August 5th, 1959 "God's River" Late Mr. N. Daniel
Ezekiel 47:9
"And it shall come to pass, everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither, for they shall be healed, and everything shall live whither the river cometh." God brought this prophet to the house of God. The waters appeared to be shallow-- just ankle-deep, but the waters rose to knee-keep and then waist-deep and then a river that could not be crossed. That river is Christ. It is flowing. A Christian may have entered only ankle-deep in the river, but he must continue in that river till he is drowned as it were in its holy waters. Wherever this river reaches there is healing. Wherever it flows, there is life. The Holy Spirit which God gives us in the beginning is measurable. But later it is immeasurable. The first time we repented with real brokenness in our beings, we entered into the sanctuary of God. The river is flowing and some are satisfied with ankle-depth. Some keep on in faith, and come knee-deep. Knee-deep water is not of much use. You cannot bathe in it. Boats cannot sail in knee-deep water. Christ will never continue to be shallow. Are you passing through a shallow river? It means you have to go further. Then you will see the river in its glory. You will see fishermen on either side. You will see everything coming to life on either side. What a joy it will bring! Everything that is dry becomes green when God’s grace is beaming out of your life. When the "life" flows abundantly into you and out through you to those around, this will happen. God will bring us to that state. The fruit on the evergreen trees on the bank are for food. Every Christian will be planted by this river. Every Christian plants himself here. They send their roots deep under the river. Christian people who will be planted and do not want to move away from here will be evergreen. Jeremiah 17:5-8, "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought…" Are there years of drought and barrenness in your life? Then you are making man your trust. Are you drinking of this river?
If you are planted by this river you will bear fruit that the nations will eat. The spiritual fruit of St. Paul’s life are being eaten by the nations even today. Every great saint had the power of healing. Everyone of you will heal one day, if you maintain a clean heart and a pure conscience. There is a need for healing leaves to come out of you. Watch your life whether you are following the river. When the river gets too deep, you will go out and be planted by its side. The fruits you bear are the fruits of the Spirit. Even an ungodly husband cannot ignore this fruit without being challenged by it.
You are perhaps ankle-deep or perhaps waist-deep. Follow on. When you reach the life you cannot cross, the river will inundate you and all around you. Heaven and earth meet there. God’s grace will be abundant to those that follow Jesus. You will bear fruit and your leaves will heal. Follow the river until you are drowned- drowned in the grace of God and the love of God. The river will never cease to flow till it inundates all that is round about you. Believe it. Go and pray and believe it. Be a blessing. Let your fruit be such that your kith and kin cannot resist them. Let there be not defeat in your life.