Shaking Out and Cutting Off

Hi Everyone,

We are in the last month of summer, and time is quickly passing.  I hope that everyone is praying for our nation.  Since “all authority is God-given,” we need to see things from His perspective.  If we are looking to have a nation supporting our Christian values, and have leaders that uphold the U.S. Constitution, including the freedoms spelled out in the first amendments to the Constitution, then we need to understand God’s mandate:

“if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

It is we, the Lord’s faithful, who are to turn from our wicked ways.  Only then will the Lord hear our prayers and forgive our sin, and our nation’s sin. If we return to God, He will heal our land.

Today, I have two visions to share with you regarding the Lord’s shaking, and his pruning, so that we become more conformed to his ways, and less like the world.

The Visions

Shaking Out

I saw a white down comforter being shaken.  Tiny colorful “Indian beads” flew out from the underside of the comforter, along with other colorful things: string, thread, tiny pieces of paper. Then, like the pull of static electricity, they returned back to the comforter.

This vision has to do with the shaking that God brings as judgment against the non-believer, or as perfecting and testing one’s faith, and as discipline and correction to the believer. 

See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks.  For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?  At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.” The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. “For our God is a consuming fire.”  Hebrews 12:25-29

The Lord’s desire is that we remove the things from our lives that offend Him, or cause us to fall  away from him. God is to be first.   It is by far better for us to align ourselves with the Lord and his word and make the necessary changes ourselves, rather than make it necessary for God to shake us up.  Even so, everything that can be shaken, will be shaken!

The word of God tells us not to conform to the world but to be transformed:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. 1 John 2:15-16

The things that we desire can take us away from God.  We are told to separate from people and activities that jeopardize our faith and devotion to him.

“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

The action of shaking represents judgment, or a warning of judgment to come.  Jesus sent his disciples out in groups of two to preach “the kingdom of God is at hand.”  However when a town, did not receive the disciples or listen to them, he told them to shake off the dust on their feet as a sign of God’s rejection of the town.  

And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.  And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”  Mark 6:10-11

There were many cities that rejected Jesus, his message and his miracles.  This is an example:

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.  “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.   But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.  But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”  Matthew 11:21-24

The action of shaking as a warning of potential judgment occurred in Nehemiah’s day when he defended the poor during a terrible famine in Israel. Nehemiah shook out the folds of his garment as an act of warning to the priests, if they did not do as they had promised to do.  The priests were charging usury (interest) on any money or food they gave to people.  Because of the famine, people were forced to mortgage or sell their fields, vineyards, and even their sons and daughters in order to eat.  Nehemiah made the priests promise to give everything back and not make money on those who were struggling to survive.    

And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised.  I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise.  So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.  Nehemiah 5:12-13

In the vision, the comforter was white, which represents holiness, purity and the Holy Spirit.  God and his word establish the standard of righteousness. It is this standard that the Holy Spirit uses to convict our hearts of sin.  When we turn to him in repentance, he forgives us and restores us to a right standing. However, when we sin, and do not repent, we open the door to the wicked one. The Lord does not want to lose even one of us, so he will cause us to be shaken, in hopes that we will choose him over the sin. It is his love for us that helps us, to overcome our weaknesses and return to him.

Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4

Now sin can seem attractive to some, but after becoming born again, we should part from all sin. However, when we do not make a clean break from it, but continue in it, our faith will suffer and not last.  Some sins are ignored to “keep the peace,” or to “keep a job.”  But we know that it is never right to sin and compromise with the world or its views and values. Sin opens the door to evil entities and leads to bondage.

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  James 4:4  

In the vision, when the comforter was shaken, the tiny colorful Indian beads and other small strings, threads, and pieces of paper flew out from beneath. They scattered from the shaking, but were drawn back in.  God shakes us to test us.  Will we conform to his ways, or will we be stubborn and cling to what we like, and what we hold dear?  Do we rationalize or make room for something that the Lord wants to remove?  

Indian beads are extremely small, and require an extremely thin needle to string them together.  They are about 3/32 of an inch or perhaps 2 mm in diameter.  They can be used to make bracelets, ornamental pins, and hair accessories.  I have seen them decorate the tops of Indian moccasins. 

I believe the Lord is showing me that even the tiniest, most insignificant thing that we give priority over and above God, is idolatry. God will deal with these things by shaking us. We can not idolize anything or anyone.   It is never “okay” with God.  The Lord wants us to have an undivided heart, fully surrendered to his ways.

Yet in the vision, the beads, the thread, the colorful tiny bits of paper and string, returned to the underside of the comforter.  There was an attraction drawing the tiny pieces back in. The attraction may represent our passions our desires, and our lifestyles. When we give into the things we idolize, we become self-indulgent. It may start as a  “innocent,” whim, but it can lead to an open door and very negative consequences.  

But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.  James 1:14-15

The return of the small objects to the comforter, reminded me of a passage in Hebrews explaining the proverb of a dog that returns to its vomit:

For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.  For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.  For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.  What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:19-22

In Jesus’ parable of The Sower, he speaks of those who believe for a short while and then return to their sinful lifestyles.

As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.  Matthew 13:20-21

In the vision, the comforter may also represent what we personally find comfortable, pleasurable, or something that brings satisfaction, contentment and peace.  Our jobs, our families, our pastimes, and those things in which we take pride or enhances our self-image can easily capture our hearts and minds and we lose the Lord in the process.

Even sleep, and resting in our own homes can be comfortable.  Sleep can be an escape from the trials and stresses of life.  It can become an indulgence and a means of avoiding responsibilities. But we can’t stay in bed, nor remain in our comfort zone.  We are all called by God to fulfill his mandates, one of which is sharing the gospel.  So we have to leave our comfort, our complacency, and our mediocrity, for the Lord does not honor laziness.

In the parable of The Talents, the one who did nothing with the money he was given, but buried it in the ground, was deemed to be lazy.  The master, who represents the Lord, was not happy.

‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed.  Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.

Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents.  For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  Matthew 25:26-30

Trimming a Piece of Fabric

In this vision, I saw the edge of a piece of fabric that was somewhat irregular with a flap or point being trimmed off.  The edge after the trimming was curved and smooth.

In the Bible, the Lord speaks of trimming branches to make them more fruitful. 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the keeper of the vineyard.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. John 15:1-2

I believe that the fabric represents us as believers.  The scissors are in the Lord’s hand, and he is trimming off whatever is offensive, or to his disliking.  It is similar to the first vision, but instead of something being shaken out and then returning, the vision of the fabric shows that what was to be removed, was completely separated without the possibility of returning.

I believe that God intends to continue to mold us and shape us into his image.  He accepts us just as we are when we come to the Lord, but he does not want us to remain in that state.  If he saves us, he calls us.  He wants us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.  He wants us to grow and mature in our faith.  And like seeds that are planted in good soil and produce a bountiful harvest, he wants us to be fruitful for the kingdom of God.  As we grow in our faith, we are to continue to be conformed to his image.  

If we had to change ourselves on our own, our maturation would be incomplete, and irregular.  But through trials and the tests of faith, we will eventually become complete, lacking nothing.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  James 1:2-4

We should all thank the Lord for keeping us on the potter’s wheel, continually working on us.  He is the author and finisher of our faith, and what he has begun he will bring to completion.  We just need to be willing.  Once we have made the quality decision to not turn back to our old ways, and to completely surrender our wills to his, then there will be fewer grey areas.  Everything will be more clear cut.  It is either with God, or it is not.  All we need to do is say as Jesus did:

“Not my will, but yours be done!”  Luke 22:42

Thanks for reading.  Please share this with others and remember to pray for our nation! God bless you and your family!