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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Saturday, 14 October 2023:
Ezekiel 47:1-12 – Behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple…. And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes…. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.
The river of life flows from the temple, bringing life to all who draw near to it and providing all that is needed for life. Jesus is the Living Water, and true followers of Christ are now the temple. Our job is the allow the living water of Jesus to flow through us, not to attempt to create our own ‘water’ to give to others.
Ezekiel 34:18, 19 — Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and to drink of clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have muddied with your feet?
We should not seek to share mere ‘good ideas’ with others, our personal opinions, or the latest humanistic answers to life’s problems; nor should we merely seek to make people feel a bit more comfortable apart from Jesus. Our mission is to speak as Ambassadors for Christ, using only His words, not ours. Of those who exchange the Gospel for moralism, concepts of ethics, or fuzzy ideas of an all-accepting god, the Bible says, “My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jeremiah 2:13) The only thing we have to offer the world is Jesus, nothing else matters. Jesus alone is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Living Water, and those who abide in Him bear fruit (John 15), “their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”
– Jeremiah 6:14 — They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.
– 1 John 3:24 — Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
– John 8:31 — So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
– John 15:5 — Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Some look at the Bible as a self-help book full of principles to solve life’s problems. However, the Bible is the word of God intended to unite you with the Living Word, the Living Water, Jesus. (See John 1) Principles and practices don’t bring us life, Jesus brings us life, and eternal life is knowing Him, which begins at the moment of salvation. (John 17:3) As Ambassadors of Christ, we must not stop short by merely telling people about what the Bible says on a particular matter, we must share the Gospel of Christ — “…but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life…. Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 4:14; John 7:37-39)
Consider what Ezekiel reveals about the Spirit flowing from Jesus – a small ‘trickle’ emanating from the Temple turns into a mighty river (swimming depths) which follows a geographically impossible path (countering gravity) and brings incredible life to everything it touches. Compare this picture with the parables Jesus gives about the Kingdom.
In Ezekiel’s prophesy, the river “flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea” – impossible. (v. 47:8) The sea is the Dead Sea, and to get there from Jerusalem via the route Ezekiel describes, it would have to flow down to the Kidron Valley, up over the Mount of Olives, and then cross through a series of other valleys and mountain ranges. Gravity and other forces and pressures make this impossible for an ordinary river, but this is no ordinary river, which is further confirmed by what happens when the river reaches the Dead Sea. The salinity of the Dead Sea is so great (almost nine times saltier than the ocean) nothing visible lives in it. But when the river from the temple reaches it, the water is instantly transformed and can support fish “of very many kinds” (vv. 47:8–10). This vision describes the supernaturally transformative power of the Spirit flowing from Jesus and merely ‘trickling’ from the Temple – Wow! One day, God will rebuild His Temple (literally and/or figuratively) on a New Earth, but until that day, God is redeeming people through the church (the temple made up of God’s people) in miraculous ways and bringing new life where it is humanly impossible in order to bring glory to Himself. Our goal is to glorify God by living the new life and introducing others to Jesus that they too would experience the new life in Christ.
– 2 Corinthians 5:17 — Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
– Galatians 6:15 — For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
– John 7:38 — Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
– 2 Peter 1:3-11 — His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Psalm 118:5, 6, 14, 15, 17-24 – Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me…? The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous… I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
How wonderful that we have received the salvation of which the Psalmist could only prophesy! Now, how should be live? “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by… the builders, which has become the cornerstone (Acts 4:11).”
Palm 118:9 – It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
During a period of political rivalry, it is important to explain to people that the hope of the nation is God, not politicians. No matter who is elected, how strong the economy is, or how strong the military is, nothing can protect the nation that isn’t protected by God. National defense is best achieved through repentance and revival.
Jeremiah answered God’s call to prophesy against his own government. His faithfulness to God appeared to be treason to his earthly king, and he was imprisoned, persecuted, and exiled; yet Jeremiah pleaded with his country to follow God’s ways, not the politicians. Jeremiah was just a young man who initially lacked confidence, but God said to him, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord…. Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
Jeremiah was not called to act under his own wisdom, strength, talent and skill; he was called to act under the power and authority of God. Under the authority of God, Jeremiah was “set… over nations and over kingdoms… to overthrow.” Likewise, Jesus gave us the Great Commission to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you;” and Jesus placed these two bookends on that commission: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Like Jeremiah, we, as a ‘priestly kingdom’, have been set over the nations by the authority of the KING of kings and through his power, not ours. The Ancient Prophets had a glimpse of us long before we existed – “Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which delay not for a man nor wait for the children of man. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver. Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.” (Micah 5:7-9) Like Jeremiah, using weapons that are not of this world (not of flesh), we are called to “destroy strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4) It is a global insurgency as we transform hearts across the planet, destroying “arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and [taking] every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5) Our message as Christ’s ambassadors is the same as it has always been — “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Are you ready to join in the Great Victory? Or will you be like the tens of thousands who walked away from Gideon’s Army in the face of seemingly impossible odds only to miss out on the incredible experience of the power of God at work? God is inviting us to be a part of what only He can do, to step in faith, knowing that our power is wholly insufficient (the definition of faith). This is what Jesus did with the disciples when he sent them out to heal – “And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.” However, when they proved unable to heal (despite the power and authority given to them), Jesus explained the problem — “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?… Because of your little faith [you could not heal]. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (see Matthew 17) If we fail to rise up like lions, it is not because we lack the authority and Holy Spirit power; it is because we lack the faith. Faith grows every time to take another step in faith. Through baby steps, we eventually learn to stride.
Psalm 118:18 – The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
God disciplines but never gives you what you really deserve, which is death, eternal death. Don’t despise the Lord’s discipline, which is the loving Father’s way of maturing you and conforming you to the image of His Son, Jesus.
Psalm 118:19 – Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
Only God can open the gates of righteousness to you; give thanks for the grace you have received in Jesus.
Psalm 118:22 – The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Again, this is Jesus.
Psalm 118:29 – Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
Salvation should make you rejoice every day.
Proverbs 14:1 – The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.
Our words and deeds will either build up or destroy.
Proverbs 14:2 – Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
Your actions reveal what you really think about God.
Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
Man’s version of righteousness is doomed.
Proverbs 14:2 – Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord, but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
How we live our lives reveals what we really think about God.
Proverbs 14:4 – Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
If you are going to get anything done, you are going to have to be willing to get your hands dirty. You have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.
Proverbs 14:5 – A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
Liars lie as easily as breathing. Like the old saying goes, “I know he is lying because his lips are moving.” You cannot trust a deceiver.
Proverbs 14:9 – Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance.
Wise people seek to make restitution when they have offended others.
Proverbs 14:10 — The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.
Everyone around you is going through challenges you know nothing about. Show them grace.
Proverbs 14:12 — There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
If we rely on our own understanding rather than Divine revelation, we will surely fail. You must rely on the wisdom of God.
Proverbs 14:16 – One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.
Christians are cautious, not reckless or careless, in their thoughts, words, and actions.
Proverbs 14:16, 17 — The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.
The world is wicked and full of deception. Many teachers proclaim godless lies, leading many astray. You need godly discernment grounded in Scripture and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Compare every philosophy, theory, policy, or opinion you hear today with the standard of God’s word. Judge customs and traditions from the standard of God’s word. Obey God’s word over popular opinion.
Proverbs 14:17 — A man of quick temper acts foolishly.
If you get emotional during a disagreement or when offended, keep your mouth shut, and walk away so that you don’t say or do a regrettable thing.
Proverbs 14:21 – Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
Whenever we fail to love or care for others, even our enemies, we are sinning.
Proverbs 14:23 – In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
Afghans have a saying, “Talk doesn’t make flowers grow.” There is no substitute for hard work.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 14 October 2023: Share the Living Water with those all around you who are dying of thirst.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 