Dreams

Rebuild the Ancient Ruins

“They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.” Isaiah 61:4

When I was about twenty years old I had a dream that helped shape my life. I was playing soccer on top of a hill and was busy retrieving wild kicks by whoever it was that I was playing with. Eventually the ball was kicked down the hill we were on and I went after it.

The entire hillside was covered with mature pine trees with no undergrowth. As I located the soccer ball, I looked around and noticed bibles everywhere strewn about on the ground. Three Bibles caught my attention each open to three passages of Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4, Jeremiah 23, and Isaiah 48.

I then noticed in this valley an ancient ruin of a stone synagogue. The roof had caved in and there were vines growing up over it. I ventured inside. I walked through a doorway and then through another archway into the sanctuary. As I entered the sanctuary I heard the sound of a camera behind and above me. I looked ahead and saw the Aron Kodesh (<– read more about the place where they keep the scroll known as the Holy Ark). This was how I knew it was a synagogue.

I walked up to and reached for the Aron Kodesh to open it and I heard the loud voice of someone in my life at the time startle me from behind. I turned and awoke… the end.

It was because of this dream I knew to be careful of any future distraction from laying hold of the WORD of God. There was something so significant and wondrous and vitally important about attaining what was inside this Aron Kodesh that NOTHING ought to be allowed to distract you from it. I desperately wanted to know what was inside.

Years later I was shown during a prayer time what was contained in the Holy Ark.

It is so surprising to me that God is ready for us at any time. You don’t have to attain some spiritual degree of awesomeness before you can come to God and be shown marvelous things. It is all just His pure gift to you right now… just as you are. He already took care of the rest. He’ll take you just as you are right now.

Here is what I was shown: In my mind’s eye I visualized the Holy Ark and reached out to open it and it was in fact a portal to another world. To the paradise of God.

Word of caution. Don’t let anyone steal your crown! (That’s straight from Scripture). Don’t let anyone keep you from discovering the truth as I have at long last. It’s your journey. It is your path to walk. It is your portal to paradise to discover. Don’t let fear-mongers cause you to doubt and abandon the pursuit of the truth.

I will leave you with one of the passages given to me which still amazes me at how relevant and pertinent (especially to the current times). Is anyone one else feeling this revival springing up? I can’t be the only one!

1 Thessalonians 4
Live to Please God

Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. 2 For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— 5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. 6 Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

9 But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. 10 Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.

11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.

The Hope of the Resurrection

13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

Categories: Apocalypse, Dreams, Resurrection | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Man’s Dream of Jesus and Heaven

For all of my life I have never had the slightest interest in learning about heaven until now. I just knew heaven was going to be good and my attitude was, “surprise me”. I am now fully aware that I am going to heaven… beyond a shadow of a doubt. And this is ALL because of Jesus. It wasn’t always this way. For seven years I was convinced I was going to hell and experiencing a hell on earth. I’ll tell that story some other time.

Salvation and redemption and an eternity of bliss with God is Jesus gift to me and I have received it. Heaven is my home. I didn’t want to cheapen the notion of heaven with my own vain and silly imaginations so I avoided books on heaven and the like and was content to simply know it is “paradise” as Jesus called it and that Isaiah said (Paul quoting him):

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT)

Of course you have probably heard of the book, “Heaven is for Real”, about the little boy who visits heaven as he died during an appendicitis operation. Which, by the way, is a movie coming out this year!

Trailer for this movie:

Lately though I can’t seem to get enough of heaven. It is marvelous! I’m reading amazing books about heaven. I am watching every legitimate Near Death Experience (NDE) testimony of heaven I can find.

I just happened to be doing a search for the heaven book I was reading yesterday (mentioned in previous blog) and trying to remember the title and author so I googled, “visit to heaven”. The first thing to pop up was a man’s dream of Jesus and heaven. I read it and was very moved especially as it related to the content of my previous blog post!

This person in the story below seemed to think that some big and global changing event was going to happen in the middle of this past year, 2013. I think his dream of heaven is legit. As for what he thought would happen in 2013, well, I think it is as Peter wrote, “God is patient, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

I believe that God continues to delay his coming as he is not anxious about bringing the hurt of what’s to come to so many who still refuse to know him or come to the light (or Christians who are living in darkness). We still have some time yet to repent and serve Jesus and bring more of his lost kids into the family of God and into his kingdom of love.

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the time is very short and Jesus is coming soon. What are you going to do about it? I suggest you walk in the light. Jesus will show you how as he has shown me. The following is a pretty spectacular dream someone had when they were 15.

MAN’S DREAM OF HEAVEN AND JESUS
(Source: http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/02/mans-trip-to-heaven-story-going-viral-2571498.html – visit for another article that follows and some further adendums and thoughts by the author… or not.)

I was raised an atheist. Utterly godless. Not even agnostic. No gods.. fairies.. Santa’s or bunnies…Believed nothing at all. I saw all the trouble and confusion it caused and wanted nothing to do with it. I see Christians always fighting and debating and being hypocrites all the time. I see new agers not really having a clue what it is they actually believe in, and going in circles. I see all the other religions all banging their head on a wall but achieving nothing but headaches. I wanted no part in it and still don’t.

But I had a dream / vision when I was 15 that changed my life, but it was not until about a year ago it took effect, and according to the dream it will not be until after tomorrow (28 December 2012), when I turn 44, that it finds fulfilment.

I was 15…still a kid.. but wondering what it was all about, seeing as everything was so totally pointless and without a reason or a goal.

Being an atheist is the most pointless life one can live.. so empty of purpose or meaning.

And like all kids I needed purpose and meaning. So the dream./ vision…

It was September the 28th 1984….a day I will never forget, because its the day my life was taken right OUT of my hands, and I realised that none of us really have a choice…only a will directed by the one who makes the choices.

I remember so clearly.. sitting on my bed that night…looking out the window at the stars. Wondering why they were there.. what purpose they served.. if any at all. I remember asking the same thing of myself.. what was my purpose.. did I have a purpose…or was it all pointless.. an illusion.. meaningless and dead?

That night I lay down on my bed.. still wondering what it was all about… and I had a dream….or a vision.. not sure which but it was incredibly vivid.. I was there.. could feel.. hear.. smell….

Where was I?

(Keep in mind up UNTIL that point I had never even looked into a bible or any religious book.. so what I saw was not previously planted in there)

One moment I was on my bed.. in a half awake half sleep state.. a trance you might call it. That zone you are in where you are still aware but also.. not aware. I found myself about 200 meters in the air…an air that was NOT air as we know it. I looked around in shock…I was there.. this was no dream.. I panicked at first cause I thought I was dead.. and for all I know.. I was.

After adjusting to this “Shock” I was able to look around me.. where I was…and what I saw….Spreading around me in every direction to a horizon that just was not there.. was THE most incredible landscape I have ever seen. No majestic scene on earth comes close to this.. awesome.. the SCOPE of it… endless.. and solid and real.

Vast jungles.. parks.. majestic mighty mountains.. oceans the size of earth itself.. and lakes as big as oceans.

Waterfalls a hundred kilometres high.. mighty rivers packed with life.. crystal clear…the trees…small and great.. colourful.. detailed.. each one unique and some full of flowers of colours vivid and bright.. some full of fruit of weird shapes and hue.

ALL was alive.. in a life that was LIFE.. not just living things.. but LIVING beings.. they were not just alive.. they WERE life in its essence…each leaf.. blade of grass.. creature and fish.. bird and reptile.. were not JUST alive.. its like they WERE EMANATING life…

This mighty and majestic landscape went on and on.

What I thought were small hills in the distance, turned out to be mighty mountain ranges that make the Himalayas look like a badly thought up joke in comparison.

The waterfall immediately to my left upon arrival there…WOW…it was (I later found out) over 300 kilometres form where I floated.. and even at that distance it was so utterly magnificent…rising up and up.. above eye level.. like looking UP at a river.. It descended down the side of a “small” (compared to some of the other mountains there) 100 kilometres high cliff face…falling.. cascading.. majestic.. and throwing of rainbows in its mighty mist…

I could go on and on about the details.. but I am going to stick with the main part…and that is.. WHO was standing “Or floating” there beside me.. who until that moment I had not noticed..

I turned to my right…and…wow…there was this bloke…who I Immediately KNEW was The creator of all I saw. I didn’t know his name.. I just KNEW HE was responsible for it all..

He was about 6 foot…medium build.. strong.. yet supple.. he had an air of authority about him.. like a mighty fighter who could whip anyone but with ease.. and KNEW it.. but was humble and gentle and didn’t brag about it.

His hair was white…but not from age.. more of a symbol of purity kind of white. Like a judge would wear a white wig as a symbol. But this hair was no wig. It was his own.

He wore a sort of robe.. not ancient.. yet not modern. Like a royal robe of state. Across his chest from right shoulder to left hip was a red/purple sash about 6 inches wide, interwoven with gold threads.

The robe went to just above his ankles. He had sandals on. But not ancient looking. More of a modern look. But in looking there.. at his feet…I saw holes in them…Then with a shock.. I saw his hands.. they too had holes in them.. just at the ends of his wrists.. each hole about half an inch wide. There was no blood and the wounds were not festy or horrible. They.. were worn like a status symbol.. a mark.. more than an annoying wound. I had the urge to kneel.. but realised I didn’t have a body to kneel with.

So I just looked at him.. KNOWING he could read every thought…and knew my intent was to kneel if only I could have.

He knew.

He just smiled at me.. joy glittering in his eyes.. eyes.. so.. blue.. gold.. green…all colours.. fire.. eyes of fire.. like an opal of magnificent brilliance.

He seemed to radiate a real.. friendliness.. happiness.. total peace.. yet utter and mighty authority.

You felt at ease with him.. yet so humbled as well.

I finally said to him (Well.. I thought it)….”You are God?”

He said simply…”(I AM)”

I thought to myself “This cant be real.. there IS no “God”… I am imagining all this.. I MUST be…”He smiled even broader.. if that were possible.. like he was amused at my simple yet certain belief in nothing. It was not a snide enjoyment he was feeling.. it was more like you would smile at a toddler who said something cute.

He said, knowing my turmoil and thoughts, “Come.. let me show you your destiny” as we started moving through this “Air” that was not air…gliding off at about 60 k an hour it seemed. I was able to measure the speed we were moving, because we floated over a sort of highway with trees planted at regular intervals along it.

It was a twin highway.. divided in two by a river. The river was about 40 meters across.. clear as crystal.. pure and so inviting. I had the urge to go and swim in it for some reason…even though I didn’t actually have a solid body.

The highway was about 15 meters across on each side of the river. And spaced about 200 meters apart were bridges. There were people down there below us.. ordinary .. people.. some dressed in modern garb.. some in robes like togas.. some wearing nothing but light.. if that’s possible. All were people.. they looked to be about 25 or so.. healthy.. vibrant.. solid and real.

I saw children as well.. playing in the river.. laughing and jumping off the bridges into the water. Laughter.. lots of laughter and joy. It seemed to permeate this amazing place. Here and there among the people I saw beings.. LIKE people but different. Taller…powerful.. yet gentle. Talking to people.. walking with them.. some carried books and other things. They seems to be instructing.. and also being instructed. Like they were learning as well. ( These, as it turns out, were angels.. and NO.. they DID NOT have wings )

I saw benches.. tables.. set along the river under the trees. People and beings alike would sit and talk.. smiling.. laughing.. some in deep thought or conversation.. some being light-hearted, some being serious.. like they were contemplating some new revelation they had just stumbled upon.

In all it was a very busy.. yet very relaxed scene.

The trees themselves were amazing. Mighty branches.. spreading out in majestic awnings of life over the river and the benches below. I saw fruit in the trees.. gold.. green.. orange.. purple.. blue.. all sorts of colours. People were picking the fruit here and there and casually eating it.. like it was just the “Done” thing…and there were no scraps. There were no pips or skins left over.

People looked up at us as we passed overhead. They waved and smiled.. at BOTH of us.. yes.. I was very visible to them. I was not sure how to wave back.. because I had no body to wave with.

“Jesus” or “Yeshuah” or whatever you want to call him…waved back.. smiling.. laughing.. joyful and at peace with his creatures.

I looked out beyond.. to what was ahead of us. I saw fields. Stretching on and on and on.. I saw lights dotted here and there over these fields.

I asked “Jesus” “What are those lights? “He said.. “They are cities.. or towns. Dwellings and hubs of commerce.” “Commerce” I thought? Of what USE is commerce in this place?

He just looked at me and smiled.. and said “you will know in time.. see.. there is our destination” He said.. pointing directly to the end of the highway…

I looked.. way way ahead…seemed like thousands of k’s.. into the far distance…there was a bright light.. like a brilliant sunrise.. multi hued.. radiating colours beyond description…and the music…you could FEEL the music coming from it. It was everywhere.. yet I was not actually conscious of it till I concentrated on it. Harmony.. pure harmony.. rising from one stanza to the next.. to reach a crescendo.. only to fade out into the next phase.. ever building to a climax.. but never reaching it.. music without beat.. without end.. timeless.. eternal.. pure..

I was STUNNED…nothing on earth was anything like this music of colour blended with sound…had I had a body I would have exploded in sheer joy at just five seconds of exposure to this eternal symphony…I was surrounded by it from the moment I arrived.. but not until THIS moment had I actually put my focus on it..

I was hooked…

I said (Or thought) in stunned amazement…”WHAT is THAT?”

HE smiled and said simply.. “THAT..is the capital.. where my father dwells.. and where we are now going”

So on we went. He was talking to me the whole time.. but I was not really paying attention. I was utterly wrapped up with where we were heading.. trying to lose myself in the eternal song…I wanted to BE the song.. to join with it.

But try as I might I could not quite grasp the flow of it. It changed from one moment to the next.. always ascending into a new and unique stanza.. and just when I thought I “Had” it, and was about to hum along with it.. it would blend and change into something new.. and no two stanzas EVER repeated.. each was unique.. each a masterpiece.. each never to be heard again.. as ever new stanzas were created and blended into the whole.. always building.. always growing.. always new.. always.. utterly without description.

He kept speaking to me.. telling me of events to come in my life.. main points and turnings in my life ahead. I was half aware of what he was saying.. but he knew I was lost in the song.

And this was why he waited until I was lost in the song to tell me. Because everything he told me about my life ahead was forgotten on my conscious level.. like a half remembered dream. But as each event actually took place in my life, the memory would surface.. like a vivid Deja Vu.. and it would all be clear…and I would KNOW this event.. good or bad.. was ALL part of the plan.

We travelled for what seemed like days…or hours.. or minutes.. its hard to tell time in a place that has no time. He laid out my entire life before me.. from conception to birth, to the present (That moment when I was 15) to the very end.. which is only a few years away now ..going by the events and their sequence.

Tomorrow I turn 44.. (28 December 2012) THAT year is PIVOTAL for me (AND.. for the world as a whole).

As to why??.. well.. its something he said when we reached the capital. I will get to that soon.. because I want to describe the capital.. its AWESOME.. and one heck of a work of master building and insane architecture..(Insane as in AWESOME.. not crazy). As we drew closer the music did not get “Louder”.. it was at the same volume no matter where you were. But the light display that accompanied it grew ever more brilliant.

The colours would flow with the music.. each wave of scintillating fire.. colour fire…wove through the sounds as they emanated from the centre.. like and explosion of choreographed fireworks accompanying the music. The sounds were the colours.. and the colours were the source of the sound.

The centre.. where the brilliance emanated from, still seemed hundreds of kilometres away…still set on this impossible horizon that was not a horizon.. and at this point we reached the outskirts of the main capital.. and WOW….

I saw the first buildings. Modest really. Reasonably “Simple”.. compared with what I saw further in. But even these “Simple” structures put to shame anything on earth.

Take your basic hovel there for example…the LOWEST of the simple buildings…I focussed upon one in particular, just to burn into my memory what the LEAST of the creative powers of the master builder was capable of.. It was about the size of your average house here on earth.

It was constructed of pure elements.

There were no bricks or mortar.. no alloys or mixtures. Each part of that building was pure element. For example.. the windows.. framed with a rich ebony like substance, shot through with gold veins.

Each pane was.. what LOOKED like pure diamond.. or crystal. The walls of the house were like a sort of moonstone.. opaque.. yet solid. Light flowed in and through the walls themselves.. like a fibre optic cable in actual application.

The light was taken from all around and magnified throughout the house. The windows would break the light into amazing colours and decorate the interior with rainbows of fantastic hue.. then the walls would absorb and magnify the light, and sent it streaming outward.. to the house next to it.. and the process would repeat.. along each house.. all sharing this amazing visual display and amplifying it to its peak.. only to send it along again to the next dwelling.. and the next…

I was utterly flabbergasted…WHAT a design.. and the mind who thought up this amazing idea of optical brilliance must be unfathomable.

I looked at the creator there next to me…amazed at how brilliant he was.. that even the “Simplest” of his building designs were thousands of light years beyond the most brilliant minds of earth.

I saw Him with an ever increasing respect.. and awe.. He just looked at me and smiled again.. enjoying the moment.. like you would enjoy the look on your child’s face as he sees with awe something his father had spent time and effort on constructing JUST for you…a sort of pride of workmanship.. satisfaction in a job well done.

Yes.. he enjoyed making all these constructs.. he really enjoys creating things…and loves to challenge himself in each ones uniqueness from the next.. and each ones amazing simple complexity.

He IS an artist without compare.. and keep in mind.. this was just one of his “SIMPLE” designs…there was far more amazing things ahead as we headed towards the centre of the capital.. I took my focus then off this one house.. and noticed with awe.. again.. HOW the “Suburbs” were designed.

No two houses were the same.. each had it own unique design.. and yet.. each and every house.. some close to others.. some farther apart.. each one when seen from the air as we were…fit into a grander pattern.

Have you aver seen a fractal?…design and structure without end?

It was like that.

The suburbs were woven into an ever expanding pattern of extreme order.. and no two streets.. or houses.. were the same.. but all fit together into an amazing grand work of art. The very colours of the houses.. silver.. gold.. platinum.. marble of all hues.. ebony.. copper.. crystal.. diamond.. amethyst.. citrine.. even a sort of purple metal that I could not name.. all wove together to form an amazing tapestry of design.

Some single storey.. some double.. some triple.. and these were just the OUTTERMOST buildings…the “Simple” ones.. and the light flowing through each house.. from house to house.. flowed from the centre.. the storm of ordered colour and sound.. flowing throughout the houses.. in an ever changing spiral of amazing complexity.. lighting up the entire scene in a kaleidoscope of utter amazement.

I simply could not grasp it all…I looked at my creator again…with awe.. and he just enjoyed the moment.. he even pointed out some unique parts of the design.. like the way the river we had been following all this time was woven into the suburbs in vast spirals.. interwoven waterways…each house having a small part of this river flowing near or through or under it.. feeding the whole.

The main river flowed on ahead…surrounded by the most majestic landscaping I have ever seen.. parks.. fountains.. groves of trees planted in amazing patterns.. according to size and colour.. all woven around the river which was the main theme.. all flowed from the river.. and the river flowed from….. well.. the THRONE.

There.. in the distance.. rising above the houses.. was a building unlike all the others in size. But.. it was also.. easily recognised AS a throne. Hard to explain unless you actually see it. We travelled on and on…following the river…towards the centre.. where the light and sound had its source..

We began to rise up higher.. we reached about.. I would estimate.. about ten kilometres. He did this JUST so I could grasp SOME of the layout.. and even then from that height the city stretched out seemingly forever.. I could NOT see the edge of it.. we were close to the centre now.. only a few hundred kilometres away.

I looked down in awe.. yet again.. as I saw SOME of the overall design. It was indeed a fractal.. a very organic fractal. Spirals of ever increasing complexity.. colours of amazing hue and vibrance flowed majestically through each “Suburb”.. blending with the whole in an endless dance of incredible design and workmanship.

The river.. flowing ever straight towards the centre.. the tributaries woven into and through the “Suburbs” like a blue/silver lattice work.. woven INTO the grand design like threads of a complex embroidery.

And everywhere.. people.. LOTS of people.. and angels.. and millions of children. Running.. playing.. having an awesome time. No tears…no cries.. all happy and all having an absolute BLAST. The kids.. I tell you.. the kingdom of heaven IS theirs.. there are SO MANY of them there.

But considering there are 30 million abortions each year.. its not really surprising. I looked around.. I saw ahead a “Blank” spot in the series of majestic spirals and parklands. A field.. a circle.. of pure gold.. like a field of burnished glass.. like a bright citrine colour. It was about 200 kilometres across from edge to edge. It was transparent.. because I could see the river flowing UNDER it…from right under the structure in the centre.. the building that was ALSO a throne….and looked to be about two kilometres high. We began to descend towards it.

Gradually getting closer and closer.. the field was empty.. not a thing stirred on it.. not a bird flew over it.. like.. it was “Reserved” for something.. untouchable until the moment its use was ready. The creator and I settle down and down.. drifting closer and closer to the throne…and this is the weird part…AS we drew closer to the throne.. WE either became bigger.. OR.. the throne became smaller…not sure which.. The throne was white.. pure white shot through with veins of gold-like fire.

Solid.. eternal.. and yet.. it was also a structure.. a dwelling. I never did get an explanation for that except to realise that it was also an “Admin” building.. like a courthouse.. seat of parliament.. something like that.

We settled down right in front of it. I reached out to touch it.. and then realised I had no body.. as such. But I DID feel something…like a purity.. awesome power of utter authority.. like the place where ALL decisions are made and all cases ended.

This is where it got serious for me…There I “Stood”.. at the base of the throne.. KNOWING I had been there before.. like a massive.. MASSIVE Deja Vu hit me all at once. I RECOGNISED this sea of fire.. of golden glass.. I KNEW this throne.. I KNEW this entire field.. but WHERE..WHEN??…..

My creator looked at me.. like he was waiting for the realisation to hit me fully…he was not smiling at this moment.. he was rather serious.. like he WANTED me to remember.. the moment…of WHEN I had been there before…and was just patiently waiting for the memory to take shape…

Having realised I HAD been there before I said

“Lord creator. (I didn’t know how else to address him at that time). I know.. I know YOU..I KNOW you now.. I’ve seen you.. this place.. this throne.. this sea of fire/glass.. I HAVE been here.. with you.. but.. when?.. It does not seem like long ago.. and yet.. HOW?..”

He looked at me with a slight grin.. he kinda looked proud of me in a way and said “

“15 years ago earth time you sat with me on my lap, up there on that throne. You were an infant.. full of life and questions and curiosity. You were fresh from my mind.. created almost an instant before, brought into being on earth direct from my very spirit itself. You were born very premature. You did not want to stay at first so I brought you here to explain a few things and give you a choice. But first I sent you back telling you your time was not yet.. you had a destiny to fulfil and if you had stayed you would never see it take place. being an infant you did not understand, so back you came, rather stubbornly I might add. “

He continued.. despite my looks of.. confusion ???…

“So I explained patiently.. while bouncing you on my knee…the joy that awaited you.. and millions of others.. IF you went back and lived out your planned destiny. I told you that the reward for going back would be well worth it, and beyond imagination. You looked at me with baby blue eyes asking why.. eyes I fashioned to look similar to mine. I like blue.. its my favourite colour.. as it is yours” (Yes.. I love blue.. always have.. and there I found out why).

He went on to say…

“15 years ago earth time you didn’t want any part in that destiny.. you kept trying to leave your body.. small and frail as it was.. you wanted to be here with me.. your “Daddy” as you called me from the depths of your innocent infant spirit. How I loved it.. to hear you call me that. I am your “daddy”… I am everyone’s “Daddy” if only they would realise it.. and through your final decision to return and live your life… many millions WILL.”

I asked him.. rather dumbfounded “So.. I died as an infant.. willingly.. died.. JUST so I could be here with you?”

He said “Yes.. twice you actually succeeded.. and you tried many other times as well.. before you managed to stop your own heart by an act of your will. The first time I sent you right back after a brief explanation. The second time.. I KNEW you would come back because I was the one who created IN you the curiosity and pure stubbornness to GET a full explanation of the facts. You have an inquiring mind.. one I created FOR the purpose of your destiny.. you will find it very useful in the days ahead.. but also.. it will also be a hindrance at times.. but that’s why I gave you a mind like this.. to BE an “Overcomer”.

An “overcomer” I said?…WHAT is that?

He smiled broadly and motioned his hand out over the sea stretching out before us to the “horizon”…”See this field.. this sea of glass??.. in a few decades you, and millions of others will be here.. and yes.. your sister and daughters as well (Daughters.. I will have DAUGHTERS??) will all be here.. jumping and leaping for joy.. as the climax of all creation is made known to all.

I asked him…

“So I’ve been here.. and chose to go back once you explained WHY I had to go back. “?He said “Yes.. I was very proud of you.. you are a fighter.. you never give up.. although you do tend to be discouraged easily.. but you also get up again and again.. you never quit.. THAT is why I am proud of you. You fall and fail.. yet you try and try again. Its not how many time you fail I take note of.. its how many times you get up again and keep going.

THAT is character.. and character is all important and vital for what comes after your life on earth is complete.”

I looked at him and said “Huh”?..(rather stupidly I might add)

He just grinned and said “There is coming a time soon.. a few decades from now earth time…when all you have learnt.. and all you will learn will find its meaning. You think you will sit around being all happy here in this place doing nothing forever? NO.. you will have work to do.. places to oversee.. administration.. government.. all very busy.. and decisions will be needed.. from people with character.. people who have gone through the fires and beat them.. and.. people who are wise.. strong.. resilient.. steadfast.. in a word.. overcomers”

He went on to say “Now you know why you never knew me except as an infant. You know why…because in all the things you have gone through these last 15 years.. you grew character.. without the “Crutch” of religion….you fought on and on.. you overcame your weak frail body.. it grew strong.. you overcame the sicknesses that resulted from your premature birth… you overcame the anger and grief of your mother…you overcame the incessant teasing at school.. the bullying and the physical beatings.. just because you were “Different”…you saw through the lies on TV.. you never bought into the rubbish…the deceptions.. you kept on and on.. always asking.. looking.. reading and searching.. for deep down you KNEW there was more to this life than met the eye.. and deep down.. was the seed I had planted there when you and I had our little chat.. and now here you are today…and I am answering your question in full.. for know.. that all was not in vain.. life DOES have a purpose.. far greater than you can ever imagine.”

I stood there.. taking it all in.. it suddenly all made sense…all the trouble I had been in.. the hurt.. the pain.. the despair.. the victories.. again and again.. a cycle of defeats.. followed by victories.. and followed again by defeats.. and followed again by victories.

I was always alone.. never a friend…but I kept going.. I KNEW.. even though I actually “Believed” in nothing.. that I was WRONG somehow in that “belief”.. which.. after all.. was NOT a belief but an assumption.

He stood there…letting it all soak in.. it all fit together.. and explained a lot of what had happened in my childhood.. the early formative years of the basic character I would need in the next three decades.. as he was just about to warn me about… He said “Come with me.. up there..”

We both rose up to the throne.. and we sat on it together.. looking out over the sea of citrine yellow fire.. glowing in awesome majesty.. vacant.. for now…

(I was not actually “Sitting” as I was in spirit.. no body as such.. but you get the idea)

He pointed down to a spot near the front of the throne.. slightly to the right of it and said. “Know this for a fact…in less than 4 decades from now earth time.. YOU.. and your two daughters.. will be standing right there.. on that very spot.. you will be leaping and shouting victory.. joy.. gladness.. your arms around your young ones, who I will bless you with at the right time.. and there you will finally understand all that you are to go through in the next 35 years. Behind you.. surrounding you.. will be many many people.. who will only be there because of your words.. what you say.. and because of the moment you said them. No one will know you.. you will not be on a stage.. or on a movie or in a book. Just your words.. will spread out and impact many lives.

There.. standing there where I am pointing

(He raised his hand and pointed to the exact spot I will be standing in three decades or so from then)

I will acknowledge you to the others.. the ones who are there because you CHOSE to stay on and fight through.. I will let them all know your name.. and then you can spend the rest of the 1000 years meeting them all.. and sharing your testimony in person.. and hearing theirs. It will be an amazing time for you.. you will be utterly astounded at just who you reached with your words.. and their effects.

Nothing happens for nothing.

Your words.. born in the fires of agony and trials.. will touch many lives.. and also save many lives.. and the reason I tell you this now..

( He suddenly got all serious.. His smile of joy at the future memory of this event faded.. and the present came rushing back in.. and with.. a tear?…in his eye.. and a sadness I could only see the edge of..)

He continued…

“In the years ahead.. you will try to find me.. here.. there…you will look and search…you will try churches.. drugs.. alcohol.. parties.. friends.. all looking for me…trying to find WHERE I can be found on earth. You will forget most of what I have told you today UNTIL the day BEFORE it all comes to pass.. and your true destiny begins.. which will be in your 44th year ….”

( THAT is tomorrow.. I turn 44..and YES.. its only NOW.. the DAY BEFORE.. that I remember EVERY WORD he said to me that day so long ago.. until TODAY…I could only remember bits.. and the place itself.. NOT the warnings or the details)

He continued…

“…in the years ahead.. you will long to die.. you will experience such deep despair.. such grief.. so much pain. The fires will forge you.. stronger and stronger you will become with each forging. There will be three times you will attempt to take your life.. which I will prevent.. three times you will survive.. and get up and keep going.. again.. each step.. closer to the final product.”

“You will die to yourself.. you will die to this world.. you will eventually die out to the “Need” of human love.. finding it to be untrustworthy and fickle .You will know in the end.. only MY love is certain.. and only I can be counted upon.

And on that day.. you will walk as a lion.. fearless.. dead to the world.. trusting only in me.. and THAT.. is the reason I will let you wander.. to find out once and for all as Solomon once did.. that ALL.. apart FROM me.. is vanity.

And there.. lies real strength…and courage.. and wisdom…and with those three attributes forged INTO you by the fires of life itself.. you will march forth in your 44th year.. and devastate so many lies…so many half truths.. you will clear a pathway.. just with your words.. to truth.. to life.. and many will follow.. but NOT YOU…they will follow the TRUTH you have learnt so hard.

No one will EVER know who you are.. until that day.. the day I tell all, in front of the vast crowd.. your accomplishments. Both yours.. and many other warriors who will have done similar to you.

You will receive your reward then.. no sooner.

So.. go now.. back to earth…and I will be with you every step.. I will guide your every step.. and I will not let a single hair on your head be harmed.

There will be many attempts on your life by the evil one.. I will guard you.. see there?

( He pointed out across the field.. and there.. hovering above the field were two angels.. BIG ones..stern..strong..6 feet across at the shoulders.. at least 16 feet high…each dressed like a warrior.. with a ten foot long broadsword in a jewelled scabbard.. ready for anything)

These two have been with you since birth.. they are your protectors.. in the days of your destiny you will get to know them personally.. but until then they will remain hidden.. from you.. and from others.. but NOT from the forces of darkness…who will flee left and right at their very look.. thus no harm will ever come to you.. you must be kept alive at all costs.. even against your own attempts to end your life.. you cant even harm yourself.. much as you are going to want to.

(As it turns out.. I DID try to kill myself three times.. and each time.. it failed…overdose.. nothing.. just woke up a week later feeling great…drink myself to death?.. nup… I always passed out or vomited it all up..CAR accident?.. Head on crash at over 130 kph into a concrete pole which left the car a burning wreck?.. same.. was flung from the car as it burst into flame.. not a hair singed.. and not a scratch…that was my last attempt.. I gave up trying to kill myself after that.. no point.)

He then looked me right in the eye.. with his amazing eyes of multi hued blue fire and said..

“(My name)…in the years immediately following this conversation.. you will remember only parts of what I have said. Here and there I will allow a brief flash of remembrance. During dark times.. when you need it the most.

But for the most part your decisions.. and mistakes.. and outright rebellions, will be your own. But they too are a part of what you must learn. You will even get very angry at me in several years time.. when you fail to find me in any churches or doctrines or drugs or books or seminars. You will even curse the day you were born.. and your anger and grief will lead to some dreadful mistakes.. but those same mistakes will be the making of you.. your anger and your grief at not “Finding me” will in fact be what allows you to find me in the end.

A week before you turn 44 the final test will come.. your family will disown you and turn against you… and in that moment you will make a final decision (WHICH I did) which will enable the memory of all I have told you to re-surface one day before you turn 44..and when you do.. begin…for your 44th year is when everything you have ever learnt will come into play. The world will grow very dark.. people will be dying and losing hope.. BE that hope for them.. and tell them.. they DO have a “Daddy”.. that I am here FOR them.. and that nothing in their lives has happened for nothing either.. as I hold all events.. and every life.. well and truly in the palms of my hand. Now go.. and I will see you again here…in just under 4 decades your time, from now.

Then.. BANG… just like that.. I opened my eyes…and looked at the clock next to my bed…I was there for what seemed like hours.. or days.. but only about five minutes had passed.

And true to his word…I forgot almost everything he said…until today..

SO, What do you think of this persons dream? Leave a comment. Have you encountered any stories of people having a vision / dream or near death experience of heaven you’d like to share?

Categories: Dreams, Heaven, Near Death Experiences | Tags: , , | 1 Comment

Jesus and Alcohol (My Confession)

Dreams are one of the ways God speaks to me. Sometimes I don’t listen very well and I soon forget the very important message Jesus was doing his best to convey to me.

The other night I dreamed I was with some brothers and sisters in Christ explaining how I didn’t want to be associated with alcohol or anything else short of Jesus, Redemption, and Love. One girl started to sing a song about the love of God for us. She sang it poorly but it didn’t matter. The truth of the lyrics immediately made me cry. It made me cry because I knew all the ways I resist God and shut him out and yet He still loves me deeply.

I wanted to learn that song so someone printed off just the chords without lyrics. I played it on my guitar and someone else sang an epic version of a beautiful song about the love of God for us… a song I hope to write soon.

(Note: I was informed this post comes across disjointed. That’s what happens when you start a post in July and finish it in December.)

Since my last posts on the subject (see Alcohol and Jesus) I have grown a great deal in my views of alcohols proper place in the believer’s life (if at all). As a follower of Jesus we all have a responsibility to heed the Lord’s personal direction concerning all things, including the use (or lack of use) of alcohol.

My friend Jeff asked me, “So what’s the upside to alcohol?”

My attempt to answer that:

I remember hearing a pastor tell of how he was invited to his neighbor’s house for a barbecue. Someone tossed him a cold beer. He tossed it back announcing, “I don’t drink, I am a Christian.” He knew by the look on that man’s face that he had lost a precious opportunity. He regrets that to this day and says, “Why didn’t I just have the beer?” So with this story in mind I firmly believed a beer or a glass of wine could build a bridge for the Gospel of God’s grace (and being led by the Spirit on all future occasions this might still be employed).

Has it ever worked for me? Maybe… but I don’t think so. What has happened on a few occasions is that either I, or the person or people I am with, have too much to drink. This leaves either of us with a sense of shame and regret (or regrettably not). Jesus was not given glory. People are not closer to Jesus thanks to alcohol.

For the pure enjoyment and relaxation “a” beer or glass of wine can bring?

What’s wrong with this? Nothing really. Used in moderation alcohol is not evil. In fact, there are many health benefits to wine. Look it up. My perceptions are that in other cultures, the use of alcohol does not have the same stigma as it does in America. Take Europe for example. Wine with every meal is perfectly acceptable (Christian or not).

images-1Here in America alcohol is often seen as just a tool to get drunk. Likely, our history with the prohibition (and a puritanical Church stance) is to blame for rendering alcohol with its low reputation. It’s given the sin tax by the government as if to say, “Sure, we will allow you this evil much like we allow you to smoke and give yourself cancer or allow you to kill your baby.”

I wonder if America were mentioned in the Bible would it be on par with the Cretans reputation (“Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons”). Personally I don’t have much respect for how our American ancestors behaved when it came to alcohol or otherwise. A quote from the movie “Gangs of New York” comes to mind: “America was born in the streets”. I have heard or read stories of American history when seemingly everyone was getting drunk, and often. We lacked self-control and alcohol plagued our society for quite some time (and it still does). This is why the prohibition came about. Politicians and sensible people at the time saw the destruction alcohol was wreaking upon society and wanted it stopped.

So yes, I enjoy the fleeting happiness a favorite beer or glass of wine can bring. But I also certainly hate the shame and regret, not to mention the physical consequences, of having too much alcohol. It pains me to see what it is doing to my family, friends, and neighbors. And just as the Bible predicts, it’s difficult being a voice against its abuse when I was “for” its use. After all, I wouldn’t want anyone to feel bad or anything or jeopardize my own tolerance for it in my life. “Yea, I know we drink a lot”, someone would say to me. My response: “Well, I enjoy a glass of wine myself.” (And while it’s probably a good thing to refrain from being everyone’s conscience for them, it’s also good not to invalidate their own conscience’s convictions and conclusions.)

Can You Drink AND Love Jesus?

Some may and do come to the conclusion that just as drinking and driving don’t mix, neither does drinking and radically loving Jesus. This would be a position I would not take. Think about it. Can you honestly say to someone who has an occasional drink (like Jesus did) that they cannot radically love Jesus? No, not really.

However, for those Israelites who wished to be close to God they would take a Nazarite vow which meant that they would abstain from alcohol for a season. For a few of the most important prophets in Biblical history this was a lifelong commitment. So there is definitely a strong biblical argument for giving it up for good, especially considering the times and the need for prophets who are close to Jesus and hear from him.

This blog post isn’t about using alcohol responsibly. It’s about the times we fail to do so… and I have failed to do so. In my last post on the subject I talked about how I would never abuse alcohol again! Did you know that “never” can also mean “in two months”? Yes, I have slipped a few times. That is the strength of a persons resolve.

I recently watched a sobering movie about an alcoholic. It was amazing to see the freedom and even faith gained in the end by someone choosing honesty and facing who you are rather than continuing to lie. In Elementary, one of my favorite shows, Sherlock is a recovering addict. What baffles me is how we can even manage to “control” one area of our life, as the character in Elementary does, but then allow other areas of our life to be completely out of control. For instance Sherlock controls his substance addiction but gives himself complete license when it comes to sexual sin.

Isn’t there a higher goal beyond controlling our addictions or managing our sin? Indeed there is. Jesus holds out to us complete and absolute freedom in our relationship with him and gives us a kind of grace that is a game changer.

It’s his commitment to forgive and remain committed to love us that teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly and righteous lives.

 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,  while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14 NIV)

I have an unparalleled ability in recent years to immediately receive the grace and forgiveness of Jesus when I fail – which is a REALLY GOOD THING! I don’t wallow in shame or beat myself up. Honestly I didn’t expect any better from the saboteur anyway. BUT, I would never want to justify my sin! I’d rather simply part ways with it. Thankfully Jesus makes repenting and parting ways with sin rather simple. You just have to be ruthlessly honest about yourself and your sin (not always as publicly as I am).

Because I came out publicly with such a “pro” argument for its acceptable use I felt the need to address this issue again (hopefully for the last time). This is why I am publicly repenting of my abuse of alcohol and being as brutally honest as I can be… OK, that’s a lie. You will never get the full brutally honest story. Only God knows that one.

I met a woman recently who had been sober 24 years after being an alcoholic for most of her life previous. She said she has never felt accepted or loved until she found it in Jesus. She keeps trying to reach her alcoholic son and refuses to give up hope for him because Jesus never gave up on her.

I recently came back from visiting where I grew up. One of the people I used to drink with is still a raging alcoholic nearly twenty years later. Don’t we ever learn? Another has turned to alcohol to self medicate a constant physical pain and I think perhaps to also numb the emotional pain of the past. But even more than this I think it is used to numb the ache of just missing Jesus.

In a broken world such as ours with so much pain and anguish, is it any wonder people turn to alcohol (among other things)? But don’t we know to turn to Jesus? Why not?

So many people just don’t know, or don’t believe, that Jesus loves them. I don’t know about you but most of the time when I hear, “Jesus loves you”, it seems trite and silly like that old Sunday school song. It’s old hat. You know what I mean? The message so often fails to even enter our heart. We are immune and inoculated from the love of Jesus.

Why?

I think it’s because we aren’t willing to trust and be willing to give up all the carefully constructed ways we medicate our misery. Ultimately, this isn’t about drinking at all, is it? It’s about knowing and loving Jesus. Do we really know him? Have we embraced his love? Are we really his disciple? (See a previous blog about being a disciple called Dust).

In the beginning of June of this year the Lord was trying to get my attention and was calling me to be his disciple. He did this by giving me the following dream:

I saw the world for what it truly was in the spiritual dimension. It was a place of darkness and confusion and the air was filled with poison. It was as if the entire world was a house filled with carbon monoxide. People were dropping around me like flies and I was shaken by it. Someone, who I perceived was the Lord, was trying his best to rescue people. But people were hiding from him. Demons were also constantly busy hiding people from Jesus and in frustration he said to himself (the Trinity) “It seems like they are going to get away with everything.”

So how in the world did I turn a profound dream of Jesus loving rescue operation into a defense for a Christians right to drink? How slippery I am!

In fact, after I poured out all my alcohol, I was making it again within two days! Why, you may ask? Oh, I had my reasons. Among all my reasons, the biggest reason is this:

I miss Jesus. I wanted to relieve the ache of missing him. Alcohol did that for me and I wasn’t ready to give it up. Now, however, I’d rather just have Jesus, even if it means never having alcohol ever again.

I was afraid to feel the pain of Christ for others as well. I avoided this pain and so was sabotaging the advancement of the kingdom of God. Unless you and I embrace the love of Jesus and join with Jesus in his rescue operation, unless that becomes our driving ambition in our life as it is Christ’s, and yes, even embrace the pain that comes with the mission of actually caring about lost people, then we become part of the problem. We end up putting sandbags on the drowning victims instead of pulling them to safety. We end up turning away from, and skirting around, the beat up victim instead of coming to their aid (see the Good Samaritan story). We end up handing a drink to the alcoholic. We remain silent when we should speak out. We stand by and watch them suffocate. We stand by and watch people drown themselves with alcohol and give them encouragement, “It’s ok. It’s your Christian right to drink.”

I don’t want that anymore.

I don’t want any more people whom Jesus dearly loves to slip by and never fully embrace the love and grace and redemption that Jesus has for them! I don’t want Christian brothers and sisters to settle for an existence that is so far below anything you could remotely call an ‘abundant life’ that Jesus offers them. I want everyone to “be found” by Jesus and be in love with their Creator and Savior!

This isn’t really about alcohol at all. This is about Jesus finding people and saving them from whatever may be distracting and drowning them (their idols). This is about people becoming disciples of Jesus.

There are probably plenty of reasons to never drink again. My permissive attitudes might have already encouraged others to drink who shouldn’t be drinking. This is tragic and feels like I’m handing a loaded gun to someone who is suicidal.

I was reminded today from reflecting on the Psalms that God holds each one of us accountable. You and I will be held accountable and none of our excuses will be valid or amount to anything. Sooner or later our hearts WILL be exposed, our sin will come to light. I choose the sooner.

My wife was reading through the Bible and came upon this Scripture from the prophet Micah:

“Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you,
“I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!”
That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!” Micah 2:11 NLT

I was arrested.

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12 NLT

Even if it is entirely ok for me to drink or even have a winemaking hobby, (which I know it is – I do still agree with everything in my first blog on this topic), God has a way of exposing our carefully constructed arguments and excuses for what they are to expose our heart and motives.

Why was an occasional drink so important to me anyway?

I felt it made me more human. I felt that it further separated me from the realm of religious prick (which I abhor) and into the realm of real and human and love. This is why I was committed to not being a teetotaler.

But… on the flip side, might I be a partaker of destroying lives and helping people to hide from Jesus and giving them a Biblical defense to do so? If that is the case, then God help me!

The thing is, God has helped me and continues to help me. He sets me free from idols… because even if I had the slightest doubt that alcohol stood between me and Jesus, then guess what… it did. Because, “whatever is not of faith is sin.”

The simple truth is this. Our conscience dictates all these gray areas of morality. This makes perfect sense when you think of this in terms of relationship. I am one side of the relationship, God is on the other. If I think something is hindering that relationship then it most certainly is because I “think” it is and that affects me. Even if to God that gray area is perfectly acceptable, I may not be mature or aware enough to know that. My faith may not connect with that.

Paul writes about this in terms of meat offered to idols. My understanding is that in Paul’s day in age you could hardly find meat in the market that hadn’t been offered to an idol because the butcher shops served the idol worship industry that was so prevalent. Many early Christians ceased eating meat altogether lest they “offend God” by unwittingly taking part of idol worship. Paul was mature and aware of the fact that an idol is nothing and nonsense so enjoy the meat, but never at the expense of another’s conscience. In that case the persons conscience always trumped the “freedom” because that person’s relationship is worth more than the freedom.

A person’s relationship with God is always worth more than any freedom.

My bottom line is this: What do we want our life to be about?

I don’t want to be known as the guy who makes and enjoys wine, but as the man who loves and is passionate about Jesus! Ultimately I want my life to be about knowing and experiencing fully and then preaching the joy of knowing Jesus.  I’d rather not be a stumbling block to anyone finding that joy!

Please pray for me.

Categories: Alcohol, Dreams, Exposing Self-Righteous Religion | Tags: , , | 3 Comments

“Old Men Will Dream”, Am I Getting Old?

“I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.” – Joel 2:28

Does this mean I’m getting old? I had a couple of dreams recently I thought were worth preserving for posterity:

Last night I dreamed that I was preaching on forgiveness. I shared that Jesus told us to:

“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. “And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” Luke 17:3-4 NLT

I shared that if Jesus asks us to forgive like this then surely he forgives like this… and more. Check out this Scripture:

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  – Matthew 18:21-22 NLT

forgiveThis is not exactly referring to 490 times but to God’s eternal complete forgiveness.

This has been my lifeline. I trust the forgiveness of God. And then, I extend this forgiveness of God to others.

Today as I was driving I began thinking of a dear friend of mine who is living in sin, running from God. I prayed, “On behalf of Jesus I forgive _____ of all their sins.”

“Blasphemous! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Sound familiar? The Pharisees said this of Jesus when He performed that incredible miracle of forgiving the paralytic’s sins! (Oh yea, and then he healed him… yawn… j/k!)

Well, the answer to that question is: Yes! Only God can forgive sins AND ALSO anyone else that he gives the authority to forgive sins. Jesus said this to his disciples:

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John 20:21-23 NLT

So this means if you are a disciple of Jesus who has received the Holy Spirit you have the power to forgive others sins.

You may be someone who needs to start following Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit before you too can possess this awesome power.

DREAM NUMBER TWO

“Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,  and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” – 2 Timothy 2:25-26 NIV & NLT

Scripture says that when we refuse to repent and oppose the truth we are taken captive by the enemy to do his will. This actually happened in my dream because I was guilty of a sin!

In my dream (and reality of course) I had super powers (as every believer does) and Satan was using me to destroy things, blast open doors, wreak havoc, cause general mayhem, chaos, and ruin.

Of course I was disturbed by what was happening. At one point Satan stopped and said, “Let me pause for a moment to laugh maniacally… Bwa hahaha!”

it-is-worse-when-you-dont-repent_mobileAt this point I came to my senses and yelled, “I repent!”

The invisible chains that the devil held me with broke off of me and I fought him off… quite easily actually. He was scared of me!

I saw the truth of James 4:7 in a whole new light:

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

This dream really spoke to me about the power of just being in right standing with God. Not a difficult thing by any means, we just get to (and absolutely must) repent of all our sins! No problemo!

Happy repenting everyone! Go and save the world my superhero friends!

Here is some context from James 4 & Psalm 51 that will help with the repenting:

“You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud
but favors the humble.”

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” James 4:4-10 NLT

Psalm 51:

“Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.”

Categories: Dreams, Forgive | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments

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