January 1, 2013

• A Dream about me that Karen Vander Vliet had along with my interpretation that turned into a sermon

  An email from Karen Vander Vliet that inspired a long time of meditation with the resulting “sermon”/testimony:

  From: rockysmomk@aol.com; To: RBarnesROL@aol.com

  Sent: 1/1/2013 11:03:24 A.M. Eastern Standard Time

  Subj: dream about you

  Hi Rosemary,

  I am not sure if a dream I had about you means anything, but I thought I would share it. I was in a car with you and others (not sure who) and you were driving. Somehow we suddenly looked up and you were driving on the wrong side of the highway with all of the traffic coming at us. I was alarmed and asked Jesus to please protect us. Somehow another car coming at us turned around and lead us through the traffic to safety off this winding highway. When you got out of the car it wasn’t you anymore, but the actress Sela Ward. (I haven’t seen her on anything in years) Maybe it was just the spinach dip and hummus, but thought I’d share anyway.

  Love you,K

  My response to Karen:

  1 1 13

  Dear Karen,

  Your dream speaks deeply to me. Actually it has provided an entire testimony/sermon I can share to help all of us remember about our paths staying in Him..

  When I looked up “Sela Ward”, the actress I “turned into” in your dream, she actually looked like someone who could be in my birth family on my mother’s side.. , I saw her as a me transformed into more of a praiser and worshipper( because, as you will see, of her name).

  The name “Sela” brought me quickly to the word “selah” which I associate with worship. Some say the word means “pause and think about it” ; one definition said it could mean “to raise the voice”. The Hebrew is uncertain; however, “selah” is associated in most all of our mind with the Psalms and with praise and worship.

  From dictionary.com:

  selah (ˈsiːlə)
  	a Hebrew word of unknown meaning occurring in the Old Testament psalms, and thought to be a musical direction

  I also thought of both the music groups “Selah” and “2nd chapter of Acts” (because the surname in that group of siblings was “Ward” ). BOTH groups minister to me and I see them both as having stayed pure with the focus on ministering the Lord’s Spirit to others.

  A “ward” can be a place designated for a specific purpose, e.g., a ward in a hospital like “the children’s ward” or a “heart ward”. When I think of a place or thing set aside for special use, the word “sanctified” comes to mind too. Dictionary.com: Sanctify:to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate. 2. to purify or free from sin:

  I am sure the Lord would agree with , “ Get into the sanctified place that is the worship ward and fiercely guard its purity”. I am sure He is looking for us to continually sanctify ourselves, to learn what is to be separated from our lives so we can walk in purity!

  For me as a leader , pastor, and teacher I really need to heed this! Jer 15:19-21

  19 Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.

  To show how the dream ministers to me at this time I share the following: In the beginning months of 2012 I was way overbalanced in my listening to secular library dvd’s/cd’s whenever I was doing something “mindless” — e.g., every morning when I got ready for the day in the bathroom, etc…. The materials I absorbed were not wicked, they were simply of a far lesser value than what would build me up spiritually. Sometimes they were legitimately educational so I don’t think listening to such things moderately is wrong; however, as I always tell young people: Strive to choose the EXCELLENT – not the “nothing wrong with it”, “ok”, or “pretty good”.

  About the time I was participating in the Bethel reunion choir during this past year, I had a revival of appreciation for the power of music , worship, and praise. Previous to the choir practices and performance, I had been both asking others and God for direction in acquiring FRESH music to be the wings of praise and worship inspiration for me, the church, River Comfort, etc….

  When I got a new phone in September, listening to the gospel channels on my phone on the Pandora app literally opened up a whole new world of praise and worship for me. I began to buy individual songs that I think would bless our church from ITunes that I had heard on Pandora (particularly on the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir channel). Now I daily listen to gospel on Pandora (or my i Tune list) when I am in the bathroom in the morning.. I cannot say I will never any other movie or story instead; but, Christian music and media will be what I do for my listening material for the majority of my time now..

  Robert too, with whom I share the songs I buy, has been experiencing a music /praise revival .

  I, therefore , see the dream as a positive affirmation from the Spirit of my having changed my direction when I was getting caught up in some soulish media “entertainment”, i.e., stories on cd’s and dvd’s which do not edify me nor do they prepare me to be the fully excellent pastor/leader who is FULL of that with which to direct (drive, influence others) into the highest paths in the Lord. The results of dwelling in substandard realms could lead our Lord giving me (and us) one of those Revelation style -letters-to -the -churches kind of rebuke which says “You are headed for disaster if you don’t adjust this direction“.)

  Too much secular media –no matter how harmless– is NOT the road trip to excellence that God wants me on or wants me to lead others into!! I am sorry that I needed (and still need) that major adjustment/turn around — I should have all my paths in Heavenly — places which abound with praise and worship.

  Praise and Worship lead us into a place in Him far about earth’s soulish entertainment .. It is essential we adjust ourselves to have our mouths and hearts continually filled with praise.. I have some way to go; however, in 2012 I was aided by the Spirit of God through some others ( notably James Abney as he led us in the Bethel reunion choir and Pandora gospel channels ). back into the right road concerning praise and worship. I see the name “Sela Ward” symbolizing this path and that place.

  Your dream serves as a warning to me get into and to STAY in the right direction…..

  Your prayer when you discerned in the dream what was happening is something YOU are so apt to be faithful to do! You are called to be a prayer warrior and I treasure that in you. You also, as the 3^rd legal director of River of Life are in a special place of watching, discerning , and telling Robert and me the things you see — that too is a gift to us.

  I see the “traffic coming at us” as my mind being threatened to be filled with soulish “traffic” that could lead to utter distraction and disaster. The need for a change of direction was URGENT (“change of direction” is also a meaning associated with “repentance”). The soulish “traffic” in the mind blocks out the WORD. I think of the weeds in the parable of the sower that illustrate that point so well. (Mark 4)

  This morning for Robert and my devotions we read Psalm 21 (actually, we sang that Psalm together) The first 2 verses come to mind now : Ps 15:1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

  Along with it I think of the passage (which has been in my mind repeatedly lately) : Matt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

  People often mindlessly consume popular media . It is not always easy to adjust that path for ourselves individually – the popular road is way more entertaining and fun (or so it seems). But, the spiritual path is the only fulfilling, safe road leading to true righteousness, peace , and joy in the Holy Spirit (which is the kingdom of God that we are to be seeking first in our lives.

  
  Another verse that has been heavy on my heart for months: Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

  When I was first Spirit filled in 1972 and crazy in love with the Lord, I was CONSUMED with desire for communing with Him through Christian music, teaching tapes, meetings, Bible study, prayer, and books. I am regaining that first love through my current hunger to hear and share anointed Christian music. I never stopped loving Him or even being passionate about Him; however, the “crazy in love” state needs to be fully regained and built upon.

  THANK YOU for sharing the dream — it delivered a POWERFUL message to me!

  The fact you shared this dream on 1 1 12, the first day of a new year for us, causes me to be filled with fresh hope for new beginnings for me.

  I pray the same for you as the Lord speaks to your heart about His path for you.

  Love you!

  Rosemary

  ---

  • 2:45 pm
  • 2 Comments