1 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdeik. I'm the pastor of Elevation 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: This is a scripture in Genesis chapter thirty seven, verse 7 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:25,959 Speaker 1: five that has in it so much so many of 8 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: you who know the story of the biblical character Joseph 9 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: will be tempted to fast forward again to the end 10 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: of the story, and I will challenge you not to, 11 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: because this is where the sermon starts today in Genesis 12 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: thirty seven, verse five. For a few weeks out of 13 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: every year, I plan my teaching to be independent of 14 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,200 Speaker 1: a series. A lot of times I teach around one theme, 15 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:49,919 Speaker 1: but then I clear parts of the calendar intentionally. I've 16 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: learned to do this now in thirteen years of pastoring, 17 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: that you just need to leave a little room for 18 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: some things that have been in your heart. This particular message. 19 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: I was able to share some of the content with 20 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: our staff last year and really been waiting for an 21 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: opportunity to share it with you, and so I'm very 22 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: excited about it today. But just one verse to get 23 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: us started. In Genesis, chapter thirty seven, verse five, the 24 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: Bible says Joseph had a dream and when he told 25 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 1: it to his brothers, they hated him all the more 26 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: so for everybody who's thinking that when you get a 27 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: good idea, everybody's going to go fund you, they're not, 28 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: and that everybody's going to support you. And understand you 29 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: don't expect that because this message. I want to speak 30 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: to you about your dreams today, the dreams God has 31 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 1: put in your heart, but I want to talk about 32 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: it from an unusual subject heading called the danger of 33 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: a dream. And this message comes with a warning label. 34 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: If you like your nice, little comfortable version of the 35 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: way life is supposed to be, slip out now click off, 36 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: now watch a ted talk. But this message is for 37 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: somebody who has a God given dream or you're starting 38 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: sense it, and I just pray. In fact, let's pray 39 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: right now. Lord, open our hearts to receive what you 40 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: say and then give us the courage to obey it. 41 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: That's our prayer in Jesus' name. Amen, you may be seated. 42 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: I wonder a lot of the time what my kids 43 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: will remember about their childhood, and I'm scared they'll remember 44 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: all the scenes I want them to delete. It seems 45 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: like they remember the times I got mad more than 46 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: the times I bought them stuff, and I don't like it. 47 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: But I would say that some of the things that 48 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: stand out to me about my childhood, particularly my teenage years, 49 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: are some of the more random incidents. One thing that 50 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 1: I remember from my childhood, and my mom remembers it 51 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: a little differently than I do, but she's out of 52 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: town today, so I can tell the story the way 53 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 1: I want to tell it is when I was auditioning 54 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: for this band. I't bore you with the long story, 55 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: but my dream from age seventeen on was to be 56 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: a pastor. But before that, I wanted to be a 57 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: punk rocker, and I almost had the chance because I 58 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 1: was at the North Charleston Coliseum. Have I told you 59 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: the story? Robert best story ever? Green Day was playing 60 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: at the North Charleston Coliseum and Billy Joe Armstrong called 61 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: me up on stage and gave me his guitar to 62 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: play a guitar solo. And it was something he had 63 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: been doing every night on tour. He was looking for 64 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: the most talented kid in the room, which that night 65 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: was me, or just whatever kid looked the most excited, 66 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: or whatever the case was, and he put his finder 67 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: stratocaster around my neck. True story. I'm fifteen years old 68 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: and I played the guitar solo for a three chord 69 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: song called Knowledge by the band Operation Ivy. I still 70 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: remember how the song went, but I'm not going to 71 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: sing it for you right now because of a waste 72 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: of time. We need to get back to Genesis thirty seven. 73 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: But what that set off was kind of like a 74 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: chain of events where I became a lot more popular 75 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: in school, and I was so excited. The next morning, 76 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: I woke up and I was listening to the radio 77 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: and the DJ his name was the Critic, was talking 78 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,559 Speaker 1: about the Green Day Show. And I was getting ready 79 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 1: for school listening to the radio, still excited. Only slept 80 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: about an hour, excited to get to school, excited to 81 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: be like how you like me now to all the 82 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: girls who didn't pay me attention the day before. And 83 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: he goes, oh, he said the Green Day Show last night. 84 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: He said it wasn't a very great show, but there 85 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: was one part. He said, there was a kid who 86 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: got up on stage and ripped on guitar. He was 87 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: the highlight of the show. He stole the show. His words, 88 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 1: not mine. I'm very humble. I would not say it 89 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: that way, but that's the way he said it. That's 90 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: the way the critics said it. And so I called in. 91 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: I called the radio station. I was like, you got 92 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: to put me through. That's me, he's talking about. I'm 93 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: about to go to school right now. I got to 94 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 1: leave in like five minutes. My mom's waiting for me. 95 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: But that was me he was talking about on stage 96 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: that played guitar. Put me through to the critic, and 97 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: they put me through to the critic and I said, Hey, 98 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 1: that was me you're talking about. He said, well, hey, kid, 99 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: bring your demo tape by because I told my how 100 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: a band, and he was like, bring your demo tape 101 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: by and we'll play it on the air. We didn't 102 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 1: have a demo tape, but that's all right because we 103 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: eventually saved three hundred dollars made a demo tape. I 104 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: took it to the critic. He played it on the air, 105 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: and when I was leaving, this is several months later, 106 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 1: he said, by the way, I am putting together a band. 107 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: It'd be kind of cool to have a fifteen year 108 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: old kid in the band. So if you want to 109 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: audition for it, you learn these songs and you can 110 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: audition from my band. Well, I thought that'd be amazing 111 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 1: because we'd be playing at the Music Farm and we'd 112 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 1: be playing all around truston South Carolina, and that'd be 113 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: pretty cool gig for a fifteen year old. So I 114 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: locked myself in the room. I start learning all the 115 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: songs on the tape. A tape A tape is and 116 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: my mom walks in one night. This this is all 117 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say about this, because I promise, I know 118 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 1: you didn't come to hear me talk about my nostalgic 119 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: fifteen year old memories, but come out of dream. My 120 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 1: mom walks in, picks up the tape, and all of 121 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: the songs on the tape had cusswords in the title. 122 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: And then even the name of the band had a 123 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,279 Speaker 1: cussword in the name of the band. And Buck's laughing 124 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: because the name of the band is so inappropriate. I 125 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 1: can't say it in church, I can't even allude to 126 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: it in church. But that was the band I was 127 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 1: auditioning for and my mom, who was a Methodist minister's daughter, 128 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: had old fashioned monkst corner values, and she's like, what 129 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: is this. I'm like, this is a band I'm auditioning before. 130 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: And she said, if you think I'm going to let 131 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 1: you go audition for this band, you've lost your mind. 132 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: If you think I'm gonna let you audition for a 133 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,919 Speaker 1: band called the Beads, then you've lost your mind, to 134 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 1: which I said, then I'll run away from home. You 135 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 1: will not stand in the way of my dream, right 136 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: because a dream will make you bold. And we never 137 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: got to find out whether or not I would have 138 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: had the courage to pack it all up and head 139 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: out on the mean streets a monk's corner on my 140 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 1: own to chase my dream, because I auditioned for the 141 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: band and I didn't make it. But the point of 142 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: the story that I'm trying to tell you is this 143 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: that a lot of times the dream we start out with, 144 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: the dream that we think we see in one stage 145 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: of our life, will show up later in our life 146 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: in a different dimension, and it will be such a 147 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: different dimension that we will not even recognize the dream 148 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: as the original dream. The Bible says that when Joseph 149 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: was seventeen years old, he had a dream and his 150 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: brothers hated him all the more for it. That phrase 151 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: all the more lets me know that Joseph's brothers already 152 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: didn't like him, And we can argue if we if 153 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: we want to, about whether Joseph was wise to share 154 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: with his brothers the content of his dream. There is 155 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:10,679 Speaker 1: such a thing as talking too much, posting too much. 156 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: There is such a thing as sharing too much. There 157 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: is such a thing as thinking that everybody else wants 158 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: to hear what God has put on your heart. But 159 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: one thing that we can conclude from the text, even 160 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 1: from a biological perspective, is that Joseph was different. And 161 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: one thing I've noticed about having a dream is that 162 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:36,319 Speaker 1: a dream makes you different. Joseph was different from his brothers, 163 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: not only in his aspirations, but he was from a 164 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: different mother. They shared the same father, Jacob, and if 165 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: I listed their names, you might recognize a few of them. 166 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: They were the patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. But 167 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: Joseph didn't come through the same mom that his brothers 168 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: came through. He was the son of Rachel, the pretty 169 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: one that his dad really liked and when Joseph saw 170 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 1: that Rachel his favorite wife, Holley, you're my favorite wife, 171 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: by the way, I want to put that in this message, 172 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: had given him a son. He liked him, he liked 173 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,719 Speaker 1: him extra special, and he treated him special, and he 174 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: felt differently about Joseph than the other boys. To the 175 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: point I don't know if you've if you've read the 176 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: story lately, but you remember he bought him a Gucci 177 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: coat and and Joseph's always wearing it around all the time. 178 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: He's like, you like my coat, And his brothers are like, 179 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: we hate your coat. You like you like my coat? 180 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: You like my coat? You know, They're like, we we 181 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 1: hate we we hate you. We we hate you because 182 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: you're different. Okay, Now, I have a teenage son right now, 183 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: and one of the things that I'm trying to work 184 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: out with him in real time is that people accept 185 00:09:56,440 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: what is the same, but they respect what is different. 186 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: People eventually come around and respect what stands out. But 187 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,680 Speaker 1: what happens to most of us is that the moment 188 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: we start to realize the differences between us and other people, 189 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: we downplay our distinctives in order to fit in and 190 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: conform with culture. One thing I'm proud about when I 191 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 1: read about Joseph. And I know it's weird to say 192 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: that I'm proud of Joseph like he cares, but I'm 193 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: proud that he had the courage to wear his coat anyway, 194 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. It may have been unwise, 195 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 1: but I'm proud of him that he was not afraid 196 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: to show up in the room looking different because he 197 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: was clothed with the fabric of the favor of his father. 198 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 1: And I wonder, are you courageous enough to wear your coat, 199 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: because a lot of times, what I've found is that 200 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: God will begin to show you things about yourself, about 201 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: your life, about your calling, about your direction, about what 202 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: He's put inside of you, about the gifts He's given you. 203 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 1: But someone will, someone will actually beat the distinctive out 204 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: of you if you don't know clearly enough that I 205 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: have a calling from God, who is greater than people, 206 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 1: and if he is for me, who can be a 207 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: gifst me? Touch somebody next to you and say I'm 208 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: gonna wear my coat even if people criticize me for it. 209 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 1: I'm not ashamed to walk in the love and the 210 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 1: favor of God. Oh we need some Christians who don't 211 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: check their coat at the door of culture, who are 212 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 1: unashamed to be optimistic about the future because you know 213 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: God is already there, if He is the author and 214 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: the finisher of your faith. You see what I'm saying. 215 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 1: A dream will make you different, and it takes courage 216 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: to be different. It takes courage to speak different. If 217 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: you get a hold of a dream, or better said, 218 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 1: if a dream gets hold of you from the throne 219 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 1: of God, it'll make you walk different, talk different, think different, 220 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 1: eat different, drink different, party different, text different. It'll make 221 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 1: you different. Dream will make you different. And I'm glad 222 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: that Joseph had the courage to be different, and I 223 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: wonder do we have the courage to be different. The 224 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 1: weird thing about our church is that a lot of 225 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: times people will be attracted to our church because it's different, 226 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: and then when they get to the church, they start 227 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,440 Speaker 1: trying to tell us how we need to make it 228 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: like the church that they left to come to the 229 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: church that was different. I don't want to say amen 230 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 1: to the preacher today. It's the truest thing, Like you're 231 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:11,559 Speaker 1: attracted to something because it's different, and they even say 232 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: it's a marriage that before marriage, opposites attracted and then 233 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 1: opposites attacked. Because you're attracted to what's different, you're drawn 234 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 1: to what's different, not at first, at first you fear it. 235 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: That's why they had to take the Old Town Road 236 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: off of the Billboard charts on country music because it 237 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,439 Speaker 1: was too different. They couldn't they couldn't find a category 238 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: for it, and they said, it's not country enough, but 239 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 1: it's not rap enough, and we don't know what it is. 240 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 1: It's different. That's why they crucify Jesus. You know, you 241 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: don't have many preachers. They can put a little Nasacs 242 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: and Jesus in the same paragraph. But he was so different, 243 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: we don't know what to do with him. He's grace 244 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 1: and truth. He's different. Somebody shot him different. And I 245 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: don't mean different in style. I mean different in substance. 246 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 1: I don't mean different just for the sake of difference, 247 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 1: because that's frankly kind of annoying. And there's always a temptation, 248 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 1: you know, I've noticed that some people just want to 249 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: be different, just to be different. But there's nothing different 250 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 1: about being different. To be different, there's something about being 251 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: different because you have a different set of values and 252 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: a different dream. See, I don't just dream of making 253 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 1: it through the day. I don't just dream of surviving 254 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: my life. I don't just dream. When you get a dream, 255 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: it'll make you different. You'll start sacrificing, and people will 256 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: think you're crazy because of what you sacrifice. Even if 257 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: you go on a diet because you have a dream 258 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: to lose twenty pounds, the first thing that everybody around 259 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: you is going to say is you're not fine anymore. 260 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: You used to meet someone's fine. You used to just 261 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: eat all the time in where you ain't change where 262 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: are you now. Don't let the fact that they don't 263 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: have the discipline to eat something different cause you to 264 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: give up on the goal that you set. That's real 265 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 1: for your life. And if it's true with the diet, 266 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: it's much more true with destiny. I wonder have you 267 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: been dumbing down yourself because to be different is too painful, 268 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: And if you're not careful, you will be conformed to 269 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: the patterns of this world, rather than being transformed by 270 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: the renewing of your mind. Christians are supposed to see different, 271 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 1: think different, understand different. It's a different perspective. I always 272 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: thought that Joseph's life was a story about perseverance. You know, 273 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: Joseph had a dream when he was young, and then 274 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: he had to go through a lot of things, but 275 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 1: you know, don't give up because eventually you will achieve 276 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: your dream. Yet, that is a cultural understanding of dreams, 277 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: not a Christian understanding of dreams, not a scriptural understanding 278 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: of dreams. And we have a really bad habit of 279 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: taking a concept like a dream and then overlaying our 280 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: own preferences and our own prejudices on that concept, and 281 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: so we make it what it's not, and we miss 282 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: what it is because it's really common for people to say, 283 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:11,239 Speaker 1: follow your dreams. Yet, if you study the life of Joseph, 284 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: and I mean really read every single word, jot and tittle, 285 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: every single invention, every single period in common, like I 286 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 1: did preparing to preach this, you will see a phrase 287 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: iterated over and over again, no matter what he went through, 288 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: that says, the Lord was with Joseph. That's a statement 289 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: about God's presence. You will see that wherever he was, 290 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: God promoted him, and that's a statement about purpose. But 291 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: the story of Joseph is not about getting a dream 292 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: and holding on tight to the dream and persevering, because 293 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 1: I used to think this was the story of Joseph, Like, 294 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: don't let anybody talk you out of your dream. If 295 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: your mom told you that you're going to be the 296 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: next you know, the next whatever. Just hold on to 297 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: your dream. And then anybody who doesn't agree with your 298 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: dreams a hater. Maybe not, maybe your mom just loved 299 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:05,239 Speaker 1: you too much to hear the bad notes you were 300 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: hitting and you're not supposed to be a professional singer. 301 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 1: Does the thought No, I'm sick of it. I'm really 302 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: sick of it because we take Joseph. It's not fair 303 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: to Joseph. Joseph went through this whole life. He was 304 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: called and chosen, and there was all kinds of conflict 305 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: that came along. And we're like, Joseph had a dream. 306 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:27,200 Speaker 1: Do you have a dream? Would you like to open 307 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: your own company? Be like Joseph, have a dream, and 308 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 1: then you can make it from the pit to the palace. 309 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,679 Speaker 1: Hold on in the pit, because there's a palace on 310 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: the other side. Let me go into it for a moment. 311 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: That is not the story of Joseph's life. The story 312 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: of Joseph's life has nothing to do with if you 313 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: have a dream that you can think of that's big enough, 314 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 1: God is obligated to bless it. Watch this. Joseph didn't 315 00:17:53,359 --> 00:18:01,959 Speaker 1: ask God for a dream. Wow, Joseph did not make 316 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 1: a vision board. That doesn't mean you can't make one. 317 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 1: I've made a few myself. Let's just be clear that 318 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 1: we mean the same thing when we say a dream, 319 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,439 Speaker 1: and then and then it becomes very devastating. Watch this, 320 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: because your dream can become a distraction. Joseph's dream was 321 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 1: very specific and epic, and it had broad implications, you know. 322 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: And he tells his brothers his dreams. He comes out 323 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 1: in his coat one day and they're like, oh God, 324 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 1: this guy. And so he comes over and they're like, 325 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 1: you talk to him this time. I'm sick of talking 326 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: to him. He's like, hey, guys, guess what I had 327 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: a dream. You want to hear my dream. They're like, no, 328 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: we hate your dream, we hate your coat, we hate 329 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: your voice, we hate you you're different. But he didn't really, 330 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: he didn't really care if they wanted to hear it. 331 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 1: He was going to tell him anyway. Joseph needed a journal, 332 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: by the way, so he could write some of this 333 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: down and not tell other people he needed somewhere he 334 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: could just process his dreams where he let other people 335 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:05,640 Speaker 1: get involved too soon. Nevertheless, even Joseph's inability to discern 336 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: the nature of the dream and who was capable of 337 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 1: handing it, played a part in leading him to the 338 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,120 Speaker 1: place where he could do the dream that God put 339 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:15,439 Speaker 1: in his heart. Did you feel God on that what 340 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: I just said? Because God's dream for my life will 341 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 1: involve my decisions, even if my decisions are immature. God 342 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: will use some of the desires in your heart that 343 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: aren't good desires at first. But Psalm thirty four thirty 344 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: seven four says, if you delight yourself in the Lord, 345 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: he will give you the desires of your heart. And 346 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: he will take the desires that you had and purify them, 347 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: and he will rinse them, and he will separate the 348 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: wheat from the chaft to bring you to an ultimate place, 349 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: a purpose. But when Joseph started sharing his dream with 350 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: his brothers, it was all about him. Hey, he had 351 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:54,239 Speaker 1: a dream and it was awesome. We were binding our 352 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,680 Speaker 1: sheaves of grain, and we were and let your sheaves 353 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:01,879 Speaker 1: started bowing down to my sheaves. And in that awesome 354 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: they're like no it's not awesome. We hate your dream, 355 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: we hate your coke, we hate your And He's like, 356 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: but then I had another dream. And in this dream 357 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 1: there were eleven stars. I don't know why Joseph sounds 358 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:15,400 Speaker 1: like Keanu reeves. There were eleven stars and a sun 359 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:17,679 Speaker 1: and the moon, and they were all bowing down to 360 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 1: me in my dream awesome. And they're like, no, we 361 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 1: don't like your dream. In fact, we hate your dream 362 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: so much that we are about to push you in 363 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: a pit and leave you for dead. And if it 364 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 1: hadn't have been for Reuben, who decided we should at 365 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 1: least get twenty shekels of silver out of this boy, 366 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 1: there's no need to kill him when we can profit 367 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: off of him, they wouldn't have sold him to the 368 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: Ishmaelik Caravan. They would have left him for dead. But 369 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 1: understand that even Joseph's decision to speak about his dream 370 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:48,439 Speaker 1: prematurely was part of what God used to motivate his 371 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: brothers to push him in the pit. At the same 372 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: time they did that, and Ishmaeli Caravan was setting out 373 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: to bring whoever they would pick up along the way 374 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: back to the place of now, it was a place 375 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 1: of slavery at that point, but it would ultimately become 376 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: a place of deliverance. I'm gonna teach the Bible today 377 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,880 Speaker 1: because when Joseph was picked up and put in Potterphar's house, 378 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 1: he served so well in Potterphar's house that everything Potiphar 379 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: put under him prosper. And so when Potiphar saw how 380 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: Joseph served, he promoted him to a position of influence. 381 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 1: But he wouldn't have been in Potiphar's house to begin 382 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 1: with if he hadn't been pushed in a pit, and 383 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:26,199 Speaker 1: he wouldn't have been pushed in a pit if he 384 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,239 Speaker 1: didn't wear a coat. And so when you leave your 385 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 1: coat in the closet and downplay your dream to fit 386 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 1: in with people who don't like you because you're different, 387 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: you can't end up in the position you need to 388 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:39,399 Speaker 1: be in. I'm preaching to somebody who's different. The more 389 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,919 Speaker 1: like Christ you become, the more different from culture you 390 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,959 Speaker 1: will be. And it's all right to be weird, and 391 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: it's all right to have hope, and it's all right 392 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 1: to have vision, and it's all right to know who 393 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 1: you are. And all of this happened because Joseph had 394 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: a dream, And yet Joseph's dream looked nothing when it 395 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 1: finally happened, like it looked in the distance when he 396 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: first saw it. Can you relate to this how sometimes 397 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:24,640 Speaker 1: marriage looks different in the distance than it does after 398 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: twenty years. I need all my people who've been married 399 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: over twenty years to just wave at me real quick 400 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 1: and let me know that it's so much different, so 401 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:44,160 Speaker 1: much different, so much better, so much harder, so much different. 402 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 1: Not like the movies that I saw, not like the 403 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 1: songs that I heard. Different, It's just different. Because when 404 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: Joseph is young, he sees shiny stars, but sometimes when 405 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: it comes up closer, it's not so shiny anymore. Having 406 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:07,639 Speaker 1: kids is different. And this is where me and Holly 407 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:12,879 Speaker 1: are different. She always dreamed of being a parent. I 408 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: didn't dream of being a parent. I dreamed of being 409 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 1: a punk rocker and then a preacher. But one of 410 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: our staff members was having a baby the other day 411 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 1: and he was telling me how happy he was, and 412 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: he was like, o ahlways dreamed of being a dad, 413 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: And that made me feel sorry for my kids, because 414 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 1: I'm like, I didn't even like kick in as a 415 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: dad until they were five, you know, that's so worthless. 416 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: In fact, if we can really be honest and not 417 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: put this one online, I dreaded being a dad because 418 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: all I ever saw kids do was make people have 419 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: to leave restaurants before they finish their meal. So you know, 420 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 1: like now, there is no greater delight in my life 421 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: than my kids thirty percent at the time, There's no 422 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 1: greater investment. There's nothing I'm more passionate about. There's nothing 423 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: that can just wake me up more and make me 424 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 1: realize what matters more. But it wasn't the thing I 425 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: dreamed about. It was the thing that I did, and 426 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 1: when I did it, God gave me the desire for it. 427 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,880 Speaker 1: But it didn't start as a dream. It started as 428 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 1: a duty. This is so critical for a world and 429 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: a time where all we're ever told is follow your dreams. 430 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: There is no record in Genesis thirty seven, thirty eight, 431 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 1: thirty nine, forty forty one, two forty three, forty four, 432 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 1: forty five where the Bible says and Joseph remembered his 433 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: dream and pushed on through because when life gets hard, 434 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:57,880 Speaker 1: you got to have a dream, and sometimes life will 435 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: give you hurdles. But you know, this is really awkward 436 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: this little motif I've gotten myself into right here, this 437 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: little this, this pastic motivational speaker thing that I've set 438 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 1: up here. But just follow your dreams. You know what 439 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: I can't find in Genesis where Joseph followed his dream. 440 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 1: What I saw in Genesis was Joseph's dream followed him. 441 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 1: So watch this. I don't follow dreams. I follow Jesus, 442 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:36,199 Speaker 1: and when I do, dreams follow me. Joseph's dream followed Joseph. 443 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:39,719 Speaker 1: It followed him to Potterphar's house, it followed him to prison, 444 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:43,879 Speaker 1: it followed him into Pharaoh's court. Because dreams follow me 445 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: when I follow Jesus. If you look behind your life, 446 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,359 Speaker 1: you will see very clearly that some of the things 447 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:52,719 Speaker 1: that God did for you, and some of the doors 448 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 1: he opened for you, and some of the ways he 449 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: made for you, and some of the opportunities that he 450 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 1: granted for you were accidental from your perspective. But I've 451 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 1: got good news for you. God's dream for you is 452 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:08,240 Speaker 1: bigger than your dream for you. Just because it doesn't 453 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 1: look shiny when you see it doesn't mean it isn't real. 454 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: God said, you've got the right dream. You just need 455 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: to see it. Differently. The fact of the matter is 456 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,399 Speaker 1: that some of us are standing in the middle of 457 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: our dream, but we can't see it because it feels 458 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: different than we thought it would when we first saw it. 459 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: And I believe in dreams. I had a dream about you. 460 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 1: I dreamed that you would be here in this church, 461 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 1: and God did that. But it's a lot different than 462 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:56,679 Speaker 1: I thought it would be because y'all are different, and 463 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,680 Speaker 1: it's different. Y'all are different different. And then the person 464 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:02,879 Speaker 1: three seats down for you, and you grew up in 465 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: vacation Bible school, and they're thinking, like Joseph is when 466 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: that Jesus's dad, And they're like this, I don't and 467 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 1: I'm trying to ap preach to all these different people. 468 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:18,359 Speaker 1: It's just different. It's different because you picture like Joseph 469 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: had a dream. Have you got a dream? Everybody had 470 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:24,680 Speaker 1: a dream. You had a dream, Doctor King had a dream. 471 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:27,439 Speaker 1: You have a dream. It's not the same kind of dream. 472 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 1: You know, this was a This was a dream that 473 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 1: Joseph didn't decide for himself. Don't follow your dreams, because 474 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:44,360 Speaker 1: what if your dream was just the first draft? Are 475 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 1: you open to a revision? I wanted to I wanted 476 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: to be a punk rocker. I wanted to sing songs, 477 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 1: but I didn't know God was gonna let me write 478 00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: songs and pastor a church that church around the world 479 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: would sing as an expression or as an anthem of faith. 480 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 1: It wasn't my dream, but God took that desire and 481 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 1: he gave me the dream. And I don't have to 482 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:13,439 Speaker 1: be the one singing the song. I just want to 483 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 1: be a part of it. It's the value of a 484 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 1: bigger picture. But your dream can be a distraction because 485 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: now you're not following Jesus. You're following your dream. And 486 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: when your dream takes you down an unexpected path, you 487 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,640 Speaker 1: start to complain and freak out and get frustrated, and 488 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 1: you are missing the dream because you will not wake 489 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 1: up to the reality. Sometimes we don't know the difference 490 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: between a dream and a fantasy. I told our staff recently, 491 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:49,280 Speaker 1: this is the dream when you're frustrated in ministry. Remember 492 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: that some of you were watching Elevation Church online before 493 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 1: you came to work here, and you thought, oh, if 494 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: I could ever get there one day. But you didn't 495 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 1: know that the baptism tank was gonna be half full 496 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 1: when you got here, and you'd have to fill it 497 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 1: up right before and next time you next time you 498 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 1: have to get here and the volunteers don't show up, 499 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: and next time you have to just just say to yourself, 500 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: this is the dream. Huh. Waking up in the middle 501 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 1: of the night as a new mom, this is the dream. 502 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: Even if you have to fake a smile, the devil 503 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 1: won't know the difference. All this see is that you're smiling. 504 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: This is the dream. And yet it won't feel like 505 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:29,959 Speaker 1: American idol. And yet it won't feel like an Olympic 506 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 1: gold medal ceremony because it's not that kind of dream. 507 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 1: By the time Joseph's dream finally came true, because dreams 508 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 1: do come true, it was two decades later. Not only 509 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 1: been falsely in prison, not only had he been forgotten about, 510 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 1: not only had he been misunderstood, not only was he 511 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 1: incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit, but in the 512 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: process of it, he was unappreciated for his part in 513 00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 1: someone else's freedom. Yet, when he finally got to his dream, 514 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: he realized something that is very hard for us to 515 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 1: comprehend in an Instagram world. That God develops dreams in 516 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:17,280 Speaker 1: the dark room, and the issue is that we have 517 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:23,600 Speaker 1: an Instagram expectation, but we serve a darkroom God. For 518 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 1: the four of y'all who are claping, I'm gonna keep preaching. 519 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 1: When you get your picture really developed by a professional, 520 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: they don't post it ten seconds after they took it 521 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:41,880 Speaker 1: with a prefabricated filter by Instagram incorporator. They take it 522 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:46,560 Speaker 1: into a special room, and they do special things in 523 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: a special room. If any of y'all ever had to 524 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,640 Speaker 1: drop some film off at CVS, if any of you 525 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: ever had to go through a season of your life 526 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: where you had to trust a professional, where you had 527 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: to put something in the hands of God, where you 528 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: had to hand him the negatives, and trust him to 529 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 1: take the negatives and take them into the secret place 530 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:15,000 Speaker 1: of the Most High, and take them into the place 531 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 1: of his purpose, and take them into the place of 532 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: his wisdom, and take them into the mystery. And trust 533 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: him that if I put it in his hands, and 534 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 1: if I have the patience to let it develop, if 535 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: I have the patience to know that every scene of 536 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: my life is playing a part in the bigger picture. 537 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: Not of the dream that I had, but of the 538 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: desire that was in God's heart. And I might be 539 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: standing in the middle of a dream that I don't 540 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 1: have the clarity to see right now because the picture 541 00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 1: does not match for my preference. But watch this, I'm 542 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 1: willing and ready and able to trust God even in 543 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 1: the dark places of my disappointment, because I understand that 544 00:31:57,560 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 1: some of God's greatest work happens in the dark where 545 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 1: I don't understand. And I'm feeling around, and I thought 546 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:06,360 Speaker 1: I was going to be done with this by now, 547 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 1: and I thought I'd be different by now. And this 548 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:10,840 Speaker 1: is not how they put it on the box, and 549 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,400 Speaker 1: this is not how the Hamburger looked on the commercial. 550 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: But here I am God, and I trust you, not 551 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 1: my dream. I trust you not my idea. I will 552 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: not make my ideas my idol. I'm worshiping you, I'm 553 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: serving you. It's not about position, it's about purpose. So 554 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 1: when he finally had his dream come true, it was 555 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 1: not in the form of shiny stars. It was in 556 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 1: the form of his eleven brothers who betrayed him, coming 557 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: to him and asking for food. And Joseph is in 558 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 1: Pharaoh's court distributing the grain for not only that nation, 559 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 1: but for all the surrounding nations, and he looks up 560 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 1: at his brothers who hurt him, who are standing with 561 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 1: their hands out, and realizes, this is the dream. I'm 562 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: at the center. But it's not for status, it's for service. 563 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 1: Has God been trying to get you to see that 564 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:37,680 Speaker 1: in your own life? Lately? We attach ourselves to a 565 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:40,960 Speaker 1: version of a dream that may not have even come 566 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 1: from God to begin with. And what if the greatest 567 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: thing God is going to do through your life is 568 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:52,239 Speaker 1: what He is going to allow you to contribute to 569 00:33:52,280 --> 00:34:01,400 Speaker 1: somebody else's Are you open to that dream? When the 570 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:05,200 Speaker 1: angel came to marry, he said, you're gonna have a baby. 571 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:09,520 Speaker 1: When the Angel came to Joseph in a dream, he said, 572 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 1: you're gonna help her. What if the dream God has 573 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:18,920 Speaker 1: for me isn't even about me. It's the danger of 574 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: a dream to start thinking like this is what my 575 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 1: kids are going to grow up and do, Okay, Like 576 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:29,880 Speaker 1: get your Harvard mug out of your coffee mug cabinet. 577 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 1: And what if your kid doesn't turn out to do 578 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:35,200 Speaker 1: what you wanted him to do. What if God has 579 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:40,719 Speaker 1: a different dream for them? What if it's better, What 580 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:45,120 Speaker 1: if it's deeper? What if the reason God lets your 581 00:34:45,200 --> 00:34:53,360 Speaker 1: dream die is because it wasn't big enough. When we 582 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:57,360 Speaker 1: put too much pressure on a dream to come true, 583 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:02,200 Speaker 1: we allow our dream to become a distraction from the 584 00:35:02,239 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 1: season that we're in. And I preached this way because 585 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: if Joseph had gone around looking for stars for his dream, 586 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:12,520 Speaker 1: you know, reach for the stars. But it wasn't in 587 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:14,400 Speaker 1: the form of a star that the dream came. It 588 00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 1: was in the form of his brothers. It was in 589 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,720 Speaker 1: the form of his responsibility. It was in the form 590 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:23,840 Speaker 1: of a duty. You don't have to have some grand, 591 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 1: dynamic dream to serve God. Stop feeling guilty because you 592 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: don't have some huge dream to end cancer, or to 593 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:36,520 Speaker 1: or to start a new to start a new ministry, 594 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 1: or to maybe like be the next Bill Gates or 595 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:43,120 Speaker 1: Elon Musk or go to space. Maybe you don't have 596 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 1: the talent for that. You don't have to have a 597 00:35:45,719 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 1: huge dream, but you do need to serve a purpose 598 00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:52,920 Speaker 1: in this season. And I wonder, is there's somebody here 599 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:59,279 Speaker 1: watching online who was standing right in the middle of 600 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:02,120 Speaker 1: the dream, but it looks different than it did in 601 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:09,319 Speaker 1: the distance. This is the dream to know him, to 602 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:15,400 Speaker 1: serve him, to love him. And there's two types of 603 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:20,160 Speaker 1: people in the room. Some of you were discouraged because 604 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:22,800 Speaker 1: you had a dream and it didn't happen. It hasn't 605 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:26,879 Speaker 1: happened yet, don't know if it will. And others are 606 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 1: disillusioned because you're in your dream, but it's different than 607 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:34,440 Speaker 1: you thought it was going to be. You're standing in 608 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:40,840 Speaker 1: the middle, but it's your brother's around. God said that 609 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:45,000 Speaker 1: today was going to be a day for you, for 610 00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:48,719 Speaker 1: you to see the dream for what it really is 611 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:52,879 Speaker 1: and let go of the illusion of what you thought 612 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 1: it would be. If you stand right now, I'll pray 613 00:36:57,239 --> 00:37:06,400 Speaker 1: for you. You could put your notebook down. I'm done teaching. 614 00:37:10,239 --> 00:37:11,960 Speaker 1: It's one of those things that we all have to 615 00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:17,280 Speaker 1: deal with at different points in our life to realize 616 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:20,400 Speaker 1: that this is what I saw, but it just doesn't 617 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:25,520 Speaker 1: feel the same. Are you open to a different dream. 618 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:29,160 Speaker 1: Maybe it's not even a different dream, maybe it's just 619 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: a more mature version of it. The disciples had a 620 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:38,759 Speaker 1: dream for Jesus. You know, he's going to restore the 621 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:41,920 Speaker 1: Kingdom of Israel. When they saw him hanging on the cross, 622 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:44,439 Speaker 1: they didn't know what to do with that. That wasn't 623 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:46,640 Speaker 1: the way they saw liberation, but that's the way he 624 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:50,480 Speaker 1: did it, and it is in the process of doing it, 625 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:53,520 Speaker 1: and it is in the process of accepting it that 626 00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:57,400 Speaker 1: greater faith is born. Father, Today I thank you for 627 00:37:58,960 --> 00:38:02,160 Speaker 1: the illumination that you've given us through your word and 628 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:06,360 Speaker 1: by your spirit. I felt like you were using me 629 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:08,520 Speaker 1: while I was preaching to speak to somebody on a 630 00:38:08,560 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 1: personal level, and I want to thank you for that 631 00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:14,359 Speaker 1: because I want to be used by you. But now God, 632 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:16,680 Speaker 1: I want to step out of the way and I 633 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:18,399 Speaker 1: want them to hear what they need to hear from 634 00:38:18,440 --> 00:38:21,720 Speaker 1: you because it didn't turn out the way they dreamed. 635 00:38:23,480 --> 00:38:29,760 Speaker 1: It's different. It doesn't look so shiny anymore, it doesn't 636 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:34,279 Speaker 1: look so sexy anymore. Now it's time for them to 637 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:37,399 Speaker 1: embrace the purpose for the season that you've placed them 638 00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:41,040 Speaker 1: in and let go of the one that may never come, 639 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 1: or let go of the one that was. This is 640 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: the dream. Somebody make that confession. This is the dream. 641 00:38:49,239 --> 00:38:51,560 Speaker 1: And so God give them the perspective to go back 642 00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:54,680 Speaker 1: into their lives, go back into their homes, go back 643 00:38:54,719 --> 00:38:57,600 Speaker 1: into their jobs, and see it how you see it 644 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:02,839 Speaker 1: in a world that's obsessed with status and position, Make 645 00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:07,120 Speaker 1: us servants of purpose. To serve your purpose in every 646 00:39:07,160 --> 00:39:09,880 Speaker 1: season that we're in and to find our satisfaction in that. 647 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of 648 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 1: you who give generously to this ministry. Is because of 649 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 1: you that this ministry is possible. You can click the 650 00:39:20,080 --> 00:39:23,840 Speaker 1: link in the description to give now or visit Elevationchurch 651 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:27,239 Speaker 1: dot org slash podcast for more information and if you 652 00:39:27,360 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 1: enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share it 653 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:32,920 Speaker 1: with your friends. You can click the share button, take 654 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:35,279 Speaker 1: a screenshot and share it on your social stories and 655 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,200 Speaker 1: tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God 656 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:43,600 Speaker 1: bless you