Monday 25 May 2015

Reaping the Whirlwind

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind... Hos 8:7
A couple of years ago, I had a dream about a massive, destructive tornado. What really struck me was the incredible power and intense fury of the storm. It was a vivid dream and I shared it with a number of people at the time. I dreamt it on the night of 25th November 2013.

Last night I again dreamt about a massive, destructive tornado. Again it was so vivid that I woke up. I didn't look at the time but I'm guessing it was about 4:30 or 5:00am. I lay in bed for the next hour or so thinking about the dream and dozing on and off. When Fiona woke about 6:00, I talked to her about the dream until I got up at 6:30.

In my dream, I was lying down resting almost going to sleep and Fiona called me to help with the children and other things. I got up reluctantly but I didn't complain. I decided to go outside and have a look and I saw that the weather was very severe and there was a tornado coming towards us. I then saw a massive bolt of lightning hit the ground. 



I realised how close the tornado was and thought, 'I will hardly have time to get back inside the house.' I wasn't afraid. I got inside and began securing the house with Fiona in preparation for the imminent hit. I knew all the children were inside and safe.

I then woke up and lay in bed thinking about the dream and the intensity of tornadoes. I dozed off a couple of times. I was thinking about how I would anchor ourselves inside the house in that event. What rope could I use? Where could I tie it? How could I anchor us all with the rope? 

On the way to work, I was thinking about the dream. I put on a message to listen to and, within the first few minutes, the words of the preacher struck me. He was preaching about freedom from fear. "You don't fear terrorist attacks, you don't fear tornadoes. Did you hear me?..." he said.

During the day, I felt prompted to type "tornado" into Google News and see what came up. There was a story coming through the news about a tornado that had just hit Corpus Christi in Texas. The name 'Corpus Christi' got my attention. I looked up the meaning. The words are Latin and mean, 'the body of Christ'. According to the news report, the tornado struck at about 1:30am on Sunday morning. There were 90mph winds and it caused property damage however there were no injuries.

Tornado hits Corpus Christi
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1208814#.VWMJ10-qqko

We have seen Christchurch shaken suddenly by an earthquake with significant damage and loss of life. We have seen Corpus Christi shaken suddenly by a tornado with property damage but no injuries.

My deep impression from both these dreams is that massive shakings are coming and that they are close now. The things that can be shaken will be removed. As a people, we are inviting destruction into our nation by embracing evil; by following the customs and ways of the ungodly; by calling evil good, and good evil. Worldliness floods our churches. I am grieved to see where we are as a nation. Ocean borders, standing armies, and international positioning cannot save a nation that turns its back on God and embraces unrighteousness.

And yet in both of these dreams, there was safety amidst the incredible force and destruction of the tornado. "The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgement" (2 Pet 2:9).

Our safety is in our separation from worldliness. "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of their sins, and that you receive not of her plagues..." (Rev 18:4) and "... keep oneself unstained from the world" (Jam 1:27).
... When the town is on fire, our house cannot be too far from the flames. When the plague is abroad, a man cannot be too far from its haunts. The further from a viper the better, and the further from worldly conformity the better. To all true believers let the trumpet-call be sounded, "Come ye out from among them, be ye separate."
Charles Spurgeon (1866), Morning and Evening., June 27 - Morning.
We are called to be different; not fashioned according to this world. It matters how we live; what we do with our bodies. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are not our own. They belong to our Lord. We offer them to Him as living sacrifices. In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, we are to shine as lights in the world (Phil 2:15). Is Jesus truly the Lord of our life or are we pretending? The Lord knows.
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe. Prov 18:10
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 2 Tim 2:19

There is a sure foundation; a strong tower in these perilous days. Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Be zealous and repent, if worldliness has crept in. The unshakeable kingdom of God is at hand.