I had a dream. (Full)

[seeking1]

One thing that I was kind of hoping would happen on its own, but didn't, was that my testimony would generate some comments on dreams and their significance/insignificance.

Like I've already mentioned, I never been one to believe that dreams carry a lot of weight. Although, I know about the instances of Jacob, Joseph, and Daniel (et al?) in the bible. Within the past few years I have had some really weird dreams that don't fit the framework of my usual dreams I was wondering if anyone had some personal examples/instances/experiences they would like to share.

There are a ton of dream websites out there, I really don't trust any of them, and I have no desire to attempt to wade through the "muck". It seems like there's a substantial deposit of wisdom & understanding present on this forum, so I'd just like to put it out there and see what comes back.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by seeking1

One thing that I was kind of hoping would happen on its own, but didn't, was that my testimony would generate some comments on dreams and their significance/insignificance.

Like I've already mentioned, I never been one to believe that dreams carry a lot of weight. Although, I know about the instances of Jacob, Joseph, and Daniel (et al?) in the bible. Within the past few years I have had some really weird dreams that don't fit the framework of my usual dreams I was wondering if anyone had some personal examples/instances/experiences they would like to share.

There are a ton of dream websites out there, I really don't trust any of them, and I have no desire to attempt to wade through the "muck". It seems like there's a substantial deposit of wisdom & understanding present on this forum, so I'd just like to put it out there and see what comes back.

Dreams, at least for me, have not been something I cherished, because none seemed to be divinely inspired. That's not to say they cannot be real and given by God, as the Bible, old and new, testifies. My wife can remember the details of many of her dreams, but most are strange oddities that I listen to only because I love her.

I have met with some believers who held dreams and their interpretation in high regard. Some have also spoken messages in tongues. The problem with dreams and tongues is in the interpretation. Some interpretations I have heard were little more than wishful thinking, but I have heard of some dreams which were a definite answer to prayer and provided necessary instruction to the receiver. I do believe, that like tongues, dreams can be a precious gift from God, and I think yours was. I also believe, that like the interpretation of some tongues, dreams can be pretended, and thus become suspicious to many.

[seeking1]

Originally Posted by Ohio

Dreams, at least for me, have not been something I cherished, because none seemed to be divinely inspired. That's not to say they cannot be real and given by God, as the Bible, old and new, testifies. My wife can remember the details of many of her dreams, but most are strange oddities that I listen to only because I love her.

I have met with some believers who held dreams and their interpretation in high regard. Some have also spoken messages in tongues. The problem with dreams and tongues is in the interpretation. Some interpretations I have heard were little more than wishful thinking, but I have heard of some dreams which were a definite answer to prayer and provided necessary instruction to the receiver. I do believe, that like tongues, dreams can be a precious gift from God, and I think yours was. I also believe, that like the interpretation of some tongues, dreams can be pretended, and thus become suspicious to many.

Ah yes, the "wife" dreams... I'll stop there.

[77150]

Originally Posted by seeking1

One thing that I was kind of hoping would happen on its own, but didn't, was that my testimony would generate some comments on dreams and their significance/insignificance.

Like I've already mentioned, I never been one to believe that dreams carry a lot of weight. Although, I know about the instances of Jacob, Joseph, and Daniel (et al?) in the bible. Within the past few years I have had some really weird dreams that don't fit the framework of my usual dreams I was wondering if anyone had some personal examples/instances/experiences they would like to share.

There are a ton of dream websites out there, I really don't trust any of them, and I have no desire to attempt to wade through the "muck". It seems like there's a substantial deposit of wisdom & understanding present on this forum, so I'd just like to put it out there and see what comes back.

Shortly after being baptized I had a dream/nightmare that I was being swarmed by demons and being dragged back. I was terrified and couldn't speak but ultimately was able to blurt out "Jesus is Lord". The demons left and I never had another nightmare from that day on.

I did have a dream in which a person was speaking to me from the podium in a great hall and said that Jesus "was the great Tekton". When I woke up I looked up the word, it is Greek and means builder. To my memory I had no previous knowledge of this word prior to that dream. The dream meant a lot to me, but I don't want to share the rest on this site.

I believe if a dream is repeated twice then you should pay attention. And yes, I believe I have had meaningful dreams. Also, in Ecclesiastes it says that dreams come from much labor. Which is another experience of dreams that I have had.

[TLFisher]

Since 2001, I have had a recurring dream. It's not a pleasant dream. It's one where I'm in the meeting hall of the Church in ______. Where a responsible brother is speaking about the opposers and looking directly at me. Throughout my dream I am feeling persecution by the innuendo directed at me.

It's because of this dream, when several brothers I had lived with in the brothers house, I could not attend their wedding. I could not step inside that meeting hall, because of the persecution I felt in that dream. Even the short time I was meeting with another locality in 2010, whenever special meetings would take place at the Church in ______, I could not go. Not without thinking I'd be walking into a hornet's nest. Sorry to say, but that's how I feel.

[77150]

Originally Posted by Terry

Since 2001, I have had a recurring dream. It's not a pleasant dream. It's one where I'm in the meeting hall of the Church in ______. Where a responsible brother is speaking about the opposers and looking directly at me. Throughout my dream I am feeling persecution by the innuendo directed at me.

It's because of this dream, when several brothers I had lived with in the brothers house, I could not attend their wedding. I could not step inside that meeting hall, because of the persecution I felt in that dream. Even the short time I was meeting with another locality in 2010, whenever special meetings would take place at the Church in ______, I could not go. Not without thinking I'd be walking into a hornet's nest. Sorry to say, but that's how I feel.

17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

I think this may be hard for you to understand, but these two things go hand in hand. If a crime has been committed and the crime is not kept secret, then in order to justify the wicked you have to condemn the just. This is where we get the term "patsy" from as well as sucker and a whole slew of other terms.

Now why is it that in the LRC they are so concerned about "opposers". The entire concept is ridiculous. What do opposers sit outside the meeting hall with picket signs? Have you ever seen the "opposers"? Do they threaten saints? So why do elders and LSM officials make such a big deal about "opposers"? If you have ever read Macbeth then you are familiar with Macbeth's wife always washing her hands. Her fixation about having dirty hands is not unlike the elders fixation on "opposers".

I once worked at a firm in which many of the executives were supersensitive about you being part of a conversation. We all worked in a large room together, yet they were always afraid someone was eavesdropping on them. They created a very tense atmosphere. Why? Well it turned out they were involved in fraudulent activity. And it was funny the way the entire firm imploded by a very small employee (myself) saying "Boo!". You see, if you are involved in fraud the first person to spill the beans can cut a deal, everyone else loses everything. Hence the tension. Hence the spontaneous implosion.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by 77150

Now why is it that in the LRC they are so concerned about "opposers". The entire concept is ridiculous. What do opposers sit outside the meeting hall with picket signs? Have you ever seen the "opposers"? Do they threaten saints? So why do elders and LSM officials make such a big deal about "opposers"? If you have ever read Macbeth then you are familiar with Macbeth's wife always washing her hands. Her fixation about having dirty hands is not unlike the elders fixation on "opposers".

A concept I had encountered of is as follows:

two sisters first met while they were still single in 1963. Fast forward 13 years they're in the same locality raising families of their own, and reconnecting their friendship. At least for one Summer Training taking turns watching their own children plus the other sister's (keep in mind each of these two sisters had 5 for a total of 10 being cared for by a single sister for an evening). Forward to the present. One of the sisters remains in the recovery and the other left in 1990. The one that remains in the recovery does not want contact with the other out of fear she would try to persuade her to leave. So this must be what the concept to be an opposer is.

Prior to moving to the NW in 1993, by their definition I was an opposer since I saw no legitimacy in the quarantines of 1989/1990. Yet I met with a locality for seven years and another one for another year. All that time I did not express my thoughts except through a forum such as this or to a brother who shared the same sentiment. No need to distract from what the Lord's Table is for. No need to stumble another. After I had ceased meeting with the locality I had met with for 7 years, a sister I knew well allegedly made a comment, "I heard Terry is on the internet". What does that mean? All the ocassions I had been in her home as a single brother and later as a married brother, I never made any issues that I have raised on this forum.
As for the fear of persuasion goes, we're all brothers and sisters. Measning I don't have the thought nor the concept. Rather brothers and sisters I know meeting in the local churches, go on. Keept meeting. No doubt it's the best place for them to meet. It's just not the best place for my family and I to meet. Within the Body, we each have different needs and I need to be at a place where my need for the building up is met.

[77150]

Originally Posted by Terry

A concept I had encountered of is as follows:

two sisters first met while they were still single in 1963. Fast forward 13 years they're in the same locality raising families of their own, and reconnecting their friendship. At least for one Summer Training taking turns watching their own children plus the other sister's (keep in mind each of these two sisters had 5 for a total of 10 being cared for by a single sister for an evening). Forward to the present. One of the sisters remains in the recovery and the other left in 1990. The one that remains in the recovery does not want contact with the other out of fear she would try to persuade her to leave. So this must be what the concept to be an opposer is.

Prior to moving to the NW in 1993, by their definition I was an opposer since I saw no legitimacy in the quarantines of 1989/1990. Yet I met with a locality for seven years and another one for another year. All that time I did not express my thoughts except through a forum such as this or to a brother who shared the same sentiment. No need to distract from what the Lord's Table is for. No need to stumble another. After I had ceased meeting with the locality I had met with for 7 years, a sister I knew well allegedly made a comment, "I heard Terry is on the internet". What does that mean? All the ocassions I had been in her home as a single brother and later as a married brother, I never made any issues that I have raised on this forum.
As for the fear of persuasion goes, we're all brothers and sisters. Measning I don't have the thought nor the concept. Rather brothers and sisters I know meeting in the local churches, go on. Keept meeting. No doubt it's the best place for them to meet. It's just not the best place for my family and I to meet. Within the Body, we each have different needs and I need to be at a place where my need for the building up is met.

Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

This fear is perpetuated because there is a lack of fear of the Lord. Rather they are more afraid of elders, being blackballed, etc. Only the truth can set you free from this fear. Only by the Lord's mercy would this sister or brother receive the truth. If the LRC is an environment with this kind of fear of being blackballed then it is truly an evil place.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by 77150

Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

This fear is perpetuated because there is a lack of fear of the Lord. Rather they are more afraid of elders, being blackballed, etc. Only the truth can set you free from this fear. Only by the Lord's mercy would this sister or brother receive the truth. If the LRC is an environment with this kind of fear of being blackballed then it is truly an evil place.

Yes! A HUGE part of concepts is a reliance on "what the brothers say" and not on what the Word says. Each brother and sister has a conscience and a regenerated spirit. Please do not neglect.

[seeking1]

Originally Posted by 77150

Shortly after being baptized I had a dream/nightmare that I was being swarmed by demons and being dragged back. I was terrified and couldn't speak but ultimately was able to blurt out "Jesus is Lord". The demons left and I never had another nightmare from that day on.

I did have a dream in which a person was speaking to me from the podium in a great hall and said that Jesus "was the great Tekton". When I woke up I looked up the word, it is Greek and means builder. To my memory I had no previous knowledge of this word prior to that dream. The dream meant a lot to me, but I don't want to share the rest on this site.

I believe if a dream is repeated twice then you should pay attention. And yes, I believe I have had meaningful dreams. Also, in Ecclesiastes it says that dreams come from much labor. Which is another experience of dreams that I have had.

I have had similar dream experiences, except I never saw any "demons". I could feel a presence and then I felt constrained and almost suffocating, it's really hard to explain. When I tried to call on the Lord I couldn't open my mouth. Nothing visible was physically holding my mouth shut , but I couldn't open my mouth. But every time, I just kept fighting to call on the Lord, and eventually my mouth would become free and I would say "Lord Jesus!" and what ever was there would leave, sometimes immediately, sometimes it took more rebuking in the name of the Lord.

Originally Posted by 77150

Also, in Ecclesiastes it says that dreams come from much labor...

What does this mean?

[OBW]

Originally Posted by 77150

Also, in Ecclesiastes it says that dreams come from much labor.

I missed this until someone else noted it. Where is this? When someone simply says "dreams" it is not clear that it is about what happens while asleep, or what happens when people imagine, plan, consider, etc. Could you give the reference?

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by OBW

I missed this until someone else noted it. Where is this? When someone simply says "dreams" it is not clear that it is about what happens while asleep, or what happens when people imagine, plan, consider, etc. Could you give the reference?

I remember meeting with a brother at the beginning of the "new way." He had received the teaching that God "programs" our daily life via dreams while we sleep. I guess he had his verses. What do you do with teachings like this? Far stranger than some of the teachings out of LSM.

[OBW]

Found the reference. Ecclesiastes 5:7. It appears most likely that this is referring to thoughts and imaginations rather than to the workings of the brain during sleep.

[77150]

Originally Posted by OBW

Found the reference. Ecclesiastes 5:7. It appears most likely that this is referring to thoughts and imaginations rather than to the workings of the brain during sleep.

5:3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business;

"multitude of business" can also be translated through much effort, or much labor.

I think that this definitely conveys the sense of dream as in the phrase "my dream is to be a doctor". However, there is a famous story regarding a dream being the breakthrough that led to the discovery of the DNA structure, ultimately resulting in a Nobel Prize. History has other anecdotal stories like this. So it seems that if you spend months focused on a particular problem it is quite likely that a dream may come through all of that effort.

[OBW]

Originally Posted by 77150

5:3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business;

"multitude of business" can also be translated through much effort, or much labor.

I think that this definitely conveys the sense of dream as in the phrase "my dream is to be a doctor". However, there is a famous story regarding a dream being the breakthrough that led to the discovery of the DNA structure, ultimately resulting in a Nobel Prize. History has other anecdotal stories like this. So it seems that if you spend months focused on a particular problem it is quite likely that a dream may come through all of that effort.

And if you spend months on a problem, it may be that your mind never really ceases in its efforts, but the elimination of distractions could allow it to see something otherwise obscured.

I will admit that I went to sleep one night after trying to provide an answer as a tutor in high school. (I was a sophomore helping a senior in math.) I suddenly awoke with the answer. But the was no association to any dream previously.

And the kind of dream in which your mind continues to rummage over what was occupying your mind immediately before sleep — whether a serious issue at work, plans around the house or for the future, or that horror movie you just saw — is evidence that our brain does not completely turn off during sleep. It does not simply turn to nonsensical dreams in all cases.

But all of this is irrelevant. The term as used in Ecclesiastes is fairly clearly about the conscious use of the imagination, not the unconscious results of our sleep, whether our own dreams or something planted there by God.

[OBW]

Originally Posted by Ohio

I remember meeting with a brother at the beginning of the "new way." He had received the teaching that God "programs" our daily life via dreams while we sleep. I guess he had his verses. What do you do with teachings like this? Far stranger than some of the teachings out of LSM.

If it were only that simple. But this idea fits right in with an "organic union" that simply dispenses itself into us as needed. No effort of man required. We don't have to obey. It will simply happen according to those nightly "suggestions."