Two nights ago, the word “scrutiny” was given to me and then I had the following dream:

I was in an old, worn out night gown and I don’t know how I knew, but it was clear to me that I was supposed to be with a man named Richard. However, before I could be with him, I would have to get out of my night gown and become fully dressed.

In the next scene, four women were in fold-up seats like one would see in a movie theater. My Aunt Mary, my grandmother whose name is also Mary and two others I did not know were in those seats and were talking about me. I confronted them in a firm, self-controlled manner and told them that what they were doing was not right.

Interpretation: I see myself as representing one in the body of Christ with my name and each of the names having great significance. “Michele” means: “one who is like God” and has the spiritual connotation of “godliness”. Richard means “powerful ruler, brave ruler, dominant ruler” and the spiritual relevance is “benevolent”, while the inherent meaning of Mary is “bitter” with “blessed” as its spiritual connotation. These names reveal the message that God intends us to be “like Him” (Michele)… to become powerful, brave, and benevolent rulers (Richard)….resulting in our becoming double blessings (Mary). After we endure our bitter experiences learning what we need to know from them through scrutinizing ourselves and our circumstances, then we will be able to judge righteously, take authority and speak the truth in love to those who need to be corrected.

I believe many of us in the body of Christ are walking out some intensified bitter experiences right now for it takes much tribulation to rule over our self lives and to enter into the kingdom of God… IF we (ARE WILLING to) suffer with Him, we will reign with Him”….. IF we take our candle (our spirit) and search our innermost parts, we will know the truth and be set free. Indeed, SCRUTINY is what this dream is about and its result in righteousness established…. and great BLESSEDNESS (double Marys…. I might even add “Bloody Marys because all of our victories are through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.)

Hallelujah! Judges are going to come upon Mount Zion and judge the Mount of Esau (the FLESH-…. OUR flesh and everyone else’s). Oh how this world needs righteous judgment!!

The number four represents the “world” and truly, EVERY word not of God that comes from the worldly mind is going to be judged… Every tongue that rises up against us in judgment, we MUST condemn…. We must recognize all the negative words that have been spoken against us and decree them ineffective as we have a right and a duty to condemn them.

Now I want to share what I personally needed to understand at the time that this dream was given to me-… what exactly I needed to know in order to awaken to righteousness and get out of my night clothes (the darkness with which I had clothed my mind).

Before my having this dream, I had never given deep thought to what was required in a relationship to make it successful… Yes, I took the I Corinthians: 13 chapter on love as a mainstay, but I never gave much thought to specific standards (the most important ones to ME) that I are needed for relationships to thrive. So yes: I sat down with “Scrutiny” and had some “aha!” moments, thank God.

THIS is the kind of person that I want to be and the kind I want whoever is connected with me to be:

1. Someone who is dependable whose word can be counted on. 2. One who considers the needs and wants of others and makes it a priority to live the Golden Rule. And 3. A transparent person who is open… teachable… and humble.

Our Lord gave us only two commandments, but it seems that they are often replaced with a lot of religiosity… If we are not obeying God, the Bible states that we are not loving Him, no matter what we say. If we think our much fasting, praying, witnessing, reading our bibles, singing, worshipping, and attending meetings please God when we are not transparent with each other, thoughtful concerning others with corresponding actions, and committed to each other doing the will of God out of a pure and loving heart, we are very, VERY deceived.

I had been allowing a relationship to continue that did not meet these standards and yes, I was in my old night gown… (in the dark so to speak) thinking I had to put up with mistreatment… If someone continually breaks his/her word, is inconsiderate of our needs and wants, and is not open and transparent with us, we do not have to remain in that relationship….We are to love them and to forgive them, but we are to move on, if there is no acknowledgment of wrong doing or attempt to change after we confront them in love.

I do love the spiritual meaning of Richard being “benevolent” which makes me think of the mercy and goodness of God following every one of His children all the days of our lives… Yes, even when we don’t measure up to the standard of God, He gives us opportunity after opportunity to repent. I know of no one who has arrived yet, but this I have to say: If we don’t repent… if we don’t cry out for the grace we need to change… and if we don’t go to the ones we’ve wronged and make amends, we will have failed relationships, poverty, sicknesses and all kinds of troubles. We will be ones who see the kingdom but will not be able to enter into it.

It’s time to make “Scrutiny” our best friend, but the question is: How many will?