Friday, 19 December 2008

• "RIVER IN THE VALLEY" PART II

   

  “RIVER OF LIFE IN THE VALLEY" PART II

   

  You who laid the foundations of the earth, so that it should not be moved forever, you covered it with deep as with a garment.  The waters stood above the mountains.  At your rebuke they fled; at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.   They went up over the mountains; they went down into the valleys, to the place which you founded for them.  You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they may not return to cover the earth.  He sends the springs into the valleys; They flow amoung the hills 
  -- Psalm 104: 5 - 10

  "You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the LORD, have created it
  -- Isaiah 45:8

  In order to properly get to this study on the River of Life in the Valley, I feel it’s important to summarize a bible study that was shared at my friends bible study group.  

  "RENEWAL"

  We did a study on “Renewal”.  We need to rebuild and revive or replace what has decayed (our marriages, families, our homes).   The definition of Renewal in the Webster’s dictionary is:  to make new again, begin again, replenish (a supply).  Compare this to a Foundation of a house.  The meaning of Foundation in the Webster’s dictionary is:  Establishment or basis, base of a wall, house ect.. (Heather did a study on walls a few weeks ago.. think about that wall built around the city and how solid that foundation was! -- Nehemiah)

  Remember that a house not only applies to the physical house you live in but Christ who also lives within us.   1 Corinthians 6:19 states: Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? Our bodies are his temple, he is housed within us.  You must have a solid foundation in which to build your house on. (If you do not build on a solid foundation, everything that is supported by it will crumble and fall apart).  Having a SOLID rock foundation applies to our lives, our families and our friends. 

  God has laid the Cornerstone upon which he constructed this world.  He breathed life into us and gave us a manual to follow, that manual is the Bible, the WORD of God.  The Water that keeps us both physically and spiritually alive. 

  Another study from the women’s group, Pastor Don (from Living Word Chapel) happened to be at a study for our Women’s bible group and he spoke about what God placed on his heart for us which was the story of Hannah in       1 Samuel 1.  YEAR AFTER YEAR, she went to the house of the Lord, wepted and prayed from the deepest inner most part of her soul. (She never gave up.. think about that…. We’re talking years and years! Not days or months .. but years! Most of us give up much sooner than that, myself included. We begin to question our faith.  But Hannah prevailed.  She had SOLID ROCK FAITH.  She would not be moved.  Her wish was finally granted and her face was no longer sad. What did this mean?  Why was her face no longer sad?  She came into her faith (she was finally able to get pregnant and gave birth to Samuel whom she gave to the Lord when he was old enough).  Pastor’s message was “Its not cancelled, it’s only postponed” “Our hard work, our feelings of being unappreciated, everything we do, day in and day out, thoughts of “when’s it going to be my time?” When is someone going to Love me? Hug me? Notice me? We all have these feelings and needs.  God is there, he dwells within us and loves us so much. We only need to seek him out for he knows our pain and struggles (he hears our cries)  We may feel he’s not listening but he is. We must remember that it’s in his timing, not ours.  And we need to keep plugging along, keep believing, keep thanking God.  Everything we go through has a purpose. If its not caused by sin then know its happening to strengthen us in our Faith. He is walking with us through these times of trials. We need to stay strong in our faith (especially now as times become harder and harder) Stand SOLID on that Foundation.    Don’t give up even when it seems hopeless.  

  This brings me to my study on “THE RIVER OF LIFE”

  

   

   

   

   

  
   

   

  From the Foundation (knowing Gods Word) ---------->  to the Cornerstone (from which it was constructed by Christ)    --------> to Living Waters (keeping our faith built up.. SOLID and UNMOVABLE).    

  In Ephesians 2:20-21 it states: Having been build on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

  How do we do that?  How do we keep ourselves, our family and friends strong? How do we become that solid unmovable person of Faith? How do we Receive in Faith and keep it?  Well, we stay in the WORD… God gave us flowing living water which is constantly running.  Does it say it lays stagnant? NO!!! He pours his word onto us and we only have to open our minds and hearts to him. Allow him to replenish & renew us constantly. His word is his gift, his life force for us, it keeps that light within us from burning out.

  The word is alive and flowing into us.  Take that time to read the word, listen to it in your car… Keep the faith music playing…. Stay connected to your friends and family in Christ (I’ve even hooked up with some fellow members here at church on Facebook and we encourage each other throughout the day, it truly helps) keep yourself prayed up… Surround yourself in that Water!

  DEFINITIONS:

  v  Definition of Water (websters dictionary):  (1)Colorless liquid of rivers, lakes ect.. (2) Water solution (3) Body secretion

   

  v  Definition of Stream:  (1) Small river (2) Steady flow, as of air  (3) Move swiftly
  
  

  v  Definition of Living:  Having life, having use, true, lifelike, enough to live on, way that one lives
  
  

  v  Definition of Life: active existence

  FACTS:        

  v  Water Replenishes
  
  

  v  Water Cleanses
  
  

  v  The average human body is about 65% water.
  
  

  v  Our bodies MUST have water to survive. Constantly flowing through us or our bodies breakdown and die.  We need the blood to circulate. Revive and refresh our bodies.. we cannot allow it to go stagnant.
  
  

  v  Its Free
   

  v  You only have to Believe to Receive
  
  

  v  The word water appears 396 times in the bible (stated in the Strongest Strongs Concordance)

  John 4:13 – Jesus said “whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. The prophet John is speaking about we that dwell in God and God that dwells in us.

  Living water: In ancient times, they called spring water living water because it seemed "alive" as it bubbled up from the ground.  At first glance, it might seem that Jesus tells this woman about a nearby active spring.  But Jesus makes a play on words and with the phrase "living water" because He means the spiritual water that quenches our spiritual thirst and gives life.

  Remember to keep our foundation Solid (the lord is my rock) keep our Spirit built up, pray often and go to friends and family in Christ to encourage us and lift us up.  We need each other. The flowing waters pour out on to us by staying in the word and receive that constant replenishing waters here in the Valley.    We live in a beautiful area. When you hear the descriptions in the bible of the mountains, streams, valleys, rivers and trees…to me, it is a picture of how blessed we are to be living in a place that is the exact description of what is to be. 

   

   

  The Water of Life

   

  

   

  ITS SOURCE - In God

  Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me Me, the fountain of living waters. (Here we see that The people of Isreal turned to other resources rather than depending on God for the Living water – other gods)
  Psalm 36:9 For with You is the fountain of Life; in Your light we see light
  
  ITS FLOW - From Christ

  John 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become a fountain of water springing up into everlasting light.  
  Revelation 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the and the lamb.

  ITS CHANNELS - Through Believers

  John 7:38-39 He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Here he is saying to come to Me and drink because I will fulfill that need in your life. I will fill that thirst. Not only will I fill the thirst, but I will cause your life to become an overflowing cup.

   ITS RECEIVERS - The Thirsty

  Isaiah 55:1 Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.  God freely offers everything necessary to give his people abundant life and the word LISTEN carries the idea of obedience. Gods word never fails. The Word has power. The Word RESTORES life to his people like rain coming down from the heaves bringing new life to the earth.
  Rev. 22:6 – Then he said to me “These words are faithful and true”

  Symbol of River (in Ezekiel) River brought life everywhere it flowed.  The tree of life stood next to the river bearing its fruit CONSTANTLY and the leaves of that tree are for the healing of nations.

   The River Flowing From The Temple -- Ezekiel 47

   1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. 3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.

  Let us look at the various aspects of this resource. First of all, there is the source of the river. Where does it come from? Ezekiel said, "I saw a throne and issuing out from under the throne came the river." The waters of the Spirit come from the very throne of God, from the supremacy of his authority, the highest point in the universe, the place where our Lord Jesus received the promised gift of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

  Does that remind you of anything? Do you read in that and hear in that our Lord's words recorded in John 7 when he stood at the temple on the last day of the feast and said, "If any one thirst. let him come to me and drink...Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water. Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive..." (John 7:37-39) This is the resource of the Christian life.

  As the prophet watches, he sees that it takes its way down past the altar, the place of sacrifice.

  Then, notice the power of this river. It has quickly grown large enough to swim in, yet there is no other river adding to it. No tributary streams are coming in. It is a great, gushing, mighty torrent of life coming out from under the throne of God.

  As you read this, notice the experience of the prophet. He is led into this step-by-step; three times he says, "And he led me through." Is God leading you through? Have you ever had that experience? The first step is to the place where the waters are ankle deep. Isn't that a picture of a man who has experienced only a shallow sense of God's grace and power in his life? He is a Christian but he is what the scriptures call a carnal Christian -- still filled with bickerings and fightings and inner turmoils. He has not learned anything of the peace of God. He is disobedient. He fights against God's grace very time he turns around. He's in just ankle deep. And a lot of people stay there.

  But then the prophet says, "He led me through, and it was knee deep." The waters get hold of his knees. Have the waters got there with you yet? Have you begun to hunger and thirst and to pray and to seek the face of God? Here is a man who is not satisfied any more with just being born again. He is hungering after something. He is on his knees. He is crying out to God, yearning for more.

  "And he led me through," he says, and the waters come up to the loins. There is less of him now, and more of the grace of God.

  Then he goes one step further and says, "He led me on and the water had risen and it had become a river to swim in." Here is someone who is utterly committed. He is over his head. He is out there where he is swept along in the current of God's grace. And what is the effect of this river on the land? As the prophet is led back along the banks he says, "I see trees on either side of it" -- fruitfulness. The barrenness of the land has been healed. The river is fertile; everywhere the river flows, things begin to live.

  Have you learned this yet? All of this is written for us. John sees the same river, in Revelation 22:1-2. "Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God...through the middle of the street of the city… It flows right through the middle of life. Have you found the river of the Spirit yet? It is as we learn these mighty truths that Christian life begins to make sense. Until then, it is nothing but a difficult path, a struggle to try to keep things straight. But when we begin to experience the mighty, gushing torrent of the rivers of living water -- the flow of the Spirit of God right through the center of life -- everything begins to live, and life becomes significant and full for us.

  The prophet sees this. And he closes this beautiful book with a description of the temple.  Look at the last verse of the prophecy. He says: Water is also a biblical symbol of renewal.  It will nourish the dry land, and will resuscitate the dried-up bones of Israel

  As I was beginning to close out this study God gave me this last scripture. It came to me after I was done writing and then began to listen to an audio bible I have (the bible experience) I have it on my iTunes and my intention was to play something else but I hit the wrong thing and Revelation began to play.  Knowing that there are no accidents when it comes to God.. I proceeded to listen and waiting to see what would happen.  As I listened and Revelation 1:15  I felt the words move through me so powerfully that I knew it was to be shared.

  Turn to Revelation 1:15 and lets read it together:  “His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace and His voice as the sound of many waters”  This is a very powerful statement.

  In Closing of this teaching, the Lord kept reminding me of an event that happened to me at the age of Seven. It totally lined up with this teaching.  

  MY ANGEL UPON THE ROCK

  

   

   

  Painting done by my husband, John

   

   

   

  I was visiting my cousins down in Yonkers NY and we rode our bikes down to a nearby elementary school about a mile from their house.  We parked our bikes and walked along a dirt path behind the school.  We followed a fast moving stream from the cliffs above and I had the bright idea to see if we could climb down the mountain to the rushing water below.  I started to climb down but lost my footing and slipped off the rock catching the edge of another rock with my hands and there I hung with my legs dangling in the air.  I called out in terror “God Help Me” and the next thing I know, my sister and cousins take off running! This man appeared, walking towards me.  He was dressed in a monk like robe with a white robe belt and had a hood over his head and brown sandals. Just as my hands lost their grip and started to slip, the man bent down and placed his hands over mine and I seemed to float up in the air.  I remember seeing his face which resembled Jesus and when I came down to my feet, he moved his hands away and I ran away.  As I turned back (only a few seconds later), the man was gone. When I caught up with my sister & cousins and asked if they saw the man they had no clue what I was talking about, they were running to get help.  I know that God was looking out for me that day.  I called out to him and he saved me.

  As I was doing this study on Foundation and SOLID ground.  I look back at this and see that I went off the path.. Obviously, I was just a child who didn’t know better but I have this image embedded in my head, I can see the unstable rocks and a roaring river below. I stood and climbed on something that was not solid, lost my footing.  It crumbled and I fell with it catching the tip of another rock.  I had no choice but to call on God.  There was another path.. a safer path, one that would have kept me from harm but I chose to walk on the wrong path.  But God is great, he cushions our falls, brushes off the dirt and sends us on our way (just like children) we grow and are strengthened by our experiences.

  I was somewhere I wasn’t suppose to be.  Pastor taught not too long ago, during one of his sermons to stay between the lines..He was driving down from Connecticut and there was thick fog.  He stayed somewhere in the middle, he focused on staying between the lines and safely made it to teach Sunday morning sermon. God will guide us and provide us with what we need.  I was just a kid but the point is I lost my footing.  I was walking along a cliff, not very safe!  The ground below me was not stable, I slipped catching the edge of a rock. But here’s the point.. I was holding onto a large rock (a solid rock that could not be moved)Praise God.. he was there to pick me up.. brush off the dust and sent me on my way.    

   

  When I finished teaching this study at church I had them play a song for me which totally brought everything together.. here are the lyrics:

   

   LOVE IS HERE

  by Tenth Avenue

  come to the waters, you who thirst and you’ll thirst no more.
  come to the father, you who work and you’ll work no more.
  and all you who labor in vain and to the broken and shamed:

  love is here.
  love is now.
  love is pouring from
  his hands, from his brows.
  love is near,it satisfies.
  streams of mercy flowing from his side.
  cuz love is here.

  come to the treasure, you who search and you’ll search no more.
  come to the lover you who want and you’ll want no more, no.
  and all you who labor in vain and to the broken and shamed,

  yeah:

  love is here.
  love is now.
  love is pouring from his hands, from his brows.
  love is near, it satisfies.
  streams of mercy flowing from his side.

  yeah

  and to the bruised and fallen,
  captives, bound, and broken hearted.

  he is the lord
  he is the lord,
  yeah

  by his stripes he’s paid our ransom
  from his wounds we drink salvation

  he is the lord
  he is the lord

  love is here.
  love is now.
  love is pouring from his hands, from his brows.
  love is near,
  it satisfies.
  streams of mercy flowing from his side.
  streams of mercy flowing from his side.
  cuz love is here
  love is here.

  I pray that you are blessed and stand strong in your faith.. let nothing shake your foundation and let the waters pour down on you.  God bless you all.

   

  -- Michelle  

   

  here's another graph to sum up all the points that were made in this study....

   

  

   

   

   

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