Every Hidden Thing
Hi Friends,
I hope all is well. Life can have its ups and downs, but we look to the Lord for his direction. Today we can take pleasure in the the presence of God, for every day in a new day! I took a walk at the arboretum in our town. The buds were forming and the geese were enjoying the water in the pond. It was so peaceful to be away from the hubbub of the traffic and the busyness of the day. We all need to get reconnected with nature after such a cold winter. God is good. My very favorite thing to do is to walk outdoors with him, and walking with my husband is a good thing too!
Today I have four visions to share with you.
The Visions
The Lunch Table
In this vision, I saw a lunch table in front of me. A woman holding a lunch tray was planning to sit down at the table. There was an older man sitting to her left. He was somewhere in his sixties. There was a woman on the opposite side of the table to the woman’s right. She was older still, perhaps in her seventies. The woman holding the tray sat down, in the center of the table to the right of the man. On the tray in front of her were cookies, salty snacks and a soft drink.
The Strap
In the second vision, I saw a strap to a formal dress which I had actually made and sewn the day before, for a young high school girl. In the vision, I took my sewing shears and cut the end off the strap which was in excess of what was needed. It fell to the floor.
Both of these visions concern choices and decisions that we make in life. God is faithful to instruct us about what is important and what is not. What should be saved and used and what should be discarded.
We all have choices in life, and where we are today can be the result of many decisions and choices that we have made. Some of our decisions have great effects and others have only a slight effect. My mother for instance was 19 when she received a scholarship to go to a design school in NYC. But within one month she met and married my father. NYC and a career in design was discarded for a life with my dad who was in his last year of law school. Had this decision not been made, I would not be here sharing this post with you!
So what about the lunch table? It reminds me of the lunch tables in school, both high school and college. In high school we might sit in the same place every day, simply out of habit, not usually out of assignment. The school environment in high school is more regimented, and we have a regimented mindset. Social structure in a school can dictate where a person fits in, and where they sit at lunch. However in college there is more freedom simply because there is less social pressure and structure. We can vary our selection of seats from day to day. There is freedom to choose to sit with someone or sit alone.
In the vision, the people are not kids, but much older adults. The environment seems like an ordinary lunchroom. Why are these older adults in a setting where one would expect younger people? I believe that God is pointing out that in some ways our behavioral tendencies do not change as we grow older. Sometimes we learn to navigate social settings better over time, and feel less awkward. But on the other hand, we can revert to the same habitual behaviors if there is no growth in social skills or increase in self esteem.
I believe the vision is not so much about social skills, but in developing Christ-like character. The Lord wants us to mature spiritually, to go beyond the primary teachings, and to become more like Him.
Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God.. Hebrew 6:1
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5
It is not easy to change, without the Lord’s help. Paul, having the Lord’s heart in the matter, wrote to the Galatians, speaking of this very thing:
My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you. Galatians 4:19-20
Paul was concerned for the Galatians spiritual growth. It bothered him so much that he referred to is as being in the pains of childbirth, wanting so much to see his spiritual children to take on Christ’s character. That is the Lord’s desire too. We need to seek change in ourselves and be willing to study the word of God for its treasures, and deeper meanings. As our minds are transformed, we become more and more like Christ, growing in faith, holiness, and love.
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
Let us choose to grow in the knowledge of God and mature spiritually. Let’s surrender our wills to God’s, and become obedient to his word. Our decisions and choices that we make will then move us towards maturity and the knowledge of Him.
Another Aspect to the Vision
There is another aspect to the vision of the three adults at a lunch table. The woman who wanted to sit down was carrying a tray of cookies, snacks and a soft drink. I could not ignore the terrible selection that the woman made. If she was trying to win friends, the cookies and snacks might be a good thing to offer. However, if this was her lunch, then it would be a terrible selection. From a nutritional standpoint, her lunch was less than adequate, and a recipe for health issues. Diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease all stem from poor eating habits. This grouping of common ailments is called the metabolic syndrome. These ailments come as a result of metabolizing (breaking down and assimilating) carcinogens, chemicals and sugar. The body needs nutrients to build new cells. When you build with faulty material you build a faulty product. Just like the story of the three little pigs, a house built of inferior materials, like twigs and straw, make a house weak. It will collapse under the strain of the wolf’s huffing and puffing. If your house is made of junk food, when the wolf comes, disguised as sickness and disease, he will huff and puff and blow your house down! Don’t build your house with the wrong foods, they make poor building materials. I always tell people, “If it looks like God made it, eat it. If it lloks like Sara Lee made it, don’t!”
Your body belongs to God.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
We are given our bodies to steward them, to give them proper food, exercise and rest. Otherwise there will be consequences.
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8
The Strap
In the vision of the strap, the end was cut off, for it was not needed. Had I not cut it off the strap, the excess would have been stuck between the bodice and the lining. It would then be seen as a lump under the dress. It had to be moved!
There are things in our lives that the Lord wants us to remove. It takes obedience to remove things to which we have given place. For me, the Lord asked me to remove “added sugar” and “pop” from my life. So I did immediately. I wanted to be obedient, and I knew that the Lord was asking me to forsake these things for my own health. Earlier, the Lord asked me to give up my design business and then my master’s degree. I did that too, simply because the Lord means more to me than anything else in my life. Just two and a half years ago, the Lord asked me to give up television, so I did. I do not regret following the Lord’s direction, because everytime He asks me to remove something, it is for my own benefit. I don’t miss television, added sugar or a career outside the home. I have more time for God and that is so precious to me!
When we are obedient to cut away what God asks for, we are blessed with a greater presence of him in our lives. We learn to trust him when we remove or sacrifice something that we had considered important. God’s plan for us is greater than any of our own plans. If we want more of God we must rid ourselves of the things that trip us up, take up too much of our time, or merely keep our hearts focused on the world, instead of God alone.
Let’s devote ourselves to him. What could possibly be more important than to honor the Lord and give him top priority. For me, there is nothing, and no one, more important than God..
While praying for understanding, the Lord gave me two more visions:
A Model
In this vision, I saw what appeared to be a model of a medieval town with all the natural materials. It had cylindrical stone towers, stone walls and streets, and cone shaped slate roofs. The overall effect was dark, with various shades of greys: blue greys, green greys, and greyed and muted reds. The vision was seen from an aerial view, but fairly close up. Everything was to scale, but not plastic, extremely realistic.
The model was so realistic, in fact, it was hard for me to distinguish it from a real town. I believe that the Lord wants us to appreciate the fact that what we see with our natural eyes may not be real. There are facades, masks and illusions for the very purpose to trick or fool the eye, or the other five senses. Wherever there is purposeful intent to deceive, we will find the devil. Jesus described him as a liar, and the father of lies. The devil is a deceiver, and a tempter. He uses lies to mislead and to tempt people to sin, thereby gaining access to an open door which their sin provided. In the book of Proverbs, Solomon shares God’s wisdom with us, giving us warning about unconfessed and unrepentant sin. It reads:
In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down upon your wrath, or give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27
John wrote in the book of Revelation that the devil is the accuser of the brethren.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:9-11
The devil accuses us before God when we sin. He looks to have permission from God to play havoc in our lives. And that is exactly what happens when we sin and fail to repent. This opens the door wide to the devil and his cohorts.
The devil and those aligned with him use trickery and illusion to deceive us. We need to be aware that the things that look real, genuine and trustworthy, may not be so. How often have we warned young children, and even teens not to trust strangers or to make friends with people of bad character. There are too many parents that trust institutions, social groups, and close relatives to care for and protect their children. But these same entities cause harm instead. We can all become victims of misplaced trust. A little careless oversight, or trusting someone who is not trustworthy can lead to a tragedy.
But we place our hope and trust in God alone. He can reveal the bad actors, and can give us a check in our spirit that something is up– something is wrong with the scenario. He gives us warning in dreams and visions. We look to him for ourselves and for our loved ones, for protection, provision, deliverance, and wellbeing. But we place our trust in God, for he is the good shepherd.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23
When we give ourselves to the Lord, he accepts us as his own. He protects us and leads us out of harm’s way. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, and warns us that those who belong to the devil and are aligned with his purposes are thieves and robbers:
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:2-5
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:7-11
So we must also be aware that there will be people even in our churches that are not trustworthy. False teachers, false prophets and predators will come into the church, to cause division, strife, and teach things that would mislead the faithful. These people will seem like the real thing, and talk like the real thing, but are not the real thing. Jesus said that we will know them by their fruit.
“Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Matthew 7:15-20
The Sauce Pan
In this vision I saw a stainless steel sauce pan filled with water. Along with the clear water was a small amount, maybe ½ teaspoon of black seeds. The seeds were tiny and round, much like poppy seeds but half the size. Someone took the pot of water and gave it a swirl. The seeds dispersed and were temporarily suspended in the flow of water.
I have had two prior visions of black seeds. In both visions, the black seeds represented lies. In this vision, I believe they also represent lies. The seeds are so tiny, that if one were not careful, one might not see them even though they are black and are in clear water. It is in the movement of the water that they are dispersed and harder to detect.
My mother had an expression, when speaking of something made that was not absolutely perfect. For example, when I was a child and just beginning to sew my own clothes, she would comfort me with my slight imperfections by saying, “No one will ever notice on a galloping horse!” We do not see detail, when there is movement that distracts the eye.
The devil can use “sleight of hand” as a magician who distracts us with a color, a sign, or a movement, so that we do not see what is really happening. The water in the vision was clear, so that we would not expect an impurity, especially in a cooking pot where the water should be clean. The seed is a lie, which the enemy hopes to plant in our minds. If we accept it, it will grow and become prolific. If the lie becomes part of our operating system or our belief system, then our thoughts and corresponding decisions are not based on truth but are made in support of the lie.
Lies and deception are the Devil’s weapons of choice. All it takes is a person who is unaware, and does not expect foul play. The word tells us to be aware of the enemy who is a roaring lion:
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
In the earlier vision of the model of a medieval town, the Lord wanted us to be aware that the things which are seen with our eyes, and experienced through our natural senses may not be real, but an illusion. False teachers and false prophets seem to be genuine, but are not. The things they teach may be a mixture of truth and lies just like the clear water and the black seeds. A mixture makes the lie a bit more hidden! It is more readily accepted and has the opportunity to lead a flock astray.
These four visions are all about being aware and about becoming stronger in faith and in Christian character. The Lord is preparing us for his use. He does not want us to be trapped in a sick body, believing lies that bind us, and lead us to make poor decisions and choices. The Lord wants to remove those things in our lives that would set us back, or keep us from a life with him. The devil’s design is to trip us up so that we fail to serve God, and live an abundant life. He does not want us to move in the power of the Holy Spirit, so he accuses and condemns us so that we feel incapable, inadequate, and powerless.
The Lord wants us to put away and cut off the things, the lies, and everything that exalts itself above the knowledge of God. We have to take these things captive, expose the lies and live victoriously in him.
“With God all things are possible!” Matthew 19:26
Thank you for reading. I hope this message blesses you and helps you to appreciate the importance of being spiritually alert and sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who indwells the believer. Our hope is in Jesus alone. He is God and part of the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Ask him to forgive your sins, to reconcile you to the Father. Surrender your will to the Lord, and trust in him. Believe that he died on the cross in payment of your sins, and that he rose from the dead. Confess, Repent, Believe and Be Saved! Trust in Him and you will never be alone! Peace and joy in the Holy Spirit can be yours in this life, and heaven will be your eternal home with God! Hallelujah!
God bless you with abundant love, grace and mercy! Please share with others!
