David's Dream

Follow Along with the Message

"Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, (2) that the king said to Nathan the prophet, 'See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.' (3) Nathan said to the king, 'Go, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.' (4) But in the same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, (5) 'Go and say to My servant David, "Thus says the Lord, 'Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in? (6) For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. . .(8) Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. (9) I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth. . .(11) The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you. (12) When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendent after you, who will come forth from you and I will establish his kingdom.(13)  He will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. . .(16) Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne will be established forever.' ". . .(18) Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far? (19) And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord God, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future.  And this is the custom of man, O Lord God. . .(27) For You, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house'; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You."

--David had a Dream (ambition)

     It began as a dream.  Something to do for God.  A temple.

     "I am a debtor." (Romans 1:14).

     "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and to work with your hands" (1 Thessalonians 4:11).

     Vision-- a picture of a preferred future that creates energy and motivation and action.  "I will pour out my Spirit, young men will see visions, old men will dream dreams" (Acts 2:17).

     Frank Sinatra--"He had high hopes"

--Nathan had a Dream

     Words of Correction

     "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7).  "Transformed by the renewing of the mind" (Romans 12:2).

     The timing of God.  The providence of God.  The grace of God.

     "Dear God,  I am grateful for your grace, good with your plan, content with your timing.  Amen"

--God has a Plan (Promise)

     "I will build you a house" (v. 11).

     Not a house of brick and mortar.  A royal dynasty.  An eternal king, and eternal kingdom.  Forever.

     God's goals are bigger.  "If you try to save your life, you will lose it" (Matthew 10:39, CEV).

--David goes to Pray

     He went in.  In where?

     He sat before the Lord--picture of stillness, humility, readiness.

     He finds confidence to pray God's vision, God's plan.

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"Be Thou My Vision"

Two expressions of true faith.  Judgment criteria.  What we DREAM and what we DO.

"Wait until the Lord comes who will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and disclose the motives (true desires) of men's hearts" (1 Corinthians 4:5).