Last night I had three dreams. Each one was about manufacturing, about making something. Three dreams about various aspects. So, I will share the last first.

In the last dream I was with some folks I knew and the manufacturing company was going strong. But then things began to change. Oh, the product was the same, the value quite clear, but the company was being affected by what so many companies have faced in the manufacturing realms. Overseas labor that was cheaper, increasing taxes and wages, denigrated sales as people sought cheaper alternatives and a general malaise in the economy. One of my friends was quite distressed.

My dad was in manufacturing and early in the 70’s his “hometown” company was purchased by a large conglomerate. Some years later it was purchased by the Japanese. Many were surprised. Years later I was in a manufacturing town and watched a community turned backwards as manufacturing changed, companies were bought and companies left.

There were a couple of reasons, some were cheaper labor situations overseas, inflated wages here in the USA and the entry of computers in a larger way. And people became angry.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to process, the advantage of hind sight and one thing I saw was the idea that the USA would always be great. Honestly, I think we are but I think I know what has happened. We experienced greatness in a mighty way. The difficulty I think is we did not know how to pass it on or cause it to be received. Following generations were okay that the local mill shut down, that foreign countries received our work and they perhaps did not see the value of what had previously occurred. I see this often in the church. There are people who will never have to go through what I did because the situations were resolved, overcome and life bettered. Subsequent generations just heard “war stories” and checked out of the conversations. Both sides could have done better.

This last dream had revealed the idea that life was “never going to change”. I lived in a community that watched its prosperity evaporate over that idea. To not change was death on so many levels.

One of the themes of the dream was “if you do not produce you will not remain”. As I review the other two dreams I think it is clear that we must restore the production of items, the manufacturing of products. And the other side of the coin is people must not confuse “cheap with thrifty”. It was a love of “cheap” that began to undermine what we once knew. (Similar to my article on “good is the enemy of God”. Cheap may well be the enemy of value.)

The first dream revealed the need for creativity and inventiveness. In the dream a company had been a main stay in the community had gone out of business, leaving in its wake pain, anxiety and anger. People moped around the community hardly talking to one another. (Boy, have I seen that.) The whole town was wrapped up in this company. I have seen this. I come from a community where the tool industry employed everyone. (So famous was Springfield and its production that it was known as Precision Valley and during the war was #7 on Hitler’s list to destroy as it churned out munitions and equipment that aided the Allies.)

And one day a couple of students were talking to some older men and an idea for an amazing creation was birthed. (Two generations talking.) Patents were applied for and soon the idea was ready, the manufacturing implemented and the product’s success soon restored the community’s prosperity.

Proverbs 8:12 says “I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.” God is looking for a people who will receive His wisdom and discover amazing things because of who He is.

The second dream was very interesting. A company that had been strongly successful, employing many people was facing some of its largest challenges in its history. The head of the company was very concerned. I saw him sitting at His desk and looking at a Bible that sat on a bottom shelf. He looked at it two or three times. Finally he rolled his chair over and reached down to pick it up. I heard him say “God, if you are real, speak to me”. The next scene was an amazing scene. People were smiling and involved in one another. They began to see value not only in their products but in their own lives. Their community swelled. I watched their local government change and soon their state government was changing. Compassion for people was in an outpouring. So many things were changing. People valued their products and their philosophies. Companies bought their products because they recognized not just the value of the product but the value of the company.

First, as I look at these three dreams I think there is a realm where they represent the church. I put that on the table not to discuss but provoke discussion. I bet you read that and have questions. I would love to hear them!

But at the root of it, I tell you that hear in various communities we are going to see some values established. The value of friendship and compassion. The value of excellence and a job done well. The recognition of excellence versus good. The valuing of creativity and inventiveness. The valuing of generations. The value of a “job well done”. The spirit of education and understanding, as well as wisdom. The value of integrity on every level. And at the root of it…the Lord. (I bet you can see how this could easily be the church of the future!)

We are about to see a wave of creativity and “miracle” inventions appear. No longer will we rely on godlessness and corrupt practices to see us through. No longer will we use the world’s system but we will establish and retain God’s system.

I spoke the other day of an overturning. I have see that this is part of what I saw.

History-I lived in a community that was known as Precision Valley. A community that had so many manufacturers there was a time not too long ago that it took 45 minutes to travel through the community (3 miles) because of the traffic. And then they were all gone. Jobs went, people left. The community is a shell of what it once was.Ironically they had tasted full scale revival in their history. They saw patents come out of their like water. Amazing inventions and creations were brought forth. I think we are on the brink of a large scale change.