I dreamed last night. Not unusual for me. I dream most nights. This one was a little different in that I knew almost immediately (upon awakening) that I was supposed to share it. How did I know that? Let’s call it spiritual discernment. I learned over the years to discern God’s Spirit and God’s voice by first studying His only Son, Jesus Christ, and His clear teachings in Scripture. Then, I learned to listen to his Spirit deep within my being and to test each spirit to see if the spirit truly came from God. I’m not special. Anyone can do it. You just have to believe in Jesus Christ, receive his Spirit, and believe that God’s Spirit still reveals His perfect will through the Word written both in Scripture and in your heart. We can talk about that some more if you like. For now, permit me to share my dream.

In this dream, I owned property along a beautiful river valley. The river ran through my property emptying into a large freshwater lake behind my neighbor’s property. The lake and river property was open to the public who accessed it by traveling south down a single sand road (unpaved main street) from a small town that bordered our properties on the north.

The public (from this small town) treated both properties as if they were mere extensions of town because there was nothing distinguishably separating our property from the town proper. So, everyone came and went as they pleased by the public road from town which came to a “T” at the river. Left took them through my property and right through my neighbor’s property traveling alongside the winding river.

My neighbor (a single Mom with grown children) operated an open-air restaurant on the right-hand side of the road as you came from town just at the “T” where our property began. The restaurant featured grilled quail and grilled shrimp. They were very sweet Christian people and her daughters mostly ran the place which was a popular hang-out for the locals.

I discussed with my neighbor, and she agreed, that we needed to put a fence along north (town side) of our properties so as to define the township from our land so the citizens of this small country community would know where the town ended and our private land began. She agreed to no gate and that the fence would end at a right angle to the road just above the “T” in front of her business. We discussed this with the local Sheriff’s office because we were getting a lot of illegal dumping and misuse of our properties. We had even caught the sheriff dumping his left-over oil from his personal vehicle! He admitted it and said he would enforce the law and see that everyone in town respected our property and preserved the natural beauty.

When news of the fence reached town everyone was devastated! Town folks rushed out to park alongside the road and watch the fence going up. They literally cried over the fence and the change it would mean. They would not be consoled. We assured them that there was no real change. Only a boundary fence marking where the town ended and private property began. We assured them we were not fencing them out and if we EVER put up a gate it would simply consist of a single pole across the entrance that would never be locked and easily opened. That was no comfort to them. They did not understand why things had to change. Why it couldn't just stay “as it always has been”.

I finished then fence on my side of the road. As I helped my neighbor place her last corner post next to the road, to form the entrance, I saw a young child with her father. They sat just up the road, inside their car, observing us. They were visibly shaken and wept as they discussed the disturbing change this would bring to their lives.

Then, I woke up.

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I pray the dream blesses you and assists you in your relationships.

Stop the excuses. Inappropriate behavior isn’t God’s fault. God never makes anyone commit sin. God is good. He gives all the power to choose good and reject evil.

Okay, maybe God does make us with certain inclinations toward certain inappropriate behaviors. Yet, he still gives us the power to choose to obey or reject those inclinations. Dogs have no choice. They follow their base instincts. We, however, are not animals. We can obey or reject our instincts.

Drinking is not evil. Drunkenness and excess are evil. Admiring a beautiful woman is not evil. Lusting after her and committing adultery with her is evil. Brotherly love is not evil. Sex between those of the same sex is evil.

Although I may be born with an inclination toward homosexuality, I can reject that inclination and not choose the homosexual lifestyle. Just as I reject my urges to steal and kill!

Evil inclinations force us to choose. Even if I have not the will power to choose good over my evil inclinations, as a child of God, I have the power of God living in me (through the Holy Spirit) to defeat every evil inclination that rises up within me!

He that is in me (God) is greater than he that is in the world (Satan). All I have to do is stop listening to sin and start listening to God.

It's a matter of whom I choose to serve. Obey God and live. Follow my lustful desires and die.

As for me and my house, we choose to serve the Lord.

In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, black nor white, clergy nor laity. We are all one IN CHRIST.

Creating disciples, baptizing disciples, and nurturing disciples is the mutual responsibility of all believers. We are a "kingdom of priests". There is no elite class of Christians. Clergy and laity distinctions are inventions of men intended to elevate one group of believers over another group.

Although these ideas are revolutionary in this day they are as old as the New Testament. It's what first Christians did when they came together. Worship was "mutual edification". They had no elites among them. Even The Twelve never claimed such distinction. When the brethren tried to elevate apostles or other men over the rest, Paul condemns it! See I Corinthians 1. That's elitism and it has no place among God's family. Even Jesus said, “It shall not be so among you!”

Men brought the idea of clergy/laity in the church. It is not biblical. It must be done away with before it destroys the whole church.

Public worship is to be done by all. Not just a select few. Each member is expected to come to public assembly with something to share: a verse, a song, a message from God, a word of encouragement or praise. This should be done as the Spirit leads and without chaos.

There are two requirements for true worship. It is to be done in spirit and in truth. Truth-speaking is to be given preference. Truth is to be spoken to one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Each one takes his turn bringing a word of encouragement or message from God. See the instructions in I Corinthians 14.

One group should never "lord it over" the rest. God lives in each of us. We move as he directs. There is no man on earth with his authority. We move and act according to the measure of faith and gifts he gives each of us.

Unfortunately, our cultural Christianity promotes a few superstars among us each Sunday. These actors are placed on raised podiums while the average Christian is told to sit down and shut up! They are asked to accept only what the elite class is capable of delivering. Sometimes these superstars have little or no proven Christian character. Some even lack spiritual maturity. Yet, they are lifted up as role models. By so doing, we teach the rest that character does not matter. We teach that what matters most is being a great singer, an excellent speaker, or an accomplished performer! Among the body of Christ it should never be so!

The body of Christ is where each member plays a part necessary for growing the whole body.

We need true Christian community. We need believers acting as a family that nurtures and protects each member. We need mentors who actually listen and follow the Spirit. We need leaders who can lead as servants to teach how to listen more closely to the Spirit. We need real leaders who actually let the Spirit lead. These leaders will walk among us and beside us. Certainly not walk over us!

As true Christian community, the Spirit will hold each of us accountable. We will promote the original tenets of Christianity. We will emphasize relationships without hypocrisy. We will enjoy true heart-felt, honest, and spontaneous praise in worship to our Lord Jesus Christ.

No Christian is above another Christian. No member of Christ’s body should ever be given absolute power and sole authority over other believers.

In Christ, there is one Lord and Master. His name is Jesus.

I still love you. I love you even in your current sinful state. Why? Because God loves me and accepts me in my current sinful state! How can he do that? How can he love me? How can anyone love me? How can he remain a perfect God and love me an imperfect being? Why does he not instead condemn me? I deserve condemnation, not love and acceptance! How can he give me love and approval when I justly deserve disapproval?

Because he knows how much I hate my sin! He knows my heart and he knows I hate my sin even before I commit it. So he forgives my sin even before I commit it.

It's like when we were babies and soiled our diapers! We were old enough by that time to know better. But, we would occasionally have an accident. We couldn't help it. We didn't yet have full control of our bladder or bowels. We weren't content to sit there in our soiled stated and pit of shame, which we justly deserved. We ran to Mother. Mom didn't scold us. She didn't tell us how ashamed she was of us! She cleaned us up! Why?

Because one day she knew we'd do better. Also, she knew we were not content in our soiled condition. We'd one day mature. One day we would do all she asked. The power of her love and forgiveness brought us to full maturity. We then acted like adults because we were adults.

Right now, we aren't full-grown. But God is growing us. He is shaping us into the image of Christ. We aren't there yet. But, God accepts us when we soil our diapers. If we are willing to go to him each time. And allow him to clean us up. And do not grow content with our soiled condition. He make us brand new every time we mess up!

With his love and forgiveness, and Holy Spirit, one day we will be mature and look more like him than we do today.

Thank you, Jesus. For your grace. And, for a mother's love.

We all have a finite amount of time, energy, and money. With limited resources, we must invest wisely in what is top priority! Also, we must realize that what we often tend to spend our time, energy, and money on does not truly matter in the end.

What we spend our time, energy, and money on speaks volumes to those closest to us. Thus, we should take inventory constantly to make certain we are investing our limited resources in what will last and what matters most.

Never waste time. It is a precious commodity. Spend energy on things other than the pursuit of what is empty and vain. Invest hard-earned dollars on what brings lasting reward rather than fleeting pleasure. Many things perish with using.

Take time today for family. Spend effort on serving others, meditation, and prayer. Seek the things above. Not things beneath that rust corrodes, moths eat, and thieves can steal. Seek things that last. The eternal and intangible should always take priority over the material. Laugh and love hard. Spend time in the pleasurable company of sober friends who encourage you to good works and meritorious deeds.

Life is too precious to waste on things that do not ultimately matter. Or, on persons who care little about anything but themselves!