Praycation - DAY TWENTY-SIX

Every now and then God will send us a dream that we cannot shake. We wake up in the morning and the dream is right there shouting at us to respond. The dream may come in the middle of the night or it is a dream that comes to us in the day while praying, reading the scriptures or listening to the preached word. The dream may come tip toeing through the silence while we are listening for the still small voice of God to unravel the intricacies of the Kingdom.

There are at least 28 accounts of dreams in the Bible. They include the dreams of Solomon, the wise men, and Pilate’s wife on the eve of the crucifixion and Mary’s betrothed Joseph who was warned in a dream to run away with baby Jesus to Africa.

This is not the first Biblical Joseph to have a dream. The progenitor of our faith, Joseph of Genesis fame also had a dream that not only changed the direction of his life but changed the course of an emerging nation.

The Joseph in Matthew’s gospel had a dream that compelled him to raise the child in Mary’s womb. In the language of the faith …it is the Immaculate Conception born not of humankind but of the Holy Spirit… the Word of God made flesh that dwelt among us. Joseph’s dream was a call to action to mentor, protect, nurture and support the Christ child.

In Genesis, a young Joseph had a dream of a future that God had in mind, a future in stark contrast to his present reality. There were detours in the road ahead but the abuse of others did not abort the dream. He ended up with a prison record and was paroled into pharaoh's employ. The dream was delayed but not denied.

Listening and responding to the dream that God gave Joseph in Matthews’s gospel as well as in the book of Genesis made all the difference in the world. It made a difference to the lives of their families, in the lives of those who were apart of their community and the expanded community of the people of God.

What are God dreams calling you to do? Are you listening to the dreams God gives you?

Next time God gives you one of those dreams that won’t let you go, a dream that blows your mind or one that imagines a reality that seems impossible…listen, pray and then act. The Bible says whatsoever we bind on earth we bind in heaven and whatsoever we loose on earth is loose in heaven…so we pray those binding and loosing prayers today …because of a dream that won’t let us and because it just might make all the difference in the world.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 18: 18 (NIV)

Let us pray:

Lord, I bind whatever hinders the dream of great things to come for me and mine and loose the power of God in my life. In Jesus name, amen.

Praycation 2012 – The Transformed Life

I was glad when they told me it was time to go to church! Beloved, go to corporate worship today with a glad heart not begrudgingly or out of duty. Go expecting signs and wonders to follow the preached word of God!

Later in the day, do catch up on the Praycation messages and prayers. Invite others to the journey. It may make a difference in your marriage, family, parenting, relationships, career or congregation!

Remember the steps of Praycation! Go to August 1st for details.

VMM