Commissioned!

“…that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19

The following is a dream I had last year, on Sunday, October 28^th.  I will explain the dream as best as I remember it, from what I wrote in my journal, adding my thoughts and impressions from the dream.

I arrived from work, feeling somewhat detached from what was going on.  There were people sitting, watching some kind of conference or event that was taking place.  We were in some kind of cafeteria or auditorium.  There was an event taking place with my church; I believe people from my church were there.  I think they were looking through glass to the auditorium, and on the other side of the glass there was a stage, and I know Jan Crouch from TBN was there. 

Then I walked down a hall of some sorts, and sat down by a small wooden door.  Inside the door Creflo Dollar was speaking.  It may have just been an audio recording of him.  I believe he was speaking on the primary mission of the church.  Maybe he had 3 points about the church’s primary mission. 

Then I looked up and saw Paul Nelson’s face, broken, like he was weeping.  Paul and his wife are the youth pastor’s at my church, and the directors of our World Prayer Center.  It was as if he was longing for all of what God has to be realized, a deep cry of the heart for the fullness of all that God has.  I believe that desire could be for me personally, for my home church, and even for the church at large.

Then my pastor came and laid his hands on me.  I believe he stood behind me with his hands on my head.  The sense and impression of his prayer was that of GRACE, BLESSING, and COMMISSIONING, and even DELIVERANCE too.  He was praying a blessing of grace for me, I believe for my deliverance, and commissioning me to fulfill the Great Commission.  I believe I heard the words, “Go, go, go!”  There was a sense of commissioning and sending.  For me, personally, perhaps a sense that I will be delivered in my heart, and sent out to fulfill the Great Commission. 

When Pastor laid his hands on my head there was an earnestness in his prayer, I believe, that spoke to something deep in my heart.  As I awoke I was weeping – not really shedding tears, but weeping.  I was being touched by the Lord. 

I think much of the dream is self-explanatory.  However, when I shared my dream at my church’s Sunday evening equipping service I believe one of my friends pointed out that the dream speaks of a generational transfer taking placing between one generation and the next.  Jan Crouch, Creflo Dollar, and my pastor all speak of the former generation.  Jan and Creflo, despite their imperfections, may speak that God will use us even though we are far from perfect.  I believe there is a deep desire of God for the church to walk in the fullness of all He has called us to do, both corporately and personally. 

There Is a River

there is healing in the pain

there is healing in the river

rushing river wide

I can see you but I cannot hear you

the only sound I hear is that of singing

the song of healing

there is rest in the river

though it rages

it rages with peace

it rages release

release from the striving

freedom from the struggle

fear is banished

anxiety must go away

sorrow and mourning must be no more

with the rush of the river

all is swept away

“Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,

and come with singing unto Zion;

and everlasting joy shall be upon their head:

they shall obtain gladness and joy;

and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”

there is a river

for the healing of the nations

there is a river

which flows from within

there is a river

that wells up to eternal life

spring up O well, spring up within my soul

there is a river

which makes glad the city of God

there is a river

let me dance, let me dance

rejoice and sing

and spin around and around

in that holy river

in the river of God

(Scripture from Isaiah 51:11)

There Is a Place

I recently finished the book Heaven Is for Real, the story of a 4 year-old boy's visit to heaven.  It was such an encouragement.  You can read more about it at heavenisforreal.net if you'd like.  I wrote this poem about heaven:

There Is a Place

this world is full of striving and struggle

but there is a place

the world heaves with heartache

but there is a place

this world is worn by fighting and war

but there is a place

this world is tossed and weary

harassed and helpless

but there is a place

in this world you will have trouble, He said

but take heart

I have overcome

in this world you will have tribulation

but look up

I give you joy

in this world you will be persecuted and hated

but look beyond

I go to prepare a place

in this world you may have heaviness

but gaze out at the night sky

look up at the sliver of the moon

look out across fields of wheat

and let your eyes stretch out across horizons

because somewhere, far beyond the sky

I am there

preparing for you a room in heaven

where sorrow will be no more

where no one will grow old

where never you’ll meet a stranger

and everything broken will be restored

no more sighing

pain

fear

torment

no more crying there

there will be no night

look up my friends, and take heart

there is a place

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”.”

John 16:33

All Things Possible

I woke up this morning with this song in my spirit:  All Things Possible by Mark Schultz.  

This line is encouraging to me:

Even when it feels like the light is fading

And I've lost my way

Still I'm holding on to the One who's making

All things possible

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"

Matthew 19:26

I Love You Lord, My Strength

“I will love You, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.”

Psalm 18:1-3

The word for love in the above Scripture (Hebrew: racham), according to the note in my Bible, "is used only here in all of the OT for a person’s love for God.  It expresses an especially tender, deep emotion.”  This tender emotion expressed to God by David is linked to a moment of deliverance in his life.  I find that to be encouraging.  The introduction to the Psalm says David "spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” (emphasis mine)  

Why do we love the Lord?  Yes, we love Him for who He is.  Yet, our love for Him is deepened in the dark trials of our lives.  And when that moment of deliverance final comes, our love for Him is consummated as our hearts overflow with relief and overwhelming gratitude, basking in the faithfulness of God.

It is one thing to love someone because you enjoy their company.  But love is deepened when you walk with them through struggles and trials.  When your love is tested in the fires adversity, your hearts are bonded together in a deeper depth of love. 

I love you Lord because You have been faithful to me.  I love You for who You are, and for all You have done.  You have shown me the depth of Your love in the darkest moments of my life.  When I thought I did not have the strength to carry on, You sent angels, or Your Spirit, to lift me up.  When I was confounded by confusion, You sent a word, a whisper in the night to give me direction.  When I was crushed under the weight of my own failures, You ministered to me deeply.  You restored me.  I love you, O Lord, my strength.

The Best Time for God’s People

During the night before I woke up to March 25^th, 2001 (my birthday), the Lord gave me a dream.  I was in Michigan at an old house my family used to rent.  It felt like the world was going to end.  Everyone knew that a great earthquake was coming to the whole earth.  Everyone was preparing for the worst.  People were running around frantically, preparing.  The world was full of fear.  I had an awesome sense of great destruction coming to the earth but my heart had such great, sweet peace. 

While everyone was running frantically around my house this six-year-old black child came into the house.  I began to talk to him about Jesus and his eyes began to fill with tears.  Right there, while the world seemed to be coming to an end, I led a little child to Jesus. 

I have always felt like God gave me this dream as a picture of the church in the last days.  When the world is shaking in fear, we will have peace, and we will be reaching out to others with the love of Christ. 

The Scripture speaks of a time when men’s hearts will fail them because of fear “and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”  But then it says, “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:25-28, NKJV)

Despite great tribulation, Jesus says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) 

Yes, it may be the worst of times in the world, but it will be the best of times for the church!  I believe we need to shift our focus to the kingdom of God.  The earth and everything in it is going to pass away, but God’s kingdom is going to endure forever.  His kingdom is what really matters, and gathering in His harvest is the priority of His kingdom.

A Greater Commitment

"Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." -James 1:21

Part of what I pay for my apartment rent includes a basic cable package.  I don’t have a choice; I have to pay for cable.  But I do have a choice whether I want to turn the TV on or not.  Over the past couple of months I have enjoyed having ESPN (Sports) and a few channels that play some movies.  However, watching TV also reminds me how much “moral filth” exists in our world today.  I have watched some things that I would normally not watch.  Now I am challenged to commit my life to greater purity in what I choose to set before me. 

The Scripture says, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”  (James 1:19-20)  Anger is something I have struggled with in my life as well. 

I can get frustrated with things in my life that are not working as I would like them to.  Or, I get down on myself for not being as perfect as I expect myself to be.  Last week I got angry while ironing my clothes.  I got angry over a minor issue with the cord, I think.  It wasn’t worth getting upset about.  But it set me off, and I got upset and let out a swear word.  I know this minor issue wasn’t really what I was upset about.  I was upset about something much more significant, but I let something simple make me mad.  Nonetheless, I do not always handle my anger properly. 

We all have things in our lives where we can press on to a greater level of holiness and purity.  Yes, we are saved by grace, and we grow in grace, but we should still accept the challenge to commit ourselves to being holy as He is holy (see I Peter 1:13-16). 

As we approach Christ’s return I want to be more like Jesus every day.  I know I often fail in this regard.  Very often.  I know there are things in my life that are not pleasing to the Lord.  There are areas of my heart where I struggle.  Nevertheless, I don’t want to live my life half-hearted for the Lord.  When all is said and done, I want to have given my all to Him. 

Whatever I need to lay down, I want to lay down.  If there are things in my life I need to turn away from, I want to turn away from them.  If there are things I need to stop watching, or stop saying, or stop doing, I want to stop.  Yet, most importantly, I believe God is pleased with a heart that loves Him and longs to please Him, even if we often stumble outwardly. 

Perhaps this coming year we can all take up the challenge of walking closer with the Lord and committing ourselves to greater purity.