Tag: #walkinthelight

Don’t Drink the Water

We used to always hear when you were traveling to another country, “Don’t drink the water.” That’s just as applicable here as anywhere today. Ask people in Flint, Michigan ~ or in so many other cities.  Or just look at our streams, rivers, and oceans. If we started working now, we could make great strides in cleaning up our water, which is our most valuable commodity. But I’m talking about what we purposely put in our water spiritually, not environmentally. And no matter how toxic, we still choose to drink this water that is composed of hatred and division and all that is contrary to the words Christ gave us to live by. It’s polluted ideologies that we have come to accept because they are necessary to erect and maintain a platform built from our most vile beliefs. You’re drinking poison, and it will eventually affect all you think and do. You can no longer nourish others with decency and empathy. Now you are hell bent on seeing a doctrine manifest that only will birth death.

In 2 Kings 23, King Josiah is tearing down all idols and abominations built and worshiped by those that were walking contrary to God. They were ground down, burned, and pulverized into dust and thrown into the Brook Kidron. This was also done by King Asa in 1 Kings 15. The Brook Kidron was a common receptacle for impurities of destroyed idol worship. This brook ran north of Jerusalem and swept past the Temple Mount to areas that would later be named Calvary and Gethsemane. The name “Kidron” means turbid, dusky or gloomy. Appropriate name for a receptacle for impurities. We see many that are influenced by drinking from those waters. You are what you eat. You are what you drink. The effects of drinking from what is today’s equivalent of the Brook Kidron can only bring anger, hate, division, and a gospel based on your own theology, not that given to us by Christ. In 1 & 2 Kings, so many followed those who led them down a dark path.  Away from God to their own destruction. Light came to lead us then and today, but men loved darkness rather than light.

There are different streams that lead to the ocean, just as there are different ideas and ideologies that can quench a thirst. But so many are poison filled. They cause a disease of the spirit. Those who drink from these waters that are filled with the dust of man’s idols find themselves forgetting that which is true and right. John 7:38 says, “He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Those searching for those living waters will find them curiously absent in the teachings of too many speaking and prophesying from today’s pulpits. TV and social media are inundated with the overflow of the visceral bile of those spewing hate filled diatribes and who are swimming in polluted waters. And it’s infectious. It adversely affects your ability to discern good from evil.” The more you drink, the more your throat gets dry. And you wonder why.” (Lyrics by PFR) At this point, you can be led astray by those promising something they can’t deliver or will just cause you to become further separated from the truth. Jesus said in John 4 that you would never thirst again if you drink of the waters He gives you. So why would you befoul yourself with lies and deceit or contention and strife? If you follow after that which is right and pure, help the needy, actually read and try to follow what Christ taught, then you’ll become like that watered garden, and like that spring of water with waters that do not fail, spoken of in Isaiah 58.

Or you can keep drinking from that Brook Kidron after the impurities of evil were thrown into it and follow those who display the effects of drinking that water. Dave Matthews said it perfectly:

“And I’ll live with my justice, and I’ll live with my greedy need.
Or I live with no mercy and I live with my frenzied feeding.
I live with my hatred and I live with the notion,
That I don’t need anyone but me.
Don’t drink the water.” (lyrics by Dave Matthews Band)

I pray you do not follow that which leads to constant turmoil everywhere. Drink the pure water He offers and it will become evident in how you feel and act. It will bring abundant life to all. Be planted by the rivers of water that brings forth true fruit. Do not be deceived. Blessings.

Gehazi or God?

I have been in a constant state of angst from the constant misdirection I see and hear from so many Christian leaders and prophets. I see the same things written and spoken to such a degree that it’s as if these “leaders” appear to consult with each other before releasing their revelation. There is far too much that does not line up with what Christ taught. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of people following after those who speak falsely and rule by their own power and they loved to have it so. In Matthew 15, Jesus said that these people who would lead you astray honored Him with their words, but their hearts were far from him. Jesus also said those who spoke falsely were nothing more than blind guides, and if you followed them, you would both fall into a ditch. We need to walk on level ground. “Ditches” are filling up.

In 2 Kings, Chapter 4, the story of the prophet Elisha and the Shunammite woman moves from miracles to a place of desperation. Elisha had spoken a prophetic word to the Shunammite woman that she would have a son, even though she was unable to conceive and her husband was old. As the child grew, something similar to a cerebral hemorrhage occurred and the boy died. She had the boy placed on a bed which was kept in a small room for Elisha, and she went to see him. When asked by her husband why she was going, she only answered, “It is well.” When she came close to Elisha, she “caught him by his feet.” Just like the disciples of Jesus holding onto the feet of the resurrected Christ. Elisha told his servant, Gehazi, to go on ahead with her and lay his staff on the face of the child. But the woman would not leave Elisha. She knew where the power and presence of God was. Elisha went in to the child and lay on him and the child revived. The woman immediately fell at Elisha’s feet and gave thanks and then picked up her son. By doing this, she was showing her thanks to God first, and then going to her son. We so often forget to place our hope and thanks with God first.

The interesting thing to notice is the behavior of Elisha’s servant, Gehazi. When Elisha first met the Shunammite woman and asked her what he could do for her, it was Gehazi that answered before the woman could speak her heart. When she threw herself at Elisha’s feet, Gehazi tried to push her away. When Gehazi laid the staff on the child’s head, nothing happened. The miracle would come from one with a pure heart toward God.

In the very next chapter of 2 Kings, we see Elisha giving a word to Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Syria. Although Naaman offered riches to Elisha as a reward for his healing of leprosy, Elisha would take no reward. But Gehazi went after Naaman and concocted a lie to get the reward from Naaman. His treachery was found out. Elisha said to Gehazi, “Did not my heart go with you when Naaman turned back from his chariot to meet you?” The leprosy taken from Naaman was now on Gehazi and his descendants forever. Tough lesson.

We need to have the heart and faith of the Shunammite woman. She held onto that which was true. That which was filled with the presence of God. But so much of that spirit exhibited by Gehazi seems to be so prevalent today. Speaking out of turn so as to be noticed and heard. Expecting rewards for what you do that even the man of God turned from. These riches and hopes of adulation so entice. People align themselves with whomever can strengthen them and give them prominence. These things will come back on you and you’ll be seen for the spiritual leper that you are. His words are spirit and truth. They are made to give life. We are supposed to exhibit that life in us and give it to others. But as Jesus said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Mark 7:6)

The next two months will bring forth a large increase of advice and direction given by spiritual leaders. Again, if it doesn’t line up with what Christ spoke, reject it! People wanting to be constantly heard and those looking to increase their coffers will be everywhere. Pizza dreams will produce prophetic words that will seem endless. All the while, these same people offering these words of advice will align themselves with platforms and politics that are diametrically opposed to walking the path Christ walked. We must walk in the light as He is the light. We are to be sons and daughters of light. Be vigilant. Hold onto the feet of the Lord with all you have just as the Shunammite woman did! Do not follow the ways of Gehazi. Accept no cheap substitute.  Blessings.