—I hope this speaks to your heart as it has spoken to mine. Our Abba has chosen to move, breathe and speak to me in unique ways. I don't believe he works the same with everyone, nor do I push my experiences upon anyone. I ask you to carefully weigh for yourself what I am about to share, aligning each statement with the Word of God, which is the ultimate authority in discerning spirits.
Several years ago, Jesus called me by a new name with ties to the "Sons of Thunder," James and John. In the dream, I was lost in a series of paths that intertwined with one another. I was leading small children down a path I felt was safe, but many of the children went off on their own and down paths that traveled into dark and dangerous territory. Some of them were lost to the dangerous path, and my heart was utterly broken. I could not save them. Some of the children followed another man who ran in the distance. I called out to them so they might not be lost to the dangerous path. They continued chasing after him. I followed fast behind them, hoping I might catch up and save them.
The number of children with me kept shrinking smaller and smaller. I then noticed the man ran near me, but not quite with me. He kept looking back at me, but I could not clearly see his face. I became curious as to who this man was and why I could not make out his face. Like the children, I chased after him. He was difficult to follow. I finally caught up with him, and we ran side by side now, but he was still a blur. I cried out to him, "Where are you going? Where are you leading?"
He then looked back at me. I could only make out his hazy smile and tender eyes. He motioned me with his hand and then I heard him say these words, "Follow me, Thunderbolt." Such words pierced my soul, strengthened my faith, but terrified me all at once. I could then only see the back of his head as he ran out in front of me. I grabbed the hands of the two remaining children, one on my left and one on my right, and we chased after him again together. I looked down at the child to my left. The child looked up at me with big bright eyes, smiled and said, "Did you not see him before now? He's been with you the entire time." And then I woke up. I remember holding my chest in awe that night, and said to myself: "Jesus just gave me a nickname." The name Jesus gave me was confusing at first, but I have since learned its meaning. It is a constant reminder to keep me humble.
The second time Jesus spoke to me was a few weeks ago. Before I share this dream, I need to go back a few years. It was roughly the spring of 2017. The LORD gave me a disturbing dream. There were two hills with a valley and river separating the two hills. On top of each hill, there was a temple shaped round like an ancient arena with tiered seating made of stone all around. Among me were many people I did not know from all over the world.
I heard a woman scream in fear. I looked across the hill at the other temple. Two ferocious lions came leaping out of the temple and down the hill and through the valley. They were heading our way. The lions entered our temple and began to mangle the people all around me, killing everyone without prejudice. I remember trying to find a place to hide, but there was nowhere to hide. I was torn between helping others and trying to escape the jaws of the beasts. I laid down on one of the stone platforms, like a lamb prepared for slaughter. I began to pray for salvation from the lions. As I prayed, an elderly woman with long white hair approached me. Saying nothing to me, she laid down on top of me as a shield. She began to speak blessings upon the people, praying for protection from the lions. One of the lions jumped on top of her, attempting to attack her, but I was saved. Then I woke up.
A few weeks back, two other dreams came to me, one right after the other. The first had two deadly roads, like hills, that lead to destruction. The second dream had two deadly tornadoes that traveled side-by-side, which caused the earth to roll up as a scroll with hanging mountains and the sky crumbled and fell like shards of glass upon the earth. I was with a multitude of people from every nation, and I held a small Asian child in my arms who was as a daughter to me. As people attempted to escape the mighty wind and falling skies, there was nowhere to hide.
That same night, a very exhausting night, I had a third dream. Brother was fighting brother and sister was fighting sister; two sides of the same coin fought each other, while hate and anger divided us all. Many people were killing each other with sharp arrows all around me. I too had my bow in hand and arrows by my side. Death filled the air. I cried out to God in anguish, "How can we end such division, death and pain? What is the answer to this disunity and divide?"
As I woke from the dream, I heard the tender loving voice of Jesus echo in my mind. The same voice who called me by a new name spoke these words with authority: "The answer you seek can be found in Matthew 20:25." And then I woke up. I quickly grabbed my phone and searched this verse in the Bible app. I had not read this chapter of Matthew for a very long time, and I honestly didn't know if Matthew 20:25 even existed. This is what it says:
"Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'" ~Matthew 20:25-28
The events unfolding in our country, our society and the world are heartbreaking. Everywhere we turn, brother is divided against brother, sister is divided against sister, mother and father against child, child against parent, the Government against the Church and Christians are divided against each other. The circle of hate and division seems unending. Worldly chatter among believers creates casims of divide. Arguments of social justice issues, racial tensions, left vs. right and yes, even the validity of Scripture and the sovereignty of God himself are whittled down to mere worldly wisdom. Tensions rise as one side accepts one kind of evil and the other side accepts another. All sides lead to death and destruction. Truth has been mutilated into personal or “individual” experience. The term “my truth” is praised, but THE TRUTH is seen as hate.
The LORD woke me up, and not just from a dream. I prayed for what seemed a very long time that night. I could not sleep. I opened the news and saw reports of protests, riots, vandalism and death. I opened social media and saw the very same thing. Some people wish to highlight the good officers who serve and protect our communities, and there certainly are many good officers out there. However, trying to make “good officers” the focus right now completely distracts us from the real problem at hand. Others point to the heinous crimes committed against our brothers and sisters of color around the nation, fighting for change in the world. No one side is completely right and no one side is completely wrong. Each side is fighting for something, but neither side ends up with anything. Rather than unity, hate grows deeper. The LORD woke me up to show me the key that will destroy the divide.
We are the salt and light of the earth. However, Church, we are losing our saltiness and our light is being snuffed out!
What is the key to destroying the divide? We must humble ourselves.
When society begins to collapse, many Christians quote 2 Chronicles 7:14. But do you really know what it means to “humble” yourself? I believe we do not. Do you really know what it means to pray? Perhaps, but all too often, we fall short. I see these same people posting divisive messages or speaking words of hate. I am preaching to myself also. When we give into worldly chatter, gossip, “taking sides” and speak words that steal, kill and destroy, we become agents of division and hate. We become agents of the devil. When we speak truth in love and promote unity among believers AND the world, we become agents of God. We become salt and light. We become children of God. We become disciples of Jesus Christ.
If we want to “humble” ourselves, we must reject worldly wisdom and all that leads to hate and division. Our identity as a Democratic, Independent, Conservative or Republican and our blind support of the sinful men and women who represent these ideologies must also be rejected. I must put to death any title the world might place on me and establish a new identity in the one who saved me. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "humble" this way: not proud or haughty; not arrogant; reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of submission. Jesus said that he himself came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. If our Master offers his own life freely, how much more should we be willing to give up our rights, our ideals, opinions, our patriotism and yes, even our own life as a ransom for love and unity? Are we above our Master, or is our life more important than the one who freely gave his? If we want to humble ourselves, our identity must be well established in our servitude to Jesus Christ and the world around us. This is a difficult lesson to learn, but we must chase after it to follow Jesus and to be his disciple.
As I think about the life of Jesus, I am reminded of how far I have to run before I catch up with him. Some days, he seems so far away, but other days, I am reminded he has been with me the entire time. I will see him clearly one day, but not before I humble myself and pray.
Jesus chose to leave the splendor of heaven, being born to a humble carpenter and young girl. They laid him in a feeding trough where animals fed, and he grew up with no place to lay his head. He made himself a servant, washing the feet of his disciples. He was beaten, bruised and crucified on a cross for your and my transgressions. He was raised from the dead for our redemption, and from the grave, he brings hope of new life for all who believe in him! How am I to humble myself? I am to take a long hard look at my own life in comparison to the life of my Savior. I am to start doing what he has taught me to do. I am to see the world around me as my own sons and daughters, treating each one with the love and dignity each one deserves. When we have humbled ourselves and pray, our Abba will hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land, which is the world around us and everything in it--not just America.
The day of judgment is coming, my friend, and we are currently in a spiritual civil war with one another. When I see the riots and hear the cries of anger around me, and when I look at how the world hates the Church and the name of Jesus Christ, I cannot help but think about our part in it all. I remember the words of my Savior when he said: "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing." I also pray, “Father, forgive me. I do not know what I am doing. Teach me, and I will follow.”
I know this is a difficult lesson to learn, and only the Holy Spirit can teach the meaning. We must all learn it if we are to be his disciples. I do not wish to strike like lightning as I approach this lost and dying world. I wish to be a gentle breeze, peacefully nudging each one toward love and unity in Christ Jesus.
As we celebrate the Pentecost today, ask the Holy Spirit to help you hear his message through these words. Seek his face. Knock on the door of his heart, and he will open the door and give you his love for the most unlovely among us. I pray for peace, grace, love and unity over all who read this text. Amen.
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