This is why I’ve placed you on this earth because you feel like you do! (Demonstrating an aspect of who God is)
This phrase came to me as I considered a very colourful enigmatic vivid dream.
I had started a new job in a company which had lots of people who were doing different tasks. The company appeared to be some kind of media company. I hadn’t a clue what was going on. In one instance I was given a pack. Some around me pointed out to me, as we sat on the floor, that our clothing needed to be this, this and this. I didn’t really understand what the person was saying apart from the list of colours and items to wear.
I opened my pack on a table with someone to my left or two people and this older guy came over to tell me something about the job. I didn’t I understand what he was saying. [It was something about the language of all of it] I then discovered my pack which I was just going to go through had plain disappeared. I tried to explain that to someone. They looked at me blankly. I then said it to someone else and I had the same response.
A show on screen was put on for us. Everyone sat around watching it. Then when that had finished further mingling took place. I was made to watch another fashion thing like a disco and be part of it as part of the job. There were lots of colourfully dressed up women, waltzing around. I couldn’t take much more. It was all over my head. I stormed off.
One of the lower directors approached me and offered me a cup. I knew what she wanted. She wanted to put alcohol in it. I pushed my hand out and said “No way this is not an answer” I kept repeating it out loud and crossly. A line of women one after the other, all dressed up, walked by me. I forced out the phrase to them too.
The director came to me and took me aside. Her sister was the lower director who’d offered me the cup. This woman was a character. She looked like a character from some animated Disney film but she was a real version of that character. She didn’t look quite real. Big hair. Amber eyes which I commented on and said how lovely they were. They were odd though like animal eyes. She gave me a weird look. She wanted to know what the problem was. I explained my packet had vanished. I don’t know why I was picked for this job I haven’t a clue what’s going on etc. She began to explain why I’d been picked I thought. That also didn’t make sense. I cut her short and moved in close repeating about why have I been picked and she then seemed to get it. Yet as she explained she couldn’t say it in a straightforward manner and began speaking through her nose and repeated it a couple of times. This I pointed out to her, she couldn’t take it.
I began to wake at this point wondering what this was all about!
Everything about the dream was off (even the other dream had the same sense about it).
This is about discernment.
The phrase I started with is enigmatic:
This is why I’ve put you on this earth because you feel like you do!
I had a sense to look up Maria Carmel Mason’s book again. I think I need to read it at some point. The thought came out of the blue, but has been a recurring one:
The Heart Prophet: A Manual for Feelers, Seers and Heart-Restorers
Thinking about the day and its various parts and praying subconsciously . There’s something in the scripture that’s tugging me about feeling, compassion. It’s the phrase bowels of mercy. This phrase comes from the King James version.
King James Version AI-generated results
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Philippians 2:1–2
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
1 John 3:17
But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Luke 1:78
Through the tender mercy of our God; Whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
2 Corinthians 6:12
Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels
Philemon 7
For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
Philippians 1:8
For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
In the book of Zechariah it speaks about a spirit of grace and supplication that will be poured out on His people. Chapter 12.10.
Alcohol in the dream could be related to being given the wrong kind of liquid. Instead of the water of life or the right spirit. I was offered the wrong kind. In effect it was the wrong spirit. I wouldn’t have anything to do with it.
Is it showing what the world offers? Instead of purity and a sense of understanding it was all very confusing. Lots of movement and different things being offered me or whoever worked there. Deception. Robbing of my pack. Much confusion, clashing colours, all very distracting.
This idea follows the bible theme that of the beast. That’s how we act when Jesus is not in us. Do not love the world or the things of the world. I open up Logos and there in front of me is a similar passage:
Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.
I was looking for that scripture 1 John 2.15 and found the one that I was thinking of for the Chinese Teacher. It’s about his purposes and wanting to live them and letting his love work in me. I really felt that strongly in the last dream I had about not belonging and this is why. It was an opposite dream to emphasise the contrast of the kingdom to living the world’s way.
You are my Cup of blessing Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.
In the NET version of Psalm 16:5 it says: LORD, you give me stability and prosperity; You make my future secure.
tn Heb “O Lord, the portion of my possession and my cup”; or “the Lord [is] the portion of my possession and my cup.” The psalmist compares the Lord to landed property, which was foundational to economic stability in ancient Israel, and to a cup of wine, which may symbolize a reward (in Ps 11:6 it symbolizes the judgment one deserves) or divine blessing (see Ps 23:5).
NET note
The metaphor highlights the fact that God is the psalmist’s source of security and prosperity.
Tn Heb “you take hold of my lot.” The form תּוֹמִיךְ (tomikh) should be emended to a participle, תוֹמֵךְ (tomekh). The psalmist pictures the Lord as casting his lot (a method used to allot landed property) for him, thus assuring that he will receive a fertile piece of land (see v. 6). As in the previous line, land represents security and economic stability, thus “you make my future secure.”
NET Note
The world can’t validate you!
I saw whilst waking from a nap a cage like structure over me with big holes. The scripture that came was – He spreads his net wide.The scripture that goes with this fits in with the dream. I am covered over by a net. The world sets its net over me. I am surrounded by Babylon as the scripture demonstrating with this metaphor.
He brings up all of them with a fishhook;
Habakkuk 1:15–17, LEB
He drags them up with his fishnet,
And he gathers them in his dragnet.
Therefore, he rejoices and exults.
Therefore he sacrifices to his fishnet
And makes offerings to his dragnet,
For by them ⌊he makes a good living⌋
And his food is rich. Will he therefore empty his fishnet
And continually kill nations without showing mercy?
Fitting it into its wider context Habakkuk goes on to say about standing on his watch post. At the beginning of the book he calls out ‘violence?!’ The Hebrew is hamas !! In our day this is the name of a group set against Israel of our day – interesting! As I read through and see that Chaldea is rising I wonder at whether history is repeating itself? There is a pattern that runs through scripture which is that of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, all the ‘strong’ arrogant civilizations.
I read Habakkuk 2.2 and immediately I’m taken back to my waking picture of a leather parchment with a writing implement and the words ki tov. The words to write are good words. Write what is good or write about the fact that he (God) is good!
In verse 4 of chapter 2 there is in the NET (New English Translation) a discussion of the word faithfulness which is:
tn Or “loyalty”; or “integrity.” The Hebrew word אֱמוּנָה (ʾemunah) has traditionally been translated “faith,” but the term nowhere else refers to “belief” as such. When used of human character and conduct it carries the notion of “honesty, integrity, reliability, faithfulness.” The antecedent of the suffix has been understood in different ways. It could refer to God’s faithfulness, but in this case one would expect a first person suffix (the original form of the LXX has “my faithfulness” here). Others understand the “vision” to be the antecedent. In this case the reliability of the prophecy is in view. For a statement of this view, see J. J. M. Roberts, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (OTL), 111-12. The present translation assumes that the preceding word “[the person of] integrity” is the antecedent. In this case the Lord is assuring Habakkuk that those who are truly innocent will be preserved through the coming oppression and judgment by their godly lifestyle, for God ultimately rewards this type of conduct. In contrast to these innocent people, those with impure desires (epitomized by the greedy Babylonians; see v. 5) will not be able to withstand God’s judgment (v. 4a).
Before I read the part about idols and how the people try to make them come alive I am thinking of the video cast of SeersSee about Sacred space. It was very eye opening. I would like to remember what was said. One significant thing was how in our day people say we have easier access to pornography than people of the past. As I listened I realised it was the same then. The Idols were actual 3D versions of porn as particularly the Ashera figurines were well endowed, enough for any warm blooded man to ‘get off’ on one! Yet the idolatrous activity was everywhere. In hills even in the temple of the Lord. This was during or in and around the time before and after Josiah the child king was enthroned. Surprisingly there in ch 3 is talk of revival. The Hebrew word that is also about making alive. It reminds of lines from an old song In our time revive the church that bears your name…Here are the lyrics to: “Restore, O Lord”:
The song was written by Graham Kendrick and Chris Rolinson in 1981.
Restore, O Lord, the honour of Your name,
The song was written by Graham Kendrick and Chris Rolinson in 1981.
In works of sovereign power come shake the earth again;
That all may see and come with reverent fear
To the living God, whose kingdom shall outlast the years.
Restore, O Lord, in all the earth Your fame,
And in our time revive the church that bears Your name.
And in Your anger, Lord, remember mercy,O living God,
whose mercy shall outlast the years.
Bend us, O Lord, where we are hard and cold,
In Your refiner’s fire come purify the gold.
Though suffering comes and evil crouches near,
Still our living God is reigning, He is reigning here.
Restore, O Lord, the honour of Your name,
In works of sovereign power come shake the earth again;
That all may see and come with reverent fear To the living God,
whose kingdom shall outlast the years.
This last chapter is an amazing piece. I am not sure I get the language completely. I think there’s a lot going on in it and does require more digging in. It appears to be poetry judging by certain expressions. I was going over some of the previous journal entries as I reflect on the dreams I’ve had in the last few days and the scriptures that are linked to them. The one about make everything according to the pattern I showed you on the mountain. Or do everything according to….The word there for copy on Greek is typos and the Hebrew is tabnat which maybe where we get our word Tabernacle from.
See to it that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.” (Hebrews 8:5)