Spark!

Hi Friends,  I have a vision that I received this morning while at prayer.  Even though it came in answer to a question I had asked of God, I thought you might gain understanding or insight into a question of your own.  This was my question, “Lord now that I am at a crossroads in my life, what do you want me to do for ministry or vocation?

This is the vision:

I saw my thumb press down upon the top right hand corner, of the right hand page, in an open Bible.  While doing so, I heard the word, “Spark” spoken.

Immediately, my first thought was “Spark Joy.”  This may mean nothing to you, so let me explain.  The term “spark joy,” comes from a young Japanese woman, Marie Kondo, who wrote a book entitled, “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”  In her book she speaks of owning only the things that “spark joy.”  If an item does not spark joy, then you need to let it go.  The result is having or owning only those things that bring you joy.

I am truly a minimalist, eating on the floor, sleeping on the floor, and wishing that I did not have to live with the overabundance of material possessions belonging to family members, which of course, I am not authorized to throw away.

I had actually put together a website, and business plan for becoming a home organization consultant.  However, I put the idea on hold, when I considered it to be too similar to interior design, a business that God had asked me to give up nearly 24 years ago.  (Yes I am old!  I was a designer in Chicago for 20 years before coming to New Jersey.)

You can see this was a surprise to me, that God might be opening a door, he had closed to me seven months earlier.  However, I happen to be a cautious person.  God had shown me earlier, that I had become ensnared with other things like the CAD programs like 20/20 for kitchen design and SketchUp, both 3D design programs.  I had become obsessed with the Tiny House and the idea of full-time RVing.  So I am quite suspicious, that this is not what God intended, when he spoke the word, “Spark.”

In May of this year, God had given me a vision of a Circuit-riding Preacher, who spoke directly to me from horseback, asking, “Are you coming?”  Ever since then, I have been considering and asking God, do you want me to preach?  Do you want me to travel and speak? (Full-time RVing?)  Recently, I felt that perhaps, he wants me to stick around my home in New Jersey, visiting hospitals and nursing homes as my “circuit-riding” ministry.  Well, I am still praying!

Now, what does the vision really mean?  What could be one interpretation?

The Bible was open in the vision.  The Bible is used to swear in people to the witness stand, or to take vows of office, like the inauguration of the President.  Trump used two Bibles!  We hope and pray that God gives him a double portion of his Spirit, his wisdom, anointing and blessing to do his job!  Jesus said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5   So we pray that President Trump will have an intimate relationship with the Lord!  And that he can (and will) do all things through Christ who gives him strength!

In the vision, I placed my thumb on the top right hand corner, of the right hand page, of an open Bible.  This is in effect placing my signature, or my seal on a document.  It is an act of self dedication to upholding the Bible.  The act of notarizing or validating the Bible, stating that this Bible and all that resides in it, is true for me.  This is what I believe in.  This is to what and to whom I dedicate my life.  I belong to the Lord, to serve him.  Jesus, is the way the truth and the life, the one and only Messiah, our Lord, Savior, God and King!  He is God Almighty, The Prince of Peace, The Great I am, The Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and The End.  My Lord, My God and My King, you are to be praised forever and ever!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Jesus is Lord over All!

There is no doubt that God wants the “all” of us - no half-hearted commitments.  We have to be “All in, or all out.”  Jesus said in Revelations, to the church in Laodicea, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  You say that ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’  
But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful naked ness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”  Revelations 3:15-18

To spark, means to ignite.  A spark is a tiny flame, that can start a fire. Where is the fire that God is interested in starting?  It would be in the hearts of his people.  Just as the scripture above shows, God would prefer that you were cold or hot.   It is more justifiable in the eyes of the Lord, to send someone to hell, who has absolutely no desire whatsoever for the Lord.   This describes someone utterly cold.  It is a sorry thing, for the Lord to send a lukewarm person to hell.  It is more hurtful to the Lord, that someone regards what he did on the cross, to be so matter of fact, so ho-hum, that no consideration is given to be thankful, or appreciative of the Lord’s sacrifice.  

“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’”  Matthew 7:22-23

God is looking for us to be that spark, that sets the world on fire!  Isaiah the prophet spoke of the Messiah, 700 years before Jesus’ birth:

“Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.  He will not shout or cry out or raise his voice in the streets.  A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.  In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.  In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”   Isaiah 42:1-4

“He won’t put out a smoldering wick.”  He instead, wants us to “fan into flame the gift of God…..For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline….Join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.  He has saved us and called us to a holy life.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7

This is his message to us:

We are his sparks.  We have a world out there who needs light and a church that needs fire.  Be the fire!  Allow God to set you ablaze!  Come Lord Jesus!  Let your Spirit fall on us!

Be blessed!