Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt
What do you think of when you hear the term lip service? I think of words being expressed without the conviction to back them up. God does not give lip service. He is not about lip service. He does everything He says He will.
Who is about lip service? Dreamers are talkers that seldom take the most basic steps to move themselves forward toward their dreams. They’re people who love to talk but never become what God has put in their heart to become. They make themselves experts on what they have only observed but never done themselves. From the Message translation Proverbs 26:16 says, “Dreamers fantasize their self-importance; they think they are smarter than a whole college faculty.” Proverbs 14:18 says, “Foolish dreamers live in a world of illusion; wise realists plant their feet on the ground.” 
To dream is a gift from God and a good thing! But, we don’t want to be dreamers who only offer lip service. God doesn’t do lip service. Nor should we! As Christians we want to be people of conviction and intentionality–people who know what we believe because we see it in God’s Word, and live it because we believe it. A person of deep conviction is almost always a doer! A person who is intentional works consistently and methodically toward their goals and dreams.
Here is who you don’t want to be! You don’t want to be the dreamer who is lazy and talks but never makes any real and consistent progress toward a dream. The world is filled with people like this but they are really only delusional, talkers! (Ouch Sorry! I”m not trying to be mean! I promise.) People like this fill their imaginations with many dreams but never seriously pursue any! The lazy person is in the same class with the person that hears but doesn’t do–who’s strictly lip service. Proverbs 12:24 (MSG) says, “The diligent find freedom in their work; the lazy are oppressed by work. Proverbs 12:27 (NLT) says, “Lazy people don’t even cook the game they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find.” Proverbs 15:19 NLT says, “The path of lazy people is overgrown with briers; the diligent walk down a smooth road.”
God doesn’t want us lazy, full of lip service, or someone who just hears about God but doesn’t align his/her life with the Word of God. God wants us to give our lives over to Jesus, learn to open our hearts to the Word of God so the Holy Spirit can teach and train us how to think and live, and then pursue the thoughts, desires, and opportunities He leads us in.
In 1985 I began to dream about a solution to a problem. I had a two babies at home in diapers with no place to change them in public except a dirty bathroom floor. After three years of praying, dreaming, researching, and learning, I came to the place where I knew God was leading me to action. Over the next two years, I invented and patented the first fold-down commercial infant changing table for public restrooms. I then worked the next five years to convince the world they needed it. McDonalds agreed and started to purchase them for their restaurants. Then every Sears in American did the same. And before long, everyone could see what I saw and began purchasing them all over America. Though I sold the company so I could pursue my greatest desire which was to Pastor, they eventually when world-wide.
Let Abraham be one of your role models. He dreamed, but not just to fantasize. He dreamed about what God was showing Him to do. And he always acted on his faith.
Romans 4:20-21 (NLT) says, “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.” 
Abraham’s life was centered around his love for God and the direction God gave him. We want to be like him in the conviction of our unwavering faith and trust that God will always help us accomplish the next step of our dream if we will be intentional and pursue it–being doers of the word and not hearers only as James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. DO what it says.” If we become doers, then our dreams will be fulfilled season by season of life and we can be a blessing and influence to this world for His purpose and glory!
Proverbs 13:12 (NLT) “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life”
In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt
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