How do you know if your dream is from God?

Click here for 7 Indicators You Have a Dream from God by Terri Savelle Foy, which are summarised as follows:

1. If it captures your imagination and inspires you everyday.

2. If it seems impossible and you're unable to fulfill it on your own.

3. If it seems as though it will never come to pass, but deep down you are 

    unwilling to give up on it.

4. If not everyone is as enthusiastic about it as you are.

5. If you have experienced resistance, difficulties, setbacks, and sometimes, 

    frustration over this dream.

6. If it consumes your thinking and it gets bigger and bigger on the inside.

7. If it seems to define who you are, and shape your life.

The Life Triangle of Energy, Money and Time

The following sermon notes are adapted from Rev Aries Zulkarnain's preaching at City Harvest Church 5 p.m. service on 30 June 2018.

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce." Proverbs 3:9 (NLT)

Honour God with everything you own; give the first and the best. Learn how to prioritise; give importance to what is important. 

Let God be in the centre of all your priorities such as family, church and work or  studies as you take a deeper walk with Him.

While you could have got your priority right, you may still be struggling in life as you face shortfalls or inadequacies in the 3 sides of Life Triangle, namely, Energy, Money and Time.

When money is lacking, you may succumbed to make it a priority and shrink the other two sides of energy and time. Hence, you end up working longer hours and this, in turn, affect your productivity/health and social interaction time with loved ones. As a result, your life triangle becomes lopsided.

Regardless of age, the life triangle will still apply. This awareness will help to better prepare you for the journey. By and large, a teenager has lots of energy and time, but little money. A working adult has energy and money, and lack time at their disposal. As for those in old age, there is plenty of time and money, but a depleting tank of energy.

The Bible looks at time, money and energy as resources to grow. For example, this is illustrated in Matthew 25 which covers the Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids, Parable of the Talent and the Final Judgment.

The following verse offers an insight on how life can be maintained in good balance and even expand the life triangle such that there will be more energy, money and time.  

"In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone." 2 Peter 1:5 (NLT)

The way to balance your life is not just about aligning your priorities. It’s about learning and changing from inside out. Use your resources to grow your inner circle of faith, character, skills/creativity, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection and love. Grow from the inside out and your triangle will grow. 

View energy-money-and-time as resources rather than priorities. Use the resources to upgrade your inner core and relationship with both God and people. A bigger inner circle will then be able to hold up a bigger triangle.

How To Be Strong In The LORD

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand
Against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands." -- Psalm 138: 7-8 (NKJV)  

The many facets of truth and nuggets of wisdom from the Word of God have always been there for all and sundry. But, we need to turn aside to look into them and be blessed with our very own "burning bush" experience with the help of the Holy Spirit who teaches us.

Are you facing trouble on multiple fronts? The LORD will revive you as you walk uprightly with Him by faith. 

"Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,

That it cannot save;

Nor His ear heavy,

That it cannot hear." -- Isaiah 59:1 (NKJV)

"He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." -- Psalm 23:3-4 (NKJV)

Humble yourself and call upon the LORD and He will save you, not just from sin, but also the difficulties you are dealt with. 

"I will cry out to God Most High,

To God who performs all things for me.

He shall send from heaven and save me;

He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah

God shall send forth His mercy and His truth." -- Psalm 57:2-3 (NKJV)

Beyond saving you, the LORD is refining you as a constituent of His church that will be without blemish at His coming again. The confidence which Paul the apostle has declared continue to speak forth in truth: "I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]." Philippians 1:6 (AMP) 

David was praising and worshipping God as well as declaring the lovingkindness and truth of God's Word way in Psalm 138:1-6 before he wrote verses 7-8. David was so full of eagerness to praise God that he will awaken the dawn (Psalm 57:8b) and was fully persuaded that God is so faithful and true that He has magnified His Word above all His name. David trusted God not because of His name alone but in the knowledge that God is both the personification and doer of His Word.

As you cry out to the LORD, may He indeed answer you and make you bold with strength in your soul. Amen.