Hi Everyone,

Today is a beautiful sunny day.  It is a good day to commit our cares to the Lord, for he is good!  The vision I am sharing with you has to do with a big puddle on the pavement.  We all know that  rain will fall in all our lives.  Jesus knows there will be trials and tests, but we are to take heart in him. 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

Splashing Feet

In this vision, I saw the feet of several people walking across the pavement that was covered in water about 1-2” deep.  People were walking in both directions splashing as they walked through the water.  My view was of the feet only.  There was only one person wearing boots.  It was a pair of women’s patterned rain boots that came up just past the ankle. 

I believe that this vision concerns protection and sin.  None of those walking in the water were protected against cold wet feet, except the one wearing boots.  Splashing gets everyone wet, especially the feet, the cuffs and hemlines of pants. 

Meaning of the Vision

As we go through life, we pick up dirt along the way.  The dirt that should concern us most is spiritual dirt, sin and its accompanying effects: guilt, shame and open doors to the devil.  Sin comes as we interact with the world and the people in the world.  Sin contaminates our souls and spirits, affecting our relationship with God and those around us.

The water in the vision represents sin and spiritual dirt.  It consists of everything that we have accepted and taken into our spirit.  Jesus said that it is not physical food that goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of man.

“What comes out of a person is what defiles him.  For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,  coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”  Mark 7:20-23

When we engage in sinful actions, behavior or speech, or allow sinful actions of others to come through our eyes gates and our ear gates, our spirits become tainted with the sin.  Our memories of the sin, and the open doors that the sin creates, cause us to respond differently than if we were innocent and untouched.  

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.”  Titus 1:15

A defiled conscience, and a defiled mind brings forth bad attitudes, bad habits, lusts, unwholesome desires, fear, anxiety, depression, overwhelming sorrow, paranoia, hatred, corruption, wickedness, mental and emotional issues etc.

The solution to these ugly emotions, passions and thoughts is to confess them before God. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

However, if we are not aware of our sin, or do not acknowledge something as sin, then it becomes natural to us. It is given place in our thoughts, and overtakes our spirit.  We cannot repent because there is no desire to repent.  There is no reason to turn to God, for in these hearts he doesn’t exist.  Some people enjoy their sin, they take pride in something instead of feeling ashamed.  

“For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.”  Philippians 3:18-19

After being unrepentant for some time, many unknowingly give place to the devil and become spiritually bound. Paul describes it as having a seared conscience.  Without repentance, God gives them over to a depraved mind.

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,  since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.  Amen.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.  In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.  They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,  slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.  Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.  Romans 1:18-32

Nebuchadnezzar

An example of God giving someone over to a depraved mind is King Nebuchadnezzar.  When Nebuchadnezzar sinned against God, after Daniel had warned him, the Lord gave him over to the mind of an animal.  And for seven years he lived in the wild and behaved as an animal.  Later, the Lord returned his mind to him and had him restored to his throne.  He learned his lesson:

At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”  Daniel 4:34-35

Yet, I see people today operate as if there is no reason to fear God.  Many see God as a God of love and peace, but not as he is, a Holy God who demands purity, and justice.  Yes it is true that we are no longer under the Mosaic Law, for the Lord has “written his law on the tablets of our heart.”  He is just, and he judges the motives of our heart, our actions and every thought.

God does not change like shifting shadows.  He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament.  The difference now is that we are not required to keep the Mosaic Law, for Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law by his perfect sinless sacrifice for sin.  By this we have been released from “the law of sin and death” and we now live by the Spirit of God who dwells within each believer.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”  Galatians 5:16

Today people see God as one who always extends grace.  But we need to realize that even in the New Testament there are examples of God’s judgment against sin.  King Herod is one example:

Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Their country depended on the king's country for food, so they came to him with a united front to make peace; they'd been able to win over Blastus, the king's personal aide.  On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and made a speech to them.  The people shouted, 'The voice of God, and not of a man!'  Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn't give God the glory. He was eaten by worms and died.” Acts 12:20-23

The story of Ananias and Sapphira is another New Testament example of God’s swift and fatal judgment against sin.  This couple were impressed that others had sold properties and gave the proceeds to the apostles to distribute to all who had need.  So they sold their property but decided to hold back some of the funds for themselves, without letting anyone know.  They wanted the honor of giving a monetary gift and the recognition of their faith in God, trusting him with their future.

But by concealing the truth, they denied the conviction of the Holy Spirit who would have shown them their hypocrisy, giving them an opportunity to repent.  So the Holy Spirit revealed their secret to Peter who then declared God’s judgment upon them.

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?  Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.  Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, carried him out and buried him.

About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.  Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.  Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.  Acts 5:3-11

In this world, we will all be tested.  Our life is simply a test of faith.  Will we remain faithful to God by denying ourselves and living for him?  Or will we instead go our own way, and do our own thing, living to please ourselves?  By choosing to live for God, as his bond servant, we will have true freedom and eternal life with him.  However, if we choose to live for ourselves our fate might be like the rich man in the Lord’s parable.  

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”  Luke 16:19-31

God always gives us a choice.  But it is up to us, what we choose.  Everyday that goes by we are closer to eternity.  The Lord is not looking to inhabit heaven with lukewarm, complacent people who love only themselves.  He chooses a bride for himself that is without spot or wrinkle, a bride that is radiant and truly devoted to him.  Can we be that bride?  Can we choose to follow him, to be obedient and to love him? 
The Lord has made a way for us, but we must choose him over our own selves and over the world and its treasures.  We can accept his death on the cross as payment for our sins, and receive eternal life, or we can lead a selfish life and have sorrow and damnation as our reward.  The Lord is asking us to renounce the devil and all his works, to renounce the world’s views,  ideologies and religious notions, to renounce our ownership of ourselves and our passion for material possessions and pleasures.    

We must live in this world, but we are not to align with its values and ideologies.  

“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, and I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’  If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.  But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”  John 15:19-21

The Lord asks us to separate ourselves from the world.

Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”  2 Corinthians 6:17

If we do not separate from the world and its ideologies we open the door to temptation and sin, for God’s ways are contrary to those of the world.  We are to cling to what is good and what is true and reject what is bad and what is false.  The natural man, who is not born again, born of the spirit of God, cannot appreciate the difference between the two.  The natural man does not  realize that his feet are getting wet and his pants are splashed with mud.  His eyes are not able to see or acknowledge the truth. 

In the vision, there was only one person prepared for the water and the dirt.  It was the one wearing boots.  The boots represent the armor of God which shields us from the wicked one and his plans against us.  

We have to walk in the world, for this is where we live.  But we are not to be enamoured with the world and all it has to offer. Jesus warned his disciples about the lure of possessions.

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  Luke 12:15

Material possessions such as large houses, fancy vacations, expensive cars, clothing and jewelry are status symbols that puff up our egos, and are all detrimental to our spirits.  Desiring anything above God is idolatry; it is an insult.

“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”  Revelation 21:8

The devil tried to tempt Jesus with material possessions, food, fame and fortune.  Can you imagine that the devil used such a tactic to tempt Jesus?  All flesh can succumb to temptation, but thank the Lord that he did not fall for temporal, worldly things.  He was sinless.  We need to follow the Lord and be determined to not indulge in carnal pleasures and things that are passing away.  Our relationship with God depends on our obedience and our devotion to him. Our faith and values are being tested daily.  Can we deny ourselves?  Can we think of the needs of others?  Can we follow the Lord’s teachings in a corrupt world?  

We are told to resist the devil and he will flee.

But we are told to flee temptation!  So many to this in reverse.  They try to flee the devil and resist temptation.  Neither of these work.  We have to stand our ground and not let the devil or his demons take an inch.  But we have to flee temptation or we may succumb to it.  

When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, he ran to avoid the temptation.  He did the appropriate thing, choosing not to sin against his master nor God.  But it is not uncommon that even if we do the right thing, others can be deceived by the mere appearance of doing wrong.    Even though Joseph did the right thing, he was thrown into prison, but it is there that God delivered him from the prison to make him 2nd in command in all of Egypt.  God is able to elevate some and bring down others and correct the wrongs that are done.  Joseph was faithful to God in every circumstance.  He is a good example of how we should follow the Lord’s ways.

The Lord also wants us to persevere and overcome every obstacle to our faith.  Just as we exercise to strengthen our bodies, we must also be trained in the Word of God for it is our  weapon of choice against the evil one.  The Word of God the Sword of the Spirit.  We are told to put on the full armor of God, resisting the devil and his wicked schemes.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.  Ephesians 6:10-18

So we know that everyday there is a battle in the heavenlies over the hearts of men.  We have to stay close to the Lord, and have faith in him, knowing... 

“...that he who began a good work in you, will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

The Lord is able to save you and keep you.  Just believe!