be strrong in the Lord

Standing In Faith

Barbara Kain Parker Biblical Insights, Inspirational, Personal Testimony, Standing In Faith , , , , , , , ,

Barbara ParkerAs we approach Christmas, many of us reach out to others a bit more than usual, perhaps re-connecting with people we haven’t been in touch with lately; perhaps finding ways to help those who are less fortunate; perhaps greeting total strangers with a, “Merry Christmas.” Also, as one year concludes and a new one approaches, we often find ourselves in a self-evaluation mode. We examine what have we accomplished as well as what should we do differently next year, and such a process is scriptural:

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 2 Corinthians 13:5

I’d like to do a bit of both in this post that doubles as an announcement to the Standing In Faith group on LinkedIn and an invitation to join us, offering first a quick review of our group, and then sharing with old friends and new, the message of hope the Lord has given me.

The Standing In Faith discussion group began as a leap of faith on my part in March 2011. New to LinkedIn and not a big fan of social media, it was quite a surprise when the Lord impressed me to form the group, and from the very beginning He has had full ownership. This is not my group—it is His, and I’m simply His group manager. There have been several times that I’ve wanted to shut it down because it seemed as if it was going nowhere and accomplishing nothing, but His permission for that to happen was never given. Now, in retrospect, I am in awe of what He is doing, and I’m well aware that He is accomplishing His work through the group in ways that I will never be aware of this side of eternity, which is very exciting. Our growth during 2015 has been astounding, and there are new members every day from nations around the world. This is an international outreach such as I never could’ve imagined, and I welcome all of our new members and pray that the fellowship we have here will bless and encourage you in your Christian walk.

From the beginning, the Lord designed Standing In Faith around the passion He has given me for the Body of Christ to live by faith and to operate in unity, and our stated purpose is, “To encourage Christians to live by faith and not by sight, building each another up in the unity of faith that we share in Christ Jesus.”

With that purpose in mind, there are a couple of things about this group that may differ from other groups; things that don’t make us any better or worse, but just different. First is that the Lord has led me to accept everyone who requests membership without any pre-screening, just as He is willing to accept all who come to Him. Second, while we often discuss our differences of opinion, we do not enter into divisive debates or arguments, and no comments are allowed that denigrate the person or faith of another. This can pose a huge dilemma for me as the “referee”, and I must rely strictly on the Lord’s leadership regarding which discussions and comments to allow and which ones to deny, so I would appreciate your prayers for His wisdom in this regard, as well as your understanding and forgiveness if I make a mistake in judgment. I do not agree with everything that is posted here, nor will you, but instead of taking offense and arguing with every statement, please respond from a spirit of love that displays the grace and mercy of the Lord. We are not all “on the same page” doctrinally, but instead of allowing the enemy to separate us as has been done for centuries, we consciously choose to set our differences aside and focus on Jesus in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

As you may be aware, LinkedIn has recently re-designed much in regard to groups, and both the appearance and the function has been affected. Visually, it is easier to quickly scan through discussions, but it is also harder to get the full impact of a discussion without choosing the option for “more” in order to read the entire text of the comments. I would encourage everyone to dig deeper into the “more” of our discussions to get the full benefit of what each person has to say. Also, the space allotted for text has been diminished, so it is more important than ever to try to make a point succinctly.

Previously, the group was open and a request to join received automatic approval, but now every membership request comes to me first. As mentioned before, none are turned away, but any member’s contributions may still be designated for pre-approval if they are deemed to be divisive or off the topic of faith in Jesus; and any individual may be completely banned from the group at my discretion (this has only happened with 3 people whose obvious intent was disruption and destruction). Also, please be aware that with this new system, for reasons I certainly do not understand, LinkedIn is flagging as inappropriate many entries that are fully acceptable, so please be patient if your submission doesn’t appear immediately. I try to turn everything around within 24 hours or sooner, but occasionally that isn’t possible.

Please review the group rules since there have been a few changes to remain in alignment with LinkedIn’s way of doing things. Also, please remember that we do not focus on personal agendas, make political statements, or doctrinal positions; but we discuss the traditional Christian values of the majority. That said, it is difficult to completely avoid the political arena since it has such a huge impact on our lives, but our goal is to approach any such discussions with the intent of illuminating God’s truth and not man’s opinion.

Enough review, and on to our Hope! This morning, the Lord highlighted some phrases to me from Hebrews 3 that are relevant to Standing In Faith.

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession…[who] is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope…Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.  But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

Our “today” is a day in which hearts have become hard throughout the world. Jesus warnings of end times events are occurring right before our eyes. His words (Matthew 24:4-14) resonate with what we see and hear daily:

“See that no one leads you astray.  For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.  And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.  And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.  But the one who endures to the end will be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

We are not to despair! Buried in a passage where many accentuate the negative, is one of the most promising phrases in scripture. “See that you are not alarmed,” isn’t just an impossible suggestion, for Jesus would never have advised something we cannot accomplish. In Him we have hope, He is our strength and our refuge, and we need not fear:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:3-7

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalms 46:1

At Christmas we often hear people saying that Jesus is the reason for the season, and that’s true; but I’d take it a bit farther to declare that Jesus is the reason for every season in our lives. Our very existence here on earth is designed to bring honor and glory to Him, and the fact that we are here “today” is by His design, and He has a purpose for each of our lives.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalms 139:16

So what does this have to do with Standing In Faith? Go back to the Hebrews passage from which the Lord spoke to me today, for this is the re-affirmation of our purpose:

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

May our Lord be with you all, may He bless and keep you throughout this and every season, and may He make you a blessing to others as you all are to me. Merry Christmas to all, along with my prayers and best wishes that in the year to come each person will find their strength in Him and will learn to stand in faith as never before. My prayer for each of us is from Hebrews 4:

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest…Let us hold fast our confession…Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

 

 

A Response to Terrorism

Barbara Kain Parker Biblical Insights, Inspirational , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

277359-20151124Have you watched the news today? Undoubtedly, there’s a report of a new terrorist act somewhere in the world. Last week it was in Paris. This week, nations are on edge as threats abound and warnings are issued here, there, and everywhere. Surely we are experiencing the terrible times of which Jesus spoke when lawlessness increases and the love of many grows cold, the end times when betrayal and hatred run rampant in our streets. All around, His words come to life before our very eyes:

You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake…And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Luke 21:16-17,25-26

Sounds pretty bad, huh? And, of course, it is! But it’s not the end of the world quite yet, and we must not focus on the abounding terror but on the One who is ultimately going to bring it all to an end on the Day of the Lord. He has not left us un-prepared or without hope, and He is sufficient in even the most desperate of times. But what does that look like? There’s a perfect example in the story of Esther, the Jewish woman who became Queen of Persia, which is, interestingly, the region we know as Iran.  It’s also interesting to note that those Persians of long-ago were just as violent and cruel as are the radical jihadists of today.

In summary, in his hatred of the Jews, Haman initiated a plan to have them all wiped from the face of  the earth and the king approved it for Haman was a highly favored and trusted official. Esther 4:3-17:

And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. 

When Esther’s young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate, and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people. And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. 

Can there be any doubt that Mordecai, Esther and the entire Jewish people were in mortal danger? Can there be any doubt that the terror they faced was very much like that which is seen today? I don’t think so.

So, what was their reaction? It was one we should model as we enter into mourning, prayer and fasting, and seeking the Lord for His sufficiency in our own time of trouble. We do have hope, for just look at how our amazing God stepped in when His servants humbled themselves and took a stand for righteousness, regardless of the potential consequences.

Previously, Mordecai had learned of a plot to kill the king and had saved his life. His action had been recorded but has seemingly escaped the memory of the king. Meanwhile, Haman had come to hate Mordecai more than any other Jew and even the sight of him made him very angry so he built a gallows on which to hang Mordecai, but on the very night before he approached the king about it, God intervened (Esther 6:1-11).

On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king’s young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows[i] that he had prepared for him. And the king’s young men told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” And Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set. And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.’” Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.” So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.”

Talk about God’s perfect timing! And what delicious irony, as the bad guy had to parade the good guy through the streets of the city proclaiming the king’s favor over his enemy; favor he thought should have been his.

Long story short…well, not really very long because Esther is only ten chapters…not only did Mordecai and Esther survive, but so did all of the Jewish people. And even more, the king granted permission for them to avenge themselves against their enemies and 75,000 unrighteous haters of God’s people were destroyed.

Our King is coming, and His arrival is imminent. Nobody can say exactly when that will be, but it is certain that all of the signs of the end of which Jesus warned are manifesting now. Let’s not allow our hearts to fail us from fear, but let’s rise up and stand in faith in our God. He is always sufficient and His timing is always absolutely perfect.

The Fall Season of Life

Barbara Kain Parker Inspirational, Personal Testimony , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

IMG_2528It’s an unusual day for me! I’m up early and out on my patio at the crack of dawn with my Bible, journal and, of course, my morning latte. This is not my normal mode of operation because I’m much more of a night owl than an early bird, and to get my head on straight before 10 AM is a challenge. But this morning I was wide awake an hour before dawn with lucid thoughts of things I need to write chasing themselves around in my head.

So here I sit, enjoying the break of day, as many others do regularly (I must admit to occasional jealousy of their internal clocks). For me, this is a special treat as my senses soak up the sights, sounds and feel of another new beginning. And what a treat to wrap up in my long, soft, warm robe for the first time in months, a favorite garment that has hung unused and seemingly abandoned throughout a seemingly endless Southern California summer. Today though, there’s finally a cool, brisk feeling of Fall, a gentle breeze and a freshness in the air.

As I contemplate Fall, I think not so much of the seasons of the year but of the ever-changing seasons of life, and I reflect on my own. I look at the first preschool pictures of my adorable twin grand-daughters; can it really be only 2 ½ years since they were tiny preemies in the NICU? I think of my son taking his son to kindergarten; can it really be 30 years since I was dropping him off? Or even more astounding (or painful!), can it really be 60 years since my own first day of kindergarten, a memory so fresh it could’ve just happened. And my parents, part of my life for so long; can it really be over a year since Mom died, and 5 ½ years since we lost Dad? It is certain that God’s word is true, and life is brief.

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. (James 4:14)

It is also certain that there are many seasons in life, and each has its appointed place.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

So here I sit on my patio, enjoying a wonderful Fall day while contemplating the Fall of my life, and I know that it’s a season full of promise. When I was just twelve years old, I knew that there was a ministry call on my life, but other seasons intervened and forty years of seasons passed before I began to even have a glimpse of what my ‘calling’ might look like. But then there was a long season of struggle; it was my own, personal dark night of the soul; the season in which God took all that had come before and placed me in His furnace to be refined for His purposes. So now, having gone on Medicare, I guess I’m officially a senior citizen, though I don’t really feel like one inside. It’s a time when many retire to play golf, take extended vacations, and relax; and yet I’m busier than ever, for the Lord has given me a task and there is still much left to be accomplished. It actually seems rather humorous that as a grandmother with two completely separate careers behind me, I’m finally stepping into assignments He planned for me before I was even born.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139:16)

Though I have surely entered the Fall of my life, it is a season that feels as new and fresh as this wonderful Fall morning. Yes, my body is aging, a fact quickly proven by a quick glance in a mirror, but it seems that my spirit is just beginning; and there is still much to do.  Psalm 92:12-14 has been a prayer of mine for some time, but my logical focus has been on physical endurance. Today, my sense is that this promise is as much about spiritual strength and productivity as it is physical.

The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God.
They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

As I face my Fall season, I have another prayer as well:

O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. (Psalm 71:17-18)

And also a declaration:

That is why we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day. Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine. (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)

Die, So We Can Live

Barbara Kain Parker Inspirational , , , , , , , , ,

IMG_1914The United States of America.  This is my county, the land that I love, and I’m forever grateful to have been born here.

Historically, our country has been well known as one nation under God, with the majority of our population professing a belief in Him.  But oops!  We have now become a largely godless society in which God’s righteousness has been trashed in favor of  the selfish standards of man’s ever-expanding quest for personal ‘rights’ and happiness.

We have been known for our freedom, for the famous liberty and justice that is available to all, and we have become a gigantic melting pot in which people from all over the would could come to live and thrive in freedom.  But oops!  Our freedoms are quickly eroding, especially for Christians, as those who govern us continually pile one unjust regulation on top of another.

For years we have been the world’s greatest superpower, enjoying unparalleled military might and economic strength.  But oops!  Our military has been downsized from majestic to pathetic, and our economy is in free fall as the national debt increases and our personal wealth decreases.

We have been especially known for religious freedom, and have been a place where people of all faiths could worship without governmental interference. But oops!  Now, if you stand by God’s truth, you are judged as an extremist hater.

We have such a proud heritage!  But oops!  We forgot something very important along the way as we began to trust in ourselves instead of God, sliding bit by bit down the slippery slope of moral depravity.  Our descent has been punctuated by such unrighteous decisions of our Supreme Court as allowing the murder of our children disguised as women’s rights over forty years ago and, more recently, endorsing gay marriage disquised as equality.

So what happened?  The answer is simple.  Along the way, Americans began to forget the God who has protected us and given us strength.  The nation, like many of us as individuals, has come to think of itself as self-sufficient and immune to the consequences of evil.  Much has already been written and spoken in terms of coming judgement, and it will most likely be sooner than later because God will not allow such apostasy indefinitely, but that is not my point so I won’t belabor it.

Can we see our nation’s problem for what it is?  Can we name our national sins as we name our personal ones?  Rebellion.  Pride.  Inflated ego.  Self-sufficiency.  Idolatry.  What?  Idolatry?  Yes, because most of us now look to government for solutions instead of to God.

So what can we do?  Many have been repenting and praying for revival; encouraging one another to follow the very good advice of scripture, hoping for the fulfillment of God’s promise:

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 1 Chronicles 7:14

But is that enough?  The Lord has been speaking to me for a couple of days about our need to die.  As we repent for trusting in government instead of God, for gauging our well-being on whether or not the economy is good, for looking within ourselves for solutions; perhaps what we really need is to agree to pray for our nation to die to itself.  Every mature Christian who has been refined in the Lord’s furnace understands that concept on a personal basis.  We understand the truth of such scriptures as:

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.  Galatians 2:20

I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.  Philippians 3:8

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.”  Luke 9:23-24

Let’s stop counting on the possibility of electing of righteous leaders. Let’s stop counting on our military.  Let’s stop counting on a better economic forecast.  Let’s stop counting on governmental programs and benefits to make our lives easier.

Instead, let’s start counting on our God!  Let’s stand in for our nation and allow it to die to itself; to cast away national pride and self-sufficiency.  Let’s allow God to be our strength and our shield, having no other gods before Him, and seeking Him first in all things.

Come on America!  Let us die, so we can live in Him!!!

Be Encouraged

Barbara Kain Parker Biblical Insights, Devotional, Inspirational , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BibleLet the people of God be encouraged!  The unrighteous decision of the US Supreme Court this week is an affront to God as well as to His people, and it is surely one more nail in the coffin leading to His judgements on man.  But His purpose in judgement is to cause people to look to Him and be saved, not to pour out His wrath on the righteous.  We must come into agreement with His plans and purposes to draw all men to Himself, even if it takes very severe/difficult/unpleasant circumstances; and in the midst of it all we must stand in faith and rejoice that our God is on the move!

I have sort of been in mourning for a few days over the increase of evil that has been unleashed, with a heaviness of heart over it all, but this morning the Lord directed me to three Psalms that brought things into perspective for me.

First, Psalm 131, just 3 short verses, but they pack a punch, and I believe show the way to the first thing we need to do, which is to quiet our soul and rest in Him. What peace!

Second, He directed me to Psalm 75, which speaks of judgement, and there are some truths there we need to hold onto. In verse 2, we see that in the set time that He appoints,  He will judge with equity.  Wow!  From our calm place of rest in Him, we can be assured of the righteousness and justice of His judgements, for God is the One who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another, and as He does, the wicked will be cut off but the righteous will be lifted up (verses 7 and 10).

Third, was Psalm 35, David’s prayer the God would “contend with those who contend with me and fight with those who fight with me.”  We must realize we are at war, and it’s much bigger than just the “gay agenda.”  It’s an all-out attempt by all spiritual forces of evil, aided by their physical allies, to overcome the world.  But it’s simply not going to happen!!!  Jesus has already won the victory, and even as we witness the terrible consequences that come in any war, we must commit to the attitude of verses 27 and 28:

Let those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad
and say evermore,
“Great is the Lord,
who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
and of your praise all the day long.

In the midst of the judgment that God will undoubtedly be pouring out, is our opportunity to tell those who are deceived of His righteousness, of His grace and mercy; it is an opportunity and a call for righteousness such as we’ve never had before.  There no hope except in God, and we are the ones who know the truth and are equipped to deliver His hope to those who are desperate.  Let those whom He has called rise up and joyfully enter into battle, for our commander in chief is Jesus, our Soon and Coming King!!!

He told us repeatedly not to be afraid, so heed His words.  He wouldn’t have instructed us to be fearless if it were not possible, so kick fear out the door and focus on Him.  Remember the power of obedience and praise, and watch from His rest as the present-day “walls of Jericho” are taken down.

A Scary Dream

Barbara Kain Parker Biography, Inspirational, Personal Testimony , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Snakes.  I HATE SNAKES!!!   So, needless to say, I wasn’t enjoying the dream I was having with three ugly black ones threatening me.  Little did I know when I awoke, trembling with fear, that by nightfall I would be praising God for that dream.

It was an epic kind of dream with at least 8 different scenes, and it occurred the night before my appointment with the oncologist to discuss treatment options.  The first surgical pathology report had come back less encouraging than expected so he gave me all the statistics regarding re-occurrence and long-term survival.  For the type and size of cancer I had the percentages of difference between chemotherapy or not were very small, so it was a difficult decision.  But the doctor wasn’t much help—he wouldn’t tell me what to do—it had to be my decision.  Home I went with, armed with numbers, and talked it over with my family, but they didn’t have any clear answers either.  At some point I remembered the dream, and when I went back and looked at what I’d written down that very morning I was astounded.  The overall context of the dream implied that I was on some type of journey and, while I really couldn’t see where I was going, as long as I kept my eyes fixed on the LORD I knew would arrive safely at my destination.  There was even a knowing in the dream that I needed to be somewhere at 3:45 PM—I didn’t know where but I knew it was important—and only in retrospect did I realize that my doctor’s appointment had been at 3:45 PM that day.  So, back to the snakes…

I was alone in a bed in the living room and I saw three snakes—they’d all been contained in a glass aquarium in the corner but 2 had escaped.  A man came in and then quickly left, saying he’d send someone back to take care of it.  The second man, who was dressed like a maintenance man, came in armed only with a belt in his hand—I was pretty worried; how in the world was he going to protect me with a belt???  In the meantime snake number one had somehow disappeared from the dream.  I wondered again how the man could possibly do anything with a belt, but he cornered snake number two and made it get into the aquarium.  It escaped again though, and I was really upset because it was very long and dangerous-looking.  Surprisingly, the man didn’t seem very concerned.  He continued to do battle with snake number three—it was the worst; big and black and very ugly; and then it reared up over the top of the aquarium and puffed up like a cobra with its wide hooded head and hate-filled eyes—spitting and striking at everything in reach.  The top was still not on the aquarium and I was so scared that it was going to escape and come after me—its head kept coming way up over the rim before the man would beat it back down again with his belt.  The man glanced casually over his shoulder at me and said with a shrug, as if it were no big deal, “Death is really mad today.” 

When I started seeking the LORD regarding the meaning of the dream it became clear that the fist snake was the tumor that had already been removed, the second was the threat of metastasis, and the third was death.  As I prayed about it, I knew that God was showing me that I needed to go ahead with the chemotherapy and I felt his assurance that if I did, snake number two didn’t have a chance.  But then it got really good because the Spirit of God showed me that Jesus himself (and, even now, I get tears in my eyes just writing about it) was the man who came to me in the dream with the belt of truth to restrain death.  Wow!  I’d read many times about the armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6:10-17, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  Just imagine the protection that is available to us if we’re wearing the full set of armor when Truth is all it takes to restrain Death!

So often I hear people insist that God no longer speaks to people in dreams; that he spoke that way in biblical times, but there’s no way anyone will ever convince me of that.  Much has been written about dreams in recent years, and I could reiterate argument after argument as evidence that he still communicates this way, but my proof is personal experience.  Over and over he has comforted me and provided direction during the night hours—time I used to think was wasted as I slept away approximately a third of my life—time I now eagerly anticipate as each night provides a new opportunity for my body and soul to rest while my spirit encounters the Spirit of the Living God.  Amazing encounters are recorded in my dream journal…

…Some very clear messages in my mind as I awoke this morning, “Life itself is a risk; life requires faith; and, importance or value is not determined by appearance.”  Pretty significant and encouraging thoughts in light of the fact that I am in the midst of chemotherapy; every day is a struggle to keep on trusting God; and I’m completely bald…

…A dream this morning in which I was identified as one of God’s elect with the ability to encounter the realm of the Spirit—and to find rest there.  As I prayed about it I was led to 1 Peter 1:1-2 where the Apostle Peter wrote “to God’s chosen people” who were “living as foreigners” in distant lands.  He encouraged them that, “God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  May God give you more and more grace and peace.”  How interesting that my name, Barbara, literally means foreigner or stranger—and yes I am a stranger here, in this world but not of this world, and much loved by my Father…

… I don’t know all that transpired last night, but I do know that I fell asleep in a chair in my living room and I went somewhere else—I was in another dimension—I felt myself taking off.  While I was there I recall a man coming to me—he seemed like a dear old friend—familiar—and I was so glad to see him.  He was glad to see me too.  I asked if we were together in body or in spirit and he just smiled and said, “What do you think?” and I knew it was spirit.  I don’t know what else may have occurred between us but at one point he said, “Cut that off,” and used his hand to cut off something I couldn’t see.  I’ve wondered who this was—was it my great-grandfather, the circuit riding preacher from the early 1900s whom I never met?  I don’t know, but he knew me and loved me, and I had the sense that he was removing a generational curse. Lots of other things happened during that night and I don’t remember them all but, just as I was waking up, I peeked to see where I was because I really wanted to stay in that other place.  I saw a vision of a couple of old, black-and-white televisions with pictures flickering on the screens.  I said, “Lord, if this is not supposed to be, let it stop” and both immediately quit—the one closest to me just seemed to fizzle out.  There’d also been a bunch of junk lying around on the floor but it was suddenly all gone and my living room floor was covered in new potting soil.  God has done a work in me during the night and I’m on new ground—the way is cleared for a new thing to grow.  Yes!!!  Thank-you Lord!!!

And then, on my dad’s eighty-first birthday (how I love God’s timing!), I received an amazing gift.  Another dream—an assurance that the victory had been won and that the curse was dead.  It was another epic in which I seemed to be battling an evil martial artist all night long.  He was so powerful that none could stand before his skill or his weaponry, but I kept evading him somehow.  Finally, his evil became so intense that he was destroying even his own warriors, and just when it appeared that there was no more hope for me one of his weapons turned upon him and he was suddenly nothing more than a pile of sawdust.  The scene changed and a delivery-man came to the door and handed me three take-out-food containers.  I opened the first and it was empty.  I opened the second and it was empty.  I opened the third and it was the dust.  I woke up and instantly knew that the snakes had been defeated—the tumor was gone; any metastatic disease was gone; and death had been defeated—nothing but dust with no power to harm me.  I remembered that Jesus is Truth and Death cannot stand against him.  Then, a few days later, the LORD gave me the perfect verse to sum it all up, “There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.”  (Psalm 14:5)  It just doesn’t get any better than that.