2011.11.13.LET THE RIVER FLOW
William Akehurst
HSWC
Let the river flow: Missions Sunday Celebration
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
A hydroelectric dam uses the power of the river to produce electricity. There is a message in harnessing the River of Life and Shining forth the Gospel Message of God’s saving power.
Our little church has many missions that it supports all around the world. India, Ukraine, to name a few nations. Birthright, Anna's House, Calvery Food pantry. Samaritan's Purse, BGEA Telephone Ministry, the Gideons bible ministry to name a few more. Almost a dozen missions from a little church of Seniors in our little town of Bel Air. Amazingly enough we are able to reach and impact little portions of the world. Its amazing and wonderful. Out of the blessings of the LORD, we are able to let the river flow and touch lives of people we may never know.
PREACHING THE GOSPEL, THE SAVING POWER OF GOD
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
NEVER ASHAMED
Romans 1:16-17 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
COMMISSIONED TO GO. OUR MISSION
Matthew 28:19-20 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
LIVING WATER COMES FROM HEAVEN AND GIVES LIFE.
Isaiah 41:18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Ezekiel 34:25-27 25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
As I was crossing over the Conowingo Dam, the LORD showed me something. Maryland’s Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River is a great architectural feat. We can drive across the Dam and see the high water on one side and the lower level rapids and flow of water on the other. This dam was not built to contain a raging river and dam up the flowing river, it cannot fully stop the flow of water. Instead, it was built to harness the might of the river and produce electricity. Electricity is used by thousands of people around that river for power and light. We can learn from this, we have a RIVER OF LIFE that comes down from heaven. We can’t stop that river, instead, we are to harness it, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and be the light to our community. Let the RIVER FLOW.
WE HAVE A LIGHT
Acts 13:47-48 47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
2 Corinthians 4:5-6 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
RIVERS OF LIVING WATER FLOW THROUGH US
John 7:37-38 37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Revelation 22:1-3 1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
LET THE RIVER FLOW. YOU CAN’T STOP IT. DON’T QUENCH IT (THE SPIRIT). HARNESS THE RIVER OF LIFE, AND LET IF FLOW. BE THE LIGHT, AND LET IT SHINE.
