From: "Gospel Messenger Service" Subject: River of Grace Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 15:17:42 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0007_01C503BA.316DB180" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Unsent: 1 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C503BA.316DB180 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable THE RIVER OF GRACE By Pastor Dick The Bible portrays our Lord's grace as a deep, wide river. If we want to = know the reality of being eternally secure in the arms of our Heavenly = Father, we must believe that His grace completely covers us. That means = to be willing to jump in the river and swim in the grace of God, which = is not as easy to do as it sounds because our flesh is terrified of that = deep water. An angel showed the prophet Ezekiel this river of grace in a vision. = Living water was flowing eastward from the altar of the temple. The = angel took a measuring line in his hand and went forth to measure the = water. He took Ezekiel into this river a distance of fifteen hundred = feet and the water was to the prophet's ankles; the same distance again, = the water was to his knees; another fifteen hundred feet and the water = was to his waist. Then the angel, using his measuring line, took him = fifteen hundred feet further into the river, and this is how Ezekiel = described it: "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" (Ezek.47:5). Oh, the depths of God's grace! It cannot be measured; it is bottomless = and reaches higher than the clouds. There is no lack of supply because = it is endless; there is plenty for everyone who wants it. The lovely Bride of Christ has been saved by God's grace. She is in the = river, but it seems like she is only standing in it with the water level = somewhere between the ankles and the knees. She longs to be secure in = the love of God but is afraid to get wet. There she is, in near the = shoreline, clinging to the flimsy branches of religion, hanging onto the = coat tails of some pastor or evangelist, holding on to man made = doctrines and traditions, and screaming out for someone to throw her a = life preserver that has been manufactured by the world's system. Oh, if = she would only be willing to let go of those things and learn to swim in = the deep water! The Bible goes on to describe what Ezekiel saw in the vision of the = river when the angel brought him to a place where he was able to see the = effects of the river of grace. It went into the dry desert and into the = sea. It brought life to everything it touched: ". . . which being = brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed" (Ezek.47:8). = (Often in the Scriptures the sea represents humanity.) The prophet also saw in the vision fishermen who cast forth their nets = and caught a multitude of fish, which is a picture of the fishers of men = casting out the gospel net. (Notice that these fishermen were working in = the grace of God.) There was an area that the river did not heal: "But the miry places = thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given = to salt" (Ezek.47:11). Don't expect God to cater to your fleshly = desires. His river of grace will flow into your heart (spirit) but not = into the swampland of your old adamic nature that has been crucified = with Christ on the cross (Rom.6:6). At the end of the vision, the prophet saw trees growing on the banks of = the river, which had leaves that did not fade and had new fruit that = remained. The fruit was for food and the leaves were for medicine. In = the Bible God's people are sometimes referred to as trees. It says, ". . = . that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the = Lord, that he might be glorified" (Isa.61:3). If our roots are deep in = Christ and we are growing in His grace, that description will apply to = us; also, this one: "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers = of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also = shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalm 1:3). The condition of a tree is shown through its leaves. A tree with bright, = fresh-colored leaves shows that it is well nourished, while one with = faded leaves reveals a lack of moisture and nourishment. It is so = delightful to be around people who are in good spiritual health. You can = easily tell the ones who are feeding on the word of God and living in = His grace from the ones who are chewing on something else. It doesn't = take long to know if someone has had the grace of God flowing into his = heart or if he has had the law pounded into his head. The Bible says that the leaves of the trees planted by the Living Water = are for the healing of the nations (Rev.22:2). Can you imagine what = healing and spiritual life would come to this nation and world if all = Christians would live in God's grace? How about you? How far into the water will you go? To your ankles . . . = your knees . . . your waist? Do you insist on keeping your human = reasoning above the water, or will you venture out where it is over your = head? Are you willing to let go of the rope of organized religion and = simply walk with Jesus? Will you come all the way into the New Covenant? = In other words, are you willing to plunge into the deep water where you = will be totally submerged in the grace of God?! ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01C503BA.316DB180 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
THE RIVER OF=20 GRACE
 
By Pastor=20 Dick
 
The Bible = portrays our=20 Lord's grace as a deep, wide river. If we want to know the reality of = being=20 eternally secure in the arms of our Heavenly Father, we must believe = that His=20 grace completely covers us. That means to be willing to jump in the = river and=20 swim in the grace of God, which is not as easy to do as it sounds = because our=20 flesh is terrified of that deep water.
 
An angel = showed the prophet=20 Ezekiel this river of grace in a vision. Living water was flowing = eastward from=20 the altar of the temple. The angel took a measuring line in his hand and = went=20 forth to measure the water. He took Ezekiel into this river a distance = of=20 fifteen hundred feet and the water was to the prophet's ankles; the same = distance again, the water was to his knees; another fifteen hundred feet = and the=20 water was to his waist. Then the angel, using his measuring line, took = him=20 fifteen hundred feet further into the river, and this is how Ezekiel = described=20 it: "And it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters = were=20 risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over"=20 (Ezek.47:5).
 
Oh, the depths = of God's=20 grace! It cannot be measured; it is bottomless and reaches higher than = the=20 clouds. There is no lack of supply because it is endless; there is = plenty for=20 everyone who wants it.
 
The lovely = Bride of Christ=20 has been saved by God's grace. She is in the river, but it seems like = she is=20 only standing in it with the water level somewhere between the ankles = and the=20 knees. She longs to be secure in the love of God but is afraid to get = wet. There=20 she is, in near the shoreline, clinging to the flimsy branches of = religion,=20 hanging onto the coat tails of some pastor or evangelist, holding on to = man made=20 doctrines and traditions, and screaming out for someone to throw her a = life=20 preserver that has been manufactured by the world's system. Oh, if she = would=20 only be willing to let go of those things and learn to swim in the deep=20 water!
 
The Bible goes = on to=20 describe what Ezekiel saw in the vision of the river when the angel = brought him=20 to a place where he was able to see the effects of the river of grace. = It went=20 into the dry desert and into the sea. It brought life to everything it = touched:=20 ". . . which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be=20 healed" (Ezek.47:8). (Often in the Scriptures the sea represents=20 humanity.)
 
The prophet = also saw in the=20 vision fishermen who cast forth their nets and caught a multitude of = fish, which=20 is a picture of the fishers of men casting out the gospel net. (Notice = that=20 these fishermen were working in the grace of God.)
 
There was an = area that the=20 river did not heal: "But the miry places thereof and the marshes = thereof=20 shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt" (Ezek.47:11). = Don't expect=20 God to cater to your fleshly desires. His river of grace will flow into = your=20 heart (spirit) but not into the swampland of your old adamic nature that = has=20 been crucified with Christ on the cross (Rom.6:6).
 
At the end of = the vision,=20 the prophet saw trees growing on the banks of the river, which had = leaves that=20 did not fade and had new fruit that remained. The fruit was for food and = the=20 leaves were for medicine. In the Bible God's people are sometimes = referred to as=20 trees. It says, ". . . that they might be called trees of = righteousness, the=20 planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified" (Isa.61:3). If our = roots=20 are deep in Christ and we are growing in His grace, that description = will apply=20 to us; also, this one: "And he shall be like a tree planted by the = rivers of=20 water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall = not=20 wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalm = 1:3).
 
The condition = of a tree is=20 shown through its leaves. A tree with bright, fresh-colored leaves shows = that it=20 is well nourished, while one with faded leaves reveals a lack of = moisture and=20 nourishment. It is so delightful to be around people who are in good = spiritual=20 health. You can easily tell the ones who are feeding on the word of God = and=20 living in His grace from the ones who are chewing on something else. It = doesn't=20 take long to know if someone has had the grace of God flowing into his = heart or=20 if he has had the law pounded into his head.
 
The Bible says = that the=20 leaves of the trees planted by the Living Water are for the healing of = the=20 nations (Rev.22:2). Can you imagine what healing and spiritual life = would come=20 to this nation and world if all Christians would live in God's=20 grace?
 
How about you? = How far into=20 the water will you go? To your ankles . . . your knees . . . your waist? = Do you=20 insist on keeping your human reasoning above the water, or will you = venture out=20 where it is over your head? Are you willing to let go of the rope of = organized=20 religion and simply walk with Jesus? Will you come all the way into the = New=20 Covenant? In other words, are you willing to plunge into the deep water = where=20 you will be totally submerged in the grace of God?!

 

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