Dream (Earlier this morning)

 I've been looking at many of the news reports and the things that are happening in this world, and early this morning just before waking I had a very vivid dream.

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I do not remember the exact details of the dream except that it was chaotic and very unsettling, much fighting, unrest, people rioting, running, and my own thoughts and feelings while in this dream were unsettled and chaotic, I was completely in it, part of the problems, terrified, not wanting these things to happen but helpless to stop it. I awoke for a moment, my thoughts turned to Jesus "Help me to know what to do" was my inward prayer, and then went back to sleep. I returned to that scene in the dream and again I saw the chaos and fighting, but was being drawn up from it, sensing that those whose hearts were of this world would destroy themselves and each other taking each other down, but those who are of the Lord will be lifted up, not part of the mess, and it then turned my thoughts to death and resurrection and the different experience that will be had by those who die loving this world more than God and those who die and are truly looking to God, Jesus, our all in all. In the dream it felt like angels were pulling me up and keeping me standing, and  it might be that I died in the dream at that point and was being lifted off the earth. It seemed like the images of "the rapture" in a way, yet not really that, almost that.



It again reminded me that we who are in Christ are "in the world but not of the world", and that when we are absent from the body (when we physically die) we will be present with the Lord. Very comforting thoughts while seeing all of the world's chaotic problems.

John 16:32-33 (ESV)  Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

All We Can Do Is Pray

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Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.



I'm sure you've heard people say this after they have exhausted all other resources, and tried by their own efforts to change an outcome that just doesn't want to change no matter what efforts are placed against it. Perhaps it is regarding a bad workplace situation, or a terminal illness of a loved one, or a child that is bent on destruction...all efforts to make the problem go away have failed, and now all that is left is to give up, and pray, and maybe God will grant a miracle.....or maybe not.

 James 5:16 
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.





Why do we think when a situation doesn't turn the way we think it should that it is because: 1. God isn't watching or listening 2. God isn't there, He's busy with other things or 3. God doesn't exist (atheist)? From having paid attention to events as they have occurred in my life, I see that God has always been faithful, that the things that haven't turned out the way I wanted ended up being for the best anyway, and that God does have a plan for each of us and often the things that happen (or don't happen the way we want them to) occur because the Lord is using those situations to prune us, to dig around our hard soil, so that proper growth can take place. David went through terrible hardships. His thoughts and prayers, his sorrow and shame, are recorded for us in his Psalms that were sung to the Lord as he patiently waited on the Lord, knowing that no matter what happened God is good and knows what He's doing, and that in the final end it is all for the best.
 Psalm 34:8,15  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

When I pray I do have a "this is how I want it to turn out, Lord" in mind, but the Lord sees more than I do. He sees long-term and I only see immediate short-term benefits. Plus I don't see how all of the pieces are to fit together. The fact that I want rain to make my flowers grow might interfere with the fact that a family a couple of doors away is praying it doesn't rain until they are able to repair their roof that is in very bad shape (as a poor example, but you get the idea; what is a blessing for me might be a curse for someone else and the world does not revolve around me).

So the next time you are tempted to say "All we can do is pray" instead say "How wonderful it is we can talk with the Lord about this in prayer!".

Realizing Time is Short

September we had the opportunity to take a trip out west. It was beyond wonderful. While drving along my husband would often pull to the side if there was a good pull out spot. One of the times he did so, I noticed something that looked like a cross at the other end of this lookout spot.

so of course I had to investigate this...

and a closer look revealed...

None of us knows when our time is up. I pray that when the time comes for the Lord to call you home that you will join Him gladly full of thanksgiving for all the goodness He provides, and for the glad moment when He brings us home to be with Him, forever.

God's Timing, and God's Will Vs. Man's Will

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A recent discussion in the comments section of a blog post from a few months ago ....
 http://susanflutterbys.blogspot.ca/2015/03/another-post-on-hell.html
 had me marinating over the topic of God's will and man's will...again...I mean it is a topic that I often think about, and it had me go to that place once more.

The Bible likens the believer's relationship to a child and a Father. A child can demand all kinds of things at every whim or fancy, but does that obligate the father to give in to the child at that moment of the request? I think of the people that Jesus healed...some had been waiting for a healing for many years, begging that God would relieve their misery. Why didn't He? When Lazarus, beloved by Jesus, died, Lazarus's sister Mary complained that if Jesus had been a little bit sooner her brother would not have to have died. Why was He late? Or was He?

We have a timetable of when we think things should happen. There are many charlatans who will promise you that God will give you everything you want IMMEDIATELY and if He doesn't, it is because your faith is lacking, so show your faith by sending in all your money to the ministry....blahblahblahblahblah....

When looking for an image for this post, I found the one above, and interestingly, the story of the Doomsday Clock dovetails nicely with my thoughts about God's timing, God's will, and man's (and woman's...that is, mine included) impetuous nature. God answers when He does and the way He chooses to show us that it is His will, not ours, that causes what He does in our lives at the appropriate times, which often is not when we wanted it (immediately, whether it was yesterday, a week ago, or 20 years ago). Joseph had to wait in prison in Egypt MANY YEARS, having been falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. When he explained a dream to two fellow inmates the one who lived promised to tell Pharaoh about Joseph's plight, but then it wasn't until another 2 years passed before he remembered Joseph when Pharaoh had a dream. How mean of God to keep Joseph in jail all that time for a crime he did not commit!!! How dare He! What an evil God! No, actually, it ended up all being for good (if you know the rest of the story, I know you would agree with me). But God could have done things differently. Why did people have to suffer in order for God's good to have to come so late? Ahh, is it to teach us patience? Perseverance perhaps? Maybe...but it is for God to do what He does for the reasons He knows are the correct ones. We would only be guessing, but a good God who has the welfare of His chosen ever in mind, does what He does for those who love Him.

This is a quote I ran across yesterday, it sort of tells part of this equation:

" Now God sometimes allows people to treat us unjustly. Sometimes He even allows their actions to seriously affect our careers or our futures viewed on a human plane. But God never allows people to make decisions about us that undermine His plan for us. God is for us, we are His children, He delights in us (see Zephaniah 3:17). And the Scripture says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). We can put this down as a bedrock truth: God will never allow any action against you that is not in accord with His will for you. And His will is always directed to our good. "
Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts

The Bible says the fiery trials purge us and refine us like gold in fire. The book of Job explains it beautifully.  God has made available all these things: warnings, rebukes, admonishings, wisdom, explanations, comforting passages, praises, love, and much more, and we can foolishly find ways to discredit what He says to us, or we can take it to heart and pray for His timing in the performance of His will in our lives. His will is to save the lost. Are you lost?

 Oh, and regarding the Doomsday Clock article...it's an old article...the time has been moved up to 3 minutes to midnite. The closest it has ever been to midnite was when they put the time at 2 minutes to midnite, and then after the cold war it was reset to 17 minutes to midnite....but God knows what time it is by His timetable. The disciples in Jesus day thought that the end of the world would be in their lifetime, and look at the patient endurance of God who is waiting for more people to save. He is patient...but are you patient, to the saving of your soul, with Him?

Guard Your Heart

 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.   But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:12-13  (ESV)

Hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. The worst sin is pride. It caused satan to think he was superior to God Himself, and cause others to come with him and join him in his falling from grace.

If a person is truly saved, changed from the inside, born again, it is impossible for such a one to lose their salvation (Jesus said so)...and some may lose their way temporarily, but will return to Him because He draws His own to Himself (John 6:44) however there are those who have an "appearance of godliness", they appear "good" but it isn't the goodness that comes from God because they deny His power, and we are to turn away from those.

2Ti 3:1  But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2Ti 3:2  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3  heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
2Ti 3:4  treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
2Ti 3:5  having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2Ti 3:6  For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
2Ti 3:7  always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

However there are warnings in the Bible. There are things to avoid, just as we would avoid anything icky and disgusting and horrid. In the Old Testament there were rules for how to deal with lepers. They had their own area that they had to be in so the healthy would not be in contact with them. They had to remain "outside the camp" until they were deemed cleansed.

I have been reading the Old Testament beginning from the beginning. I'm now in the book of Numbers. There is a scene in the text where Aaron and Miriam stand against Moses, and God punishes Miriam (I wonder why not Aaron? oh well) with leprosy. Moses pleads for Miriam but God says she has to endure the disease for 7 days after-which she

Fasting

 Lyn posted a very good analysis on fasting on her Saved by Grace blog. I read the entire article by Gary Gilley. He makes some excellent points about where Pastor Piper goes wrong...but I really hoped he would touch on what Jesus said about demons and "prayer and fasting" but he never mentions it :(

Good article none the less, if we think we are getting direction from the Lord it always, always, ALWAYS needs to be checked with what the Bible actually says (and/or doesn't say), and must humbly turn back to the right way when shown the error of our ways. I hope that Pastor Piper and many of the others mentioned will realize they are holding to (and teaching) falsely and putting God's stamp on it. The most dangerous lies (and of course the devil knows this) are the ones that lead us gradually off course. God won't lose those who are His, but we can go through much unnecessary harm, and also bring harm (possibly prevent others from being saved? Not sure about that, but I personally do think that is possible, God warns us about false teachers, and Jesus tells the Pharisees that they prevent people from entering the kingdom and make them into devils)....So many lies and only one true way, let's be sure we stay on it by God's truth keeping us strong and keeping our feet on the right path:


Link to "Fasting and Direction"

Preparing for the Revolution

Description given by person who posted this youtube video: The government has declared it can lock anyone up forever or kill them without any proof or due process. DHS has placed an order for 450 million rounds of Hollow Point ammo. Obama can now declare martial law during peace time. I think that just about says it all. 

At first this kind of news disturbed me, but these days as I continue to read the scriptures I pray for strength and wisdom, and a mouth to speak the truth, if I might even snatch a few from the flames by God's grace, I feel good knowing that God is still in control, and that He promised these things would take place nearer to the time of His return.

Jud 1:18  They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions."
Jud 1:19  It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
Jud 1:20  But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
Jud 1:21  keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
Jud 1:22  And have mercy on those who doubt;
Jud 1:23  save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Agreeing to Disagree

Just so you know I HATE the phrase "Let's agree to disagree". I think it is hostile and arrogant. I do think it wise to walk away from an argument, and not hate the other person for disagreeing with me (which is also hostile and arrogant). I've heard the saying often, which tells you that I get into some controversial discussions which have the potential of becoming quite heated...and yes there are those who have been put off (sometimes permanently) by my stance on a topic, such as with the pre-trib / post-trib debate, or the "once saved always saved" position vs. the "you can lose your salvation" stance.

Then there are those who admit that either side could be mistaken, or at least partially mistaken. That's fair. I have been wrong plenty of times (oh no! say it ain't so!!!) and prior to coming to realize that I was wrong I was very sure of my rightness.

I had even at one time firmly believed that others who did not share my stance on the tribulation and rapture timing were either:

1. unsaved
2. going to fall away from their faith
or
3. were false teachers promoting a false doctrine.

And I still think this way about this and other topics, however I would not cut a person off for this, because I understood that God in His mercy was even able to graciously save the Apostle Paul when he was in the height of his ignorance and was even outright persecuting the church. What I am guilty of having done (and it is still something I struggle with) is continuing on in the conversation/argument not letting go of it and not letting the other person have "the final word" on the topic. I feel it is my duty to make sure that person is not going to continue on in their mistaken beliefs....sigh. This is still a tough one for me, I'll tell you straight out.

So reading DebbieLynne's blog today she stated:

"and (in my human pride) I'd like to turn the tide. Ah, but that pride is actually opposed to God, deceiving me into supposing that I'd be a better savior than He is! Such a realization makes me tremble with shame!"

YES!!! That's exactly the point (although prior to seeing DebbieLynne's confession, I had missed that point!). When I think that I can change others minds and turn people from their wicked or mistaken ways, I'm trying to take God's place in that person's life. Wow, big mistake! The idea of such arrogance makes me cringe.

Much better to do what Jesus tells us in His book, which is to look to His leading, to speak the words He gives us through His Spirit, and then whether it's accepted or rejected, to trust the Lord that His words won't return to Him void...He will accomplish what HE WILLS (which might run contrary to what I will) and He will do it at the time He appoints for it (His timetable runs alot longer than mine, and He is also alot more patient and longsuffering than I am, thank you LORD!!!)

Thank you Lord for gently teaching me about patience...again.

 2 Timothy 2:24-26  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;   And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 

James 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 

 Ok, I admit that I do think this sometimes (and realize that kind of thinking is just wrong as the Lord convicts me of it), but when I see that which I do look back at me in the face of another person (such as the one in the picture above), it is very unappealing indeed. But I also know that I'll probably continue to make mistakes, in this, and in other areas as well. Thankfully the Lord is merciful and longsuffering, and He can use my meager offerings to make something out of not much.

It's good also to remember the words of Jesus when I think that I'm the only one with all the right answers:

Mat 19:30  But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. 

I think I need to find my way back to the end of the line.

Answered Prayers

Lucy and family's blogsite

In Ma's comments yesterday I wrote:

I don't go for the "name it and claim it" stuff, but the Lord does want us to be persistent in asking, [however] sometimes He has something else in mind than what we are asking for...only He knows the full picture, we only see it in part, and then we ask amiss because we narrowly desire something that misses that bigger picture.

It is truly a trust issue, where even if our prayers seem to fail, God never fails in doing the right thing.

Lucy has been improving, Praise the Lord! She looks much different from that picture (above) taken about a year and a half ago. Her latest test came up clear of cancer, and the fact that she still lives is of course truly a miracle. 

However, if we don't get what we ask for, if Lucy had passed away, could it be because we didn't ask enough? Or didn't say the "right words"? Or because God forgot about showing us His mercy in her situation? 

There are many times He answers "no" to our requests for healing. Why is that?

A young woman I work with recently had a surgery to try to solve her sleep apnea problems. She is a beautiful person, inside and out. She always had kind things to say about others. She had a beautiful laugh and a gorgeous smile. She's an architect who just prior to her surgery, did some work for FEMA. She loves helping people. The day after her surgery a few months ago, she lapsed into a coma. She came out of the coma a couple of weeks later, barely functioning, barely and only sometimes able to follow simple commands. We who know her beg the Lord for a healing touch to restore the beautiful friend and family member to us. So far the answer has been "no"... or maybe it is "wait". 

I think about the lessons Jesus taught with His life while He was here amongst us. Why did He wait until Lazarus was completely dead before restoring him? Weren't his sister's faithful enough in their prayers and their grief? And what about those who do not ever have their loved ones restored to them in this life? Does it mean that they (or the Lord? we know this would be impossible, but there are those of course who blame to Lord for not giving them a "yes" to their requests for healing) were not faithful? Does the Lord always allow sickness for the reason of displaying His awesome power of healing through answered prayer? If He doesn't heal is it because we are doing something wrong?... because He is angry with us over some other thing that He is punishing us for? Is it to teach us patience and trust in Him, even in losing such precious loved ones?

I really don't know the answer to these questions. I don't know why He sometimes answers "yes" and other times in seemingly identical situations the answer is "no". Certainly we need to continue to be persistent in our asking.

Luk 11:5  And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
Luk 11:6  For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
Luk 11:7  And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
Luk 11:8  I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
Luk 11:9  And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Luk 11:10  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Luk 11:11  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Luk 11:12  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Luk 11:13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Is this promising a complete healing in this life, of body, mind and soul? Or is this talking about something else?

But, like I stated in Ma's comments section, we might not know why the Lord does (or doesn't do) what He does, but He does know what He is doing, and He does it perfectly even when it isn't the way we think it would best showcase His love and perfection. He is perfect. Our understanding of that is not perfect, not even close. Everything, the good, the bad, and everything in between, will end up for good in those who are His and called according to His purpose. I cling to that promise. (Romans 8:28)

Added thought:

 ...thinking more about this....what disturbs me about this is that it seems like we look to God as a genie that we have to "rub the right way" to get what we want.... like we are his experimental creatures along the lines of "Pavlov's dogs". I know this isn't what our relationship with Him should be, however it often strikes me that often what I see is that kind of conditioning in how we are to ask and receive, and I don't think that is what the Lord desires of us at all.