Dreaming Dreams

God used dreams throughout the Biblical accounts of His interaction with mankind (Job 33:15-16; Acts 2:17). He spoke through dreams to kings, prophets and saints of old (Genesis 15:12, 17-18; 28:12, 37:5, 46:2; Daniel 7:1-9; 1 Kings 3:5).

He also used dreams with New Testament characters such as to calm Joseph's fears about marrying Mary and to save Jesus from sure death (Matthew 1:20-21; 2:12-13, 19; Acts 2:17, 16:9-10, 18:9-10). Pilate's wife dreamed that he should not condemn Jesus in spite of the insistence of the Jews (Matthew 27:19).

The Word of God makes it clear that God uses dreams in our life (Joel 2:28-31). He gives us wisdom, insight and guidance to bring a resolution of issues in our life.

In our sleeping state, our soul and spirit are still very active. They are less influenced by our issues, fears and insecurities, which plague us during our waking moments. 

Through dreams, God often reveals to us His character, intentions and lessons that He wants us to learn. 

He will use dreams to give us wisdom on puzzling experiences in our life, peace which transcends human reasoning and direction for some activity He calls us to perform.

Satan and our own soul can inspire dreams as well as God (1 John 4:1). They are often brief and unrealistic (Psalm 126:1; Isaiah 29:8). The interpretation of our dreams will never contradict the Word of God (James 1:5).

Sleep and dreaming restores our soul to equilibrium. If dreams badger us during our sleep, we can ask God to give our soul peace and allow us to enjoy uninterrupted sleep (Psalm 127:2).

As we dream about issues that need resolution, and which we ignore during our waking moments (Ecclesiastes 5:3), God heals our soul. Our spirit sings praises to God as we sleep and we often awaken to our soul singing and making melody in our heart to the Lord.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for giving us such a fail proof and complex brain that works like a computer as we sleep. It categorizes, files and works through issues which need resolution. Once we are Born Again, Your Spirit who abides in our spirit, will influence this series of chemical impulses and the outcome of this activity in our brain.

We would probably explode or self-destruct with the intensity of our anxiety and other negative emotions if You did not give us the ability to work out these issues in our dreams. You are our great and mighty God; and we can never thank You enough for Your vigilant care over each and every one of us in every facet of our waking and sleeping life.

Thought for the Day:

Dreams are tangible and helpful; they are made of memories, concerns, direction, hopes, vision and reality all rolled into one plot with several sub-plots and they influence the story of the rest of our life.

God Uses Foolish Things

Read: Judges 6:11-7:22

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” – 1 Corinthians 1:27

I was reading about Gideon again today. He came from the least family in the weakest tribe of Israel; yet, God chose him to deliver Israel from the seven-year oppression of Midian. The poor man was frightened, and feeling inadequate to meet up to the requirements of the job. He compared his life at that moment and in the past to the qualifications of leadership and felt deficient, less than able to accomplish the task God called Him to do. Gideon doubted that he even heard the Lord correctly, so he did a few tests with an animal’s fleece. God miraculously and patiently humored Gideon and built up his faith by confirming His calling on Gideon’s life.

What humanity highly values is detestable in God's sight (Luke 16:15; John 8:15). God always uses the foolish things in the world to amaze the clever (1 Corinthians 1:27; Jeremiah 8:9). God looks at our heart, not on our outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). He already knows our shortcomings and He witnessed all of our failings so far in life. We can justify our self in the eyes of men, but God knows our motives and our thoughts. After Gideon complained about his incompetence, God reminded Gideon that since God was calling him, He should realize that God thought he could do the job (Judges 6:14-15). Gideon’s relationship with God was all he really needed to be qualified to do God’s will in this mighty event.

The Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind all of our thoughts. He looks for those who acknowledge Him and serve Him willingly, with unreserved devotion. If we seek Him, we will find Him; but if we forsake Him, He will reject us for eternity (1 Chronicles 28:9; Proverbs 16:2). The Lord Almighty judges righteously and tests the heart and mind of those who claim to love Him. If we commit our cause to Him, He will mete out vengeance upon those who harm us (Jeremiah 11:20). God’s gift of Salvation is free to anyone who will call upon His name and surrender their life to His will (John 3:16-18). He continually searches our heart and examines our mind in order to reward us according to our conduct, according to what our deeds deserve (Jeremiah 17:10).

God not only sees our motives and the true intention of our heart, but He also knows who we will be once we submit to His Spirit. He gives us every opportunity to glorify His name with our life. He forgives us each time we fail and disobey (1 John 1:9). We can put away our fears and insecurities and rely on His Spirit within us as we seek to do His will with our life (2 Corinthians 4:18). God sees our full potential, even when we doubt our self, and He gives us the desire and the power to walk in obedience to His calling on us throughout our life (Philippians 2:12-13).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I feel like such a success in life because You live in me and work through me every day. You put me in the right place at the right time to do all that You call me to do. By Your grace I am what I am. Your grace works wonders in my life, and everything I have is by Your grace that is with me always (1 Corinthians 15:10). Thank you for freedom to live my life according to Your precepts and the means with which to enjoy what You give me every single day.
 
Thought for the Day:
Walk forward with confidence, as you trust in God’s wisdom.