Vomit everywhere

[PastorJKG]

My wife had a dream that we walked into the church we Pastor and there was vomit everywhere.

Thanks for any insight.

[Littlespring]

When I first read your post I did not realize you said that "you are the pastors" - Seek HIS FACE. May it be that THE LORD gave you this dream to turn you back to HIM with your whole heart.

You are stewards of his house and you are to feed his flock, but the house is full of vomit.

Isa 28:7  But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 
Isa 28:8  For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 

[bjcollin]

Pastor JKG,

Sorry I missed this post this past weekend. So, since your wife had the dream on Saturday, I suppose it was for that Sunday? So what happened to your wife at church on Sunday? Did somebody spew metaphorically speaking? Usually when I have seen vomit in a dream it meant that somebody was unloading and getting some things out that they have had in their belly for a while. Hope this helps some. Let me know how the dream unfolds.

in Christ,

[PastorJKG]

Our first thought was the passage that says that He would rather we were hot or cold, but because you are lukewarm, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Our people are very sickly. Many with cancer and different serious issues. We have been praying for them nonstop. They are an older group and I am burying more than I'm gaining. They are dead set on doing things like they always have which obviously isn't working. I admit I have become very frustrated with the whole situation. I have prayed to see if there was any area of unconfessed sin and do not feel convicted about anything. The only thing I feel God is saying correctively is that my folks are simple and don't get some of the deeper things of God. I have to figure out how to connect with them where they are more effectively. This is very dificult for me. I am a teacher by gifting and strugle to break it down any more bite sized so to speak. I was often told I was good at making complex things simple and easy to understand, but not simple enough for my present congregation. I definitely do not partake of any alcohol. I preach the need to be filled with the Spirit and many of my folks need it but for whatever reason are not seeking it or not getting it.

[bjcollin]

I feel for you. We are in almost the same situation in our current church assignment. I think my wife and I are one of the youngest couples and we are in our 50s. Most of the older congregation is in their 60s-70s and there is a decline as well. The AG church we're in now (we are ordained IPHC) is a little more spirit filled than most denominational churches which is good. My senior pastor does the preaching on Sundays and takes care of the funerals, while I am similarly gifted to you in teaching so I teach the adult Sunday school class. We struggle in musical talent, so my wife fills in singing and I try to fill in with my guitar where I can and every now and then my son fills in on the drums when he is in town from college. I too dropped alcohol out of my life 19 years ago and I do not miss it at all. In an older church it is a definite set mentality we are running up against. I was reading The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges this past week, and in chapter 2 of that book he describes Devotion to God as being a triangle with the base being the Fear of God and Love of God with the pentacle of the triangle being Desire for God. I have found that while there may be plenty of fear/respect of God and Love of God, it is this third point of the triangle the Desire for God that is not being sought after as much in the church these days. God bless you.

in Christ,

[bella]

A couple of times lately, I've come across people who say pretty much the same thing you said - "I definitely do not partake of any alcohol" - and I've had the same thought: there's some meaning behind this that you assume the reader understands, but it's actually open to many interpretations. So, what does this statement actually mean to you?

"I definitely do not partake of any alcohol, therefore ..."

When I first read your dream, the vomit made me wonder what people are speaking. Vomit can mean a lot of things such as people vomit when they eat food that's too heavy and they can't digest it so it comes back out. Despite this, I'm going to go back to the first thought I had and that's about "what are the congregation speaking"? Are they speaking rubbish?

The scripture about God vomiting the church out if it's neither hot nor cold didn't sit with me as the meaning for this dream.

The other thing that came to me, was when you said many in your congregation are sick. Paul says many in the early church were sick because they weren't partaking of communion properly. They weren't "discerning the body". I've heard a multitude of interpretations of this scripture and some of them directly contradict each other. Most recently, a wonderful pastor at my old church, who's retired and filling in while they seek a new pastor, gave an interpretation I'd never heard before, and it was to do with how they weren't discerning the body by making sure the hungry and poor were fed and how the rich gorged themselves. So not about discerning the actual physical body of Christ, but by not discerning the practical needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ.

What I've been seeing in the church in the last ten years, on a massive scale, is the CONFUSION over what is traditional teaching, what is the correct interpretation etc. People are teaching religious ideas and calling it holy when it's just religion. I've struggled with this to a degree ever since I've been attending church. God is constantly having to show me what is His ways in relation to what gets taught in church and I see we are very prone to religiosity rather than what is God and His ways. He is very patient with us and loves us despite our bent towards being religious.

Without having seen anything particular about you that I recall as religious, I'm feeling that this may be one of the issues. Take it to God and let Him show you if you are religious in any way.

Edit: Just wanted to add that I think I understand because my church is ageing as well and for years now, everyone's been wondering what's going on and what the future holds. Big changes happening worldwide it seems.

[bjcollin]

The Bible plainly says do not get drunk (ref Eph 5:18, Isa 5:11, Prov 23:29-35). In Biblical times, and even up until the early 1900's it was good to have a little wine/alcohol every now and then just due to cleanliness standards to kill the bugs (ref 1 Tim 5:23) etc, but still do not get drunk. I am not into legalism, so I am not talking about going after those who have a little glass of wine every now and then with a good italian meal or things like that, if that is their conviction and choice which is fine. But as for me, I was only a social drinker with the number of drinks I had a year countable on one hand. For example, if I was on a cruise with my wife I felt free to have a pina colada or at a nice Mexican restaurant I would have a Margarita and that was the limit of it. However, once I entered Bible school first at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque IA and then at CFNI in Dallas TX they both had a no alcohol contract that you had to sign. I didn't miss it after that. I have friends who are Catholic and Episcopalian and their motto seems to be wherever two or three are gathered, a fifth shall be among them. That is their conviction (or lack thereof) so they can keep it. However, that is not for me and I still stick to not having alcohol. To me it is one of those things that can harm your witness for Christ as well. Hope this helps you clarify the situation some. The spectrum of Christianity is mixed on this issue, but to me it is a simple issue of why would you want to drink something that impairs your faculties and the ability to have a closer relationship with God.

[Littlespring]

A long time ago THE LORD showed me HIS kingdom, it was full of walled gardens, all of which were dying and I looked diligently to find any signs of life but I did not find any except a small garden without walls. I was so grieved and discouraged by the state of HIS kingdom.

I did not know then what I was even looking at but have now had many many years to reflect on and chew these things. It's only recently as you've all mentioned that I've even begun to realize with my natural eyes what HE showed me by HIS SPIRIT so long ago.

THE LORD fired the managers of HIS dying gardens.

Out in the wilderness HE showed me a generation 20yrs and down each with a bible in their hands and dressed for school, a generation HE was teaching HIMSELF, the generation that will cross Jordan on dry land.(not taste death)

Could it be that strong drink is nought but "old wine" or fermented teaching?

Luk_12:1  In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

[PastorJKG]

My statement that I don't drink was in response to the passage about drunkenness. I guess a little bit of a character defense.

[PastorJKG]

In response to Bella's post, when I came here they were taking communion once a month. I felt like the Lord showed me that they were taking it unworthy because of many issues of division and unforgiveness in the church. The former pastor was a hands off, preach and go home style of preacher and never addressed these issues. I had them stop and taught a while on the issues and repentance. But still no relief from the stronghold of infirmity.

[bella]

Pastor JKG I’ve been sitting pondering your predicament. I’ve been trying to understand and seeking God about my old church as well. I don’t feel like i have the answer except feel God is telling me it’s not up to me to work it all out.

I feel that perhaps the issue is not something you can fix because it’s not all up to you. You can only do your part and it’s up to each individual to work out their own issues too. If they refuse to believe it understand you can’t help that.

Very difficult when you have a pastoral heart.

Keep praying and teaching and loving. If God shows me anything specific I will let you know.

Edited to fix weird typos.

[iluvyahweh]

Maybe the vomit means that a great deliverance is coming to your church? Just a thought.

The lord showed me about 18 months ago, that he is sovereignly gonna deliver His people Himself.

And, in my opinion major deliverance is needed in churches - from many things - and mostly from bad teaching. The ones that think they are in need of no deliverance are the ones that need it the most. (Not saying that you are behind the bad teaching btw.)

[Littlespring]

Isa 28:9  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 
Isa 28:10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 

This is directly in opposition to the strong drink causing the tables to be filled with vomit.

[rarara]

Hi Pastor JKG

At the risk of sounding simplistic there is no evidence of alcohol in your wife's dream. So perhaps it has nothing to do with drinking or not drinking alcohol. If there is vomit everywhere then it needs to be mopped up. The vomit is in your "house" and His house. When our kids are sick we clean up their mess and when someone in our care is sick the same applies. Maybe God is giving you a strategy on how to bring your congregation back to health and wholeness.

God Bless

Angela