God's River of Healing!
Ezekiel Chp. 47 "River of Healing"-Ezekiel's Vision
First, I continue to praise God for His hand of protection over my family during this COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, during this time when church buildings are closed, God has been pouring into me. I've dug into His word in a new and fresh way; my prayer is that more growth is taking place in my life. Truly, a season is taking place where I am learning what it means, as the prophet Ezekiel did, to eat and digest the word of God, knowing it tastes sweeter than honey. I think it is also a challenge for believers to not become spiritually lazy, as well as taking the time to read and hear for ourselves; what thus says the Lord of Hosts. I know how important church is, I've been in it my whole life. It will be a blessing to congregate again in the church building. I'm thankful for the the effort of the pastors, teachers, leaders, and technology team doing what they can to feed their flock amid COVID-19.
Thirdly, I invite you to listen to this lesson on Ezekiel's vision of the river that flowed outside of the temple wall; beyond the temple. A place where we can learn what it truly means to live holy and set apart for God (sanctification); a place where He can help us to overcome disobedience unto Him and to present ourselves a living sacrifice. Scripture: Chp. 47 of the book of Ezekiel. Below, are more thoughts I would like to share with you, not be mentioned in the video.
The Holy Spirit's powerful revelation of what can take place outside of a church building? • Outside of those 4 walls; healing, salvation, prayer, and transformation can still take place in the lives of so many. A spiritual river of healing available to you right where you are; 24/7/365. There are so many false teachings going on within church buildings today. I can see how people have become so fixated and rely only on what is stated behind a pulpit, without picking up a Bible and checking to see if it lines up with the Word.
What the Holy Spirit is showing me? • I believe we can get very comfortable with something (i.e. a church building or all the activities surrounding it), to the point of when it's taken away, (even temporarily), we are lost or don't know how to carry on as a believer? There have been many long periods in my life when I couldn't get to church because of sickness or caregiving duties, and God was still there in His intimate love and power to meet with me; I'm thankful for that even now. I am thankful that God is no respecter of persons, and during this time He can open our eyes to see things from a new and fresh perspective, if we allow Him to. I know He has got me alone with Him, more than once in His time and way, when I refused to give Him the time He deserved. That is when you truly understand what it means to "Be still and know that He is God."
So, what happens if a second wave of this virus comes again in the Fall and Winter and we enter back into a quarantine time or social distancing continues of 10 or less people for an extended period? • This week, I was thinking how as an adult, I am able to feed myself physical food. During this time so many don't have access to an online weekly church video to watch nor are they able to go to a drive in church service, and they are learning how imperative it is to dive into the word and spiritually feed themselves through prayer, study, and even fasting. Learning to worship God right there in the sanctuary of the home. If this isn't for anybody else but me, well that's okay, but we are a spoiled society that have become too comfortable with the church building. I was seeing visions, of what I believe to be were other parts of the world where there were no church buildings, but how hungry they were for God. Seeking Him, praying to Him, singing to Him, and soaking in His presence. They were no doubt spiritually swimming in God's purified river of healing.
What's the deal with swamps and marshes? • I was thinking how sometimes the swamps and marshes (these weren't purified in Ezekiel's vision, but stayed salty), can sometimes be what we focus on in our life instead of stepping into God's healing river where our thoughts can remain on Him and not the worries, fear, busyness, or rituals. Stepping into the river causes a focus shift where we can continaully think on those pure, lovely, true, and holy thoughts. Where the river of God goes and takes me, is where I want to always be. I wonder if Ezekiel looked around him in his vision and saw abundant life springing up wherever the river went. Even the “Salt Sea”, which I understand to refer to the Dead Sea, became fresh when the River of Life touched it. Ezekiel saw this transformation. He saw life springing up where previously there was none; except for the marshes and swamps. To the people of Ezekiel’s day, I suspect that swamps and marshes were essentially a worthless piece of land. But the Holy Spirit also revealed this to me: It's hard to walk through swamps, you can't grow good fruit in them, and you can't drink the water. We have to look beyond that to see what's really happening (spiritual realm). Ezekiel looks at the swamps and marshes; he sees that they are not becoming fresh. I wonder if he scratched his head and asked, “Why doesn’t the river touch the swamps and marshes to heal them? Why aren’t they made fresh and useful like all these other places? Why are they left for salt?” These verses show that the swamps and marshes won’t become fresh. The will be left for salt. This shows an intentionality in leaving those seemingly useless pieces of land in their swampy, marshy condition. There is a reason those areas are not touched.
Why Leave the Swamps Be? • Upon further study, the wetlands - the swamps and marshes - serve an important function of a filter between fresh water rivers and the salty ocean. The life that abounds in both the rivers and oceans would be threatened if they came in direct contact. Swamps and marshes are necessary in an ecological sense.
What it boils down to? • The church building doesn't make us holy nor does it save, transform or heal us; that is all done through and by the power of God once we step into His presence; His purified and holy river. I know that seems common sense doesn't it, but you wouldn't believe the conversations I have had with people in my life (I've even had them with myself more times then I can count), that started like this... "Well, if I could just get to church, I could get what I need from God?"...when He's waiting on you to step into His river of healing right where you are. If I had to wait one or two days a week to get a word from God or what I needed from Him, I believe I would be in quite a spiritual mess. Just like the swamps and marshes actually can serve as a filter system, I know that church can help keep us in check, but it is what happens beyond that building (those walls) in the river of God that is life changing. There are people who sit on a church pew (chair now a days) every week and never get saved or have a transformation, etc. They haven't tapped into what can take place in their life if they would just wade on out in that river! Everyday, I am doing my best to stay in His river! What we really need now, more than ever, is His Holy presence, and that can be found wherever we are in this moment.
I continue to pray over so much during this time and lost souls are at the top of the list! If you need encouragement or have a prayer request, don't hesitate to send me a message. ♡
In Christ,
Kimmy
Written On 4.17.2020
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