PUT OUT INTO THE DEEP? LOOKING FOR THE CURE? COME DEEPER…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) (TWO PART)
FINDING DEEPER MEANING… SHALLOW V. DEEPER.
I was in the 7TH grade and we lived in Oliver Springs, Tennessee. My mom wanted us to learn how to swim out of the water. I was afraid of water. We would ride the Greyhound bus to Oak Ridge’s Olympic size pool. Seems everyone was swimming but me. I sat at the kiddy pool with my feet in the water in fear of the water. I watched as a lady brought her baby to the side of the pool. She took the little boys diaper off and put swimming trunks on him. She then threw him into the deep part pool and he swam out into the deep to the diving board. This put me to shame.
I prayed and decided I was going to swim that day. I confessed my sins just in case I drown. I build up my nerve. I walked away from the pool and turned and faced the water. I prayed again and ran to dive in the pool. To my amazement I hit the cool water. I didn’t just hit the water, my face and chest hit the concrete bottom of the pool. The impact with the concrete tore me up. My face was deeply scratched, blood started pouring out. My chest was bleeding. To this day I still have no hair on my chest. See, you can’t learn to swim in the ankle deep part of the kiddy pool. The life guards blew their whistles and made everyone get out of the pool while they painted my face and chest several bottles of with red methylate and Mercurochrome. I was so embarrassed, this just made me more afraid of the water.
WELL, I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT SAME YEAR I LEARNED HOW TO SWIM IN DEEP WATERS. A church friend had a boat. He took my brother and me out on the lake fishing. My brother told him I could not swim. The man asked could I swim. I said, NO! He got me by the seat of my pants and threw me in the middle of the lake. The boat never stopped.
I came up and watch the boat get smaller and smaller as it distanced itself from me. I heard the man yell: SWIM or DROWN. I panicked for a while and I started swimming. The man taught me a lesson that day: IF YOU ARE IN DEEP WATER YOU BETTER SWIM FOR YOUR LIFE.
MY SOUL CRIES OUT: LORD, I KNOW THERE IS MORE. THANK YOU FOR THIS, BUT I YEARN FOR MORE, DEEPER.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
PUT OUT INTO THE DEEP? JESUS FINISHES TEACHING HIS SERMON. THEN JESUS TURNS TO PETER TO GIVE PETER SOME FISHING INSTRUCTIONS.
Peter knows Jesus is a carpenter. Peter had James and John as partners in his fishing business. They used every fishing trick they knew and had TAKEN NOTHING. Peter makes a FRUSTRATING STATEMENT: WE HAVE FISHED ALL NIGHT --- AND TAKEN NOTHING. JESUS HAD CLEAR INSTRUCTION: GO OUT INTO DEEPER WATERS. YOU HAVE TO PUT OUT INTO DEEPER WATERS…
Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
Talk about dumb? Peter does not like the carpenter’s advice. Peter knew that the best fishing on the Sea of Galilee was at night near the shore. Jesus tells the 3 fishermen to fish during the day light hours out in the deep, not near the shore. DEEP FISHING IN THE DAY? NO WAY. DEEPER? THERE IS MORE! THERE IS ENOUGH TO FILL TWO BOATS.
HAVE WE OPENED OUR HEARTS TO OBEY AND PUT OUT INTO THE DEEP? THIS WAS NOT LOGICAL. SEEMS THERE ARE NO FISH? FRUITLESS EFFORTS? WE HAVE FISHED ALL NIGHT. The fishermen were done fishing for the night. Now the duty is clean the nets and get ready for tomorrow. We must take a chance? Go deeper in knowing God.
*SHALLOW: lacking in depth of thought or emotions, wrong priorities, apathetic,
*DEEPER: extending far below the surface, intense, extreme, profound, significance, thoughtful, more than knowing ---doing, rooted, well applied,
*MORE: a greater amount, additional, extra, abundant, surplus,
SOMETHING CHANGED MY LIFE!
I was a member of the “YOUNG AND RESTLESS” in the “GENERAL HOSPITAL” in the city of “DALLAS.” I was waiting to see “THE DOCTORS.” They told me I was at “THE EDGE OF NIGHT.” My illness was serious. Suddenly I realized I had just “ONE LIFE TO LIVE.” I wanted to see “ALL MY CHILDREN” before I entered into “ANOTHER WORLD.” In my “SEARCH FOR TOMORROW” I was frustrated. But “AS THE WORLD TURNS” something happened. “THE GUIDING LIGHT” appeared. God changed my life. I have been born again. Now my wife and I are enjoying “THE DAYS OF OUR LIFE serving God.
Am I looking for a powerful personal and spiritual intimate experience with God? Beyond human reasoning? There is more beyond our understanding.
WHAT DO YOU WANT? THERE IS A PREACHER/PROPHET CALLED OF GOD TO WORK IN THE HOUSE OF GOD TO INSTRUCT THOSE TO GO DEEPER.
Ezekiel was God’s man. Ezekiel was led by the Holy Spirit in a day when there were many false prophets and false teachings. Israel had been in a backslidden condition. In God’s mercy and grace, God reveals to Ezekiel: A REVIVAL WAS COMING. ISRAEL WILL MAKE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS, DEEPER.
THE VISION WAS CLEAR AND GOD REVEALED THE REVIVAL WAS COMING FROM THE TEMPLE OR THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.
**God’s house will be a place of 1. GROWTH, 2. REVIVAL, 3. NEW HOPE, 4. HEALING IS GOING TO FLOW FROM THE ALTAR IN GOD’S HOUSE.
THERE IS A MOVEMENT TODAY THAT IS TRYING TO BYPASS THE IMPORTANCE OF ZION, THE CITY OF GOD OR THE TEMPLE OF GOD. AS IN THE DAYS WHEN PAUL WAS IN A SHIP WRECK SOME WANTED TO JUMP SHIP AND GO IN SMALL LIFE BOATS. PAUL WARNED YOU MUST HOLD ON THE SHIP OF ZION.
Ezekiel 47:1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.
REAL REVIVAL WILL NEVER BYPASS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHURCH AND THE ALTAR. Some today have removed the ALTAR from the sanctuary. Others have moved the altars to a back room. THE ALTAR OF GOD IS THE FOCAL POINT OF REVIVAL. The altar is more than just a place.
ANKLE DEEP, IS GOOD BUT THERE IS BETTER. 1,000 cubits or roughly 1,500 feet --- the living water flows OUTWARD from the temple/altar.
Ezekiel 47:3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles.
GOD DOES NOT INTEND FOR HIS PEOPLE TO STAY IN ANKLE DEEP WATER. THERE IS MORE.
1,500 FEET THE LIVING WATER OF GOD IS KNEE DEEP.
Ezekiel :47:4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins.
AT ANOTHER 1,500 FEET, 4,500 FEET (3/4s of a mile.) WE FIND GOD’S VICTORY PLAN, BOAT OR SWIMMING WATER.
Ezekiel 47:5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
THE REVIVAL IS FOUND AROUND THE RIVER. THE REVIVAL SUPPORTS LIFE. REAL LIFE is found at 6,000 feet ( around 1 ¼ mile.) THE RIVER OF REVIVAL NOT ONLY SUPPORTS LIFE IT FLOWS THROUGH THE DESERT (NO LIFE, HOPELESSNESS, HOT AND DRY.) HEALING SHALL COME.
Ezekiel 47:6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. 7 Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. 10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
THERE WILL BE NO REVIVAL OR NO CHANGE IN THE SHALLOWS. STAYING IN THE SHALLOW PLACES WILL BRING DEATH AND BACKSIDES.
Ezekiel 47:11 But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.
The shallow places will bring death, sickness, stay sallty and miry-clay. Sip-slide?
THOSE THAT LIVE DEEP IN THE RIVER FROM THE ALTAR HAVE A DIVINE PROMISE. THOSE THAT GO DEEPER IN THE RIVER SHALL BEAR FRUIT. THERE SHALL BE LIFE. THERE WILL BE MONTHLY FRUIT AND FISH TOSUSTAIN LIFE.
Ezekiel 47:12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.
CONCLUSION: You make daily choices. You can live and stay in the shallow water if you so desire. But God’s plan is: “PUT OUT IN THE DEEP!” There is a great revival for those desiring more of a personal relationship with God. COME! NOT TO VISIT BUT TO DWELL FOREVER IN THE DEEP!
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
