Dreams and God

A recent Sunday School handout for our beginner children had a picture of a young girl sitting on a cloud talking to the moon. I called the company that we receive our material from and confronted the Sunday School material editor. She tried to dismiss my worries by explaining to me that the story was a dream. In the dream, the moon had seen missionaries and their needs on the other side of the world and wanted the girl to help pray for them and send some money.

I was frustrated; so, I sought understanding on the handout and the dream of the girl. Then, I realized that, first; the moon in the dream was replacing the work of the Holy Spirit in directing the young girl’s heart to mission work. How senseless are the editors who seem to be removed from reality.

It has been apparent to me for several years that a resurging dependence on dreams has entered the modern church. Charismatics and others see dreams as a method of making decisions and being led of the Spirit, and Catholic areas are having numerous dreams and apparitions. Most of the dreams in the few churches I know a lot about are given to the women of the church. This is odd seeing that all but one dream in the Bible were all to men. The one feminine dream was Pilate’s wife, who was probably a sinner.

In the Book of Joel, God says, "in the last days. . . old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall have visions." The ladies were held to prophesying in the Spirit. All dreams from God would be to further His kingdom and would never be minor events. In my opinion, dreams from God will be very rare, not commonplace.

The church fathers (Protestant) and the many conservative writers, whom I have read, talk very little about dreams. I am sure they dealt with factions of Christianity that had dreams or used dreams. So much of our church life in modern America seems so frivolous. Hollywood styled women and men shout in the aisles of supposed Pentecostal churches and another "saint" has a dream to relate and thrill the hearts of the faithful. If God is sending dreams, why aren’t there wonderful nation altering results and miracles, such as those that followed the dreams in the Bible?

Look at the Bible dreamers. Joseph, the earthly guardian of Jesus. Joseph (Pharoah) saving the Hebrews from starvation. The wise men were warned. All the Bible dreams brought very heavy responsibility. Entire nations were affected. Paul’s course of evangelism was redirected by a vision. (He was still a young man.) Yet, the modern dreamers have little silly nightmares that do little or nothing for the kingdom.

I feel that these people are being deceived about the importance of their dreams. A young girl I know was at one time convicted by God of worldly, Hollywood dress styles. Her household was divided over this issue. She had a dream that God was only testing her to see if she was willing to change. She went back to her folly. Never mind what the Bible says or what the Holy Spirit conviction said. Dreams rule. Was her dream from God?

Any method except strict Biblical direction is used by today’s church. The devil is only glad to help. We should never trust in dreams. Too much pizza could misdirect the kingdom. Only men whom God had chosen for great things were sent dreams by God. They were very sensitive to God’s Spirit. Otherwise, there were warnings by dreams. Isn’t it odd how all sorts of things seem to be employed to direct God’s church, except extensive prayer and fasting? I guess dreaming is easier than praying. "This kind cometh not by prayer and fasting."