I got a puppy. His name's Cosmo. We're starting obedience training with him next Tuesday. He'll be taking classes with his sister, Ebony at Whirl Farms in Arva. That's the biggest news with me these days. He's a chocolate lab/boarder collie mix, and he's a cutie.

Here's the rough-outline for a preach I'm doing tomorrow...much love, friends!

SPIRIT SIGNS : Has God been trying to get your attention?

o Christian or non-Christian, God speaks and is speaking to us ALL THE TIME!!
o Do you think God might be speaking to you in your life? Trying to get your attention somehow? (2 stories of God getting people’s attention:
§ Samuel- waking in the night, calling you by name
§ - still small voice
§ Moses, Jonah- telling you to do something a little out of the ordinary
§ Joseph, Elijah,- dreams/visions
§ Gideon and the Barley loaf- Other people’s dreams/visions
§ Moses, Peter, Lazarus- miracles
§ Balam- talking animals)

· Why would God want to catch my attention?
o I’m real: To let me know He’s really there (with me)
o I care: To let me know He loves/cares for me
o I know: To tell me something important I need to know (about myself/situations)
o I’ve called YOU: To let me know what He thinks I can do (calling)
o I have the power: To remind me of His role in my life, and His ability to make the impossible possible

· How might God try to get someone’s attention?
o THE WORD OF GOD: scripture or the actual voice of God (‘Samuel’)
o PATTERNS/ REPETITION- trains, a word, a promise
o DREAMS/VISIONS-images, allegories, angelic visitation
o REAL LIFE SITUATIONS/ PEOPLE in your life
o NEW RESPONSIBILITY
o HIS CREATION –still small voice, burning bush, stick/snake, wilted tree
o MIRACLES



· What am I supposed to do about it?
o If you think God’s trying to get your attention, the best thing to do is PAY ATTENTION to what He’s saying, and to RESPOND to Him. Maybe you’ve been having a dream that seems more real than other dreams…If so, God may be trying to get your attention. Maybe God’s been using people or situations in your life to tell you something over and over again that you haven’t been wanting to hear, or didn’t think that something like that could be possible. (Like “Brian, my son, you are so precious to me, and I love you”)
o How has God been trying to get YOUR attention? Maybe you’ve been getting a dream….maybe you’re noticing some patterns in your life that could be God trying to get your attention….Maybe He’s been talking to you in a still small voice….whatever He’s been saying, however He’s been saying it, it’s been God talking to YOU, and He wants you to RESPOND….maybe the first step is telling someone (here, now, …..etc)
o Play song: I’ll Wait- Kumi
o Let’s recap: GOD LOVES YOU, AND HAS AN AMAZING PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.
§ HE’S ALWAYS SPEAKING TO YOU, AND WANTS YOU TO KNOW HIM/ KNOW HIS LOVE and LIVE IN THAT LOVE
§ BUT GOD’S NOT A BULLY. HE’S WAITING FOR YOU TO INVITE HIM IN. If you haven’t let God into your life, now is the time. (Salvation prayer)
§ The worst thing you can do if God is trying to get your attention is to ignore Him. Yes God loves you, and Yes He will forgive you, but the time is NOW to respond to Him. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Hell is a real place, and if God is talking to you, there’s a reason for it.
o The other thing, to see if God’s trying to get your attention is ask Him, “Jesus, is this you?” (yes/no) – ask/seek/knock

Calling all interpreters of dreams....

I'm looking for an interpretation for a dream I had. I think it was a warning from God, but am praying for clarity on the whole thing....here it is. Pray before you read it, and take a stab at it. I dare you! (It's scriptural, really. One of the gifts of the Spirit is interpretation of dreams...look it up if you don't believe me)

I was over at a friends' house at some kind of gathering when a storm started up outside their place. They offered me to stay there for the night or until the storm passed, but I was determined to get home anyway. As I pulled onto the road, the rain started coming down in sheets, and it was really hard to see. Then all of a sudden all the power went out on all the cars all around me. There was no light anywhere, and people turned off their engines because of the darkness. I slowed down at first, but didn't shut off my engine. Instead, I continued to weave in and out of stopped cars in the pitch black. The dream left me feeling very anxious and afraid. Your thoughts??