A Yellow Backhoe-Loader
Hi Friends, this is a vision I received earlier this month of December. I was praying, seeking God for our nation and the Church. The vision concerns deception and the Lord's return.
A Vision in Five Parts
First I saw a yellow backhoe with a front end loader. It was standing in a forested area, slightly higher than where I was standing. The backhoe-loader was fenced off with orange barricade netting. There were several long upright posts driven into the ground to support the fencing. When I first saw this piece of equipment, I recalled the scripture “Break up the fallow ground.” This of course refers to the ground of our hearts. It is effectively saying: “soften your hard hearts - make them tender towards God.”
“Sow for yourselves righteous, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. But you have planted wickedness you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception, because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated.“ Hosea 10:12-14
But as I sought God for the meaning , I was given four additional pieces to the vision:
I saw two patties formed by hand with brown seeds. The patties took on a rounded shape formed by cupped palms, about 3.5” x 2”. Last February, I posted an earlier vision of a cake made of black seeds. It was called, “Divisive Plans Against the Church.” The black seeds represented the lies of the enemy. By pressing them together into a cake, this was an indication of organization and intensification of the enemy’s plans.
In this vision the seeds are brown, showing a subtlety to the lies. The two patties are similar, looking to be the same basic shape and size. Yet they are slightly different in that they are handmade. This shows that lies are carefully crafted to fit each designed purpose. The enemy combines these lies to create an illusion to distort truth and deceive many people.
Next I saw two blocks of cheddar cheese each strapped to the underside of a cooler lid. One of the blocks of cheese is yellow and the other block is white. They appear to be different varieties of cheeses, however, it is made known to me, that they are both cheddar cheese. Reading up on the difference between the two cheeses, I discovered that there is no difference - one is made yellow by using a food dye, the other remains the natural color, white. They are essentially the same.
Next I saw a red pickup truck. I hear the words, “I am next to you.”
Then I reach into a bag and see a five dollar bill. It is brand new. Often new bills are stuck together, so I pinch the bill between my fingers, and slide them back and forth attempting to discover whether there are two instead of just one.
There were two brown seed patties, and two blocks of cheese. So,were there to be two, five-dollar bills? No. Just one.
What these visions describe is trickery, and deception. In order to be deceived or to be tricked, the deception must be subtle, and unexpected. If a person is on their guard, they are less likely to be fooled.
Now going back to the first part of the vision, the yellow backhoe-loader, I remembered an earlier vision I called, “The Forest of Deception.” A man with blonde hair and glasses, and clipboard in hand, issued a small backhoe to me, with the intention of equipping me to “clear large tracts of land for God’s end time purposes.” The backhoe was to dig and clear away the forested area. The forest represented deception.
Now the full-scale piece of earth moving machinery, in the vision, was barricaded. The message was clear - “Don’t come near. Hands off. Out of service.”
Who placed the orange netting around the backhoe-loader? I believe it was the enemy. He wants to keep us from being effective for the kingdom of God, so he distracts us with “more important matters.” He causes us to delay taking action, by suggesting that “Now is not the right time. Wait for a more convenient time.”
The orange netting is not a formidable wall. It is easily removed by pulling up the posts, that are usually driven into the ground just a short distance. The enemy would like you to believe that removing the barrier is going to be a monumental task. He tries to stop the work of God, by lies, and threats. But we should not let this deter us from the work God has called us to.
Do you remember the story of the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem? The enemy tried to stop the work by first mocking them, or trying to discourage them from working, suggesting that they were rebelling against the king.
As the worked progressed, they began to attack them not with words but with weapons. With the Lord’s help they were able to finish the wall, yet the doors were still to be hung. Their enemies tried to trick Nehemiah, the man of God in charge of the work. They asked him to come to a nearby town, to talk things over. Yet Nehemiah knew this was another trick to harm him. He sent word that his work was too important to stop to meet with them.
When this trickery didn’t work, they hired (or bribed) a prophet to intimidate Nehemiah with a lie. The prophet wanted him to believe that his enemies were coming to kill him, and that he should run into the temple to seek safety. Nehemiah knew that by acting in fear, God’s sovereignty and ability to protect him would be questioned. This would cause him to lose respect among his people, and sin against God. So again, their trickery was exposed. By standing in faith, and trusting in the Lord, they restored the wall in record time, in spite of fierce opposition.
God is showing us that in spite of opposition, we as the church, must be clearing away deception, uprooting the lies of the wicked one, and preparing the way for the Lord's return. Just as John the Baptist stated, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill will be made low. Crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.” Luke 3:4-5
I am surprised, and then at the same time not so surprised, that the Lord’s people are not concerned or anticipating the Lord’s return. Many have become complacent. The Lord warned us of this. “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34
So what are we supposed to do? We have to tear down the orange netting, and jump on the backhoe. We have to dig up the lies and remove our personal excuses. We have to clear out everything in our lives that hinders our walk with the Lord. We must pray for the kingdom of God to advance, interceding for the church, the nation and the world, because that is what it takes to get the roads straight, the valleys filled in and the mountains to be brought low.
We are to pray for the harvest. We are to pray for those in authority. We are to pray for our enemies. We are to pray for the sick and for those who need deliverance. These are ways in which we prepare the way for the Lord’s return.
John the Baptist spoke of the Lord’s purpose in coming to his people - calling everyone to repent and be baptized. He prepared himself for his calling, by devoting himself to prayer and fasting. He separated himself from the world’s values to become “A voice of one calling: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’” Isaiah 40:3
The Lord is coming back for a church that is without spot or wrinkle. We must prepare ourselves for the Lord’s second coming.
In viewing the remaining pieces to the vision, I asked myself, “What does the five dollar bill mean?” I thought of the scripture in Haggai, “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” Haggai 1:5
I believe it is about our priorities and the Lord’s provision. “‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.’” Haggai 1:9
When I reached into my bag, I found a five dollar bill, expecting that there might be another. I was disappointed to find only one. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.” We cannot expect God to bless us, when we are not doing as the Lord has commanded us. We need to make his priorities, our priorities.
What about the red truck with the voice saying, “I am next to you.” ? What does this mean? I believe the red truck represents sin. The voice is not the voice of God, but the voice of temptation. If you remember the story of Cain and Able, Cain did not want to offer God what was commanded, a blood sacrifice. It was not convenient for him, because he was a farmer and grew grains. His brother on the other hand, was a shepherd and raised sheep. Able was able to make a sacrifice from his own flocks, but Cain would have to barter with his brother to get a lamb to sacrifice. He was jealous of Able, that his sacrifice was accepted. He knew that he needed to humble himself before his brother to make the trade. His pride did not allow this. He felt that his way was “good enough,” and that God should be happy with his sacrifice. The Lord saw his heart filled with jealousy and hatred, and he tried to help him do the right thing. The Lord warned him saying, “If you do what is right will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Genesis 4:7
The voice in the vision said, “I am next to you.” This is the voice of temptation. Paul wrote about the sin nature within us. “Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” Romans 7:20-21 We have to see the temptations in our own lives and squelch the voices. We resist the devil, and we flee temptation.
The remaining part of the vision is about the two blocks of cheddar cheese. What I see in this part of the vision is the attempt to cause harm without detection. The cheese is in a cooler, protecting it from spoilage. The two blocks of cheese are strapped to the lid. Both are given the same care. The only difference between the two is one ingredient. It is the food color. Most "would find this fact rather insignificant, however it’s importance was brought to my attention the other day.
My daughter and I were in conversation, when the topic of cheddar cheese came up. It was my research on coloration and the differences between white and yellow cheddar that helped me see what I would not have otherwise seen. My daughter was surprised as I was, that there was not any real difference between the two, only the dye being used. She told me that her one year old seemed to be allergic to some cheeses and tolerated the others well. She came to suspect that the food color might be the culprit.
The food color, may not make a significant difference to most people, but if we see it as one of many foreign substances, that make their way into the body, we would understand that there is a compounding effect. Offending chemicals are found throughout the processed foods that make up the larger part of the American diet. The medicines used to treat the diseases caused by those commercially produced foods are themselves toxic. As a result, medicines are given to overcome the symptoms that came as a result of taking an offending medicine. This phenomenon should be given a name. How about "The Toxic Food-Medicine Syndrome?"
In an earlier vision (2004) that I posted called, "Judgment, Mercy, Judgment, Mercy..." I heard a voice saying, "Among the well-fed will come disease." This was both a warning and a judgment. You can see now that this prophecy, is being fulfilled every day. Chronic sickness and disease is rampant and could "break the bank," or more accurately bankrupt the government with medical costs and an aging population. There is no lack of things for which to pray.
Summary
This vision is a heads up for the Church. It concerns our awareness of and preparation for the Lord’s return. Just as God had John the Baptist go forth and prepare his way, we must prepare the way for the Lord’s return.
1. Yellow backhoe - clearing out deception, preparing the way of the Lord,
2. The brown seed patties - organization of lies, to hinder and undermine God’s work.
3. The blocks of cheddar cheese - attempt to cause harm and poor health to God's people, keeping them from advancing the kingdom of God.
4. Red truck and voice - sin and temptation to take us off course.
5. The five dollar bill - lacking provision because of not making God’s priorities ours.
These pieces of the vision taken together show us what God wants for and expects of his people. It takes devotion and dedication to live for the Lord. It encompasses all aspects of life. This vision is truly a call to live a holy life, anticipating the Lord’s return.
It is time to seek the Lord, to listen to his voice. “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, and not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Romans 13:11-14
Keep going! And encourage one another! Love you all!
