A River Runs Through It - a vision for when all you see is problems

August 07, 2017
Langdon Palmer

Ever look out at life, and everywhere you look you see problems? It is fair to ask in such moments – “Where is God in the midst of all this ?” Today we look at fascinating verse in John chapter 10 that is often overlooked and yet yeilds a clue and a promise for a way to see life that is honest, true, but also incredibility empowering and assuring. Join us for this podcast as Pastor Langdon gives us an empowering way to see and act in this unpredictable, problem-strewn thing we call life. Meditate on the image for this podcast before listening. All scriptures referenced are included in the notes. You can buy Sam Phillip's song "A River of Love" at https://music.apple.com/us/artist/leslie-phillips/1165898071

Episode Notes

John 10:32-42

32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’?
35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came– and the Scripture cannot be broken–
36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?
37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does.
38 But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed
41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.”
42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.

Genesis 2:10

A river watering the garden flowed from Eden;
from there it was separated into four headwaters.

Lamentations 2:18

The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. O wall of the Daughter of Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest.

 

Ezekiel 47:1-12

The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple … The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar… He said to me…”Where the river flows everything will live…Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

 

Isaiah 35:4-10

Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” …. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. … 8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. ..only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

 

Revelation 22:1

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city… No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.


Content Copyright Belongs to Langdon Palmer
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