I don't remember this ever happening before but. . . I woke this morning and I was ANGRY! I felt so frustrated that I almost wanted to cry! I knew for sure that these emotions were the result of the nightmare I'd just had.
Backstory/the nightmare: I was in a shopping center with one of my girlfriends. We were about to walk across the parking lot and go into a laundromat (for my Chestertown/Kent County people-> think Kent Plaza lol) when we were approached by a group of 3 or 4 guys. The "spokesman" was very attractive [remember that]. He greeted us and asked how we were doing. We said "fine" and smiled but in the pit of my stomach, I didn't get a good feeling about him or the group he was with. They tried to ask where we were headed and I gave them a general answer like, "We're running errands" or "We'll be around." We parted ways but I couldn't shake the eerie feeling.
When my friend and I got into the laundromat, it was almost packed! So many people were in the building and I kept looking out the windows and the door to see who was coming/going. All of the sudden, I told her, "Pay attention to my face. If I make a particular expression- run as fast as you can!" I didn't know what was about to happen but I still didn't like the feeling. The guys we'd met earlier entered the laundromat and I soon realized that they were attacking random people with poison and/or injuring them. I looked at my friend and yelled, "RUN NOW! GO! GO! GO!" We ran through the crowd and it was as if we were hidden from the sinister crew because they never laid a hand on us or even acknowledged us! We got to the car and hurried out of the parking lot. Apparently, I didn't have my cell phone because I couldn't call 9-1-1 until I got to my house. I'd called 9-1-1 before so I knew the routine. I was ready to identify myself and explain the situation but when the 'dispatcher' answered, something was just off.
Dispatcher: Hey Theresa! Girl- what's going on?!
{That's exactly how she answered :-/.}
Me: No- I'm not Theresa! My name is Kara Frison and you need to save these people who are being attacked!
Dispatcher: Attacked??? What are you talking about? *laughing*
Me: Seriously! These guys came in with poison and weapons and people are being hurt!
Dispatcher: Let me transfer your call. . .
*I was on hold for what felt like 20 minutes and finally realized that the dispatcher was not going to be any help.*
I don't know if the people in my dream ever received help or not.
I woke up.
Waking Up: I'm not going to pretend like interpreting dreams is my thing because it's not lol. However, the more I thought about the nightmare, some ideas came to mind. The aspect of the nightmare that upset me the most was the fact that the people who could have been the most helpful ended up helping the least-> they acted like the events were a joke. They risked people's lives because they thought everything was funny and they didn't do their job!
This made me think about people who are serious about wanting to grow closer to God and serve Him- sincerely. Some of these folks end up in churches where they are NOT being fed the truth! Their pastors are not teaching them how to live holy/please God so their spiritual well-being is at risk! So many people are quick to quote Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" but few people refer to Jude 24 which reads, "Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy..."
There is no contradiction here! Yes- we were born as sinners but salvation is FREE and available to us all! Through the power of the Holy Ghost, we are equipped and empowered to live holy before God! We don't HAVE to sin!
In the dream, the guy who approached us was very attractive. Such is the case with the church. Some pastors/preachers/ministers are more concerned with making the church and/or the Gospel seem sexy that they are not concerned about providing messages with substance. I don't know about you but I don't go to church for a "happy story time." I want to know how I can be victorious through Christ Jesus and make it to Heaven!
By refusing to tell people the truth, these pastors/preachers/ministers are just as evil as the guys in my nightmare- poisoning their members!
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with joy, and not grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
-Hebrews 13:17
Those who are in leadership should have their members' best interests in mind and should therefore, preach nothing but the truth. Instead- lots of church members feel justified in their wrongdoing because their pastors seem to have no problem with it.
Even more than what our pastors say, we need to be concerned with what God's Word tells us! Read John 1:1! God was/is the Word and He will not contradict Himself! So, if your pastor is allowing you to disregard the Word, that should raise a red flag in your mind. . .
A few years ago, I read Jennifer Lucy Tyler's book, Dried Tears: A Woman's Guide to Overcoming. And in it, she shared a prayer that she learned. The message was basically, "Lord, please expose, reveal, and remove." And I want everyone who reads this to consider those words.
Meditate on Romans 8:38 & 39. Determine in your heart and mind that you won't let anything or anyone get in the way of you pleasing God! Pray that prayer so that you will be aware of distractions and ask God to help you to move past them.
You may not be a minister but realize that your words still have power. As you deal with your friends and loved ones, realize that you can influence them in their walk with God! Will you choose to spread the message of His Love's transforming power or poison them with false information???
Backstory/the nightmare: I was in a shopping center with one of my girlfriends. We were about to walk across the parking lot and go into a laundromat (for my Chestertown/Kent County people-> think Kent Plaza lol) when we were approached by a group of 3 or 4 guys. The "spokesman" was very attractive [remember that]. He greeted us and asked how we were doing. We said "fine" and smiled but in the pit of my stomach, I didn't get a good feeling about him or the group he was with. They tried to ask where we were headed and I gave them a general answer like, "We're running errands" or "We'll be around." We parted ways but I couldn't shake the eerie feeling.
When my friend and I got into the laundromat, it was almost packed! So many people were in the building and I kept looking out the windows and the door to see who was coming/going. All of the sudden, I told her, "Pay attention to my face. If I make a particular expression- run as fast as you can!" I didn't know what was about to happen but I still didn't like the feeling. The guys we'd met earlier entered the laundromat and I soon realized that they were attacking random people with poison and/or injuring them. I looked at my friend and yelled, "RUN NOW! GO! GO! GO!" We ran through the crowd and it was as if we were hidden from the sinister crew because they never laid a hand on us or even acknowledged us! We got to the car and hurried out of the parking lot. Apparently, I didn't have my cell phone because I couldn't call 9-1-1 until I got to my house. I'd called 9-1-1 before so I knew the routine. I was ready to identify myself and explain the situation but when the 'dispatcher' answered, something was just off.
Dispatcher: Hey Theresa! Girl- what's going on?!
{That's exactly how she answered :-/.}
Me: No- I'm not Theresa! My name is Kara Frison and you need to save these people who are being attacked!
Dispatcher: Attacked??? What are you talking about? *laughing*
Me: Seriously! These guys came in with poison and weapons and people are being hurt!
Dispatcher: Let me transfer your call. . .
*I was on hold for what felt like 20 minutes and finally realized that the dispatcher was not going to be any help.*
I don't know if the people in my dream ever received help or not.
I woke up.
Waking Up: I'm not going to pretend like interpreting dreams is my thing because it's not lol. However, the more I thought about the nightmare, some ideas came to mind. The aspect of the nightmare that upset me the most was the fact that the people who could have been the most helpful ended up helping the least-> they acted like the events were a joke. They risked people's lives because they thought everything was funny and they didn't do their job!
This made me think about people who are serious about wanting to grow closer to God and serve Him- sincerely. Some of these folks end up in churches where they are NOT being fed the truth! Their pastors are not teaching them how to live holy/please God so their spiritual well-being is at risk! So many people are quick to quote Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" but few people refer to Jude 24 which reads, "Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy..."
There is no contradiction here! Yes- we were born as sinners but salvation is FREE and available to us all! Through the power of the Holy Ghost, we are equipped and empowered to live holy before God! We don't HAVE to sin!
In the dream, the guy who approached us was very attractive. Such is the case with the church. Some pastors/preachers/ministers are more concerned with making the church and/or the Gospel seem sexy that they are not concerned about providing messages with substance. I don't know about you but I don't go to church for a "happy story time." I want to know how I can be victorious through Christ Jesus and make it to Heaven!
By refusing to tell people the truth, these pastors/preachers/ministers are just as evil as the guys in my nightmare- poisoning their members!
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with joy, and not grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
-Hebrews 13:17
Those who are in leadership should have their members' best interests in mind and should therefore, preach nothing but the truth. Instead- lots of church members feel justified in their wrongdoing because their pastors seem to have no problem with it.
Even more than what our pastors say, we need to be concerned with what God's Word tells us! Read John 1:1! God was/is the Word and He will not contradict Himself! So, if your pastor is allowing you to disregard the Word, that should raise a red flag in your mind. . .
A few years ago, I read Jennifer Lucy Tyler's book, Dried Tears: A Woman's Guide to Overcoming. And in it, she shared a prayer that she learned. The message was basically, "Lord, please expose, reveal, and remove." And I want everyone who reads this to consider those words.
Meditate on Romans 8:38 & 39. Determine in your heart and mind that you won't let anything or anyone get in the way of you pleasing God! Pray that prayer so that you will be aware of distractions and ask God to help you to move past them.
You may not be a minister but realize that your words still have power. As you deal with your friends and loved ones, realize that you can influence them in their walk with God! Will you choose to spread the message of His Love's transforming power or poison them with false information???
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