Dreams. They are one of the key elements that separate us from the rest of creation. God created us will the ability to dream; to imagine something and then creatively pursue that dream until it becomes a reality. Our dreams are the central threads binding together the fabric of who we are.
This is what makes dreams so important. Dreams guide and dreams inspire. But God will also use dreams to make and re-make our character. He’ll use dreams to refine the rough edges of our personalities and to cultivate abilities and strengths that we never knew we had.
Along the way to any good dream, there will be obstacles. Those obstacles take on many forms. Some are found in the labyrinth of our own soul. Others appear from the outside in both strange and familiar faces. Some obstacles are as old as time itself and have been encountered by many dreamers who came before us.
Several years ago my Pastor preached a message called “Dream Stealers” about how man made religions become a tool that bitter people use to manipulate and to steal the dreams of others. In John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” The context of John 10 is the religious order of Jesus’ day excommunicating a man that Jesus had healed of blindness all because he refused to deny that he had been healed. So the thief in John 10 is man made religious orders. Man made religion likes to tell people what they can't do instead of reminding them of what God can do. And religion is not the only thief that is out there.
The night after my Pastor preached the message on dream stealers, I encountered him in the parking lot. He stopped me for a moment by looking me in the eye and calling my name. He paused and then said, “Don’t ever let anyone steal your dreams.” He got in his car and drove away. I got in my car and sat there for a moment thinking about what he had said.
This was about nine years ago. God had miraculously delivered me from drug and alcohol addiction. God had literally ransomed me from a life in prison, a consequence I deserved for a crime I had committed. But the transition into a new life had left me broken. And in spite of everything that God had done, I wasn’t sure that I could imagine anything good for my life. I was afraid to raise my sails and dare to dream again.
I made a decision that night. Sure there were a lot of people telling me that I couldn’t make it. Yes, I had reached a point in life where I had failed and compromised everything I had believed in. But God had still chosen to redeem me. And if God was willing to imagine, to dream something good for my life than I was going with Him.
Many times over the years I have encountered some of those obstacles on the way to my dreams. Some ancient, some new. Some coming out of the mouths of strangers, some coming out of the mouths of family & friends. And looking on those barriers to hope, listening to the wall of accusations and misdirection that try to separate me from my dreams, I remember what my Pastor said to me. “Don’t let anyone steal your dreams.”
And now I want you to look into the eyes of a dreamer. I’m standing in front of you with my soul laid bare just like my Pastor was that night. And from the depths of who I am, I am challenging you. “Don’t let anyone steal your dreams.”
Cheers,
Jeremiyah
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The Power of Prayer (Part II)
So because you are physical (body), psychological (mind, will, emotions), and spiritual so also are your prayers. Unfortunately, this is not the way most people treat prayer. Most people suffer from what I call the “three stooges of prayer.” That is to say that some people have a western view of prayer, some a country western view of prayer, and some an eastern view. And all of these are skewed or out of alignment in some way.
To the western view (coming from a western mind) prayer is centered around the psychological. This type of prayer is centered around what you feel, what you think, and what you want. Now all of these things should be a part of your prayer but they should never be the center. God is interested in what you feel, in what you think, even what you want.
But western prayers make prayer more about you than about a relationship. God is Spirit and the most intimate connection you can have with Him is spiritual. But when you become centered on yourself you cut the spiritual element out of your prayers. Prayer is supposed to be a relationship. And the peak of this relational exchange is not psychological but spiritual.
Other people suffer from what I call an “eastern view” of prayer. They recognize that prayer is supposed to climax in spiritual exchange. But they try to reach that spiritual exchange on their own terms. Prayer is not about burning incense and sacred chants.
But even Christians will fall prey to this eastern view. They come up with “magic buzz words,” rituals, and even demonstrative behaviors that are presumed to induce a spiritual experience in prayer. But God has nothing to do with it. The buzz words, the rituals, and even some of the contrived behaviors are all defined by men (either in their own private experience or as a part of a closed social circle).
Let me enlighten you. God will never relate to you on your terms. God is not interested in how many Christian buzz words you use when you pray. You can’t forcibly induce God into an exchange. Interestingly, eastern prayers have the same end effect as western prayers. Prayer becomes about you.
The more buzz words you know, the more rituals you can perform, the more demonstrative behaviors you exhibit, the more “spiritual” you presume to be. And out of this, closed social groups will form. “Eastern prayer cults” where social pecking orders are based on who appears to be more spiritual.
This is a sick and perverted view of prayer. You can’t become any more spiritual than you already are. God made you spirit and that makes you spiritual. If you want to relate to God than it will have to be on His terms.
Now comes the third type of prayer that I call country western prayer. In this view the psychological and the spiritual are one and the same. The delineation between emotion and spirit is lost. And the psychosocial actually begins to be worshiped as a form of spirituality.
How in the world can Christians justify barking like dogs, drinking turpentine, and handling venomous snakes? Easy. These are just country western prayer rituals at their ultimate extreme. If you believe that the psychological and the spiritual are one and the same, than you will end up chasing heightened psychological experiences.
Behind this view like the others is a twisted view of scripture. Hebrews 4:12 says that, “the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” A right understanding of God's word will correct all three of these wrong views about prayer.
To the western mind, the word of God is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. To the eastern mind the word of God severs the joints and marrow, breaks down the man made stanchions of prayer, and puts us in a place where we are genuinely humbled before God (relating to God on His terms). And to the country western mind the word of God comes and divides the soul (psychological) and the spiritual.
Real prayer involves the physical and the psychological but is centered around the spiritual. Real prayers accepts the fact that in order for there to be an exchange with God, it must be on His terms. Real prayer is able to recognize the difference between what you feel or what you want and the true inner spiritual longing to connect with God. And real prayer is guided and guarded by the word of God.
So pray real prayers.
Cheers,
Jeremiyah
To the western view (coming from a western mind) prayer is centered around the psychological. This type of prayer is centered around what you feel, what you think, and what you want. Now all of these things should be a part of your prayer but they should never be the center. God is interested in what you feel, in what you think, even what you want.
But western prayers make prayer more about you than about a relationship. God is Spirit and the most intimate connection you can have with Him is spiritual. But when you become centered on yourself you cut the spiritual element out of your prayers. Prayer is supposed to be a relationship. And the peak of this relational exchange is not psychological but spiritual.
Other people suffer from what I call an “eastern view” of prayer. They recognize that prayer is supposed to climax in spiritual exchange. But they try to reach that spiritual exchange on their own terms. Prayer is not about burning incense and sacred chants.
But even Christians will fall prey to this eastern view. They come up with “magic buzz words,” rituals, and even demonstrative behaviors that are presumed to induce a spiritual experience in prayer. But God has nothing to do with it. The buzz words, the rituals, and even some of the contrived behaviors are all defined by men (either in their own private experience or as a part of a closed social circle).
Let me enlighten you. God will never relate to you on your terms. God is not interested in how many Christian buzz words you use when you pray. You can’t forcibly induce God into an exchange. Interestingly, eastern prayers have the same end effect as western prayers. Prayer becomes about you.
The more buzz words you know, the more rituals you can perform, the more demonstrative behaviors you exhibit, the more “spiritual” you presume to be. And out of this, closed social groups will form. “Eastern prayer cults” where social pecking orders are based on who appears to be more spiritual.
This is a sick and perverted view of prayer. You can’t become any more spiritual than you already are. God made you spirit and that makes you spiritual. If you want to relate to God than it will have to be on His terms.
Now comes the third type of prayer that I call country western prayer. In this view the psychological and the spiritual are one and the same. The delineation between emotion and spirit is lost. And the psychosocial actually begins to be worshiped as a form of spirituality.
How in the world can Christians justify barking like dogs, drinking turpentine, and handling venomous snakes? Easy. These are just country western prayer rituals at their ultimate extreme. If you believe that the psychological and the spiritual are one and the same, than you will end up chasing heightened psychological experiences.
Behind this view like the others is a twisted view of scripture. Hebrews 4:12 says that, “the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” A right understanding of God's word will correct all three of these wrong views about prayer.
To the western mind, the word of God is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. To the eastern mind the word of God severs the joints and marrow, breaks down the man made stanchions of prayer, and puts us in a place where we are genuinely humbled before God (relating to God on His terms). And to the country western mind the word of God comes and divides the soul (psychological) and the spiritual.
Real prayer involves the physical and the psychological but is centered around the spiritual. Real prayers accepts the fact that in order for there to be an exchange with God, it must be on His terms. Real prayer is able to recognize the difference between what you feel or what you want and the true inner spiritual longing to connect with God. And real prayer is guided and guarded by the word of God.
So pray real prayers.
Cheers,
Jeremiyah
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Power of Prayer (Part I)
Proverbs 18:21 says that, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” Now I’ve heard a number of people talk about the “death and life” part. We all probably know from experience that the things that we say (our tongues) can produce life or death in ourselves and others. We’ve all said things we didn’t mean or neglected to say something we should have. And we’ve all had someone lift us out of a bad day with a few kind words.
But I want to talk for a moment about the power of the tongue. The apostle Paul says in 1Thessalonians 5:23, “may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I believe and strongly teach that we are triune beings; namely that we have a spirit, a soul, and a body.
The spirit (pneuma in the Greek) is the ‘pneumatic engine’ that keeps you alive (James 2:26). The spirit is also the part of us that is able to communicate with God (Romans 8:16) and is designed to govern our life (1Cor. 2:11). The soul (psyche in the Greek) is our psychological makeup (the mind, the will, and the emotions).
And this triune nature is what makes our words (our tongues) so powerful. We actually have the power to produce words that are natural, deeply psychological (invoking thought or feeling), and even words that are effectually spiritual. We even have the ability to speak in a language that is natural, a language that is psychological, and a language that is spiritual.
This gets into what I want to talk to you about next week. This coming week I want you to recognize that your prayers are powerful because there is power in the tongue. When you pray, you actually have the power to affect a natural, psychological, and even a spiritual change.
Next week we remember the sacrifices made by many to see life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness become a reality for people of color. We remember one of the great leaders of the American civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We also celebrate the inauguration of a new American President who promises to change our country for the better.
But next week, I want you to remember that one of the most powerful forces in the universe is not in a movement or in a man, but in the power of your prayers.
Cheers,
Jeremiyah Mullins
P.S. Look for a follow on blog next week to include the 3 types of prayer: western prayer, country western prayer, and eastern prayer
But I want to talk for a moment about the power of the tongue. The apostle Paul says in 1Thessalonians 5:23, “may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I believe and strongly teach that we are triune beings; namely that we have a spirit, a soul, and a body.
The spirit (pneuma in the Greek) is the ‘pneumatic engine’ that keeps you alive (James 2:26). The spirit is also the part of us that is able to communicate with God (Romans 8:16) and is designed to govern our life (1Cor. 2:11). The soul (psyche in the Greek) is our psychological makeup (the mind, the will, and the emotions).
And this triune nature is what makes our words (our tongues) so powerful. We actually have the power to produce words that are natural, deeply psychological (invoking thought or feeling), and even words that are effectually spiritual. We even have the ability to speak in a language that is natural, a language that is psychological, and a language that is spiritual.
This gets into what I want to talk to you about next week. This coming week I want you to recognize that your prayers are powerful because there is power in the tongue. When you pray, you actually have the power to affect a natural, psychological, and even a spiritual change.
Next week we remember the sacrifices made by many to see life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness become a reality for people of color. We remember one of the great leaders of the American civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We also celebrate the inauguration of a new American President who promises to change our country for the better.
But next week, I want you to remember that one of the most powerful forces in the universe is not in a movement or in a man, but in the power of your prayers.
Cheers,
Jeremiyah Mullins
P.S. Look for a follow on blog next week to include the 3 types of prayer: western prayer, country western prayer, and eastern prayer
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Springs In The Desert?
Last week I had to expedite a sermon. So I had to sacrifice the blog in order to be ready to speak. All is well though. And I am anxious to renew my discussions with you all. So here we go.
I noticed something interesting in my readings this week. By chance I happened to read Isaiah 49 in both my New King James translation of the Bible and in my Amplified paraphrase. And I noted a difference in the way that Isaiah 49:10 was translated:
NKJ
“They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.”
AMP
“They will not hunger or thirst, neither will mirage [mislead] or scorching wind or sun smite them; For He Who has mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water will He guide them.”
The Hebrew word sharab translated “heat” in the NKJ refers to the glare off of parched ground that produces a mirage. So “mirage” is actually a fair translation. And the use of sharab in Isaiah 49:10 is consistent with it’s use in Isaiah 35:7. In Isaiah 35, Isaiah is using opposites to illustrate the power of God to restore/heal the nation of Israel. The weak hands become firm, the fearful become strong, the closed eyes of the blind become opened, the lame become those who leap, ect. And in Isaiah 35:7 the mirage (sharab often translated parched ground) becomes a pool of water.
Now a mirage is “an optical effect that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, that may have the appearance of a pool of water or a mirror in which distant objects are seen inverted, and that is caused by the bending or reflection of rays of light by a layer of heated air of varying density” (Webster’s). So in Isaiah 35:7, the mirage (false illusion of a pool water) becomes a real pool of water. God replaces the mirage with it’s true opposite.
Now I’ve noticed the difference in the translations before. But it is always interesting to revisit things over time. In Isaiah 49:10 God is promising to keep us from the mirages (false illusion of pools of water) and to guide us on a path to legitimate springs of water. This is a wonderful thought.
When you are thirsty and hot, the mirages of life seem a lot more appealing. But if you grow weary and abandon the true vision that God has given you than you’ll end up eating sand. This was true for Israel and it is certainly true for us.
In my own life, I know that there are areas were I have clearly heard from God and had that ‘vision’ confirmed to me by more witnesses than I can count. And so I started on the journey. But it has taken longer to get there than I expected. And the journey has grown hot.
This is the moment when mirages begin to appear. Life will offer you many appealing detours. And all that you have to do in order to pursue them is to abandon the vision and the direction that you have received from God. But the false offerings of this life are illusions. They are mirages. If you abandon that which God has instructed you to do, you will follow those illusions to the parched ground that produced them. There is no pool, no spring of water in compromise; only thirst.
This is why it is so important to trust God and to obey Him. The heat does not affect God. No form of weakness taints the vision and direction of God. If we obey Him than He will lead us to the true place of fulfillment. The pools and springs of God never run dry. And besides that water tastes a lot better than sand (if childhood memories serve me correctly).
I am reminded of the words of Christ, “whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). Interestingly, we know that Jesus was well studied in Isaiah’s prophecies.
So if God has given you vision, if God has promised something, if God has directed you to do something than don’t be fooled by mirages. Even if the journey is taking longer than you expected, God is still fully capable of guiding you and satisfying your thirst. Don’t trade living water for desert sand!
Cheers,
Jeremiyah
I noticed something interesting in my readings this week. By chance I happened to read Isaiah 49 in both my New King James translation of the Bible and in my Amplified paraphrase. And I noted a difference in the way that Isaiah 49:10 was translated:
NKJ
“They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.”
AMP
“They will not hunger or thirst, neither will mirage [mislead] or scorching wind or sun smite them; For He Who has mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water will He guide them.”
The Hebrew word sharab translated “heat” in the NKJ refers to the glare off of parched ground that produces a mirage. So “mirage” is actually a fair translation. And the use of sharab in Isaiah 49:10 is consistent with it’s use in Isaiah 35:7. In Isaiah 35, Isaiah is using opposites to illustrate the power of God to restore/heal the nation of Israel. The weak hands become firm, the fearful become strong, the closed eyes of the blind become opened, the lame become those who leap, ect. And in Isaiah 35:7 the mirage (sharab often translated parched ground) becomes a pool of water.
Now a mirage is “an optical effect that is sometimes seen at sea, in the desert, or over a hot pavement, that may have the appearance of a pool of water or a mirror in which distant objects are seen inverted, and that is caused by the bending or reflection of rays of light by a layer of heated air of varying density” (Webster’s). So in Isaiah 35:7, the mirage (false illusion of a pool water) becomes a real pool of water. God replaces the mirage with it’s true opposite.
Now I’ve noticed the difference in the translations before. But it is always interesting to revisit things over time. In Isaiah 49:10 God is promising to keep us from the mirages (false illusion of pools of water) and to guide us on a path to legitimate springs of water. This is a wonderful thought.
When you are thirsty and hot, the mirages of life seem a lot more appealing. But if you grow weary and abandon the true vision that God has given you than you’ll end up eating sand. This was true for Israel and it is certainly true for us.
In my own life, I know that there are areas were I have clearly heard from God and had that ‘vision’ confirmed to me by more witnesses than I can count. And so I started on the journey. But it has taken longer to get there than I expected. And the journey has grown hot.
This is the moment when mirages begin to appear. Life will offer you many appealing detours. And all that you have to do in order to pursue them is to abandon the vision and the direction that you have received from God. But the false offerings of this life are illusions. They are mirages. If you abandon that which God has instructed you to do, you will follow those illusions to the parched ground that produced them. There is no pool, no spring of water in compromise; only thirst.
This is why it is so important to trust God and to obey Him. The heat does not affect God. No form of weakness taints the vision and direction of God. If we obey Him than He will lead us to the true place of fulfillment. The pools and springs of God never run dry. And besides that water tastes a lot better than sand (if childhood memories serve me correctly).
I am reminded of the words of Christ, “whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). Interestingly, we know that Jesus was well studied in Isaiah’s prophecies.
So if God has given you vision, if God has promised something, if God has directed you to do something than don’t be fooled by mirages. Even if the journey is taking longer than you expected, God is still fully capable of guiding you and satisfying your thirst. Don’t trade living water for desert sand!
Cheers,
Jeremiyah
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)