Why A Dream Catcher?

Why First Nations Monday displays a dream catcher and the Scriptures behind “His Everlasting Dream”.

First Nations Monday
“Holding Up The People In Prayer”

Dream Catcher:

The Dream Catcher, as a whole, represents the Creator’s heart for salvation. The feathers represent the Trinity. The circle represents Creator, the Father. The sinew strand represents the Creator’s Son, Jesus and the Holy Spirit with the knots being the people. Therefore, the sinew net, in the circle, represents the people woven together in the Creator, through the Creator’s Son, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

The colors for the circle represent the Tsalagi (Cherokee) colors for the 4 -directions. (East/ Red, South/ White, West/ Black, North/ Blue).1 The sinew is brown, representing the flesh. The red, yellow, black and white beads represent the peoples of the world. The blue background represents ‘grieving of the Spirit’.2 If any one passes through, rejecting the Creator’s Son, Jesus, falling through into darkness, then it grieves the Creator. The center is yellow (His Light) and has a blue stone ( Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone). The blue stone represents the water associated with the Holy Spirit and life. The white feathers, with yellow, represent the encouraging word found in Psalms 68:13, that those who stay back to guard the Creator’s children, will receive silver-coated wings of a dove, with shiny gold feathers. Also white feathers also reflect His promise to make us white as snow, as we experience His forgiveness and salvation; they compliment the association of the Holy Spirit with a white dove; and they are a reminder of the Scriptures that refer to eagles.

( For additional scriptures associated with the illustration of a dream catcher in describing the First Nations Monday ministry, see below.)

Footnotes 1 & 2: The American Indian Craft Book, by Marz and Nono Minor, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln & London, 1972. Bison Book 1978. pp 212, 215

His Everlasting Dream:

The Creator is Love. He is “I AM”. He is the 3-in-1.
He is the Trinity: Our Father, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
He is Always-Has-Been and He is Always-Will-Be.
He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the Dream Maker.
His dream of all tongues and all tribes worshipping together at His footstool
is Always-Has-Been and Always-Will-Be.
It is a good dream!

We are the ‘net’ in the center of His will.
We are knit together by His sacrifice and His promise.
We are bound to one another through prayer,
fellowship and unity.

As we remain in Him and with one another,
The People will not fall through into darkness,
but they will find the steadfast love of the Creator
that never ceases, the hope that never dies
and the good dream that comes true!

Thank you, Creator, for giving us ears to hear, eyes to see and a desire to catch Your everlasting dream in our hearts!

Scriptures:

Psalms 91:4-6 – A glimpse of a ‘dream catcher’ ?

“He will spread his wings over you and keep you secure. His faithfulness is like a shield or a city wall. You won’t need to worry about dangers at night or arrows during the day. And you won’t fear diseases that strike in the dark or sudden disaster at noon.” Psalms 91:4-6 CEV

Maybe … Maybe not …. But look below and see how the following scriptures knit together an illustration of the Creator’s good dream – that as we are bound to one another in Christ, we can make a difference in reaching His First Nations peoples with truth, love and hope. * *

Exodus 3:14-15 – I AM

“God said to Moses: I am the eternal God. So tell them that the Lord, whose name is “I Am”, has sent you. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on.”
Exodus 3:14-15 CEV

Matthew 28:19 – The Trinity.

“Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19 CEV

Galatians 4:4-7 – The Father, The Son & The Holy Spirit.

“But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God’s children. Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father.” Galatians 4:4-7 CEV

2 Corinthians 13:13- The 3-in-1.

“I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will bless you and be kind to you! May God bless you with his love, and may the Holy Spirit join all your hearts together.” 2 Corinthians 13:13 CEV

Colossians 3:14 – God is LOVE. Love ties us together. The Net.

“Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.” Colossians 3:14 CEV *

* The New Strong’s Complete Dictionary of Bible Words, by James Strong, LLD, STD, p 706. Ref # 8446: soon’-des-mos; from 4862 & 1199; a joint tie, ie. ligament, (fig.) uniting principle, control. (KJV – bond, band) Found in the CEV in Col. 3:14, Eph. 4:3 & Col. 2:19.

* New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language: “Ligament” is a band of strong fibrous tissue connecting bones at a joint, or serving to hold in place and support body organs. What ties or unites one thing or one part to another; a bond. Also see “tendon” and “sinew”.

Ephesians 5:30 – We are the Body of Christ.
(Tied together with the sinew of His Love)

“because we are each part of his body.” Ephesians 5:30 CEV

Hebrews 13:8 – The Same Yesterday, Today & Forever

“Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, forever.” Hebrews 13:8 CEV

1 Corinthians 2:11-14 – Thoughts (Visions/ Dreams) of God

“You are the only one who knows what is in your own mind, and God’s Spirit is the only one who knows what is in God’s mind. But God has given us his Spirit. That’s why we don’t think the same way that the people of this world think. That’s also why we can recognize the blessings that God has given us. Every word we speak was taught to us by God’s Spirit, not by human wisdom. And this same Spirit helps us teach spiritual things to spiritual people. That’s why only someone who has God’s Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn’t have God’s Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish.” 1 Corinthians 2:11-14 CEV

Acts 2:17-18 – Knowing God’s visions/ dreams.

“‘When the last days come, I will give my Spirit to everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams. In those days I will give my Spirit to my servants, both men and women, and they will prophesy.” Acts 2:17-18 CEV

Habakkuk 2:2-3 – Sharing in God’s visions/ dreams.

“Then the Lord told me: “I will give you my message in the form of a vision. Write it clearly enough to be read at a glance. At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting – it will happen!” Habakkuk 2:2-3 CEV

Malachi 3:6 – God does not change …. His dreams do not change.

“Descendants of Jacob, I am the Lord all-Powerful, and I never change. That’s why you haven’t been wiped out,” Malachi 3:6 CEV
John 3:16-18 – God’s love & vision of salvation for His peoples.

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it’s people. He sent him to save them! No one who has faith in God’s Son will be condemned. But everyone who doesn’t have faith in him has already been condemned for not having faith in God’s only Son.” John 3:16-18 CEV

1 Timothy 2:5 – Jesus is the Way to the Creator.

“There is only one God, and Christ Jesus is the only one who can bring us to God. Jesus was truly human, and he gave himself to rescue all of us.” 1 Timothy 2:5

Luke 5:9-10 – Our part in catching His vision & reaching His People.

“Peter and everyone with him were completely surprised at all the fish they had caught. His partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were surprised too. Jesus told Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you will bring in people instead of fish.” Luke 5:9-10 CEV

John 8:12 – Saving His People from darkness.

“Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” John 8:12 CEV

Eph 5:8-11 – Walking as His children of the light.

“You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, as you try to please the Lord. Don’t take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are.”
Ephesians 5:8-11 CEV

1 Peter 2:4-5a – Jesus, Chief Cornerstone.

“Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone that people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honored. And now you are living stones that are being used to build a spiritual house … ” 1 Peter 2:4-5a CEV (Continue through verse 9; also Ephesians 2:19-22)

Revelation 7:9-10 – God’s dream of His people’s worship in unity.

“After this, I saw a large crowd with more people than could be counted. They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands, as they shouted, “Our God, who sits upon the throne, has the power to save his people, and so does the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10 CEV

Isaiah 59:1 – God is able to accomplish His dream.

“The Lord hasn’t lost his powerful strength; he can still hear and answer prayers.” Isaiah 59:1 CEV

Isaiah 41:10 – We are able to be a part of His dream.

“Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.” Isaiah 41:10 CEV

Psalms 133:1 – Unity. It’s a good dream!

“It is truly wonderful when relatives live together in peace.” Psalms 133:1 CEV

1Thessalonians 5:25 – The Prayer.

“Friends, please pray for us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:25 CEV

Ephesians 3:7-12 – The Calling.

“God treated me with kindness. His power worked in me, and it became my job to spread the good news. I am the least important of all God’s people. But God was kind and chose me to tell the Gentiles that because of Christ there are blessings that cannot be measured. God, who created everything, wanted me to help everyone understand the mysterious plan that had always been hidden in his mind. Then God would use the church to show the powers and authorities in the spiritual world that he has many different kinds of wisdom. God did this according to his eternal plan. And he was able to do what he had planned because of all that Christ Jesus our Lord had done. Christ now gives us courage and confidence, so that we can come to God by faith.” Ephesians 3:7-12 CEV

So, why the dream catcher?
Because I believe the Creator, through His Holy Spirit, spoke to my heart that this design best illustrates His good dream.

Scriptures are in the Contemporary (Language) English Version (CEV) in cooperation with the American Bible Society.