3/3/2025
I woke up early again. I had another dream. At first I didn't understand it, but after getting my coffee and sitting quietly with Abba, I was able to sit peacefully, listen to my music, and read the word. I scrambled down some notes, as I generally do as I read. Later, when the morning prayer call began, the words of the song, the scriptures given, and everything began to fit perfectly. At least for me. I get excited when God confirms what He's showing me. My dreams are always so unclear at first, but then He always confirms the meanings, the words in scripture, in a song, in a prayer. He is always faithful to me. Maybe that's just the way it works for me. There are times I question if I really heard Him say something or if my dreams have significance. I guess it could be like Scrooge, a bad potato or something. Not so, because I have learned His voice. He says His sheep know His voice.
While I was getting my coffee, I spoke with my son about some things I realized about my erratic behavior lately. I told him that I must be depressed, but then, I don't really know what that's like. When I get down, I know how to get up pretty easily. I get so tired, because, just like now, I'm writing in the wee hours of the morning. I've been trying to cut out some things, as I've mentioned before, and I've been successful, somewhat, but there's more I need to sort out. So, I made some additional changes to my life. Sometimes we get so busy doing good things, that we neglect more important things. Things that may not seems that important, but God has a different plan. His ways are not ours, so we need to be obedient and change our plans. It works out better. I've become very concerned about my intercessory prayer friends, because it seems that they are flitting here and there, up and down, round and round. This meeting, that one, another call, and I wonder when do they sleep, or more importantly, when are they able to actually sit and pay attention to how God wants them to pray. I discovered a while ago that I could not be what everyone wanted me to be. I had to be who He wanted me to be, and pray according to His priorities. Otherwise, we do risk growing weary in well-doing, or worse, we become prideful in all that we are doing for the Lord. Probably stuff He never asked us to do in the first place. Flesh can even get into our prayer meetings.
As it happened my friends were leading praise and worship for the prayer call, and Jerry began with the scripture so familiar from Psalm 91:1-2: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." This verse speaks of our priority as children of God to make Him our place of refuge, our dwelling place, our abiding presence. This is the relationship He desires to have with each one of us, but it requires obedience and a love relationship with Jesus Christ.
Karen began to sing an older Integrity Music song by Don Moen, one of my favorites, "Be Magnified, Oh Lord." Listen to the words:
I have made You too small in my eyes
O Lord, forgive me
And I have believed in a lie
That You were unable to help me
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong
Heal my heart and show Yourself strong
And in my eyes and with my song
O Lord, be magnified
O Lord, be magnified
Be magnified, O Lord
You are highly exalted
And there is nothing You can't do
O Lord, my eyes are on You
Be magnified
O Lord, be magnified
Be magnified, O Lord
You are highly exalted
And there is nothing You can't do
O Lord, my eyes are on You
Be magnified
O Lord, be magnified
Jerry and Karen provided more scriptures with the words "magnify the Lord," or exalt the name of the LORD, or similar ways of proclaiming His greatness. Our host for the meeting, Gerald, after listening to the song, became caught up in the Spirit, and he commented about how wonderful it will be when we are with the Lord, feasting at the Lord's banquet table. Jerry followed with his thoughts about the wedding feast in Heaven spoken of in Matthew 22. Everything was falling into place for me, and I was immediately reminded of the words I hear Jesus speaking to me very often. In Luke 18 Jesus tells His disciples the parable of the persistent woman who nagged the unjust judge until he gave her justice. Jesus had just been speaking with the disciples about the coming of the kingdom, but they did not understand. Jesus used parables when teaching, and often they did not make sense, even to His disciples. It always baffles me, because the disciples were with Jesus for three years, and although we don't have every word or miracle or He did during that time, still what we see in scripture is compelling evidence of who He is. So for them not to realize He would suffer and die, I don't understand it. Another thing, the Pharisees and all the teachers of the Law read it daily, religiously, and never saw the writing on the wall, but one day they will. One day very soon. But in this parable, Jesus applauded the great faith of this woman, and He ends the parable by asking, "I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"
In Matthew 22, Jesus is using another parable about the wedding feast. He was explaining in verses 2-4: "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage or his son, and sent out his servants to call on those who are invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.'" Rather than be grateful and excited, those invited began to make excuses as to why they could not come, and they were spiteful. So, the man sends his servants into the highways and byways to compel all who are willing to come in. Finally, some came, and one got kicked out, because he hadn't dressed appropriately. To which Jesus replies in verse 14, "For many are called, but few are chosen."
So here's my dream: I was in a great room, and there was a huge table. At the head of the table, lifted up above it was a man in white, then I saw the man seated at the head of the table, but there was no one seated with Him. I was in the room, but I did not see myself, I was the observer or the messenger. The man seated at the head of the table was Jesus. No one had responded to the invitation to come to the wedding banquet.
This dream may not seem relevant to you, but it is very much so. Time is short. The message is clear. Jesus asks, when I return, will I find faith. He says come, come to the table, learn of me, abide with me, come sit a while and listen. Sadly, no one responds. Remember I spoke of priorities.? A church agenda can become a hindrance, if it takes the focus off of God. Works done through the church can take His place. We must be aware.