What You Think About Dreams?

In just two weeks I will board a plane and head to the Philippines.  The past few days I have been dreaming strange dreams about that experience.  I have dreamed that a violent storm, a Typhoon, hits the island while I'm there.  In my dream I am scared to death.  At times I see myself helping others, and at times I see myself running for my life. 

This whole experience has forced me to think through my theology of dreams.  As a pastor, often I am asked: “Preacher, what do you think about dreams?”

Many times people will wait on a dream or a vision before they do anything.  Other people are looking for confirmation in a dream or vision. Many people might see my dream perhaps as a warning or a stage of preparation.

I commented Monday to my secretary about my dream.  It got me to think what do I really believe about this dream?

I preached this week and next from the book of Daniel.  I am going to share primarily from the perspective of prayer.  However, if you study Daniel then you know that God gives him a vision for the future.  Keep in mind Daniel is not searching for this vision, but rather he was studying God's word.

As Daniel studied he came across Jeremiah  25:11-12.  He soon realized that this exile of Jerusalem would have time restrictions.   This exile would be limited to 70 years.  Daniel was a smart man, and he realized that they had been in exile now for 70 years.  He realized this from studying the Scriptures.

Here is the Life lesson:  A true follower of Jesus Christ knows that every day:  I need God to guide me!

If you are truly devoted to Jesus Christ, than you will never stop studying God’s word, because you know you will never arrive. 

I cannot live one day without the word.    I can live every day without a dream. 

Real Reality: You never get to mature for the word, and you never get to strong for the word.  You are not going to find guidance in your life by trying to sit around and  hoping that God shows up in a vision or a dream.    I do not trust my visions or my dreams. Rather, I Trust in GOD!

My visions and dreams are often very strange.  And my dreams are sometimes very bizarre.  I am not trusting my dreams or emotions and I am not trusting my feelings.  When I need to know which way to go I am going to go to the word of God!

Why?  Because, I can trust God’s word.   I trust God’s word to be my guide, strength and source of hope. My emotions let me down, they misguide me.  One day I am up, one day I am down.

Daniel is an eighty six-year-old man, able to do math, reading the prophet Jeremiah, and he recognizes that God said this exile would end in 70 years.  He begins to count and I think he began to get excited.  He comes the realization that 70 years have passed.    He trusted in God's word.  God  had promised, and he believed it would happened just as God said it would. 

 Keep in mind it has not happened as of yet.  He believed that it would, but it has not.  Then Daniel concludes what he needs to do is to pray.

He says this is what God has said, this is what has transpired thus far,  and I believe God's Word,  therefore, it is reasonable by faith to expect the exile to terminate. 

So, as I seek guidance day to day I am reminded of this much needed truth: I need to pray.    As I pray I trust god and his word to speak and uplift my spirit.  What does it say about my life if my emotions guide me more than the scriptures?

It tells me I trust myself more than the one who made me.  May that never be said of me!