VISIONS, DREAMS CAN LEAD PEOPLE TO SPIRITUAL ACTION

Dear Lee: This letter's in response to the person who had a vision of a loved one's funeral. I had a dream that I was at my mom's funeral in a huge dark church. My family members and their spouses were in the dream, looking harshly at one another. There was a lot of terrible bitterness and unforgiveness -- and no love there! One family member accused another of my mom's death -- not that he actually killed her, but that his bitter attitude about her had brought her sorrow unto sickness and death.

This dream stirred me to pray diligently. After I prayed, the Lord let me know to pray for mercy for my mom, that she was about to die -- and through prayer, God could change the outcome.

Not long after this dream, my mom became deathly sick of pancreatic cancer. She needed surgery and the doctors weren't optimistic. I continued to pray God's mercy for my mom.

One night when I was praying, God gave me a release in my spirit that mom would be fine. I felt Jesus' love and compassion for her. Relieved, I started praising God, and prayed with mom before she went into surgery.

She now is healed, without any further reports of cancer a year later.

God gave me that dream so that my mom would be delivered from a cruel death by cancer and from family members' holding grudges and unforgiveness towards one another.

God is so faithful to give us dreams and visions to show us when there is a need to pray. I thank God that he chose me to pray for my mom.

Not only did God heal my mom, but God is healing our family, too, teaching them to forgive one another.

I hope this letter is edifying to anyone having dreams about others.

God is in control, believe me!

Jackie

Dear Jackie: God sent Moses dreams that saved the people of Egypt and nearby nations from physical starvation. But God sent your dreams to save your mother and family from spiritual starvation, so she wouldn't die from a broken heart and your family wouldn't continue to suffer from the eternal damage of bitterness! Thank you for sharing this wonderful miracle with us.

Dear Lee: About the individual who had premonitions about the death of a loved one: I noticed that these premonitions filled this person with fear. Fear is not from God.

This person asked, "Can God answer any prayer?" He can, as long as it's not against his nature.

This person asked, "Do you think I can change God's mind this time, or has fate already decided this?" This person switched from "God" to "fate," which is impersonal. God is a very personal God. After all, God the father sent his only begotten Son to die for us, because God loves us (John 3:16). As to changing God's mind, in Isaiah 38, God sent Isaiah to go to King Hezekiah to tell him he won't recover from his illness. When Hezekiah heard this, he began to cry and pray, blotting out everything but God.

The Lord told Isaiah tell Hezekiah that God heard his prayers -- and was going to add 15 years to his life! So, according to God's own word in the Bible, he does change his mind, depending on what we do.

Life is sacred, a gift from God. Suicide is wrong.

It sounds like this person is listening to his negative thoughts and feelings and blocking out God's love. I believe that person loves the Lord and wants to do the right thing. That's what the Lord is looking for.

Jude Thaddeus Shively, Mansfield, Ohio

Dear Mr. Shively: Bless your heart for writing this letter of encouragement! God loves us -- and when we feel overwhelmed, we can reach out for help and others will respond!