Bernice Scheidler: Who You Walk with Matters
Feb 25, 2026
A Little Yeast Leavens the Whole Lump I heard the Lord say, "Be mindful of those you allow to influence you. A little yeast will leaven the whole lump." In a dream I had in the early hours of the morning, on January 16, 2026, I was standing at a stone ledge at the entrance of a large, beautiful garden with a river running through it. Three men came to enter the garden. In order to get in, they had to cross the small stone ledge and pass by me. I was holding a pencil sharpener, and each of them carried a pencil. I knew their pencils needed to be sharpened if they were going to enter the garden. All three pencils were dull and blunt. In the dream, I knew all three men personally from the past, but they had only recently become friends with one another. The first man was an unbeliever. The second man was a relatively new Believer, who had begun to grow in his walk with God. The third man was a fervent follower of Christ. The unbeliever approached first. He wanted to enter the garden, but his demeanor was cold, dismissive, and arrogant. I sharpened his pencil, watched the shavings fall, handed it back to him, and watched him walk down the hill into the garden.
The third man was a once-fervent Believer. He too had become friends with the other two men, and his fire for the Lord had grown lukewarm. His pencil was also dull. I sharpened his pencil, but I was so grieved by the change I saw in this man that instead of letting him continue down the hill, I pulled him aside. I placed my left hand on his back, as if to hold him up, and my right hand firmly on his heart, and I cried out in a loud voice, "Jesuuuuuuusssssssss... Jesus!" as though I were calling life back into him. Suddenly, a wind began to consume the space. The ruach breath of God filled the atmosphere. I was weeping and cried out, "I refuse to accept anything less! I refuse to accept anything less!" Then I woke up. You Are Like the Friends You Surround Yourself With As I was waking, I heard in my spirit, "You are like the friends you surround yourself with." Then I heard the Lord say, "Be mindful of those you allow to influence you. A little yeast will leaven the whole lump." "Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?" (1 Corinthians 5:6 NKJV) I believe the garden represents places of God's presence, Christian communities, churches, ministries, and Kingdom businesses. The garden was not fortified with walls or gates, because Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, the broken, the hurting, and the wayward. The world has access because Jesus desires that they come into His Kingdom. But in the dream, I was standing at the entrance as a watchman—not to turn people away but to discern their condition, to sharpen, and to intercede. I believe the pencils represented purpose and passion for the Lord. All three were dull. They needed sharpening. I was most grieved by the man who had lost his fervency—his fire and passion for the Lord—and was being influenced by his worldly friends. When God gives us revelation and we choose lukewarm living, something precious is lost. To know the truth and refuse to live it is more grievous than never having known at all (2 Peter 2:21). In the dream, I refused to accept anything less than full passion and complete surrender to God. We are called to burn for Jesus. Scripture is clear. In Revelation chapter 3, Jesus spoke to the lukewarm Church of Laodicea and said that because they were neither hot nor cold but lukewarm, He would vomit them out of His mouth (Revelation 3:14–16). There is no place for lukewarm living when we are called to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. Discern, Warn, Sharpen, and Intercede
First, for leaders: The lost, new Believers, and the backslidden will come into your communities. You must be watchmen and discern, warn, sharpen, and intercede. (Photo via Unsplash) Second, for Believers: Be mindful of who you allow to influence you. You will become like the friends you surround yourself with. A little yeast leavens the whole lump. It only takes a small amount to affect everything. Scripture helps us to identify who to turn away from! "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was." (2 Timothy 3:1–9 NKJV) God, I pray for discernment to come upon Your people. I pray that You would stir their hearts to live fully for You! Restore their passion where it has been lost! Surround them with godly influences, people who will sharpen them in their understanding and purpose! I release blessing over each one in Jesus' name.
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Bernice Scheidler Bernice Scheidler was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, and moved to Central Oregon, USA with her husband Josh in 2010, where they currently reside with their three children. Together they planted Ignite Faith Church in 2016. Bernice Scheidler also started Bernice Scheidler ministries where she teaches, preaches, and releases the prophetic and prayer. She is a revivalist, a prophetic speaker, and a creative with a heart to create beauty. She is passionate about the call of God on her life, and places great emphasis on the importance of prayer. She is called to release the Kingdom of God here on Earth through sharing the Gospel and releasing God's heart to others through dreams, visions, and the prophetic; through preaching, teaching, and ministering to the sick, the lost, and the broken; and through the creative arts. Her heart's desire is for people to encounter God in a very powerful way, bringing them the salvation, healing, deliverance, breakthrough, and freedom they desire. She believes in signs, wonders, miracles, all the gifts of the Spirit, and that the Body of Christ should operate in them today!
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The second man, the new Believer, had shaved his head since I had last seen him, but it wasn't just his appearance that had changed. His entire demeanor was different. I could see a spirit of rebellion had entered him. I knew his unbelieving friend (the first man) had influenced him. He was proud, and his heart had become hard. I was deeply saddened by what I saw. I sharpened his pencil, gave it back to him, and watched him walk down the hill into the garden. (Photo via Unsplash)
I believe this dream carries a two-part message.
