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Friday, April 22, 2011

“Do you see this?”


I know I need to spend time in the written Word of God. I make it a priority to do so in the morning because it makes my day. I now know this time with him is like getting dressed. I get up, I pray, confess, and read. It is putting on his Holy Spirit. Sometimes, it is enough to get me through until five for my next time with him, often it is like physical clothing, the weather changes I need some more on. I get soiled, I need to allow Christ to clean me up and put on some new clothes. It is vital to spend this time with him, in the written word.

This morning, I prayed that God gives me the desire to please him, to walk in the fear of the Lord. (Thank God for Creflo Dollar. The word he brings is always so timely and applicable in my life!) I’m accepting, walking in manifestation in my life. This is my season! As I seek him, he makes it so clear what I need to do and know to “wear” his favor, his blessing. This isn’t something that came about in one session but it has been redefining process.

An illustration of the process is like going from couch potato to professional athlete. First, you make up your mind, I want to do that. I’m going to do that. Next you get up and move. You loose weight, you start developing muscle, you start training for specific skills, you learn the rules and plays to the game. It isn’t something you just get up and do. Walking into the promises of God, isn’t one game day. It is a lifestyle. As with a professional athlete, you begin to filter all of your life choices to line up with that one decision. Eating ice cream for breakfast for a week is no longer as desirable because you have a bigger objective. Your  desire pushes you to train because you want to win it all.
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So with that in mind, let’s look at Ezekiel 47:1-12. “Son of man, do you see this?” From the temple flows a river. 
  • First, of all that is miraculous in itself. Water flowing from the alter, this isn’t your everyday temple.
  • Furthermore, this isn’t a trickle of water, The scripture says that he measure 1500 feet four times, and the fourth time it was too deep to cross.
  • The next thing I would like to point out is verse nine. It says, “Swarms of living creature will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. The wherever in this verse caught my attention. In my physical knowledge bank, rivers flow a set course. That is why you can map them, because it is where it is and that’s where it is going to be (for a long time, geographical things like erosion eventually change…yeah, yeah, you see the point). But this river is different, it can move it’s physical location. The second thing about this river, it makes salt water fresh. It changes whatever is exposed to it.
  • Looking at the eco system around and in this river, you see (1) a large number of fish. (2) Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks. These trees will be forever green, leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit. The fruit from these trees will serve for food and their leaves for healing. It looks like an oasis.
Keep all that in mind, and lets ask some questions.

First question, Where is this river? What is this river? because we already established that it isn’t natural.This river is the voice of God. It is described for us in Ezekiel 43:2 and Revelation 1:15.  You got that? (Yes excited and using poor grammar, excuse me please.)

Now, you know the answer to the next question,  Why/how this river moves? Sound travels. And I just thought of this. It’s like that secret game you may have played in grade school. One person starts a secret and each person whispers to the next person in the class. So when you get to the last person and the secret is said aloud, it is far from what it began as. You start with, “Cats say meow.” and end with, “I like brown cows that go wow.” Because some people are hard of hearing, some people repeat what they interpret not what they heard, and some people flat out lie for personal enjoyment.” But even with all those things considered, how do you know you heard the word of God?

Wherever, the pure, true voice of God is heard, you will see:
  • Changes. Salt water is made fresh.
  • And you can see the “oasis”. You will see the goodness, favor. (Like Joseph, people saw the favor on his life Genesis 39)
  • There will be a large number of fish. Look for quantity. (thousands came to hear Jesus speak)
  • There will be variety, fruit trees of all kind will be there. (through out the Bible people of all walks of life: devout women, Gentiles, diseased, rich, poor sought prophets and Jesus to hear a word from God.)
  • There will be fruit. Good, edible fruit. People will see the fruit of the Spirit.(Galatians 5:23)
  • There will be no lack.  Every month they will bear fruit.
  • There will be service. This is place where people can come and know they will be fed, it will be given.
  • There will be healing. This is a place where people can come and know they will be healed.
These are all ways to validate,  discern rater the voice of God. Furthermore as believers, we should be checking ourselves to be sure that we are an oasis for others.  Can others hear the rushing waters near me? Can they see lives being changed? Can they see God’s goodness in my life, deeds, attitude?

More importantly do I go to people and give my fruit, service, healing. These waters move.  The river moves, are you moving? Are you going with fruit, the service, the healing ? You have to go, the people are bound, stuck! Throughout the Bible, New and Old Testament alike prophets and disciples traveled. They go here and there and back to here, write there for a follow up.

But a lot of believers have an attitude like, I’m here and if God wants me to reach some one, He knows where to find me. No! You go! (inserted self conviction here)

Concluding,  Are you sharing that water that makes new, fresh life? Are you renewing yourself with God’s word, God’s voice? Is your life a reflection of Psalm 1:3,' “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”? If not, perhaps you need to drink more water.


If you have never accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior and you would like to get this water you read about today. All you have to do is confess with you mouth and believe in your heart. Pleas say this prayer aloud:
    "Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."

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