The morning sun broke through the bedroom window a new day opened; I got up and sat on the front porch bathed in warm winter sunlight.   I looked out over the flowing ‘Lunga’ river, I am in Mwinilunga Zambia, sitting watching a

Smoke that Thunders

deep river moving slowly but unabated, a deep green rich and constant movement, unabated and withstanding all that stood in its way over the centuries.

As I mused the flowing river I realized I am not only sat on the edge of this river but some 35 miles (56 Kilometers) away we find the conclusion of one of the most historic missionary searches throughout southern Africa by a European, a Scottish missionary that had walked many miles to search for the source of the Zambezi river, from the powerful overwhelming Victoria Falls he names he continued north.     David Livingstone a Godly man had stood here many years ago and I am just a short distance away, he found the source of the river, the mighty Zambezi.    Today the river stands as a border between Zimbabwe and Zambia in some places, at the time of discovery it had become a source of joy, yet then same joy of commencement and discovery brought a conclusion and ending of one life’s goal, the source of the might  Zambezi.

As you direct your imagination south from this source of the now trickling Zambezi it grows and grows until you come to the ‘Victoria Falls’, some may have had the pleasure of visiting this natural wonder if not you must have seen its pictures.  A 1,708 meters (5,604 ft.) wide fisher in the face of the planet, a natural wonder, a 108 Meters (360 ft.) drop of water, this Zambezi source with its small beginnings breaking out of the ground, leads to the “Mosi-oa-Tunya” locally know “the smoke that thunders”, water crashing into an open fault along a high plateau.   In the rainy season you cannot stand close to it, without getting drenched and as you travel towards it can be seen from 30 miles (50 km) away, from a distance it looks like a bush fire roaring, with its smoke rising, hence its local name.   At full moon, a “moon-bow” can be seen in the spray instead of the usual daylight rainbow.  A great river and a major natural immense view that is still tumbling, rushing, working its way towards its joining into the Indian Ocean .

Lets return not to the effects of this river, its life-giving course and its terrain transforming affect, but to a small beginning a source that just trickles out of the ground.   Men down through ages had searched for this source, now it is easy to find, it is even marked on local maps for us all to enjoy.   As I looked out that morning on the river and my position so close to a historic beginning my thoughts began to consider Gods grace.

In every beginning there is also a completion, or there should be or better said there must be.   If we are to start anywhere we have to finish something at the same time.   Start a new way of life and we have to cease an old way.   New things learnt always bring about the conclusion of old patterns.   Is this not the nature of revelation to us, is that it concludes and begins new vistas; new eyes in seeing that do not allow us to go back.

I have come to a point in realizing that every new word, every prophecy, although they might have painted pictures with inspiring words but really what every prophecy and word says is “YOU CANNOT STAY HERE ANY LONGER”.    You are ruined in the place you are in, prophecy comes and if I have ears to hear it says strongly you cannot remain, you cannot stay here!    Genesis 1 concludes some things, and yet with great explosions begins other seasons, new beginnings as a Christ follower begins a new journey and certainly concludes another journey the one I travelled to that time.   A time of change of transformation.

Back to my morning view, as I watch this constant flow of the river ‘Lunga’ so close to the source of Zambezi, right in front of

Old Days

me I noticed a dugout, a wooden canoe carved from some tree that once stood by the river, it looked old as if its day has ceased, inside a wooden carved paddle, inviting someone to use it.  However this old dugout now filled with water.    It will not be travelling anywhere any longer; it’s just an idyllic scene.    A once travelled river by this means now stopped finished its course and yet the river continues on unabated.   A dugout that man once commanded the surface, fished to feed a family, travelled the region by river, plunged from it into the rivers depths and man brought his rule to the section of the river form it.

The reality is that stopped a long time ago but the river still continues on, un-ruled as it wished unaffected by mans attempt to control, the river had a course to chart and the cycle continues unabated.

On the back of the unaltered course of this water flow I was reminded to be careful in all we do, all we dream of being involved with that we find the source of life, that will give us a reason for being, a beginning to our way, give time to know our beginnings the source of our flow.

We have to understand that wherever we are, we cannot disconnect a new thing from the constant flow of the Father, always flowing towards a goal and an end.   Too many people are looking for the new thing that is disconnected to this continual flow.  Individuals ready, it seems to disregard the unabated direction the Holy Spirit flow for the new thing, the “this is it” cry the next thing we have found.    I considered that God does not what people to shout “this is it” the thing, the ministry, the center is the ultimate but wants a people who would join Peter’s Acts 2 cry “…this is that…” and that being the Christ.     A good thing must never become the ultimate never mind how good it is for this is idolatry the ultimate to the Father is the Son, the Christ of God.

For the source, he began and will continue.    Even when we try to control and make ours, a section of that flow of this river of God and call it our revelation and our gift or ministry be careful as we stand on a might course that will find its end.     Always find the source, and never disconnect your onward course from its original source.  I have seen so many people who try to disconnect themselves for, what they say is ‘for the sake of the new thing’, they attempt to cut off, or even worst undermine the continuity of Gods grace.    Giving up all they have come from to take hold of the new thing.

I hear people say “we have to be faithful to the new move”, yet every move of God is faithful to the continuity of flow, for it all comes from the same source, there is a beginning a continuity and completion to every moment in Christ, for he knew where he came from and where he was going to.

1          Know your source, find the cause of your flow

2          Know that we are here to work with a continual flow of the cause of God

3          See the relics of the past and know they contributed to the flow of God, connect and flow your course with knowledge of continuity, it did not commence with you and probably will neither finish with you

4          Be sure we contribute and not clutter the embankments of life with the clutter of our own agendas, mission, visions and goals.

5          Honour the flow that came to you, yet be sure we live our lives, not that which came to you, LIVE YOUR SEASON

6          Look for the continuity of the river of God in revelation and understanding.

7          Understand that each part of the flow is different to the last part

8          Pass on, lay down for the generations still to take the baton what is legitimate to the continuity of flow rather that what began with you and what you feel to maintain.

Sitting by the banks of ’Lunga’ River I am thinking of source and its search.   The unabated constant continuity of the flow of the river that flows directly in my view, while seeing the patterns of the past attempts to ride its course now long gone

The need to reset and work with the river of God in the front of my life rather than looking right of left to other but be myself and fully express the Father before my house

I am concerned to ensure that I will pass on and add to the continuity of flow rather than only be concerned with my flavour my type or my agenda.

As we consider that each of us are the beneficiaries of the flow of others from our past.   My thoughts go to the wonderful story and picture in the Old Testament as Abraham sends Eleazer, his trusted servant to find a bride and prepare a bride for his son.   This picture outlines a type of Holy Spirit for us, preparing a bride for the Fathers Christ.    It was the fact that Eleazer said to the Lord as he came to a well, the woman who serves his camels by watering them will be the bride to ask for.    Little did Rebecca know that the camels she would water, she would serve, would become the vehicle that would carry her towards her own destiny?    That which she served was her continuity, to connect in the unabated flow of Gods plan.      Be careful and know the camel that will carry you in the continuous flow of Christ, don’t remove yourself from the continuity of Gods grace.

We are often told that the last move of God became the first obstacle to the new move of God, history may add to that thought, but let us consider it is not always so.    Let us be those who take hold of the flow of God and add to, continue on, rather that to be in the new feel we have to serve the flow of God for the asked of the new God wants a continuity of flow.

It flows on and on!

Be careful we step on board to the continuity and the very vehicle of your destiny, know what is your camel and give yourself to maintain Gods grace unabated.