He Split the Rock and Water Gushed Out

 

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

Plans here is not to connive, but to skillfully determine. When we prayerfully seek the Lord in making our plans, He determines our steps. Determines in this verse means to be firmly established, provided for and made ready. When we are being led by the Lord, we can fully anticipate that however we are led to go, He firmly and securely establishes us. (Proverbs 16:9)

All that to say, follow the prompting of our hearts and the Lord will make the way. Not only make the way for us but He provides all that is needed and helps us to achieve the purposes that He has placed on our heart. We don’t have to measure up or be enough on our own. Rather, I have been learning to just trust and step out rather than disqualify myself and He meets me in this.

Where I used to agree with the voices of fear or that would tell me that I am not enough, I have learned to stretch myself to agree with truth. I anticipate His goodness and for Him to meet me with kindness rather than something than disaster or opposition. I have been amazed at the results. Doors have been open for me that I deeply desired but used to fear what people would think and not think I was enough.

God has met me at every turn. While I have had my share of opposition in my life, He has always led me through this to a place of victory. Even where people have misunderstood me or have not thought well of me, God has helped me to navigate these circumstances. I no longer internalize it the same in a negative light about myself.

Also, it is not that I am entitled to have things go my way or that they always have. Rather, sometimes doors open and other times they do not. But, in going His way, I have found that nothing is better. His way always brings such sweetness and goodness even to difficult circumstances. Whatever He touches, comes to life.

Wherever He comes to be in our midst, there is life and abundance that follow. Isaiah 35:1-7 paints a beautiful picture of when He stepped into the world to save us and I believe what will also follow as He returns:

“Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon, as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the Lord will display His glory, the splendor of our God.

With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands an encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.’

And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams of water the wasteland. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.” (Isaiah 35:1-7)

There is nothing that is not beautiful about this picture. It starts with a picture of the wilderness, wasteland and discouragement. It is a desert, dryness and thirst. Ever been there? Have you ever stood in ground that was parched for thirst and lack?

For myself and my life, I have. My life was terrible and I thought about dying every day. Misery and despair would best describe the way that I lived. If it wasn’t for having my son young and needing to care for him, I would have not continued to live. I couldn’t see the point and didn’t have the ability.

But the picture changes when He comes. What started out so empty and dry ends with shouts of joy. Goodness and water fill places of lack. Yet God… He came in and changed everything. Abundance and flourishing take the place of what wasn’t.

For me, He turned my wasteland into abundance. I now live in the abundance of His goodness and freedom. Peace has displaced despair and fear of disaster. Joy has displaced lack of hope. And trust has filled in where there was weakness and discouragement.

“Christ alone, cornerstone. Weak made strong in the Savior’s love. Through the storm He is Lord, Lord of all” sings in the background.

All this to say that we know that in the end times things will be difficult in the world. But it isn’t the only story. It is only part of it. For all the difficulty and dryness, there will also be a flourishing that is occurring among His people. We can sing for joy as we see the ground become pools of water before us.

In 2 Timothy 3:1 it says about the last of the times, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. “ I.e. many people will be weighed down heavy with burdens, anxious, bitter, angry and/or miserable looking for a means to escape.

Here is how Rick Renner expands this verse, “You emphatically and categorically need to know with unquestionable certainty that in the very end days—when time has sailed to its last port and no more time remains for the journey—that last season will stand in the midst of uncontrollable, unpredictable, hurtful, treacherous, and menacing times that will be emotionally difficulty for people to bear.”

But the Lord will come like He promised and pour out His Spirit on His people. His people will be filled with light, hope, joy and peace. There is a place of rest for the people of God where there is a flourishing rather than discouraging. Victory and splendor as He gives us both he victory in our own lives and sends us out to touch those who are burdened down with the abundance we carry.

We were created for such a time as this, with this season in mind. We have all we need in Christ to navigate through victoriously. The Lord knew about every challenge that we would face before we ever came into it. Not only this, but He makes an abundance of His Spirit available to us to not only make it through but break-through our circumstances into new ground.

We are often surprised by difficulty and sometimes feel in a swirl of being overwhelmed by it, but we have all that we need to overcome and stand strong. He is the God who takes hold of our hand and says, “Do not fear, I will help you.” (Is 41:13)

It says in Acts 17:25 that “He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need.” It is as we develop a relationship with the Lord that has depth that we can be unshakable. When we genuinely look to Him, “He brings light to the deepest gloom.” (Job 12:22). Going deep, we seek Him through the Word and prayer.

I mentioned before about having a dream about my sister who was being pressed on every side. We don’t want to be those who have a superficial faith and fall away in difficulty. We want to be those who are strong and do exploits, leaping with joy like calves from the stall in bringing others the good news because we know and have experienced it for ourselves.

Zophar tells Job that in having a genuine relationship, “You will be strong and free from fear. You will forget your misery; It will be like water flowing away. Your life will be brighter than noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning. “ (Job 11:15-16)

I had another dream just recently where I woke up holding a white box. It was a gift and inside it where gifts of the Spirit for the body of Christ. It was filled to the brim. But this box I was holding was not the only one. There were tons of boxes for all these churches who would receive them.

The Lord is giving His people rest, filling them with joy and then equipping them to be His hands and feat in telling others about Him. He does not want an Ark that is empty and only taking with a few righteous. Rather, He wants us to go out to the highways and byways so the wedding feast is full. We are the on-ramp to the Ark to help people into it.

I was reading lately the measurements of the temple and how everything is 100 cubits which is 175 feet in distance. I thought to myself, so many people are just 175 feet away from the abundance God has for them. They are standing at a distance and looking, but they have not crossed the line.

Just a 175 Feet Away

It says in Ezekiel 40: 19 that he measured across the Temple’s outer courtyard between the outer and inner gateways a distance of 175 feet. This is the same as 100 cubits. Then as he measured, this was the same for all the gateways and the inner courtyard, they were 175 feet away. Each gateway had gateway passages that were half the length with entry rooms, one including the room to prepare sacrifices.

Al these lead into the inner courtyard and temple that measured 175 feed wide and long all the way around. The temple itself also 175 feet wide and long.

There are those who stand outside the courtyards and just haven’t crossed the line to come in. I had a dream once about this and my work. I dreamed that people were standing on the outside and looking in but they wouldn’t cross the line. There was a huge group of people praying for them, including mothers, sisters and others who wanted them to cross so I joined with these prayers.

There are also those who have crossed into the courtyards of the Lord but stay away from building any sort of significant relationship with the Lord. They accepted Christ but are not living for Him specifically. They are more representative of the spectator than the follower.

These are the type of folks I mentioned earlier about in sharing my dream. In my dream, circumstances were such that they were being pressed on every side and it was too much for them and some were fainting with exhaustion. I longed for them to come and have a deeper relationship with the Lord and move into spiritual formation.

In formation, people learn to follow Christ. It is here that people learn about living for Christ and things like sacrifices and offerings. They learn to forgive and walk in honor of everyone as it takes them to a place closer to the Lord.

This brings me to one other dream that I had. I was in my house and I had this large worship room that I loved. In this worship room there were people who were residing there who were very poor and needed help. I went upstairs to make them eggs and biscuits. I had tons of eggs, but the biscuits lacked some of what was needed for their formation. Eggs represent new beginnings in Christ. What I feel like God might be speaking about is praying more for formation of folks. It is not enough for people to start this new life but have to be formed well in it. At the same time, there is no greater formation that occurs as that in bringing the good news to others and helping them come to know Him or grow in Him.

I was reading last week some verses about Hezekiah. The verses started with that Hezekiah trusted the Lord. They ended with Hezekiah had success. That is so true that it is as we trust the Lord that we have success. However, the greatest verses were right in the middle: The Lord was with him (2 Kings 18:5-7). Coming back to God making our wilderness and deserts into places of life. Anywhere He comes, there is this abundance of His goodness.

Lord, I am not sure where I am going in this but I long to see the abundance of Your goodness pour out on Your people to accomplish Your purposes in this hour. I love to watch You work! I love to see people’s lives changed and flourish. It brings me such joy! Pour out more in this season Lord! At the same time, I long for those who are standing at a distance to come further in. Would you draw people from those outer courts into a place where they are standing in your abundance as well.