A Fish Out of Water
Hi Everyone,
I hope you are well. Today I have a five piece vision, that I would like to share with you. However, there is one part of the vision that shows persecution. But because the vision is so graphic, I will not describe it to you. It depicts persecution of the church. God is asking for us to pray on their behalf.
Please join me in praying for our Christian brothers and sisters: Pray for their deliverance, and that their faith would not fail even under severe trials. Pray that they would be able to forgive their enemies and oppressors. Pray for God to raise up champions on their behalf, and that God would hide them under the shadow of his wing.
Please pray for their tormentors: that they would have divine revelation that Jesus is God, and that he came to save all those who would trust in him. Pray for their deliverance from the wicked one and pray as Jesus did, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:24
Thank you! May God bless your prayers and move mountains on their behalf!
The Vision
First I saw a group of people, many of whom were holding signs. One of those signs said: “Be Married - Be Happy.”
Next, looking down from above, I saw a man milking a goat with four children watching.
Then I saw a man in a pearl grey suit bending down looking for something in a credenza. (A credenza is a desk height cabinet generally made of wood, with doors, shelves and file drawers, usually placed behind an executive desk.)
Then I saw a fish flopping on top of telephone wires, high in the air. Then the fish fell.
Be Married Be Happy
In the vision people were carrying signs, much like demonstrators with a cause. They were declaring their message - “Be Married - Be Happy.” There is nothing hard to understand about this vision's meaning. God is concerned for our nation. We are a population who no longer lives by the standards of morality which were in place less than 50 years ago. Our culture is changing by the day, and all restraints are being cast aside.
On the sign was a single red flower, just to the left of the words, "Be Married - Be Happy." During the late sixties and through the seventies, morality was in great decline, in fact the line defining right from wrong could not move fast enough for many.
This was the time of the war in Vietnam. The dinner hour news, brought pictures night after night of soldiers coming home in body bags. It was a time when we all discussed the issues of the day: the war, the population explosion, abortion, and euthanasia. It was all about death. The war kills people, abortion kills unborn babies, and euthanasia kills those who are “suffering” or “taking up space.” It was a time of lust rather than love. It was a time of "Me, Myself and I." It was a time of despair. People would try to forget the circumstances around them by using drugs, alcohol and sex. “Make Love Not War,” was the cultural message of the day.
I remember being in high school, telling my Father, that I never wanted to marry, because I didn’t want to have children. I didn’t want to love them and care for them, only to have them come home in a body bag. I felt that it was futile to have a child just so they could die. Life was like a tread mill with a constant flow of people coming on and going off.
My dad concerned for my pessimistic attitude, had my uncle speak to me concerning marriage, children and life. I believed that everything around me was coming undone, and the world was not a safe place for anyone to live.
I must mention, that simultaneously, my mother got involved in Eastern religions, astrology, the New Age philosophies, and tried to destroy my faith in God. No wonder the late sixties and seventies were such wicked times.
We know that the Bible says that sin begets sin. Now in the year 2018, we have abortion, so common, that people think of it like getting their ears pierced, or changing their “look.” The Bible speaks of these days: "At that time may will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 24:10-13
So in these difficult days where "the love of most will grow cold," we have families breaking up. Love is gone. One spouse grows tired of the other, and rather than “staying together for the children,” they get divorced. It is a matter of convenience. These days you might hear these words of counsel: "If you want kids, you don’t have to get married. Just get pregnant and raise them yourself.”
"25% of Millennials Will Never Get Married," an article by Time, (http://time.com/3422624/report-millennials-marriage/?utm_source=time.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=social-button-sharing), summarizes the findings of a survey taken on the thoughts of Millennials regarding marriage. Those questioned, (ages 18 - 35) were asked, "Why aren't you currently married?" These were the three main responses:
They believed that they were too young or not ready to settle down.
They were not financially prepared.
They haven’t found the “right” one
Only 70% of our population believes in the traditional marriage, according to another survey. I personally attribute this to moral decline. If our society is no longer effective in restraining sexual immorality, then “anything goes.” and the result is obvious: sexual promiscuity.
Years ago, I was driving my (home schooled) children and their middle school friends in the car and one of them declared, "There were two kids caught in school today having sex in the girl's restroom!" That was 24 years ago! In one of the surveys I read, many people believe that it is normal and appropriate for kids to have sex, at the age of 16, and others approve sex for those 18 and above.
Many Millennials are choosing to live together rather than get married. Because of this trend, we have many more children born out of wedlock.
“Since 1970, out-of-wedlock birth rates have soared. In 1965, 24 percent of black infants and 3.1 percent of white infants were born to single mothers. By 1990 the rates had risen to 64 percent for black infants, 18 percent for whites. Every year about one million more children are born into fatherless families. If we have learned any policy lesson well over the past 25 years, it is that for children living in single-parent homes, the odds of living in poverty are great. The policy implications of the increase in out-of-wedlock births are staggering.” https://www.brookings.edu/research/an-analysis-of-out-of-wedlock-births-in-the-united-states/
The social problems that result from these choices grieve God. Marriage is a covenant between one man, one woman and God. We need to support others in their marriage and for those who are considering marriage, we need to encourage them to choose a spouse based on Biblical standards. “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" 2 Corinthians 6:14-15
The sign said, “Be Married, Be Happy.” The Lord wants us to seek him for what we need. It is a mistake to believe that we should marry expecting our spouse to fulfill all our of our wants and desires. When someone finds their spouse not meeting their expectations, they begin to look elsewhere. Lust replaces love, and coveting what someone else has leads to jealousy, envy and obsession.
The 7th of the Ten commandments says, “You shall not commit adultery,” and the 10th commandments says, “You shall not covet (your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant ...or anything that belongs to your neighbor.) Coveting leads to sin, dissatisfaction and possibly divorce. A person focused on what they do not have can be devastating: “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." Proverbs:14:1
Happiness is a choice we make for ourselves. The Apostle Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11
Being content is truly the key to happiness. When we choose to be content with the Lord’s provision, rather than coveting what does not belong to us, our focus changes. We begin to see with new eyes, focusing on what matters most from an eternal perspective. Happiness, satisfaction, and joy come as we live to please the Lord.
God is amazing, just as I was writing this, a friend just called and said that she was preparing to leave her husband, but she was asking the Lord to give her a sign. She wanted to do what was right in God's eyes and not do anything she would regret later. Isn't it funny that this vision is about a person actually holding a SIGN, saying: "BE MARRIED - BE HAPPY"
The Man, the Children and a Goat
I believe that this vision describes God’s love and provision for his children. The Lord is the man in the vision. He is milking a goat to provide nourishment for us, his children. God wants us to know that he is always taking care of our needs. He is a good, good Father, just as the song tells us. The Lord loves us and watches us in our coming and our going. The Bible is full of examples and scriptures about his love expressed through provision.
When the Israelites needed to escape Pharaoh’s army, God split the waters. (Exodus 14:15-30)
When the Israelites asked for water in the wilderness, God provided water from a rock. (Numbers 20:11)
When the Israelites complained that there was nothing to eat, God gave them manna and quail. (Exodus 16)
We are loved just as much today as yesterday. "The Lord himself goes before you and will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:8
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11
God hears our prayers. He said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8
Jesus continues: “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:9-11
If we will just learn to trust the Lord with our families, our jobs, our ministries, our health, our problems.......He will be faithful. "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3
The Man and the Credenza
The man in the vision was looking for something in a credenza. He wore a pearl gray suit. The color gray in the Bible is usually used to describe hair color. Gray hair represents old age, knowledge and wisdom. I believe the man is searching for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to you." James 1:5
We all look for advice or wisdom from time to time. Some life events cause us to seek God for solutions to our problems. We can become overwhelmed and God is the only one who can give us the answer we need. The Lord invites us over and over again to call to him. He is so faithful, and more than willing to help us.
Yet, many people wait until they are so desperate that there seems to be no other alternative, than to call upon God for help. Why is this? What keeps people from asking sooner? Is it pride? Do they really believe that they can do it without his help?
Perhaps it is the belief that being unable to do everything expected of us is a sign of weakness or even failure. It could also be that in order to approach Jesus with our requests, we must admit that we have sinned, and that we have to ask for forgiveness, something many find difficult. The greatest hindrance may be the idea of repenting. Some feel it necessary to present the Lord with a deal: “I promise to change ___ if you help me in this.”
I really believe that pride is where many men become trapped. In contrast, women are not expected to be able to do everything for themselves, so it is easier for them to humble themselves and ask for help. Men feel the need to be in control. They will go to great lengths to avoid embarrassment, to avoid acknowledging their mistakes, or to acknowledging failure. The classic example is a man not wanting to stop and ask someone for directions. The truth is that pride is a sin that affects all people. It is a stumbling block that we must ask God to clear away from our hearts, and our minds.
When God speaks to us, giving us his answer, it may seem to make no sense in the natural. God’s solutions may look like detours, or no solution at all. But when God speaks, obedience is the only way we should respond. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Isaiah 55:8
Do you remember the direction that the Lord gave Joshua about conquering Jericho? He told him to "March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in." Joshua 6:3-5
Another example of God's direction was with Gideon. He was to instruct the men to carry torches in clay jars, and a trumpet in the other hand. "The three companies blew the trumpets, smashed their jars. Grasping their torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, 'A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!'....the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords." Judges 7:20-22
I remember as a kid, when I had a problem, I would take it to my mom or dad. My dad had several great responses: “I’ll take it under advisement." That meant - "Give me some time to think about it, and I'll get back to you." Another one was, “Drop back and punt!” That meant, “Don’t worry about it, Do the best you can!”
However, God speaks to us in very direct ways. Just last night, I went to a prayer meeting at a church for the first time. I remembered years ago, I went to an early morning prayer at a church I was thinking of attending. God spoke to me as plainly as possible. He said, “Go home, this is not where you belong.” So last evening, before going into the sanctuary, I stopped in the women’s room and asked the Lord, “If this is not where you would have me go, please tell me plainly as you did before.”
During worship, I sensed something was not right. I felt that there was a different spirit in operation. I stayed until the end, wanting to make sure, that I was not making a hasty judgment about what I was sensing. At the end, I left without saying a word. I came home and asked God to show me if what I suspected was true. I opened my Bible, and my eyes fell upon these words: “Return home.” I had my answer. For me, this was a shut door.
So when God speaks, we must be obedient to what he tells us. “Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” Hebrews 3:15
The Fish and the Telephone Wire
The fish certainly did not belong in the air. I am sure the fish knew it too. It was flopping all over the wire, and of course it had to fall. I hate to admit it, but I think the fish is me! I have felt like a fish out of water ever since leaving my church. I know that it was not a mistake, for I prayed for days, upon days regarding the matter. The Lord told me in no uncertain terms to “burn the bridge.” At the time, it seemed like a divorce. In a divorce, one not only loses the spouse, but all the family and friends are lost as well. But I did not want to cause a stir, or an upset, so I left quietly without a soul knowing.
I remind myself that even Paul and Barnabas did not see eye to eye on somethings and parted directions. But it truly was the Lord’s will. The gospel had to spread - so it was best to divide and conquer, I guess, it was God’s plan all along, for he told me once before, “Keep your roots short, I am moving you.”
Well, now I find myself flopping around on a telephone wire, not really knowing where my landing place is. In the vision I fall, but I know the Lord will be there to pick me up again. I know he can place me in the pond where I belong.
I want to encourage any of you, if you are without a place in the body of Christ, or without a church home, God will find a perfect place for you too. Sometimes if we are too comfortable where we are, we stagnate, or stop growing. We can become complacent, and happy to just warm a pew. But God has called us to come up higher, which may mean we become less, less noticed, less known. He may place us in a place where we are hidden. He may ask us to come away, and be alone with him for a while.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." Mark 1:35 We all need some alone time with God - really everyday. This is when he speaks to us. The more time we spend with him, the closer we become.
Paul said, “Make it your ambition to lead the quiet life.” Thessalonians 4:11 This is something I take very seriously. The quiet life, is a life filled with prayer, and time made available for him. If we are so busy with our lives, running here and running there, the Lord eventually becomes an afterthought. For me, I want to live with no regrets, I really shouldn’t say no regrets, for everyday there can be disappointments that can come regardless. But if we try to keep our focus upon the Lord, we will be more often, in the right place at the right time. We will be available to do his bidding.
So if I am the fish, perhaps I am in free fall - maybe I haven’t hit the ground yet. I’ll let you know if there is a crash or a splash! I hope for the latter!
Thanks for reading and passing this along to a friend. God bless you all, and keep praying!
