On The Road
Sometimes when God wants to press a word on us, He speaks it several times and finds ways to call attention to it.
It began when I was in the Seattle area at a men’s retreat, and God dropped a conviction in my heart: He wants to promote people to another plateau in their destinies, but they must clear out the clutter in their present level so they’ll be ready to move higher in God’s time. Then He put it to me in an unusual way: “Picture the last 25 living rooms you’ve seen. If the lieutenant governor were going to visit in half an hour, how many could be ready to receive him?”
I shared the challenge at the retreat and thought that would be the end of it. But within a week, I dreamed that I was a soldier on leave, waiting for the train that would take me back to the base. I had a sweater and a jacket and a bag for each hand, and had slung them carelessly over a bench where I sat, talking to a friend while I waited for the train.
But the train never stopped. It slowed down, then it moved on. By the time I realized it had come, it had gone. I ran after it bout could not catch it. I could not have caught it with something in each hand and sweaters and jackets over my arms; I would have had to run along and jump on, catching a handhold.
The dream startled me and woke me up at 4:44. I could not get back to sleep.
A few nights later I dreamed again. This time it was a simple dream; I was waiting to catch a plane but missed it because I was so engrossed in a conversation in the board-ing area that I never managed to board.
I’ve been pondering the theme of these three messages ever since, looking for ways to get rid of clutter and to be more ordered and focused.
Then a few days ago when I was in Las Vegas, I glanced at my cell phone and noticed that it was 4:44 in the afternoon. Of all the prophetic people I know, there isn’t one who pays less attention to numbers than I do. But it was 4:44, the hour when I had awakened from the dream about the train, and I thought of Pat Sparrow, a prophet in my region. I know the number 444 means a lot to him. So I called and asked, “What does 444 mean to you?”
His answer went on for ten minutes, but the key thought for me was the promise in Ezekiel 44:4 that the glory of God would come to God’s house. I sense an appointment with God’s glory is ahead, He is graciously warning me not to miss it.
I shared my three-step revelation with Pat, and he asked me to visit his church office and share it, so he could record it on video and share it with the church on Sunday. We met, made the recording, and then went out for coffee.
Driving home, I tried to enter our gated community but was delayed because a confused driver was blocking the lane and cars had lined up behind her. It seemed quickest to go around the traffic circle and use the other entrance on Sparrow Street. I looked down as the gate opened and noticed the time on my cell phone: 4:44.
I know there are a lot of significant details in the dreams, but I’m content to focus on one main conviction: clutter, lack of focus, and distraction are trying to work together to keep me out of God’s highest purposes. I’m working hard to tighten up in all these areas.
But here’s the next question. Is this word for me only, or is it also for you?
If the shoe fits, wear it.
October 1st, 2008 at 12:22 am Hi, this posting really got my attention. My husband and I have had an 11:11 thing going on for months, waking at exactly 11:11, noticing it on clocks, emails, just everywhere. I said to my husband (not yet saved) that it may be a message that we are at the eleventh hour. Numbers fascinate me and God has an amazing way (with humour) of getting our attention. I love it.
October 1st, 2008 at 7:05 am Hi Michelle — I meet a lot of people who are big on 11:11, including a couple JoAnn and I just spent a few days with. The numbers mean a lot to me; I was born on 11-11-52; I was born again on 11-11-67; I moved from Detroit to California on 11-11-99. I don’t know that all of this means anything, though it woke me up to hear someone preach from Matthew 11:11 on my birthday about John the baptist. This was one of the passages God used to call me into ministry…Stan