LOOK TO THE SKY

In many cases we are not sure what we want spiritually and are weighed down when previously we were built up.
In some cases, in areas where we used to have conviction we now no longer believe.

1. CAVE DWELLERS

When you have lost your dreams and vision, where do you go from there? You dare to dream again. God calls us to the mountaintop so that we can rejoice. From the mountaintop you can see clearly. Sometimes, instead of being on the mountaintop, we settle on the plateau of mediocrity. On the plateau, you do not give your best. You end up retreating into the caves.

Genesis 3:8-10
Adam "went into the cave," i.e. he hid from God, rather than come out, look to the sky and walk with God.

God wants us to deal with our sin and not to hide.

Q. Do you deal with your sin - admit and confess it - or do you hide from God and people?
Q. Are you in the cave of impurity, immorality, jealousy, dishonesty?

Exodus 4:13
Moses is unwilling to respond to God at this point. Leading up to this he made many excuses about why he could not do what God was calling him to do. This was after he went into exile out fear.

Sometimes we let past failures cause us to resist God's call, lose our faith and extinguish our dreams.

Areas to look at where we may have been making excuses upto now:

Punctuality - It shows respect to people when you are on time to meet them. Similarly, it shows disrespect to be late.

Attitudes - Where there are people from whom you are not willing to learn or take correction, you must get your hart right and resolve matters with the person.

Growth - When you look up to heaven you don't make excuses for your sin and weaknesses but instead take responsibility for it.

Discipling - We must each fight for our discipling and show up on time for it. We must come with questions, ready to confess sin and not waiting for issues to have to be pulled out of you.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9
The all-encompassing sufficiency of God's grace should be reason for you to come out of the cave, look to the sky and dream again.

2 Corinthians 10:13
God has given us fields in which to harvest, i.e. be effective and fruitful. God uses events to prepare you for different roles in the future. You may not know what good God has planned but you know that he has planned good. So, don't look negatively at your failures, but wait for the lesson that God has for you.

Judges 6:1-3; 12-14
While Gideon was hiding from the enemy in a winepress, God wanted Gideon running after the enemy. Gideon did not see the greatness in himself that God saw.

2. EVERYONE HURTS SOMETIMES

James 1:16,17
God gives us gifts from above. He wants us to rise above our troubles and do well.

Use your energy properly - to run to God and not from him, to talk about your sin and get help.

Everyone hurts some times, and at those times God is waiting to teach us.

Points to perfect:

i. Have a great walk with God - praying and studying the bible every single day.
ii. Children - get home in good time and have time with your children daily reading the bible and praying. Have a family devotional at least once a week. Pray daily with your spouse.
iii. Have goals of your own for what you want to change and achieve.
iv. Love your ministry, even those who are slow to respond and change.
v. Fight for your discipling. Go after it.

Back to index of classes from the January 2005 East Africa Leadership Conference