Louisburg Herald Article

The following was published in the Louisburg Herald

From the Pulpit

By Larry Clark
Pastor of Life Groups
New Life Family Church

A story is told about a man who headed off to California as part of the great gold rush. He staked his claim and began to dig. He dug and dug, dug and dug some more. He hit some small pockets of gold but never the Mother load! After several months of digging he became frustrated and decided his mine was not going to produce any Mother load. He walked out of his mine and headed into town. He went to the real estate office and told them he wanted to sell his claim, which included his notes. A man over heard his discussion and made an offer. The man took the offer and headed for the train a beaten man.

The man who purchased the mine began to study the notes the other man had written. He made some calculations and decided that with some more digging a Mother load would be found. He headed to the mine and began to dig. He dug and dug, then he dug some more and within just a few feet he hit the Mother load.

The other man had quit just a few feet from his dream.

Do you have a dream, a Big, Audacious Dream? If you do you have probably encountered some big obstacles as you moved forward toward your dream.

Are you like that man? Are there obstacles that are keeping you from reaching your dream? Are there walls that have been built that keep you from achieving victory in a relationship?

Maybe you are just one shovel full of dirt away from reaching your goal, your dream.

As Joshua took over the job of leading Israel into the Promised Land God said, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left so that you may have success wherever you go." Joshua 1: 6-7

The fulfillment of your dream might not be visible right now but if it is a dream that God has given it will happen if you don't give up! Some times it is just one more step, just one more brick removed or just one more shovel full of stuff. In Hebrews 11: 1 we are told, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." and in verse 6, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him (God), for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

For Israel the obstacles of entering the Promised Land seemed like giants but eventually through Joshua’s leadership they entered the land. Achieving dreams and goals is never easy and it always comes with a price. For Christians it requires an unwavering faith in God and His promises and it requires followers of Jesus to persevere until the end.

Don't quit moving forward. Don't quit now. Don't quit now because you just might be one brick, one step, one shovel full away from achieving your God given dream.