Worship

Portions from Ezekiel 47:1-12  During the vision that the Lord gave to Ezekiel about the temple of God:

"The man brought me(Ezekiel) back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple...the water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar...he led me through water that was ankle deep...through water that was knee deep...through water that was up to the waist...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...swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows...where the river flows everything will live...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, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them.  Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."

I read this passage just after speaking to a new sister in Christ, a gifted violinist whom I had the pleasure to play with last weekend during a time of anointed worship.  The Lord's presence was so richly in the music that we were just carried away and overwhelmed in worship!  It was one of those evenings that I will treasure in my heart for the rest of my life.

When I read this passage in Ezekiel, I was struck with the imagery of the river as a symbol of worship through music that brings healing and life!  First of all, the river flows from the altar of God in the temple.  The altar was in the Holy of Holies, the most anointed and sacred place where the presence of Almighty God dwelt. (Ex.26:31-35; Hebrews 10:19-23 )

I see this river flowing from God's presence, embodying His power and peace, and flowing as a rushing river in a wide path.  Everything in the path of the river was full of life, was fruitful, was renewed and fresh.

Friends, that is true when we worship our God!  Our lives are renewed, our spirits are refreshed; God gives new vision and new energy.  He bears fresh fruit through us to bring us pleasure and peace and to bring glory to His name! (Galatians 5:22-25)

First the river was only ankle deep...at times our worship doesn't have much energy, does it?  Perhaps it is because there is sin in our lives, or maybe we are just not spending the time in the Word and in prayer.

Next the river is knee deep.

Then waist high...now we're learning, right?  We are bathing ourselves in the Word, seeking after the Lord, wanting to grow in His love, desiring that our lives match up with our talk.

The next image is that the river is deep enough to swim in!  Oh friends!  This just thrilled my heart and brought tears to my eyes!  Oh that we would grasp how long and wide and high and deep is the love of Christ! (Ephesians 3:14-19) May we be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God!  Glory to His name!  It just makes me want to sing!

Where the river flows everything lives!  We serve a God of life and life abundant.  (John 10:10-11 ) I am not talking about the abundance of the world, although certainly the Lord blesses us with tangible things as well.  But I am speaking more about the abundance of life that is found when we totally surrender to His will, when we fix our eyes on Him, when we find the joy that surpasses knowledge of just being in His presence.  Friends, that kind of worship will change our lives!  That kind of worship brings healing in every form -- spiritual, emotional, relational and physical.

I pray that would swim in the ocean of the Lord Almighty's presence through worship!

Portions from Ezekiel 47:1-12  During the vision that the Lord gave to Ezekiel about the temple of God:

"The man brought me(Ezekiel) back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple...the water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar...he led me through water that was ankle deep...through water that was knee deep...through water that was up to the waist...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...swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows...where the river flows everything will live...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, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them.  Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing."

I read this passage just after speaking to a new sister in Christ, a gifted violinist whom I had the pleasure to play with last weekend during a time of anointed worship.  The Lord's presence was so richly in the music that we were just carried away and overwhelmed in worship!  It was one of those evenings that I will treasure in my heart for the rest of my life.

When I read this passage in Ezekiel, I was struck with the imagery of the river as a symbol of worship through music that brings healing and life!  First of all, the river flows from the altar of God in the temple.  The altar was in the Holy of Holies, the most anointed and sacred place where the presence of Almighty God dwelt. (Ex.26:31-35; Hebrews 10:19-23 )

I see this river flowing from God's presence, embodying His power and peace, and flowing as a rushing river in a wide path.  Everything in the path of the river was full of life, was fruitful, was renewed and fresh.  Friends, that is true when we worship our God!  Our lives are renewed, our spirits are refreshed; God gives new vision and new energy.  He bears fresh fruit through us to bring us pleasure and peace and to bring glory to His name! (Galatians 5:22-25 )

First the river was only ankle deep...at times our worship doesn't have much energy, does it?  Perhaps it is because there is sin in our lives, or maybe we are just not spending the time in the Word and in prayer.  Next the river is knee deep.  Then waist high...now we're learning, right?  We are bathing ourselves in the Word, seeking after the Lord, wanting to grow in His love, desiring that our lives match up with our talk.

The next image is that the river is deep enough to swim in!  Oh friends!  This just thrilled my heart and brought tears to my eyes!  Oh that we would grasp how long and wide and high and deep is the love of Christ! (Ephesians 3:14-19 ) May we be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God!  Glory to His name!  It just makes me want to sing!

Where the river flows everything lives!  We serve a God of life and life abundant.  (John 10:10-11 ) I am not talking about the abundance of the world, although certainly the Lord blesses us with tangible things as well.  But I am speaking more about the abundance of life that is found when we totally surrender to His will, when we fix our eyes on Him, when we find the joy that surpasses knowledge of just being in His presence.  Friends, that kind of worship will change our lives!  That kind of worship brings healing in every form -- spiritual, emotional, relational and physical.

I pray that would swim in the ocean of the Lord Almighty's presence through worship!

When you hear two sermons on the same passage of scripture within 24 hours, you realize that God is trying to tell you something!  Let me share it with you...

Acts 16:16-24 paints a graphic and exciting scene, full of enough drama to fill the movie screens in Hollywood:  After exorcising a fortune-telling demon from a slave girl, rendering her useless to her owners, Paul and Silas are not only confronted but severely beaten and then thrown in prison.  Bruised and bloodied, they sit in a maximum security prison for hours.  At midnight they are praying and praising God, while the other prisoners are listening. Suddenly God sends an earthquake strong enough that all the chains break loose and all the prison cell doors swing open!  Read for yourself the rest of the story in verses 27-34.

At times I am beaten up by the enemy, bloodied from battle -- spiritually and emotionally -- as I strive to walk this path of faith.  Circumstances or even my own fear of failure can feel as confining as a maximum security prison cell.

But, praise can change my perspective!  We've all heard the statement: "You cannot always control what happens to you in life, but you can choose your response."  When we choose praise, we usher in the presence of Almighty God!  A pathway is paved for the Holy spirit to enter right into our prison cell and shake the shackles loose!

Praise delivers us...and it can also launch us into our destiny.  Having an attitude of praise even in the midst of darkness and despair can allow such power and presence of the Holy Spirit to flow that I am launched to a whole new level of my faith walk.  Fulfilling the destiny that God has planned for me is advanced by a choice to praise!

Another point from this passage that overwhelmed me was this:  Just being in the atmosphere, the environment of praise brought freedom.

There are times when we are so beaten down, so discouraged, so overwhelmed by life's circumstances that we cannot muster up any energy to praise.  We cannot exert the effort.  At those times, we need to just get in the environment of praise --  surround ourselves with others who are praising the Lord.  Spend time in that atmosphere, that setting, and the freedom will come to us as well!  Praise is contagious!

From the indication of the scripture in Acts 16:25 , Paul and Silas were the only ones praying and singing.  Perhaps the other prisoners were mocking them -- "You fools! Why are you singing and praising God? You're in prison.  He's abandoned you."  Or even, "It's late!  Be quiet and go to sleep!"  Perhaps the other prisoners were just listening and watching, intrigued.  Perhaps they were overwhelmed by their own circumstances, and the sound of hope and joy was foreign in their ears.  I have found myself in each one of those prison cells.  How about you?

Regardless, the truth is that Paul and Silas might have been the only ones praising, but all of the prisoners were set free!

Let us always choose to praise and usher in the presence and power of Jesus Christ.