FLOW RIVER, FLOW

 I want to show you a river today, the mighty power of the Holy Spirit as He comes and brings salvation, healing and drawing us into a new commitment in our walk with Him and then fruit which continues to grow in our lives.  Are you hungering in your life for more of this water flowing in your life?  Many today are hungry and dry, and Jesus offers us living water, Praise the Lord!

 One of my favorite studies in the Old Testament is the beautiful types and shadows of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It has been said that the “New Testament fulfilled is the Old Testament Revealed.”  We shall be looking at the river in the 47^th chapter of Ezekiel.  It pictures God’s river flowing.  And in the New Testament we see the fulfillment in the life of Jesus as He proclaimed Himself the living water, and again we see this river in the Book of Revelation.

 “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” Ezekiel 47:1

 This reminds us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  This water is fast moving, flowing up and out.  In John 4:13-14, Jesus talks to the woman at the well: Jesus answered: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never thirst.  Indeed the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

 The expression “welling up” is a vigorous one, with a meaning like “leaping up.”  Jesus was speaking of a vigorous, abundant life.  Abundance every day as we walk with the Lord, a life full of His joy, His peace, and a walk of faith no matter what may be the trials and circumstances of our lives.

 On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”  By this He meant the Spirit whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.  Up to that time the Spirit has not been given, since Jesus had not been glorified. John 7:37-39.

 Jesus says out of you will flow rivers of living water.  It is not a blessing passed on, not an experience stated, but a river continuously flowing.  Keep at the source, guard well your relationship to Him and there will be a steady flow for other lives, no dryness, no deadness. We are to be centers through which Jesus can flow as rivers of living water to everyone we meet.  Some of us are like the Dead Sea, always taking in but never giving out, because we are not rightly related to the Lord Jesus Christ.  How is your relationship to Jesus today?  Are rivers flowing out of you as abundant, life giving water to those around you?

 “Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters, the waters were to the knees.  Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.  Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over” Ezekiel 47:4-5

 This speaks of the “unsearchable riches of Christ.”  How far do you want to go with Jesus?  Are you willing to count the cost and go all the way with Him?  Are you just tickling your toes at the edge of the river, afraid of getting your feet wet?  Or are you going to wade in with Jesus?  He is inviting you and me to come with Him and experience more of His power in our lives.  There is a sacrifice to make, but are we willing to count the cost and make a new commitment to walk with Him all the way?

 “And it shall come to pass, that everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh” Ezekiel 47:9.

 As this mighty river increases, there is abundant life.  This is living water!  There is no deadness or dryness when the Holy Spirit touches our lives.  These are healing waters, because everywhere this river flows there is healing in its path.  There is salvation in these waters.  There are large numbers of fish.  This water makes salty water sweet, and fish can live in its waters.  This speaks of our Wonderful Jesus, because He brings sweetness of salvation and turns bitter unhappy lives into lives of wholeness.  Is this what you long for, my friend, a life with Jesus, who can turn your bitterness into sweetness?

 The Lord has promised a great harvest:  “open your eyes and look at the fields, they are ripe for harvest” John 4:35.  As this river continues to flow (vs. 10), we see all kinds of fish, like the fish in the great sea, or the ocean.  This speaks of every nation, tribe, color and race coming into His kingdom.

 Are you weeping for lost loved ones today?  Do you have unsaved children and you feel sometimes like your heart is breaking for them?  “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.  He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves with him” Psalm 126:5-6.  Someday, after much weeping and sowing in tears, there will be reaping of a great harvest of joy.  Praise the Lord!  So, don’t give up the battle, don’t get weary in well doing.

 “Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves shall not wither, and their fruit shall not fail” Ezekiel 47:12.

 All along this river are fruit trees whose leaves never wither and die and the fruit never rots or falls off of the trees.  This is a beautiful picture of God’s people bearing fruit, overflowing with Living Water.

 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is in the LORD.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of draught, nor will cease from yielding fruit”  Jeremiah 17:8.

 What a beautiful picture!  We who trust in the LORD, and who hope in Him are blessed people!  We are like trees planted by waters, and our roots go deep into the river of life, drawing nourishment from Jesus who is the Living water.  And when draught comes, a place of dryness in our lives, we will still stay green and fruitful, not becoming anxious, but will always bear much fruit.  Praise the Lord!

 So, my friends, let the river flow in your life, drink deeply of those waters, and then there will be many souls born into His kingdom, and Oh, the joy when even one soul enters His kingdom.  But this river of life promises much fish, many souls for His kingdom.

 Blessings,

Pastor Sharon

I AM REMINDED AGAIN
OF GOD’S LOVE

As you go through your day to day life, do you stop to remember how much God loves you!  I think we need to be reminded how much God loves us and how much we are worth to Him.  We all go through trials and tribulations and storms, but God’s love never fails no matter what we are going through.  And people in this world today need the Lord and His love so desperately, and they need to know that they are worth something in God’s eyes.

Some people have so many struggles that they don’t even think they amount to much anymore.  Some people may be alone in this world, rejected.  But God places much worth in each and every one of us.

In human terms, how much are you worth?  Did you know that we are all equal in worth?  Rich or poor, whatever the occupation, statistics proved in 1980 that the value of a human body was $7.28.  That price was based on the value of the minerals in the human body, such as calcium, sodium, potassium and others.  Now, in this day and age, and in this present economy, the human body is now only worth $4.50!

But let us look at God’s love.  Because of His love, He places a price on human beings:  “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for His soul” Matthew 16:26?

The total value of the world and everything in it is less in God’s sight than the eternal worth of a single person.  That is how much God loves you.

Are you only worth $4.50?  Not in God’s eyes!  He does not measure your worth in dollars and cents.  That is why He sent His son, Jesus, to leave Heaven’s glories to become one of us (without sin) and lay down His life to save us from our sins, and to bring us eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16.

This is a very familiar passage of scripture that many of us have known since we were very small.  And again, we are reminded of God’s love, and His wonderful promise to His children.  Enjoy this quote from C.H. Spurgeon as she shared this scripture:

“Of all the stars in the sky, the pole-star is the most useful to the mariner.  This text is a pole-star, for it has guided more souls to salvation than any other scripture.  It is among promises what the Great Bear is among constellations.

Several words in it shine with peculiar brilliance.  Here we have God’s love, with a “so” to it, which marks its measureless greatness.  Then we have God’s gift in all its freeness and greatness.  Then we have God’s Son, that unique and priceless gift of a love which could never fully show itself ‘till Heaven’s only-begotten had been sent to live and die for men.  These three points are full of light.

Then there is the simple requirement of believing, which graciously points to a way of salvation suitable for guilty men.  This is backed by a wide description – “whosoever believeth in Him.”  Many have found room in “whosoever” who would have felt themselves shut out by a narrower word.

Then comes the great promise, that believers in Jesus shall not perish, but have everlasting life.  This is cheering to every man who feels that he is ready to perish, and that he cannot save himself.  We believe in the Lord Jesus and we have eternal life.”  (Charles Hadden Spurgeon – 1834-1892).

So how much are you worth?  You were bought at a great price.  Think of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for your sins and mine.  “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”  I Peter 1:18-19.

All the riches of this earth could not buy our redemption, but only through the blood of Jesus can our sins be forgiven, and we are then made worthy through His blood.  We are not worthy in ourselves, only through redemption on the cross are we made worthy.  Nothing we can do to try to earn our salvation, will be acceptable only through the cross of Christ are we made acceptable in His sight.

So today, accept His love and know that you are worthy, and He loves you more than you can ever ask or think.  No matter what the trial is today, or the storm blowing around you, GOD LOVES YOU!

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon

JESUS, YOUR NAME IS

SO SWEET

I was thinking today of people I know that have so many troubles.  The world is a troubling place.  There is so much heartache and sorrow.  Sometimes the needs are overwhelming when I hear the stories of people in so much pain.  And where do we turn on days when we are so weak it is hard to even move around.  There are days when nothing seems to go right, even the small things are troubling.

But on days like today the Lord will put a song in my heart, encouraging me to keep going on, and to keep my focus looking up and into His sweet face.  Oh, how sweet is the very Name of Jesus, and He does make my joy full and complete.  Oh, my friend when things are not going well in your day, just say the Name of Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!

THE NAME OF JESUS

The Name of Jesus is so sweet, I love its music to repeat; it makes my joys full and complete, the precious name of Jesus.

“Jesus,” oh, how sweet the name!  “Jesus,” every day the same; “Jesus,” let all saints proclaim its worthy praise forever.

I love the name of Him whose heart knows all my griefs and bears apart; who bids all anxious fears depart I love the name of Jesus.

That name I fondly love to hear, it never fails my heart to cheer, its music dries the falling tear; exalt the name of Jesus.

No word of man can ever tell how sweet the name I love so well; oh, let its praises ever swell, oh, praise the name of Jesus.   (W.C Martin 1901 -, Edmund S. Lorenz 1854-1942)

I am reminded again what is in the Name of Jesus.  Isaiah 9:6 says: “His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

And He is indeed Wonderful, and so many times I can go to Him as my Counselor.  He promises the Holy Spirit to be our Counselor and Guide.  And when in times of great turmoil, He is my God and my Everlasting Father, Praise the Lord!

And it is so wonderful to know that He never changes.  He is the same God that spoke to Moses in the burning bush, the Great I AM.  He is the same God who opened the Red Sea to let the children of Israel cross over to the Promised Land.  He was the Cloud and the Fire who followed the Children of Israel in the Wilderness.  We see our Everlasting Father God all through the Old Testament, and then we see Him coming as our Savior, born to a Virgin, as Prophesied in the Old Testament.

We see Jesus walking the hillsides of Judea, healing the sick, casting out demons, opening blind eyes and unstopping deaf ears.  Oh, what a Wonderful Lord, with such compassion on the multitudes, the Sweet, Sweet Jesus!

Then with such love, He set Himself toward the cross, looking ahead to the joy beyond the cross, the joy that He would bring to all of us who love Him, the joy of our salvation.  “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God”  Hebrews 12:2.

And my Wonderful Jesus dries my tears, in fact, in Psalm 56.8 He puts all my tears in His bottle.  My tears and yours are precious to Him.  But someday, in that Glorious day when we see Him face to face He will wipe every tear away, Oh, Praise the Lord!

So, if this day is going to be one of tears and struggles or days of pain, just call on the Wonderful Name of Jesus, the Sweet Name of Jesus.  You may need comfort today, He is your Comforter.  He loves us so much and our minds cannot fathom how much He loves us.

And we have hope, hope which the world does not have.  Our hope is in Jesus, our Lord.  And we shall soon see Him face to face.  What a day that will be!  When all these things we have suffered here on earth won’t matter much any more, and we can truly say: “It has been worth it all when we see Jesus.”

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” Revelation 21:4.

Especially on cloudy days when the clouds are so thick and fluffy across the sky, I try to imagine what it will be like to be caught up with Him in the air.  I think of the song, “When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus we’ll sing and shout the victory.”  I try to imagine the shout when believers from every country, every nation, and all through the ages, see His face.  That shout of victory will rock the universe!  It will be a shout of pure joy and praise!  I can hardly wait, can you?

So be blessed this day, and Praise the Wonderful Name of Jesus!

Pastor Sharon

                                                                       

LED AND LOVED BY

MY SHEPHERD

As friends and I were coming from the north recently, heading home, I noticed flocks and flocks of sheep.  Some were grazing, some were resting. And I saw many little lambs with their mothers.  And all were feeding in Oregon’s green pastures. All was peaceful there in the pasture. Even the traffic and noise of the freeway did not disturb them.

My mind went immediately to Psalm 23, the very familiar Psalm of David.  I was reminded of my Beloved Shepherd.  My body was in pain from an injury suffered in leaving the retreat we were attending, and at that moment, I needed my Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd” Psalm 23:1.  He is Jehovah Raah, one of the compound names of our Wonderful Lord.  We have seen Him previously as Jehovah Shalom, our Peace, among many other names.

And we all are like sheep (Isaiah 53:6, John 10:27, Psalm 100:3). And what makes a difference in sheep is the shepherd.  If we are weak, helpless sheep, then He is our loving tender Shepherd.  And when we come to the New Testament, we see Jehovah Raah in all His fullness and amazing love, as Jesus said He was the Good Shepherd  in John 10:11

And as I gazed upon those sheep in Oregon’s pasture, I saw peaceful sheep.  But all is not peaceful in God’s flock of sheep, and we desperately need our Shepherd and His tender care.  Oh, we may look peaceful and may put on a good face, but many of God’s sheep are hurting.  Some of us are in pain.  Some of us are going through great times of grief, and other great trials.

No matter what the storm or how dark the path we know that our Shepherd is leading us.  I am reminded of a wonderful old hymn, and I love hymn stories and how they were written.  “God Leads us Along” reminds us of how we as sheep are led by our Shepherd.  Sometimes on the mount, where the sun is bright, sometimes in green pastures of rest, and sometimes in the valley where the night is dark,   and sometimes through great sorrow, but it is His grace and mercy and His great love that He leads us along.

The author of this hymn , George Young, was a carpenter and a pastor.  He didn’t make much money in either profession.  Most of his life was spent in small farming communities.  Finally, however, he and his wife were able to build their own home, and they moved in.  Shortly afterwards, while the Youngs were holding meetings in another small town, someone set fire to their house, and it was reduced to ashes.

It was probably out of that experience that George Young wrote this hymn and ended the chorus with these words: “Some thru great sorrow but God gives a song, / in the night season and all the day long.” (The Complete Book of Hymns by William J. Petersen & Ardythe Petersen)

GOD LEADS US ALONG

In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet, God leads His dear children along; where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet, God leads His dear children along.

Some thru the waters, some thru the flood, some thru the fire, but all thru the blood, some thru great sorrow, but God gives a song, in the night season and all the day long.

Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright, God leads His dear children along; sometimes in the valley, in the darkest of night, God leads His dear children along.

Tho’ sorrows befall us and Satan oppose, God leads His dear children along, thru grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes, God leads His dear children along. (George Young, 19^th Century).

“Now may the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” Hebrews 13:20-21

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon

THERE’S ANOTHER MOUNTAIN

IN MY PATH, BUT I WILL CARRY ON

It seems as if we continually face “mountains” in our pathway.  Do we climb those “mountains” or do we try to find a path around them?  Sometimes those “mountains” are just small hills that we can easily go around in a short time.  Sometimes I think: “Not another “mountain” or “not another obstacle in my pathway, Oh Lord?”  As we walk with the Lord, we continually face “mountains” or “valleys” or “storms” in our pathway.  But isn’t it wonderful to know that our Wonderful Lord is leading and guiding us all the way, even though the pathway sometimes seems just too rough to go on. We want to just give up our hope.

How large is your “mountain” today?  Is your “mountain” one of pain and physical suffering?  Maybe you wonder how long you can endure this pain, and sometimes the treatment involved also brings much suffering.  Maybe it is a great financial burden.  In this economy, many are facing great financial loss.  I meet people today who have great and complex problems and don’t know where to turn.  Many just give up their hope.  I think of the tornado victims and their great losses.  Many have lost everything including dear loved ones.  And they are facing great “mountains” of grief.

Then I am reminded that I can go on regardless of pain and the circumstances around me, even age related distresses.  I am reminded of a wonderful hymn that speaks of our hope as believers when we feel that we cannot take another step:  “until then my heart will go on singing.”  And my heart will begin to rejoice and look ahead to the joy that is before me.

UNTIL THEN

“My heart can sing when I pause to remember, a heartache here is but a stepping stone along a trail that’s winding always upwards, this troubled world is not my final home.

But until then my heart will go on singing, until then with joy I’ll carry on, until the day my eyes behold the city, until the day God calls me home.

The things of earth will dim and lose their value if we recall they’re borrowed for awhile; and things of earth that cause the heart to tremble remembered there will only bring a smile

This weary world with all its toil and struggle may take its toll of misery and strife; the soul of man is like a waiting falcon, when it’s released it’s destined for the skies.”   (Stuart Hamblen)

As the song says, “we can go on singing.”  Can you continue to sing and praise the Lord in the midst of great trials?  Sometimes in the midst of a trial or just when I need to be reminded that He is near, He will drop a song in my heart.  Sometimes it is a song or hymn that I haven’t heard for a long time, and I go to find a songbook to look up that song.  Many times I awaken in the morning with a song in my heart, and to me that is always amazing!  The Psalmist in the Psalms talked about our “songs in the night.” “The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me – a prayer to the God of my life.”  Psalms 42:8

We are reminded to sing and praise our God as we face these “mountains.”  The Apostle Paul was in prison when he wrote “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice” Philippians 4:4.  But sometimes it is hard to rejoice and have joy in the Lord when our body is wracked with pain.

But we look forward to a day when we look back and realize these things we went through here, things that caused our hearts to literally tremble, will be gone forever.  “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” Revelation 21:4.

So what are we to do?  Shall we just give up and live like others who have no hope?  No, my friend, with joy we will carry on!  We will continue to work “till Jesus comes.”  Yes we will encounter mountains, big and small, storms and days when everything seems dark.  Titus 2:13 assures of our Blessed Hope and we will carry on with joy.  David and sang about that joy in the midst of running from King Saul, and the many trials he went through.  Even our Lord Jesus endured the cross, as He looked forward with joy to the day when He would sit down at the right hand of His Father, having brought us salvation, Hebrews 12:2.  The Apostle suffered much, but continued to remind us to rejoice and be in joy, I Thessalonians 2:19.

So we will carry on with hope, with a song in our hearts, and much joy in spite of the “mountains” and the storms blowing around us.  We will carry on until we meet Him in the air or until we are called home.  And we will carry on until our eyes behold that city where we will dwell with Him forever.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.  Also there was no more sea.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall no more death, no sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” Revelation 21:1-4

What a day that will be,

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon