"hold onto the image of God"

Hey friends! I hope everyone’s been doing well. I’m sure it’s not been easy, but maybe easier than you thought, with Christ in you and all: he is the good news to every bit of bad news you encounter. He is alive. It’s a different life walking in the Spirit and not the soul/flesh. It is a new dance with everyone and even yourself sometimes (all the time?). And it is beautiful if you let him lead you first and join him in the dance. Believe! Let him lead you. He is so kind.

A DREAM:

I had a dream last night that we were all walking down a road at night, and there was a detour, or more like construction on the road that wasn’t finished/didn’t get finished unexpectedly. It was sort of a crisis moment. But there were cops there to help guide people, and I assume others working on the road.

When we got there (the construction was near the end of this road), there was a white sort of blanket/huge cloth spread out to the right, off the side of the road. It was on a hill sloping down towards the road, and there were black, sticky chemicals on parts of the cloth and the road like tar that had something to do with fixing the road, but were very sticky and potentially dangerous. We did not want to fall into the road.

We were told to “hold onto the image of God” over and over again as we traveled, referring to the white cloth. So we grabbed on and started our journey. I was towards the front of the group in the dream. It took a bit of effort, but wasn’t impossible or treacherous. When I got to the end, my left foot got stuck in some of the black goo that was like a puddle on the cloth, and I was trying to ask the police officer for help, who was right there, but he thought I was asking questions about an MRI for some reason and wanted me to keep moving. But then he saw my foot, and pulled it out. It was just barely stuck, enough that I couldn’t get it out on my own.

I moved on and it looked like we were at a border of some sort, where you drive through the toll/service/inspection booth-looking sort of thing, which was white too I think. We were all going to go through after this. But first, I understood that those who got through—at least 5 or so would be needed to do this—could go back down the road and get back in to help others (which doesn’t make sense in the natural, but it made sense, and makes a whole lot of sense in the Spirit). We could either go back all the way and come through again behind, or jump in at places to come along side others to help them through. We had overcome, had authority, and encouragement to strengthen each other.

AN INTERPRETATION:

Unexpected things will happen in this time of transition. And the Lord is showing us that we are still together and meant to be to help each other and experience the last part of this road as a family. There will be help where we go. And the way we will make it through these unexpected detours and crises moments is to hold on to the image of God, grab hold of who He is--all by Himself, to you, and in you--and trek on together. You are made in his image. Remember who you are and who he is.

When we forget who God is and who we are, we lose our very foundation and will be tossed about and very confused and feel very lost. God’s nature and character, which are also in you, are the anchor for us in the storms. Don't listen to the voices that say, "He is not like you hoped." "See, I told you things would never change." "It was only a dream, you foolish child. Grow up, welcome to real life."

Your response should be, "No, things have changed: inside of me. I see God for who He is and I see how he sees me. And THAT changes everything. Things are, in fact, about to change."

From the inside out, the Kingdom can come. It has come. Believe and let it manifest. Dance in step with the Spirit.

If the enemy can blur you view, he will. He will lie to you and try to deceive you so he can rob you blind of what is actually true and truly yours: your free and open relationship with God, and your inheritance and place of authority and influence on the earth: your family, friends, work, school, church, strangers. You bear the image of God, and if the enemy can steal God's image from you, you will reflect what you believe to be true about Him, good or not so good.

What is happening is the enemy is challenging your faith. But my friends, "count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (James 1:2).

God is working steadfastness in you. You overcomer you. You look like Jesus.

"Hold onto the image of God"

When one person got through, they could come back and help others. They overcame and had authority and encouragement in the goodness of the Lord to come through again behind others and to enter in at points of others journeys to come alongside and help. We are all gonna make it! Yes, we’re in war. But we’re not alone. I think 5 is the number of grace? Maybe God is saying that he will give us grace to make it through. Of course he is! That is good news!

I'm telling you, even sharing your stories so far about how God met you guys right where you went to and helped you in your honesty and being real, and how he changed everything, how it's different with your family, telling stories like these builds faith in me and I know will in others. Come back to us after your victories and encourage us. Come alongside again, share the grace of Jesus that you experience. Lavish it on us, and on the faint of heart. Put courage inside each other. Don't let the enemy's lies rule in any one of us and steal us blind from all God is and has for us.

There were some other scenes along the way of my dreams last night. One was in the woods, the last few days of the school, Johnny pulls up in the Tahoe and does some funny exit from the vehicle, and encouraged me aside that if we didn’t go to DB’s house for a movie Thursday night that we should definitely do something together, like go to Raleigh (a previous plan in the dream?), but not just be scattered and about our own business. It was the Lord I believe.

Again, if what we planned on happening changes or doesn’t happen, the Lord is encouraging us in those moments to plan to stick together, intentionally stay together, and not be alone when things don’t happen like we plan, or expected.

The name "Raleigh" means, "red clearing" ("ra" from an Irish-Gaelic word, "rua," meaning "red", and "leigh" meaning clearing, meadow, wood or of the forest). Interesting. Helser: "Of the Woods." :) Remember that moment with Johnny on the coffee table?

Everything was brown. Lots of brown colors in the trees, obiviously, but the vehicle, and Johnny's clothes. All light brown. Which can mean humility.

The phrase, "red clearing" makes me think of the passage in 1 John that talks about living together in the light and the blood of Jesus cleansing us. The power of asking for help, and confession, and praying for one another. Humility, asking for help. Community. Things can shift inside quick if we agree. Don't let things fester any longer. Don't let doubt and confusion rule you for days. Ask for prayer. Confess your struggle. There is power in agreement. There is power in confession. Cadence gets this. And he finds a lot of stuff he lost really quick. God wants that for you and me too. We're not to be tossed around and unsure about who he is and who we are. God wants us to know and experience this new life. When you lose something, ask and agree with someone to get it back. God will fight for you, and in and through you to find it again. He will bring you back to it. He really does move when we ask him. He's just waiting for us to ask. It's half the battle to recognize we lost our peace, confidence, joy, courage, belief, love and ask for it back. Because it means we recognize God wants it for us. He is good.

Chris was looking through my journal at one point in a dream, totally reading my stuff! I have been sharing things with the Lord that are personal! Gosh Chris! ;) And he has been the past few nights in my dreams :) Ha!

Maybe the Lord will give you encouragement that is specific to someone’s journey right at this moment that will rock them and lift them up. Don’t be afraid to share it with them. Don’t be afraid to keep on prophesying. Choose to release the Kingdom inside of you. Fight for me. Fight for us. Fight for who we really are. You see it. Tell me again who I am. We all need to remember what life is like in real community and the power and light of encouragement.

Don't be afraid to invite others into your journey. What a gift is a friend. God in flesh.

Well, the rest of that James passage goes something like this, applied to this transition: If you need wisdom, direction, advice, ask God for it, and believe He will give it to you. Don't be double-minded, unsure if God is really wanting to. You can't receive good like that. Be grounded in God's goodness and desire for you and His leadership of your life. Believe because of what He did this summer. Stand on those things and approach God with faith, because He is still the same. Let that Kingdom break into where you are. Change everything. Little by little. You can! May the many moments of God working towards you and for you and in you and through you this summer be like seeds that grow and bear fruit into this season, filling your garden and bringing a harvest for the rest of your life. (1:5-8)

Much more simply put: hold onto the image of God. That will be your anchor and foundation when things go differently than you expected. Don't let old lies replace what God has showed you He is like. Let that be more true than any why question you have. Your trust is your greatest worship.

Love you guys,

Joel