Devotional:
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Speaking Outline
Day 15 – Year of the Courageous Fast
Theme: Courage to Dream Bigger
I. Context and Background
Ephesians
Prison Epistle
Acts 19
Paul preaching in Ephesus
Dated AD 62
Imprisoned under house arrest in Rome
Martyred AD 64–67
II. Anchor Text
Ephesians 3:20 Doxology of the prayer beginning in verse 14
Ephesians 3:20 (ESV)
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”
III. Personal Story – Vacuum Seal
Wedding
IV. Scripture Connected to the Story
Luke 6:38 (ESV)
“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
V. Stillness and Dreams
Dreams come during times of stillness
Both require you to be still
Night dreams
Day dreams
Stillness is a mercy, not a punishment
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)
“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalm 127:2 (ESV)
“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”
VI. Stewardship and Wisdom
Cash your reality checks and invest in your dreams
Parable of the Talents
VII. Paul’s Work Outside of Ministry
What was Paul’s side hustle outside of dragging Christians out of worship spaces? Tentmaker
Greek Language Expansion
Tent – σκηνή (skēnē) Meaning: tent, dwelling, tabernacle
Tentmaker – σκηνοποιός (skēnopoios) One who makes tents
VIII. Tabernacle
Tabernacle – σκηνή (skēnē) Place of meeting What did Paul make after he had an encounter with Jesus? Ding. Ding. Ding. Paul’s purpose did not change He was created to make space What changed was the scope once he received a new vision
IX. Vision and Focus
Everybody has vision
Not everybody has focus
Do you want to see or do you want to see well?
Do it again
X. Nehemiah
Nehemiah 1:3–4 (ESV)
“And they said to me, ‘The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.’ As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”
Strategic planning
Scouting
Execution
Nehemiah 6:15 (ESV)
“So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.”
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