Has your Dream been Stripped away?

10 days between posts does NOT a blogger make…..Life is just so freaky fast isn’t it?

I have been pressing towards my FOCUS quest shared about HERE. Working to be certain that my days are in some sort of order and attempting to apply a tiny bit of a higher level of discipline. Summer is NOT the easiest time to take on such a challenge but then again….WHEN is?

The Steps of ORDER in MY PRIVATE WORLD are the same ones I have continually returned to over and over for the past 25 years:

Inward–Prayer, Scripture Meditation, Fasting and Bible Study

Outward–Simplicity (THIS could be my toughest challenge), Solitude (OK THIS ONE!), Submission (no problem :), Service

Corporate–Confession, Worship, Guidance, Celebration

WE are ALL a work of God in progress right??

Today, I enjoyed settling into my “Prayer Chair” with a NEW STUDY BIBLE—Zondervan NIV and continuing in my “The Essential Bible Guide”. I got so wrapped up in the study of Joseph, I could barley pull myself out of the pages of scripture. I mean this guy ROCKS when it comes to giving us an example of someone who has a DREAM that gets Stripped away!!

I have noted so many RICH truths in this study this morning.

Here is what my Prayer Journal Looks like:

Date at the top of the page: 6/21/10 Joseph Chapters Genesis 37-41 (I don’t usually take time to study this many chapters in my prayer time, I just got carried away–loving every minute that the phone did not ring!!)

My Actual Study notes:

Joseph: Given a Dream at age 17 (Gen 37) (How long have I had my  God sized dream?)

Shared the Dream (a bit irritatingly I might add) (Have I ever shared what you are doing in my life in an arrogant, boastful way Lord, when I meant to be sharing out of my excitement??)(how do others perceive my dreams?)

Rejected because of his dream (Family Dysfunction–Favoritism, Arrogance, Jealousy, Hatred, Murder, Lies)(A Great Read)(Families are not perfect, just forgiven–we are just forgiven!)

Abused, Abandoned, Sold Out by those closest to him (been here, done that, have the T-Shirt)

First Robe Stripping (Gen 37:23)

Literally SOLD into slavery….Begins to SEE GOD!!! God’s FAVOR noted and SEEN ALL OVER this stuff.

Hunkiness noted (Gen 39:6)

Oooppps...Robe Stripped again, this time by another man’s wife—Kind of THE KING!!! (Gen:12) (That thing-THAT DREAM-is always getting away).

This time…LESS Arrogance, ALL GOD CREDIT! (Gen 39:9)

Back to the basement. Prison again. Darkness. No “Coat of Many Colors” in sight. No Dream. No Hope?

BUT….”GOD WAS WITH HIM”!! (Gen 39:23) (God does not forget the dreams HE HAS PLANTED IN US)

Forgotten and Rejected again by 2 guys he BEGGED to “Get me out” of prison (How often do I look to PEOPLE to make my dreams come true? How many times have I BEGGED God to “get me out”?)

“I cannot, but God Can” (Gen 41:16) Words that will change Joseph’s life forever.

One “get out of jail free” dream card redeemed (WhooHoo!)(Gen 41:40)

Words we should each plan to hear!!!

YOU SHALL BE IN CHARGE OF MY PALACE!!!

Joseph was 30years old. He had waited 23 years, just to BEGIN to see the Dream come together. He lived it for the next 80 years!

My questions for your consideration:

Do you KNOW the Dream God has for you?

Have your dreams ever been Stripped away by others?

Has there been a “crisis of belief”, a breakdown, a loss, a setback in your life that has caused you to pause and LOOK FOR GOD in your dream?

Can you look around and see God’s Hand? His Favor? ANYWHERE??? even in the darkness?

Have YOU been “stripped”? Have you, are you, experiencing PRISON?

Where are you NOW, TODAY, in your Dream journey?