Dreams, Visions & the Prophetic Word

     I realized recently that when God gives you a dream or a promise for something, at the same time He sets in motion an appointed time for that thing to come to pass. "This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed."   Habakkuk 2:3 New Living Translation

      It was a young hairdresser some years ago who started me taking my dreams seriously.  She said, "God speaks to me in my dreams..."  And she went on to explain some of those things He had spoken.  The establishment of her very successful beauty shop was a result of a God-given dream.  I researched scriptures about dreams and how God spoke to mankind through them.  The God-given dream to Joseph, who was bethrothed to Mary was a crucial part of the most important thing God would do for the world.  According to Matthew's Gospel, Joseph agonized over Mary's seeming illegitimate pregnancy but protected her and the unborn Jesus by accepting her as his wife after an angel appeared to him in a dream and directed him to do so.  There were several Biblical instances where important messages from God came in dreams.  So I began praying for God-given dreams and He responded.

     The dreams have been prophetic and concern my family, ministries I've been involved with, the Church and information for me personally.  The dreams have given me insight and perception into people that would impact my life and ministry, as well as identifying spiritual opposition to plans the Lord has for me and others.  Some dreams speak of future events-- things that will happen that might otherwise shock me or take me by surprise if God hadn't prepared me, such as the deaths of family members.  Others tell me of things the Lord is giving me, such as a new car or home.  Sometimes the dreams have been simple and easy to understand and other times they have required interpretation. 

     Dreams requiring interpretation seem to have layers of meanings that have immediate significance and future significance.  These more complicated prophetic dreams were recorded and reviewed often, as life progressed, and more instruction is gleamed from them.  Many of the dreams guided me through difficult situations in ministry or in churches showing me the unseen spiritual forces and identifying those entities I must take authority over in prayer.  These dreams I shared with other prayer warriors, intercessors and church leaders.  As a novice I was anxious to share these dreams and interpretations.  Sometimes the information was accepted and other times not.  But even when some leaders resisted the knowledge, God would show me that in private they marvelled at the dreams and interpretation as God brought things to pass in their churches and in the lives of their flock.

     The prophetic, revelatory ministries are a hard thing to carry because of the rejection and isolation one feels, even persecution.  But God told me as I despaired and was feeling overwhelmed by the negativity coming my way, that if they didn't reject me I wasn't truly bringing His prophetic word.  I was awed and shocked by that.  I wanted to be accepted and liked.  I couldn't believe that this rejection and persecution was going to be my life.  I became even more introspective and uncertain that I wanted this kind of spiritual burden.  Later I heard a local Aglow leader talk about the prophetic ministry God had given her and the rejection and persecution that was to be encountered, and her response to God was, "Who wants that!"  So I thought I'd give him the same response.  And in the middle of a prophetic assignment (at a new church start) I dropped the responsibility, and unfortunately one of my fellow intercessors who desired the prophetic giftings was given a dream (and she didn't usually dream prophetically) that I had thrust a baby into her arms for her to take care of.  And so she did.  She accepted the responsibility and also suffered the persecution and rejection that comes with the prophetic.  (My fellow intercessors likened me to a young Black actress who spoke the infamous words, "Miss Scarlet, I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no baby."  To which she promptly received a slap in the face since bragging that she knew everything about it.)  It is good to laugh at ourselves.  We cannot take ourselves too seriously no matter the callings on our lives.  We are still human and subject to human frailties and failings. 

     The calling of a prophet (or seer) are decided by God, even before birth, just as those of a pastor, evangelist, apostle, etc., but all of us can have prophetic giftings and should pray for them that we can hear God more clearly for ourselves and those God gives to us.  We can be more effect in our prayer life, more effective in the work place, and more accurate and influential in our assigned sphere in the world.

     As I reflected on past dreams and prophetic words it seemed that all God had promised or foretold had already come to pass, including the death of my husband, which I am finally getting over.  I have accepted his death as part of God's plan, even though when He told me in a dream, I put it out of my mind.  I so completely disregarded that word that I didn't even remember God said it until I came across the note in my prayer book a year or so after John's death.  I prayed fervently for my husband's healing and actually I believe on the day of his death, he was completely healed.  Early that morning he had fallen into a sleep from which he couldn't be awakened, and I rushed back to the hospital later that morning to see him.  I called his name loudly as I entered the room and commanded him to wake up.  He did wake up.  He was talkative and ready to go to rehabilitation, which I had arranged in faith the day before, and he gave the announcer of the good news a thumbs up when she came to tell him the timetable of his transfer. When she left he threw his covers back ready to get out of bed.  I insisted he wait until he was transfered to rehabilitation.  Then something happened. 
     My husband's eyes became transfixed on an invisible spiritual entity in the corner of his room-- maybe it was an angel, maybe the Lord.  And though I calmly and deliberately asked him to tell me what he saw, he did not seem to hear me.  I refused to take my eyes off of him fearing something could happen that I would not see.  John was intently looking and listening to what I believe was a messenger of God.  As he accepted the message, before my eyes I saw his facial expression respond and react to the separation of his spirit from soul and body.  God had taken the spiritual part that came from Him.  John lived several hours more in a comatose state.  He could hear me as I spoke to him and responded in actions, making me know that his mind (soul) was still alive in him.  But he never opened his eyes again.  He stopped breathing and slipped away in the wee hours of the morning when I fell asleep and could no longer guard him from death.  

     I have not been ministering to churches or even seeking spiritual dreams for the last few years since John's death, but as my blog readers know I just recently began interceding and praying seriously for our President and other things God is puttting on my heart for our Nation.  I continue to be a prayer warrior for my family and praying a hedge of protection around them always.  Now with the realization that God puts a time table on visions for the future, I am awakened again to the promises of God and a vision He gave a prophetess for me.  The vision was given in the 1990's, almost two decades ago.  It tells of my future, the order of some things that will happen, things I will do, and a more detailed description of the calling on my life, which may lead to a new ministry.  I believe the remaining elements of this vision and prophetic word will come to pass in God's appointed time.  I look forward to God's next assignment for me with joy and anticipation, and I look forward again to those wonderful, refreshing times in the Lord's Presence. 

Revisiting Long Range Prophecies

Today while reading the complaints against President Obama's "Tax Cut & Unemployment Extension Bill" it made me realize the degree of separation and the political opposition between those who represent the wealthy and those who represent the poor. There are promises of reward in the Bible to those who serve the poor. God makes a very simple proposal: "You help the poor, and I will repay."  Seeing the seeming contempt and total disregard for the poor by those who openly serve the wealthy politically, reminded me of some prophesies I've heard over the years concerning America, that are disturbing, and have stuck with me.

The very first one which was over 25 years ago has now come to pass.  It was given by Evangelist Sandy Brown back in the late eighties or early nineties.  She said God wanted his people to prepare for an economic downturn coming in America, and told them to get out of debt, stay out of debt and pay off their mortgages.  With the housing market problems, foreclosures, loss of savings in 401Ks and other retirement vehicles, many middle class Americans who never saw themselves as poor, have lost their jobs, their worldly fortunes and wealth.  Many Christians who did not heed the warnings have lost their homes.

The other prophecies are just pending prophecies given by reputable prophets and in some cases more than one of the prophets are saying the same thing.

A frightening and very dramatic 25 year old propecy (by a Black New York Bishop whose name escapes me at the moment) speaks of the falling value of the American dollar.  The prophet saw dollars blowing in the streets like worthless paper and many, many men who had lost all their wealth were jumping out of windows committing suicide.  We are being warned by economist and certainly by sellers of gold and silver that the American dollar is loosing value daily as the government continues to introduce newly printed dollars into the economy with no gold or silver backing them.  We will continue to see a devaluation of the American dollar as this continues and the American debt or deficit continues to grow. 

Perhaps, if Christians acted on this at least 20 years ago by investing in gold and silver they would have some wealth stored up.  But God did not say this is what Christians needed to do.  In fact, there was nothing suggested when the prophesy was given.  However, the reason for the complete downfall of America was a result of the powerful effects of the spirit of greed on the economy.  We can see by the politics in America that greed is a powerful opressor of the elderly, the sick, the disenfranchised and the poor.  Politically the wealthy seek to preserve their own wealth when given the opportunity to help the less fortunate.  We are reminded of what the Lord said to the wealthy man who wanted to come into the Kingdom of God. The man was told to give away all of his possessions, because it was harder for a wealthy man to come into the Kingdom of God than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.  The man sadly turned away because he could not give up the wealth.  The god of mammon (money) is a powerful spirit and demands to be worshiped.  We always have to choose between God and mammon, and to choose God we must be willing to give up what we have when God demands.

Another old prophecy for America that has been seen by several reputable prophets, including Paul Cain, is an earthquake down the middle of the United States following the path of the Ohio River and the Mississippi River that could conceivably split America from the Great Lakes to the Gulf.  An earthquake under the great Mississippi alone would cause great devastation. Geologist and scientist are predicting this great earth quake at the Madrias or New Madrid fault.  This first earthquake on this fault happened in 1811-1812 but the affected areas were not densely populated as now.  People who live on that fault line are constantly reporting movement and shakes in the earth that damage roadways and building, as they await the great destruction of the actual earthquake that rumbles and threatens beneath the surface.

There are several prophecies in a booklet called, "The Perfect Storm," by Christian Prophet, John Paul Jackson.  One in particular concerns our President, Barak Obama.  John Paul speaks of a plot revealed to him by God that some Muslims have devised to bring a race riot to America that will bring great devastation.  These Muslims will attempt an assassination of the President.  Many prophets have seen this assassination attempt, but all agree God will prevent it from being successful.  The President will not be killed.  However, the plot devised by these Muslims will make it appear that the assassination attempt is racially motivated, White against Blacks, which will enrage the Black community and will orchestrate a phenomenal retaliation.  Gangs will break into homes of affluent White people all over America, plundering and comitting mass murders.  View Sid Roth's program to hear some of John Paul's prophecies discussed. http://www.sidroth.org/site/News2?abbr=tv_&page=NewsArticle&id=8629&security=1041&news_iv_ctrl=-1

Lastly, I am reminded of something Ruth Graham, the late wife of Billy Graham, who said, "If God doesn't punish America for its sins, He will have to raise up Sodom and Gomorrah and apologize."  The sins for which Sodom was destroyed was not just for the degrading of their society through perverse sexual sin, from which the word Sodomy comes, the historial Jewish documents and the Bible illustrates that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their treatment of the poor. 

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodom_and_Gomorrah The Talmud and the book of Jasher also recount two incidents of a young girl (one involved Lot's daughter Paltith) who gave some bread to a poor man who had entered the city. When the townspeople discovered their acts of kindness, they burned Paltith and smeared the other girl's body with honey and hung her from the city wall until she was eaten by bees. (Sanhedrin 109a.) It is this gruesome event, and her scream in particular, the Talmud concludes, that are alluded to in the verse that heralds the city’s destruction: "So^[8] said, 'Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah has become great, and because their sin has been very grave, I will descend and see...'"^{[Gen 18:20-21]}

From the Old Testament God speaks:

"Now this was the sin of Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen." —Ezekiel 16:49-50

There are a lot of hard things predicted for America and the World, however, the Christian's refuge is in God.  Our provision and protection is in the Secret Place with Him.  Meditate on Psalms 91 and Isaiah 60 for peace and understanding of our place of refuge and God's plan for His people during these dark times coming.

A Return to Prayer & Intercession

Today I was reading excerpts from some classic Christian Literature-- authors such as The Authority of the Intercessor by J.A. MacMillan, Soul and Spirit by Jessie Penn Lewis, You Will Never be the Same by Basilea Schlink and Watchman Nee's The Spiritual Man Volume I.

I haven't been feeling very spiritual as of late.  I've been concerned about not getting an unemployment check after next week and also the possibility of increased taxes in 2011 from the low 10% to a raised 15% minimum when I access untaxed dollars from my Individual Retirement Accounts.  These concerns about worldly things deplete the spirit and test our faith.  So I went searching for these old masters to help rebuild my faith and ignite in me a hunger for the Word that my spirit could be rebuilt and nourished.  I rediscovered some important truths in these old books (which are online for free).  Many of them I have owned in paperback and given to others to help their spiritual growth over the years.  As I read I was reminded of my spiritual beginnings- my salvation, my water baptism, the born-again experience, the onset of my spiritual regeneration, my spiritual baptism.  Each of these is an individual experience emblazened onto my memory of encounters with God that will not allow me to forget the reality of His existence and His love and acceptance of me into His Family.  It took me back to the days of living in the Secret Place under the shadow of the Almighty and being taught of Him.  I call him, my Abba, and He called me Shonda, His beautiful daughter.  I remember our walks together through the neighborhood and the people who stared as if they could see Him.  I remember when He stood in my breakfast nook, invisible, but present none the less, as I wept at His feet. So many wonderful experiences. 

Those were amazing years.  With all that has transpired since then, I was feeling not as close and not so spiritual now, as then.  But I am realizing I am ready to find my way back to the depths of Christ and once again dedicate my days to study, consuming the Word, basking in His presence, listening and praying, and especially interceding for causes and people He brings to mind.  I was considering the call to intercession that He first assigned me to -- family, friends, my children's friends, fellow Christians, then churches and leadership, and then the ministry to the city of Cleveland.  Today I felt a call to pray for our President, for the workings of Congress, for the new Ohio senator, and for particular happenings in other areas of the World-- Africa, Israel... 

Prophets such as Kim Clement and John Paul Jackson have seen attempts on the Presidents life and although the potential assassins are not going to be successful there could be a setting forth of evils that would adversely affect our country for years to come.  So praying against these demonic plans are becoming assigned areas for many intercessors, I believe.  Our country is being infiltrated by false religions whose long term plans are to overtake America politically and religiously and to bring Christianity to nothing.  God still sees America as a Christian nation born of God, and we are under His protection-- even our economy and our position in the World as a super power and a force for good (though we know there is corruption).  He has a plan and a purpose for us that no other nation will fulfill.  Greed and corruption must be exposed and brought down in the American Church, in our Financial Institutions, in Business and in Government.  So more tough times have to happen.  More things are going to be exposed.  America must be brought to her knees. Christians will need to literally look to our Heavenly Father for food, shelter and provision in these dark times.  We will become a bright light in gross darkness, and people will come to that light.

President Obama was appointed for a time such as this, and the leaders who will follow.  He needs our prayers and needs to yield to the guidance God would provide as he makes decisions for our country and decisions that impact the world.  We need to know who our enemies are and who our allies are.  As we pray God responds.  He reminded me of this.  So today has been a return to prayer and intercession.  And I know that His Word abides in me and I abide in Him.  He is my Fortress.  As I return to the Secret Place to live and abide under the Shadow of the Almighty, I know whatever I ask in His Name He will do.

Having Fun in Hard Economic Times

One of the things I did to have fun was start a Red Hat Society Chapter in my neighborhood.  The size has been from five to eight women fifty years of age or older.  The first year we got together twice a month and each month one of the members would decide on the restaurant where we celebrated birthdays or just got together to share stories, laugh and have some fun.  The second outing was to get us out and doing something other than to eat.  So we went to plays, movies, spas, the race track, got together with other Red Hatters, went to teas, really enjoyed Friday Movie Night and pot luck, traveled to resorts out of town and did lots of fun stuff.

This year, beginning in June, our group now meets only once a month to save money, and mostly we have been celebrating birthdays and trying new restaurants.  We did go to the movies this month and we plan to see a play together in the new year, have a Pink Hatter's Tea, celebrate RHS Day and find more interesting things to do together.  We will exchange inexpensive but thoughtful gifts for Christmas and in the new year we may add a couple more women and a few more activities.  When this group started we didn't know each other and now we have become friends, praying for each other, helping each other, sharing resources, etc.  The Red Hatters were especially important to me the first year we began our group, since I was a new widow and trying to move forward with my life, from grief to recovery.  The old group stopped meeting for almost a year, but we are now in our fourth year and rebuilding our membership.

Another group that I joined was found on MeetUp.com.  They call themselves Girlfriends Entourage.  They are foremost a travel club, but also a virtual book club and a local meet up for different events.  One of the places they are traveling to next year is Italy.  The cost is way out of my budget, so maybe another time I can travel with them.  I will join them for some local events.  I especially can afford the monthly Dinner and a Movie at my favorite theater-- Valley View Cinema.

The third thing I have joined is an afternoon neighborhood library bookclub that meets monthly.  My first meeting is in December and I have just finished reading the book,  "The Christmas List," by Richard Paul Evans.  The author writes a Christmas book every year.  His most famous book is "The Christmas Box,"  which I may read on my own.  I am really looking foward to meeting the other members of this book club since they will be neighbors and discussing the merits of "The Christmas List."

The fourth fun thing that I do is to participate in the Mayor's village trips and events that he sponsors at a discount for us.  The cost is from only $5 to $15. There are a variety of things that we do year round.  One of the best was a summer trip to a small town in New York.  We took a boat ride on the lake, listened to an outdoor concert, had some homemade icecream and enjoyed walking around this beautiful, historic place and meeting some of the other people visiting.  This Saturday he is sponsoring a train ride to a village in Ohio to visit quaint little shops and cut down your own Christmas tree.  I may not be up for that.  It is very cold out.  But the annual dinner and theater night is coming up.  It is a Village favorite.

Getting together with my family on holidays is the best treat of all.  I love playing board games and other games with my grandson and granddaughter when she is home from college and my daughter and son.  I also love family travel.  We will try a new vacation place this summer at a resort in Canada.

Some things I plan to do in the new year is renew my membership at a neighboring community center and get back to water exercising, hot tub therapy and the heat of the sauna, and maybe an occassional massage.  This will be good for my aging muscles and bones.  I also plan to go walking again in the spring with my little dog.  We hibernate somewhat in winter and watch a lot of TV together.  And maybe I'll try bike riding again.  I had a little spill last year, but back at 'em.

Oh, one last thing.  Oakwood Village Community Center has a new volleyball exercise group!  It is Chair Volleyball.  This is something new, but it is a good way to socialize and have some fun as well as upper body exercise.  So, I think I am going to do this.  I love afternoon outings.  So this could be a good one for me. 

Oh, and, another last thing.  I discovered we have a Bowling Alley right in Oakwood Village.  So I might try to get our Red Hat Group to go bowling as an outing, and we might as well get involved in the Line Dancing when that gets started again at the Oakwood Village Community Center.  So I plan to get moving in the new year!  We also have a Weight Watchers Group-- so, maybe I'll do that too.

Surviving Loss, Economic Downturns and Financial Hardships

I haven't written out loud where others can listen, for a while.  So there is a lot to share.  When I was writing a weekly column in the Cleveland Call & Post I'd share what was happening to me spiritually and religiously and my articles appeared on the Religion Page.  I wrote the column for five or six years, maybe longer.  Some important people in the city responded to my articles and were encouraged by them-- most notably Fannie Lewis, a councilwoman who has since passed.  She said, "You are a light in the city." 

People who have impacted my life are passing away.  People like John Bustamante who first invited me to write for his newspaper and most recently Virgil Brown, who I worked under some years back when he was a County Commissioner.  The most important person in my life that passed away was my husband, John Lenear, more completely, John H. Lenear.  His middle name was Henry.  John Henry. He was an important man in the city of Cleveland, and a Christian prophet once said that God had made him a "Gate Keeper of the City," and she saw him by the Spirit as one like an Old Testament Prophet.  He was my rock.

Before he died some of his last actions were to try and make certain I was taken care of.  He called people and shared his concerns, I'm sure, but it wasn't those people who took care of me.  Actually, it was my Heavenly Father.  I grieved for almost a year, not doing much of anything, when an old friend of John's and mine, said that I couldn't keep spending money with nothing coming in.  John had owned two houses (the new one and the old one) and we had two house notes, vacation club fees, and credit card debt, etc.  I was still living at a level I was accustomed to when he was alive.  He left me a good amount of money, but I needed to plan for the future.  So I was able to turn a part-time independent contractor position at a surburban school district into a full time job with benefits.  The job paid well, so after buying a new car, I invested the remaining money that John left me in retirement annuities.

I was fortunate to continue working from home for the first two years of my new position, basicially doing the same things I did as an independent contractor with a few more responsibilities added.  However, after three years in the position the new director brought me into her office, limited my independence, cut programs that I had created, reduced my salary and eventually eliminated my position altogether.  I felt sad that my ten years with this surburban school district had come to an end, and the relationships with the dedicated community of volunteers and wonderful teachers who oversaw the programs would not continue.  Again I had to grieve a loss.  But more importantly, I had to again adjust my living expenses to reflect my new financial situation.  Fortunately, I qualified for unemployment benefits.  So I had something I could live on while looking for a job.  My annuties wouldn't be available to me (without penalty) until I reached retirement age.

My new financial situation dictates that I adjust to living at what mostly looks like the poverty level.  I could no longer pay a house note.  Fortunately, again, I was old enough to apply for a Reverse Mortgage and even though the value of my home had fallen and also the equity, I was able to scrape enough money together to get the RM but with no monthly payment (income) to me.  The house was only half paid for.  But the RM allows me to stay in my home without a house note.  I still own the home.  I can sell it and pay off the RM loan if the economy improves, or my heirs can buy it back after my death or sell it if a profit is to be made or simply let Metropolitan Life own it if the loan is higher than the value of the house.  So, for me, this is a win-win situation.  It is much better than continuing to pay a mortgage for a house falling in value and loosing equity.

I also needed to address my health insurance needs.  I was paying for COBRA out of my savings account, but after three months and no new job I realized I needed to find something else.  I learned about the Metro Hospital Community Health Centers in Cleveland from AARP.  So I discontinued paying COBRA and signed up for Community Health Care.  I was given an appointment with a primary care physician, whom I really like, and have an appointment scheduled for a Rheumatologist in the new year.  My co-pay is $5 and I believe that is also the cost of my prescriptions.  I plan to compare my prescription needs with the the $4 generics available at local stores and pharmacies.  I am also becoming a coupon clipping, sale finding expert in purchasing groceries and household supplies which saves a few more dollars. 

To save even more money, I don't buy new clothes, I do my own hair, manicures and pedicures and even groom my Cock-a-Poo (little dog) myself.  I have also repair my couch myself to make it last longer and generally take care of everything I have.  God has given me a wonderful, Christian neighbor who takes care of my lawn and I live in a great community that has a variety of programs for Senior Citizens, which I now am.

Additionally, my son has come home and has a new job.  So for a little while, he is living with me, helping me with home repairs, grocery bills, etc.  So even though the grief, adjustment to loss, economic downturns and financial hardships are challenging, God is orchestrating everything and guiding me though it all. 

So I count my blessings!  And I thank God every day for all that He does for me.

Next blog I will share what I am doing to make my life more fun!