When we walk with God and seek His will for our lives, is it still ok to have hopes and dreams? How can we dream big while also asking God to order our steps. 🤔 Let's discuss.
[00:00:00] When we walk with God and seek His will in our lives, is it still okay to have hopes and dreams?
[00:00:07] How can we dream big while also asking God to order our steps?
[00:00:15] Let's discuss.
[00:00:24] Welcome to the Walking in Step with God podcast.
[00:00:28] Here we empower you to walk boldly with God.
[00:00:31] Visit our website at walkinginstepwithgod.org for resources, videos of our messages,
[00:00:38] and more information about our ministry.
[00:00:40] Once again, that website is walkinginstepwithgod.org.
[00:00:47] Hello, welcome to Walking in Step with God.
[00:00:49] I'm Steve McDonald.
[00:00:51] Today we explore the topic, Dream Big, as we wrap up our series, Living a Courageous Life.
[00:00:57] Over the course of this series, we have explored a variety of topics that are part of living life boldly
[00:01:04] and courageously in our walk with God.
[00:01:07] We have learned time and time again that with God, we can achieve things that would never be possible on our own.
[00:01:16] Today I would like to explore how we can pursue our hopes and dreams even as we walk with God.
[00:01:23] I've often mentioned the importance of seeking out God's will for your life,
[00:01:28] but this does not mean we cannot have our own hopes and dreams.
[00:01:34] Today I want to explore the idea that we can have hopes and dreams and we can dream big as we walk with God.
[00:01:45] Let's discuss three ways to dream big in our walk with God.
[00:01:49] Let's learn how we can align the greatest desires of our hearts with God's will for our lives and His perfected plans.
[00:02:00] Before we dive in, let's take a short break.
[00:02:04] I'll be right back.
[00:02:08] Have you been yearning for a deeper relationship with God, especially in the unusual times we're in?
[00:02:14] Here's your sign that your desires are being answered.
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[00:02:26] Filled with inspiring messages, this book is written to ignite your thinking and illuminate the path toward a rich, intimate relationship with God.
[00:02:36] The special edition delves deeper and includes scriptures, reflective prompts, and space to journal your thoughts.
[00:02:45] Visit www.100stepsbook.com to order your copy of the standard or special edition today and strengthen your bond with the Creator.
[00:02:57] Again, that's 100stepsbook.com.
[00:03:00] 100stepsbook.com.
[00:03:02] Welcome back.
[00:03:04] Let's continue in our discussion of three ways to dream big even as we walk with God and seek His will for our lives.
[00:03:14] Number one, align with God's purpose for your life.
[00:03:21] One of the ways we can pursue our dreams is to reflect on how we show up in the world and God's purpose for our lives.
[00:03:30] Finding our purpose is a journey that can take place over many months, years, or even decades.
[00:03:38] I can honestly say that I believe I am still discovering my purpose.
[00:03:44] We can ask God to lead and guide us to our purpose for our lives.
[00:03:48] I believe the more we surrender and yield to Him, the sooner we will learn of our purpose and gifts God has planted within us.
[00:03:59] If you are unsure about your purpose, reflect on your strengths and skills.
[00:04:06] What would you say is unique about you?
[00:04:09] What types of activities give you great joy?
[00:04:12] What are the ways that you interact with others in your community?
[00:04:17] It is likely that your dreams involve utilizing strengths that God has planted within you.
[00:04:23] Ask God to provide you with clarity and understanding of the gifts He has provided to you and the purpose that He has in store for you.
[00:04:34] Seek out ways to align your dreams with His purpose for you and prepare to be amazed.
[00:04:43] Number 2. Dream boldly and trust God.
[00:04:48] One of the most common themes I have spoken across many messages is to seek out God's will for your life.
[00:04:56] I have shared that God and only God knows the perfected plans for you.
[00:05:00] While I stand by this, I also want to share with you today that seeking out God's will for your life does not mean that you cannot have or should not have your own desires and dreams.
[00:05:14] God wants us to dream boldly and seek out things in life that we truly desire.
[00:05:21] That being said, I believe that the angle we should pursue is one where we can dream big but maintain a willingness to yield to God's will for us.
[00:05:32] I believe that the biggest dreams we can think of will pale in comparison to God's perfect plan for us.
[00:05:40] Of course, our dreams may have very different objectives and goals than God's plans.
[00:05:47] But I also believe that God is willing to help us achieve the goals and dreams that we desire that align with His will.
[00:05:56] I believe the best thing we can do is dream boldly but always maintain a posture that yields to God's will.
[00:06:04] We can present our dreams to God, but in that request, we can be sincere in asking Him to help us achieve our goals only if they align with His plans for us.
[00:06:20] Number three, embrace the journey.
[00:06:25] Life is a journey.
[00:06:26] Life is a journey.
[00:06:26] And our walk with God is no different.
[00:06:29] Often, our hopes and dreams are goals that can only take place over time.
[00:06:34] We learn, we grow, and we adapt as we seek out our dreams.
[00:06:39] Our walk with God is also a process of learning, growing, and adapting.
[00:06:45] As we grow closer to God, we find ourselves letting go of things in our world that are not aligned with God.
[00:06:53] One of the things we learn as we grow closer to God is the importance of seeking out God's will.
[00:06:58] In seeking out God's will, we will learn, one day at a time, of the importance of trusting God.
[00:07:06] Trusting God is a journey in and of itself.
[00:07:09] Trusting God with our dreams requires a posture of faith.
[00:07:13] We must trust that God knows best over our own knowledge and wisdom.
[00:07:19] Dreaming big and dreaming boldly truly requires an embrace of the journey to seek out God's will.
[00:07:26] Seeking God's will and guidance day by day in prayer and looking for signs that He is leading and guiding us is an exercise of patience and trust.
[00:07:38] If we truly seek to be on a path where we can pursue our dreams, let us also embrace the journey to walk with God, trusting His guidance, step by step, day by day.
[00:08:02] In today's episode, we explored three ways we can dream big, even as we walk with God.
[00:08:09] We learned of the importance of seeking out our purpose in life and aligning it with our dreams.
[00:08:15] God has planted gifts in all of us to prepare us for our purpose in life.
[00:08:20] The sooner we find our purpose, the sooner we can find ways that align that purpose with our hopes and dreams.
[00:08:28] We discussed the idea that we must not be afraid to dream boldly, but to have faith and trust in God in the process.
[00:08:36] We can and should have dreams, but let's not forget that God always knows best.
[00:08:42] Let us find a posture that shares our desires, hopes, and dreams with God, but does so in such a way that places trust in God's wisdom above our own, yielding to God's plans above our own plans.
[00:08:58] Lastly, we discussed the idea that it is important to embrace the journey of seeking out our dreams.
[00:09:06] Achieving our goals and dreams is rarely something that can occur overnight.
[00:09:10] We can align our journey and walk with God with a posture of patience.
[00:09:15] We can continuously seek out God's instruction and guidance through petition and prayer.
[00:09:22] God truly desires us to dream big and seek out our dreams.
[00:09:26] The world has a way of presenting dreams filled with material things, wealth, fame, and power.
[00:09:34] But we should keep our eyes on God to learn of the ways that our dreams can be aligned with his plans for us.
[00:09:41] We can place our trust first and foremost with the one who knows us better than we know ourselves.
[00:09:49] We can dream big, hand in hand, with God's will.
[00:09:57] Let's close out in prayer.
[00:09:59] Dear Lord God, we come before you today thankful of this message.
[00:10:02] Thank you for the wisdom that you have bestowed upon us.
[00:10:05] Thankful for the series, Lord, in helping us learn that we can live life courageously and boldly if we walk hand in hand with you.
[00:10:15] Today, we discussed the idea that we can dream big, that we need not feel like we need to completely surrender our hopes and dreams to still be able to serve you and to follow your will.
[00:10:26] We learned today that we can come to you, Father, with our hopes and dreams, with our biggest hopes and dreams.
[00:10:34] But let us be mindful that you know best.
[00:10:36] You know us best.
[00:10:37] You know the gifts that have been planted within us.
[00:10:39] You know the best path for us in life.
[00:10:43] So we may not know there.
[00:10:44] Well, we certainly do not know everything there is to know.
[00:10:48] So we lean on you, Lord, to lead and guide in order of steps that as we present our hopes and dreams to you and we dream big with you, that you can orchestrate a path that certainly aligns with your will first and foremost, but allows us to also be able to pursue our dreams.
[00:11:06] And if there are dreams in our heart, Lord, that also align with your will, please align us for them and please prepare us for them and equip us for them so that we can continue to serve you and seek our dreams as well.
[00:11:20] We pray this trusting and believing in you.
[00:11:22] Amen.
[00:11:39] Are you interested in learning more about the sources guiding this message?
[00:11:43] I invite you to stay tuned after the break for our Going Deeper with the Word segment.
[00:11:47] Here we examine how God's Word provides clear guidance and direction about dreaming big.
[00:11:54] If you are catching this episode on YouTube or in our Facebook group, please be sure to click that like button and also be sure to leave your comments about today's message and dreaming big.
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[00:12:13] I'll be right back.
[00:12:16] Thank you.
[00:12:16] Some messages just hit differently.
[00:12:18] And if this message has touched your heart and you want to experience it again, you can watch the video online at walkingandstepwithgod.org slash messages.
[00:12:28] God bless you.
[00:12:29] Thank you.
[00:12:58] Thank you.
[00:12:59] You can also share more about these opportunities to get involved by visiting walkingandstepwithgod.org slash get involved.
[00:13:07] Welcome to Going Deeper with the Word.
[00:13:10] In this segment, we welcome people of all backgrounds, religious or not, to review the Word of God.
[00:13:17] The Word of God provides guidance, direction and instructions for living our lives and walking with God.
[00:13:23] Today we examine how God's Word provides clear guidance and direction about dreaming big.
[00:13:29] Let's review examples of God's Word that can lead and guide our steps and back up the principles we learned in today's message.
[00:13:38] I'll be reading scripture today from the Amplified Bible.
[00:13:42] If you're watching this message online, we invite you to share your comments as we review each verse.
[00:13:50] Here's our first verse.
[00:13:53] Romans 8, verse 28.
[00:13:57] And we know that God causes all things to work together, for good, for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
[00:14:10] In this verse, we are reminded of the importance of seeking out God's purpose in our lives.
[00:14:16] We learn that if we love God and seek out His purpose for us, God will cause things to work together for His plans.
[00:14:23] As we touched on today, seeking out God's purpose does not suggest that we abandon our hopes and dreams.
[00:14:31] Instead, let's bring our hopes and dreams before God, but ask Him to prioritize revealing His purpose for us.
[00:14:41] God's purpose may lead us on a journey that differs from our dreams.
[00:14:45] However, this path will likely be in harmony with the unique gifts that God has planted within us.
[00:14:53] By embracing these gifts, we can find joy and fulfillment as if we had achieved our own original dreams.
[00:15:02] Have you been led to a purpose in life that you did not expect?
[00:15:06] What are the gifts that you know are planted within you that strengthen your purpose in life?
[00:15:12] Let us know in the comments.
[00:15:15] Let's have a look at another verse.
[00:15:18] Proverbs 19, verse 21
[00:15:22] Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand.
[00:15:27] In other words, be carried out.
[00:15:30] Here is another verse that touches on the importance of seeking out God's purpose for our lives.
[00:15:35] It reveals that we can plan, but we should primarily focus on seeking out and carrying out God's plan.
[00:15:43] Often, we may find ourselves pursuing a plan without seeking out God's will for that plan.
[00:15:49] Before we get knee-deep into our plan, we should consult with God beforehand.
[00:15:55] Have you ever had a goal or dream that you spent hours, days, or even more to organize and plan?
[00:16:03] Did you consult with God when you pursued the plan?
[00:16:07] If not, why not?
[00:16:09] If yes, how do you think God's presence was made known in your plans?
[00:16:16] Let's look at one last verse.
[00:16:19] Matthew 13, verse 23
[00:16:21] And the one on whom sin was sown on the good soil,
[00:16:27] this is the one who hears the word and understands and grasps it.
[00:16:32] He indeed bears fruit and yields,
[00:16:35] some a hundred times,
[00:16:37] some sixty,
[00:16:39] and some thirty.
[00:16:42] In this verse,
[00:16:44] Jesus Christ shares a parable
[00:16:45] referring to those who understand the importance of following and adhering to God's word.
[00:16:51] He explains that not only do these individuals bear fruit from their actions,
[00:16:56] but he goes on to explain the exponential potential of simply seeking out God's instructions.
[00:17:03] In the same way, we can infer that seeking out God's plans,
[00:17:07] even amidst the dreams and goals we may have in our hearts,
[00:17:10] may yield an outcome that is exponentially more than we could have ever achieved on our own.
[00:17:18] Have you had a situation,
[00:17:20] and when you recognize,
[00:17:22] following God's will and plans benefited you exponentially more
[00:17:26] than if you had followed your original plan without including God?
[00:17:32] Thank you for your time in reviewing these verses with me today.
[00:17:36] Please be sure to share in the comments how these or other examples of God's word
[00:17:41] have helped you learn how to dream big.
[00:17:46] Thank you for the opportunity to share encouragement.
[00:17:49] Here at Walking in Step with God,
[00:17:51] we truly appreciate your support.
[00:17:53] We are fully committed to Christ and the community.
[00:17:57] We invite you to join us in fellowship and to seek opportunities for fellowship
[00:18:01] in your local community as well.
[00:18:05] Have an amazing week,
[00:18:06] and we will catch you next time.
[00:18:09] Bless you.
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[00:18:22] to help others walk boldly with God.
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