Shoot from the Shadows

[Christsfreeservant]

What type of church did you grow up in? I grew up Methodist. Even though I love my church....especially the people....they didn't teach us about spiritual war fare or do headings or anything. I had to learn the hard way....by experience. I wish my church under stood those things....I don't know what church to go to now?

The only thing I have experienced was.....my husband worked with a man from Egypt. He was a Coptic Christian. His church was having a festival to raise money. It was the summer of 2004 . We weren't going to go...because we didn't know anyone really....it was hot and I had a new baby. Something made us go any way. We were outside about to eat....when people started speaking in their native language....got up....and ran into the church? We didn't know what was happening. Until my husbands friend came to us and said, "please...go into the church....it's a miracle.....the Mary painting has begun to weep! You must get your child blessed with the oil!" I wasn't sure if I should. I didn't know what Coptic religion was at that time...plus....I am not familiar with miracles. We did go in and we did get blessed! Until I came to this site, I hadn't thought of that blessing until I was speaking with a friend I've made thru here. I looked up that miracle and it is on the Internet as the top 10 strange happenings of 2004!!!! It also weeped in the 1990s....people came from all over the world to be blessed and healed. One man was healed from blindness. Ine 2004 it only weeped that day while we were there! I feel very blessed by that. Maybe you remember hearing about it since you used to live in Ohio.

Glorify, I grew up in the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church. It is mainstream evangelical, kind of a mixture of Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Church of God (charismatic), which is an interesting mix. It has been around over 100 years. It began with a Presbyterian minister who was hungry to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, so it has a very strong missions emphasis. Yet, sad to say, I have watched it change much over the past several years and go the way of the world, just like so many evangelical denominations have done today. So, the denomination is not the same as it was when I grew up in it. Though their foundational beliefs have not been altered, they are just not practiced as much, it seems.

I empathize with you in not knowing where to fellowship with the Body of Christ, for I find myself in that same dilemma often. Our experience has been that we have not been able to find a local congregation that has not bought into the teachings of men over the teachings of Christ, that has not watered down the gospel in one way or another, that is not trying to entertain the people or is not marketing the church like big business. It seems that the church I grew up in no longer exists, or at least not that I have found nearby. So I pray that the Lord will lead me and my husband to believers in Jesus Christ who have not sold out the true gospel and who desire him and to obey him - and I know they exist individually -with whom we can fellowship. I do find them here.

As far as the weeping Mary painting is concerned, I have heard of it, but have not personally researched it. I would be cautious about getting caught up in such things, because Mary was human just like we are human, yet she was certainly blessed of God to be called to be Jesus' mother. Yet, we should not worship her or pray to her or look to her for hope and healing as many do. She is not our mediator between us and the Father. Jesus is, because he is God and he was man all at the same time so that he could be our perfect Lamb sacrifice for our sins. We should look to him and to the cross of Christ for our salvation and healing and to no other. And, we should inquire of him about any miracles we see because some may be of him and some may not. Satan will try to mimic Jesus' miracles, so we must be so discerning so that we are not led astray.

Thank you so much for writing and for sharing with me. I have enjoyed the fellowship very much!

 

[Christsfreeservant]

That interesting that you know that God is speaking in your dreams about Americans and Christians. I didn't know he did that?!?!? I will read ur dreams from now on!

Glorify, I had never had dreams and visions that I felt were from the Lord, with very few exceptions, until November of 2004. The Lord Jesus then began to give me visions of how these passages of scripture were being fulfilled or would be fulfilled in our day and time. I just kept saying "Wow" as he would show me the scriptures coming alive.

Then, in June of 2006 he began increasing the dreams and visions and he began teaching me so much through his word that I had missed before, because I would sometimes skip over the passages that were more difficult to understand (I admit it), but now the dreams were instrumental in helping me to dig even further into God's word in understanding what his word teaches, in particular with regard to the times in which we now live. Then, he began leading me to news stories and he began showing me the real stories behind the lies and how the news events (the truth of them), too, were fulfilling scripture, and it has been awesome to sit at his feet, to drink in his word, and to let his Spirit speak his truth to my heart regarding the times we live in and what is going on in the world around us as applied to the teachings of his word.

Over the past year the dreams and visions died down and they stopped for a period of months, but just recently they have increased again. This one, "Shoot from the Shadows," was interesting in how the Lord weaved his word all through the dream, and how he spoke so clearly concerning its truths as applied to today. They aren't all as obvious as this one, or at least I believe this one was more obvious than others.

The purpose in all the dreams the Lord gives me, I believe, is to teach Biblical truth in a practical way as applied to today, so they serve as allegories. The purpose is also to awaken the church to the realities of what is going in within the church and the world today so that we are awakened spiritually and we stop playing church or we stop just trying to avoid getting hit or we stop trying to reason with the world, but we put on the armor of God, we realize we are in a spiritual battle, we become the salt and light to the world we are supposed to be, and we turn from still living lifestyles of sin or a mixture of sin and piety, and we humbly choose to walk daily in obedience and surrender to our Lord. This dream, in particular, was about the church awakening, putting on the armor of God, and then seeing the strongholds of Satan over people's lives begin to dissipate, them lay down their weapons waged in war against Jesus, his word and his body, and them joining together in the battle for the souls of mankind.

 

[MastersPiece]

The Lord Jesus gives me dreams as allegories to illustrate Biblical truth, and no dream he gives me will ever be interpreted apart from the word of God, or at least not apart from the principles of scripture, and the interpretation will always have to line up with God's word, i.e. with the principles set forth in scripture.

Absolutely! Yah'shua is constantly giving us dreams which line up with His biblical messages and His scriptural symbolisms, that is so very true. I love how He inserts symbolism, types, shadows, dark sayings, allegories & metaphors into His dreams & visions. He searches for a people who will search out His puzzles in all truth & honesty. He has so many ways of speaking to us and it is important we not limit Him to one specific way of communication as He speaks howsoever He chooses.
Bless you as you continue to seek His face and His ways Christsfreeservant

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Absolutely! Yah'shua is constantly giving us dreams which line up with His biblical messages and His scriptural symbolisms, that is so very true. I love how He inserts symbolism, types, shadows, dark sayings, allegories & metaphors into His dreams & visions. He searches for a people who will search out His puzzles in all truth & honesty. He has so many ways of speaking to us and it is important we not limit Him to one specific way of communication as He speaks howsoever He chooses.
Bless you as you continue to seek His face and His ways Christsfreeservant

Thank you again for your kind and thoughtful remarks. I appreciate your words of encouragement as well. Praise Jesus! To God be the glory!

 

[Glorify]

Thank you both. I have learned more on this site then I did all my years in church and bible study!!!! Thank you Christsfreeservant for warning my about worshipping other things. I do not believe Mary is to be worshipped. She did as any of us should do when God calls us. We should not pray to angels or humans...or prophets....only God and Jesus. I was hesitant to be blessed by the oil from the painting....but when I look back at it I think God can do things in a supernatural way? I see it now as another sign from God.

I too have started having open visions from God lately. He also recently opened my eyes to the truth. At first it scared me and I wanted my eyes shut again! I felt alone in the world. But thankfully he opened my mothers eyes with me....so we have each other to talk with. When is he going to open the rest of the church I wonder?! I hope sharing your visions help people. I know it felt good to read it. I have made friends on this site that I am very thankful for! Bless you too!

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Thank you both. I have learned more on this site then I did all my years in church and bible study!!!! Thank you Christsfreeservant for warning my about worshipping other things. I do not believe Mary is to be worshipped. She did as any of us should do when God calls us. We should not pray to angels or humans...or prophets....only God and Jesus. I was hesitant to be blessed by the oil from the painting....but when I look back at it I think God can do things in a supernatural way? I see it now as another sign from God.

I too have started having open visions from God lately. He also recently opened my eyes to the truth. At first it scared me and I wanted my eyes shut again! I felt alone in the world. But thankfully he opened my mothers eyes with me....so we have each other to talk with. When is he going to open the rest of the church I wonder?! I hope sharing your visions help people. I know it felt good to read it. I have made friends on this site that I am very thankful for! Bless you too!

Praise Jesus! Glory be to God! Amen!! Thank you Jesus. And, thank you Glorify for those kind and loving words.