1/2/12 THE RIVER OF LIFE
Ezekiel 47:1-12                            Monday, January 2, 2011
Key Verse: 47:9                           Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF

“Swarms of living creatures 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”

Dear Lord heavenly Father, thank you for the New Year and filling it with hope and new promises. Lord, I thank you for helping me to get to know the good people at Waterman Presbyterian. I pray that you may bless their fellowship and they may form a community of love and faith. Thank you for the privilege of helping me to preach there next week. I pray that you may be with Jenn on her university quest. I pray that you guide her to he campus of your choice and may she grow spiritually through her university years. I pray that you grant all of our members a personal key verses and clear prayer topics for 2012. Grant the same for our ministry in general. Lord, I pray that you help me to write clear and prayerful and pointful daily bread excerpts. May they be an encouragement for all the brethren. Please grant me one word of God to hold onto this morning. I thank you and I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

1. Do you see this? (1-6a).

Verses 1-6a read, “ 1 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[a] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

While Ezekiel was serving the people of Judah during the exile in Babylon, the Lord gave him great visions. The last vision, the vision of restoration, is covered in chapters 40-48. A highlight of this vision is the river flowing from the temple. This river started with a trickle from the south side of the temple. But as it flowed, it became ankle deep, knee-deep, waist-deep, and finally a river that no one could cross. After showing this vision, Ezekiel was asked, “Son of Man, do you see this?” (6).

The Lord wants us to have the vision that the small things done in his presence can be a blessing to the world. What is my vision in this new year? God does create things in our lives that start out small and grow. I did start out small with the manuscript ministry. Then came the hospital group Bible study and the co-working with Jenn. Now there is the preaching at her church in Waterman. There is also the attendance to the DCC open mic night. Then the two music festivals this year. And then the use of the space. Bigger and better things will grow out of this. Also in our family, small things start. Our kids participating in the music program and their 1:1 Bible study and then the school ministries. I don’t know what will come of all this but I anticipate great things for the glory of God. Things grow in God’s right time. What is my vision for 2012? I have vision that small things will grow out of the work that God has started. I have vision that Jenn will follow God’s path to a university of God’s choice and that she will grow spiritually and stand up for her faith in college. I pray that Augustine stands up for his faith at FCA. I also pray that my kids my not compartmentalize their faith, but make their faith 24/7 a part of every aspect of their lives. As far as our 1:1 ministry, don’t know where that is going. I will continue to teach all who come to hear the word of God, but up to now few have taken up the cross to be 1:1 Bible teachers. Vision…I will raise up Steve as a servant of the Lord. I pray for James to begin preaching the Gospel at NIU. I pray that we can continue co-working with DCC and be an encouragement to Waterman Presbyterian and that my kids may be a Christian influence at the DeKalb Highschool. These things may seem small, but I know , that according to this passage, a small stream turned in to a deep river.

2. Where the river flows everything will live (6b-12).

Verses 6b-12 read, “Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah,[b] where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures 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. 10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

The river flowing from the temple turns the Dead Sea into a freshwater paradise teeming with abundant life. Many trees line the river and produce fruit every month. The leaves of the trees have the power to heal. Innumerable fish of various kinds fill the river. The river of life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev 22:1). Where Jesus is, the power of life triumphs over death and the place of barrenness becomes vibrant and fruitful.

Jesus and his Gospel is in my heart and life. His power triumphs over the power of death in my life. Elements of death, anger, despair, fatalism and depression try to overcome my heart and life and take away the life that God wants to grow in me and in my house church. But the Gospel turns it into life and abundant fruit bearing. The fruit that God is bearing in my life is not what I expected. It is fellowship with small and struggling churches. It is lonely times at home with my kids more interested in being with their friends and no one committing to spiritual events with the fellowship. It is seeing people who would rather suffering in their sins than giving Jesus a chance to work in their lives. In some ways I am a little disappointed in the fruit that God is bearing among us. But it is because of my own expectations. We can only receive what God can give. God is doing a wonderful work in my own heart. I am overcoming anger and despair. I am overcoming becoming depressed because my own dream is not being fulfilled. God is helping me to read books and build a web site. I am finding my identity in Jesus. I am finding my niche in the work of God in Illinois. Praise the Lord!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, please turn my dry heart into a freshwater paradise. Make me a blessing to others and spread your blessing to the world.

One Word: Jesus makes the salty water fresh