!
“If you DON’T HAVE A DREAM, If you DON’T HAVE A DREAM, HOW YOU GONNA HAVE A DREAM COME TRUE?”

Points to Ponder:
1st You are what you BELIEVE!
2nd Families can Burst Your Dream!

(Pop a balloon) A. Genesis 37:5-11 “Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.6 So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:7 "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf."8 And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me."10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?"a. Joseph was a real big Dreamer!
Joseph was the 10th child born out of 12!
Joseph didn’t care that he was number 10—he said, “One day you’re going to bow down to me and I’m going to rule over everybody.” Right!
Sometimes it’s important to keep a dream to yourself around those who you KNOW aren’t going to be a part of the dream!

b. Some of you have experienced the same reaction with brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers!
“Mom, Dad, I’ve got this great idea!” They say, “Oh, sure, that’s impossible for you!”
They DEFLATE the air out of your DREAM!

c. Jesus had this problem in Mark 6: 1-6 “Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 "Is this not the carpenter’s son, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" And they were offended at Him. 4 But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." 5 Now He could do no mighty work there..”
Jesus couldn’t do any great work in His own home town!
Sometimes—your parents or family members just won’t let you grow up!
Who’s unbelief, in your family, has deflated your dream?

Points to Ponder:
1st You are what you BELIEVE!
2nd Families can Burst Your Dream!
3rd Friends can Burst Your Dream!

A. David says: Psalm1:1-3 “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.”David says:
“Don’t walk with them!” “Blessed is the man Who walks NOT in the counsel of the ungodly,”
“Don’t stand with them!” “Blessed is the man—who doesn’t stands in the path of sinners,”
“Don’t sit with them!” “Blessed is the man—who doesn’t sits in the seat of the scornful;”
DON’T WALK, STAND OR SIT AND PARTAKE OF THEIR NEGATIVE DREAM BUSTING!

(Psychologists have known for years) “We tend to perform at about the same level as the people we hang-out with!”
Chose your friends carefully! “You can’t sore with the eagles if you’re running with the Turkeys!”
Bible says: “He who walks with wise is wise.”

Genesis 37:5-11 “Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.”
“BUT GOD”—Genesis 39:2 says, “the LORD was with Joseph and he was a successful man.” WHEN YOU HAVE GOD YOU CAN STAND UP AGAINST YOUR Family and Friends opinion!
Joseph was sold into slavery and the man: Potiphar who bought him had a wife who had eyes for Joseph—but Joseph had eyes only for the Lord!

Joseph is arrested and thrown into prison and even in prison the Lord was with Joseph: Gen. 39:31” But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”

Joseph—in prison—falsely accused and sold into slavery by his own family—HE COULD HAVE HAD REVENGE ON HIS MIND!

Joseph—interprets the dreams of Pharaoh and is elevated to run the Egyptian kingdom!—because of the interpretation of the dream of Pharaoh—7 years of prosperity and 7 years of famine!
Joseph gets married—Genesis 41:44-46 “44And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I, the king of Egypt, swear that you shall have complete charge over all the land of Egypt.” 45Pharaoh gave him a wife, a girl named Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. So Joseph became famous throughout the land of Egypt. 46He was thirty years old as he entered the service of the king.”

Joseph named his first baby—Manasseh—which means—“GOD HAS MADE ME FORRGET ALL THE EVIL THAT HS BEEN DONE TO ME.!” Genesis 41:51

Joseph had a second child—Genesis 41:52 “And the name of the second he called Ephraim: "For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction!”
Friends and Family did not defer Joseph’s DREAM!
Joseph said:

Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.22Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years 23and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children.”Do you still have a dream?What is Bursting Your Dream?
John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.