20110402: Impression of burning coals and Vision balls of fire

Joel 2:28-30 " And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions, even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke."

Dreams

Yes, I do dream dreams. Years back in 2001, I dreamt of something quite terrible in that month of July where I saw one of the main buildings in Raffles city area came tumbling down with our RSAF airplanes zooming past our apartment balcony. It was even more scary when I tuned in to watch the 911 events unfolded during the wake of my late dad. That was about 2 months after my vivid dream.

Joel speaks of old man dream dreams. I think this is happening today indeed. My mother in law had stopped going to church since Dec last year due to the sudden health issues of my dad in law. My MIL accepted and was baptised in 2005. My DIL too "kind of accepted" when he came to church one March sunday afternoons in 2009 (reasons cited was that he felt it was only right to be part of the big christian family since over the years all but one of his children & wife too had come to Christ) But he continued in his love of mahjong in the old men's club every sunday afternoon. I once prayed to the Lord to take away that mahjong spirit and prevent him from going to that place. Well, it happened since last Dec. Due to the water in his heart and breathlessness, he had to quit his usual sunday mahjong ritual. But I was kind of guilty stricken seeing his ill health in early Jan and Feb this year despite his stoppage of mahjong? But thank God that he need not go for surgery as initially recommended by the heart specialist. PTL, he is up and about now, back in pink of health!

Well, old man dream dreams. That was what happened my DIL in the recent weeks. So just this Tue dinner evening, he shared about his dreams of mahjong! Kept dreaming of it? And he came to a conclusion that he might as well 'accompany' my MIL to church now that he could not go for his mahjong club.!!(PTL, the clubroom is located up on the 3rd to 4th storey of the old shophouse in town - even I find climbing an uphill task - let alone an old man of 82 years old!)

Visions and Prophesy

I have never experienced visions in my christian life. And I am afraid to prophesy.

I have always been a curious person. I often wondered what Joel mean when he talks about young man and servants seeing visions and prophesying. Can I see pictures when my eyes are wide open? A vision like the 3D movies we have now? If I were to prophesy, it is really from the Lord or my wishful thinking? What if it was not right and cause havoc in the recipient's mind? Yes, I do have lots of questions. But I know His Word is true. If He says so, it must be so - just that I am not "up to it yet" I thought.

A funny thing happened last sat 2/4/2011. It was in my office sharing with a colleague. Sat's events were a little strange. We shared and talked about things of God & events happening around us since it was a sat. Skiving! There was an exchange of prayers. Then it was kind of a boldness on my part to share with her that I thought I saw and had this impression that came to me very suddenly after my prayer for her.

I thought I saw black charcoal trimmed in the red parts and white. Suddenly a fan came and starting fanning those heap of charcoals and it burst into flames. Just like that! She asked me what it means? I told her I have no idea! well I rattled on - may be the flame of the holy spirit is about to do something in her life. Keep our lives pure and expect greater things to come.

It was quite a weird sat morning. So I decided to go for that sat afternoon service as hubby was not in town. I had goose-pimples when I heard the vision of a pastor. She saw balls of fire coming down - carried by angels or something like that.

Reflections

During the intercession meeting on Fri, I was suddenly reminded of the Rev 8, the 7th seal where heaven was silenced for about half an hour. The angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar and hurled it on earth. ( My charcoal in flames (from the altar) and the vision of the balls of fire carried by the angels coming down at us... was to me light and revelation!)

This is the month of Qing Ming, a tradition of the Chinese to offer incense to the dead in the tomb visitation. We believers do not hold those joss-sticks. We pray. The smoke of the incense - our prayers - go up to the throne of God.

I believe when we pray, there is silence in heaven because God stops to hear the cries of our heart. The impressions/visions of that burning charcoal and that of the balls of fires coming down - I believe this is the beginning of the outpouring of His Sprit on all people. He will show the wonders in heaven and on earth. Our end-time church will be one where hearts are prepared for the groom to be come. There will be a revival and stirring and Joy -in the prayer life of the saints as we behold the awesomes-ness of the Great God we love and serve.

Haggai .God is shaking the earth and calling us to come back to build the house of the Lord. Is 56:7

"These I will bring to my holy mountain

and give them joy in my house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar;

for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations"

Joel 2:32" And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." How exciting !