Visions of the Future?

Sunday I awoke to a strange dream. It might have been disturbing were I not a Christian, but it was interesting, in an "off standard" way.

I was relaxing at a retreat site with our group after a missions work had finished. I stepped outside during break to relax. I was standing between a decently tall building to my left and a wall to my right in what looked like a driveway to the retreat site. Behind me was the retreat site I had just stepped out of, and in front of me was a street with buildings and homes. (yes, quite a detailed dream, most of my dreams are because when they aren't detailed, I realize it is a dream... and I like to fly around when I do... anyhow)

I felt the need somehow that I should stand closer to the wall, so I walked to the wall, then suddenly an earthquake hit and things shook for a couple of seconds before the ground kind of shifted to the left, I fell to the right (as if someone pulled the rug on where I was standing), the wall on my right falling away from me, and the building on my left falling toward me but not on top of me as I was standing near the wall and not the building. Woah, I thought and the retreat site behind me was in ruins, I thanked God for moving me toward the wall and sparing me from being crushed.

Suddenly there was another earthquake, this time it was a strong vibration (as in a massage chair) rather than shaking. Oddly, my feet got off the ground and I "floating" for about 3 seconds then I landed on the shaking ground which subsided again. As soon as I landed I thought that the reason I was "floating" for 3 seconds was either the ground and everything around me was falling at 9 meters per second (pull of gravity), or suddenly gravity stopped working for 3 seconds. (I know, even in my dreams I'm a sci-fi nerd)

Suddenly, we cut back to a place where there is a TV, and we're watching the news, and it announces that there has been 5 devastating earthquakes throughout the world. One was in Mexico, another in the U.S.A., and the other three I didn't listen... as my brain had gone to thinking "Is it time now?" As in, is it time for Jesus to come back?

Then I awoke, and was quite sad that it was a dream, maybe I was looking forward to God saying "it is time" or I'm just a sadist, haha. And no, I don't think it's a premonitory dream. I never had such dreams of foretelling the future and I hope I don't, because such dreams would be scary (unless, they are good premonitory dreams, but whenever you see in movies they seem to be about destructions haha)

God sometimes answers my prayers through dreams. And I had no prayer regarding any such thing, and when the dream happens I know it is an answer to my prayer, and I can tell you, this is not one of them. (Although, today's message was about God's Timing and not My Timing)

Couple of examples of answered prayers through Dreams.

One, I was wondering what a murderer would be thinking before and after the murder so I casually asked God if He could shed some light. Summary of the dream: there was a serial killer and I ended up on the roof with him, and he was about to fall off the roof, I grabbed him before he fell to his death, he looked at me with relief and what looked like thanks. Suddenly, realizing he was a serial killer, I smiled (a wicked smile) and... let go of my hand... dropping him to his doom. Guilt then set in and I ran away out of fear.

Two, during my college years, I was wondering if I was really saved, if death would suddenly dawn on me, if I would have complete faith that I was going to Heaven. In my dream, I'm driving on the freeway with one of my friends, an earthquake hits and the freeway suddenly breaks apart in front of me and I know I'm going to fall and die. While flying through the air, I look at my friend who is also a Christian, and say, "well, I'll see you in heaven..." and I smiled.

Three, I was wondering how I could help others when I can't discern between good and evil spirits. In my dream a pastor is speaking then he looks at something that comes next to me, and I feel a presence right next to me that I can't see. However, now I'm awake from my dream, but afraid to open my eyes because this "presence" that feels disgusting is still next to me. I feel God telling me to cast out this evil spirit (a fallen angel, a demon), I try to cast it out "in the name of Jesus" but it doesn't budge, I say it again with conviction and assurance from God, and I feel this "presence" leaving my side and moving off. I open my eyes...

Fun stuff. God doesn't answer prayers to everybody in this manner, you might want God to answer this way, but this is heavy stuff... I actually know what it feels to kill a person (at least in my dream which seemed real)... and the last one... I get shivers all over just remembering and writing this down again. But God is good, He answers our prayers whatever way He sees fit, but when He does, we know in our own individual way that He did answer our prayers.

So yeah, this earthquake dream is what Koreans would call a "Dog Dream" aka "Bologna"