Sunday, April 28, 2013

Deeper 228

"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. 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.
As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep.
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.
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.
He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”
Then he led me back to the bank of the river.
When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.
He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea.
When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 
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.
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.
But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 
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.”
Ezekiel 47:1-12

The Lord has been speaking to me about the direct correlation in this scripture
between the distance travelled to the depths of the river of living water.
The distance travelled is our walk.
As we move forward seeking the things of the Spirit,
going farther, persevering and reaching forward to "apprehend
that which has apprehended us",
Jesus takes us deeper, and deeper still.
Standing 'still" leads us to a place of stagnation where we can become like swamps and marshes,
not able to receive the "living water" and the deeper things that the Lord desires us to experience and possess.
Today beloved, move forward, go deeper, fix your gaze on Jesus.
He is faithful to complete the good works He has begun in each of us!

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