Dress for the occasion!

I finally got a chance to sit down and watch our pastor's sermon from this past Sunday since we missed it due to the kids being sick. My mind is swimming right now from all that the Lord is speaking to my heart through his message, but I'll try to make it concise (stop laughing D). He talked about becoming a visionary and opened the message with Proverbs 29:18 ~ "Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint" He also pointed out the difference between a daydreamer & a visionary is the audacity to act. Most of us are educated far beyond the level of our obedience & we don't act on what we know is right. Simply put, we have to walk the walk if we're going to talk the talk. And many times that means stepping out by faith to what God has called you to do, even when everyone else thinks you're crazy. Take into account - Noah. Nobody around Noah (nor Noah himself) had ever even seen rain. But "by faith, Noah, when warned about things not yet seen...built an ark to save his family" Heb 11:7. Am I willing to step out on faith according to the vision God has given me for my life & my family, regardless of what the world thinks? Pastor Steven also pointed out what he calls the "life cycle of a vision" as illustrated in Genesis 6. vs 12: "God saw..."; vs 13: "God said..."; vs 22: "Noah did..." Pastor also illustrated it this way: "Have you ever been on your way to a wedding & had to stop and fill up your car? How would you feel standing there in a tux (or a dress), putting gas in your car?" We must "dress", or build our lives, NOT around where we ARE, but around where we are GOING. I cannot tell you how accurate he was in his sermon concerning the way I have felt about certain things I KNOW God has called me to do. But am I going to "dress down" in order to fit in, or be willing to "stand out" and dress for where the Lord is leading me? This also convicted me in the area of parenting in general. I need to make sure I'm parenting my kids, NOT for where they are now, but for where they are going. They may get mad at me today for the discipline I give out, but I know it will "produce a harvest of righteousness and peace" for their future (Heb 12:11). Is there something you know the Lord has called you to do, or a promise He has given you? Maybe it doesn't quite make sense, and you're not sure how you will get there, or how the promise could ever come to fruition. Well I say go ahead and get dressed for the occasion. "Your word is a lamp unto my feet & a light unto my path". He may not put a floodlight on your situation, but he will give you enough light for your next step.