I dream of seeing the full glory of God's greatness.
In recent news, there was a shooting at a gay nightclub. It's deeply heartbreaking news, but the bigger tragedy is the shootings that happen everyday all around the world, the pain and suffering that is going on that isn't shared in the news.
About 4 months ago, I was woken up by a very intense, vivid dream. I was jolted and shook up by it for weeks after. The dream was millions of drone looking people, people numbly walking along like mindless robots. I saw pastors at the front of the crowd leading the way and I could see a cliff just yards ahead. I had this strong, scary sense that The Church is on the verge of self-destruction if it doesn't stop going in their drone direction.
I haven't really shared this dream with anyone but it still haunts me.
<<<<>>>>
The truth is God is Great. God created a beautiful, colorful world and when we look into the eyes of those suffering, listen to the news in the media, and truly take the time to notice the needs around us, we are actually feeling God's heart for people and His heart for this world.
The facts are pretty raw and scary, we could easily focus on the fear, but God sent Jesus to overcome this world and give us a hope for the future.
God loves us so much that He didn't speak us into being, He gently, lovingly formed us in our mother's womb. He gave us gifts and dreams and knit us together to be brilliant in our own unique ways. The sad reality is our world is broken and full of chaos and sinfulness. BUT that's why God sent Jesus, that's why God intended for the Church to gather together because the Church is a beautiful, strong force together when we're all using our gifts and capturing our dreams.
I have vivid dreams in the night sometimes yes, but I'm also full of dreams for my life, dreams that God gave me to capture and fulfill.
I dream of seeing the fullness of God's greatness through the Church coming together in true community, coming together in prayer, coming together to be radical in their love and compassion. It breaks my heart when I think of that vivid dream that jolted me awake. God desperately wants people to wake up to the wonderful truth of His greatness.
I've seen several church during my years living in MN and you're right, the Church is also broken. Outsiders have no interest in attending, it has a bad reputation; believers are bored and lukewarm, we've put God in a box. I have family members searching for a church that is passionate and alive, I have friends ripping apart the church because it's dull and boring. I see why you wouldn't want anything to do with the church. I've been tempted to leave the Church hundreds of times over the years. Friends, don't let tragedies like shootings in the media steer you away from the Church, don't be discouraged that Christians seem to be dull, boring and judgmental.
As a whole, yes the Church in this country is a sad representation of the true Greatness of God, I know that, I'm not blind, but the truth is there is NOTHING dull, boring or judgmental about God.
<<<<>>>>
I have personally witnessed awesome, glorious glimpses of God's great power. I've personally seen miracles and the power of prayer in community. I've seen family members overcome pain, I've seen friends freed from addictions, I've seen marriages restored, I've seen people crying out to God for mercy and help in their greatest time of need. We haven't even scratched the surface of God's great plan for our lives.
He longs for us to repent and turn to Him. He longs for us to trust Him with our lives. He longs for us to accept the dreams He gives so we can capture them and let others around us see His beauty and greatness.
<<<<>>>>
I was reading "Longing for Paris" a few days ago and she says, "When God wove us together as human beings, I believe He used lots of color! God made the world around us vibrant, so why would He stop with us? We are all full of vibrancy that God planted into our souls and it is that color that makes us want to be more than gray. It's what makes us want to do more in life than just live. God's very glory and beauty is enwrapped in us so that we would reflect His glory in living bright and full lives for Him" and then she goes on to quote Joel N. Clark from Awake, "....When we sleep to the dreams inside our hearts, the message of love will becoming nothing more than a nice idea. Yet when we awaken to the dreams God has placed inside us, our very lives become the beauty, magic and wonder that the world needs."
>>>>>>The message of love becomes Nothing more than a nice idea<<<<<
I believe this is the sad truth we all need to wake up to.
We can so easily listen to the tragedy in the news one day and be back to our routine the next. We can so easily grow lukewarm sitting in church. We can so easily become numb to our need for a Savior. We can so easily lose sight of the power and presence of Jesus Christ. Before we know it, we're dull, boring and judgmental with no vibrancy, no brilliant color, no passion, no power, no love, no dream, no vision and it all becomes nothing more than a nice idea.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish"
Proverbs 29:18
We need Jesus, we need to capture the dreams inside of us, we need to wake up to God's greatness. We need the Holy Spirit to renew us and revive us. We need to get back to the WORD of God. That's it. No other author or book should ever overshadow God's Word. This world is broken and we need to get back to God's true design for the Church, for community, for prayer and for reaching out in radically, passionately loving others.
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father accept through Jesus.
John 14:6
<<<<>>>>
The truth is God is Great. God created a beautiful, colorful world and when we look into the eyes of those suffering, listen to the news in the media, and truly take the time to notice the needs around us, we are actually feeling God's heart for people and His heart for this world.
The facts are pretty raw and scary, we could easily focus on the fear, but God sent Jesus to overcome this world and give us a hope for the future.
God loves us so much that He didn't speak us into being, He gently, lovingly formed us in our mother's womb. He gave us gifts and dreams and knit us together to be brilliant in our own unique ways. The sad reality is our world is broken and full of chaos and sinfulness. BUT that's why God sent Jesus, that's why God intended for the Church to gather together because the Church is a beautiful, strong force together when we're all using our gifts and capturing our dreams.
I have vivid dreams in the night sometimes yes, but I'm also full of dreams for my life, dreams that God gave me to capture and fulfill.
I dream of seeing the fullness of God's greatness through the Church coming together in true community, coming together in prayer, coming together to be radical in their love and compassion. It breaks my heart when I think of that vivid dream that jolted me awake. God desperately wants people to wake up to the wonderful truth of His greatness.
I've seen several church during my years living in MN and you're right, the Church is also broken. Outsiders have no interest in attending, it has a bad reputation; believers are bored and lukewarm, we've put God in a box. I have family members searching for a church that is passionate and alive, I have friends ripping apart the church because it's dull and boring. I see why you wouldn't want anything to do with the church. I've been tempted to leave the Church hundreds of times over the years. Friends, don't let tragedies like shootings in the media steer you away from the Church, don't be discouraged that Christians seem to be dull, boring and judgmental.
As a whole, yes the Church in this country is a sad representation of the true Greatness of God, I know that, I'm not blind, but the truth is there is NOTHING dull, boring or judgmental about God.
<<<<>>>>
I have personally witnessed awesome, glorious glimpses of God's great power. I've personally seen miracles and the power of prayer in community. I've seen family members overcome pain, I've seen friends freed from addictions, I've seen marriages restored, I've seen people crying out to God for mercy and help in their greatest time of need. We haven't even scratched the surface of God's great plan for our lives.
He longs for us to repent and turn to Him. He longs for us to trust Him with our lives. He longs for us to accept the dreams He gives so we can capture them and let others around us see His beauty and greatness.
<<<<>>>>
I was reading "Longing for Paris" a few days ago and she says, "When God wove us together as human beings, I believe He used lots of color! God made the world around us vibrant, so why would He stop with us? We are all full of vibrancy that God planted into our souls and it is that color that makes us want to be more than gray. It's what makes us want to do more in life than just live. God's very glory and beauty is enwrapped in us so that we would reflect His glory in living bright and full lives for Him" and then she goes on to quote Joel N. Clark from Awake, "....When we sleep to the dreams inside our hearts, the message of love will becoming nothing more than a nice idea. Yet when we awaken to the dreams God has placed inside us, our very lives become the beauty, magic and wonder that the world needs."
>>>>>>The message of love becomes Nothing more than a nice idea<<<<<
I believe this is the sad truth we all need to wake up to.
We can so easily listen to the tragedy in the news one day and be back to our routine the next. We can so easily grow lukewarm sitting in church. We can so easily become numb to our need for a Savior. We can so easily lose sight of the power and presence of Jesus Christ. Before we know it, we're dull, boring and judgmental with no vibrancy, no brilliant color, no passion, no power, no love, no dream, no vision and it all becomes nothing more than a nice idea.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish"
Proverbs 29:18
We need Jesus, we need to capture the dreams inside of us, we need to wake up to God's greatness. We need the Holy Spirit to renew us and revive us. We need to get back to the WORD of God. That's it. No other author or book should ever overshadow God's Word. This world is broken and we need to get back to God's true design for the Church, for community, for prayer and for reaching out in radically, passionately loving others.
John 14:6
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