Dreams and Visions

The night before last night I had a dream, one of those dreams that wake you up because they're so different to reality that you just know it can't be real (which is sad in this case!).

Anyway, I was dreaming about normal stuff, I was the leader of a youth event and the kids wanted to grab some food from the supermarket. They were all lined up with their goodies at the register when I ran in to tell everyone to get moving, because Jesus was coming and we had to get to a specific place (not sure where). I ran back outside and the entire sky was glowing, mostly bright reddy-pink like a sunset, but also half-covered with rainbow upon rainbow, upon rainbow.... It seems kinda weird, but I had this new 'gift' where I could run super-fast and I ran all over the place letting people know they had to come to the place where Jesus was going to be. Then I woke up... it was one of those dreams you want to 'get back into'...

Now this is completely unscriptural as far as dreams go... perhaps I had had one too many conversations about "the end of the world" or seen one too many movies about superpowers, BUT...

Last night at Waverley Salvos Youth service ('Fusion' @ 8pm).... I was blown away...

It was a great service, with a great message - "is Jesus the MOST important?"

Heaps of kids were responding with prayer while "None but Jesus" was playing on CD, when BOOM! the dream smacked me in the head. I suddenly understood part of what it meant...

I still have a huge heart to see young people saved.... to see them run after Jesus.... and to see God do the miraculous in our world. My job? run around everywhere as fast as I can to tell everyone to get ready, to get "in the right place" for when Jesus returns.

Whoa, what a challenge.

Are you ready? he won't be long...

"When the last days come, I will give my Spirit to everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams. In those days I will give my Spirit to my servants, both men and women, and they will prophesy. I will work miracles in the sky above and wonders on the earth below. There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will turn dark, and the moon will be as red as blood before the great and wonderful day of the Lord appears. Then the Lord will save everyone who asks for his help."

ACTS 1:17-21

WAAAHHHH!!!! ARGHHHH!!!!! *sob* HELP US LORD!!!!

I'm in a ranting mood and I'm sitting at the computer crying because of the blogs I've just read. So much passion. A united groaning for the Army is being sent up... weeping, hurting people, in pain because God's vision weighs so heavily on them...

How can we have so many on-fire people in our Army, people with vision and passion and full of the Holy Spirit, people showing the Army God's way foward and putting their lives on the line to do it.... and yet the Army in the west continues to shrink and wither away before their eyes?

Why Lord??? How can it happen? How can the situation be so dire, yet I sit here in the library, in the college, crying, waiting for the day I can break out into your glorious mission, make the hard decisions to see more people saved, to see the church and your kingdom grow, to put it all on the line for you!!!??!!

Send your rain on us Father God, refresh us... make us green and alive!
Send your fire Holy Spirit, burn us up, consume the dross, leave us shining in your light
Send your blood Lord Jesus! wash us, purify us, make us holy through your sacrifice...

Perhaps I'm just being emotional.... perhaps I'm connecting with the pain I'm feeling for the lost.... whatever its for, it hurts, and it makes me want to do God's will, to cry out on behalf of our world, our Army and God's people.

Lord take these inner groanings, these unintelligible words, and through your love accept them as an offering... one of brokenness... send your mercy upon us Lord... revive us once again. Amen.

Up Close & Personal

I came across Joe Noland's blog, 'Slightly Irregular' and was fascinated by a recent post about regulations for male and female single cadets to become 'interested' in each other... In 1965, you had to get approval to think about going out? It's a mite strange!!!! (especially the 'rules' about when and where you can meet up!). I remember hearing that when my Grandma was in college, she and another 'fellow' would just happen to be cleaning the floors at the same time... so they could see each other 'unofficially' teehee! (what a naughty lady!). So happy I don't have to worry about that stuff and really relieved for the singles in my session, that they don't have to go into the whole 'avoiding the opposite sex' thing!

Makes me glad there are no longer any rules to get close to God, although you do need to ask Jesus for some help in setting it up!

"So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God." Rom 7:4

This Easter...

I'm an "easter person" - I love that Jesus died for my sins and was risen from death - bringing an opportunity for everyone to experience his saving love! Our TC ('Jimmy' Knaggs), spoke tonight about being 'easter people' and living not for dead things, but for the real life found only in Jesus. Today is Easter Sunday and we celebrate Jesus' being risen from death, its the most awesome day of the year for Christians to celebrate the joy and the hope we have for the future, Jesus is alive and working in our lives today!!!! (Yipee, Hooray!)

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"
Luke 24:5-6 (Angels speaking to the women at the tomb)

It wasn't really part of the sermon, but while I was listening to TC Jim, I began to think about how I'm always on about the Salvation Army becoming a powerfully passionate movement once again, its a pretty awesome thing to think about, because we need to challenge the status quo when the Holy Spirit prompts a change...
BUT... life's all about JESUS! If I become engrossed in the systems and politics of the Salvos as an organisation, I'm kinda of missing God's calling for me! God wants me to bring focus and glory to him, not to people. The Salvation Army is great in the vision it provides, but without Jesus, it is also a dead thing, because life is found in Christ alone.

In the mish-mash of Easter events I went to this year (Rosebud corps, MCD Easter Camp, Divisional Youth celebration @ Waverley), I've been blown away by something I've seen and heard...

Jesus is alive (YAY!) and at work in the Salvation Army!!!
Young adults, youth and children have a vital part to play in the next 'chapter' of Jesus' mission to the world. I'm seeing more young people, more fired up, more passionate, more equipped than ever before... they are being handed the tools for the work openly and being truly trusted with the responsibility of bringing the gospel to the streets (Hallelujah! thanks Jim!). The people of the world see our young people actively loving the community and they LOVE it!!!! What an opportunity for us to bring the gospel back to where it belongs, out in the open, free for all!!!!

A 'force' of young people is rising up for Jesus.... I say its a REVOLUTION!!!!!!!

Thank you Jesus!