Hi Everyone,

It is almost November, and the leaves are brown.  The seasons are changing once again.  The cold weather is approaching, and the winter will be here before we know it.  The Lord asked us to be aware of the seasons, and the signs around us.  It was Jerusalem’s time of visitation that he referred to in this passage: 

Then Jesus said to the crowds, “As soon as you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and that is what happens. And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It will be hot,’ and it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?  Luke 12:54-56

Those who were looking for the consolation of Israel were able to recognize Jesus, the Son of David, the Son of God, the Christ, the Messiah.  They did not miss his coming, for they saw his kingdom as he taught them:

And having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God is coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with careful observation, Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the kingdom of God is within you.”  Luke 17:20

But the Pharisees were not able to understand or appreciate the Lord’s teachings, his miracles or his identity because of their hardened hearts, their closed eyes and their deaf ears. Jesus quoted Isaiah when speaking of the Pharisees:

“‘For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’” Matthew 13:15

As believers, we can hear the word of God and receive it, but if we allow ourselves to be ensnared by life’s demands and the pleasures of this world, we will be like the seeds planted among the thorns:

“They hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”  Mark 4:19  

The Pharisees were filled with greed and hypocrisy.  Their wealth, position and egos were their gods.  They needed an encounter with God, but were so hardened that even when he was directly in front of them, they were unmoved and dead to his identity.

The two visions that I am sharing today are about being unmoved, hardened, or simply disheartened by the cares of the world and the demands made upon us by the people around us.  The Lord warns us that these cares can choke out the word, making the word unfruitful.

Please read on, for God wants to revive what seems dried out.  He wants us to live with a renewed faith and a renewed passion for him.

The Visions

The Gold Shoe

In the vision I saw a woman’s flat dress shoe covered in gold fabric with a crepe sole, rounded toe and strap across the instep.  The shoe was worn and tired looking.  The color had faded, and had a wrinkle across the toe box.  In spite of its worn condition, it was still usable.   

I believe that the shoe represents our walk with God.  When we are first saved, and filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit, there is a fresh excitement about the Lord, and we want to spend all our time with him, reading the word and constantly learning.  we were filled with joy at the thought of going to church, and worshiping him.

Our love affair with God does not have to fade. We can maintain that fresh awareness of God if we continue in the faith by spending time with him in worship and in intimate prayer. It is the Holy Spirit that instills our desire to have more of him. His presence shuts out the voices and demands of the world. Every care and anxiety leaves in the presence of God.

But we need to guard our heart and protect our time with HIm. Our time of corporate worship is powerful, and His presence so tangible. Words just cannot express what it is to a believer who abandons himself to worship the Lord!

However, intimacy and the presence of God, if not nurture and treasured can become stale, or dry, if we allow other things, commitments, business, relationships and the busyness of life to creep into our lives, and rob us of our peace, and stifle our relationship with God. There is no doubt that our faith will suffer, if we neglect prayer, the word, or his presence in worship. It is up to us to maintain our relationship with him. He does not walk away from us, be we certainly can, knowingly or unknowingly. Therefore we have to guard our hearts and not be lead astray by the things of the world.

Someone said once, “Busyness in not of the devil, it is the devil!”

If we spend too much time listening to the opinions of others, friends, celebrities, influencers and social media, we will become more and more like the world.  Our attitudes, behaviors and decisions will reflect the world and its views. Over time we will become insensitive to the Holy Spirit, and abandon the true faith. We will justify our ideologies by creating a mixture of the world’s values and what is considered Christian doctrine. We will become distant to the one true God, and have settled for a “lesser god” that meets our own criteria.

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

We are warned in the Bible not to admire or emulate the world.  We are to be different.  We are to be a holy people set apart for the Lord.  That is what “sanctification” means - to be made holy, set apart for His use.

The shoe represents a walk that has become stale, ordinary, mundane.  It represents a walk that needs reviving.  What is needed is a new, fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit’s fire can be put out, through neglect or too much association with the world.  It is time for our nation and its people to experience a real revival.  But that begins with each of us choosing to be a seeker, a worshiper and a true believer! 

Isaiah recorded the Lord’s encouraging words in this passage that means so much to me, Isaiah 58:

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet.

Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.

For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways,

as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God.

They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it?

Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.

Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists.

You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves?

Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?

Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice

and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations;

you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day,

if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable,

and if you honor it by not going your own way, and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,

then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land

and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.  Isaiah 58

Let us find our joy in him. If we dedicate ourselves to serving him with an obedient heart, we will have his blessings and fellowship. All his promises, his love and mercy will be ours as well.

‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’  Matthew 25:23  

The Iron Pot

In this vision I saw a woman attempting to wash a very large black iron pot in a sink.  The pot was about 22” in diameter and 11” D.  It was very heavy and hard to manage, not really fitting into the sink.

I believe that the iron pot represents something, perhaps that is bothersome: a commitment, a relationship, or something that is simply too big, too cumbersome, and nearly impossible to work with.  The woman in the vision was overwhelmed and frustrated.  She represents those who take on too many tasks or too great a task for the time and energy available.  She has made a commitment that she finds difficult to keep.  

We need to seek God before we make commitments, whether relational, transactional or ministerial   We want the Lord’s blessing on our undertakings and relationships.  We need his strength, and his power, for we can do nothing apart from him:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”   Matthew 11:28-30

Before we take on various tasks and commitments, we need to clear things with God.  Are we pleasing him or are we trying to please someone else?  Are we trying to uphold an image of ourselves as being: fair, kind, generous, faithful, prayerful, helpful, intelligent, hardworking…?

When we do anything in the flesh, we will be doing it alone, without God.  We cannot possibly expect God to bless what we choose to do without his help and inspiration.  We need to ask the Lord to forgive us for running ahead and expecting Him to follow along and bless us. We are willful, and often do things to please people rather than please God. We can make assumptions about God’s will, yet omit consulting him. We should not assume God’s will and then expect him to bless it. I wrote on this same topic recently in the post “Confer with God.”

Even so, God is good.  He will help us to see our true motives.  Are we doing something to build our self-image, or is it for the glory of God?   Are we doing something to be seen by others, to win their favor or praise?

“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 6:1

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”   Matthew 6:6

Even if we do not have the desire to be seen by others, we may simply have a “helper mentality”  and just want to do it all.  We may put more confidence in our own abilities that to trust the job to another person. We need to be aware that perhaps, someone else wants to help, but we are too self centered to notice.  If we were never "a team player, and more of an independent self-starter, we may not see the need to include others.  I tend to be this way, unless it is in regards to teaching children a task.  I allow imperfection with children, but I am not so lenient with adults when my name will be on the finished product. If things aren’t done properly, then I must do it all over again myself.  We have to be careful that our egos do not drive our decisions. We must be able to appreciate the difference between perfectionism, which is self-directed and doing your best for the Lord, bringing His name honor and glory.

“Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men, because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3;23-24

It is all a matter of motives. So we must ask ourselves: What is my motive? Why do I do what I do?

Many times these visions are directed at me.  But I share them with you so that we both may benefit.

“For we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Thank the Lord that he continues to work with us, for we are His project on His potter’s wheel.  And we can be thankful and assured that what He has begun, He will bring to completion!

I hope that what I am writing is helpful to you.  I know the Lord gives visions and instructions to build us up in our most holy faith.  He wants us to be on track with Him, to understand his ways and know that He is holy and just. Someday each one of us will stand before him and give an account for every idle word spoken and every thought entertained. So it is truly wise to get right with God now, and to fear him.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 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 perform many miracles?’

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23

It is truly a scary thing to consider that we may think we are faithful and serving God, when in fact we are serving ourselves and going our own way! Jesus said that it is the one who does the will of the Father, that will be saved. Therefore, If we are not in the word of God, if we are not praying and not seeking his will for our lives, we will not have the assurance that we are in the Father’s will and doing what he has called us to do.

We need to know Him, to know his heart, to love what he loves and to hate what he hates.  Jesus said,

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15

If we are to be Christ’s followers then we should be in step with him, for there will be a day that he will come for us, when the “silver cord is severed.”

“Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return with the rain; on the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the windows see dimly; when the doors on the street are shut, and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; when one is afraid of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because all must go to their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets; before the silver cord is snapped, and the golden bowl is broken, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it.”  Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

What you just read is an Old Testament passage. As believers in Christ, we know that as He died on the cross, and rose again from the grave, we will also rise with him. So that when we die, we will immediately go to heaven to be with the Lord. Those who do not know the Lord will be condemned. This is why we should fear the one and only true God, for there is no salvation apart from Him! So we look to the Lord, for he knows the day and the hour that He will call us home.  

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.  Isaiah 55:6-7

Let us look to Jesus our Lord and our Savior, the giver of life.  He is the one we are to please and the one we long to see.  If you haven’t yet tasted and seen the goodness of God, and would like to know him and make your peace with him, then pray with me:

Dear Jesus, my Lord, God and King,

I want to be right with you, to follow you all the days of my life and to receive your free gift of salvation.  You paid a great price to redeem me: You died in my place, for my sin which separated me from God. I am grateful for your sacrificial death which atones for my sin and reconciles me to the Father. I acknowledge that you are God, part of the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and your kingdom will never end.  I ask that you forgive me of my sin, and fill me with your Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth and help me to understand your ways.  You have promised to never leave me, so help me to never leave you.  Please write my name in the Book of Life, that when I die, I will be with you in heaven for all eternity.  Fill me with your love and help me to share your love with others.  Thank you for making me a new creation in you, for I am now yours and you are mine.  I am born again, and filled with your Holy Spirit. I am forever changed!  I will always remember this day, that I am no longer my own, I belong to you!  Amen!

God Bless you and keep you! Please share this with others. We all need to know the Lord and have a close walk with him!