The Unfaithful and Double-Minded
Hi Friends,
Today I am writing about two visions that were given to me a few weeks ago. Unfaithfulness and Double-mindedness are related. Either one leads the the other. Very often, without realizing it, we can lose our focus on what really matters and find ourselves in a double-minded state. I believe that we are experiencing a time of testing - even the smallest thing can get us off track. We must remain faithful in spite of what our heart may desire.
These two visions, I had posted about last week, in “The Deceitful Heart.” I wrote about these visions as they pertained to me, however, there was a broader interpretation, that I wanted to share today. This message pertains to all people, especially those of our nation.
The First Two Visions:
First I saw a woman dressed like a saloon girl from the 1800’s. She appeared to be posing for a seated portrait. She wore a short black dress with netting and dark stockings. A long red plume was placed in her curly hair.
Several minutes later, I saw a stick of Wrigley’s Double-Mint chewing gum in its green wrapper.
So what do these two visions mean? This is the broader interpretation:
Vision 1 The Saloon Girl
The saloon girl is a performer. She is someone hired to sing and dance on stage and entertain the men who come to the saloon to drink and gamble. A saloon girl is unmarried. It is likely that she is a prostitute.
I believe that the woman represents unfaithfulness. So God would like us to look at ourselves, and ask “Have we been unfaithful? Have we compromised our faith and become complacent or apathetic? Has the church compromised her values to be “politically correct” or more accepting of lifestyle sin among her congregations?
God feels very strongly about our faithfulness to him. He was highly disappointed in Israel for their lack of faithfulness. He referred to them as adulterous women and as prostitutes. Time and again throughout the Bible, God showed love to his people Israel. But the people of Israel proved to be unfaithful, abandoning their love and devotion to him, the one true God, and pursuing the gods of the nations around them.
In the book of Ezekiel, the Lord speaks of two sisters Oholah who is Samaria, the capitol of Israel, and Oholibah, who is Jerusalem, the capitol of Judah. The Lord uses these two sisters to describe the acts of sin and rebellion against him. The greatest of sin is the sin of idolatry, paying homage to an idol or to a false god. Idolatry is also giving preference to something or someone over God. Because he is our creator and has given us breath, he deserves the highest honor and respect.
The following passage about Samaria and Jerusalem is a perfect example of how the Lord feels about unfaithfulness towards him:
“Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after. She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt, when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.
“Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians, for whom she lusted. They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women, and punishment was inflicted on her.
“Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister. She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men. I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.
“But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall, figures of Chaldeans portrayed in red, with belts around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea. As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. Then the Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust. When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister. Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. Ezekiel 23:5-19
So the Lord punished both Samaria and Judah. The following passage shows the consequences of their unfaithfulness.
“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution.”
The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices, for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them. They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my Sabbaths. On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house.
“They even sent messengers for men who came from far away, and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup and put on your jewelry. You sat on an elegant couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed the incense and olive oil that belonged to me.
“The noise of a carefree crowd was around her; drunkards were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads. Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is.’ And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah. But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood, because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob against them and give them over to terror and plunder. The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.
“So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you. You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 23:35-49
I believe that the Lord gave me this vision, because he wants us, the Church to acknowledge our sins and the sins of our nation, for we are like Israel and Judah.
The Israelites sacrificed their children to the pagan gods. So God held them responsible for the blood that was on their hands. Likewise, America has sacrificed 62 million of our children to the gods of Convenience and Self-love. These children have never seen the light of day, murdered in their mother’s wombs. God will also hold this nation accountable for their blood.
The Israelites followed the practices of the heathen nations setting up shrines and high places where they would honor these false gods with gifts and offerings. They burned incense and offered prayers to these false gods. And as was part of their worship, committed indecent acts with shrine prostitutes. They would then enter the temple of the Lord, expecting that their sacrifices and offerings would be accepted. But, as one would expect, this angered the Lord.
Our nation was dedicated to God. We were to be a Christian nation that would bring the Lord honor. But we have not been faithful. Our sins have not gone unnoticed. After the sin of abortion, we have a full spectrum of sexual immorality, violence, corruption, greed, anarchy, rebellion, lying, stealing cheating, homosexual marriages, divorce, child abuse, pornography, human trafficking, drug abuse, and occult practices.
We need to repent for our personal sins, and the sins of our nation.
In addition to idolatry, abortion, and sexual immorality, the Lord also hates hedonism and materialism, both of which are prevalent in America. As Americans we are hedonistic (pleasure seeking) and materialistic. Our economy thrives on the acquisition of material goods and services. We want the latest, and greatest fashions, furnishings, beauty products, electronics, vehicles, houses, and anything that strokes our egos, and creates an air of prestige. We are driven by pleasure: entertainment, food and drink, vacations, resorts, spas and clubs. Our nation indulges itself on sexual pleasures: promiscuity, free sex, pornography, prostitution, and perversity in all its forms.
When the Israelites sinned, the Lord used the nations whose customs they followed, to destroy their cities and to take their people captive. The Assyrians defeated Israel in 722 BC and about 135 years later the Babylonians overran Israel and took many of them captive. Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 597 BC. Ezekiel the prophet was taken to Babylon as a captive, along with the rest.
Now that we are in a period of grace, following the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, we can experience the Lord’s forgiveness and restoration because of his atoning death on a cross. He redeemed mankind. “You were slain. and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Revelation 5:9
Those who turn to the Lord with a repentant heart, will find his love and his forgiveness. “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
But what about those who do not repent, and who continue to do such things? Without repentance there is no salvation. It is imperative that sinners leave their sinful ways behind and follow the Lord.
Yet, people are blind to their own sin. They do not understand that they have transgressed God’s law and deserve death. God is Holy and “without holiness, no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14
However, when we repent, and surrender to the Lord’s will, we receive his forgiveness, his love, his salvation, and peace. The Holy Spirit will bring conviction to our hearts, so that we experience a genuine godly sorrow over our sin. When we are truly grieved by our sin, and repent, or turn away from that sin, God forgives us and we become born again - a new creation.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
We are no longer bound to sin. We are free to live for Christ! Hallelujah!
Vision 2 The Double-Mint Gum
When I saw the stick of Double-Mint gum in its green wrapper, I knew immediately that the Lord was referring to this passage of scripture in the Book of James:
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:6-8
Probably one of the most exciting stories in the Bible has to do with double-mindedness. It is a story of Elijah the prophet of God and the 450 prophets of Baal. The people of Israel were so influenced by the people around them, that they served their gods and tried to serve the Lord at the same time. As we have already discussed, this infuriates the Lord.
“They made me jealous by what is no god and angered me with their worthless idols. I will make them envious by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.” Deuteronomy 32:21
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal
Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’
But the people said nothing.
Then Elijah said to them, ‘I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire – he is God.’
Then all the people said, ‘What you say is good.’
Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, ‘Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.’ So they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it.
Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. ‘Baal, answer us!’ they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
At noon Elijah began to taunt them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or travelling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.
Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come here to me.’ They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, ‘Your name shall be Israel.’ With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench round it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, ‘Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.’
‘Do it again,’ he said, and they did it again.
‘Do it a third time,’ he ordered, and they did it the third time. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.’
Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord – he is God! The Lord – he is God!’
Then Elijah commanded them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!’ They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.
And Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.’ So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
‘Go and look toward the sea,’ he told his servant. And he went up and looked.
‘There is nothing there,’ he said.
Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back.’
The seventh time the servant reported, ‘A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.’
Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, “Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.”’
Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rainstorm came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. 1 Kings 18:21-46
Wavering between two opinions is a dangerous place to be.
The vision of the Double-Mint gum is a warning to us, the Church. We are to be warned of having loyalty and desire for the world and at the same time make an attempt to serve God. Jesus spoke of the futility of trying to please two masters:
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24
To be double-minded is to be unstable, unpredictable, or wishy-washy. These people can not make decisions because, they are not able to discern good from bad, or right from wrong. But most importantly, they cannot make a real commitment to the Lord, because their hearts are divided.
Are you familiar with the story of the rich young ruler?
The Rich Young Ruler
"Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
Jesus answered,“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
“When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, It is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’”
“When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’”
“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” Matthew 19:21-26
We are a materialistic people. But we are to love what God loves and hate what he hates. The Lord knows that the world tempts us with pleasures and many luxurious items to buy. The voice of temptation calls to us: “Buy this, Do this, Listen to this, Taste this, Desire this,” and on and on it goes. By what are we tempted? How can we overcome the temptation?
It is the Holy Spirit that indwells each believer that helps us to restrain ourselves. When our desires are strong and the flesh is weak, we can give in to life’s pleasures and indulgences. We can give in to envy and greed, coveting what someone else has, or what someone else does. Giving in to temptation can lead to sin.
Sin begets sin - and soon the heart becomes enamored with the world, and hard toward God. Before we know it, we can find ourselves in a place far from him. The enemy of our souls would like nothing better than to shipwreck our faith and compromise our values. This is how we can fall away from God. It is what we call apostasy .
How can we resist these desires that take us away from God?
This scripture gives the answer: “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred; discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you , as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. “
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Galatians 5:17-24
So we must crucify the flesh. It begins as a quality decision, and a commitment to God. We must resolve to stay pure and to not give in to our fleshly desires. The Holy Spirit has been given to us to keep our own spirit strong. And each day we feed on the word of God to fuel our conviction, and nourish our spirit, for it is our “daily bread.”
Jesus told us that, ”Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
Fasting is a discipline which strengthens our spirit and helps us to overcome our flesh. By fasting we become more sensitive to hear the voice of God and to be led by his Spirit. Fasting I believe is a lifetime discipline that is invaluable to strengthening our spirit and keeping our flesh down.
Worshiping the Lord, praying in the Spirit, and spending time in his presence, helps us to grow in intimacy and helps us to understand his heart. When we love him, we will obey him.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16
Our walk with God is an awesome thing. There is nothing like it on earth. There is nothing in the earth that compares to him. So let us make a genuine commitment to Jesus, to serve him all the days of our life!
God bless you. And Please share this with someone that needs to know!
Just a note: I want to tell you how grateful I am for friends and fellow believers that are praying for our nation. Hallelujah! I am thankful that many in the Church have encouraged one another to intercede for our nation and our leaders. I am thankful that prayer and fasting is continuing for our president and our governmental leaders. We are praying for God to raise up God-fearing men and women to take their place in all three branches of government, at all levels of government, local, state and federal. We are praying and fasting for our president to be re-elected, and to lead our nation to fulfill its manifest destiny. We are praying that our nation will return to its foundational beliefs in God and experience a genuine spiritual revival. I believe that the church is beginning to awaken and take her place as a watchman. Thanks for praying and please continue to do so!
