Forsaken River

In 1973, the French founded a settlement in Mississippi. They named it Petit Gouffe, which means little chasm because it was a much smaller sister city to New Orleans. As a result of the French and Indian War, the area was taken by Great Britain. Spain would later control this area after taking West Florida from the British in 1781. Spain would hold the site until selling it to Thomas Calvit in 1798. The city was later renamed Rodney in 1828 in honor of Judge Thomas Rodney. Rodney Mississippi was the center of commerce in the state. Matter of fact Rodney was only 3 votes away from being the capitol. Rodney was host to many notable visitors, including Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay and Zachary Taylor. Taylor was so taken by the area that he purchased Cypress Grove Plantation in 1842. It was at this time that Taylor’s daughter, Sarah, eloped with Lt. Jefferson Davis, much to her father’s dismay. Taylor’s house, which was located on the property south of Rodney, would later cave in and fall into the Mississippi River. Although Rodney entertained some important political figures, one of its own residents made quite a name for himself. Dr. Rush Nutt, a native of Virginia, came to Rodney in 1815. It would be Dr. Nutt who led the south to become the cotton kingdom of the world. His contributions were two-fold. The cotton seed being used in the area had developed a rot that destroyed half-the crop. His extensive research led him to develop new methods to grow cotton. Nutt improved Eli Whitney‘s cotton gin by connecting the gin to steam power. There is a good reason I’ve included this history lesson; In 1870, the mighty Mississippi started to turn. The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and the chief river of the second-largest drainage system on the North American continent. By 1940 it was a full three miles a way from the great city of Rodney. Today, you could go through Rodney. You can visit the old grocery store and churches. You could even go by Taylor’s plantation site, but because of the rivers move his plantation caved in and fell into the river. You see if the river ever leaves, like the city, you will die. How’s this relevant to our walk? Scripture says in John seven thirty-seven and thirty eight says:

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.

We must have that river. It is no difference for us spiritually; If we ever lose access to this river, we have we will die! We have to have the moving of the Holy Ghost. We have to fall in love with this river. If we have this river, we will have power. The Bible says in Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you. If we have this river, we will have power, matter-of-fact scripture also says in Romans chapter eight verse eleven, "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” So what can be done with this river? In one gospel, eighteen notable miracles such as two blind men healed, raising the widow’s son, healing the ten lepers, and the raising of Lazarus from the dead. That same spirit lives in us today, and if it doesn’t it is available to you today if not. Why not get ahold to this great power? If we have access to this river, then we can not lose it. Where in scripture does it draw the line? Romans eight verses five and six says: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. We have to be like Moses in Exodus chapter thirty-three verse fifteen which says, “And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” Just like Moses said, we mustn’t do anything without the spirit of God. We can not move forward without the spirit. I don’t want to do anything his spirit can’t bless. The story about Rodney wasn’t just a cute story I told for sermon illustration. It is a picture of what scripture says will happen if we leave the spirit. Romans eight verse nine through fourteen says: 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. This scripture notes two things: if you are following the spirit then you are a child of God, but if you aren’t the scripture notes death. The spirit can do more in an instant than we ever could in a lifetime of sermons. Galatians chapter three verse three says: “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

For a moment, let us discuss someone whom had the river, we can definitely include Saul in this list. Saul was a great man. He was the first king of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah. He was anointed by the prophet Samuel and reigned from Gibeah. The river took a turn for Saul in 1 Samuel chapter fifteen. These passages mark Saul failing God, did he have a chance for redemption? Yes, I believe he did because scripture marks it down like this in 1 Samuel chapter fifteen verse thirty: “Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.” While Saul had a chance of redemption, he tried covering up his sin by expecting the man of God to go before the people with him. First, I’m tired of production and professionalism. We must have the river! Here’s the thing, when you sin you should not expect your pastor, and a man of God to slap you on the wrist. We should call for our man of God to convict us, which will allow us to go, as scripture says, boldly before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy. We must have the river! Stop looking at surrounding churches saying, “We don’t have what they have.” Pray they come by your church and realize they don’t have what we have. We must be hungry for the spirit of God, but before we can say that as a corporate body we must make it an individual mandate. This message isn’t so much, "We Need the river”, but more, “You need the river.” If you try to live for God without the spirit, you will dry up and die. I can’t depend on the flow of the spirit in my life and think I don’t need collective worship. You need a church and your pastor, but there is something scarier than that. Relying on the corporate river to get to Heaven. A way to measure the river in your life is, "How Often do I come in contact with it when I’m not here.”

What can divert the river? There’s another town with river issues. Gravehill, Illinois. Gravehill sits on the border of Indiana and Illinois. It sat in the bend of the Wabash river. It was the busiest city for hundreds of miles because it was one of the only cities with a boat ramp. Fifteen years ago during a spring flood, the river jumped its bank. This left Gravehill surrounded by a stagnate pool of water. The city called in the Army Corps of Engineers to study the matter. The Corp said the reason the river left you is simple. Over the course of time, debris began to set up in the bend of the river, so it was made easier to go somewhere else. They went through a few different ways to get the river back, but the Army Corp said something I’d like to leave you with today. “In the end the river is going to go where it’s welcome.” I remember a scripture Luke nineteen verse forty which says: “And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

Who has been a figure, scripturally, that had the river? Let us discuss David. David was anointed King in 1 Samuel chapter sixteen. David was quoted as a man after God’s own heart? While the king he was to take the place of was throwing spears at him, he just played the demons away. After he takes the kingship In 2 Samuel Chapter eleven, David sees Bathsheba. This event opens cataclysmic wormhole. While David was to be at war mind you, he sees this woman bathing. He calls for her to commit adultery. Calls the wife's husband home to cover up his sin. The husband sleeps at the doorway. He sent a letter back with him calling for what would be the death of Uriah. All this, then he takes Bathsheba to be his wife. Hard story, right? Well, it’s not done. In 2 Samuel chapter twelve Samuel, the prophet calls out David on his shortcomings. David calls for death, which speaks death over his own child. Now while this seems bleak, there is a ray shining through the clouds. Chapter fifty-one of Psalms marks a tremendous moment within David's life. Let's take a journey together for a moment. Psalms chapter fifty-one is the passage of scripture chronologically positioned after 2 Samuel chapter twelve. This passage of scripture is a beautiful pattern of what repentance is to look like for example he goes from acknowledging his sinful nature to asking for forgiveness, and even further down he asks God to build thou the walls of Jerusalem, but in context with what’s going on it means to build up walls of conviction to keep him from making the same mistakes, and going back into the same sin. So how do we keep the river? We are not perfect beings, but we serve a perfect God. Davids shows well that while we are not flawless people, we have the chance of grace and a place for forgiveness. Now I will pull back in the story from earlier. What’s the army corps answer to get the river back? You will have to pay the price to have someone to dig deep and remove the debris that would block the river. The city did nothing about the river. Let this not be the same thing said about us today. We have to be willing to pay the price to keep the river. Now we must take the time to pay the price and dig deep. We must have the river!

In closing, we will rewind to ancient civilizations. In these civilizations or societies, they form cities around bodies of water. I’ll list a few reasons then tie spiritual reflections:

• The main reason was the water to drink and the agriculture surrounding the rivers. If we will get in the flow of this river, there will be substance for you and your family. Our God is a provider. In the wilderness he provided manna, water from rocks, and quail from the sea. If he can do it then, scripture says he is the same yesterday today and forever. If you need provision and substance, get in the river's flow and allow God to work out the details.

• Another reason is cleaning. God never intends us to come into the river and leave the same. In Psalms fifty-one mentioned earlier, David says five times wash, one time he says purge which means to wash, and he says blot out and remove your face from my sins. The river must clean us. I know the motto nowadays is, “God says come as you are,” but not one time is that phrase mentioned in scripture. One scripture close is Matthew eleven verse twenty-eight, which says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The scripture aligns with the principle: God is fine with you coming as you are, but you must leave changed.

• Rivers are ideal for travel and trade. Long before roads are built, ships can move large and heavy cargoes along rivers. This trade and travel can bind multiple cities along a river system in a network of cooperation. When we connect to this river, it will bring unity. That there be no divisions among you, but that you would be perfectly united. (1 Corinthians 1:10). We must stop causing the division between people within the church.

• The next point: often the cities were in regions with little to no other water source. In the world there is no water source; We must get in contact with this river because when we do, we can provide it to the ones around us. For the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10). That is our calling, that is what we are placed here to do, so we can be the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill. (Matthew 5:14).

• Last, there are multiple crops per year and high yields because of flooding. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. (Matthew 9:36-38). If we will get in the flow of this river, we will have an unprecedented revival. It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh. (Acts 2:17). The former rain and the latter rain in the first month. (Joel 2:23). If we connect ourselves in the river, there will be a former and the latter rain revival. If you get the river it won’t be just a season of harvest or revival, it will be in perpetuation.

I hope this will leaving you longing for the well of living water, and for rivers access in your own life. God has made grace possible when he manifested himself in flesh. When we find ourselves disconnected from our source take note and come running swiftly back.