"Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? James 3:11
"Then the word of the Lord came to me: "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the Lord, "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel." Jeremiah 18:5-6
"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." II Tim. 2:2-21
"For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11
"From before time began, I have chosen my people. Before many of you were in your mother's womb, I have called you. Each of you has a particular calling, a particular destiny. I have knit together each person in a particular way. There is a road, a pathway, that each of you must walk. There are trials and temptations which are instinctively made for each of you. No two people will go through exactly, the same types of things. Would you be surprised at the fiery trial which you are facing? Do you not know that it is designed precisely, for you? Before time began, there was a book written about each of your lives. And in that book, the chapters spoke about the things which you might go through. In my library, there are volumes and volumes of these books written about each of you. A purpose, a plan, was laid out for each of you. Some of you have drifted off of that purpose, and I want to bring you back to it. For I know the plans I have for you; they are plans to give you a hope and a future. These plans that I have for you are shaped by individual steps which you must take. And along these individual steps, there are signposts which point the way to which you should be going. You would do well to pay attention to these signposts; for they are done by my Spirit, in order to lead and direct you. A child is given a home, a place to call his or her own. Each of you has a home and a place which you could call your own. That home, that place, is with Me----and with this home, is the home of each of your destinies. It is true that there are seasons in your lives, but it is also true that these seasons add up to the final outcome of each of your lives. In my Father's house are many vessels......some are for noble use and some for ignoble. Each of these vessels was designed for a specific purpose. (I was shown a ceramic pitcher which had various designs on it, and also platters of different kinds and shapes, each beautiful in their own way. Then I was shown a furnace, the type which might be used for pottery to be baked in. It seemed that the Father was ready to take each of the vessels or pots, which He had made, and place them in the oven.) Why would you desire to be something different from which you are? I instructed Jeremiah to go down to the potter's house and to observe him as he shaped the clay; and I mentioned that the potter shaped each of these vessels in their own way. Do not desire the "glaze" of another vessel. If you were to attempt to change the vessel shape, then you might "explode" and not go through the fire in the right manner. I inspect each of these vessels and see if they are ready for the fire. I control the fire, and I control the clay. Let me be the artist of your destinies. Let Me determine the glaze.....Let Me determine the shape which you will take, then each of you will be ready for the Master's use."
(I saw a man bent over, squatting on the ground, and he had a stick and was drawing a line in the ground with it.)
"A line is being drawn in the sand. Surely, there has been a line drawn, a boundary which you shouldn't have crossed over. A line for demarcation, a line for the boundaries in which you should speak."
(Then I was shown a brush, and this brush was being applied to a surface, as if to sugar-coat it, as one would with glazing something which would be cooked, and then eaten.)
"Many of my servants have been held back in this hour. They have been given a mandate from Me; they have been given my words, but they have held them back. Some of them are willing to speak pleasing words; some are even willing to speak words of exhortation. Some have given words of revelation and insight, and with this insight and revelation, my plan has been laid. But I AM asking you to go a step further. I AM asking you to cross over, to go over the bridge. On one side of this bridge are words which speak of comfort and only of what they would want to hear. But on the other side of this bridge, are the words I give you, for bringing my church unto maturity. This word would seem to break and to hurt, but the end result would bring healing and restitution. Consider if you will, a surgeon who would operate: There may be a deep wound; how else can this wound, or this injury be taken care of? It is by extracting the disease. Am I not called the Great Physician? So, speak the words which are given unto you by my Spirit. Know that they are for the building-up of my body. Yes....test and discern that which is true. My church needs those who speak what I AM willing to give unto them. Remember, that in the end, the message will bring healing and health to the bones. Remember to not sugar-coat my words, but to speak them. Test them by my word, and test them by those who would discern the truth in them. It is time to rise-up; it is time to bring my message unto the church. "
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Heb. 12:1
Do not your spirits and your bodies long for that day when I will arrive? Surely, that day will come, says the Lord. All runners who compete in a race, know the need for endurance. In great distances particularly, there is a need for this. Those who run the race must run it with great fervor, but fervor without knowledge is foolish. Imagine, if you will, a baby who would begin a race. Those who are young, are not trained for things such as this. They have just begun to crawl, let alone, to run a race. Likewise, those who are young in the Lord, would burst out of their starting blocks at the starting point. Bodies are trained for things such as these; how much more important for one's spiritual life to be trained.
"Consider those who have gone before you; they roamed the deserts, and were found in various places. The world knew them not, but they found their home in me. So, train yourselves for the race which is set before you. Know that this is not a sprint; and in this race, I have given you a map. Maps are used for traveling great distances. A map is needed for those who would go on a trip. But in running a race, one must not carry their burdens with them. Every weight, and every encumbrance, must be lifted off, in order to run this race. My people, look far on down the road, and you will see that this race is not as long as you might have thought. But run the race, run the race with perseverance. Train yourselves to pace yourselves. How many times around the track have you already run? Surely, as you approach the finish line there will be a greater need for endurance. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and these witnesses have also run this race. And also remember that there are brothers and sisters who have fallen down, and they need your assistance. To compete in the games, the race was for yourselves, but this race is not just for yourselves, but it is for the whole body of Christ. Keep your eyes on the finish line, for I stand there waiting, waiting for each one to come home to Me. Are you ready to run this race?...then keep your eyes on the finish line, and keep moving, and you will come to the finish line. An archer hits the mark with accuracy, and so in turn, will the race be won, for it is not just in running, but it is in following my Spirit. "
"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasure." James 4:1-3
He then said: "This represents many of the wishes people have had"
"Many of you have had wishes and dreams of what you have wanted to do; Many of these dreams have been like a vapor, for they have escaped into the air. You dream and desire things which only you want. It is like you live in a fantasy world, wanting your own personal Jeannie to grant your requests. But I want your desires to be my desires. You want things of this world. I have plans for you which the world cannot provide. It is true that I will grant the desires of your heart, but many of these hearts have the world's desires in them. When you are conformed into my image, then your desires become my desires. Slowly, the old nature begins to drift away, and then, you put on my nature. How can a corruptible seed or desire seek after my heart's desire? For I know the desires you have, and I long to fulfill them. I long to fill your cups with good things.
If you were to rub a decanter or a lamp, and you only had three wishes......what would those wishes be? Would it be for weath, or fame, or something else? If you had your own personal Jeannie you would be granted only three wishes, but I grant much, much more. I know the dreams and the wishes that you have, and I will grant them for you, and I can give you much more than any personal Jeannie can. "For I know the plans I have for you, they are plans to prosper you, and not to do you harm, but to do you good." And these plans are for your future. If my people will seek Me with their whole hearts, then I will give them the desires of their hearts. But in seeking after Me, then your desires become changed and conformed into mine. So, do not follow after the desires of this world, for they are only an illusion. "
"See....I AM mobilizing my army. It is time for all the soldiers to join the ranks. A strategic plan is being made ready. I have plans for my army here on earth. Those with their arrows are poised and ready to shoot. Those with battle axes and swords, join the ranks. "The lions roar, and the eagles decry what they see." Join the ranks of my army, says the Lord. From rocky cliffs, and caverns, come out and join the army. You with tambourines and cymbals; go before the army. Lift up your hands, and sing. You minstrels of the Lord.....sing a song unto Me. Sing a song before Me which would break the darkness before you. This will help in getting the troops back. And when that music is lifted-up, then I would say that it is time to move onward. Let the sound of this battle cry be heard throughout the land. And when the sound of this battlecry is made, then I would say to speak unto the heavenlies. Speak unto the heavenlies, my prophets. Speak unto those powers....speak, and tear-down those strongholds. Speak unto those principalities which reside over cities of this nation. For they hold this nation in bondage to it. Speak unto the city of Las Vegas: Speak and come down, the spirit of gambling. Speak and come down, the spirit of delusion. Speak unto the city of Los Angeles: Speak unto the spirit of racial unrest. Speak unto the spirit of violence. Speak unto the spirit of the anti-christ. Speak unto the city of New Orleans: Speak unto the spirit of voodoo. Speak unto the city of New York: Speak unto the spirit of pride and self-sufficiency. Speak unto the spirit of drugs. Speak unto the spirit of the capital of this nation: Speak unto the spirit of liberalism. Oh, that this nation, this country, would be the home of the brave. Oh, that you would follow the laws of my commandments. My laws are just, and they are easy to follow, but you have made laws which are much too difficult to follow; and when my people, ask for a law and a rule to be written, and your rooms are filled with one law after another, then the process is long and drawn-out. After my prophets speak unto those heavenlies, then I would say, "What is your part, my apostles? What is the plan for mobilizing the troops into action? Enter into my chamber, and I will give it to you. Let it be one in which everyone is involved.
So, my army, come into rank, and be ready. Lift-up your implements of war, and be made ready. An army needs a commander, and an army needs order. Each has a place and a function to perform. When each is doing their part, then it works in unison. Then the parts work together as one. Sound the trumpet and be ready."
"And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has 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." Rom. 13:11-12
"But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you." Rev. 3:2
How can you be ready for that which is to come if you are slumbering? So....WAKE UP CHURCH! Dress yourselves for being awake. Put the water of my Spirit on your face. Rub your weary eyes, and put on the oil of gladness. Then you will see when danger approaches, and be prepared for it. This is not a time to be idle. All warriors in an army are dressed for battle. Keep your battle clothes on. Keep the sword of the Spirit with you at all times. Keep the shield of faith with you, and keep the helmet of salvation on. If you keep these things with you at all times, then you will not be slumbering. So, dress for battle, and be prepared, and be forever watchful. This is the year for being watchful and looking ahead. Look to those things which would bring unity to my body."
"What is the vision, you may ask? Each person may have a vision, or an idea of what their life may be about. Each person will have gifts and abilities which will point them in a certain direction. There are many choices and pathways in this life. Consider if you were in a forest: you may have found your way as you have begun in it, but the further you go, it is easier to get lost. In this same way in life, one can get lost. "So what are the choices?" you may ask. There is a way, which few have trod, which I AM leading many of you on. It may appear to be a lonely one, but it will converge into other ones (paths). Consider that many, perhaps, have wondered where this path is going. But as they walk further on down this path, they see that others like unto them, have also been walking this way. I ask that many of you who have thought that you have lost your way, encourage each other, and "light your lamps." For there needs to be a vision so that the people will not perish. Each one of you has part of this vision. As you are walking down this path, hold your lamps up high. Others need to see these lamps and the light which is being emitted.
My prophets, my light holders, I say, do not walk within the light of your own eyes! The oil which burns within that lamp, comes from Me. If you can see beyond the rim of this forest, then it is ONLY because of Me. The picture, the vision, is given some unto one, and some unto another. So in this way, it does not rest on just one person. Hold your lamps up high so that the light will burn brighter and all will see more. Share the vision so that it will be complete in Me. Then the distant hills, and surrounding areas, will be more visible to all. Then the enemy's camp will be revealed, and then, my purposes will be declared. "
You can discern the weather, but can you discern the times in which you are living? Eating and drinking, and having feasts, this is what you would rather be doing. You have seen the violence which is prevalent in many of the schools. You have witnessed one war after another, in the MIddle East. Starvation.....poverty.....and violence. You would say, "Tell us good things, don't tell us bad things." Truly, this nation, this country, is coming under judgment. Would a loving God judge a nation? Have I judged the past? Do you think that I just sit above the circle of this earth, and don't become part of what is happening? Truly, I AM involved with history. Truly, history would be rewritten if you would turn from your sins. Look back on many of the events of the past, many of the wars and the tragedies which took place. You may ask, "Could I have prevented these things?" Truly, I could have, but I want you to learn from your mistakes. Oh, some times I wonder what I have created in man---the capacity for so much love, and yet, the capacity for so much evil. The heart is deceitful above all measure; who can know it? And yet I have made a provision, a way out of this. It is a way with identifying with my Son, and what He has given unto you. So the choice remains yours about this country. The clock is ticking, and the time is about to be running out. I can still turn back the hands on this clock, if you will seek Me with your whole hearts. And then this nation, this country, will remain one in which you say, "In God we trust."