Dear Louis, First, I would like to say, thanks for this website. It has helped me with life and some questions. I have two questions. First one, Can we receive the directions from God through dreams? Second one, What are some ways God may guide us or give us reassurance when we are thrust into unexpected circumstances? Thanks again, Mrs. Angela Ellis
Thank you for your kind words respecting our efforts with Gospel Gazette Online. Dreams from God to mortals were something that existed within the timeframe of miraculous manifestations, in the Old Testament and in the first century while the New Testament was being written (Genesis 31:10; Numbers 12:6; Joel 2:28; Matthew 1:20; 2:12-13, 19, 22; Acts 2:17). One means by which God communicated new revelation to his prophets was through dreams; “The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully…” (Jeremiah 23:28).
The purpose of miracles was to validate both new revelation from God and the messenger presenting such a message (Mark 16:20). Miracles performed by Jesus of Nazareth verified that he is the Christ (John 20:30-31). Miracles performed by the apostles of Christ and others in the first century who were endowed with miraculous powers confirmed the Word of God or Gospel of Jesus Christ (the New Testament) (Hebrews 2:3-4). The apostle Paul taught Christians at Corinth and also at Ephesus that whenever miracles had validated all new revelation that miracles would cease (1 Corinthians 13:8-13; Ephesians 4:11-14). First Corinthians 13:8-13 teaches that the partial, piecemeal revelations from God attained by various prophets through miracles would be replaced with a completed revelation from God that once it was received needed no more miracles. Evidently, miracles ceased about the close of the first century some time after the apostle John penned the Book of Revelation.
Rather than expecting God to communicate with us today through dreams, mankind must turn to the complete, divinely inspired, inerrant Word of God, namely the New Testament. The Word of God or the Bible (especially for those living today, the New Testament) is all that we need (2 Peter 1:3; Jude 3). Any supposed communication from God that is in addition to the Gospel of Christ or that contradicts the Gospel of Christ is “accursed” according to Galatians 1:6-9. Remember that Christians are urged to “study…the word of truth” to know the will of God, not “dream” (2 Timothy 2:15). Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). We are to turn to the Bible for God’s comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:18; 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:16-17).
