Return to Me
Hi Friends,
Today I am writing about what it really means to make the Lord, the Lord of our life. It is a progressive thing as well as a quality decision, that once made will be tested. For anything that becomes greater than our love for the Lord, he will ask us to surrender .
This is the vision:
A Candle Base and a Truck
I see a clear glass candle base being thrown down upon the hood of a truck. It is a purposeful action, not just an object being dropped. It was thrown down with force.
A Pitcher of Water
I see a pitcher of water that is being filled by a stream of water about 1.25” in diameter. There is no hose, but there is a strong steady stream of clear water. The pitcher is also clear glass.
Blue Flowers
I see a small cluster of tiny blue flowers. It is a cluster of perhaps 3 stems with tiny branches of flowers.
A Baby’s Heel
I saw the backside of a baby’s leg. There was a black mark covering the entire Achilles tendon on the child’s leg.
What I believe the vision means:
The Candle Base and Truck
I knew immediately, that the candle base thrown down on the truck was an act of judgment. The act of throwing down is a violent action, with passion and anger behind it.
When Moses found out that the Israelites made a golden calf and were worshipping it, claiming that it was the god that brought them out of Egypt, he became so angry that he threw down and broke the tablets upon which were written the ten commandments.
The candle base was made of clear glass in the form of a star. The base was about 2” high and about 4” in diameter from point to point. I believe it was a 6 pointed star, because it had a more solid form than a 5 pointed star whose points are much further apart. The 6 pointed star, usually represents the Jewish nation, for it is called the Star of David. But the 6 points could also represent man and human weakness, the evils of Satan and the manifestation of sin. (See https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/6.html )
Man was made on the 6th day, and man is appointed to work for 6 days out of the week, so 6 represents man.
The candle base reminded me of the lampstands in Revelation. When Jesus (the one who walked among the lampstands) found something against the church in Ephesus he said, “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” Revelations 2:4-5
Jesus is expressing his disappointment and anger over the unfaithfulness of his church. We (the church) have lost our first love.
He gives a warning: “Repent and do the things you did at first” or “I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
The lampstand is the church, for the Lord explains: “The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” Revelation 1:20
The church that loses its first love for the Lord, and does not repent and return to him in true love, devotion, and obedience will be removed from his kingdom.
This is a terrible state for a church who does not truly seek God. There are churches that are for the most part prayerless. God may not destroy a church like this physically, as it stands on the ground, or as it meets as a gathering of people, but he will reject it as his own. The church that loses its love and desire for the truth of God’s word is in rebellion against God. He no longer accepts it, but gives it over to the devil and the kingdom of darkness. This church comes from a humanistic worldview, designed to please man rather than God. It is an apostate church, no longer making up the Lord’s treasured possession.
This vision presents an extremely strong message to the churches. The Lord was serious when he spoke of the Church in Ephesus, and he is as serious now in speaking to the churches of today. “They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Isaiah 29:13
The Truck
The truck represents the ability to go your own way. We want to call the shots. We want to be the captain of our own destinies. We want to decide where we will live, and what we will do, just because we have the ability to do so.
“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life: you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.” James 4:13-16
For most people, doing your own thing and going your own way is absolutely normal. But to be a Christian, and live in this manner, is committing sin. Believing that God doesn’t need, want or should have a say in these matters is simply foolishness. Some believe that “God doesn’t care what I do as long as I don’t kill someone or commit some heinous crime. I go to church every once in awhile. I know that he died for my sins, so I’m going to heaven. All is good.’”
This cannot be further from the truth. Look what the Lord said to the church at 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.” Revelations 3:15-16
That doesn’t sound like, “Welcome to the kingdom of heaven!” The Lord speaks as if he were talking to the American church: “You say, ‘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.” Revelation 3:17
Why does the Lord speak like this? Because he loves us! “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelations 3:19
If we live to please ourselves, if we love the world and all the things that the world has to offer, we will never see the need, nor develop the desire, to spend time with the Lord. We will never get to know him, and just like the foolish virgins in the Lord’s parable, who begged the Lord to open the door for them, as he said to them, he will say to us, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you!” Matthew 25:12
But if we live for him, if we deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him, he promises us so much:
“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7
“He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.” Revelation 2:11
“To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17
“To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations--” Revelation 2:26
“He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.” Revelation 3:5
“Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.” Revelation 3:12
“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” Revelation 3:21
A Pitcher of Water
I used to attend a Messianic church. I remember a time during the year when we would celebrate a feast with pouring water. I didn’t remember what the feast was called, or what it all represented so I read several articles online. This is a short and informative article, if you would like to read more: http://jewishroots.net/library/holiday-articles/water_libation_ceremony.html
What I came to discover was that the pouring of water took place on one of the seven days of Sukkot, which is called the Feast of Tabernacles. It became a tradition during the time of the second temple. Water was drawn from Siloam, a pool in Jerusalem that King Hezekiah built. It was supplied through a tunnel into the city by a spring called the Spring of Gihon. During the feast, each day, for seven days, a priest would walk up a ramp leading to the bronze altar in the Temple Court, carrying water in a container. He would then pour the water into a bowl that drained into the altar.
This was a joyful and popular celebration with music, singing, dancing and the lighting of three 75’ tall golden candlesticks, which lit up the whole city. Apparently, some of the rabbis would perform acrobatics and juggle flaming torches as part of the festivities.
The pool of Siloam, from which the water was drawn, was also called the Pool of Salvation. This water was considered having life, because it was spring fed, not stagnant. The water was used to mix with the red heifer’s ashes to purity those who had become unclean.
The water of Siloam was also used to anoint kings of the line of David. Anointing with water or oil was symbolic of the Holy Spirit coming upon an individual. Therefore the “living water” of Siloam came to represent the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
This is significant to us because at the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus made his announcement to all those present that he was the Messiah.
“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” John 7:37-39
So in the vision, I saw a pitcher being filled by a steady stream of water. I believe that the Lord’s Holy Spirit is that stream of water. We are the pitcher or vessel that houses the Spirit of God. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” 1 Corinthians 3:16
As we are filled, we are able to pour out, into others, so that they may also drink. “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scriptures has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’” John 7:38
Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12
Through the pouring out of God’s Holy Spirit, the Lord’s provision, is made manifest: his presence, his power, his grace and mercy, his forgiveness, and salvation, his healing and restoration, and all the fullness of God is made available to those who will receive him.
The Blue Flowers
The color blue can represent God or service to God. A flower is something that is produced by a plant that is rooted in the soil. It shows forth the health of the plant. An unhealthy plant bears no fruit or flowers. Certain plants need to be cross-pollinated by the wind or with the help of an insect in order to produce flowers, seeds and fruits.
I believe that these blue flowers are produced in each believer that overcomes temptation and sin. Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you will bear much fruit.”
On a fruit tree, a bud is formed first and then opens up as a flower. After the flower falls, the fruit begins to grow. Deep inside the fruit, are the seeds that may someday become another tree.
On a smaller plant bearing flowers, the flowers are produced first, and then come the seeds. The seeds form often at the base and center of the flower which can be harvested like a sunflower, or distributed by the wind.
I believe that the blue flowers are tiny because what we do for God, or in service to God, may seem small or insignificant. But the Lord values things differently than we do. “Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.” Mark 9:41
“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury. For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty, has put in all she had to live on.” Mark 12:43-44
The flowers that are produced first are the result of abiding in the Lord. And after this will come the seeds that will be planted to produce a crop. If we want to be fruitful for the Lord, we need to abide in him and allow his Word to abide in us, so that we will bear fruit - a fruit that will last.
As we grow in him, there will be opportunities for us to plant seeds by sharing our testimonies of what the Lord has done for us, and by sharing the gospel. This is God’s heart, that we bear fruit, and that all people are reached with the good news of salvation.
The Baby’s Heel
I saw the back of a baby’s tiny leg. The black mark that went from the heel up covered the Achilles tendon. It was about 2 1/2” long and 5/8” wide with rounded ends. It was approximately the same size and shape of a Bandaid, but it was black, and painted on the skin.
Black generally denotes death or sin. A baby represents something new, as a new ministry or new church or new endeavor. I have a post called, “That’s My Baby,” in which the baby represented a new church just beginning. A demon held up the baby by its throat, over the water, and said, “You almost hit my baby!” Then he dropped the baby into the water to drown him.
The devil has only evil plans - he can do nothing good. This baby has been marked by the devil. Just as a tree is marked to be taken down, this baby has been marked for its destruction. Before the baby can make its way in the world, before the baby can defend itself, the devil wants it destroyed.
Who or what does the baby represent? I believe that the baby represents the new believer, a “baby Christian.” Notice that the mark is placed on the Achilles heel. This is a place where it is most vulnerable. Everyone has a weakness, a place where temptation has been successful. It may be alcohol, or drugs, sex, gambling, pornography, lying, stealing, cheating, or coveting material possessions or another man’s wife. It can be gossip, anger, pride, or having the need to control, or to the need to be needed or admired. Our weakness can be fear, fear of what others say, the fear of failure, the fear of losing love or respect, or the fear of shame, or rejection.
The enemy knows your weakness, and he will use it against you. The enemy has no qualms about attacking children, the elderly, the weak willed, and those in ministry. He will stop at nothing to take you down.
Yet, we know that we have power through the Holy Spirit and authority by the name of Jesus, to take captive every thought and vain imagination, to flee temptation and to resist the devil. “I have given you authority to “trample upon snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” Luke 10:19
We are not to fear the devil or anyone for that matter. “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” Luke 12:4-5 Who said those words? Jesus our Lord, our God and our King spoke those words! Yes fear him!
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Psalm 111:10
A Summary
We began with the candle base that was thrown down upon the truck. This vision is a warning that judgment will come to the church (or church leaders), that do not take the word of the Lord seriously. Those leaders or members of the church that choose to go their own way and do whatever pleases them, who are building the church for their own benefit, are in rebellion against God. This call is for the wayward church, and all believers to repent and return to their first love.
The Lord wants to pour out his Spirit on his people, “upon all flesh.” It is his plan to bring a revival to our nation, and to the ends of the earth. So, we must be in prayer, waiting upon him and anticipating his coming.
The blue flowers show God’s desire for us to abide with him, and to be fruitful and to follow his lead, doing the things that he did. He wants us to see that even the small things that we do for him are not in vain.
The baby’s weakness is our weakness. It is a place where the devil has been successful in the past. He knows that where you are most vulnerable is where there was once an open door, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
Let’s keep the faith! Let’s believe God for greater things. And let’s wait upon him for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit!
If you will share this message with your friends, then more people, perhaps the lost may read it and with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, they will be saved! Thanks!
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