Coffee With The Lord

NIGHTMARES! … Scary things!!!  They usually seem to happen early in the morning, just before you should be getting up.  At the time they seem so real!  You wake up with a start, sweating, realize it’s a nightmare, breathe a sigh of relief, and probably get up and face the day.  Perhaps somewhere during the day you’ll admit to someone, “I had this dream – this nightmare – last night… it was so real! …”

Sometimes dreams though – even scary ones – leave you with the feeling they came from God!  Some dreams (even “visions”) that patriarchs, prophets, and apostles had are significant enough that they’re recorded in the Bible.  This morning during my time of “Coffee with the Lord” I read about one that Daniel had (Daniel 7) … It was VERY significant and certainly DID come from God!

The nightmares we have usually don’t end up good… They’re just scary and “end up!”

The nightmare Daniel had that came from God, however – though scary (read Daniel 7:1-8, 19-25) – turned out good!  The scary part involved human governments, kingdoms, and leaders that would be a part of human history [first Babylon; then Media/Persia, Greece with Alexander the Great, and finally the Roman empire – ending up with two terrifying world leaders: Antiochus IV Epiphanes and ultimately the Antichrist]!

But this nightmare turns out good – it comes from God! … Here’s the good part – give it a read! …

“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.  A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.  And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed!

“The four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever!

^“And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; His kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him!” (From Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, 17-18, 27)

HEY, A “NIGHTMARE” THAT TURNS OUT GOOD!  The rest of the story – the ultimate fulfillment is found in your Bible in Revelation 20-22!  Take it from me – a worthy read – AND IT WILL BE FULLFILLED!

Does the name Onesiphorus mean anything to you?  Probably not in a personal way… But if you’d had the privilege of a personal conversation with Apostle Paul late in his life – in prison in Rome, just before his martyrdom – He’d have told you just how much this guy and his entire household (probably meaning the members of the church that met in his house) meant to him!

Here’s what Paul had to say about it in 2 Timothy…

“You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains!  On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me.  May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus!”

 People who help others in their time of loneliness and need are very special!  Their expressed concern and care is like a “cup of cold water” on a hot day to a thirsty and parched throat!  It’s like the healing hand of Jesus extended – more than that – it’s like His loving presence, His comforting voice, and His personal ministry in the time of deepest need.  Not only did Onesiphorus get involved in helping Paul… his entire “household” (probably the congregation or “church” that met in his home) ministered to his need!  They were “the body of Christ” to Paul in his deepest need.  How did Jesus Himself say it… “As you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to Me!”  (Matthew 25:40, 45)

Oh what a challenge!  What an honor to be an Onesiphorus (or a member of his “household”) to a member of the “body of Christ” in need!  Gotta tell you… I want to be one!  And as passionately as I want to be a member of his household… I want to avoid like the plague being like those in the province of Asia… especially like Phygelus and Hermogenes – who abandoned Paul in His time of need…  ashamed of him… ashamed of the gospel (see 2 Timothy 1:8)!

No fear! Not ashamed! Bold – not intimidated! These need to be more than just bumper sticker slogans!

That’s the kind of people God wants and the Holy Spirit produces in a culture that is increasingly anti-Christian and a world where followers of Christ who openly live out and share their faith are persecuted!

I know you’ve seen them… wounded people, cowering souls, who almost seem ashamed of themselves – afraid of almost everything, reluctant to look up, fearful of speaking up and terrified of getting involved in any cause…

God’s presence and transforming influence in a life doesn’t produce that kind of person! His grace is at work within lives, where He is invited, to produce wholeness, health, integrity, love, joy, peace, and hope!

I just read it this morning… “The Spirit God gives us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner [Apostle Paul speaking to Timothy]. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God… This is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day!” (From 2 Timothy 1.7-12 NIV)

In another place Apostle Paul put it this way… “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes!” (Romans 1.16)

Arrogance is sin! But a confident, bold Christian, with a healthy self-concept in Christ is a good thing! We need to be Spirit-filled, grace transformed, oozing love, walking in faith, living out the mandate of Christ to take the gospel to all people – all nations! Lord work within me by your Spirit to become that kind of Christian!