Power to Change » dreams

Your Choice: Jerusalem or Babylon

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:51:44 +0000

“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.‘” (Revelation 17:1-2)

This is the time of year for planning and resolutions, though many will be broken by now. But, it is also a time for an overall trimming of the sails of life and aiming in the direction of the desired port. Where are you going? How do you plan to get there? What do you expect when you arrive?

A number of ancient cities are known for their character. Babylon stands for evil and is described in Revelation 17. The angel took John into the desert and introduced him to an earthly Babylon in the form of a reigning prostitute. Later the angel takes him to the eventual heavenly Jerusalem.

Sometimes when I read or watch the news I am convinced that we are living in a state of Babylon. It seems all we hear in terrorism, domestic abuse, corporate greed and the list goes on. Babylon represents the godless world system, obsessed by political power, religious seduction and self-centered affluence.

Each of us every day is pressured through the media and elsewhere to join in dancing the “Babylon shuffle.” The pressure is great in contemporary society. The prostitute is the perfect symbol of the godless system lurking all around us.

Love is reduced to a price tag. The joining of body parts is not the joining of lives, yet her attraction and allure are undeniable, for her trade is not sexual but rather commercial and even spiritual.

John moves beyond Babylon in Revelation 21: Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

It doesn’t get any better than that. So as we focus on our resolutions and living out this year, let us focus on and aim to Jerusalem. Let’s not be seduced by the clamoring and twittering of Babylon.

Question: The choice is yours. To which will you point your actions and focus throughout the coming year…… Jerusalem or Babylon?

You Are Not Alone

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:00:47 +0000

We all have dreams, but not all dreams come true. What do you do when the life you’re living turns out to be something very different from the life you had planned? In those awful moments when it feels like you’re completely alone, those dark times when you wonder if anyone even sees you, there is hope. You are not alone.

Take the next step:
Do you fear being alone?
Married, but alone
Take a lesson: Why doesn’t God answer my prayer?

When I Don’t Get What I Want

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:46:14 +0000

But God, I had it all planned out! What do you do when God interrupts your day?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

God blessed my husband and me with four boys. I confess there were days when I questioned whether it was a blessing or not. Boys are loud, physical, and boisterous. They love to climb on furniture, use sticks for weapons and beat up their brothers.

But I have to say, I love them! Because what you see is what you get. They tell it like it is. They get mad and then they’re over it. They will pick on their baby brother but if anyone else tries to pick on them they will defend them to the death.

Boys know how to play. They design huge elaborate games and they’re never bored if they have another one around. They have given me a storehouse full of great stories and memories! My boys have taught me so many things – not take myself so seriously, to live every moment to the fullest and to love life.

God also used them in my life to teach me things about Him.

I remember one day hearing screaming coming from our back hallway (never a good sound). I knew it was my youngest, Logan, he was about 18 months old. I ran to where the sound was coming from and saw him with a beet red face crying and yelling for all his might. My oldest, Wes, who was around 10 at the time, was blocking Logan from going down our back stairway. He looked up at me, with this pleading look on his face and said, “Mom, he wants to go down the steps and I can’t let him because he’ll fall and get hurt!”

And in that moment, God gave me a snapshot of how I am with Him . . .

I make my plans, sometimes offering the token prayer but really never considering Him or where He wants me to go and then I pursue those plans with all my heart. When I’m thwarted I throw a temper tantrum because I don’t get my way, never realizing that it is the hand of God protecting me from harm.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Do I believe that?

Why do I question that God has my best interest at heart when he laid down His life for me? In some distorted way, many of us feel that God owes us. We feel that if we’re living our lives to please Him, He should give us what we want. When we don’t get it, we get mad and throw a fit. Sometimes, we even walk away! But what we want isn’t always what we need. God is not in the business of making us comfortable. He is about molding and shaping us to be more like Him.

God is not in the business of making us comfortable!

Teach us to . . . Trust you, Lord with all our heart; to not depend on our own understanding. But seek your will in all we do, and you will show us which path to take. Amen. (based on Proverbs 3:5-6)

Questions: What about you? Do you ever get angry or frustrated because God isn’t giving you what you want? Are you mad because He isn’t giving you what you think you need?

At A Crossroads

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:50:34 +0000

He had big dreams for how he had hoped life would turn out, but when he moved his family overseas, they faced disappointment after disappointment. He became frustrated and felt a sense of futility. When he then had to take on a second job, he eventually faced burnout and depression. “I really felt like I was at a crossroads in my life.” Who do you turn to when you come to a crossroads in your life?

Related:
What Is Your Destiny?

The Hope of a New Country

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:39:34 +0000

Many immigrants have dreams of success and prosperity in the west. When Adeline-Jane and her family took the leap and moved to Canada, they were filled of hope. But months of looking for work, Adeline-Jane and her husband started to question if this was the promised land that they had dreamt of.

Related
What does your soul crave?

Dreaming the ABC’s

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:00:53 +0000

If you’re going through trials, there’s no need to feel like you’re going through them alone.Contact us to talk or let us know your prayer requests.

“Forget what happened long ago! Don’t think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is! Do you see it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19a, CEV)

For most of us we survive each day, week, and year. We examine our budget, take a deep breath, and walk away. The monthly calendar is marked by scribbles of appointments and meetings. The ‘to do’ list continues to grow in double digit numbers.

Dream? Who has time for that? Max Lucado in his book, Fearless –Imagine Your Life Without Fear says to Dream Wildly. Those two words reminded me to evaluate things again. How can I begin to dream when reality is so tough some days? That is why I need to dream. If we stop dreaming, we stop hoping. We need hope in a world of war, earthquakes, disease, and pain.

The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah said, “Forget what happened long ago! Don’t think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is! Do you see it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19a, CEV) The pages of Scriptures describe the God of the Universe who wants us to hope and dream. So why not take steps to join with Him to create something new?

Start today to dream again and keep it simple by using the ABC’s. Make a list and date it. Let’s start!

Amazing Dreams! Write out your most wild and bizarre things that you have ever thought to do. Pretend that the sky is the limit. This list is yours and no one else’s. It can be plain and simple – Amazingly CRAZY. Smile, enjoy, and dream. Alright, you have your first list.

Believable Dreams! This time make a list with reality flavored in the mix. Keep dreaming though. It may mean planning a trip even though your present budget says, “You have got to be kidding”. Maybe it is signing up for your very first college course toward a degree (who cares if you will get your degree just as you are about to retire!) For some, it is learning a new instrument or purchasing a home. Twelve years ago I prayed to travel more and this year I went to Mexico!

How is your list going? Lastly, but never in permanent ink …

Creditable Dreams! What are your dreams for the next 12 months? This is where you practice your ABC’s. What are the current steps you can take to make some of these dreams become a reality? Take some time to write the steps that you will need to take for it to happen. As you dream, write it in pencil so you can be flexible with your adventures. As you dream, also remember contentment with life is ‘daily’. Months later you can enjoy this list with the fact that you did dream and hope. This is your dream list so have some fun

In Psalm 37:4 it says to “delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Let Him have your heart today as you dream the ABC’s. He is the creator of the alphabet!

Father God, thank you that You care for us individually and that You enjoy when we dream. Help us in our next steps in this life. Thank you that You hold our heart and enjoy the adventures with us. Thank you that You are our Hope and want to guide us in our personal ABC’s. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: Realizing your dream

Question: What’s your dream? What do you long to see God bring about in your life?

About the Author: Lind McCutcheon

Dec 3: Following Your Dream

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:00:23 +0000

Is there a certain age where it becomes silly to continue to follow your dreams? In this video, Charlie followed the advice of his father, and had faith that someday his efforts would be rewarded. Have you been trying to follow a dream but haven’t seen any results yet? Have you considered giving up? What keeps you going?

Following Your Dream

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 21:35:23 +0000

Shooting Blind Across the Country

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:56:39 +0000

Do you know where you’re going? Zachary Newcott decided to drive across the country in his car by himself. Did he learn anything on his journey? Watch and see, but more importantly, what have you been learning on your journey lately? Even if you haven’t been traveling in a physical sense, you are still on a journey. Where are you now? Where would you like to be?

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If You Could Stop Time

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:13:30 +0000

What would you do if you could stop time? If only for a few moments … or for a long time?

Would you choose to stop time and keep everything as it is now? Or would you prefer to rewind five or ten years and stay in that moment forever?

As much as we may want to go back, or stay in the present moment, we know that we can’t and must continue to move forward. The question is: As you move forward in your life, which path will you take?