Before waking up?

[dcampsart]

I'm a little reluctant to post this topic for fear I may invite a beating or open a can of worms. The last couple of weeks, and on three separate occasions, I've had an experience just before waking up early in the morning. I have no idea as to why but it's as if I "hear" words in my head that seem to correlate to some issue I've been pondering. The experience is never audible - as if I'm hearing words in my ear but, instead, it seems as if my thoughts are completley taken over with whatever is being spoken over and over again dominating my thoughts for a time then... I wake up with the thought lingering for quite some time afterward. If I may be so bold to suggest - it's as if I may receive some partial answer to questions I have about spiritual matters that stimulates further investigation into what God feels about a certain matter.

I'm hoping there is someone out there who can "interpret" dreams. At 53 years of age, I want to believe these are snippets from God. In fact, these three experiences started occurring shortly after I asked God to give me dreams that may have a profound impact on my life. Understand, I would never rely on dreams, visions, etc. more than the word of God but after returning to him a couple of years ago I now have a hunger for his word like never before. I have no idea why things are happening the way they are in my life right now but it's as if I know that I know my time in this world is short and it seems imperative and that I'm being "drawn" into a deeper knowledge of him more and more before I stand before him. This past couple of years, studying his word, like never before, has caused many powerful changes in my character and nature that I just couldn't have brought about in my own strength. It's as if the more I immerse myself in God's word, character traits of the sinful nature that I've struggled with in the past just seem to fall away without my struggling so hard. Maybe it shows the validity of Romans 9:16 so then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. Also, Phil 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Lastly, Psalms 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house,They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.

A few weeks ago, I started dwelling on a couple of extremely vivid dreams I had in the past. One dream seemed to have related to how God sent his son in order to establish "friendship" with man. The second related to how "secure" we are in Christ. These two dreams came after years of not being able to accept how fully loved I was by God. You see, all my life, I've struggled with the idea of God dealing with me as a son and my walk has always been too performance based! My adolescent years were filled with hearing verbal abuse over and over again. I joined the Marine Corps to escape what I was under at home. Boy... was that like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire! In boot camp, you never did anything right and everything you said in response to the drill instructor was WRONG!! I don't know how in the world I graduated honor man!! Anyway... those two dreams were very real and the affect - long lasting. As previously mentioned, a few weeks ago, I started thinking about how wonderful it would be if I could experience the occasional dream that I missed so badly. I thought how he gives "visions" to young men and "dreams" to old men. Well, at 53, I thought I may be qualified to receive the dreams Similar to how David wanted so badly for God to return the "joy" of his salvation after sinning with Batsheba, I wanted to experience any dream that resembled the past dreams I had. I asked him to never let me experience a dream from the enemy of my soul and I knew that I would always see if what I experience lines up with his word. If not, I would totally reject it.

The first experience that started a few weeks ago involved partial scripture from Romans 9:10. I kept hearing in my head the words "the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls." Of course the full verse states: And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac 11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls). This verse came to me in my sleep after my wondering, for some time now, just how secure am I in Christ? This lead to my studying deeper into words like foreknowledge, predestination, chosen, called, etc. I ended up reading a lot about Calvinism, Arminianism, the Reformation, Charles Spurgeon,etc. I so hope that this doesn't start an argument here but coming to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe, God "chose" me before the foundation of the world and his "calling" me out of the world gave me great confort. I was certainly not doing anything of my own will to seek God back then when I became born again! The thought that maybe I really am his child and that I'm more secure in that relationship than I thought, gives me a greater confidence to plant my roots deeper. To be honest, I still lean toward the Arminian line of thinking. I've always believed that the ones God "foreknew" are those he knew would accept the gospel looking ahead through time. I must admit though, the idea that God's sovereign grace and purposes being dependent on mans' will troubles me. I'm sorry... I'm getting off track here

The second experience, I heard the words to "Praise him... just praise him for his mercy - if for no other reason than that... PRAISE HIM!" I experienced these words after wondering why it was so hard for me to praise God. I've been doubting the sincerity of my words. I want to praise him from a pure heart - especially after reading

James 3:8-11

8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Maybe the Holy Spirit has been trying to get across to me... yes... ask God's forgiveness when sinning with the tongue... quickly repent when speaking a word against my fellow man but do not let that stop me from praising him

The third experience happened very early this morning and before I got up to post this topic. I have absolutely no idea of what this could mean! Before waking, I heard the words "Do a search on ICONIC TEXT!" Does anyone out there have any idea of what these words could mean relating to anything God and spiritual matters???

In summary, first - Romans 9:10 (election and purpose of God). Second - the idea of praising God for his mercy and unspeakable gift! Third - ICONIC TEXT?

Could these three in anyway be related together? Individually? Or could all this just be bad pizza the night before?

I wouldn't blame the administrators if they threw this topic out!

Edited December 21, 2008 by dcampsart

[tah]

could be pizza..might not..

wait and see..

but I did want to say you do not have to come to God with a pure heart in beginning to praise Him..

Praise is like a fountain and it has a way of washing away the impurities as we continue to praise Him..

Just do it ...You will be nothing but blessed in the doing...

Oh yes...and God often speaks to me in this way...

[Guest man]

Before waking, I heard the words "Do a search on ICONIC TEXT!"

Did you do a search?

[Guest man]

This past couple of years, studying his word, like never before, has caused many powerful changes in my character and nature that I just couldn't have brought about in my own strength. It's as if the more I immerse myself in God's word, character traits of the sinful nature that I've struggled with in the past just seem to fall away without my struggling so hard.

This has happened to me also.

Weird thing is, not many believe me.

It's as if people believe that our walk is supposed to be a constant struggle. That we will always be under the hindrance of our temptations.

I don't know how to explain it, but I'm not the same person I was 6 months ago.

Maybe it shows the validity of...

The Word is always valid.

[arrowfromgod]

it happens to me too bro ,,, i was on the fence for a long time ,,, i prayed for a mission but then refused to act when oportunity knocked (lazy me) god speaks to me in a way i can hear him ,,, im sure he speaks to you in a way you can relate ,,, probably not in the same manner as he speaks to me for we are different yet the same (lol) im not joesph and back then in his times only the chosen had the holy ghost so only they could interprete dreams with accuracy (gods true meaning) but now a days if you are a believer (and i think you are )you have the same holyghost as i do or paul or peter or mark ect. ,,,, these dreams are for YOU ask our father for there meaning and it will come like when i dreamed a strong man with a rod was hearding a lone sheep to this river,,, it took me while to understand the stong man was jesus ,,, the lone stuborn sheep was me ,,, and the river was the river of life,,, but i finaly got it (the meaning ) it will come to you man ,,, im sure of it ,,, love in christ arrw from god

[OneLight]

I don't think it strange that it happened to many, the falling away of evil desires. Your post is almost an exact copy of something I would post, as in personal history. I myself feel that my time here is very short and I have asked for dreams also. I have found myself digging deeper for a better understanding as the Bereans did. I take nothing as pure truth from anyone. I hold it up to scripture.

As for your dream, I wish I could give you a different answer, but I would be only guessing. But if I were to answer, I may be inclined to say that God has known His own since the beginning and has known what He would have us to do. Knowing that the world would hate us as it hates Jesus, we are to praise him in the difficulty of following His will, as the Apostles and disciples have in the past, up to and including death. Iconic text brings to mind both prophesy and parables. Both have iconic meanings. There is a well of information in them that is deeper then we have come to know.

I do hope that someone can give you the information you are looking for, for interpretations do not come from man, but from God, as Daniel said to Pharaoh in Genesis 40.

As for your feelings, even though I do not follow feelings per say, it is welcoming to know that there is another out there that feels like their time is short, that God is drawing them into a deeper relationship that seems impossible to fulfill to its limits and that you desire that the word become alive in you, as in the dreams.

God Bless,

Alan

[Guest man]

I do hope that someone can give you the information you are looking for, for interpretations do not come from man, but from God, as Daniel said to Pharaoh in Genesis 40.

Or Joseph.

[Guest]

Trust

Is any thing too hard for the LORD? Genesis 18:14(a)

In The LORD God Almighty

Ah Lord GOD!

behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Jeremiah 32:17

For HE Is Able And True

But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king:

at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Jeremiah 10:10

And HE Loves You

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,

Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3

In Dreams Too

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 shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. Joel 2:28-29

Trust

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:

for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16

Hallelujah!

[OneLight]

I do hope that someone can give you the information you are looking for, for interpretations do not come from man, but from God, as Daniel said to Pharaoh in Genesis 40.

Or Joseph.

My bad .. it was Joseph ...

[Guest]

could be pizza..

More Pizza Please.........