I had a dream

[Claspinghands]

Hi folks,

I am new around here but last night I had a strange dream and I wondered what you guys may make of it. I am very open minded about religion, predominantly in the last 8 years I have had a keen interest in Hinduism and Buddhism, yet I also decided that it would be worth reading the bible, which I read carefully for the majority of last year.

Over the last few months I have experienced some very tough events in my life that effected me greatly, to the point where I had gotten very depressed, lonely and felt like life wasn't worth living. Every day I meditated and read my books, maintained pure conduct even to the point of chastity. Yet I still have lingering doubts and a sense of existential despair that just wouldn't go away.

In my desperation last night before going to bed I decided to try something I'd never done before, I prayed to God to show me the way out, to help me find the strength and courage needed to lift me up and help me move forward. Upon ending my prayer I crossed myself three times and said 'in the name of Jesus Christ, Ahmen'.

Now baring in mind I am not a Christian you may find this a cynical desperate use of your faith, yet during the night I slept more deeply than I have for weeks, right through till morning. Then the strangest thing happend during the point before fully waking, I became aware that I was unable to move, my hands were fastened, as I struggled to move my fingers I could feel the sensation of wood on the backs of my hands, when I attempted to open my eyes in the dream I realised that I was looking down at my body and I was hanging on a cross!

Can any of you tell me what you think this dream may have meant? Is it a sign that I may be suffering for some kind of past sin?

Thanks for reading.

 

[afishamongmany]

Hi there Claspinghands, I don't have time now but I have things to tell you that may be helpful. Many years ago for a period of about 2yrs I considered myself a Buddhist. A year or so later I became a Bible believing Christian and dreams have played a part in God's dealings with me. PM me if you would like to hear the details.
The Living God hears prayer and responds. All glory to Him.
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[Claspinghands]

Hi fish, thanks for responding. Of course I would be interested to hear your story. Unfortunately I tried to PM you and it say's "You do not have permission to view this page or perform this action". Any ideas?

 

[afishamongmany]

I've PM ed you mate. I'm assuming you can receive even if you can't send? If not, I'll try to do something on here before the end of the day.

 

[afishamongmany]

Hello Claspinghands,
Ok I've decided to post this here as for the moment there doesn't seem any other way to get it to you. I don't want to put any email address out into open cyberspace. So -

As I said, over 45yrs ago for a period of about 2yrs I 'did' Buddhism. No orange robes or contact with other Buddhists but lots of yoga, meditation, vegetarianism, and reading the literature, knowing the terminology and trying my hardest to live the eight fold path. I had not been brought up in any religion but was always, within, asking that question, 'What's it all about?'. I stopped 'being Buddhist' when I realised that although I could project a good buddhist front, inside I was still as unsatisfied and as unchanged as ever.

At that time also I decided to read the Bible. I had read so much other stuff that I thought that if I wanted answers to the 'What's it all about?' question I really should also read the Bible. I found it so different from all the other stuff I had read and difficult to get a hold of. But I did get hold of, that if one prays sincerely God responds to that prayer. One evening I felt a strong compulsion to pray. I prayed, 'God please show me why you have made me and what is this life for.' And I prayed in Jesus's name because I had read that is what one should do. At that time I thought of Jesus as just another 'wise man' who knew stuff about God. It felt like I had posted a letter and now had to wait for the reply. That night I had a dream. I lived in a second floor bedsit in Birmingham and I dreamed that an old couple were climbing out of the window into the night. As they were climbing out one said to the other, 'He'll be alright now.', and I knew they were talking about me.

Several weeks later a friend and I drove a van up through Scandinavia and ended up in Helsinki. There through a series of, what some would call, coincidences (I would call them God's arrangings) I met some Christians. From them I understood for the first time the significance of the crucifixion for me personally. I had always wondered why this horrible event, a crucifixion, was talked about and supposed to be so important. But now, at least intellectually, I understood that Christ had taken my place on the cross. We read in the New Testament -
« For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. » in 2 Corinthians 5:21
and
« I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me. » in Galatians 2:20
I was the sinner deserving of God's righteous death penalty but God Himself in the person of His Son paid that penalty so that I could receive a free pardon, eternal life and complete reconciliation with my Creator and Sustainer. As I say this was an intellectual understanding, also I understood that this was the answer to my prayer. It was as though Jesus Christ was standing in front of me saying, I am the answer to your question.

But for several days I tried to 'think' my way out of this. I realised that if I 'accepted' what God was 'offering' me it meant an end to my 'independence'. Even when we are not happy with life, being 'the boss' is not something we give up easily. By His mercy and grace someone showed me what Christ says in Revelation 3:20 and challenged me, 'What are you going to do about it?' -
« 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. »
I told God that I was sorry for wanting to live independently from Him and that I believed the good news that Jesus Christ died in my place. That evening I open the door of my life to Jesus Christ and was, as Jesus talked about to Nicodemus in John Chpt 3, 'born again'. Now it wasn't just intellectual understanding but an inner, experienced reality.
That is how God brought me to Himself.
I can say that over all these years He has been ever faithful, true and very patient. I cannot say the same about myself but as a loving Father with His child He knows when to encourage and when to chastise.

Concerning your prayer and dream, it is only God Himself who can lift us out of the deep hole that mankind has fallen into because of sin and it is the blood stained cross of Jesus Christ that God uses to do that. In John's gospel chpt 3 the Lord says -
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.


Let me finish by saying that God is a person, The Person. He is love, light and spirit. He is not some force or a state of mind. Suffering is not caused by desire. It is caused by our separation from God by sin.

My pray is that He will use my testimony to help you so that you also might also be reconciled to Him.
Please feel free to contact me if you think I can help.
Go well
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[Claspinghands]

Hi fish,

I appreciate the time and effort that you took to write this detailed response for me. I've sent a response to your PM which seemed to work. Hope you receive it Ok.

 

[Kristen.NewCreation]

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