Illustrate Here Video: Valley of dry bones http://youtu.be/6dafYxu8cQQ
Ezekiel 37:1 "The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, "Son of man, can these bones become living people again?" "O Sovereign LORD," I replied, "you alone know the answer to that." 4 Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, 'Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'" 7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.'" 10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army."
It's a wonderful life as long as I don't have to change, exchange or rearrange.
Change is to make or become a different substance entirely, transform.
What is God seeking to transform in you?
What is God working to transform in you?
What are you allowing God to transform in you?
Every thing?
Some things?
No things?
From where Ezekiel stood that day, his task must have seemed impossible.
Yet, he obeyed God and the Lord blessed his efforts.
From where we stand today, the task of reaching those who are dead in sin also seems like an impossible task.
Especially if we think we can accomplish it alone.
If we will do as the Lord has commanded us, we will also see Him bless our efforts.
God tells us in vs. 4 to speak and He will bring to life.
Change our negative speaking into life speaking.
Change our negative thinking into a God is exceedingly able thinking, believing.
Encountering God to make the difference in our lives, expecting Him to move.
When was the last time you showed up to the house of God ready for a renovation!
Vs. 7 the man of God speaks then vs. 8 he watches God work.
And the miraculous occurs.
Vs. 9 the Spirit of God tells the man of God to speak, the miraculous occurs and we see God utilize the man of God to perform the miracles of God.
The life giving came from God through the man of God.
The message came through the man of God.
The miracles came from God through the man of God.
His faith was engaged, his words were moving, shaping, defining, his speech giving life, his prayers were literally changing the world.
Change is not a dirty word but just like myself I believe God is not interested in changing pampers on adults!
The bones were dry and bleached by long exposure to the atmosphere.
You can't stay in some settings and expect no alteration.
We are changing to become mature, we are changing that we might transform the world around and about us.
We are changing and allowing God to demonstrate His love through us.
Titus 3:1-6 NLT "[1] Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. [2] They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone. [3] Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. [4] But- When God our Savior revealed His kindness and love, [5] He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. [6] He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior."
As we allow God to change us we see His overall mission and purpose.
He revealed His kindness and love, then saved us because of His mercy.
His greatness was not, is not, never will be poured out upon us because of any thing we have done, did, or will do.
It is His mercy and His mercy alone that has revealed His kindness, His love, His salvation, and His grace toward us.
It's a wonderful life as long as I don't have to change, exchange or rearrange.
Exchange is where you take something in that is currently yours because it doesn't fit you, you have purchased or been given the wrong item or simply because you just don't like it.
See the man of God can look in the valley and see death.
He can look in the valley and see defeat.
He can look in the valley and see has beens.
I refuse to be this, a has been for Jesus.
I will push, I will speak life, I will alter destinies until my very last breath is uttered.
Because it's a wonderful life and it will be an even greater eternity.
I'm going to a place where there are no dead people.
A place where life is never-ending, a place where pain is never allowed, and a location that death can never conquer.
A city where they use gold for asphalt, pearls for gates, jasper for foundation walls and you'll only find mansions built in their subdivisions.
I'm not going to heaven because of what I am or what I have done but because of what Jesus has done for me.
See the man of God can look in the valley and see all the negativity.
He can see bleached out, dried out bones with every bit of life completely discarded, deleted, and depreciated from it.
He can see the depression, the disgust, and be completely disillusioned.
OR...
He can see a vast army.
He can see life.
He can see the potential.
He can see what God can do and not dwell on impossibilities.
He can be full of faith.
I see this valley being full of life, and I see this church making the difference.
He can be full of the Spirit.
The Spirit only speaks life.
The Spirit of God might speak rebuke but truth always brings life.
Pastor what about the Spirit speaking correction?
I believe He does and I believe we need it!
If you refuse the correction of God in or upon your life it is as the sin of rebellion.
He can be hopeful.
He can be resilient.
He can see the remarkable workings of God.
Or how bout those Christians that think and believe I need to exchange the gift God gave me.
God gave me a 2XL (2 Extra Large) problem when He knows I am only accepting XS ) extra small ones.
How am I supposed to handle all these issues, problems, or worries?
God I am here for the exchange.
I need to exchange the pressures of this life, for different ones.
God I need to exchange my hard times for some blessed and highly favored times.
God I need to exchange my poor health conditions with some healing from Heaven.
God I need to exchange my financial duress with an income tax refund, or a bonus of some sort.
God I don't like my current situation so I am here to exchange it for a new one.
God I need to get those layaway items now if possible.
It's a wonderful life as long as I don't have to change, exchange or rearrange.
Rearrange is where you move something in to a more acceptable position or state.
Isaiah 42:5-7 NLT [5] God, the LORD, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And it is He who says, [6] "I, the LORD, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. [7] You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.
You called us to the valley to speak life, to speak purpose, to speak guidance, and to speak direction.
God you moved me into this valley for reason beyond that I can see, I can understand, or I will ever comprehend.
I want to fulfill your mission, your vision, your blueprint for my life, for this valley, for this generation.
I was born in this valley to make a difference, to make an eternal difference, to make a life altering difference.
God you are connecting the body so it can purpose forward.
Connecting every bone, every sinew, every ligament, every muscle, and every life!
For your greater cause!
Connecting us to the cause, the vision, the mission of Jesus Christ, which is to seek and to save that which is lost.
Setting captives free.
Opening the eyes of the blind.
Delivering those that are oppressed of the devil and preaching the salvation of God.
Today is the day of salvation, now is the appointed time.
Say yes to Him this morning, this moment, this hour and forever allow the life speaking, life giving, never ending power of God bring you to life!
Valley of dry bones.
Valleys represent low places, impossible outcomes, impossible odds, God saw to it that the man of God was in the deadest, driest, most impossible situations so God could get the glory!
Maybe you are facing the impossible so God can be made known.
It just may be that you are dealing with the impossible so the world can see your confidence in God.
Connect to the trust that you have in your creator.
And experience your life altering, life giving, inspiring testimony.
If we can do it on our own who needs God?!
Who needs a miracle when it's or if it's not that serious?
That would be such a wasteful vision!
To show this man of God all this and for him to never respond to it!
We must respond to the vision of God.
The vision of God for this valley, this county, this nation and every people group!
The valley was dry, parched, no water sources, no future, no hope or chance of ANY survival!
Nothing living!
God has placed upon us the greatest cause known to man, sharing the Love God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
We are His agents of change.
We are His agents of exchange.
Here we are rearranging the way people see God, see His love, and helping those who are far from Him to move in closer to Him.
Isaiah 38:18-19 NLT "[18] For the dead cannot praise you; they cannot raise their voices in praise. Those who go down to the grave can no longer hope in your faithfulness. [19] Only the living can praise you as I do today. Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next."
No comments:
Post a Comment