The Valley of Dry Bones

 “He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel: 37:3

In the Book of Ezekiel, which was inspired while the people of Israel were in captivity, the Levite Ezekiel who, due to being in captivity was unable to function in the Priesthood, but would rather, function as a Prophet of the One True God.

Around the year 593 BC Ezekiel while in his home in the city of Nippur near the River Chebar begins to receive visions from the Lord God of Israel concerning the people of Israel as well as other nations.

In one of the series of Apocalyptic visions which had been shown to Ezekiel the Prophet is taken “in the Spirit” to a deep valley full of “dry bones”.

“The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. Ezk: 37:1-3a

After the Lord himself brings the Prophet to this deep valley and after bringing him “back and forth among them” the Lord then poses a question to Ezekiel.

“He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” (3b)

Ezekiel, after surveying the great number of the “dry bones”, quickly considers the Lord’s question and then responds.

“Sovereign Lord only you know” (3b)

Speak to the Bones

The Lord then gives the Prophet instructions as he stands in the deep valley amidst the dry lifeless bones.

“Then he said to me, “Speak to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” (4-6)

The Prophet follows the Lord’s words and there is a reaction among the bones.

“So I spoke as I was commanded. And as I was speaking, there was a great noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them” (7-8)

Even as the words are being uttered by Ezekiel there is a response, first he hears “a great noise” then the bones begin to assemble themselves “bone to bone” then he sees the joints bound together by tendons and flesh covered them, yet, “there was no life in them.”

Everything was now there they just were still dead.

Speak to the Wind

The Lord again, speaks to the Prophet giving him further instruction and Ezekiel obeys the words of the Lord.

“Then he said to me, “Speak to the wind; speak, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I spoke as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.” (9-10)

As the Prophet speaks to the wind or breath, it enters the lifeless army and brings restoration and life once again to them as they rise and stand before the Lord and Ezekiel.

The Lord then speaks again to Ezekiel concerning the army who have been given life and hope once again.

“Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore speaks and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’” (11-14)

You Know I Am the Lord

The reason the Lord had brought Ezekiel to this deep valley filled with lifeless “dry bones” was so “you will know that I am the Lord.” This was the Lord’s stated objective, to reveal himself as God and that he would be known as God by Ezekiel and the People of Israel, it was a vision of divine disclosure of who God is, that he restores life and hope.

Many have read this vision and have seen it as a vision of a general resurrection of Israel and of all humanity at the conclusion of human history or they interpret it as a vision of the restoration of the House of Israel into a proper practical relationship with their God in the years to come, and it may well be read in both of those ways.

For Christians Now

What, however, does this vision speak to us about, here and now in our Christian lives? What lessons are there in this vision for each and all of us.

“The Prophet tells us that it was the Lord himself who brought him into the valley and led him “back and forth among them”.

and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them,”

What can this say to us, we Christians, those who have come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?

In Valley of Bones

There are times in our lives when we find ourselves brought to a valley in our lives, that is a low point, where we find ourselves surrounded by the “dry bones” of dead hopes “there is no life in them” and it seems that we are led “back and forth among them.”

It seems that God himself brings us, on occasion, to these low points in our lives, these valleys filled the with the “dry bones” of dead hopes and desires, even as he led Ezekiel “by the Spirit” to this valley; but why would the Lord do this, that is bring us to such a place in our lives, and when we do find ourselves in a valley, that is , a low place in our lives wherein our hopes, dreams , relationships, finances or relationships are dead and littered about us and are as “dry bones” ,  how should we deal with these times?

Address the Bones

The Lord instructed Ezekiel to “speak” or “Prophesy” which means as the Spirit leads. Some Christians take that to mean to verbalizes our desired results and it will come to pass. There might be a principle of appliance here that it may be a good thing for us to speak what we might desire before the Lord, but let’s take these instructions to “speak” a little less literal.

Maybe, the best understanding for us, when we find ourselves in a valley of dead hopes, is not to “speak” but rather to address the “dry bones”, or for Christians, the dead situations in our lives. That is, address the problems through the lead of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the Holy Word of God, the Bible which is given through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

We should consider, how does the Word of God tell us to approach and address life’s challenges or when we are brought to a low point in our lives?

When we address or approach situations in life which are scattered about like “dry bones” according to the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, there is a response from our God even as there was for Ezekiel.

“So I spoke as I was commanded. And as I was speaking, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them” (7-8)

Bone to Bone

As the Prophet spoke or addressed the “dry bones” as the Word of the Lord revealed to him, there was a noise, this “noise” is the same noise heard in the Upper Room where the Apostles gathered on the Day of Pentecost, it is the noise of the Holy Spirit working in our lives bringing things together and bringing restoration and setting things right “the bones came together, bone to bone.”.

This “bone to bone” tells us that when we address, even the dead situations in our lives according to the Word of God, the Holy Spirit responds and brings things together in an orderly and systematic way, “the bones came together, bone to bone”.

Now Potential of Life

After the bones are rejoined then there came “tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.” (8)

The Spirit now had brought everything together, yet they still remained dead, but what now did exist was the full potential for life and restoration to what otherwise would have been a dead and completely hopeless situation. 

Speak to the Wind

God spoke to Ezekiel and gave more instructions as to how to address the now joined and covered bones so that life might be restored to them.

“Then he said to me, “Speak to the wind; speak, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” So I spoke as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.” (9-10)

Again, the Prophet address the lifeless in the valley and the breath of life returns to them, there is restoration of life. When we address the dead circumstance of our lives which seemed to be beyond hope, our God can in an orderly way of his choosing bring life and restoration even when it seems that all hope is lost.

Restored to Know the Lord

“Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore speak and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’ ” (11-14)

The Prophet Ezekiel is told that the reason for which he has been brought to this valley filled with “dry bones” is that there in that place the Lord would be revealed through the restoration of life to the people of Israel “Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord”.

This valley was a place of divine disclosure of the true God, the Lord. God had brought the Prophet to this place so that through the restoration of “dry bones” to life he might reveal himself as God.

There are times when we are in such a place as this, a low point in our lives surrounded by the “dry bones” of our hopes for the purpose of having a divine disclosure of the Great God in and through the person of Jesus.

When we address the “dry bones” of our lives through the Word of God and guided by his Spirit, God can bring full restoration and life to any dead situation and in so doing we gain a greater understanding of the Great God.

 the Promised Land

God tells the restored Israel that he has done this so that they might know him as the Lord and be again in their Promised Land.

“My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel”

God brings life to our dead “dry bones” for each and all of us so that we might receive all the Promises of our “own land”, which is, all that our Lord Jesus shares and give to us.

The vision of the Valley of Dry Bones is not a vision for the distant past or only for the remote future alone, it is for us each and every day.

There are times when we find ourselves in low places in our lives so that we might through the Word of God and the lead of the Holy Spirit address the “dry bones” which litter each of our lives and see the working of the Holy Spirit to bring life and restoration that we might come to know our God and be settled in the Promised land that we have in Christ.

Benediction: May we each and all address the “dry bones” which we see in the valleys of our lives so that we might come to know our God and be settled in the Promised land which Jesus has made possible for us, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma

                                    If It's Not About Jesus, It's Not About Anything!     

When Stones Are Thrown

 Act: 7:51-60- Speaks to us regarding the stoning of the Deacon Stephen, one of the first Christian Martyrs for His profession about the Lord Jesus. 

The Deacon, St. Stephen had been preaching about the Person of Jesus Christ to the Jews at Jerusalem. St. Stephen's message regarding our Lord Jesus angered the "religious" crowd. Enraged, the crowd of religious person took up stones and began to violently pelt the Deacon with them.

As St. Stephan was struck by the hurled stones; battered and badly injured, his eyes instinctively lifted toward the Heavens and in his remaining moments upon the Earth, even as the stones rained down upon him, St. Stephen saw the Lord Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father his eyes fixed upon Stephen.

As St. Stephen sees the Lord, he tells those who throw the stones that he sees Jesus, which causes them to react even worse and throw stones all the more.

Stones Thrown

When we profess Jesus, that is, when we accept that Jesus is God and our Savior, then we Christians can find ourselves, at times, the objects of rebuke from the world and unfortunately even from some "professing" Christians, that is to say, stones are then thrown in our direction.

These stones which, can be hurled in our direction, are not just literal ones picked up from the Earth. The stones being cast at the Deacon St. Stephen, and ourselves, represent the hardened carnal response of the world around us. This has, and is, the way the world and the carnal nature reacts when the person of Jesus Christ is truly given his place of prominence and the focus to our lives and or ministries.

These stones, can take many forms as they are cast upon and at us. Whenever we speak of Jesus or even when we give Christ that place of prominence in our lives.  When the Holy Spirit points us to Jesus, there will be a reaction by the carnal attitudes surrounding us, which will react badly and, in some cases, aggressively. St. Stephen's testimony regarding Jesus, challenged the religious leaders notion of how to relate to the great God.

Shown by the Spirit

Carnality finds itself at odds with Jesus. The carnal nature within humanity wants to believe that it is "good enough" that somehow, its performance is alright, or it is when Jesus is brought into the situation then the carnality is convicted and then the reaction is hostility

It takes the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to see our need for Jesus.

 "Why I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." 1Cor:12:3

  The Holy Spirit will always speak to regarding Jesus, he is and always will direct us to the Son of God, not to anything other, but Jesus above all. This is what carnality has an issue with.

Even carnality masked as piety will have at, some point this reaction against the name of our Lord Jesus. Jesus said, to a crowed of pious Jews who attempted to trap Him with a question regarding the woman caught in adultery if she should be stoned to death, he answered them, and all of us:

 "He that is without sin among you, let cast the him first stone"Jhn:8:7.

This shows us that the ones casting stones at the Deacon Stephen were blind to their sins.

  “Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. 

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you" Jhn: 16:5-15

Refuge in Christ

 When St. Stephen preached about Jesus, it brought on the predictable reaction of the religious crowd, ; stones were then  thrown. As those stones came upon St. Stephen, he had no place to go but to Jesus himself, that is, when in the midst of the stoning, in his dying moments St. Stephen had no others place to go but to his Lord, trusting in Jesus even as the stones struck him.  

 Even in the midst of his dying St. Stephen surrendered all over to Jesus; the entire situation, even there in the midst of it. St. Stephen waited upon Jesus, knowing that his death was at hand. This should be our response as well, to any and to all the stones which are thrown in our direction in life, whatever form that  these stones  manifest themselves or from whom they are cast at us.

 This shows Christians we can take refuge in Christ, give over what is happening in our lives no matter what befalls us, whatever it might be, we like St. Stephen, should keep trusting that in the end whatever comes upon us we can to seek our refuge in our Lord. St. Stephen looked to Jesus; he did not seek escape but sought his Lord. Jesus was his escape.  

This speaks far beyond just a violent reaction from the world at the mention of Christ, it is for us in any and all difficult situations. When we face hardship that seemed to be prolonged or sickness, whatever we face, when the stones of this life are hurled against us, we should lift our eyes Heavenward, and fix our gaze upon Jesus, trusting him to give us refuge in the midst of the hardships which befall us.

 For the Good

 St. Stephen knew that if what he faced meant his death it would ultimately be for the good, his and for Christians down through the ages, for each of us now and always, to the very end of this world.

 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Rm: 8:28

What St. Stephen recognized was that our Lord was in full control of everything whatever it might be. He may have even had Psalm :31 in mind, which is a "Messianic Psalm" , that is, it looked ahead to Jesus' moments on the cross, accomplishing our salvation, from which Jesus was not delivered, but Jesus faced it trusting in His Father.

Jesus knew his death had meaning and that God the Father could be trusted to cause the outcome to be for Jesus' glory and our redemption...Jesus sought refuge in His Father as the events on the day of crucifixion unfolded.

"In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth"Ps:31:1-5

St. Stephen understood that his life, every season, or times, was in the hands of God, all of his life and even the time of his death.

"But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” All my times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me" Ps: 31:14-15

 Christ the Living Stone 

The stones which the world may throw our way brings death, and death is what proceeds out of the carnal nature. But God himself has cast a Stone to all humanity, to any and all who will but by grace receive it. This Stone is our Lord Jesus.

"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture, it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall."  1Pet: 2:1-8

Jesus Standing for Stephen

 Jesus stood as the stones struck St. Stephen. Standing in the culture of that time was an act of respect, honor and giving someone undivided attention; this tells us that Jesus was giving St. Stephen is his full attention and honoring the sacrifice of laying down his life for the cause of the Gospel, that is what Jesus was doing at that very moment at the very throne of the Great God.

Jesus gave his attention to St. Stephen, and his attention is on you and all of His people during our times of difficulties. Whatever we face we are not alone,  Jesus is in full control of what is taking place, his eyes are on us he is standing for us.

  "But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfast into Heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God" Acts:7:55

 Jesus stands for us in our test and difficulties, even when stones are thrown his attention is upon us, and Jesus is for us, even if the situation results in our death, he will ultimately turn it for our good no matter when stones are thrown. In Jesus we can find our refuge when stones are thrown. 

Benediction: May we each and all ever lift our eyes unto Heaven when we face the stones cast at us in this life, for our Lord stands for us and with us , today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen

Rev. Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma

                                 If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything

 

A House for All Nations

                          “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” Mk: 11:17

After his glorious entrance into Jerusalem, which was in many respects an Apocalyptic moment, our Lord Jesus Christ entered the Temple of God and into the court of the gentiles. This outer court was the part of the Temple where the gentiles were confined to stay. This area had become a “marketplace”, and some people used it as a short cut to cross the Temple courts to get where they wanted to go. 

It was here , in the gentile court that shops and animal pens, which stank of dung, had been set up for the selling of animals which were to be used in the sacrifices which were offered at the Temple, also, money changers had set up tables to exchange real currency for “Temple coinage” which had no value outside of the Temple complex. This Temple coinage was to be used in the purchase of the animals, the exchange rate was very disproportion in favor of the money changers and the Religious leaders of the day.

The Zeal of the Lord’s House

The abuses of the religious system and exploitation of the common people all for the profit and gain of the religious leaders and their business allies, and the unsavory lot of persons which always abound where such enterprises are being conducted, and the stench and filth of the penned animals causes a holy anger to arise within Jesus.

Jesus is moved by a holy zeal. Jesus, then acts and boldly confronting the money changers, he overturned their tables and scattering them and drove out the “merchandisers” scattering them from the Temple and put an end to persons using the Temple as a short cut to get where they wanted to go.

“On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. Mk: 11:15-16

The Court Stank

This part of the Temple, the court of the gentiles, was the place where non-Jews were to congregate and they had been given very limited access to participation of the Worship of God. It was in this court that the religious leaders in conjunction with money changers set their tables and booths to exchange money set up shop and to sell animals.

The presence of the animals with this area would have created an abundance of filth and a bad stench. This would have kept some persons out of the Temple all together and cosigned the non-Jewish worshipers to a rather unpleasant experiences and discouraged many to stay away all together.

  This why Jesus declared in his sermon that he preached in that place that the worship of the true God, which the Temple at Jerusalem was to symbolize, was intended to include people from all nation. None were to be kept out.

“And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? (17a)

The type of legalistic application of the Covenant quite literally stank and keeps people out and away from the worship of God. Legalism stinks and keeps people away.

 The Religious leaders had exploited the Covenant which God had formed with Israel and used it to make themselves rich at the expense of the people and the virtual exclusion of non-Jews who wanted to worship God.

 “But you have made it ‘a den of robbers” (17b)

Jesus, in overturning the tables, was acting out why he, as the Messiah, had come. Jesus had come to overturn the tables of the Covenant. Jesus had come to do away with religion, which limited the access to God and bring relationship.

 The Religious leaders had developed an “exclusive” merchandising mind set. This “exclusivism” kept some of the people confined in the court of the gentiles and  they did not have access to the court of the Priest or the Sanctuary and ultimately the Holy of Holies, these areas belong only to the people of Israel and the religious leaders which was reserved only to them.

Jesus proclaimed powerfully by word and action an end to that system and it’s purging. Now, through the work of Jesus all peoples from all nations could offer the sacrifice of prayer and participate in the worship of the Great God as priest of God under the New Covenant of Grace.

 Not a Short Cut

Jesus also shut down the uses of the Temple as a short cut for those who wanted to get where they wanted to go and sealing their merchandise as they went it was no longer a means for their self-advancement.

“and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts” (16)

In Our Temple Courts

St. Paul tells us that we, the Church, Christians, are the Temple of God.

“we are all the Temple of God”1Cor: 3:16

 Do we Christians find the same “merchandising” attitude in the Temple courts of our own lives, individually and collectively? Do we have a “money changer” attitude? Are we using the Temple Court of the Church as means to get to where we want to go, socially, financially for our own gain and advancement? Do we each and all have a legalistic “religion” that stinks and keeps some out of and excludes them from the worship of God? Do we have an unequal exchange rate, that is, what we give in return is useless coinage?

Jesus has come to drive out the “merchandising” attitude in our own lives.

As we are all the Temple of God, Jesus Christ has entered all our lives and has turns over the tables of our lives all to rid us of system which cannot even bring us real transformation and salvation.

Jesus rather drives out the “merchandiser” attitude, the “getting attitude” in each one of us. We need to let go of the old ways and become priest of God to offer the sacrifice of prayer, to be a house of prayer, so that no one need be excluded out in the court of the gentiles. All are welcome in the Lord’s house.

Jesus has entered in and turned over our tables so that we can be house of prayer for all nations.

Benediction: May each and all fully be that Temple where God is worshiped without “money changers” a house of prayer for all nations today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Norman Oklahoma.

                                  If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything

 

In a Dry Season

 

"Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live for a while because the famine was severe" Genesis:12:10

In the Book of Genesis, written by the Prophet Moses, we are told about Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and the family of Jacob leaving the land of Canaan, which had been given to them by the Lord God, to go to Egypt and to the Philistines for a time due to a very serve droughts which lead to a real scarcity of food.

"Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live for a while because the famine was sever" Gen:12:10 

"Now there was a famine in the land, besides the earlier famine of Abraham's time, and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar" Gen:26:1

"And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in the entire world"Gen:41:57

Led to Slavery

Each of these droughts and famines led the Patriarchs to leave the land which had been given to them by the Lord God as an inheritance. This going to other lands looking for sustenance is what eventually led to the enslavement of the Children of Israel, the very people to whom the land of Canaan was promised.

The Lord placed the Patriarchs in Canaan and we read in the Genesis narrative that they made the choice to depart the land without being instructed to do so by the Lord God.

They made this choice, it seems, without inquiring of the God who gave them the land to dwell in or receiving direct instructions. They choose this through their perceptions of the physical conditions alone.

The Patriarchs should have stayed in Canaan and trusted that their God had the power to sustain them. Their leaving created the conditions which led Israel to be enslaved. These Patriarchs should have trusted in the Lord God.

When a Dry Season Comes

 There are times when we as Christians, or in the life of our local church(es) pass through dry seasons when-in there seems to little rain fall or there may appear to be no fruit born in our lives as individuals or a local church(es). 

In these times, when the Lord seems far off and there is no blessing being rained down upon us and the heavens above seem as brass and the Canaan of our lives seem to produce no real fruit or the Holy Spirit seems to be inactive in our midst. When these dry seasons come upon us, we might, as did the Patriarchs, be tempted to look for substance elsewhere.

We might, as did they, look to another place to go to find what we need rather than trusting in the Lord God to provide for us in our individual or collective dry seasons.

The Patriarchs looked at the physical conditions alone they did not seek God's guidance in their journeys to other lands. They may have missed an opportunity see the providence of God at work.

Leaving Canaan

When our local church(es) finds itself in the midst of a dry season are we like the Patriarchs? Do we want to leave the Canaan of our church(es) and look elsewhere, or when we, as Christians find ourselves in what seems to be a personal dry season, do we leave the Canaan of our Christian life and look for sustenance elsewhere, or what if the nation(s) in which we live in is facing spiritual dry season and there is a real famine of the Canaan of the faith of Jesus, do we seek the land of Egypt?

If we are to depart from local church(es) we should be sure that is what our God would have us do. We should inquire of the Lord not just look at the physical conditions as the Patriarchs did. By leaving, they created the conditions which led to the slavery of Israel.

If we do depart from our local church(es) we need to ensure that this is what the Lord directs us to do and that we are leaving for the right reasons not merely for the sake of conveniences or amenities or driven by personalities, but that God himself leads in the decision. We may miss an opportunity to see God work in a powerful way. 

Dry Trees Burns

Look at the nation(s) in which we live, is it spiritually in a dry season? Are the lives of the people "dry" spiritually? People are like trees in a dry season, withered leaves and  fruitless. Whether they know it or not they need the refreshing power of the Holy Spirit to rain down upon them and to bring renewal. 

People, church(es) or nations can be in this state, yet, as dire as it may first appear there is a great opportunity presenting itself, for all it takes to set a dry tree ablaze is one small spark. 

All it may take is one small spark to set off the fire of revival in people’s lives our church(es) or the nation in which we dwell.

Look at the very dryness of the time of our Lord Jesus. In that dry season of the Crucifixion, there came the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples on that day of Pentecost which set off the fire of a true revival that ignited the Christian movement which has changed all things forever. 

God may want us to be that agent(s) which sets the spark that ignites the flame of revival in our local church(es) or even in the nations in which we live. God may want us to stay in the Canaan where he has placed us, not to look elsewhere.

How Do We Understand the Season?

Do we see the great opportunity that is being presented to us? All the great genuine revivals came at a time when they were least expected. None ever thought that what occurred on the day of Pentecost would have happened, yet the Disciples heard and obeyed Jesus' instruction to stay where he had placed them.

"On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about." "Acts: 1:4

Where ever our Lord has placed us he has done so for his purposes. We should understand the times in which we live. A great opportunity is before us all in the greater body of the church to be the agents of revival which set the land a blaze with the fire of revival even in the midst of dry season.

A well-known and often quoted Scripture is found in 1Chronl: 12:32a which tells us regarding men of the tribe of Issachar who understood the season which Israel was in.

"the men from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—"

Even in the dry season in which we may be in the midst of, there is a great opportunity to spark the flames of revival and set our church(es) and the land ablaze. Do we understand the times in which we live and what it is we should do?

We should stay in the Canaan where our Lord has placed us even in the dry seasons or we may miss a great opportunity to see what our Lord might do even in a dry season.

Benediction: May we each and all be that spark of revival which sets a blaze the fire of revival even in the midst of a dry season, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma

                               "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"