As we begin the year 2012 as I was typing this blog post, I believe the Lord is calling us to a place of total trust in Him!
Maybe you've never thought, "God wants to communicate with me!" I am not a great prophet, a King Solomon, or a Queen Esther who saved her people from genocide. The bible is full of dreams and visions sent to men and women in order to establish communication with God and between people. Understanding their pictorial, symbolic, language can easier than you think. Like learning any new language the more you remember your dreams and write them down, the more sense they make and the more proficient you become in interpreting them. Dreams are often full of common place symbols of your life. If you access the Holy Spirit, He will help you understand them. The Spirit will be your teacher. Other help can come from knowledgeable friends who listen and help you understand. The best help of all, comes when you access the bible the teachings of Jesus, and knowing Him, will assure knowing what your dream says. It could contain warnings, prophecy, a nudge in the right direction. It could teach you to make good decisions, or give you the affirmation you need. Whatever it is, the pictorial dream language may at first seem confusing, scary, senseless, but can become an important message from on high, one that changes your life.
AN EXAMPLE: A dream I had some years ago:
I am floating on a narrow river on a small raft. The raft is made of rough cut logs, bound together by thick cords. A heap of personal belongings, covered by a waterproof tarp is roped to one corner of the raft. I can’t see what is under the cover, but I know that it is necessities - food, water, a blanket, matches, flashlight, etc. I don’t have any interest in undoing the bundle. I am alone, very alone, on this small raft. There is no room for other people. In the center of the raft is a long, solid, wooden pole. It is higher than my head and firmly attached to the raft. It should stay standing even in a storm. I have no fear that it will fall down on me, or unbalance the raft. But I’m apprehensive about traveling on the river. No one will be with me for companionship, help, or comfort. I am busy checking my surroundings. All of a sudden I realize with great emotion, there is no way for me to steer this raft! - No one pole, no oars, no paddle. What will happen if I hit a protruding rock? - If there are torrents of raging white water ahead? Can I survive without a steering mechanism? I seem to be desperately shouting out these questions as though someone can hear me and will answer. I begin crying. Then a quiet, authoritative voice says:
“Yes, you have nothing to steer this raft with. You don’t need anything. You have ME. You won’t be grounded against the shore, I will get you around the rocks, I will take you over the rapids. I am all you need. - But you must cling to the wooden post in the center of the raft. I again access the sturdiness of the post. It’s attached firmly and has a cross post near the top. - I wake up no longer weeping, no longer filled with anxiety. It is daylight.
I believe the interpretation of this dream is simple, not complex. It helped to change some of my own attitudes and took care of some of my fears. Later, the Lord gave me another dream, a continuation of this one. I experienced the river trip itself and an unforgettable ending as we finished the journey. This will be on my next post for the blog.
IS GOD SPEAKING TO YOU?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
THE CHRISTMAS GOOSE
While on the phone with our son, Michael I asked if he remembered goose hunting at Tulelake in California? His response was immediate and enthusiastic. “oh Yes, Mom, the clear cold nights, snuggling down in sleeping bags. Our old umbrella tent. Geese flying in, honking, silhouetted against a full moon. We watched them come.
“It was beautiful wasn’t it Michael?” - So beautiful we didn’t mind shivering in the cold, breathing out great gusts of frosty air, our mouths open in wonder.
Our family had come to Tulelake to hunt geese. Michael and Dad were the hunters. Lana, our daughter and I came to cook on the camp stove, scrub dirty dishes in a kettle of steaming suds, air out sleeping bags and sweep the tent floor. We hoped this effort would produce a juicy, fat goose for our Christmas dinner. I had prayed while still at home that we would be successful hunting. But now I felt a little ambivalent after experiencing last night’s glorious sights and sounds as the birds we hunted returned to their natural habitat by the lake.
In early morning I fed our hunters a substantial breakfast and Lana and I waved “goodbye” just as daybreak arrived. Guns cracked and banged, accompanied by shouts from hunters and shrill whistles for game dogs. We wondered if Dad and Michael had brought down a goose as we scrubbed cooking pots and dirty dishes. Next we put our sleeping bags back in the tent. Activity was accompanied by fewer shotgun blasts as the sun rose higher in a clear sky. Lana and I brought out favorite books, ready to read and wait. Then the unexpected happened! I stood up, looking intently at the raised, man made road bridging the tulles. It seemed covered with light. It was just wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other, and tulles covered the area on either side. An insistent voice spoke beside me, or inside me, I don’t know which. I was urged to walk up that road: “Walk the road, Evelyn. Walk until you know you should stop. There’s a goose caught in the tulles. You’ll hear her cries ad thrashing about. Go get her, now!”I called to Lana, “Put away your book.” Pointing in the direction of the road, I said excitedly, “We’re going to take a walk and we’re going to bring back our Christmas goose!”
“What are you talking about, Mama? We’re not hunting. How can we get a goose? The guys have the guns.”
“I’m not sure Lana, except I know we are going to walk on that road, cut through the tulles and we will come back with a goose!”
“oh, Mama, won’t Dad and Mike be surprised if we do? Let’s go!”
We walked less than a mile. Lana’s shorter legs had no trouble keeping pace with my cautious, slow, stride. Our feet stopped at a certain spot and I put my finger on my lips so Lana would be quiet. We both peered all around. Then several feet, off road, we heard a thumping and fluttering. The voice whispered, “See, there us your goose. Walk through the Tulles and get her.” I hesitated. “When I find her, what then? - What do I do with a live, injured goose?” Silence, except for my racing heart.
I told Lana to wait for me on the road because the ground was wet and mucky - too difficult for her to walk through. Then I climbed down the bank and headed in the direction of the distress signals. When I reached the right spot a large goose was frantically trying to flap its broken wings. I felt a mixture of fear, sorrow and deep remorse. When the bird saw me, she tried to scramble away, but became more entangled in the undergrowth. The Voice spoke again. “Here is the Christmas goose you prayed for. Pick her up by the legs, and quickly end her pain and suffering.”I followed directions, grasping strong, slender legs and lifting her up bodily. She instantly calmed down. I then saw a large rock sticking up through the mud. “Swing hard and strike her head against the rock. She’ll die quickly and feel no pain” - I swung with all my might, tears pouring down my checks. - It was over. I carried the beautiful goose back to the road. Lana who was laughing and clapping her hands, exalted: “Mama, we did it - we got a Christmas goose! - Mama, why are you crying?”
“Because she is dead and she was so beautiful. But she had to die to provide a goose for our Christmas dinner.”
When Dad and Michael came back there were no geese hanging from their belts or feathers sticking out of their game bags. They were tired, hungry and disappointed. Lana could hardly wait to tell them, “Don’t worry. Mom and I got one. We got our Christmas goose!” By this time the goose was de feathered, cleaned and stored in the ice chest. When we exhibited the prize and told the remarkable story of finding her, my tears ceased, and I joined in with a family celebration that our hunt had been successful. Mike and Lana put goose feathers in their caps, and later as we bowed our heads to thank God for ham and cheese sandwiches and apple cider, we also thanked God for giving us a goose for Christmas.
WHAT DID I LEARN FROM THIS? - God cares for us. He cares so much that He granted my prayer and sacrificed a precious goose taken from his wild flocks. - I also learned GOD weeps with us when anyone, man or animal, is wounded, suffering and dying. “Even a sparrow”, Jesus said, “is known by the Lord.” But especially a goose I thought. It helped knowing my tears were also His tears. How do I know this? I just know.
God played the major part in this story. He gave me the light enhanced vision of the road I must travel. By His direction I was told to stop in the exact place, at the exact moment to find the wounded goose. By His unique placement a rock was sticking out of the mud so I could end her suffering quickly. I was directed by Him. He is not a remote, uncaring, disinterested God. His grace is always near. He answers heartfelt prayer, even by providing a goose for a family’s Christmas dinner.
“It was beautiful wasn’t it Michael?” - So beautiful we didn’t mind shivering in the cold, breathing out great gusts of frosty air, our mouths open in wonder.
Our family had come to Tulelake to hunt geese. Michael and Dad were the hunters. Lana, our daughter and I came to cook on the camp stove, scrub dirty dishes in a kettle of steaming suds, air out sleeping bags and sweep the tent floor. We hoped this effort would produce a juicy, fat goose for our Christmas dinner. I had prayed while still at home that we would be successful hunting. But now I felt a little ambivalent after experiencing last night’s glorious sights and sounds as the birds we hunted returned to their natural habitat by the lake.
In early morning I fed our hunters a substantial breakfast and Lana and I waved “goodbye” just as daybreak arrived. Guns cracked and banged, accompanied by shouts from hunters and shrill whistles for game dogs. We wondered if Dad and Michael had brought down a goose as we scrubbed cooking pots and dirty dishes. Next we put our sleeping bags back in the tent. Activity was accompanied by fewer shotgun blasts as the sun rose higher in a clear sky. Lana and I brought out favorite books, ready to read and wait. Then the unexpected happened! I stood up, looking intently at the raised, man made road bridging the tulles. It seemed covered with light. It was just wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other, and tulles covered the area on either side. An insistent voice spoke beside me, or inside me, I don’t know which. I was urged to walk up that road: “Walk the road, Evelyn. Walk until you know you should stop. There’s a goose caught in the tulles. You’ll hear her cries ad thrashing about. Go get her, now!”I called to Lana, “Put away your book.” Pointing in the direction of the road, I said excitedly, “We’re going to take a walk and we’re going to bring back our Christmas goose!”
“What are you talking about, Mama? We’re not hunting. How can we get a goose? The guys have the guns.”
“I’m not sure Lana, except I know we are going to walk on that road, cut through the tulles and we will come back with a goose!”
“oh, Mama, won’t Dad and Mike be surprised if we do? Let’s go!”
We walked less than a mile. Lana’s shorter legs had no trouble keeping pace with my cautious, slow, stride. Our feet stopped at a certain spot and I put my finger on my lips so Lana would be quiet. We both peered all around. Then several feet, off road, we heard a thumping and fluttering. The voice whispered, “See, there us your goose. Walk through the Tulles and get her.” I hesitated. “When I find her, what then? - What do I do with a live, injured goose?” Silence, except for my racing heart.
I told Lana to wait for me on the road because the ground was wet and mucky - too difficult for her to walk through. Then I climbed down the bank and headed in the direction of the distress signals. When I reached the right spot a large goose was frantically trying to flap its broken wings. I felt a mixture of fear, sorrow and deep remorse. When the bird saw me, she tried to scramble away, but became more entangled in the undergrowth. The Voice spoke again. “Here is the Christmas goose you prayed for. Pick her up by the legs, and quickly end her pain and suffering.”I followed directions, grasping strong, slender legs and lifting her up bodily. She instantly calmed down. I then saw a large rock sticking up through the mud. “Swing hard and strike her head against the rock. She’ll die quickly and feel no pain” - I swung with all my might, tears pouring down my checks. - It was over. I carried the beautiful goose back to the road. Lana who was laughing and clapping her hands, exalted: “Mama, we did it - we got a Christmas goose! - Mama, why are you crying?”
“Because she is dead and she was so beautiful. But she had to die to provide a goose for our Christmas dinner.”
When Dad and Michael came back there were no geese hanging from their belts or feathers sticking out of their game bags. They were tired, hungry and disappointed. Lana could hardly wait to tell them, “Don’t worry. Mom and I got one. We got our Christmas goose!” By this time the goose was de feathered, cleaned and stored in the ice chest. When we exhibited the prize and told the remarkable story of finding her, my tears ceased, and I joined in with a family celebration that our hunt had been successful. Mike and Lana put goose feathers in their caps, and later as we bowed our heads to thank God for ham and cheese sandwiches and apple cider, we also thanked God for giving us a goose for Christmas.
WHAT DID I LEARN FROM THIS? - God cares for us. He cares so much that He granted my prayer and sacrificed a precious goose taken from his wild flocks. - I also learned GOD weeps with us when anyone, man or animal, is wounded, suffering and dying. “Even a sparrow”, Jesus said, “is known by the Lord.” But especially a goose I thought. It helped knowing my tears were also His tears. How do I know this? I just know.
God played the major part in this story. He gave me the light enhanced vision of the road I must travel. By His direction I was told to stop in the exact place, at the exact moment to find the wounded goose. By His unique placement a rock was sticking out of the mud so I could end her suffering quickly. I was directed by Him. He is not a remote, uncaring, disinterested God. His grace is always near. He answers heartfelt prayer, even by providing a goose for a family’s Christmas dinner.
Interpretation of BOYS, MAY I PLAY TOO?
This is only one interpretation please share in the comments what this dream said to you!
BOYS, MAY I PLAY TOO?
Eight school age boys were on their knees in a circle, playing a game of marbles. The game was in the middle of a nearly deserted city street. The buildings on either side looked boarded up and lifeless. No cars were parked on the street. One car drove past, honking at the boys to move, then the driver, exasperated went around them. The marble players never looked up. Eight-this means something and I believe it has something to do with the “world view”. In this world there is no life but through us. We have become very self absorbed and distracted from being “involved” in this world.The boys wore ragged clothes. Some had their knees exposed, sticking out through threadbare jeans. Others had rips in their wrinkled shirts and jerseys. One common identity was the baseball cap on each head, turned backward and covering kinky, stringy, or shaggy cut hair. There were smudged faces, grubby hands and dirt under finger nails. But the street dirt had been meticulously brushed away from the chalked circle that held their marbles. For the most part the players were quiet and completely absorbed in the game. This world has beat us up in many ways and often we appear and “feel” unloved yet the Lord comes and brushes a way to give us “new” life through Him. I believe often we can be playing on His playing field and not totally realize it.I looked down the empty street and was surprised to see a large, luminous ball of light, moving rapidly toward the marble players. The boys were unaware, never looking up, they remained intent upon what they were doing. His timing is amazingly perfect! At first I thought oh no we need to be expectant and be fully engaged to be aware of when He comes yet probably for the first time in my life I saw this in a new way. This is trust knowing to be about the business at hand knowing God will speak and reveal to us as He “wills”When the light was about a block away, it stopped and began fading. A tall man stepped out of the light and walked toward the boys. He wore a luminous white robe with gold straps across his chest. From his burnished belt, a leather marble bag dangled. When he stopped in front of the circle of boys, they became suddenly aware of him. They began elbowing each other, nodding or pointing in his direction. Several commented on the white baseball cap the stranger wore. It had been turned backwards and pulled down over long, dark hair. This truly gives me chills each time I read it….this is bigger than I am yet I pray He leads me to what He wants me to know……He is our Lion, Our Abba Daddy, He is so much bigger than what we could possible fathom but He comes to us often in our game, on our terms and becomes lesser than He is for us to completely absorb Him in a new way. This is often what we do wrong, we believe we must get to His new way and we miss being completely suited up and taught in a way we can completely understand so we aren’t fully equipped this is why He tells us “Be Still and KNOW that I am God”! He comes to us each minute of the day and wants to be involved in everything we do!“Sure, Mister” said the biggest boy. “Lets see what you can do.” I can almost see this child, his face, his body….not overweight, yet very thick and solid…..a big kid with a big heart!The boys shifted position, making room. They watched intently as he pulled out a large, glowing white “shooter” from his leather bag, then knelt down in their circle ready to play. Let us make room for you Jesus, let us make room…..thank you for always being so patient sometimes that shifting is inch by inch until finally we shove everything out of the way because we are finally done with doing it our way!!! The biggest boy announced, “We’ll start the game over.” He gathered all the marbles in his hands and threw them down, helter skelter in the circle. He nodded to the stranger, “OK, Go Man!” Once again, smart boy, oh I pray we all know when to turn the game to Him and “start over” giving Him the reins…this is often what it is like when the Lord comes into our lives and it is “helter skelter” yet our mistake is that we still try to get involved in “His turn” of the game. The white robed stranger took careful aim and knocked every marble out of the circle. If two marbles were close together, they both went out, accompanied by the intake of breath from the watching boys. Look at what He can do when we truly say, “OK GO MAN (GOD)! This reminds me there are times of our lives that He has to take everything out for Him to be the only one left standing with us, no more of our fake gods!The stranger rose up from his knees, retrieved the wonderful white “shooter” and tossed it to the one of the smaller boys. He smiled, turned and walked back in the direction he had come from, down the deserted street. I get that this is the Holy Spirit….love that it is for everyone yet in this vision it is to the smaller boy…whew this is delightful! The boys scrambled quickly to their feet. “Hey, wait!” They wanted MORE of HIM!!!!!They left behind whatever they had brought with them, including their precious marbles, except for the white “shooter”. They ran, urging the smaller ones along, propelled in his direction. The last I saw of them, the boys were surrounding the white robed man. Some grabbed his hand, some grabbed his robe. The man picked up the smallest boy and put him on his shoulders. They were laughing and talking, until the luminous ball of light enveloped them all and disappeared. This truly rocked my world as I read it aloud the Holy Spirit just came upon me in a new way like never before! This is His desire for us to truly get wrapped up in His light and we are no longer walking on our own. This is Hebrews 12 that we allow everything to be walked away from that is NOT of Him!Suddenly the street was no longer deserted. Cars were driving back and forth. People were walking on the sidewalks. Stores were open and doing business. Life was back to normal, but not so for eight little boys who ran after the man who knew how to win at marbles. When we allow Him to truly come to us there is new life like never before….the dry desert in the beginning is often the wilderness we are in yet as we run after Him we are pressed into Him. Let our lives never be “back to normal”! “Boys, may I play too?”
BOYS, MAY I PLAY TOO?
Eight school age boys were on their knees in a circle, playing a game of marbles. The game was in the middle of a nearly deserted city street. The buildings on either side looked boarded up and lifeless. No cars were parked on the street. One car drove past, honking at the boys to move, then the driver, exasperated went around them. The marble players never looked up. Eight-this means something and I believe it has something to do with the “world view”. In this world there is no life but through us. We have become very self absorbed and distracted from being “involved” in this world.The boys wore ragged clothes. Some had their knees exposed, sticking out through threadbare jeans. Others had rips in their wrinkled shirts and jerseys. One common identity was the baseball cap on each head, turned backward and covering kinky, stringy, or shaggy cut hair. There were smudged faces, grubby hands and dirt under finger nails. But the street dirt had been meticulously brushed away from the chalked circle that held their marbles. For the most part the players were quiet and completely absorbed in the game. This world has beat us up in many ways and often we appear and “feel” unloved yet the Lord comes and brushes a way to give us “new” life through Him. I believe often we can be playing on His playing field and not totally realize it.I looked down the empty street and was surprised to see a large, luminous ball of light, moving rapidly toward the marble players. The boys were unaware, never looking up, they remained intent upon what they were doing. His timing is amazingly perfect! At first I thought oh no we need to be expectant and be fully engaged to be aware of when He comes yet probably for the first time in my life I saw this in a new way. This is trust knowing to be about the business at hand knowing God will speak and reveal to us as He “wills”When the light was about a block away, it stopped and began fading. A tall man stepped out of the light and walked toward the boys. He wore a luminous white robe with gold straps across his chest. From his burnished belt, a leather marble bag dangled. When he stopped in front of the circle of boys, they became suddenly aware of him. They began elbowing each other, nodding or pointing in his direction. Several commented on the white baseball cap the stranger wore. It had been turned backwards and pulled down over long, dark hair. This truly gives me chills each time I read it….this is bigger than I am yet I pray He leads me to what He wants me to know……He is our Lion, Our Abba Daddy, He is so much bigger than what we could possible fathom but He comes to us often in our game, on our terms and becomes lesser than He is for us to completely absorb Him in a new way. This is often what we do wrong, we believe we must get to His new way and we miss being completely suited up and taught in a way we can completely understand so we aren’t fully equipped this is why He tells us “Be Still and KNOW that I am God”! He comes to us each minute of the day and wants to be involved in everything we do!“Sure, Mister” said the biggest boy. “Lets see what you can do.” I can almost see this child, his face, his body….not overweight, yet very thick and solid…..a big kid with a big heart!The boys shifted position, making room. They watched intently as he pulled out a large, glowing white “shooter” from his leather bag, then knelt down in their circle ready to play. Let us make room for you Jesus, let us make room…..thank you for always being so patient sometimes that shifting is inch by inch until finally we shove everything out of the way because we are finally done with doing it our way!!! The biggest boy announced, “We’ll start the game over.” He gathered all the marbles in his hands and threw them down, helter skelter in the circle. He nodded to the stranger, “OK, Go Man!” Once again, smart boy, oh I pray we all know when to turn the game to Him and “start over” giving Him the reins…this is often what it is like when the Lord comes into our lives and it is “helter skelter” yet our mistake is that we still try to get involved in “His turn” of the game. The white robed stranger took careful aim and knocked every marble out of the circle. If two marbles were close together, they both went out, accompanied by the intake of breath from the watching boys. Look at what He can do when we truly say, “OK GO MAN (GOD)! This reminds me there are times of our lives that He has to take everything out for Him to be the only one left standing with us, no more of our fake gods!The stranger rose up from his knees, retrieved the wonderful white “shooter” and tossed it to the one of the smaller boys. He smiled, turned and walked back in the direction he had come from, down the deserted street. I get that this is the Holy Spirit….love that it is for everyone yet in this vision it is to the smaller boy…whew this is delightful! The boys scrambled quickly to their feet. “Hey, wait!” They wanted MORE of HIM!!!!!They left behind whatever they had brought with them, including their precious marbles, except for the white “shooter”. They ran, urging the smaller ones along, propelled in his direction. The last I saw of them, the boys were surrounding the white robed man. Some grabbed his hand, some grabbed his robe. The man picked up the smallest boy and put him on his shoulders. They were laughing and talking, until the luminous ball of light enveloped them all and disappeared. This truly rocked my world as I read it aloud the Holy Spirit just came upon me in a new way like never before! This is His desire for us to truly get wrapped up in His light and we are no longer walking on our own. This is Hebrews 12 that we allow everything to be walked away from that is NOT of Him!Suddenly the street was no longer deserted. Cars were driving back and forth. People were walking on the sidewalks. Stores were open and doing business. Life was back to normal, but not so for eight little boys who ran after the man who knew how to win at marbles. When we allow Him to truly come to us there is new life like never before….the dry desert in the beginning is often the wilderness we are in yet as we run after Him we are pressed into Him. Let our lives never be “back to normal”! “Boys, may I play too?”
BOYS, MAY I PLAY TOO?
Eight school age boys were on their knees in a circle, playing a game of marbles. The game was in the middle of a nearly deserted city street. The buildings on either side looked boarded up and lifeless. No cars were parked on the street. One car drove past, honking at the boys to move, then the driver, exasperated went around them. The marble players never looked up.
The boys wore ragged clothes. Some had their knees exposed, sticking out through threadbare jeans. Others had rips in their wrinkled shirts and jerseys. One common identity was the baseball cap on each head, turned backward and covering kinky, stringy, or shaggy cut hair. There were smudged faces, grubby hands and dirt under finger nails. But the street dirt had been meticulously brushed away from the chalked circle that held their marbles. For the most part the players were quiet and completely absorbed in the game.
I looked down the empty street and was surprised to see a large, luminous ball of light, moving rapidly toward the marble players. The boys were unaware, never looking up, they remained intent upon what they were doing.
When the light was about a block away, it stopped and began fading. A tall man stepped out of the light and walked toward the boys. He wore a luminous white robe with gold straps across his chest. From his burnished belt, a leather marble bag dangled. When he stopped in front of the circle of boys, they became suddenly aware of him. They began elbowing each other, nodding or pointing in his direction. Several commented on the white baseball cap the stranger wore. It had been turned backwards and pulled down over long, dark hair.
“Boys, may I play too?”
“Sure, Mister” said the biggest boy. “Lets see what you can do.”
The boys shifted position, making room. They watched intently as he pulled out a large, glowing white “shooter” from his leather bag, then knelt down in their circle ready to play.
The biggest boy announced, “We’ll start the game over.” He gathered all the marbles in his hands and threw them down, helter shelter in the circle. He nodded to the stranger, “OK, Go Man!”
The white robed stranger took careful aim and knocked every marble out of the circle. If two marbles were close together, they both went out, accompanied by the intake of breath from the watching boys.
The stranger rose up from his knees, retrieved the wonderful white “shooter” and tossed it to the one of the smaller boys. He smiled, turned and walked back in the direction he had come from, down the deserted street.
The boys scrambled quickly to their feet. “Hey, wait!”
They left behind whatever they had brought with them, including their precious marbles, except for the white “shooter”. They ran, urging the smaller ones along, propelled in his direction. The last I saw of them, the boys were surrounding the white robed man. Some grabbed his hand, some grabbed his robe. The man picked up the smallest boy and put him on his shoulders. They were laughing and talking, until the luminous ball of light enveloped them all and disappeared.
Suddenly the street was no longer deserted. Cars were driving back and forth. People were walking on the sidewalks. Stores were open and doing business. Life was back to normal, but not so for eight little boys who ran after the man who knew how to win at marbles.
MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN? I thought of several scriptures, and I’m still on a word hunt to explain what I saw. The white robed man is obviously Christ. The marble players are most likely just whom they appeared to be. But I think there are a lot of teachings wrapped up in this strange vision God showed me last week. ~Any ideas?
The boys wore ragged clothes. Some had their knees exposed, sticking out through threadbare jeans. Others had rips in their wrinkled shirts and jerseys. One common identity was the baseball cap on each head, turned backward and covering kinky, stringy, or shaggy cut hair. There were smudged faces, grubby hands and dirt under finger nails. But the street dirt had been meticulously brushed away from the chalked circle that held their marbles. For the most part the players were quiet and completely absorbed in the game.
I looked down the empty street and was surprised to see a large, luminous ball of light, moving rapidly toward the marble players. The boys were unaware, never looking up, they remained intent upon what they were doing.
When the light was about a block away, it stopped and began fading. A tall man stepped out of the light and walked toward the boys. He wore a luminous white robe with gold straps across his chest. From his burnished belt, a leather marble bag dangled. When he stopped in front of the circle of boys, they became suddenly aware of him. They began elbowing each other, nodding or pointing in his direction. Several commented on the white baseball cap the stranger wore. It had been turned backwards and pulled down over long, dark hair.
“Boys, may I play too?”
“Sure, Mister” said the biggest boy. “Lets see what you can do.”
The boys shifted position, making room. They watched intently as he pulled out a large, glowing white “shooter” from his leather bag, then knelt down in their circle ready to play.
The biggest boy announced, “We’ll start the game over.” He gathered all the marbles in his hands and threw them down, helter shelter in the circle. He nodded to the stranger, “OK, Go Man!”
The white robed stranger took careful aim and knocked every marble out of the circle. If two marbles were close together, they both went out, accompanied by the intake of breath from the watching boys.
The stranger rose up from his knees, retrieved the wonderful white “shooter” and tossed it to the one of the smaller boys. He smiled, turned and walked back in the direction he had come from, down the deserted street.
The boys scrambled quickly to their feet. “Hey, wait!”
They left behind whatever they had brought with them, including their precious marbles, except for the white “shooter”. They ran, urging the smaller ones along, propelled in his direction. The last I saw of them, the boys were surrounding the white robed man. Some grabbed his hand, some grabbed his robe. The man picked up the smallest boy and put him on his shoulders. They were laughing and talking, until the luminous ball of light enveloped them all and disappeared.
Suddenly the street was no longer deserted. Cars were driving back and forth. People were walking on the sidewalks. Stores were open and doing business. Life was back to normal, but not so for eight little boys who ran after the man who knew how to win at marbles.
MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN? I thought of several scriptures, and I’m still on a word hunt to explain what I saw. The white robed man is obviously Christ. The marble players are most likely just whom they appeared to be. But I think there are a lot of teachings wrapped up in this strange vision God showed me last week. ~Any ideas?
New Beginnings
I believe (some) visions and dreams come directly from God, but obviously, not all. Dream/visions have influenced my life from the early age of 11, continuing occasionally throughout the years. But they are being clearly stepped up and intensified in these later years. Perhaps God will speak to you through selective dreams you read here on future Blogs. Some of these are not just personal, but epic in scope, and are crying out to be shared.
Why would you be interested in another person's dreams? Most of us are intrigued by mysteries. Good dreams need to be written down and read by someone who will decipher them; a gold miner who will dig for the dreams/vision's hidden treasures and ask for God's interpretation.
How can we identify a dream/vision that comes from Heaven? Mine usually conclude just before I wake up. Sometimes I will wake up with a start. Sometimes with a gentle return from the dream world. If you will write your dreams down in a notebook kept near the bed, your dream's contents will return with surprising accuracy and detail. The colors in my dreams are often different. If you enjoy splashes of color, dreams from Heaven can come in vivid, intense colors or pure translucent water-washed colors. Even grays seem to be alive and breathing life. Dream/visions are sometimes "action packed" and full of intriguing mysteries. When examining them we try to decide if this "mind movie" is really "Heaven sent", or just a physical phenomenon. Most importantly, does the perceived message line up with the Bible? When analyzing a dream/vision we should stand on solid biblical foundations, ones formed by the words of the Bible. The old testament prophet, Joel's words will form the core of this blog.
In the Old Testament, Joel 2:28, wrote and spoke 600 years before Christ, but today he is crying out for our generation's attention with these words:
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men dream dreams, your young men see visions."
In the New Testament (Acts 2:16-17) the apostle Peter reminded an amazed, noisy gathering in the streets of Jerusalem (The day of Pentecost) of Joel's words. Many heard and believed. - Doubtful Bloggers (as some of you might be), should ask yourselves, "What will I do with these Words today?" Some may even snicker and say, "All dreams come from frail bodies, weak minds, and a lustfully large piece of pie eaten the night before? So, the question is can YOU possibly believe God speaks to you today, via Heaven sent dreams/visions? I can. I also believe God may speak to us through another person's dream/vision as we are now living in "time forward" of Joel's prophecy. I believe God longs to communicate and dreams/visions are one of His ways of doing this.
So in the next Blog, I will choose one of my most cogent dreams, much like a child chooses a picture book to look at. Put two books, side by side on a table. Tell a child to pick one of them. The young child will always go to the book with colorful, vivid pictures. Upon opening it, the signature of the author may be found inside, with personal dedication written especially for the reader. That book will be treasured and not easily pushed aside. So, next time on this Blog you'll get to see an autographed, signature edition of a dream/vision that may speak to you, straight from the heart of God. In the mean time, look for Him in your own dreams/visions. Pray that He will speak to you through them. Then just try to hold back the wonder, amazement and excitement!
Why would you be interested in another person's dreams? Most of us are intrigued by mysteries. Good dreams need to be written down and read by someone who will decipher them; a gold miner who will dig for the dreams/vision's hidden treasures and ask for God's interpretation.
How can we identify a dream/vision that comes from Heaven? Mine usually conclude just before I wake up. Sometimes I will wake up with a start. Sometimes with a gentle return from the dream world. If you will write your dreams down in a notebook kept near the bed, your dream's contents will return with surprising accuracy and detail. The colors in my dreams are often different. If you enjoy splashes of color, dreams from Heaven can come in vivid, intense colors or pure translucent water-washed colors. Even grays seem to be alive and breathing life. Dream/visions are sometimes "action packed" and full of intriguing mysteries. When examining them we try to decide if this "mind movie" is really "Heaven sent", or just a physical phenomenon. Most importantly, does the perceived message line up with the Bible? When analyzing a dream/vision we should stand on solid biblical foundations, ones formed by the words of the Bible. The old testament prophet, Joel's words will form the core of this blog.
In the Old Testament, Joel 2:28, wrote and spoke 600 years before Christ, but today he is crying out for our generation's attention with these words:
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men dream dreams, your young men see visions."
In the New Testament (Acts 2:16-17) the apostle Peter reminded an amazed, noisy gathering in the streets of Jerusalem (The day of Pentecost) of Joel's words. Many heard and believed. - Doubtful Bloggers (as some of you might be), should ask yourselves, "What will I do with these Words today?" Some may even snicker and say, "All dreams come from frail bodies, weak minds, and a lustfully large piece of pie eaten the night before? So, the question is can YOU possibly believe God speaks to you today, via Heaven sent dreams/visions? I can. I also believe God may speak to us through another person's dream/vision as we are now living in "time forward" of Joel's prophecy. I believe God longs to communicate and dreams/visions are one of His ways of doing this.
So in the next Blog, I will choose one of my most cogent dreams, much like a child chooses a picture book to look at. Put two books, side by side on a table. Tell a child to pick one of them. The young child will always go to the book with colorful, vivid pictures. Upon opening it, the signature of the author may be found inside, with personal dedication written especially for the reader. That book will be treasured and not easily pushed aside. So, next time on this Blog you'll get to see an autographed, signature edition of a dream/vision that may speak to you, straight from the heart of God. In the mean time, look for Him in your own dreams/visions. Pray that He will speak to you through them. Then just try to hold back the wonder, amazement and excitement!
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