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Rend the Heavens

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Frank Di Pietro, Rend the Heavens: “Jesus Christ carries on intercession for us in Heaven; the Holy Ghost carries on intercession in us on the earth; and we the saint’s have to carry on intercession for all men.” – Oswald Chambers

“God has no greater controversy with His people than this, that with boundless promises to believing prayer, there are so few who actually give themselves to intercession.” – A.T. Pierson

“I used to think the prayer should have the first place and teaching the second. I now feel that it would be truer to give prayer the first, second, and third place, and teaching fourth.” – James O. Fraser

Deeper

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Ezekiel 47:6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.

How deep are you spiritually? Our depth or lack thereof is simply the result of “spiritual reality.” Oswald Chamber states: “If you realize you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality – do not put blinders of reason on again.” Many in the church are not convinced of their spiritual poverty when it comes to the depths of the things of the Spirit. They simply wait around to be raptured into it – not realizing they have a part to play in the depths they are willing to go. They are no deeper because they’ve chosen to stay at the bank and watch others experience the depths. As the prophet Ezekiel was asked, “Son of man, have you seen this?” The prophet was shown the depths of the River – but he still had to choose the depths that he would go.

Ezekiel 47:1-5 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. 6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.

The prophet had a choice. He had been shown the depths of the River – but after that he would have to make a choice regarding the depths he would go. Many have been shown the depths but are still clinging to the shore. No pastor, teacher, not even Jesus can make you wade out into the depths – you have got to take that uncertain, uncomfortable first step. Spiritual depth still requires a physical response. The question is, How long is too long to wait by the shore?

Launch Out Into the Deep

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Luke 5:4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

Yesterday’s message challenged us to launch out into the deep of the unknown but how many will let loose of the dock and leave the harbor of comfort, and security? This morning I thought it was appropriate that the devotional by Oswald Chambers, “My Utmost For His Highest” would have the following: Be determined to know more than others. If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself— begin to have spiritual discernment. When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. …It is a dangerous thing to refuse to continue learning and knowing more.

My experience has revealed that most refuse to let go of the shelter of the dock to launch out into the deep things of the Spirit. Some will fool themselves into believing that they have already arrived, while others will continue waiting for the next high tide. Excuses will be made for their disobedience. Rationalizations will propose that when the conditions are right, and favorable – they will launch out. Don’t you believe it. You and I are not the kind of person to ever leave the safety and comfort of the dock, while the devil is quite happy to watch you waste away tied to your pride and fear. Don’t be mistaken, this invitation is Divine and the time is now. Will you launch out into the deep at the Master’s command, or will you continue sleeping safely in the harbor?

Being Saved and Seeing Jesus Are Not the Same

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Is it enough to “be saved?” Is there something deeper we are all called to? Do you only see what Jesus has done for you; what He can do for you? How big is your God? Is He big enough; bigger than your circumstances?

John 15:1 “I AM the True Vine…”

Vine in the Greek is “amphoteroi” which means “both the one and the other; both of the two.” How mind blowing is that? Mark 16:12 “After that He appeared in another form to two of them…” Oswald Chambers says the following: Being saved and seeing Jesus are not the same….You should always recognize the difference between what you see Jesus to be and what He has done for you. If you see only what He has done for you, your God is not big enough…. Have you seen Jesus? If so, you will want others to see Him too. “And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either” (Mark 16:13). When you see Him, you must tell, even if they don’t believe.”

Seeing Jesus drives you to promote Him to be first, foremost and pre-eniment. Your life becomes intertwined with His because He is your life. But there’s more. “Both of the two.” We are both of the Father and the Son. We are both of the Spirit and the Word. He is the True Vine and we are simply extensions of Him – we are His branches.

The root words of the Greek word “Vine” reveal more: “amph” = “around.” As we are around Jesus we are changed and transformed. What’s entirely mind blowing is that He grows as He is around us – we are His Body. Paul states: [Even] now I rejoice in the midst of my sufferings on your behalf. And in my own person I am making up whatever is still lacking and remains to be completed [on our part] of Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church. Colossians 1:24

“Alon” = refers to a “ground plot or threshing floor.” We meet Jesus on the threshing floor as he cleanses us from the soil of Adam (Adamah = Hebrew for “dirt”). Within the “soil” of our hearts the Seed of His Spirit and Word are planted and He becomes the Rock of our planting. The Spirit and the Word working in unison to break us free from the packed, road ways of this world system, the blackbirds of the prince of the power of the air, and the thorns, weeds, and briars of the cares of this life. What is totally amazing is that God’s Temple in Jerusalem was built on a threshing floor: Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David his father, in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2 Chronicles 3:1

According to the Apostle Paul you are the temple of the Lord: 1 Cor. 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body. 

And what’s entirely amazing is that the Apostle Paul referred his reader to another aspect of the foundations of God’s Temple: 1 Chronicles 21:18-24 Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and set up an altar to the Lord in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. So David went up at Gad’s word, which he spoke in the name of the Lord. Now Ornan was threshing wheat, and he turned back and saw the angel; and his four sons hid themselves. And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw him, and went out from the threshing floor and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the site of this threshing floor, that I may build an altar on it to the Lord. You shall charge me the full price for it, that the plague may be averted from the people. Ornan said to David, Take it; and let my lord the king do what is good in his eyes. I give you the oxen also for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for wood and the wheat for the meal offering. I give it all. And King David said to Ornan, No, but I will pay the full price. I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings which cost me nothing.

Jesus paid the “full price” to secure our salvation and the right to build His Temple in our heart.

Lastly there is the root word “Helisso” = “to coil; to wrap together.” Our dirt mixed with chaff and straw is crushed by the weight of His love, and the glory of seeing Him. We go beyond being saved to being wrapped in Him as He wraps His life around ours and we wrap our lives around Him. Through this intertwining and intermingling He pulls us up from the threshing floor – from the chaff, the straw, and the hard, packed soil. We are lifted from the soil into the Son, and watered by His Spirit. WE grow into the Vine as we see Him. Moving from simply being saved to knowing His resurrection and transformation.