DREAMING TOGETHER

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“…in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, HOLDING FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE…”

Philippians 2:15b-16a

I remember that summer afternoon in our small Hawaii apartment when God opened my heart to His purpose for Kuna’s and my life. He birthed in our hearts His dream and vision. After getting up from a time of prayer off our well-worn shag carpet, there was only one thing left to do – simply put: to “walk by faith.” From that point, our lives together became “one faith step after the next.” Not too long after that on September 23, 1984, a dream and vision of God’s heart was born: Word of Life Christian Center. That afternoon in that little Honolulu apartment, the Lord said “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20); and the Holy Spirit instantly again said, “and you will do it by Holding forth the Word of Life” (Philippians 2:16a).

Pastor Cesar once said, “An undeniable and remarkable fact is this: we are all a product of a vision that God had of us.” This is what Paul refers to when he says, “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Before God created us and shaped us with His hands, even before He took matter and molded it in the shape of man, He designed us in His heart and mind. YOU ARE THE FRUIT OF GOD’S DREAM.” WOW! Meditate on that: I am, you are, we are, His church is the FRUIT OF GOD’S DREAM. That’s why “Word of Life Christian Center” was born and what it will continue to be, “the dream of the Father’s heart”, through the Lordship of Jesus and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

That is the reason why “His dream” can never ever, ever, ever stand still, become stagnant or obsolete – it’s born of Him. It’s His eternal and everlasting assignment centered on the greatest unconditional, loving and compassionate “Person” to ever walk the planet: Jesus Christ. It is why His story and message must be passionately preached and, thus, why we must “HOLD FORTH THE WORD OF LIFE!”

This dream and vision does not belong to one person or a small group. His vision is for the world; the multitudes! My personal desire and dream is that Word of Life’s reach, by the grace of God, be as wide as Jesus’ arms were when He had His arms spread wide on the Cross of Calvary – embracing all of humanity, welcoming all and answering all who would call upon Him.

This is a season of not only looking back to all the magnificent, marvelous and miraculous things He has done through His yielded people; but it’s also a “launching point” for the great things He will yet do. It is a season of opportunity, expectation and persecution. Persecution?! Yes, persecution is the price of conquest. It’s an attempt to stop your commitment to live a godly lifestyle. This lifestyle is not determined by an existing culture, nor some man-made traditions nor even our personal feelings opinions, wants and preferences – but rather, God’s Word! Paul said, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12) and “…what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me” (2 Timothy 3:11).

The adversary will persecute the church in various ways. Ultimately, it would be to get the church to “take a knee”; to bow down; to compromise. God has called us “to shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). We are in the world, but we are not of the world. We, His church, are called to live pure and holy…godly lives. To live godly is to shine as His light. Light dispels darkness, and darkness and light cannot coexist. Light always overcomes darkness and is never subservient to darkness. Darkness is ALWAYS DOMINATED by light. How much more are we to be as the light of the world, as Jesus said: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).

Another characteristic of light is that it gives clarity and hope. Clarity in times of darkness, and brightness of hope for the great things that are yet to come. That’s how we are to shine for Him in this generation…by holding forth the Word of Life. This is God’s dream. So, let’s launch out with great expectation toward all the opportunities the Lord has placed before us. Let’s celebrate what He has done without forgetting that we are also to be captured by what He is yet to do. Let’s dream together. Let’s press forward by faith, “reaching forward to those things which ahead” of us in Him, knowing that our best is yet to come! Let’s live in Holy Spirit expectation for all that He has promised you, your family and His church.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
God’s dream, born of God is very important. There are times He will work to reignite, restrengthen or redirect His people – for the sake of that dream’s accuracy, clarity or productivity. This is how God spoke through Isaiah to Israel saying, “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; Awake as in the days of old, the generations of long ago…”
(Isaiah 51:9 NASB).

I remember one of the many times God dealt with me concerning His dream for Word of Life. It’s when the Holy Spirit said: “It takes a dream to wake up your faith, but it takes faith to make a dream come true!”

A “shift” began in that season. Honestly, I didn’t really get everything He was intending to do (I had arguments, habits, thoughts, mindsets – and I still had to be renewed to ways of doing things “His way”! Ugh!). The dream that woke up my faith was His dream of the G12 Vision — Jesus’ vision called “The Great Commission.” I now ‘see it’ as: “The Dream of the Father’s Heart.”

So, church, let’s dream together! It’s time to dream BIG! Remember, God’s dream for our lives will far surpass anything we can ever come up with on our own. Let’s not settle for anything else but to embrace, “The Dream of the Father’s Heart.” My prayer is that, “God’s dream” would capture and compel your heart to never settle for a “good enough”, average, mundane, fleshly, so-so, bump along, whatever-will-be-will-be-life. But that you’d press with faith in His grace to see His dream come alive in a greater and more glorious way. Let’s dream together for His glory by winning souls and making disciples. (Pastor Art Sepulveda)

TODAY’S DECLARATION
“My pursuit is to live according to the dream of Your heart.

The dream of the Father’s Heart is alive in me now!
I have been born for such a time as this.
To shine as Your light in my generation
To Hold forth the Word of Life
In You, I am ‘The light of the world, the salt of the earth’

And I choose to live godly for Your glory.
My confidence is by the Greater One that lives in me now.
I can do all things. Therefore, I will fear nothing.
Lord, breathe Your dream into my heart.
Teach me…by Your word.
Lead me…by Your Spirit.
Guide me…for Your glory.
Today…Your dream to win souls and make disciples wakes up my faith and,
Today…My faith works to make Your dream come true.
This I Declare, Believe and Receive
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

TODAY’S BIBLE READING
Our Bible Reading Plan gives 25 daily readings per month. There is no scheduled reading for today. You can use this time to catch up on any readings you may have missed, or read through previous passages again.

DREAMING TOGETHER