Dream and Revelation

Recently, my uncle Ed, executive director of Asian Ministries Connection, emailed me and asked if I wanted to serve as editor of AMC's newsletter. Last year, I helped my uncle by creating a flyer for one of their annual conferences. I don't know what this job entails but pray that God will direct me. Anyway, Uncle Ed reminded me of a letter titled "Dream and Revelation" that I sent to him on December 31, 2007. I found it stashed away in one of my folders and reread it. I will post it here in hope that it may edify you, reminding you that God is still speaking and working in the lives of His children. I know that I needed that reminder, as it seems at times that God is silent regarding spiritual things. I must not lean on my own timing and understanding, but on God's alone.

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Dear Friends and Family,

I know I haven't contacted some of you for months and even years, but I wanted to share this email that I sent out to my home church. As this is the last day of 2007, I believe that the Day of the Lord is even closer at hand, and for those who are in Christ, who have been born of the Spirit, stay strong and faithful in and to the Lord. Pray that the Spirit move mightily as He wills to bring about a regenerating work in the hearts of those who do not believe...

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I had a terrible dream last night. I was the target of an adversary whose life purpose was to pursue and torture me. In one episode, he was in the distance in an abandoned warehouse. He threw a knife, not at me, but at the floor or the nearby wall. I watched as the knife ricocheted off the floor, walls, ceiling, boxes, and all this time, I knew it was going to hit me. I ran anyway. There may be a chance to dodge the knife if I sharply cut to the left, then to the right. A few moments later, I was hit. This was only one form of torture. In the dream, no matter my ingenuity to escape the adversary, I failed to overcome. He always got me. I don't remember if it was in my dream, or the moments of my awakening, but I was finally aware of the hopeless situation. Suddenly I cried out to the Lord Jesus Christ for help and protection. "The Lord rebuke you Satan! By the blood of the Lamb, flee from me! You have been conquered and the Lord is victorious over you!" Could this be a glimpse of the picture John painted for us in Revelation 12?

"And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short! (Revelation 12:10-12 ESV)"

After that, there was a peace that transcended all understanding, and then I spent the entire morning seeking God and His guidance for me in this new year. I closed my eyes and prayed about so many things -- church, career, friends, marriage and singleness, issues of morality, and so on. I sought the will of God in all these things. "What does God want for me? What does God want me to do?" At one point, I shot up in bed and opened my eyes, and I heard the small still voice of God say, "You're missing the point. In all these things I will provide, but I want you to know and understand Me." It dawned on me. Could I be missing out on the most important thing in the midst of what seems like such a God-pleasing honorable prayer? What can be wrong about seeking God's will? Answer: The prayer was self-centered. It's as if God's giving me of commands to execute was more important than deep fellowship with Him. It is God who is the source of our peace, joy, and strength. One of my friends asked me this weekend, "What's the point of praying if God already knows all your thoughts and concerns?" Perhaps the prayer of all my concerns was only beneficial to me. Perhaps it will help me in the future when I see God answering those prayers. But I believe the real power of prayer is communing with Him, knowing Him, and understanding who He is. Psalm 84 is a beautiful reflection of this truth, that dwelling in the presence of the Lord is precious above all earthly things. Even if we spent our entire lives pursuing God to know Him and understand Him, we would only know <0.00000000000000001%>

And to top off these dreams and revelations, I checked my inbox today and received one new email. It's a subscription to Christ Notes - Weekly Wisdom, found here: http://www.christnotes.org/ww.php?d=2007-12-31

What precise correlation to the occurrences this morning! I'm amazed but not surprised that God ties everything together. I hope that some of you are inspired and that all of you will have the same heart and mind for God as we enter into this new year. Prepare to meet God in amazing new ways and let this testimony be a preview of things to come. May God bless and keep all of you who are in Christ.

Michael